NEWS
President: Be mentors to your children
President Anthony Carmona on Tuesday challenged parents to play a greater role in their children’s life and upbringing by assuming roles as mentors, adding that core values of compassion and respect must be taught at home. Carmona made the remarks during his feature address at the National Scholarships and Awards ceremony for primary and secondary school students at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), in which he praised winners for their excellence and reminded parents of their duties as caregivers and moral teachers. Read more here
Cop unaware he was taking Vicky to ‘freedom’
Constable LeVon Sylvester reportedly told his colleagues on Tuesday night that he had no idea he was assisting alleged fraudster Vicky Boodram in escaping from legal custody when he picked her up at the Women’s Prison in Golden Grove on Monday. Northern Division officers arrested their colleague at his Santa Rosa, Arima home through his cell phone signal around 11 pm, and he initially told them he was unaware he was being sought for interrogation in connection with Boodram’s escape. Sylvester was still being interrogated by officers from the Professional Standards Bureau last night. Read more here
Slow start for Christmas shopping
This Christmas season might not be as merry as previous ones, according to the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The reason for that stems from the uncertain economy. Read more here
POLITICS
PM criticised over catwalk strut
United National Congress (UNC) deputy political leader David Lee yesterday hit out at Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s decision to strut on a fashion catwalk with his wife Sharon Rowley on the weekend, while the country he leads is faced with many burning issues such as the recession, murders and social unrest. “When I saw that this morning in the papers, I was trying to understand what was the rationale for the prime minister to be modelling. I guess he can do it in his own private capacity, but there are so many different issues going on in the country, with crime and the economy coming easily to mind. Read more here
Commitment to family led to Baksh’s resignation
Former senator Allyson Baksh says she resigned from the Senate because of “family commitments,” but declined to answer any more questions on the issue. “That is all I am prepared to say,” Baksh told the T&T Guardian yesterday. Baksh tendered her resignation to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Monday. Rowley accepted it and thanked her for her service and contribution to the Senate. Baksh was appointed shortly after the September 2015 general election and was a member of the Joint Select Committee on State Enterprises. Read more here
Integrity Commission probes PM’s book
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has attracted the attention of the Integrity Commission. The commission is investigating the promotion, sale and distribution of the Prime Minister’s autobiography, From Mason Hall to Whitehall, with a view to determining whether “someone in authority” has breached the Integrity in Public Life Act. Read more here
BUSINESS
Las Viviendas Project gets greeen light
The Las Viviendas Housing Project, conceptualised by one of the country’s largest credit unions, the Eastern Credit Union (ECU) to be built on 16 acres of land acquired by the ECU in Valencia, has obtained the approval of the Commissioner for Co-Operative Development, Karyl Adams, the regulator for the co-operative movement. The ECU is now set to proceed with the development. ECU president, Wayne Estrada, told Business Day last week, “At this point in time we have had all the property, all 16 acres of land, conveyed to the Eastern Credit Union. Read more here
Trade ministry chides NFM CEO on flour prices statement
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has reacted with disappointment to the pronouncements of the Kelvin Mahabir, Chief Executive Officer of the National Flour Mills Limited (NFM) in the November 29, 2017 Business Express on the possible increase in the prices of flour products by the Company. In a statement yesterday, the Ministry called Mahabir's action "wholly unacceptable." The Trade Minister stated that over the years the Government, largely through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has been diligent at maintaining a facilitative working relationship with NFM as evident by the numerous dialogues and support provided on matters. Read more here
REGIONAL
'Scandalous Mess' - Contractor Yet To Deliver 200 Police Vehicles, Despite Receiving Over $200m In Payment
A "scandalous mess" is how Parliament's Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) described the failure by a contractor to deliver 200 pre-owned motor vehicles to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), having missed two deadlines despite receiving payment of more than $200 million. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Diane McIntosh told the PAAC that to date, only 30 of the 200 vehicles had been delivered and that the contractor was requesting waivers of general consumption tax (GCT) and special consumption tax (SCT), which were not part of the agreement. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump hits out at UK PM Theresa May after far-right video tweets
Bosnian war criminal dies after swallowing poison in court
A former Bosnian Croat general has died after apparently swallowing poison as a judge at the Hague upheld his 20-year sentence for war crimes. Footage from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) showed 72-year-old Slobodan Praljak tilt his head back and drink from a small glass bottle as the presiding judge read out the verdict. "Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal. I am rejecting your verdict with contempt," Praljak shouted before swallowing the liquid. Read more here
30th November 2017