NEWS
Ferguson seeks to block DPP from filing Piarco 2 indictments
One of the defendants in the Piarco 2 inquiry is seeking to block the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from filing indictments directly in the High Court for the decade-old charges. usinessman Steve Ferguson has appealed two rulings of a High Court judge in 2019 and 2022 as it relates to the Piarco 2 inquiry which was left in abeyance when presiding magistrate Ejenny Espinet retired in 2018. Read more here
Heerah: Community drills needed before more adverse weather hits
With severe weather in the last two weeks causing floods, landslides and damage to homes, former executive director of the National Operations Centre, Garvin Heerah, says disaster preparedness agencies must start training residents of high-risk communities so they can help themselves immediately following incidents. Heerah made the comments yesterday, acknowledging that Trinidad and Tobago was still in the thick of the Atlantic Hurricane season and narrowly escaped Potential Tropical Cyclone 2, which passed between the islands two weeks ago. Read more here
POLITICS
Moonilal slams PM's bad-parenting theory
Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has taken the Prime Minister to task for blaming escalation of crime on bad parenting saying the government had abolished, what he called, one of the significant opportunities to recognise and reward good parenting. At the UNC virtual report on Monday night, Moonilal referred to Government’s decision to no longer recognise top performing Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) students. Read more here
MP SCOTLAND PAID $10K
Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland received $10,000 to sit on the Community Recovery Committee (CRC), which was appointed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in 2020. Pointing to the payment to Scotland which is disclosed in the 2021 Auditor General’s report, Opposition Senator Anil Roberts chided Scotland for the payment, as he noted this was the very community that Scotland represents as a Member of Parliament (South). Read more here
BUSINESS
ANSA Merchant launches Caribbean Natural Capital Hub
ANSA Merchant Bank in T&T and Barbados, and ANSA Bank have partnered with The Cropper Foundation and the Capitals Coalition to launch the Caribbean Natural Capital Hub. The initiative places greater emphasis on renewable energy projects and the better use of natural resources through specialised funding for such programmes. Speaking at the launch at the Hyatt Regency Hotel yesterday, chairman, ANSA Merchant Bank Ltd A Norman Sabga said as a group it has always been conscious of its duty to operate businesses responsibly in the interest of employees, investors, customers and the broader society. Read more here
Dishing out more for food
Not only have poultry costs gone up, but goat meat prices have as well. By the end of the year, pork prices will follow. According to Shiraz Khan, president of the Trinidad Unified Farmers Association, being vegan won’t help you avoid the store’s sticker shock because vegetables have also increased in price. According to Khan, the fact that a big supermarket chain sells melongene for between $50 and $75 per kilogramme is ludicrous. Read more here
REGIONAL
Create structure, accounts to access greater financing
With significant investments being made in various sectors across the country by various companies, Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has urged the local private sector to broaden its horizons in order access greater financing and be able to invest in the country. The Vice-President issued the charge during his remarks at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association’s (GMSA) mid-year business dinner on Tuesday. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Capitol riots: 'Wild' Trump tweet incited attack, says inquiry
A Trump tweet mobilised far-right extremists to converge on Washington DC on the day of last year's Capitol riot, a congressional inquiry has heard. He posted the tweet after "the craziest meeting of the Trump presidency", said a lawmaker on the panel. The then-president forged ahead with a rallying call to supporters even though aides repeatedly told him he had fairly lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. The committee accuses Mr Trump of an attempted coup to remain in power. Supporters of Donald Trump violently stormed Congress on 6 January 2021 as lawmakers met to certify Mr Biden's victory. Hours before the hearing, Mr Trump, a Republican, dismissed the Democratic-led House of Representatives panel on his Truth Social social media platform as "Political Hacks and Thugs" perpetrating a "HOAX". Read more here
13th July 2022