NEWS
San Juan/Laventille corporation hosts Youth Council debate for students
At the inaugural San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation Youth Council Statutory meeting, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly emphasised the importance of education and the need to prepare youths to become ideal citizens who can contribute to the country’s development. Gadsby-Dolly made these remarks on Monday at the Jeffrey Reyes Building in San Juan. “Education is preparation for life. Education is developing the ideal TT citizens that we expect to drive our development trajectory forward.” Read more here
4,893 empty seats on CAL flights for Tobago Carnival
Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has reported that nearly 5,000 of the 14,000 seats allocated for the Tobago Carnival were unoccupied. For the October 26-30 period, the airline operated 184 return flights, providing 14,288 seats on the domestic airbridge. In a release yesterday, CAL said of the 7,144 seating capacity provided from Trinidad to Tobago on 92 flights, 4,892 were used and 2,252 were unused. For passengers travelling from Tobago to Trinidad for the same period, 4,503 seats were used, while 2,641 were empty. In all, there were a combined 4,893 unused seats on either side of the airbridge. There were 7,144 seats available from Trinidad and another 7,144 from Tobago, with 2,252 remaining empty from 92 flights from Trinidad to Tobago and 2,641 seats unoccupied from 92 flights from Tobago. Read more here
POLITICS
Hinds: Polygraph, drug tests will weed out corrupt cops
Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds on Wednesday said corrupt officers will be weeded out from the police service as he piloted a bill to allow heads of department in the protective and public services to require drug-testing, polygraph-testing and submission of biometric data from officers under suspicion or undertaking sensitive roles. He piloted the Miscellaneous Provisions (Testing and Identification) Bill 2022 in the House of Representatives, as he had done in February. "One of the problems we have is that there are too many criminals in the police service. And I would like to add to that correct statement, across the board, in all of the services that I have proposed for some amendments here today. Read more here
Minister: 11,151 agricultural leases distributed to ex-Caroni workers; 4,526 more to come
A total of 11,151 residential deeds and agricultural leases have been distributed to former Caroni (1975) Limited workers—but a total of 4,526 leases are still to be delivered due to various reasons, including incorrect contact information submitted or the inability to communicate with some recipients. Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture Land and Fisheries, Avinash Singh, confirmed this on Wednesday in Parliament, replying to UNC MP Rudy Indarsingh on the number of residential deeds and agricultural leases yet to be distributed to former Caroni workers. Singh said the Government continues to distribute leases to former workers. He said distribution of leases falls under the ambit of the following agencies—Caroni (1975) Limited (responsible for the distribution of all residential deeds), Estate and Business Development Company Limited (EMBD) (distribution of two-acre agricultural leases in seven agricultural estates), Commissioner of State Lands (COSL) responsible for distribution of two-acre agricultural leases in ten agricultural estates in Central and South). Read more here
BUSINESS
Burden vs long overdue
Two leading economists are divided on the electricity rate hike recommended by the Regulated Industries Commission. University of the West Indies (UWI) finance lecturer, Dr Vaalmikki Arjoon, argues the rise in utility bills such as electricity and additional taxes like the property tax will add a burden not only on businesses but the entire society. But Dr Ronald Ramkissoon, who chairs the Fair Trading Commission said that it is not inevitable that retailers and manufacturers will increase their prices, if the Government accepts the recommended increases. In an interview with the Business Guardian, Arjoon said the increases are not justified. Read more here
We have a plan
Small and medium-sized enterprises are going to get help with their foreign exchange problems. Speaking at a virtual press conference yesterday to further discuss initiatives he announced in his 2024 national budget presentation last month, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said: “We have a plan to open a special window at the EximBank for small and medium enterprises to get access to foreign exchange because we recognise that they are end of scale, end of the ladder. The commercial banks have also asked if we can change the instructions that the Central Bank gives to the banks to open a special window for small and medium enterprises to access foreign exchange at commercial banks and we are giving that active consideration.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana could surpass global targets for gender equality
Guyana is well on its way to surpassing global targets on gender equality and empowerment with the implementation of several strategic policies, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said. The Head of State, while addressing a regional ministerial forum on gender equality and empowerment held at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, on Wednesday, said Guyana has been focusing on establishing policies that will support women and girls, ensuring that they are included in the country’s development. “We have gone far beyond the 2030 agenda in Guyana and it’s not by accident. By the time the world sets a 2050 agenda, we will achieve the 2050 agenda because we are building a Guyana to function in a world 2030 and beyond,” Dr. Ali said. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Donald Trump Jr's courtroom debut: Chuckles, smiles and mispronunciation
"I should have worn make-up," Donald Trump Jr quipped on Wednesday as a group of photographers rushed into court to take his picture. As an executive at the Trump Organization, he was testifying in a multimillion-dollar civil trial that could see his family lose a sizable part of its business empire. His comment set the tone for what was an hour-long charm offensive that saw Mr Trump Jr lightheartedly engaging with the judge while letting his lawyers do the brawling for him. In under two hours of testimony in New York, he said he did not work on the financial statements at the centre of the case. Read more here
2nd November 2023