NEWS
Agriculture Ministry on bee attack: Stay away from Palmiste Park for now
The man who was attacked by a swarm of bees at Palmiste Park, San Fernando, on April 1 (Easter Monday) has been discharged from hospital. Jeffrey Ramroop, 29, of Duncan Village in San Fernando, said he was given medication and was resting at home. “I got medication for three days and they say I must stay away from alcohol. I am doing fine now. I came home about an hour ago,” Ramroop told Newsday shortly after 5 pm on Tuesday. He was selling kites, hair accessories, and other products at the park when the bees attacked him and other people shortly after 4 pm on Monday. Read more here
Almost $1M bail for man facing 10 charges for home invasions
A 20-year-old man facing ten charges stemming from two violent home invasions at the houses of a police officer and owners of Persad’s D’Food King has been granted almost a million dollars bail. Malachai Sandy, 20, of El Socorro, appeared virtually before High Court Master Margaret Sookraj-Goswami for both matters. He first appeared on seven charges including burglary, shooting or wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and possession of a firearm. Those charges stemmed from an incident on March 13 where several suspects broke into the home of a police sergeant, and there was an exchange of gunfire. Sandy was shot twice. Read more here
POLITICS
Mayaro MP: I don’t fear expulsion from UNC
MAYARO MP Rushton Paray says he is not afraid of UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s threat to expel him from the party for demanding greater internal democracy. Paray also says his decision not to continue publicly speaking about democracy within the UNC is in no way an admission of defeat or a decision to bow to the wishes of Persad-Bissessar and other UNC members who support her. He made his position clear in a statement on April 28. “My last statement (on April 27) appears to have been misinterpreted, so let me make it abundantly clear: I am continuing my call for the UNC internal elections. Whilst I do not intend to engage in any media tit-for-tat with my colleagues, I will not relent in my call for internal elections.” Read more here
BUSINESS
NFM profits rise in fiscal 2023
NATIONAL FLOUR MILLS has reported a profit after tax of $35.5 million for the year ending December 31, 2023, in its audited summary consolidated financial statements, released last week. For the same period in 2022, NFM earned $6.9 million in profit. NFM chairman Nigel Romano in his statement said it earned $577.3 million in revenue, up from $532 million for the same period the year before and reduced the cost of sales by three per cent to $425.2 million, down from $439.8 million the year before. Read more here
TTMF reports after-tax profit of $141.4m
The Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Co Ltd (TTMF), recently branded as the T&T Mortgage Bank Ltd (TTMB) following a merging with Home Mortgage Bank (HMB), has reported an after-tax profit of $141.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, marking its highest figure in at least the last ten years. Read more here
REGIONAL
Lack of maintenance, investments from 2015-2020 main reasons for GPL’s shortcomings
President Dr Irfaan Ali has expressed his dissatisfaction with the current performance of the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL), while also acknowledging the myriad of inherited problems due to a lack of maintenance and investments during the period 2015 to 2020 under the APNU+AFC government. President Ali made this point during an engagement with the Board of Directors and management of GPL, the Power Producers and Distributors Incorporated (PPDI) and Wartsila at State House on Tuesday.
He urged the entity to explore various avenues in order to find solutions to meet the energy demand until the gas-to-energy project comes on stream. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ringleader of global monkey torture network, 'The Torture King', is charged
A ringleader in a global monkey torture network exposed by the BBC has been charged by US federal prosecutors. Michael Macartney, 50, who went by the alias "Torture King", was charged in Virginia with conspiracy to create and distribute animal-crushing videos. Mr Macartney was one of three key distributors identified by the BBC Eye team during a year-long investigation into sadistic monkey torture groups. Two women have also been charged in the UK following the investigation. Warning: This article contains disturbing content Read more here
3rd April 2024