NEWS
Oil leak in Fyzabad, 4 families evacuated
At least 20 people from four households in Fyzabad have been evacuated after a 16-inch trunk oil pipeline raptured on Sunday evening, and some residents are calling on the authority to take precautions to avoid another incident. The oil was first spotted at around 6 pm in drains and the yards near St Marteen recreation grounds at San Francique Road, Masahood Junction, in Avocat. When Newsday visited the area on Monday, Heritage Petroleum Company Ltd workers were cleaning up, trying to minimise the damage. Read more here
T&T scholars attain highest GPAs at Howard University
Two T&T scholars have graduated at the top of Howard University’s College of Engineering and Architecture, having attained the highest scores possible in their computer science studies. The achievements have now secured Deante Taylor, 23, and Tyrone Smith, 22, jobs as software engineers at tech giants Amazon and Google respectively, and they’re also pursuing a “pipeline” project that will help other T&T nationals to earn internships in the US. The two young men shared graduation honours with US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at Saturday’s ceremony in Washington, DC. “Essentially at Howard, the highest grade point average (GPA) you can have is a 4.0 which is essentially a perfect GPA and Tyrone and I both achieved this grade,” Taylor said. Read more here
POLITICS
Police Assoc: Don't use cops as political football
The Police Social and Welfare Association (TTPSWA) in a statement on Monday complained about police officers being used as a political football, citing a recent unnamed court case, an apparent allusion to the controversial extraction of firearm supplier Brent Thomas from Barbados to Trinidad and Tobago by a trio of senior police officers. The association said it stood in solidarity with the men and women of the police service (TTPS), tasked with maintaining law and order in a society not always appreciative of their efforts. "We must navigate this mandate through a vegetation (sic) of class, creed and race, being heavily mindful that it must not inform our decision making." Read more here
Kuei Tung, Ferguson yet to appeal Piarco case
The State is set to begin the process of enforcing its over US$131.5 million judgment against former government minister Brian Kuei Tung, businessman Steve Ferguson and US businessman Raul Guiterrez Jr in a civil asset recovery case over alleged fraud related to the construction of the Piarco International Airport. Former attorney general and current Rural Development and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi announced the plan at a virtual media conference yesterday. He announced that Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Reemberto Diaz had approved the final judgment sought by the State, initially approved by a jury in March, after dismissing a series of last-minute challenges from the trio. “The monies spent over 20 years of litigation have now been justified,” Al-Rawi said. Read more here
BUSINESS
PM holds energy security talks in DC
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley met with officials within the United States Government in Washington DC on Monday to discuss T&T’s energy security and the potential effects of same on Caricom and the wider Americas. In a release from the office of the Prime Minister yesterday, it was confirmed that Prime Minister Rowley met with Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas, former US Senator, Chris Dodd at the White House, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Washington, DC. Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young was also a part of the meeting which also featured Amos Hochstein, State Department Senior Adviser for Energy Security, Juan Gonzalez, special assistant to the President and NSC Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere and Eric Jacobson, Office of Vice President were also present at the meeting. Read more here
T&T on road to recovery
The Trinidad and Tobago economy was on a recovery path over the last year, following two years of economic contraction, the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago has stated in its latest annual economic survey. Official data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) indicate that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant prices (real GDP) grew by three per cent during the first three quarters of 2022 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. Read more here
REGIONAL
President’s pledges materialize as ministers visit Enmore to deliver promised agricultural support
Farmers of Enmore and surrounding communities along the East of Coast Demerara will soon benefit from better access to farmlands to expand production and shade houses, planting implements, lands for cattle rearing and improved drainage works. Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha made the commitment on Monday during an engagement with several agriculturists. Minister Mustapha was accompanied by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, and Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, who visited the community to deliver on pledges made by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali during a recent meeting there. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine war: Kyiv hit by 'exceptional' number of missiles
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv has been targeted by further Russian air attacks, described by one official as "exceptional in density". Ukraine said all 18 missiles were shot down and footage showed air defences destroying targets over the city. But Russia said its attack - which used drones and missiles - had hit all its targets. Moscow has stepped up its air campaign in recent weeks, ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive. The air raid alert sounded at around 02:30 local time (23:30 GMT Monday) and was lifted two hours later in the eighth attack to hit the capital this month. An unusually high number of loud explosions was heard in the city centre, as authorities told residents in online messages that air defence had been activated. Read more here
16th May 2023