NEWS
Hunters’ group vows to continue assisting T&T in searches
A hunters’ search and rescue team which was called into action to assist in finding then-missing person Andrea Bharatt, is one year later continuing their work in searching for missing people. The group will be celebrating its first anniversary today. One year ago, hunters gathered at 7 am at the Sangre Grande Police Station, following a request by the T&T Police Service to assist in the search for Bharatt. The hunters, quickly assigned Vallence Rambharat as their captain, to lead the team. Read more here
POLITICS
Auto dealers hit Government: Foreign used cars benefit average man
President of the Automobile Dealers Association Visham Babwah and Vice President Rhondall Feeles have accused the government of trying to shut down the foreign used car industry to the benefit of showroom car dealers. Babwah and Feeles delivered letters to the offices of the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday challenging the government’s policies on the importation and tax exemptions of electric vehicles into the country. Read more here
BUSINESS
Young: De Novo's Zandolie platform 'a proud moment' for energy sector
Energy Minister Stuart Young has described the completion of the new Zandolie exploration platform as a proud moment for energy company De Novo and Trinidad and Tobago. He made this comment on Monday at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, ahead of the platform's sail-off. After a tour of the platform, Young said, "The 100 per cent local fabrication of the Zandolie platform is further proof of the capabilities within the energy service industry to construct high quality and complex structures, and to make the necessary adaptations to reduce carbon emissions." Read more here
More optimism about economic prospects
With the Covid-19 pandemic still very much present in many countries, the local business community is confident the economy will grow this year. This is according to an Ernst and Young survey conducted with members of the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM TT). Conducted in November 2021, the survey was presented at AMCHAM’s Economic Outlook Forum 2022, last week. The survey received 91 responses from across 11 industry areas. Sixty-two per cent of the respondents were at chief executive level, while 15 per cent headed a business unit or division. Read more here
REGIONAL
Digital registry, culinary centre among initiatives planned for women in 2022
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS) plans to create a digital registry of women-owned businesses to focus on continuous training and capacity building and establish a culinary centre at the Women Leadership Institute, as part of a number of measures catered for in its $30 billion budgetary allocation. These were among the revelations made by subject minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, as she emphasised her support for the $552.9 billion national budget, when the budget debate continued in the National Assembly on Tuesday. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine tensions: US trying to draw Russia into war, Putin says
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has accused the US of trying to draw his country into a war in Ukraine. He said America's goal was to use a confrontation as a pretext to impose more sanctions on Russia. Mr Putin also said the US was ignoring Russia's concerns about the European expansion of Nato - the Western military alliance. The US and its allies accuse Russia of planning to invade Ukraine, something Russia has repeatedly denied. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted that the US was "committed to preventing a conflict that is in no one's interest". Read more here
2nd February 2022