NEWS
Man in court for killing sister, teenager
Solomon Baksh was among hundreds of mourners at the funeral for Hafeeza ‘Rose’ Mohammed, who together with her neighbour Videsh Subar, 13, were found with their throats slit inside Mohammed’s Malabar home on June 28. Yesterday, Baksh, 54, and another man stood before an Arima magistrate charged for the murders of Mohammed and young Videsh. Baksh was jointly charged with 25-year-old Wayne Liverpool of Sangre Grande and both men appeared before Senior Magistrate Gillian David-Scotland in the First Court. In addition to murder, the men were also charged with robbery. Magistrate David-Scotland listed several items which included a cell phone, a red Milwaukee jack hammer valued $4,000, a yellow DeWalt hammer drill valued $6,000, a Milwaukee drill kit with pliers valued $2,000, a 32 inch LG flat screen television valued $2,000, a double link gold chain and gold ring and Mohammed’s national identification card valued at $50. Read more here
Man uses van to kill teen
When 17-year-old David Sancaro rushed to a bar to protect a woman he didn’t even know from physical abuse being meted out by her enraged lover on Sunday, little did he know his gallantry would have cost him his life. After his valiant attempt to temper the situation, the abuser turned on Sancaro moments afterwards. Using his Ford Ranger pick-up as a weapon, the 38-year-old South Oropouche man ploughed into the young boy and then reversed the heavy vehicle on him. As the attacker attempted to roll over Sancaro for another time, his friends started pelting the pick-up with stones, causing the driver to flee straight to the Oropouche Police Station, where he is still detained. Read more here
Going USA: Check-in three hours before
If you are travelling out of Piarco International Airport to the United States, it would be wise to get there more than three hours earlier as the United States Department of Homeland Security has requested increased security checks. Read more here
POLITICS
Fanny Village Govt Primary not forgotten
The Ministry of Education is assuring parents and teachers of Fanny Village Government Primary School that they have not been forgotten and the Ministry continues to work tirelessly to deliver a permanent home. The school gained national prominence after Education Minister Anthony Garcia announced it was sinking as it was constructed, “in a swamp.” “We are taking measures to ensure that those who were responsible for the design would be held accountable, because we cannot understand how a school could be built in a swamp. In addition to that, we have identified a number of schools that we are going to continue the construction and as soon as we have the requisite funds, the Fanny Village Government School would be among those that we would be constructing,” Garcia had stated. But following statements by former Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh who questioned the amount of money spent on the incomplete school, the Ministry gave a time line on the school’s building programme and subsequent stalling of that programme. Read more here
Panday to be inducted into ncic Hall of Fame
Former prime minister Basdeo Panday will be recognised for his contributions to politics and inducted into the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) Hall of Fame on Saturday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Quality linked to competitiveness
The Bureau of Standards hosted its first stakeholder engagement workshop on development of a National Quality Policy on Tuesday 11 July, 2017 at the Bureau’s head office in Macoya. Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, in delivering the feature address noted, “an effective National Quality System supports the continual improvement of the quality of products and services, both locally produced and imported. Improving the quality of our goods and services will result in amplified competitiveness in the market place, as producers would have been caused to innovate and produce at optimal levels.” Gopee-Scoon asserted that, “the National Quality Policy articulates the government’s intentions with regard to the development of the Quality Infrastructure in Trinidad and Tobago. This may involve changes to legislation, regulations and standards. Read more here
Sagicor increases preference shares
Bermuda-based Sagicor Financial Corporation, about half of which is owned by T&T investors, according to group chief operating officer Richard Kellman, told the Bermuda Registrar of Companies yesterday in a statement, it will be increasing its number of preference shares and giving the board of directors power to distribute them. Read more here
REGIONAL
Under Attack - Knife-Wielding Intruder Attacks Intern
The management of Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine is giving the assurance that security measures have been stepped up there in the wake of two recent attacks on medical personnel that have left the victims traumatised. On Saturday night, a medical intern had to make a hasty retreat to the doctors' living quarters at the hospital after she was attacked by a knife-wielding intruder. The intern was reportedly on her way to a laboratory to collect blood tests for a patient when a man attacked her. Read more here
Expansion of private sector to continue in Cuba
Cuban President Raul Castro said on Friday in Havana that the country will continue developing the self-employment sector and experiment with non-agricultural and animal cooperatives. During the closing of the plenary session of the Cuban Parliament, Castro told the deputies of the National Assembly that stigmas or prejudice will not be allowed towards the non-state sector. He also stressed that it is indispensable to respect laws, consolidate what has been developed, and fight against any illegalities in the new forms of management. The Cuban president highlighted the positive aspects of the self-employed sector, which already comprises over half a million people, while non-agricultural and animal cooperatives amount to over 400,000, allowing the implementation and diversification of goods and services with acceptable quality levels. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Spain football chief Angel Maria Villar Llona arrested
How the Republican health care bill fell apart
18th July 2017