NEWS
37 new covid19 cases, 8,638 vaccinated so far
The Ministry of Health has recorded 37 new covid19 cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 520. These figures reflect samples taken between April 9-11. Its 4pm update on Monday said 8,638 people have been vaccinated since the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine last Tuesday. The number of deaths remains at 146. Read more here
Parents, policing must be adjusted to deal with children
Reculturising parents on how they speak and interact with children, strengthening Community Police and providing mentorship and empowerment to young people are needed to assist in preventing youths from gravitating to gangs. The recommendations came yesterday from officials of the Eye on Dependency and Vision on Mission agencies when they appeared before Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on National Security. The JSC, chaired by the People’s National Movement’s Fitzgerald Hinds, met to complete discussions with the groups on ways to prevent organised crime and gangs from attracting youths. Read more here
POLITICS
Ministry of Health clarifies contact-tracing guidelines
In response to misinformation on contact tracing being circulated in the public, the Ministry of Health issued a statement on Monday clarifying its covid19 contact-tracing protocol. It said incorrect assumptions, not based on science, have led to inaccurate information being spread. The statement outlined the contact-tracing protocols. It also explained that a patient is not contagious as soon as they are infected with the virus, but only within a couple of days of starting to feel symptoms. Read more here
House to debate law for paying court fines electronically
Proposed law to allow payments to be made to the court electronically - including on violation of COVID health protocols and mask-wearing - will be debated in the Senate today and in the House of Representatives tomorrow. And Opposition UNC members will attend the debates, UNC deputy leader David Lee said yesterday. The Electronic Payments (Into and Out of) Court bill will be debated in the Senate first this afternoon. It provides for deduction of bank charges, credit card charges, debit card charges, chargeback and administrative and other fees from the Custodial Bank Account, by agreement between the Judiciary and a financial intermediary. It requires a simple majority vote to be passed. Read more here
BUSINESS
Energy Minister: New RFPs for Petrotrin refinery coming soon
Energy Minister Franklin Khan has said his ministry is working with the Ministry of Finance to develop new request for proposals (RFP) for the sale of Petrotrin refinery. In an interview on TV6’s morning show programme, Khan said he was optimistic about the sale and venturing in new markets. Read more here
More good news from Touchstone exploration: Cascadura Deep well rich in liquids]
Touchstone Exploration yesterday announced the completion of flowback testing of the Cascadura Deep-1 well, confirming a liquids rich natural gas discovery. Touchstone has an 80 per cent operating working interest in the well, which is located on the Ortoire block onshore Trinidad and Tobago. Heritage Petroleum Company Limited holds the remaining 20 per cent working interest. Touchstone’s President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Baay said the positive test results from Cascadura Deep-1 further expands the opportunity on the Ortoire block “as we now expect to have two distinct and separate sheets producing from two wells in the Cascadura structure.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Greater levels of responsibility for local government bodies
Driven by sustained growth in key productive sectors, Guyana’s economy will, over the next decade, undergo economic and social transformation, the benefits from which local government bodies will have a larger role in administering effectively and efficiently, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has said.
Experts believe that, in order for there to be effective economic transformation, prudent management is needed at all levels, so that there would not only be better utilisation of resources, but also equitable distribution of benefits, especially at a community level. Read more here
Heat on Wright over beating video
Under-fire Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) legislator George Wright could face the police as early as today as his party considers denouncing him and as public pressure mounts for him resign from Gordon House. Investigators confirmed on Monday that Wright was a “person of interest” in the probe of a video-recorded fight in which a man was seen brutally assaulting a woman in Hanover on April 6. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
CDC and FDA recommend US pause use of Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration are recommending that the United States pause the use of Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine over six reported US cases of a "rare and severe" type of blood clot. The six reported cases were among more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered in the United States. All six cases occurred among women ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination, according to a joint statement on Tuesday from Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC and Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Read more here
Vaccines alone will not stop Covid spreading - here's why
Many of us are hoping vaccines against coronavirus will be our route out of lockdown, enabling us to reclaim our old lives. But scientists say jabs alone will not currently be enough and other measures are still needed. Read more here
13th April 2021