NEWS
Labour movement to march through PoS on Friday in protest of 4 per cent wage increase offer
Labour leaders are expected march through the streets of Port-of-Spain on Friday, as they prepare to protest against the Government’s continued four per cent offer to public sector workers. The march will also be in solidarity with Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) workers, with the company scheduled to undergo restructuring. Speaking yesterday during a news conference at the Public Services’ Association building in Port-of-Spain, the three union federations joined under one banner “Unite to Fight.” Read more here
Mom in despair after fire guts home
Thousands of dollars in recently purchased school supplies were destroyed in a fire which claimed the home of a San Fernando family on Monday night. Cathy Ann Telesford, 31, a mother of two, said nothing was saved from the family’s home at Coconut Boulevard, Pleasantville. Telesford, a worker with the Unemployment Relief Programme, said her son, aged nine, attends Princes Town Presbyterian II School, and her daughter attends San Fernando Girls’ Anglican School. Read more here
POLITICS
UNC: Government courting US sanctions with Venezuela visit
The Opposition is warning the government that it is playing with fire and looking to get sanctioned by the United States as a result of its continued meetings with people who are already sanctioned. Both Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal spoke of the recent visit by Energy Minister Stuart Young to Venezuela last Friday when they appeared on a United National Congress (UNC) platform on Monday night. Read more here
Al-Rawi: PM did not attend because of boycott
The boycott by seven UNC-held corporations of yesterday’s meeting with the Local Government Ministry and the Prime Minister, left half of Trinidad out of talks on addressing service delivery and operationalising Local Government reform soon. The boycott was called by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday. At a media briefing on Tuesday, Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi said the ministry’s meeting was planned with mayors, councillors, chairmen and aldermen of all 14 corporations on the operationalisation of local government law and collaboration. Read more here
BUSINESS
Unilever records loss after last month’s retrenchment
The retrenchment of over 100 workers last month by Unilever Caribbean has contributed to the company recording a loss for the first half of 2022. In the company’s unaudited financial statement for the second quarter of 2022, the company said as a result of the incurred restructuring expenses in the second quarter of $37.4 million, it recorded a loss for the quarter of $18.1 million, and $12.6 million for the half. Unilever’s Chairman Rodrigo Sotomayor said excluding the one-off restructuring, the company enjoyed a solid performance, managing to grow its operating profit for the quarter from $7.3 million in the prior year to $9.5 million, and for the half year from $15.4 million to $16.6 million in spite of increasing pressure coming from the commodity and freight inflation. Read more here
Local food favourites in a snap
For about $20, you can b0uy a packet of choka, dhal, callaloo, pepper sauce or even green seasoning. The dehydrated product line, which is 100 per cent local, simply requires the addition of hot water and a quick stir to enjoy. It is agro-processing meeting innovation to do in seconds what would traditionally take much longer. The new product line, which has been two years in the making, is part of an agro-processing facility that costs about $60 million. Read more here
REGIONAL
US$1.2M Leonora ‘smart hospital’ comes on stream
The Leonora Cottage Hospital, which was retrofitted to the tune of US$1.2 million through the Smart Healthcare Facilities in the Caribbean Project, was on Tuesday officially recommissioned. The upgrading of the facility to a “Smart Hospital” is part of the government’s vision to modernise healthcare in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and the country at large. The Leonora Cottage Hospital is one of five facilities that were set to be upgraded and updated as part of the Smart Healthcare Facilities project to become safer, ‘greener’ and more resilient to natural disasters and climate change. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Mar-a-Lago: Republican uproar over FBI raid on Trump home
Furious allies of former President Donald Trump are demanding an explanation for the FBI's raid on his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago. The FBI and Department of Justice have yet to comment on the search, which Mr Trump disclosed on Monday evening. It is reportedly linked to an investigation into his handling of classified and sensitive material. It was the first time a former US president's home has ever been searched by law enforcement. Reports suggest the FBI activity is connected to an investigation into whether Mr Trump, a Republican, removed classified records from the White House and took them to Mar-a-Lago. The search was approved at the highest levels of the Department of Justice (DoJ), an unnamed US official told CBS News, the BBC's US partner. Read more here
10th August 2022