TTMA IN THE NEWS
Gopee-Scoon: Industrial, commercial property tax off the table for now
Minister of Trade Paula Gopee-Scoon has said implementing property tax on business is not a consideration of the government for the time being. She made the statement while answering questions from the media after a tour of the Blue Waters factory on Orange Grove Road in Tacarigua. The company won the title Manufacturer of the Year Large 2023 at the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Assocation’s awards ceremony in November. Read more here
Blue Waters: exports rise by 54% in 2024
Property tax for businesses is not on the table at this time, according to Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon. Following a factory tour of Blue Waters Products at Orange Grove, Gopee-Scoon said, “If you look at the last budget there is no mention of an introduction of property tax on businesses. I am sure it will come sometime in the future but there will be discussion with the business community.” The minister stressed that it is not part of the equation right now. Also commenting was Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) president Roger Roach, who referred to the response by Minister of Finance Colm Imbert last yearwhen asked a question about the property tax for industrial properties. Roach recalled that Imbert said he would meet with the business stakeholders to discuss the issue before implementation. Read more here
Gopee-Scoon hails strong performance of non-energy exports
MINISTER of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon says this country’s non-energy exports are performing strongly. She was speaking yesterday to the media after touring the Blue Waters facility. Blue Waters copped the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) award titled “Manufacturer of the Year Large 2023”. TTMA, in collaboration with the ministry, is visiting companies who emerged as winners in last year’s award ceremony. Read more here
NEWS
Man killed in drive-by shooting in Diego Martin
An unidentified man was killed on Monday night, just a stone's throw away from the Four Roads Police Station in Diego Martin. According to preliminary reports, occupants of a white Toyota wagon opened fire on the man as they drove past him on Cuthbert Road at 9 pm. The driver of the vehicle then sped off. The victim died on the scene. Read more here
POLITICS
Opposition Leader: Why call SoE now?
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has asked why the government called the state of emergency (SoE) in December 2024 rather than in January 2024, when she called for one. She said lives could have been saved if it had been called earlier. She was speaking during the debate in the House of Representatives on January 13 on whether the Parliament should accept the statement made by President Christine Kangaloo under section 9(1) of the Constitution on the reasons why a decision was made to call the SoE. Read more here
PM: Fearful police officers hiding in stations from criminals
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says some police officers are now pretending to close stations to hide from criminals. He made the comment yesterday as the Parliament debated the rationale for the State of Emergency (SoE) and a further three-month extension to it in separate motions. The Prime Minister said criminals had become so brazen that they believe they can, without fear, shoot and kill even the police. “So when officers are in the police stations, it has come to my attention, in some districts, in some instances, police officers whose job it is to protect us and secure us, in some districts at night, are so afraid of the criminals that they close the police station door, turn off the light, and be inside there hoping that the criminals don’t come at them,” Rowley revealed. Read more here
BUSINESS
PriceSmart reports US$70m worth of TT dollars: Ready to convert to other foreign $$
PRICESMART has reported that, as of the end November, it held about US$70.1 million worth of Trinidad and Tobago dollars that it could not readily convert into other foreign currencies. This was a US$9.9 million increase from the US$60.2 million PriceSmart reported in the financial year ended August 31, 2024. Read more here
REGIONAL
Almost entire population now has access to potable water
President, Dr Irfaan Ali said that his government has invested more than $65 billion to develop the water sector in the country, which has resulted in almost the entire population, over 98 per cent, having access to potable water. The Head of State made the disclosure while delivering remarks at the commissioning ceremony of the new Caledonia water-treatment facility on the East Bank of Demerara on Sunday afternoon. The President underscored that Guyanese from all walks of life are benefiting from the efforts of GWI. He said that from 2020 to 2024, access to potable water has increased from 46 per cent to 91 per cent in hinterland areas. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump would have been convicted if not elected, DoJ report says
President-elect Donald Trump would have been convicted of illegally trying to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election - which he lost - if he had not successfully been re-elected in 2024, according to the man who led US government investigations into him. The evidence against Trump was "sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial," Special Counsel Jack Smith wrote in a partially released report. Trump hit back, saying Smith was "deranged" and his findings were "fake". Read more here
14th January 2025