NEWS
Ops manager: Paria unable to identify risks in pipeline repair
Paria Fuel Trading Company Ltd’s Terminal Operations Manager Colin Piper said Paria did not possess the competency needed to review the scope of works presented to them by LMCS for the job being done at Paria’s Berth 6 at Pointe-a-Pierre. Piper was giving eagerly anticipated testimony on Wednesday during the Commission of Enquiry into the February 25 tragedy, held at the International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, chaired by Jerome Lynch, KC. Responding to questions from CoE counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, he said the risk assessments and emergency response plans (ERPs) presented by LMCS were to include all credible scenarios. Read more here
Gran Couva Main Road continues to collapse
The Gran Couva Main Road continues to collapse, forcing residents to take a detour through Cameron Road which cannot accommodate heavy vehicles. However, residents complained that truck drivers ignore the three-tonne limit sign and vehicles as heavy as cement mixers regularly use the road because there is no alternate route. Caroni Central MP Arnold Ram, who claimed the authorities are not serious about doing anything about the situation, told Guardian Media: “They have mama-guyed the people with a visit from the Ministry of Works and Transport. It falls under their purview but all they are concerned about is fixing other areas, save and except those that lie within opposition constituencies. If it was any other area that was PNM controlled it would have been done already.” Ram said residents are worried that Cameron Road may start to show some slippage. Read more here
POLITICS
PM: UNC ducking questions on OAS highway contract
The United National Congress has questions to answer on the multi-million dollar contract with the Brazilian firm, Construtora OAS SA for the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension project, says the Prime Minister. In a statement posted to his Facebook page on Wednesday, Dr Rowley said the $850 million arbitration award to OAS was stopped and taxpayers' money recovered. "Today, Wednesday, December 14, 2022, the High Court ruled in favour of the taxpayers of Trinidad and Tobago, in a matter being contested between state-owned NIDCO and OAS, the contractor hired to build the Highway from Golconda to Pt Fortin. Read more here
BUSINESS
Airbridge fares to go up from January 1
The increase in ticket prices for the Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) flight to and from Tobago will come into effect on January 1. Finance Minister Colm Imbert announced the decision in the 2023 budget presentation on September 26, following years of losses recorded by CAL in operating the domestic airbridge. In a news release on CAL’s website yesterday, the airline said adults will pay $200 for every one-way flight. That is up from $150, which represents a 33.3 per cent increase. Read more here
REGIONAL
President Ali commits to changing lives of Leopold Street residents
President, Dr Irfaan Ali, provided a number of men from Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, with jobs and training opportunities during a meeting held on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal. The opportunity for them to work with the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Central Housing and Planning Authority to construct 20 homes on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, was high on the agenda. The meeting came to fruition following President Ali’s visit to the community in late November. He had committed to working with the young people who were interested in learning different trades and being employed meaningfully. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Elon Musk taking legal action over Twitter account that tracks his private jet
Elon Musk says he is taking legal action against the holder of a Twitter account that tracks his private jet, arguing it put his son at risk. The @ElonJet account, which has more than half a million followers, was suspended on Wednesday. Its owner Jack Sweeney, 20, used publicly available flight-tracking information to tweet every time Mr Musk's jet took off and landed. Mr Musk says legal action is now being taken against Mr Sweeney and others. "Last night, car carrying [his son] lil X in LA was followed by crazy stalker (thinking it was me), who later blocked car from moving and climbed onto hood," he tweeted. He added that any account revealing people's real-time locations will be suspended "as it is a physical safety violation". Read more here
15th December 2022