NEWS
Caricom nations begin vaccinations with donated doses
With Jamaica becoming the first – and so far only – Caricom nation to get covid19 vaccine doses from the WHO’s Covax facility, there is still no word on when this country will begin receiving doses, although Trinidad and Tobago paid $9 million for them months ago. In the meantime, all Caricom countries have begun to roll out individual vaccination programmes, with vaccine doses received as gifts from India. TT's Prime Minister, in his capacity as Caricom chairman, has written to US President Joe Biden asking for vaccine supplies for the Caribbean, and the Indian Government has indicated its willingness to donate vaccines to this country, if Government wishes to go this route. Read more here
POLITICS
Deyalsingh denies family link in vaccine deal
Hours after allegations of a link between a relative of Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and a local company that the Government was using to order COVID-19 vaccines from Hong Kong surfaced, the minister was pursuing legal action against Suzette Lowe and Marcia Braveboy for making the claims and publishing them on social media. In a two-page release via the Health Ministry yesterday, Deyalsingh condemned the allegations and denied there was any connection between himself and the VARY Medical and Scientific Company. Read more here
BUSINESS
Bad eating draining T&T’s forex
Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat said yesterday that people in T&T are eating themselves to death. And he suggested that the population cut back on its consumption of mayonnaise, ketchup, maraschino cherries. Read more here
REGIONAL
US$25M Chinese seafood company creates 240 local jobs
Guyana’s aquaculture sector has been boosted by a US$25 million investment from a renowned Chinese fish processing company, Grandeast Seafood Inc., which has constructed a facility at Garden of Eden on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and created employment for 240 persons. The Chinese-owned company is a subsidiary of Hong Dong Fisheries Co., Ltd., a company headquartered in China which specialises in processing and trading of fishery products. The business of Hong Dong Fisheries Co., Ltd. involves ocean fishing, fishery base operations, cold chain logistics, fish processing, import and export trade, marine biology research, and aquatic product market operations management. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
10 dead in shooting at a grocery store in Colorado -- less than a week after the spa killings in Atlanta
Ten people, including a police officer, were killed Monday after a gunman opened fire in a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, shattering the calm for another US community. A suspect is in custody, Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said, but authorities did not share any information on his identity, the type of weapon used or any possible motive. "We will work around the clock to get this accomplished," she said, adding that such a complex investigation will take at least five days to complete. Read more here
23rd March 2021