NEWS
Three granted $500,000 bail for gang, human-trafficking charges
Two men and a woman were granted bail when they appeared before an Arima magistrate on Wednesday to answer charges of human trafficking and being leaders of a gang. A police media release on Wednesday reported that Rod Willis, 49, and 21-year-old Nathaly Gomez Leandres, both of Tacarigua, and Atiba Richards, 45, of Chaguanas, were each charged with two counts of being a gang leader, and one count each of trafficking in children. Read more here
Russia-Ukraine War to feature in UWI experts panel on Friday
The Russia-Ukraine War is the feature topic in a special Vice-Chancellor’s Forum on UWItv, this Friday, June 10. The UWI says the virtual event themed, “The Russia-Ukraine War Geo-Strategic Perspectives: Interests and Implications”, is being hosted in collaboration with the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES). This virtual event follows a Vice-Chancellor’s Forum held in March, which examined the economic implications for the global oil industry and the Caribbean. Friday’s Forum will bring together International Relations experts from The UWI, along with diplomats from major geo-strategic jurisdictions to share their perspectives on the issue, in an interactive panel discussion that will be streamed live via UWItv from 10:00 am AST/Eastern Caribbean time and 9:00 a.m. EST/Jamaica time. Read more here
POLITICS
Augustine: THA deserves royalties from oil and gas
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine is calling for a percentage of royalties to be given to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) when revenue is earned from oil and gas resources in Tobago waters. He was speaking to Newsday on Monday after Deputy Chief Secretary Watson Duke represented the THA at the TT Energy Conference 2022, held last Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain. Approximately 60 companies connected to the energy sector: mechanical and technical support companies to housing and transport solutions, to innovations in renewables, occupied booths at the trade show of the conference. Read more here
Strong Caricom showing as Summit of the Americas opens
It was a big Caricom turnout for the Summit of the Americas Summit which opened yesterday in Los Angeles. Leaders and representatives of the majority of Caricom’s 15-member states are attending the 9th Summit of the Americas, which was launched last night by US President Joe Biden. Biden’s inaugural address unveiled the “Americas Partnership” - a five-pronged bid to bolster economies of the region via trade agreements and addressing inequality, lack of economic opportunity and equity. He also announced a partnership with the Caribbean community to address climate issues. Read more here
BUSINESS
Morrow Energy turns landfill gases into clean energy
If you have ever driven along the Beetham Highway whenever the landfill “belched” out noxious gases, or had to contend with smoke and smog coming from the Aripo landfill during one of its yearly fires, you would know of the value of having clean and fresh air. The chemicals that come out of the landfills such as toxic hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulphide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) wreak havoc on the air quality of the nearby communities and have serious short-term and long-term effects for the people who live there. One of the exhibitors at last week's 2022 Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference hosted by the TT Energy Chamber, Morrow Energy, a gas treatment company, may have a solution to the gases coming from the Beetham, Guanapo, Forres Park and Studley Park landfills to deal with the toxicity and bring about an additional source of renewable gas. Read more here
IDB sees future for nearshoring in region
Nearshoring could add an annual $78 billion in exports of goods and services in Latin America and the Caribbean in the near and medium term, with opportunities for quick wins in the auto industry, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy, among others, according to the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). The estimate was provided to senior government officials from Latin America and the Caribbean, including ministers of trade and foreign affairs, and senior executives from companies of the Western Hemisphere, who recently gathered to analyse options for taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the reconfiguration of global supply chains, trends in trade sustainability and climate change, and the increasing digitalization of economies. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana could benefit from over US$400M
With massive opportunities for the realignment of the supply value chain, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) could increase their exports by more than US$80 billion in the short-and-medium-term through nearshoring, as countries seek solutions to the historic supply chain disruptions. Guyana could stand to gain approximately US$400 million in this sector, according to studies by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). IDB President, Mauricio Claver-Carone, on Tuesday presented on the LAC region’s vast potential for nearshoring, and increased involvement in supply chain, while making remarks at the opening session of the Trade and Investment Forum with Ministers and CEOs, organised by the IDB on the margins of the IX Summit of the Americas. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Uvalde attack: US House passes gun bill doomed to fail in senate
The US House of Representatives has voted through a series of measures regulating the sale of guns, but which are destined to fail in the Senate. The new measures would bar sales of semiautomatic weapons to people under 21 and ban large-capacity magazines. But Republican opposition in the Senate means the bill has little chance of entering law, despite a renewed focus on gun control in the wake of a series of mass shootings in the US. Hours before the vote, survivors of the Uvalde school shooting gave emotional testimony to lawmakers which reduced some to tears. The primary school shooting in the Texan city claimed the lives of 21 people, including 19 young children. Read more here
9th June 2022