NEWS
New covid19 infections fall below 100 for 1st time 2 weeks
Although only 99 new cases of covid19 were detected on Monday, there were four more deaths, bringing the death toll to 215. The Health Ministry’s covid19 update on Monday said the number of cases reported were from samples taken between May 7 and 9. The last time a figure of less than 100 new cases was reported, was 15 days ago on Sunday April 25. Read more here
SATT: 50% of grocery shoppers break health protocols
President of the Supermarket Association Rajiv Diptee is urging shoppers to wear their masks properly while at supermarkets and groceries. He said yesterday there has been a level of non-compliance among shoppers despite the worrying COVID-19 spread taking place across the country and the number of deaths. Yesterday Diptee told Guardian Media many shoppers aren’t properly wearing masks or social distancing. Read more here
POLITICS
Trinidad and Tobago gets second batch of Covax covid19 vaccines
The second shipment of vaccines from the Covax facility has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago. This tranche, which consists of 33,600 doses, arrived at 11.59 am on Monday. In a post on its Facebook page, the Health Ministry showed Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and Pan-American Health Organization representative Dr Erica Wheeler on the tarmac with the shipment. Read more here
Kamla: Opposition wants to work with Govt against COVID-19
Form a united front and let’s all work together for T&T's sake. That’s the challenge from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the Government to have all entities – unions, private sector, business, Opposition, NGOs – work together against the COVID pandemic. Persad-Bissessar, who’d made a similar call recently, reinforced it again at last night’s UNC Monday forum meeting after Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh earlier in the day called out the Opposition on a newspaper editorial that called for all to work together in T&T's trying times against the virus. Read more here
BUSINESS
Massy Group sees 20% increase in profits
This is how chairman Robert Bermudez has described the Massy Group’s performance for the second quarter of its financial year which ended Mach 31, 2020. Bermudez said pandemic restrictions remain in place in all of the countries in which the Group operates. “The economies of countries in which we operate continue to struggle when compared to prior year and without the extra consumer spending which took place in March 2020 ahead of lockdowns and restrictions, consumer demand was even lower in the second quarter of financial year 2021 than financial year 2020,” Bermudez stated. Read more here
Covid-19 compliance increasing
As Covid-positive cases and deaths mount, several business heads say they have seen more compliance from citizens recently when it comes to Covid-19 health regulations. Read more here
REGIONAL
Over 150 U.S. companies ‘eyeing’ Guyana’s ‘agri’ sector
Guyana’s ideal tropical climate, and vast expanse of freshwater as well as tracts of productive land, all buttressed by plans for infrastructure development and a burgeoning petroleum sector, create the right conditions for further advancement, particularly in agriculture, a sector which has attracted the attention of over 150 U.S. companies. Those companies which are interested in doing business in Guyana, learnt about the country’s potential and available opportunities during an ‘agribusiness’ webinar hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, and the U.S. Embassy here in Guyana on Monday. Interested investors heard directly from President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who, in his address during the forum, spoke extensively about the Government’s plans to facilitate growth and development in the agriculture sector. Read more here
Lover slays 14-year-old
Andre Stewart, stepfather of Danesha Cooper – a 14-year-old Jonathan Grant High student, who died in the Kingston Public Hospital from stab wounds on Monday – said he had tried to prevent the relationship she had with her alleged 21-year-old killer. “They had a relationship. Mi try fi stop it in all kind of way, but it was hard fi stop her,” Stewart told The Gleaner yesterday. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
India's second wave is ravaging villages without hospitals or even doctors to fight it
In the remote Indian village of Chogath, local pharmacist Jeetu has become the only source of medical help for people sick with Covid-19. The country's second wave has devastated major cities and regional hubs, with hospitals running out of oxygen and medicine. But in rural states and far-flung villages, doctors and clinics are in even shorter supply -- leaving residents to fight for their lives without access to care. Chogath is a farming community in the western state of Guja. Read more here
China census: Data shows slowest population growth in decades
China's population grew at its slowest pace in decades, according to government data released on Tuesday. The average annual growth rate was 0.53% over the past 10 years, down from a rate of 0.57% between 2000 and 2010 - bringing the population to 1.41bn. The results add pressure on Beijing to boost measures for couples to have more babies and avert a population decline. The results were announced in a once-a-decade census, which was originally expected to be released in April. The census was conducted in late 2020 where some seven million census takers had gone door-to-door to collect information from Chinese households. Read more here
11th May 2021