NEWS
CoP: Collect covid19 assistance forms by 4pm
People who are experiencing financial distress during the covid19 pandemic can now go to designated police stations to receive their application forms for financial assistance, food support and rental assistance. The Social Development Ministry has made this available to those who have been retrenched, terminated or have experienced loss of income during the pandemic. The ministry said while it was preferred that applications be done online or sent in by e-mail, it did recognise that not everyone had access to the internet or scanning services, so it is now working with the police to help people access the forms. Read more here
Gender-Based Unit alarmed over continued abuse
The Gender-Based Violence Unit (GBVU) of the Police Service has expressed concern with regard to the continued violent attacks being perpetrated upon persons in the country. In a statement yesterday the GBVU pledged to continue to do its part to protect the nation`s victims of Gender-Based Violence. It said in in achieving this goal, the unit is calling upon all citizens, communities, and stakeholders to do their part to ensure that domestic violence is identified and curbed at all costs. The GBVU was launched by Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith on January 21, 2020, and is headed by Assistant Superintendent of Police, Claire Guy-Alleyne, and civilian manager Shireen Pollard. So far, there have been a total of 61 arrests. The unit said these offences range from Breach of Protection Orders to rape in accordance with the Domestic Violence Act 1999, Sexual Offences Act, Chap 11:28, Offences Against the Person Act 11:08 and the Summary Offences Act 11:02. Read more here
POLITICS
MSJ presses for recovery plan
The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) is calling upon Government to say more about how it plans to stimulate the economy during and after the covid19 pandemic. MSJ leader David Abdulah made the call during a virtual news conference on Monday. While the MSJ is not unhappy with the economic measures announced so far by Government to help people affected by the pandemic, Abdulah said these measures seem to be more of a social safety net rather than some kind of economic stimulus. He accepted that while Government may be constrained by its fiscal position in moving ahead with these or other measures, the stimulus aspect is something which must feature in the covid19 conversation. Abdulah reiterated that this is why the MSJ has been advocating a national recovery plan for TT. Read more here
Nationals in Barbados can come home, but at own cost
National Security Minister Stuart Young is willing to grant an exemption to a group of T&T nationals, who were left stranded in Barbados after this country closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at a Ministry of Health virtual press conference yesterday afternoon, Young said that they were free to return to Trinidad but had to arrange their own transportation. Young said: “They can make their way here but the Government is not sending a plane for them.” During the press conference, Young took the time to give a chronological account of the group’s plight and his discussions with Barbados authorities and the group’s attorneys St Augustine MP Prakash Ramadhar and Larry Larry over their possible repatriations. Read more here
BUSINESS
BPTT keeps gas flowing in midst of COVID-19 disruptions
BPTT has not had any disruption to its supply of natural gas even though it has been forced to make changes to its operations according to its Regional President, Claire Fitzpatrick. Speaking recently on CNC3 The Energy Sector, Navigating the Crisis, Fitzpatrick said to date there has not been any disruption, even though she concedes as time passes it will become more difficult. “In the month of March we have had no supply disruptions and I am hoping obviously that it will continue, but it gets increasingly challenging as we go on, to maintain the activity levels that we need to do, but its our jobs to work out what we need to do to ensure that happens. Specifically we have been looking at what is the minimum we need to ensure continuity across our operations.” BPTT’s Regional President revealed. The company produces more than half of the country’s total supply of natural gas and is a major shareholder in Atlantic LNG. Read more here
Courts helps outfit step-down facility
UNICOMER (Trinidad) Ltd is collaborating with its suppliers to help Trinidad and Tobago respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company better known as Courts said in a statement. Read more here
REGIONAL
Deportees coming - Holness Gov’t bows to Trump as expelled expats to arrive in weeks
Within “a week or two”, the Jamaican Government will have to accept dozens of deportees from the United States (US). Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang made the disclosure on Monday, days after US President Donald Trump signed an order that imposes visa sanctions on countries that refuse to accept the deportation of their citizens, even amid the global new coronavirus pandemic. US coronavirus infections are close to 590,000 and deaths have topped 23,000. Jamaica closed its airspace to incoming passengers – initially at midnight on March 21 before being extended two days later – as part of measures imposed by the Holness administration to contain the spread of COVID-19 locally. Read more here
World Bank projects 51.7 % growth for Guyana
AN INCOMPLETE general and regional elections, coupled with the effects of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and falling oil prices, could stymie Guyana’s potential economic boom, said the World Bank. The World Bank, in a semi-annual report on the Latin America and Caribbean Region, titled: “The Economy in the Time of COVID-19,” said: “Guyana’s economy expanded by 4.7 per cent in 2019, with anticipated oil revenues spurring an expansion in nontraded sectors. Oil production is projected to boost GDP growth to unprecedented levels in 2020. “While this could transform Guyana, there are risks, as illustrated by a still incomplete election outcome, and compounded by falling oil prices and the Covid-19 epidemic. Weak public service delivery and monitoring systems constrain the development of policies to reduce poverty and protect the vulnerable. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump rages at criticism while governors craft their own plans to reopen the economy
With 23,000 Americans dead and millions without a paycheck, President Donald Trump dimmed the lights in the White House briefing room, fired up a misleading propaganda video and boiled over. In one of the most unchained presidential tantrums ever captured on television, Trump's Monday display flouted every notion of calm leadership by the commander in chief in a crisis. He claimed powers never envisioned by the Constitution and insisted his "authority is total" to order states and cities to get moving again to break out of the frozen economy. His warning came as two blocs of Eastern and Western hot-spot states banded together in an implied challenge to his vow to get people back to work soon, setting off a brewing confrontation over the power of the federal government. Read more here
WW2 veteran Tom Moore, 99, raises £1.4m for NHS
A 99-year-old World War Two army veteran who has raised more than £1.4m to help the NHS in the fight against Covid-19 has vowed to keep going even though he has smashed his original £1,000 target. Tom Moore aimed to complete 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden by Thursday, walking with the aid of a frame - but has now said he hopes to do another 100 laps as well. He said: "When you think who it is for - all those brave and super doctors and nurses we have got - they deserve every penny and I hope we get more, too." NHS Charities Together, which will benefit from the funds, said it was "truly inspired and humbled". More than 75,000 people from around the world have donated money to his fundraising page since it was set up late last week. Read more here
14th April 2020