NEWS
One more dies, 68 test positive for covid19 Monday
The Ministry of Health on Monday reported that some 68 more people had contracted covid19 over the past seven to nine days. In their morning update, the ministry said 36 new cases were recorded from August 23-29, while the evening update said 32 new cases were reported over August 23-31, giving a total of 68 cases reported on Monday. The ministry noted the numbers did not represent cases detected over the past 24 hours. Read more here
Patriotic citizens start new Independence tradition
It was August 31st, Independence Day, yet there were no flag-waving citizen, no shouting of marching orders, no drum rolls and no stirring renditions of the National Anthem to be heard at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. With the annual parade cancelled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the only sound to be heard was the faint buzzing of drones in the sky. Hanging from them, and not from the traditional flagpole, were the red, black and white of the country’s national flags as part of an alternative Independence Day celebration activity conducted by employees of Rectrix Drone Services Limited. Read more here
POLITICS
Masks mandatory in vehicles even if travelling with family
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi says while he understands the public's dissatisfaction with the decision, it remains mandatory for people to wear masks in a vehicle even if the passengers are all family members. He was speaking at the Health Ministry's virtual press briefing on Monday morning. Based on the law, he said, a motor vehicle "includes everything from a car to a tractor." He also said sea vessels are included. Read more here
Health official begs home quarantine patients to tell truth
As the COVID-death toll continues to rise, County Medical Officer of Health for Caroni Dr Jeanine St Bernard is appealing to patients who are in home quarantine to be truthful with doctors if their conditions worsen. St Bernard made the appeal during the Ministry of Health’s virtual press conference yesterday, after being asked what were the factors influencing the spike in COVID-19-related deaths over the past four days. Since Friday, the death toll went from 15 to 22 - with seven new deaths, including the latest one yesterday - an elderly female with co-morbidities. Read more here
BUSINESS
Significant fall in natural gas production
T&T’s natural gas production plummeted in June to its lowest level since 2016 averaging a mere 3.110 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bscf/D). The information is contained in the latest report on the energy sector which was released by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries on August 11th, one day after the general elections. According to the figures from the Ministry, natural gas production declined from 3.5 Bscf/D to 3.1 Bscf/D or a fall of 400 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d). Read more here
Town and Country advances digitisation
The Ministry of Planning and Development says today marks another major achievement for the digitisation of its Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) as several more regional corporations have been completely digitised. Read more here
REGIONAL
Military to play ‘bigger role’ in national development
President Irfaan Ali on Monday unveiled plans to have the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) play a more significant role in the country’s development.
He made the announcement during the course of a simple but symbolic ceremony at State House to officially recognise the five newly-promoted officers of the GDF, which event saw him pinning them with their new badges of rank. Those officers so recognised were Colonel Gary Beaton, who was promoted to the rank of Substantive Brigadier, and Lieutenant Colonels Ronald Hercules, Julius Skeete, Omar Khan and Kenlloyd Roberts, who were all promoted to the rank of Substantive Colonel. Read more here
Elderly Voters Warned To Avoid Morning Rush - Some EOJ Workers Back Out Over COVID Fears
Elderly voters have been urged to avoid the traditional morning crush of bodies at polling stations because they may be at increased risk for coronavirus infection as COVID-19 cases mount in Jamaica. Director of Elections Glasspole Brown sounded the note of caution hours after it was announced that COVID-19-positive persons would be allowed to vote in the general election from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 3. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump inflames tensions and justifies violence -- and there's a reason why
For Donald Trump's America-on-fire campaign strategy to work, he needs violence to boil in cities right up until Election Day, or at least for enough voters to believe the nation is spiraling into an abyss of chaos and savagery. That brought the extraordinary spectacle Monday of a president -- who would by tradition call for calm at a time of civic unrest -- justifying violence by his supporters and all but excusing a pro-Trump vigilante who allegedly killed two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Read more here
Rare rallies in China over Mongolian language curb
1st September 2020