NEWS
Rumble on the reef: Tour operators fight at Nylon Pool
Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris has strongly condemned a fight which took place on Monday between two reef boat operators in the Buccoo Marine Park, Tobago. In a one-minute video posted on Facebook, the men were seen fighting and shouting expletives at each other, in front of shocked passengers, including tourists. One of the men was seen holding what appeared to be a long piece of iron. Read more here
Mayaro residents call for road repairs
Mayaro residents are calling on authorities to repair the Mayaro/Guayaguayare Road. Maxi driver along the route for the last 23 years, Sonny Ramsingh, yesterday estimated the last time the road received any major repairs was 20 years ago. A resident and taxi driver known as “Chinee” said the deplorable condition of the road was taking a toll on their vehicles and wallets. “As a Mayaro/Guayaguayare person, and the things coming out of here (for the country), I feel we could be in a better position than we in here right now,” he said. Mayaro MP Rushton Paray said he made representations to Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan in Parliament over a month ago and was told there were no plans to rehabilitate the road. Paray said residents were frustrated and although they have not protested yet, it was not off the table. Read more here
POLITICS
Kamla: Attacks on DPP meant to distract – PROBE AL-RAWI, NELSON DEAL
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said she is convinced Chief Justice Ivor Archie, the Prime Minister and the Attorney General are part of a plot to frustrate the operations of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Roger Gaspard, meant to rescue government from the fallout over the Vincent Nelson matter. At the UNC's Monday Night Report, Persad-Bissessar also called on Police Commissioner Erla Harewood Christopher to launch an investigation into the conduct of former AG Faris Al-Rawi in relation to the Nelson matter. Read more here
MoE promises less waiting time on new online portal
As the Government gears towards national digital transformation, the Ministry of Education is promising to eliminate long waiting times with its online portal. Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly gave the pledge yesterday, as she outlined approximately 20 services that will be offered and delivered through the “click of a button”, especially for teachers, at the official launch of MoE ACCESS at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain. “A teacher situated in Toco, Icacos or Guayaguayare no longer has to commute to either district or head office to submit relevant paperwork. Approval for a leave application has been reduced from weeks, sometimes months, to same day and in some cases, minutes,” Gadsby-Dolly said. The portal will allow teachers and school administrators to record real-time data such as which schools have the highest level of absenteeism on any given day. Read more here
BUSINESS
TCL to cut 70% of Barbados workers
The time has come for Trinidad and Tobago to move away from simply seeking to balance the budget and become more expansionary in its fiscal approach urges former Finance Minister Winston Dookeran. Dookeran told the Express Business that the country has spent a lot of time over the last eight years tightening its belt and trying to reduce the deficit, in what he describes as a risk averse approach, but he said the time has come to “grow the economic space” and expand the economy. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘Diversity is an asset we must cherish, value’
President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has underscored that diversity is an asset Guyanese must value and cherish, and reiterated his government’s zero-tolerance to any attempts to instigate racial animosity and racial violence within the country. The Head of State reaffirmed the government’s position as he swore in members of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) on Tuesday, during a ceremony at the Office of the President. A total of 10 persons were identified to serve as Commissioners, with eight of them being present at the ceremony to take their oath before President Ali. The approved persons who will serve on the Commission are from the religious bodies, Reverend Rodwell Alphonso Porter representing the Christian faith, Pandit Krishna Deo Sharma representing the Hindu faith, and Shaik Moen Hack representing the Muslim faith; from the cultural and ethnic bodies, there is President of the National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF), Ashton Simon representing Amerindians; Deon Dick representing Afro-Guyanese, and Neaz Subhan representing Indo-Guyanese; from civil society, trade unionist Norris Witter will represent the labour movement; former Chief Labour Officer (CLO), Charles Ogle, will represent the private sector; City Councillor, Dwayne Adams will represent the youth body, while the women’s bodies will be represented by Chandroutie Saran. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
UN warns against 'vampiric' global water use
A United Nations report has warned of a looming global water crisis and an "imminent risk" of shortages due to overconsumption and climate change. The world is "blindly travelling a dangerous path" of "vampiric overconsumption and overdevelopment", the report says. Its publication comes before the first major UN water summit since 1977. Thousands of delegates will attend the three-day gathering in New York which begins on Wednesday. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says water, "humanity's lifeblood", is being drained by "unsustainable water use, pollution and unchecked global warming". Read more here
22nd March 2023