16 October

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Attorneys urge: Revise law to select CoP

in Newspaper Articles, Police Service Commission

ATTORNEYS Dave Persad and Martin George are calling for a new process to appoint an acting Commissioner of Police (CoP). They were reacting on Thursday to High Court judge Justice Nadia Kangaloo voiding the appointments of both Gary Griffith and Mc Donald Jacob to the post. Law Association president Sophia Chote SC said she could not comment as she was abroad, while Griffith’s attorney Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj told Newsday he first needed to read the judgement and that his client had already commented in a Facebook video. Persad, in August, had alleged that Griffith’s appointment as acting CoP had been “illegal, null and...

14 October

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Mom hasn’t seen babies in weeks, threatens lawsuit against Children’s Authority

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in Newspaper Articles

Attorney Martin George has sent a pre-action protocol letter to the Children’s Authority, demanding the return of two infant children to their mother. George said his client, a single mother, has not seen her children or had any meaningful contact with them since they were taken from her by the Authority on September 20. The woman will not be identified to protect the identities of her children. Yesterday George said the allegations made against his client of ill-treatment and abuse of the children were false. George said the reports were made by his client’s mother and grandmother, who have since both recanted and...

13 October

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Tobago safe zones not all ready

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

The lifting of restrictions on restaurants, cinemas, casinos, gyms, and bars on Monday, allowing them to reopen as safe zones for vaccinated customers only, proved challenging for many of these businesses in Tobago, which remained closed. According to the Ministry of Health, in a safe zone all staff members must be vaccinated. Customers are also expected to show their vaccination card to enter a safe zone and have one form of ID in their possession while on the compound of a safe zone. Workers who can’t be vaccinated because they are pregnant, recently recovered from the virus or have any other medical...

08 October

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Tobago Business Chamber: Be transparent in $50 million investment for hoteliers

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

The Tobago Business Chamber is urging the Government to be transparent in executing its $50 million bailout plan to assist struggling hoteliers and tourism-related businesses on the island. Finance Minister Colm Imbert announced the initiative on Monday during the budget presentation in the House of Representatives. He said it will be implemented to provide much-needed working capital for those in the sector, who have been severely affected by the pandemic. Imbert said the programme, titled Tobago Hotel and Tourism Support, will be managed by the Tobago House of assembly and Evolving Tecknologies and Enterprise Development Ltd (EtecK). Both entities will screen applications...

03 October

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Faris under fire from public, pressure in the PNM

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in Newspaper Articles

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi is under fire from several quarters after the collapse of the Police Service Commission (PSC) left behind a tangled mess. The AG is also under heavy public scrutiny for a seemingly failed selection process for an acting Commissioner of Police and CoP, and the ongoing legal matters involving Gary Griffith, the PSC, former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and the Government. Questions have also been asked about the Legal Notice 183 (2021) which was compared to the infamous Section 34 under the People's Partnership government and seemed to be specifically drafted with one person in mind. Controversy surrounding...

03 October

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Tobago Chamber expects ‘sweeteners’ for THA elections

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

President of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George says with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election due soon, he expects ‘sweeteners’ for Tobago in the upcoming budget presentation. In an interview on CNC3’s The Morning Brew with host Jason Williams yesterday, George said although there was no clear winner in the THA election in January, with a six-six deadlock, he believes there was a clear loser. “I think it is obvious that we are going to see from the Central Government is an attempt to boost their fortunes in the upcoming THA elections and along with that would come the added...

02 October

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Tobago Business Chamber: Budget may contain ‘sweeteners’ for Tobago

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

Tobago Business Chamber president Martin George believes Monday’s budget presentation will contain “sweeteners” for the island, given the upcoming THA election. “I think we will see from central Government an attempt to boost their fortunes in the upcoming THA election and, of course, along with that, would come added sweeteners which would seek to entice the population in that regard. I think they will definitely try to add some things to entice and woo the voters,” he said. George said the budget must contain sustainable strategies to push Tobago’s development. “He who controls the means of production is the one who will ultimately...

02 October

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Crisis looms as PSC debacle unresolved

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in Newspaper Articles, Police Service Commission

TIME is running out for President Paula-Mae Weekes to find at least three new members to serve on the Police Service Commission (PSC) which imploded in the past fortnight with four resignations. This has been topped by the withdrawal of new nominee retired DCP Vincel Edwards on Friday to allow Weekes "the widest consideration in reconstituting the five-member commission." The Constitution says members must be qualified and experienced in law, finance, sociology or management. The President will consult the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader over nominees who then face affirmative resolution in the House of Representatives. The situation is reminiscent of the collapse of...

01 October

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New PSC members to be found as Bliss Seepersad resigns

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in Newspaper Articles, Police Service Commission

AFTER days of speculation, Bliss Seepersad on Thursday resigned as chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) which is now vacant owing to the earlier resignation of three members. This comes after the bungled appointment and suspension of Gary Griffith as acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) pending a probe into the award of firearm user's licences (FULs) by retired judge Stanley John. PSC ex-members Courtney McNish, Dr Susan Craig-James and Roger Kawalsingh were reportedly upset at Seepersad's alleged lack of consultation before suspending Griffith. The filling of the PSC with fresh nominees now takes on a certain urgency as current acting CoP Mc...

01 October

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Vincel Edwards withdraws as sole nominee to Police Service Commission

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in Newspaper Articles, Police Service Commission

RETIRED DCP Vincel Edwards has withdrawn as a nominee to the troubled Police Service Commission (PSC). A notice from President's House announced this on Friday, the day after the body was left vacant by the resignation of chairman Bliss Seepersad. Days before, three other members resigned in succession, alleging Seepersad had not consulted them when suspending Gary Griffith as acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) while Justice Stanley John investigated the issuance of firearms user's licences (FULs.) Edwards' name appearedon Thursday on the order paper of the House of Representatives for next Monday in a notification in the name of Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George, and...