NEWS
Point Fortin woman who saw Kimani walking moves out of the area
Zoi Quan Kep, the woman who reported seeing the now-dead infant Kimani "Mani" Francis roaming alone on a road in Techier Village, Point Fortin on Monday, has moved out of the area. Police were called in after outraged residents gathered at her home at Tenth Street Extension on Tuesday after the child’s body was found in a river. Residents hurled obscenities and threw stones and other objects at the house, accusing her of failing to save the child. On Tuesday night, while police dispersed the residents, she began packing items to go elsewhere as a temporary safety measure. Read more here
Keto capsules sold in T&T recalled due to health risk
The US Food and Drug Administration has recalled a supplement used by people on the Keto diet, being sold in Trinidad ad Tobago and a few other countries. The product that has been recalled is NaturesPlus Keto Living Sugar Control Capsules. Natural Organics announced the recall as the NaturesPlus supplement contains an ingredient that's not listed on the label. Unfortunately, the ingredient in question is gluten, making Keto Living Sugar Control Capsules dangerous to anyone who is allergic to wheat or gluten. Read more here
POLITICS
Lee, Hosein on energy minister's CNN interview: 'Young out of touch with reality'
Two Opposition MPs have criticised Energy Minister Stuart Young for his remarks on a CNN news show where he said TT had the capacity to contribute to global gas supplies, and that citizens here "have a good life." Young was a guest on journalist Michael Quest's Quest means business news show on Tuesday which dealt with the economic fallout of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. TT was identified by Quest as one of the gas-producing countries that was listed as possible alternative sources of supply to Russian natural gas. Read more here
Cummings, Lutchmedial feud with lawsuit challenge
Youth Development Minister Foster Cummings has launched legal action against UNC Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial, giving her until 1 pm today to retract, remove and apologise for “libellous” statements she made about him last Thursday. However, Lutchmedial has warned she has a lot of court clothes. The standoff arises from Lutchmedial’s statements about Cummings at last week’s UNC “TT Speaks” meeting in San Fernando. She raised allegations in a 2019 TTPS Special Branch report on Cummings. Cummings denied the allegations, deeming them false. Read more here
BUSINESS
Looking to China
At a time when it seems the logistical and political challenges to deepening global trade could not be more forbidding, Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon has made a plea to local manufacturers to get involved with and invest in China’s market. Speaking at a tour of local companies, including Angostura, in which she participated alongside Chinese Ambassador Fang Qiu last Wednesday, Ms Gopee-Scoon urged Angostura to expand its market and special product line to make inroads into China and, by extension, Asia. Read more here
Point Lisas to the rescue
With high global prices for petrochemicals and government urgently needing money from the energy sector the Keith Rowley administration has told one of the world’s largest methanol producers it wants all the downstream plants up and running and there is now hope that the idle Titan plant could restart later this year. Chief Executive Officer of Methanex John Floren told an earnings call in Canada that Methanex saw the restart of its idled plant in Trinidad as one area of growth in production for the company and was hopeful that it could be restarted. He said the company wanted to ensure it would get gas at a price that it can sustain throughout the cycle and was in discussions with the government to finally restart operations. Read more here
REGIONAL
Local businesses in US$40M joint venture to service O&G sector
A local consortium of businesses, on Wednesday evening, officially launched a new company, Pipe Coating Guyana Inc. (PCG) that will create over 400 jobs and cater to the local oil and gas industry. This was disclosed during the launch at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Kingston. PCG Inc was founded by a group of Guyanese led by Suresh Jagmohan, who is the owner of S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services. The group approached two international pipe coating specialists to support PCG, and, as such, the project will see the operationalisation of a state-of-the-art facility to support the deep-water harbour and plans for the new gas-to-shore project in Guyana. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Finland to apply for Nato membership 'without delay'
Finland's president and prime minister have called for the country to apply for Nato membership "without delay". Sauli Niinisto and Sanna Marin said in a joint statement they expected a decision in the next few days. The move comes amid a surge in public support for Nato membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Moscow said Finland's move was a threat to Russia and the further expansion of Nato would make Europe less stable and secure. Previously, Russia has threatened unspecified measures - and on this occasion too, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not say exactly how Russia would respond. "Everything will depend on how this expansion process plays out, the extent to which military infrastructure moves closer to our borders," he said. Read more here
12th May 2022