NEWS
PoS homeless centre gets upgrade
The Port of Spain City Corporation has put its "move along" policy into practice to get homeless people off streets and out of parks in the city. On Wednesday morning, it began with a clean-up exercise at the Riverside Plaza, which is to be followed by refurbishment of the lower car park area. Mayor Joel Martinez said the work includes installing grill gates and re-painting that part of the facility. He said, "Such work will prevent loitering in the building and make it safe for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to conduct their social work, like food distribution." Read more here
Shooting incident in Diego Martin
Two men were gunned down in Diego Martin last night. CNC3 News understands that at around 7.45pm, 58-year-old Larry Joseph and 20-year-old Joseph Daniel were among a group of persons at Covigne Road, when they were shot and killed. Read more here
POLITICS
Obika apologises to the Senate
Opposition Senator Taharqa Obika has apologised to the Senate for his behaviour on November 26 but not specifically to National Security Minister Stuart Young who he accused of being of a racist. "Madame President when it comes to my action in question to all who have been offended, including Madame President, Mr Vice President, all members of the Senate and the people of my beloved nation I offer an unreserved and sincere apology and a commitment to uphold the sanctity that is the Senate in adherence to my oath," he told the Senate on Wednesday. Read more here
Unipet owes Paria $100m, Imbert intervenes
Acting Energy Minister Colm Imbert is intervening in negotiations between Paria Fuel Trading Company and Unipet aiming to broker a speedy agreement between both in their current impasse. He said Unipet currently owes Paria over $100 million for fuel supplied without any written agreement. Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Imbert added, “NP has the capacity to supply fuel but I intend to intervene and see if I can get this matter resolved in the shortest possible time and get the parties back together so we can produce a proper agreement between Paria and Unipet going forward without any difficulties.” Imbert was replying to queries from UNC Senator Wade Mark on the impasse between Paria and Unipet after Paria on Tuesday discontinued supplying Unipet with fuel. Read more here
BUSINESS
Guardian Life, Scotia make insurance payments easier
Clients of Guardian Life of the Caribbean can now make insurance premium payments on the spot using mobile point of sale (MPOS) machines through the company's collaboration with Scotiabank. The machines accept both debit and credit card payments. Clients can also receive their transaction receipt via email. Guardian Life's president, Anand Pascal said, “At Guardian part of our mission statement speaks to 'operating as a customer-centric company.' Our agents’ and clients’ time are valuable, and this solution improves the efficacy of our premium collection process. In addition, the digitisation of payments is an integral step in transforming our organisation to meet our customers’ needs, while minimising the risks associated with cash transactions." Read more here
TSTT launches 5G
Majority State-owned telecommunications provider TSTT yesterday became the first company in T&T to launch a 5G network. Read more here
REGIONAL
No-confidence vote did not stymie development – Jordan
The event of December 21, 2018, in the National Assembly, did not render the Coalition Government powerless in the execution of its mandate with the administration continuing on the path of development. Almost a year later, Minister of Finance, the Hon. Winston Jordan, said there were no impediments to the government’s developmental plans for this year since the 2019 budget was already successfully passed. “We had a full year’s budget. The government is still in place almost a year after the no-confidence motion, and so we executed the budget, just as if it were a normal year,” Minister Jordan told DPI on Wednesday during an exclusive interview. Read more here
Bike Road Rage - Rider Kicked From Motorcycle In Deadly Waterloo Chase
A motorcyclist was killed in a bizarre case of apparent road rage yesterday afternoon after he was kicked off course by a fellow angry biker before ploughing into a utility pole at the end of a chase on a busy Kingston street. The deceased is 51-year-old FitzRoy Grant, a bearer of a Braeton address in Portmore. Reports are that Grant, who had an altercation with the other motorcyclist in the vicinity of MegaMart on Waterloo Road, pleaded for mercy from his attacker after acknowledging his wrong in impeding him. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Democrats' new impeachment message: Expel Trump now
Democrats are injecting an urgent new argument into their already fast-moving impeachment drive: President Donald Trump poses such a flagrant threat to the republic that there is no time to waste. Their emerging gambit is prompting Trump's GOP defenders -- who have long struggled to coalesce around a coherent strategy of their own -- to launch a fresh counterattack, warning that that a rush to condemn the President proves the Democratic case is shallow and politically motivated. The showdown over timing emerged from the first House Judiciary Committee hearing on impeachment Wednesday, which shifted the debate from the specific facts of Trump's alleged wrongdoing to the appropriate constitutional consequences that he should face. Read more here
Macron pension reform: France paralysed by biggest national strike in years
5th December 2019