TTMA IN THE NEWS
SATT, business groups join flood relief efforts
As several communities across the country are still reeling from flooding, the Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SATT), and business groups, have joined the flood relief drive. SATT said yesterday it is co-ordinating its relief effort with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), municipal corporations and various NGOs. In addition to food, it said basic medical supplies, hygiene products, detergents and sanitising products will also be provided where possible. It added that it understands there are multiple factors involved in helping flood victims, and it is committing to providing assistance with the help of corporate T&T. Read more here
NEWS
Highway blockage causes hours of traffic for commuters heading south, east
For several hours travellers leaving Port of Spain were stuck in gridlock as they journeyed south and east from the capital on Tuesday evening. Some commuters took to social media to express their frustration with the slow grind of traffic as drivers described waiting for almost three hours to get from the outskirts of the city to the Maritime roundabout. On Tuesday afternoon an SMS bulletin purporting to be from the Ministry of Public Utilities warned drivers heading south to find another route, as the southbound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway was impassable, owing to overflow from the Caroni River onto the highway. Read more here
Grants available for flood victims
Citizens affected by adverse flooding can now access financial grants via the Critical Incident Response System, which has been officially activated. This was disclosed by the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services via a release issued on Tuesday. The ministry said it had partnered with its key stakeholders, particularly the Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, through the ARCGIS Survey 123 Platform of shared information and electronic assessments, to ensure that support is provided to affected people in the shortest possible time. Read more here
POLITICS
Deyalsingh defends covid19 record
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh defended his leadership of the country's efforts against the covid19 pandemic, in reply to criticism in an opposition's private members motion in the Senate on Tuesday. He began by chiding the opposition for moving that motion at a time when he'd have preferred to have been tending to his constituents amid the current bad weather. The minister said the pandemic had revealed the resilience of TT's healthcare system, as he hailed his ministry's technical team under chief medical officer Dr Roshan Parasram, ORTT. Read more here
Hinds: Soldiers deployed to help flood victims
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds has deployed members of the Defence Force and its equipment to help the beleaguered regional corporations and citizens throughout the country who have been severely affected by floodwaters and landslides. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Hinds said, “While the weather patterns seem to have improved and we had less rains today for the reasons already stated, the situation became in some ways exacerbated, heightened.” “And as a consequence of that, you will now see more engagement by the T&T Defence Force (TTDF) because as we indicated earlier in these briefings, it is when the regional corporations and the other agencies become overwhelmed and unable to treat with what is in front of them. Then, at the guiding hand based on the coordinating responsibility of the ODPM of the Ministry of National Security, we will deploy our resources, and bring them to bear on the situation.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Central Bank Governor calls for less red tape in opening accounts
Central Bank Governor Dr Alvin Hilaire is advising this country’s commercial banks to reduce the bureaucracy when it comes to customers opening accounts. This he said must be done to facilitate greater financial inclusion for the unbanked. Speaking at the recent 25th anniversary of the Bankers’ Association of T&T (BATT) the Central Bank Governor said more people ought to have access to financial services. “Why do you have to have all these forms of ID? Of course, we want to be careful about anti-money laundering and so forth. Let’s take risk into account, let’s take what we know of people, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. Let’s move this thing on financial inclusion,” Hilaire told members of the banking sector at the event. Read more here
T&TEC’s rate proposals revealed
The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) is proposing stiff rate increases over the next five years as the utility seeks to become more efficient and pay off its almost $2 billion debt. T&TEC’s proposed rate increases, which are watermarked DRAFT, are contained in its business plan for the period 2022 to 2026, which was submitted to the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) earlier this year. The RIC was established in 2000 to regulate the cost and service quality of four utilities, comprising T&TEC, the Water and Sewerage Authority, PowerGen and Trinity Power. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana gets US$200,000 grant from China to boost health sector
IN an effort to enhance the medical facilities and services in Guyana, China handed over a cash grant to the tune of US$200,000 to the Ministry of Health to procure medical supplies. The grant was handed over to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony by China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan on Tuesday at the ministry’s head office on Brickdam. Dr. Anthony expressed his appreciation to the Chinese Government for its continued support to Guyana. Guyana and China have a long relationship, especially in the area of health. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Alzheimer's drug lecanemab hailed as momentous breakthrough
The first drug to slow the destruction of the brain in Alzheimer's has been heralded as momentous. The research breakthrough ends decades of failure and shows a new era of drugs to treat Alzheimer's - the most common form of dementia - is possible. Yet the medicine, lecanemab, has only a small effect and its impact on people's daily lives is debated. And the drug works in the early stages of the disease, so most would miss out without a revolution in spotting it. Read more here
30th November 2022