NEWS
Full reopening of education sector on April 19
After two years of online learning because of covid19 restrictions, students at every level will be allowed back into the physical classroom in the third term of the school year, beginning April 19, the Ministry of Education has announced. On Monday, at a news conference at the ministry in Port of Spain, Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said there are only six countries globally which have kept schools fully closed. Read more here
Blaxx loses fight with COVID-19 ... remembered as legend, icon in soca industry
Dexter ‘Blaxx’ Stewart is being remembered as a legend and an icon in the soca music industry. “He left us with some anthems, tons of classics,” one person tweeted yesterday, while another wrote, “You know if is one thing u could bet for the Carnival, is that Blaxx was coming with a monster hit.” The 61-year-old died at the Arima Hospital yesterday after battling COVID-19 for several weeks. Many had prayed for him to recover, as he did in 2020 after battling lung and kidney issues. This second chance at life Stewart did not take for granted. After performing his 2022 hit song Mash-Up at Vibes with Voicey on Carnival Thursday (March 1), Blaxx told Guardian Media that he was grateful to be alive. Read more here
POLITICS
Dennis unopposed for PNM Tobago leadership
Former THA chief secretary Ancil Dennis is set to contest the leadership of the PNM Tobago Council unopposed in the party’s internal election on April 24, 2022. Although the media was debarred from the party's Nomination Day proceedings, sources said Dennis was the only person to file nomination papers for the post of political leader on Monday. Read more here
Cabinet to address airbridge issue soon, CAL waits on word
The Cabinet is will discuss the possibility of an increase in Caribbean Airlines flights (CAL) between Trinidad and Tobago soon, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Brian Manning said yesterday. Speaking in a telephone interview, Manning said a decision should be made before Easter. He made the comment in response to calls from Tobago Business Chamber president Martin George for Government to consider an increase in flights on the domestic airbridge. “It is still not up to full capacity… this is now the biggest bugbear in terms of the accessibility to Tobago for Trinidadians and their families who wish to come to Tobago,” George said in a statement over the weekend. Read more here
BUSINESS
Central Bank: Inflation eased, but imports will increase prices
The removal of VAT on a number of items helped to ease prices in the first quarter of the year, but may not be enough to shield TT from higher food prices as imported inflation continues to climb, according to the Central Bank’s Monetary Report released on Friday. “The MPC considered the increasing weight of external factors on current and short-term developments in TT. The consensus view among international analysts regarding further interest rate adjustments in the US and elsewhere were also considered,” the report said. Read more here
We must protect our cocoa’s reputation
Trinidad and Tobago’s cocoa industry and its certification as a producer of the highest quality beans, which enables the country to command among the top prices on the global market, is under threat from a failure to invest in the sector, disease and climate change. The Cocoa Development Board of T&T (CDC) yesterday issued an “urgent” call to action to save T&T’s cocoa production and export future. In did this when the CDC appeared before a Joint Select Committee (JSC) of the Parliament for “An inquiry into the strategic direction of the Cocoa Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd with specific focus on measures to assist in achieving Trinidad and Tobago’s diversification objectives. Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries; Ministry of Finance—Investments Division; and The Cocoa Development Company Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (CDCTTL)”. Read more here
REGIONAL
Timely and strategic
The University of Guyana (UG) on Monday launched a Master’s Degree in Strategic Development Studies amid the ever-growing need for cooperation and coordinated action on challenges facing various countries within the region. President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, who spoke at the launch, said the programme would contribute significantly to the regional integration process, since it is beneficial to the entire Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The new programme which falls under the Institute for Human Resilience, became the sixth master’s programme to be launched by the university within a year. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Russia-Ukraine war: Abramovich spotted in Istanbul peace talks
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has appeared at peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey. He was seen talking to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is mediating in the talks in Istanbul. Reports surfaced hours earlier that Mr Abramovich and two Ukrainian negotiators had shown poisoning symptoms after talks in early March. Mr Abramovich is known to have spent weeks in a mediation role, flying between Moscow and Kyiv. The Chelsea football club owner was said to have suffered sore eyes and peeling skin, but had now recovered, reports say. Read more here
29th March 2022