NEWS
Two children among six shot in Sangre Grande
Two children were among six people shot during a wake at a house in Sangre Grande on Wednesday night. Police said the mourners were gathered at a home at Damarie Hill, Blake Avenue, at around 10.30 pm when men drove up in a car. One of the men got out with an assault rifle and shot at the mourners. Read more here
Experts warn of increasing food insecurity
While Caricom Heads of Government are working towards investing and improving the agriculture industry through their 25 by 2025 initiative, the region’s current state of food security is said to be worsening. The grim revelation was made during the virtual launch of the fifth round of the Caribbean Food Security and Livelihood survey yesterday. The survey rounds were conducted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report analysed data collection which took place from July 19 to August 12, 2022 and compared findings with survey rounds conducted in April 2020, June 2020, February 2021 and February 2022. Read more here
POLITICS
Duke: I will not leave the PDP
Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke says he will not leave the party he founded in 2016. In a video of him being interviewed, posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Duke said that between 2013 and 2016, the PDP had no voice in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). “So, I am saying, ‘Why should I want to leave the PDP now?’ when between 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, there was no voice in the assembly. "I know who I am, inno. I know what I have done for this country. I have given Tobago a voice when there was no voice.” Read more here
BUSINESS
What business leaders want in 2023 budget? People-focused policy
Put the people first. It's the top item on the Supermarket Association of TT's wishlist for the 2023 budget which the Finance Minister, Colm Imbert, presents on September 26. Its president Rajiv Diptee says Government should consider how people have been affected by high prices, international shocks and the socio-economic effects of the covid19 pandemic. "The administration must carefully consider how the population has been affected in terms of their earnings and spending power, and this will impact the wider inflation already being felt. We urge careful restraint in the public interest where these decisions are to be taken." Read more here
Urgent action could stave off natural gas crisis
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley raised the alarm bells on Monday, indicating that without gas production from new fields, the country was likely facing a crisis that could severely impact citizens standard of living. Rowley said the government has been working hard and continues to do so in an effort to increase natural gas production which he said had fallen to an average of 2.9 billion standard cubic feet per day (bcf/d), down from a high of 4.2 bcf/d. It must be noted that figures from the Ministry of Energy place the natural gas production figures at 2.5 bcf/d and not the 2.9 claimed by the Prime Minister. Dr Rowley said it was because of this dilemma he felt it necessary to head to Europe and meet with the leadership teams of Shell, BP and Proman to try and push the interest of T&T. Read more here
REGIONAL
GECOM extends Claims and Objections exercise by seven days
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Wednesday disclosed that it will extend the ongoing Claims and Objections Exercise by seven days, in a bid to allow further participation in the process by eligible persons. The Claims and Objections Exercise commenced on August 22, 2022. According to a GECOM release, the new dates will allow persons who are desirous of making a claim to be included in the Official List of Electors (OLE) to do so up until Wednesday, September 21, 2022; while persons who intend to object to the inclusion of names in the OLE have until Sunday, September 25 to submit their objection(s). Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine war: Houses flooded after missiles hit major dam
Russian missiles have hit a reservoir dam near the southern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, officials say. Residents in some areas were told to evacuate, city head Oleksandr Vilkul said, but he added the situation was under control. Ukraine said the strike was revenge by Russia for its recent counter-attack. President Volodymyr Zelensky - who was born in the city - described Russia as a "terrorist state" after the attack on the Karachunivske reservoir. "You are weaklings who fight civilians," Mr Zelensky said in his late night address on Wednesday. "Scoundrels who, having escaped from the battlefield, are trying to do harm from somewhere far away." Read more here
15th September 2022