NEWS
T&T crosses 2,500 Covid-19 deaths
Another grim Covid-19 milestone has been reached, with the country crossing 2,500 total Covid-19 deaths yesterday.
With an additional 17 deaths reported by the Ministry of Health, the country’s pandemic death toll now stands at 2,503. The ministry said the 17 patients were seven elderly men, four elderly women, four middle-aged men and two middle-aged women. Read more here…
CDC recommends Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 shots over J&J’s
Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health officials said Thursday.
The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations — while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don’t come with that risk and also appear more effective, said advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more here…
POLITICS
Attorney General takes Augustine, THA to court over Duke
DEPUTY CHIEF Secretary Watson Duke’s position in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has found its way in the courts.
On Thursday, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi (AG) filed a construction summons in the High Court to interpret a section of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Act as it relates to Watson Duke’s appointment as deputy chief secretary while also serving as head of the Public Service Association (PSA) and a member of the registration, recognition and certification board (RRCB). Read more here…
Tobago Chamber: Proper assessment of THA's finances needed by PDP
Chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George on Thursday said the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) needed to do a proper assessment of the Tobago House of Assembly's (THA) finances given the promises made by the party during the recently concluded THA election campaign. Read more here…
BUSINESS
SATT: Supermarkets will not be safe zones
The Supermarkets Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SATT) says it will not be making supermarkets safe zones nor subscribing to that concept. The Association was responding to a joint press release by AMCHAM, Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Energy Chamber which called on the government to make public spaces and businesses safe zones. Read more here…
Scotiabank appoints new director
In a media release it said Asher took up the role on December 14 and would be responsible for enterprise strategy, global financial planning and forecasting, strategic project prioritisation, finance support for corporate functions and oversight for global optimisation initiative. Read more here…
REGIONAL
Impetus to aggressive development agenda
THE National Assembly on Thursday passed a Supplementary Appropriation Bill which cleared some $5.1 billion that was spent from the Contingency Fund between July and now, and approved $21.4 billion in additional spending to address issues in a number of key areas, including the coronavirus pandemic and the continuation of several cash-grant initiatives. Read more here…
Students threaten protest over CMU vaccine mandate
A number of students who want to continue attending the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) in Kingston will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 following a new mandate expected to take effect in February. But already, there is pushback. Read more here…
INTERNATIONAL
North Shropshire by-election: Has Boris Johnson lost his winning touch?
Questions over Christmas parties in Downing Street undoubtedly ignited the North Shropshire by-election campaign, but before that opposition parties had already picked up a sense of people in this safe, rural, Tory seat feeling undervalued and overlooked. Read more here…
What can the world learn from countries where Omicron is surging?
South Africa, the United Kingdom and Denmark are three of the countries where the Omicron variant is now surging, less than a month after it was first detected.
The UK is seeking to vaccinate itself out of the crisis, with an accelerated campaign to give a third Covid-19 vaccine dose to all eligible adults by the end of December. Read more here…
17th December 2021