NEWS
WASA to remove steel blocking Mosquito Creek next week
It took a protest at the Mosquito Creek, La Romaine on Tuesday to elicit a response from WASA that a steel structure will be removed from the Godineau River next week, seven months after it fell in. A 36-inch diameter water line ruptured and the supporting steel structure fell into the river, cutting off the water supply, causing widespread flooding and affecting fishing, In an immediate response, president of the South Oropouche Riverine Flood Action Group Edward Moodie, who joined dozens of protesters, said, “Promises sound good. Until the rack is removed, we will not be happy.” Read more here
Children’s Authority records 504 reports of sexual abuse in five-month period
With the Children’s Authority recording over 504 reports of sexual abuse between October 2022 and February this year, acting director Rhonda Gregoire-Roopchan says there is a need for behavioural and cultural change. As the authority often places abused children in State-funded childcare institutions, it launched the Residential Care Workers Training Programme in collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine Campus, and the Office of the Prime Minister-Gender and Child Affairs at the Radisson Hotel, in Port-of-Spain, on Tuesday. Gregoire-Roopchan said among the statistics for the five months were 284 reports of physical abuse and 251 emotional abuse. Read more here
POLITICS
PM: Government operationalising procurement law
The Prime Minister said Government will do its best to make sure that the newly proclaimed Procurement Act works for the benefit of everyone in TT. Dr Rowley gave this assurance at a news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's on Tuesday. On April 26, President Christine Kangaloo on Wednesday proclaimed dozens of sections of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act, No. 1 of 2015. Rowley noted numerous challenges faced by past governments to implement effective public procurement legislation. Read more here
Cox: Laws coming to remove socially displaced from streets
Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox says legislation is coming to give Government the authority to legally remove the socially displaced from the streets and public spaces. “Legally, we cannot forcefully move persons and that is the problem we have because if we can’t do that, at the end of the day you’ll hear that we’re not doing anything about the problem, but there are human rights issues with regards to this. But right now, we are looking at the legislation to be able to do that.” Cox said yesterday that a committee was put in place in early 2022 to deal with this issue. “Coming into the ministry, there were many task forces, many committees, lots of meetings but I found that we have not moved as much as we can, so what I decided to do was engage stakeholders. We met with the municipal police, the Mayor of Port-of-Spain, as many people as possible to work together as a team.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Applying climate commitments to trade between Caricom and Canada
At the Caricom Heads of Government Conference held in February 2023, regional leaders received Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The engagement between the Canadian and Caricom leadership focused on “charting new strategic partnerships, built on modern realities, including the diversification of the economic relationships and addressing climate change and doing both in ways that would create good jobs in all the countries”. Caricom leaders welcomed the efforts by Prime Minister Trudeau to strengthen and deepen the special relationship between Caricom and Canada. Read more here
REGIONAL
New infrastructures transforming Guyana’s landscape
New infrastructural projects have transformed the country’s landscape, especially along the coastland, where new road linkages are not only complementing the development of new housing schemes, but also opening new lands and making travel easier for commuters. President, Dr. Irfaan Ali commented on the benefits of the new infrastructural developments during a site visit to various projects in Georgetown and across the coastland. While on the site of the ongoing construction of some 200 young professional homes at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, Dr. Ali said that while some 200 homes are currently under construction, another area further down is being developed for some 500 additional homes. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Gaza militants fire rockets after new Israeli air strikes
Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired barrages of rockets towards Israel, after the Israeli military said it carried out a series of air strikes on Islamic Jihad rocket launchers. At least one Palestinian has been killed and another wounded, medics say. There are no reports of any injuries in Israel, where most of the rockets are said to have been intercepted. It comes a day after 15 people in Gaza were killed in Israeli air strikes, including three Islamic Jihad leaders. Read more here
10th May 2023