NEWS
Quinlan enquiry: Dabideen confirms he wasn’t notified of outcome
Industrial Court Judge Brian Dabideen, complainant in the 2011/2012 enquiry into misconduct charges against former magistrate Avason Quinlan-Williams, now a High Court judge, yesterday confirmed he has not been notified of the outcome of the enquiry. Dabideen added, however, “based on the regulations as I understand them to be, there is no requirement for me to be notified. The chair of JLSC (Judicial and Legal Service Commission) together with the accused (Quinlan-Williams) would be the persons to be notified”. Read more here
Cops want 13.5% salary increase
One month after receiving the second half of their back pay, the Police Social and Welfare Association are now demanding a 13.5 percent increase in salaries for the period 2014 - 2017. Additionally, they are also demanding the absorption of Special Reserved Police officers into the TT Police Service (TTPS). Read more here
Oil spill flows into Venezuela waters
Despite mop-up operations by Petrotrin following an oil spill two Sundays ago which saw 300 barrels of oil leaking into the sea, the oil has crossed into international waters and has reached the eastern coastline of Venezuela. This was confirmed by Energy Minister Franklyn Khan who said a local team will be dispatched to Venezuela either today or tomorrow to liaise with Venezuelan counterparts to assess the situation and determine in detail what the clean-up campaign entail. Read more here
POLITICS
Kamla rips up property tax form at rally
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar tore up a property fax form in front of a large crowd of supporters in Debe yesterday as she called on citizens to do likewise when they receive the forms in their mail boxes. Challenging the Government to lock her up for failing to submit the form by the May 22 deadline, Persad-Bissessar said she had received legal advice that the form is “null and void” and as a consequence they are under no obligation in law to fill out and submit the forms. Read more here
TT communicating with Turkey, says Young
Local arms of the national security apparatus under the aegis of the Ministry of National Security have established communications with the Turkish authorities to ensure proper exchange of information and intelligence on the deportation of 12 Trinidad and Tobago nationals from Turkey. This is according to Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Stuart Young. Read more here
REGIONAL
Grenada PM walks back foreign minister's 'inappropriate' comments on Venezuela
Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell confirmed during a post cabinet news briefing on Thursday that foreign affairs minister Elvin Nimrod has admitted to inappropriate language during a recent public comment on Grenada’s relationship with Venezuela. Addressing a function to celebrate longstanding ties between Grenada and Venezuela, Nimrod was quoted as saying Grenada would support Venezuela… “no matter what”. “I cannot say no matter what happens, that I can support and I would not even say that about my own government or ministers in my own government,” Mitchell said. “I think the minister is right to admit that he may have misspoken.” Read more here
Hellshire Ambush
The security forces were taking no chances yesterday after Leighton Coke, brother of drug kingpin Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, was ambushed and shot several times during an early-morning attack at Hellshire Beach in St Catherine. Hours after the shooting, police and soldiers took up positions at one of the country's main public hospitals as doctors there treated the man widely known as 'Livity' for gunshot wounds to the right side of his chest and left hand. A woman who was travelling with him at the time was also shot multiple times and was in serious condition at hospital. There was also a strong police presence along a section of Spanish Town Road that borders the community of Tivoli Gardens. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Sources: Sebastian Gorka to leave White House
Sebastian Gorka, a controversial national security aide in the White House, is expected to leave his job, several administration officials confirm to CNN. One senior administration official said Gorka is expected to find an opportunity outside the White House soon. Another said it's possible he would take another job in the administration, but added it's more likely he will leave altogether. That official said Gorka was simply generating too much controversy for the White House. Gorka is a deputy assistant to President Donald Trump and has been working on the National Security Council and on the Strategic Initiatives Group, which Gorka has described as a focal point for task forces collaborating with people outside government. Read more here
France election: Le Pen attacks Macron as 'candidate of continuity'
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Donald Trump's next 100 days
President Donald Trump will spend his next 100 days trying to get things done that he once confidently predicted he would accomplish in his first 100 days in office. The White House spent last week fending off unflattering critiques of Trump's first three months in the Oval Office, claiming he had racked up great achievements while also dismissing what it sees as an artificial milestone. Read more here
US budget: Funding deal reached to avert shutdown
1st May 2017