NEWS
Health Ministry monitoring spread of HMPV infection
THE Ministry of Health says it is monitoring the spread of respiratory viruses, including the human metapneumovirus (HMPV). A news release on January 8 said Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and the Ministry of Health team are actively monitoring the situation in China, where there has been a rise in HMPV cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on January 7, “The observed increases in acute respiratory infections and associated pathogen detections in many countries in the northern hemisphere in recent weeks is expected at this time of year and is not unusual.” Read more here
Judges forced to stay away from court after threat made on TikTok
Some judicial officers have been advised to curtail their movements this week after a social media influencer made a threat to their safety late last week. The purported threat came as attorneys from the Director of Public Prosecutions Office stayed away from court days after the New Year’s Day holiday as they mourned the death of special prosecutor Randall Hector, who was assassinated after attending church in Port-of-Spain on December 31, 2024. Hector’s funeral takes place today. The latest security concerns stemmed from a video posted last Friday on TikTok by a local social media influencer, who describes himself as a recording artiste, singer, and costume designer and has 5,310 followers. Read more here
POLITICS
MP Benjamin: UNC doesn't need political facelift
MORUGA/Tableland MP Michelle Benjamin says the UNC does not need a political facelift ahead of the next general election. She made this comment in reference to the Prime Minister's announcement on January 3 in Tobago that he is retiring from electoral politics and Dr Rowley's subsequent announcement that Energy Minister Stuart Young had been selected to succeed him as prime minister. Read more here
PNM MPs refuse to sign PM 'endorsement' letter
Days after Stuart Young was chosen as Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley's successor at a parliamentary retreat in Tobago, he is now in limbo, as several MPs who were in that caucus are said to now be refusing to endorse him on a document indicating he will have majority support in the House of Representatives when Rowley eventually steps down. Cabinet sources have told Guardian Media that Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis started canvassing MPs yesterday to get their signatures for the document, which will be forwarded to the President eventually. But sources said as Robinson-Regis began attempting to physically obtain the signatures of the MPs who participated in the recent vote, she met some hurdles. Read more here
BUSINESS
NFM on a growth path for 2025, says CEO
State-controlled National Flour Mills (NFM) is on a continued path of growth and expansion in 2025. The company will be seeking new opportunities in the Caricom market and beyond and plans to make further investments in plant and machinery, the company’s CEO Ian Mitchell told the Business Guardian in an interview. Noting that the NFM continues to be the leading flour and dry mixed products provider in T&T, Mitchell said,” But tremendous opportunities exist within Caricom. We intend to capitalise on these opportunities. We also have plans to continue offering exciting new products that will fuel growth in the food, animal feed, and pet food categories.” NFM entered new territories in 2024, including Anguilla, Dominica, Bonaire, and the Bahamas. Read more here
Moody’s: Stable outlook for T&T
International bond credit rating company Moody’s has affirmed Trinidad and Tobago’s rating at Ba2 with a “Stable” outlook. This according to the Ministry of Finance, which said the affirmation was done on December 16, 2024, and is “underpinned by the country’s return to sustained growth, primarily driven by the non-energy sector”. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana expresses ‘grave concern’ over Venezuela’s latest actions
Guyana has condemned the latest actions of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro to assert claims over the Essequibo region. The country via a statement through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed ‘grave concern’ regarding recent actions and statements by the Government of Venezuela, which constitutes a clear violation of the Argyle Agreement of December 14, 2023, and the binding Order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued on December 1, 2023. The ministry on Wednesday cited the Argyle Agreement, signed in the presence of regional and international interlocutors. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
In maps: Thousands of acres on fire in LA
Wildfires are raging in several areas of Los Angeles, with high winds and extremely dry conditions fuelling their progress across thousands of acres of land. Firefighters are so far unable to contain them, with one fire official telling the BBC on Thursday that they are still rapidly expanding. The largest fire, in the Pacific Palisades area where many celebrities live, is the most destructive fire in the history of Los Angeles. More than 1,000 buildings have been destroyed. Read more here
9th January 2025