NEWS
Oil cleanup keeps Caroni Bird Sanctuary alive
The clean-up of an oil spill in the parking lot of the Caroni Bird Sanctuary appears to have been successful and stopped contamination of the area. On Monday, the sanctuary, off the Uriah Butler Highway, appeared quiet and normal. Workers from the Forestry Division, the Institute of Marine Affairs and other agencies that had been collecting oil residues since Friday were no longer in the area. No remains of the oily substance that worried visitors and workers at the sanctuary were visible on Monday. However, the three containment booms put up Thursday were still over outlet number nine, hooked in place by mangrove roots. Read more here
JetBlue suspends Ft Lauderdale-PoS flights
JetBlue Airways is making major adjustments to its route network, including the cutting of 37 routes into 2023. Amongst them is the Fort Lauderdale-Port-of-Spain route. Back in July, the New York-based carrier announced it would suspend flights between PoS and Ft Lauderdale until December 24, 2022. According to JetBlue, this latest suspension is aimed at improving “operational reliability.” A check on JetBlue’s website shows no flights for the Ft Lauderdale-PoS route available for booking up until July, 2023. The airline continues to fly daily out of New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. In a statement yesterday, JetBlue said, "To ensure continued operational reliability, we’re planning a schedule change for this fall and into 2023 that will extend some of the market suspensions we put in place earlier this year. This summer has been more resilient because of the capacity pulldowns we put in place and we believe it’s prudent to plan similarly for next year. Read more here
POLITICS
Cudjoe: Our voices in Cabinet have helped Tobago
Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe has defended her representation as well as that of Tobago East MP Ayanna Webster-Roy, after criticism from THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine. At Emancipation Day celebrations, Augustine said the Prime Minister and the Tobago MPs should be pushing for longer opening hours at the ANR Robinson International Airport so that Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) could increase its flights to the island. The THA, hoteliers and other stakeholders have long been clamouring for CAL to increase the number of domestic flights, particularly during peak travel periods, such as Easter, the July-August vacation and the upcoming October Carnival. Read more here
Govt bans scrap iron exports until 2023
The Government has kept its promise and implemented a six-month ban on scrap iron and copper export. The move comes after a sharp increase in recent thefts of critical State infrastructures at WASA and TSTT facilities, dealing crippling blows to their ability to provide service to customers. “It is a regrettable step that has been taken but it is a step that has been recognised that it has been affecting the livelihoods of ordinary people,” Attorney General Reginald Armour said as he announced the decision at a press conference at the Ministry of National Security if Port-of-Spain yesterday. “What we have been experiencing in Trinidad and Tobago for the last, I think, four months, has been an escalation of an unlawful activity, series of activities in the field of what used to be and we expect and hope will continue to be, a legitimate and important industry in this country.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Privy Council affirms landlord’s rights in T&T case
A Privy Council ruling has allowed a landlord to sell his land at 100 per cent of its market value. The judgment will become a precedent in this country, the broader Commonwealth and in England. In its judgement in the matter of landlord Mohan Jogie versus Angela Sealey, the Privy Council reviewed the law from 1603 with respect to the rights of intended representatives of a deceased person’s estate prior to obtaining a grant of letters of administration from the High Court. The judgment, containing decisions from Lord Andrew Burrows, Lady Arden and Lord George Leggatt, upheld Jogie’s appeal. Read more here
REGIONAL
50 three-bedroom homes at Cummings Lodge nears completion
The handing over of keys to the first 50 three-bedroom homes under construction by the Ministry of Housing and Water – Central Housing and Planning Authority at Plot 1768 Cummings Lodge, Georgetown will commence in the next two months. Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, along with CHPA Director of Projects, Omar Narine and senior engineers visited the construction site over the weekend. “By October we should begin handing over keys to the beneficiaries of the 50 houses,” the minister stated while noting that the ministry is satisfied with the pace of contractors on the flat homes. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Turkey-Greece migrants: 38 people found stranded on tiny, unnamed island
A group of 38 migrants, including a heavily pregnant woman, have been found stranded on a tiny, unnamed island along the Turkish-Greek border. The 22 men, nine women and seven children say they have been on the Evros river islet since mid-July. After being located on Monday, they were taken to mainland Greece. The country's migration minister said the group were all in a "very good condition" and the pregnant woman had been taken to hospital as a precaution. However, at least one child died on the islet, according to the group and human rights agencies. Greek police have yet to confirm this. There had been some uncertainty over the group's location and therefore over whether Turkey or Greece should have stepped in to help. Read more here
16th August 2022