NEWS
FCB CEO: We must share economic burden
First Citizens Bank intends to grow its market share rather than increase fees to compensate for the five percent increase in corporation tax which all banks must pay from next year. In his 2017 - 2018 budget presentation, Finance Minister, Colm Imbert announced that "consistent with the need to spread the burden of adjustment across all sectors, including wealthy corporations, I propose to introduce a new tax bracket of 35 percent for commercial banks. This new tax bracket on chargeable profits for commercial banks will take effect from January 1, 2018." Read more here
Lewis weighs legal options
Charmaine Lewis will be filing a legal challenge against the Port Authority of T&T for she says is her “wrongful dismissal” as acting CEO/GM, admitting she was “shocked” at the move. The dismissal letter was emailed to Lewis hours after she left office after returning from vacation Monday and she saw it sometime “between 10.30 and 11 pm.” It was signed by PATT board chairman Allison Lewis. Read more here
Prison officers in silent protest
In response to what was described as a “deafening silence” from the State following the murder of Prison Officer I Richard Sandy last weekend, the Prison Officers Association (PoA) held a “silent demonstration” yesterday outside the Office of the Attorney General (AG) in Port of Spain. Read more here
POLITICS
Tewarie: Let’s bring the murders down
Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie yesterday said the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) is not the enemy but the 2017/2018 budget will increase crime in TT. Tewarie made these comments as he responded to National Security Minister Edmund Dillon in the budget debate in the House of Representatives. He claimed the focus of the Government was “to tell the population that we are the enemy.” After rejecting that argument, Tewarie told Government MPs, “Instead of declaring war, let’s bring the murders down.” Read more here
Parents could be source of students’ bad behaviour too, says mental expert
Education Minister Anthony Garcia may not have considered the parenting of the aggressors involved in the violence at the Siparia West Secondary School before labelling the acts as ‘criminal.” This was the view yesterday of South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) Director of Health Dr Albert Persad, who said children’s behaviour is predicated on the environment their parents provide. Read more here
Ferry Fiasco Fallout: Port GM seeks legal advice to defend 'name and integrity'
A testy confrontation between Port Authority general manager Charmaine Lewis and two members of the board commenced at 9.56 a.m. on Monday, escalated at 6.08 p.m. and climaxed at 10.56 p.m., with the sacking of Lewis via an e-mailed letter. Read more here
BUSINESS
Tourism Minister challenges local hoteliers to step up
Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe is challenging local hoteliers to adopt innovative strategies in order to maintain their relevance in an evolving tourism industry. "Hoteliers have to now be innovative and strategic in their efforts to become more attractive, competitive, and remain relevant in this dynamic industry." Cudjoe said, addressing the gathering at the launch event for the Brix Hotel in Cascade, Port-Of-Spain yesterday. Formerly known as the Carlton Savannah, the Brix Hotel, which forms part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, is scheduled to open in January 2019. Read more here
Budget hike in retail margins for gas stations
Gas stations across T&T received a 5-cent adjustment in the retail margin on the sale of premium, super and regular gasoline as well as diesel in the 2018 budget, although the increase in the retail margin was not mentioned by Minister of Finance Colm Imbert in his budget presentation. Read more here
REGIONAL
'Kinda Cruel' - Court Orders Patrick Powell To Pay Family Of Khajeel Mais $2m
Two million dollars. That's the amount a High Court judge has ordered businessman Patrick Powell to pay the family of slain Kingston College student Khajeel Mais arising from a wrongful-death lawsuit. The award by Justice Stephanie Jackson Haisley was made in the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston yesterday, nearly two years after the lawsuit, which was filed by the teen's parents, ended with a default judgment. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Catalonia: Spain takes step towards direct rule
North Korean hackers stole US-South Korea war plans, official says
North Korean hackers allegedly stole classified military documents from a South Korean Defense Ministry database in September 2016, according to Rhee Cheol-hee, a member of South Korea's National Assembly. Rhee, who belongs to the ruling Democratic Party and sits on the Defense Committee, told CNN on Tuesday that he received information about the alleged hacking from the Defense Ministry. He said the documents stolen included the South Korea-US wartime operational plan and a document that includes procedures to "decapitate" the North Korean leadership. Read more here
11th October 2017