NEWS
Woman wounded in Maloney shooting – ARMY SHELLS AT CRIME SCENE
Once again, spent bullet shells with the markings TTR (Trinidad and Tobago Regiment) have been found at a crime scene despite claims of ignorance by the Regiment, and assurances by the National Security Minister that measures have been implemented to clamp down on the illegal use of military weapons and ammunition. In the latest incident, a 42-year-old woman barely escaped with her life after being shot at on New Year’s Day in Maloney. Police investigating that incident, confirmed the presence of spent shells at the crime scene bearing what appears to be regiment markings. Read more here
Relief for hundreds as temporary Manzanilla bypass opens
Relief has come to eastern Trinidad as the Ministry of Works and Transport opened bypass roads along collapsed sections of the Manzanilla Main Road yesterday after they were decimated by major flooding on November 26. The road is the main artery for hundreds of daily commuters traversing between Sangre Grande and Manzanilla to the north and Mayaro to the south. Since the collapse, motorists wishing to travel between the areas were forced to detour through Plum Mitan. It was a journey that was hours long, cost commuters considerably more in transportation costs and affected almost every part of life in the region. "The alternative route through Plum Road, Plum Mitan, Biche to Rio Claro, that's a long trek to Mayaro. It's three hours and especially for school children and more so in the health sector. It took an ambulance three hours from Mayaro to go via that Biche area to go Sangre Grande Hospital," Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir said. Read more here
POLITICS
Moonilal dismisses PM's lack of interest in presidency
Deputy political leader of the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) Dr Roodal Moonilal is not buying the Prime Minister's claim of being uninterested in the post of President. In fact, Moonilal – the Oropouche East MP – said when it comes to the Office of the President, Dr Rowley's claims ought not to be taken seriously. In a newspaper report on Monday, Rowley said he does not want to be President, that government's nominee won't be an active politician and may not be either a former judge or member of the legal fraternity. He also claimed outgoing President Paula-Mae Weekes had served well. Read more here
Patience needed in governance–Farley
Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Farley Augustine showed off his baking skills while sending a new year's message to citizens calling for careful planning, patience and precision in handling issues of governance. In a carefully crafted video displaying his skills, Augustine said good things take time and are often worth the wait. He said before entering politics he spent most of his time in the confines of a kitchen. "I feel my greatest passion is for baking which is an unparalleled master class of philosophy, one that holds wisdom as we approach the dawn of the new year," he said. Augustine added, "A seasoned baker knows there are certain time-consuming aspects of baking which cannot be rushed. We know that planning, precision and patience are key ingredients in baking, even though these are not listed in the recipe." Read more here
BUSINESS
T&T’s oil benchmark climbs 7 per cent in 2022
Oil prices swung wildly in 2022, climbing on tight supplies amid the war in Ukraine, then sliding on weaker demand from top importer China and worries of an economic contraction, but closed the year last Friday with a second straight annual gain. Prices surged in March as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upended global crude flows, with international benchmark Brent reaching US$139.13 a barrel, highest since 2008. Prices cooled rapidly in the second half as central banks hiked interest rates and fanned worries of recession. Read more here
REGIONAL
Massive ‘infrastructural overhaul’ progresses rapidly
The PPP/C Government built and maintained more than 180 bridges, and some 1,651 kilometres of roads along the coast and across the hinterland in 2022, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali. In a recent virtual message, the President said this is part of the infrastructural overhaul which started when the government assumed office in August 2020. So far, a total of 351 bridges have been built in communities across Guyana, and from 2020 to the end of 2022, the government has built and maintained more than 3,670 kilometres of roads in communities across the country. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Russia plans to 'exhaust' Ukraine with prolonged attacks – Zelensky
Ukraine's president says Russia is planning a protracted campaign of drone attacks in a bid to demoralise Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky said he had received intelligence reports suggesting that Moscow would launch the attacks using Iranian-made Shahed drones. It comes after Ukraine carried out a strike that it said killed hundreds of Russian soldiers in the Donbas region. In an extremely rare admission of battlefield losses, Russia said the attack killed 63 of its troops. Speaking from Kyiv in his nightly address, Mr Zelensky said Russia planned to "exhaust" Ukraine with a prolonged wave of drone attacks. "We must ensure - and we will do everything for this - that this goal of terrorists fails like all the others," he said. "Now is the time when everyone involved in the protection of the sky should be especially attentive." Read more here
3rd January 2023