TTMA IN THE NEWS
90 per cent turnout as manufacturing sector resumes operations
Two days after being given the all-clear to resume work, the manufacturing sector was almost at full operation capacity yesterday. President of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) Tricia Coosal said the vast majority of the industry reopened. “We have over 90 per cent of our manufacturing sector out to work as of today (yesterday). We have less than five per cent that are not open and a few reasons would be that they are sourcing raw materials and stocking up on inventory,” said Coosal. She explained that there were a few issues regarding the resumption of operations but most of these would have been expected given the lull in activity at the factories over the past two months. Read more here
NEWS
Abdool-Richards: Small increase in covid19 rolling average
Principal Medical Officer Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards said the Ministry of Health has noticed a slight increase in the rolling average of covid19 cases per day. Abdool-Richards was speaking at the Ministry of Health's virtual press conference on Monday. She said on Sunday there were 188 covid19 cases, which resulted in a slight increase in the rolling average from 181 on Saturday to 191 on Sunday. But she also said the ministry has noticed an overall decreasing trend since May 28. Ward occupancy, where the least ill patients are managed, is at 37 per cent, she said. “Yet again, we have noticed a slow but consistent decline in occupancy.” Read more here
POLITICS
Roget: Patriotic submitted 4th bid for refinery
Patriotic Energies and Technologies Ltd chairman Ancel Roget stands by his statement that the company submitted a fourth proposal to the government to buy the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery. On June 23, the Prime Minister said "in a matter of a day or two" an invitation would be issued for new proposals to acquire the refinery. Naparima MP Rodney Charles had asked Dr Rowley to "state the status of Patriotic Energies and Technologies’ proposal to acquire the Petrotrin refinery, given that its president indicated that a new proposal was submitted." Read more here
Ministry reports fewest new COVID cases in three months
The Ministry of Health has reported the lowest number of new infections in three months, with 57 new cases yesterday. Four more people have died of the virus. The last time T&T had a lower figure of infections was on April 19, 2021 when the figure was 24. Read more here
BUSINESS
Tourism Ministry begins rollout protocols
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture, through its agencies, Tourism Trinidad Ltd (TTL) and Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL), has begun the rollout of the COVID-19 protocols for this country’s tourism sector 2021. In a statement, the ministry said over 200 establishments in Tobago were issued with the Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) while TTL trained and issued certificates to over 450 operators on achieving COVID-19 compliance and readiness. TTL also partnered with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to train and promote the Caribbean Travellers Health Assurance Stamp and the Caribbean Travellers Health App. TTL, in collaboration with TTAL and the Ministry of Health, will train over 700 tourism stakeholders from T&T, including tour guides, tour operators and tourist transportation providers. Read more here
Car dealers, manufacturers reopen
Car dealerships and the rest of the manufacturing sector restarted work yesterday after being shut down for two months under Covid-19 restrictions. Visham Babwah, owner of P&V Marketing Company Ltd located in Chaguanas, told the Express the industry did not expect the first day to be a bumper one but customers trickled in to enquire about prices on the foreign-used cars for sale. Babwah, who is also president of the Used Car Dealers Association, pointed out that customers expressed disappointment on the reinstatement of taxes on hybrid and electric vehicles by the Government in January. Read more here
REGIONAL
Major civil works commence for deep-water port
AS work intensifies at the various oil blocks offshore Guyana, Canadian oil-and-gas exploration company, CGX Energy Inc., is positioning itself to capitalise on the plethora of opportunities that will stem from the expansion of the burgeoning oil- and-gas sector by commencing major civil works for the Berbice Deep-Water Port (BDWP). The company holds three licences in the Guyana-Suriname Basin, a frontier Basin in South America with a proven hydrocarbon system, and highly-prospective deep-water plays that can be drilled in shallow water. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
South Africa Zuma riots: Death toll mounts amid looting
At least 30 people have now died in the violence which has been engulfing parts of South Africa since the country's former President Jacob Zuma handed himself into police last week. Almost 800 people have been arrested in the unrest which began as protests following Zuma's jailing on Thursday. But protests turned violent over the weekend, with fires set, highways blocked and businesses looted. The military has now been deployed to help the overstretched police. Police Minister Bheki Cele told journalists on Tuesday that, if the looting continued, there was a risk areas could run out of basic food. Read more here
13th July 2021