NEWS
Tobago ACP: White's murder might be gang-related
Head of the Tobago Division ACP Collis Hazel says police are exploring the possibility that the murder of Chiniqua White might be gang-related. “The investigation is ongoing I can say at this point in time. It is moving at a pace,” he told Newsday. “We are following some leads that it was gang-related. But the investigation is very intense so I don’t want to let anything out.” White, 34, also called Chin, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Black Rock on Monday night. The mother of one, who lived at Malick, Barataria, died while being treated at the Scarborough General Hospital. She was Tobago’s tenth murder victim for 2023. Read more here
POLITICS
Gonzales confident in independent probe into TSTT hack
Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales is placing his confidence in the board of the Telecommunication Service of TT (TSTT) to ensure a fair and independent investigation is conducted into a recent hack that saw some six gigabytes of customers' data released on the dark web. Earlier this week, Gonzales ordered TSTT chairman Sean Roach to hire someone to conduct an independent investigation into the incident which occurred on October 9. However, last week, Gonzales initially denied there was any breach in the company's data security. He has since said he was given the wrong information by the company's executive, a view he still shared up to Wednesday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Trade minister opens Trinidad and Tobago's booth in Chi
Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon opened TT's booth at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, China on Monday. In a statement on Tuesday from the launch of the TT Pavilion, Gopee-Scoon said TT has a long and fruitful relationship with China. She said the country was the first in the English-speaking Caribbean to sign the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018 – a partnership that saw the development of the 144-acre Phoenix Park Industrial Estate. Gopee-Scoon said the success of the project was a reflection of the dynamic investment climate, stable political environment, highly skilled workforce, attractive incentives and security and reliability required for strategic international partnerships. Read more here
T&T Chamber’s 2023 Entrepreneur needs investors
Within three years of being created in a kitchen in Arnos Vale, Tobago, Tobago Gold Chocolate Rum Cream has penetrated 18 countries and is earning revenue in euros. Last Thursday, company responsible for the creamy rum beverage, was named 2023 Entrepreneur award at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce and Industry Champions of Business Awards, at the National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA). In an interview with Business Guardian on Monday, Tobago Gold Chocolate Rum Cream founder, Lars Söderström, said as of last month the brand had won 22 international awards and he was grateful to be recognised for the hard work that the company is doing to push the brand. Söderström, who was born in Sweden, moved to Trinidad in 2000. Read more here
REGIONAL
Border Patrol Bill to be tabled soon in the National Assembly – AG Nandlall
Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, recently announced that the Border Patrol Bill will soon be presented to Parliament. That was disclosed during his ‘Issues in the News’ programme on Tuesday evening. The minister stated the bill aims to establish a framework for bolstering Guyana’s border security. “This bill is intended to create a framework for officers to be appointed, and who will perform specific functions in relation to protecting, monitoring, guarding and patrolling our borders… This bill was drafted even before this referendum and before the heightened provocative actions of Venezuela. I believe the bill has now assumed paramount importance.” Minister Nandlall elaborated on the role of the proposed border patrol unit: “The Border Patrol Bill seeks to create a group dedicated to border patrol and protection, as well as border monitoring. Working alongside the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force, this additional mechanism strengthens our capacity to protect our territorial integrity, particularly in vast border areas.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
A turning point in Myanmar as army suffers big losses
The military-installed president of Myanmar has warned that the country is in danger of breaking apart if the government cannot control fighting which has broken out in Shan State. Former General Myint Swe, who was appointed after a coup in 2021, was speaking at an emergency meeting held by the ruling military council to address a series of co-ordinated attacks by anti-military insurgents which have inflicted serious losses on the armed forces. Three ethnic insurgent armies in Shan State, supported by other armed groups opposing the government, have overrun dozens of military posts, and captured border crossings and the roads carrying most of the overland trade with China. Read more here
9th November 2023