NEWS
Shannon’s Body Found
The nation was left stunned yesterday on the news that the body of Republic Bank Ltd employee Shannon Banfield, 20, who went missing on Monday, was found stuffed on a shelf and hidden by cardboard boxes on the third floor of the IAM & Co warehouse store off Charlotte Street in Port-of-Spain. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service issued a press release last night identifying two men - Matthew Maharaj and Dale Seecharan - as being ‘persons of interest’ in the investigations into the murder of 20-year-old Banfield. Last night, police sources said that two men, one from El Socorro and the other from San Juan surrendered to police. The search continued late last night for a third suspect. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Irving Hackshaw told Newsday that a manhunt was launched for all persons involved in the murder and he assured, “no stone would be left unturned” in the pursuit of suspects. Police sources revealed that the two men who are among 14 persons employed at the warehouse and store, failed to show up for work on Tuesday and also failed to contact owner of the company Ishmael Ali as to the reason for their no-show. Officers spent several hours interviewing staff members of the store hours after a foul odour led to the discovery of Banfield’s bloated corpse on the third floor. Read more here
Mom slain a day before court case
Joan Cheryl Cooper received death threats over a year ago, following an ongoing land dispute. When she was finally gunned down in Marabella yesterday, her relatives still could not believe the threat had materialised. “How could this happen? I thought it would end with a cuss out but look! She dead now,” Cooper’s brother, Derrick Aberdeen, wept as he gazed at Cooper’s body in the front seat of a white Nissan Sentra at Grenada Terrace, Harmony Hall, Marabella. The killing occurred around 6.30 am, a day before Cooper, 53, was expected to appear in the San Fernando High Court to testify in the land dispute case. Cooper’s boyfriend Carl Edmund, who worked as a landscaper, was also shot in the left side of the chest and was listed in stable condition at the San Fernando General Hospital last night. Police said Cooper and Edmund had just come out their driveway when a man dressed in white walked up to their car and fired. The shooter then ran to a nearby street, jumped in a waiting car and drove off. The man was seen fidgeting with an item in his car before ambushing the couple. Cooper was shot in the abdomen and died within minutes. Read more here
Two detained in Shannon's killing
The two men police were looking for in connection with the death of bank employee Shannon Banfield, were detained by police overnight. Dale Seecharan and Matthew Maharaj are being questioned at a police station in Port of Spain. Their photographs were shared by the police on Thursday afternoon, hours after Banfield's body was discovered behind some boxes in the top floor warehouse of IAM and Company at Charlotte Street, Port of Spain. Banfield was last known to have been at IAM and Company. Police intend to question the employees and owner of the business, and obtain CCTV footage from Monday afternoon in order to track Banfield's moments along Charlotte Street, and also the conduct of store employees. Read more here
POLITICS
Maxie to launch Scratch Bomb Awareness campaign
Government will today launch its initiative stop the sale and use of scratch bombs in Trinidad and Tobago at a function to be held by Minister of Public Administration, Maxie Cuffie, at 9.30 am at the Old Fire Sation, Abercromby Street, Port-of- Spain. Cuffie has expressed serious concern about this hazard and knows firsthand the suffering it had caused to his constituent, Sally- Ann Cuffie (no relative) who was severely burnt and injured by a scratch bomb during Divali observances, said a Ministry statement yesterday. Sally-Ann Cuffie, a grandmother, was driving her car when a scratch-bomb was thrown through her window and, in order to save her grandchild, she grabbed the device which blew up in her hand leaving her severely injured. Read more here
Colm happy for lighter workload
Finance Minister Colm Imbert says his workload was too heavy and he was grateful for Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s “intervention” in appointing Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister PM, Stuart Young, to chair the Cabinet’s Finance and General Purposes sub-committee. “His intervention has taken a lot of pressure off of me,”Imbert said yesterday denying he was being punished for his performance and recent controversies including his “0-0-0” wage restraint statements and “rioting” quip about gas price hikes. Rowley confirmed in Parliament on Wednesday that Young now chairs the F&GP committee — which deals with major matters before Cabinet decides on them. Imbert headed that since Government assumed office in September last year. Read more here
PM: None is immune to evil
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday expressed deep concern and abhorrence as he reacted to the news of the discovery of the body of Republic Bank staff member Shannon Banfield at a retail company on Charlotte Street, Port of Spain, three days after she went missing. Rowley had in fact addressed the disappearance of Banfield during the Prime Minister's Question Time in Parliament on Wednesday when he said he was concerned about the disappearance of people, particularly young women. He noted Banfield's case was then engaging the attention of the police. Read more here
BUSINESS
NGC profits decline in 2015
The National Gas Company (NGC) Group reported a decline in its after-tax profits from 2014 to 2015. This information is contained in the NGC’s Annual Report 2015. NGC Group chairman Gerry Brooks indicated that the Group’s performance was impacted by external market factors and challenges and the internal environment. Brooks said the Group’s after-tax profits slipped from $4,478 million in 2014 to $561 million in 2015. He said individual performances of the NGC’s subsidiaries varied. Parent company NGC reported an after- tax profit of $605 million compared to $3,084 million in 2014. Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd (PPGPL) also reported a decline in earnings from $166.6 million in 2014 to $55 million in 2014 to $55 million last year. Brooks said, “Both regressions in profitability were directly linked to depressed commodity prices.” He observed that in contrast, the National Energy Corporation generated profits of $67.9 million in 2015 which was eight percent higher than its profits in 2014. TT NGL also reported increased earning in 2015 of $402.8 million. Brooks said this was a significant improvement over a loss of $804.2 million which occurred in 2014. Read more here
US$135m IDB loan for B’dos energy security
Barbados is moving to improve its energy security and diversify the island’s energy mix with a US$34 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan. The project will aid Barbados in transitioning to a cleaner energy future, meeting its current natural gas demands, and contributing to the creation of a regional Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) supply chain. The loan will enhance Barbados’ energy security and sustainability by diversifying its energy mix through promoting the use of cleaner fuels for power generation, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and increasing energy efficient applications by Barbados’ Government and private sector. The Barbadian Government’s priorities in the electricity sector include reducing electricity prices, increasing energy security, using cleaner fuels, and reducing negative environmental impacts. Barbados aims to have renewable energy contribute 65 per cent of total peak electrical demand by 2030 and to achieve a 22 per cent reduction in electricity consumption by 2029. Barbados intends to achieve a 30 per cent economy-wide reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2030 compared with 2008. Read more here
Colm Imbert punished for 'inappropriate' comments
Finance Minister Colm Imbert's removal as chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GP) was punishment and will ultimately lead to his dismissal, says former government minister Vasant Bharath. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley relieved Imbert of the chairmanship of the critical Cabinet sub-committee?the Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GP)?two weeks ago. Imbert was replaced by Stuart Young, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister in the Office of the Attorney General. Read more here
REGIONAL
Dirty Sugar? - Bureau Of Standards Jamaica Derelict In Sweetener's Quality
Jamaicans will continue to buy retail sugar packaged under less than ideal conditions for some time as the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) struggles to come up with the revised packaging and labelling standards almost a year after Donovan Stanberry, permanent secretary in the agriculture ministry, promised that the process was well under way and nearing completion. "I don't foresee it being published before next year. Reason being there are still some major concerns regarding the requirements in the standards, so it will take some more engagement with the stakeholders in order to come to one agreement. Read more here
Antigua-Barbuda PM condemns opposition terrorism video
On Thursday, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne moved a resolution in Parliament condemning what he described as opposition incitement to assassinate members of parliament in the form of a video circulating on social media that brings terrorism and incitement to commit murder directly into the country and at the very heart of government. The video (below), which has a strong military focus, portrays several members of parliament on the government side, as well as the speaker of the house, as targets for execution. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Aleppo battle: UN says hundreds of men 'missing'
South Korea's parliament votes to impeach President Park
Lawmakers in South Korea's National Assembly have voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye. The vote passed by 234 votes to 56. There were six abstentions. The country's constitutional court will now deliberate the motion, a process that could take up to 180 days. Park apologized following the vote, saying she was careless and had caused a "big national chaos." "I solemnly accept the voices of the National Assembly and the people and sincerely hope that the current confusion will come to an end in an orderly manner," she said. "I will respond with calm acceptance to an impeachment ruling by the constitutional court in accordance with the procedures stipulated by the constitution and laws as well as to the investigation of the independent counsel." Read more here
9th December 2016