TTMA IN THE NEWS

Immigrants possible solution to TT labour issues

In any economy, labour, or the increase in labour, whether through a growth in number or hours worked, is one of the main contributing factors to growth. But, with TT’s population standing at an average of 1.3 million and the unemployment rate at 5.4 per cent, there have been deficits in labour markets in TT which our own numbers have not been able to fill. Even with the labour deficits, the recent influx of Venezuelans has brought to the fore concerns of the possible burden which immigrants may have on the country and the economy. However, several people, including financial gurus and economists have spoken on the possibilities of what these new settlers could bring as they come to TT to work and build a new life. Read more here

Empowering employees with education

The adage “knowledge is power” has not been forgotten by executives at the TT Manufacturing Association (TTMA) who oversee their group of 509 manufacturing companies and associates, and ensures that the value of each company is raised by their presence and assistance. Speaking to TTMA director Gary Awai, at the association's offices on Tenth Street, Barataria recently, Business Day was told the association recognised there was an opportunity to put the philosophy of that adage into practice, by empowering employees, and by extension businesses, with the knowledge of what is needed to become an even better and more technically versed employee, and what it takes to become an effective leader. Read more here

Proudly T&T

How many citizens can remember how they felt hearing David Rudder’s Trini to the Bone, celebrating the Soca Warriors' victory over Bahrain to qualify for the football World Cup, seeing Wendy Fitzwilliam being crowned Miss Universe before an audience of millions, or even sharing the agony of defeat when TT lost to the US in the 1990 football World Cup qualifier? For those of us who can remember that feeling but don’t know how to describe it, that feeling is national pride. Recently, though, with the mountain of negative reports, reviews and assessments of things related to TT, national pride seems to be in short supply. Murders, financial woes, political gimmickry and international crises occurring right in our backyard, seem to have weighed down on the psyche of TT citizens. Read more here

NEWS

Students meet TKR stars

Trinbago Knight Riders stars Darren Bravo and Mark Deyal partnered with Angostura on Tuesday afternoon to host a meet-and-greet session with students of the Chinapoo Government Primary School. It was held at the Laventille Community Complex. Students got a chance to chat with the players, and participate in some cricket action where the stars showed them how to improve their batting and bowling techniques. They also received free T-shirts and bats, which they were able to get signed. Read more here

Police rescue woman, child in hostage drama

A woman and her daugh­ter had to be res­cued yes­ter­day by of­fi­cers from the Guard and Emer­gency Branch, Spe­cial Op­er­a­tions re­sponse Team (SORT) and the North­ern Di­vi­sion af­ter a two-hour or­deal where they were held hostage by the woman’s hus­band. The in­ci­dent took place at Mal­abar yes­ter­day morn­ing and saw scores of heav­i­ly armed po­lice of­fi­cers in the area as they tried to bring a peace­ful end to what could have been a dead­ly sit­u­a­tion. Ac­cord­ing to a po­lice re­port, of­fi­cers were told the 34-year-old man, who lives with his wife and daugh­ter at Har­ri­nanan Av­enue, Mal­abar be­gan “act­ing-up” at about 7 am. Read more here

POLITICS

Agriculture ministry to reach out to Penal pig farmer

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat said ministry officials will be reaching out to Penal pig farmer Curtis Ramsawak who has had to sell his pigs owing to a lack of water. In a Newsday article yesterday, it was reported that Ramsawak, 60, of Wilson Road, who has been rearing pigs for the past eight years, had to sell off his prized drove of pigs and close down his business because of the water supply situation. Rambharat commented on the issue to the media yesterday after the opening of Parliament’s new session. Read more here

AG defends PM in Section 137 furore: ‘Law Association hijacked’

At­tor­ney Gen­er­al Faris Al-Rawi is en­dors­ing the view of Prime Min­is­ter Dr Kei­th Row­ley that there is pol­i­tics at play in the Law As­so­ci­a­tion’s de­ci­sion to pur­sue a ju­di­cial re­view against Row­ley for not in­vok­ing Sec­tion 137 of the Con­sti­tu­tion to al­low an in­ves­ti­ga­tion in­to al­leged mis­con­duct by Chief Jus­tice Ivor Archie. Speak­ing to re­porters at the open­ing of South ex­hi­bi­tion at Gulf City, San Fer­nan­do, on Wednes­day, Al-Rawi al­so echoed Row­ley’s sen­ti­ments that the ju­di­cial pro­ceed­ings were a waste of tax­pay­ers’ mon­ey. “The Law As­so­ci­a­tion is propos­ing a ju­di­cial re­view of the Prime Min­is­ter’s de­ci­sion not to in­voke the Sec­tion 137 con­di­tions. Un­der the Con­sti­tu­tion, the Prime Min­is­ter is the per­son­al­i­ty vest­ed with the con­sti­tu­tion­al pow­er to trig­ger that in­ves­ti­ga­tion. The law set out in a Privy Coun­cil rul­ing tells us what the stages of that de­vel­op­ment ought to look like and what fac­tors should be con­sid­ered in in­vok­ing a Sec­tion 137 ap­pli­ca­tion, “ Al-Rawi said, adding it is not to be tak­en light­ly. Read more here

BUSINESS

We can tap immigrants for growth

We have a potential goldmine on our doorsteps. If harnessed, the influx of Venezuelan migrants can be turned from crisis to opportunity. How can thousands of people fleeing a country, where in 2017 the average person lost 24 pounds in body weight (according to Reuters), be anything other than a burden for our stagnant economy that has known little but recession and hardship in recent years? We have seen one of the largest influxes of Venezuelans per capita of any country. Government reports 16,523 were registered. Another 8,000 live between here and Venezuela. Many more are lost in the cracks, too afraid to make themselves known to the authorities. Read more here

Doing whatever it takes is always what it takes

We’ve become lazy. Lazy thinkers for starters. The advent of the search engine has left us with a sense that whatever we need to know we can simply “Google it.” We feel assured that we will find the answers we need immediately. We have become accustomed to finding the answers we need to live the lives we are creating “out there.” There are steps, and prescriptions abound for everything from starting a podcast, becoming a millionaire and launching a successful YouTube channel. Yet despite following these success recipes, many of us find ourselves no further ahead than when we started our search. This is why we often hear ourselves saying things like, “I could never do what you do, they do or (insert name here) does." Read more here

REGIONAL

Chasing History - Thomas-Dodd, Jackson, McPherson Look To Make Mark In Doha

When quarter-milers Shericka Jackson and Stephenie-Ann McPherson line up in the women’s 400m final at the World Championships tonight, not only will they be looking to continue a rich tradition, but they will also be chasing history for Jamaica. Also looking to bother the history-keepers will be shot put standout Danniel Thomas-Dodd, who underlined her medal credentials by topping all qualifiers with a 19.32m effort heading into today’s final, which takes place at the Khalifa Stadium at 10:35 p.m. (2:35 p.m. Jamaica time). Thomas-Dodd, the national record holder in the event, produced her best throw on her last attempt and will take the circle today with strong chances of delivering Jamaica’s first medal in the women’s shot put event at the World Championships or Olympics level. Read more here

INTERNATIONAL

Hong Kong protests: Authorities to announce face mask ban

Hong Kong's government is set to announce a ban on wearing face masks at public gatherings, local media report. Officials plan to use emergency legislation dating from the colonial era to invoke the measure, aimed at quelling anti-government protests. The legislation, called the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, has not been used for over 50 years. Hong Kong's protests started in June, sparked by proposals to extradite suspected criminals to mainland China. Critics feared this could undermine the city's judicial independence and endanger dissidents. The face mask ban is expected to be announced on Friday after a meeting of the Executive Council in which emergency laws are likely to be enacted, local TV channel TVB reported. Read more here

Trump's private fury over impeachment spills into the public

When President Donald Trump erupted in rage during two appearances Wednesday, it foreshadowed a dark and unsettled impeachment season ahead. There was little strategy evident as Trump railed against Democrats and the media during public events with Finland's president. And there were few new answers that might help alleviate the situation he finds himself in after asking a foreign counterpart to investigate a political rival. "This is the greatest hoax. This is just a continuation of what's been playing out since my election," Trump said during an East Room press conference that became progressively more heated as Trump faced questions about his predicament. "This is a fraudulent crime on the American people." Read more here

3rd October 2019

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