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NGC pays $700 million to SIS
Despite the project being only 45 per cent complete, National Gas Company (NGC) has already paid Super Industrial Services (SIS) close to $700 million (70 per cent of the cost) for the Design & Build and Operation & Maintenance of the Beetham Water Recycling Plant. In March 2014, NGC awarded the billion-dollar contract to a consortium led by Super Industrial Services and its two sub-contractors, Foster Wheeler and Hyflux, for US$167 million (about TT$1 billion). And informed sources at NGC explained to the Express that although the contract was awarded for US$167 million, for now, NGC is working internally with a budget that is US$63 million less, of US$104 million. At the time of the bidding, SIS’s bid of US$167,755,329 was US$72,530,686 more than competitor Atlatec’s bid of US$95,224,643 and more than NGC’s own estimate of US$149,999,000. The Express sought answers from NGC and Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine to these questions: 1. Why is NGC working with a US$104 million budget, when the tender was awarded for US$167million. Where is the balance? 2. Why has almost 70 per cent of the total project cost been already paid to SIS from NGC while the project is only about 45 per cent complete? 3. Why has SIS been allowed to lower specifications on the project without a commensurate reduction in cost? 4. Why has Ernst & Young been brought in to do an external audit of the project? Several employees at NGC have raised concerns about the matter with the Express, but fear victimisation by going public given that SIS’s security firm, Executive Bodyguard Services Ltd (EBSL), is also linked to NGC. The Express had reported that EBSL was bought by a United National Congress financier in August 2012. The Express tried unsuccessfully for two weeks to get NGC or Ramnarine to respond to its queries relating to this matter. NGC has not acknowledged receipt of the questions, but the Express understands that Ramnarine has reviewed them. The Express also sent questions to Andy Johnson, executive director, Rapid Response and Current Affairs of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investments and Communication, on March 21 and, even after meeting NGC chairman Roop Chan Chadeesingh on the matter, has been unable to provide any answers at the time of publication. The Express learned the contract is paid monthly and is invoiced on an agreed percentage completion, with sums being paid directly to SIS’s account. The issue was first brought into the public domain by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, who criticised it as a classic case of bid rigging in favour of a financier of the People’s Partnership Government and had written to President Anthony Carmona to intervene and stop it. The Joint Consultative Council (JCC) had also called for an “independent public investigation” into the award of the contract as a matter of great public concern. The JCC alleged that the project bears three classic red flags for corruption: the haste with which it is to be implemented; elaborate publicity alongside the requirement for complete secrecy on all the essential details; and the sudden engagement of relatively inexperienced professionals in decision-making positions. On September 2, 2013, NGC had issued RFPs for sole bidders (a main contractor with sub-contractors) for the Beetham Water Recycling Plant. At the time, 14 companies had purchased tender documents from NGC and went on a site visit on September 27, 2013. They were given five weeks to submit a bid, which would have closed by October 28, 2013. However, due to the request of several companies, the deadline was extended to December 10, 2013. By then, only two companies had submitted tenders for the project, which were evaluated by NGC’s own tenders committee. The project was originally an initiative of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA). WASA already operates the Beetham Wastewater Treatment Plant, which treats water for domestic use. NGC president Indar Maharaj is also the chairman of WASA. At that time, Rowley had called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to halt what he described as an “incestuous scam” between WASA and NGC. “It just so happens the chairman of WASA, Indar Maharaj, who is requesting the works, is also the CEO of NGC, who will be managing the tender process on behalf of WASA,” said Rowley, who described the project as a “feeding trough” and called on the Government to stop the contract. In September 2012, Maharaj had told the Express that WASA did not have the money to pursue the project so it was handed over to NGC. Questioned then on why NGC was embarking on this project and not WASA, given the dual caps he wears, Maharaj said: “WASA is also involved to the extent that WASA will be buying the water from NGC. WASA does not have the money to invest in the project. All of these people who would be getting the water are NGC customers so it is also securing NGC’s business.” He had also dismissed the suggestion that there was a conflict of interest with him being the chairman of WASA and president of NGC.
nervewrecker wrote:Wasnt that a pnm project? Contract originally awarded to mekorot by pathos.
Good time to have a bsc in wastewater.....and PNM party card
Government funding for student eye care
Gail Alexander
Published:
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Government will bear the cost of spectacles for primary school students with refracted lens problems up to a maximum of $1,500 in a Vision Screening initiative, Health Minister Fuad Khan said on Thursday. He was speaking at the post-Cabinet press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair. Khan said Cabinet had approved the plan.
A T&T national eye survey also found that a significant number of children suffered from eye sight problems in the school population. The World Health Organisation has estimated uncorrected refracted errors was the cause of severe visual impairment problems globally with 19 million affected, he said. Khan said since 2011, the Ministry, through regional health authorities, provided vision screening for students and children who failed the tests were referred to health and public eye clinics and other facilities.
He said based on data from 2012, some 2,397 students would be recommended for eye glasses for the 2014- 2015 term. Khan said the Ministry had responded by providing financial help to students who qualifyied for glasses. He said parents would have to obtain a form and submit information before being allowed to choose an optical provider for students’ glasses. A child’s birth certificate will be needed for processing.
The Ministry will provide $1,500 to cover costs for students. This applies every two years if the prescription changes. If the spectacles cost more, parents will have to meet the costs, or choose another provider or cheaper glasses.
More cancer care
Cabinet has also increased the number of patients to attend the two cancer treatment centres—Brian Lara Centre and Southern Medical Cancer Treatment Centre—from 500 at each centre to 1,000 each, the minister said. Cabinet also approved the Clinical Assessment committee for Cancer Treatment.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-11- ... t-eye-care
RASC wrote:Since the PNM does NOTHING...and they're 75% more likely to win the next election.
Can this thread finally die a natural death?
Slowly sinking to page 2 and then NEVER being seen again?
Dial-a-teacher coming, says Dr Tim
‘It will help in preparation for CSEC and SEA’
Richard Lord
Published:
Friday, January 9, 2015
Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said Cabinet has approved an initiative to allow students to ‘Dial-a-Teacher’ to assist those in need of extra assistance in preparation for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) levels.
He said so during yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.
He said students would be able to call a toll-free number “and connect with teachers specialised in various subject areas to receive tutoring and have problematic concepts explained.”
The minister added: “Alternatively, students can pose problems or questions to teachers on a blog and teachers, as well as peers, can respond appropriately.”
He said the teachers would be “housed at a central location of the Ministry of Education’s head office, which will be equipped with toll-free trunk lines provided by TSTT.”
Gopeesingh said the initiative “will allow students from all economically-challenged circumstances to access support from qualified tutors at no cost.”
He said suitable qualified and experienced teachers would be recruited to provide assistance and coach students to complete homework assignments.”
He said that also would be done at homework centres which were to be established soon across T&T.
Gopeesingh said teachers would assist at the SEA level in mathematics, English and language arts and at the CSEC level the subjects would be mathematics, English and integrated science.
The service would be available Monday to Thursday every week from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm, he added.
He said the measure would be implemented and executed “between now and May.”
A proposal to have remedial teachers go to primary schools to assist Standard Five students in need of help also was approved by Cabinet, Gopeesingh said.
The minister also said Cabinet agreed to a proposal for the development and implementation of a comprehensive ICT solution “to enhance students’ outcome through e-books and an education intelligence solution.”
He said Cabinet also agreed to offer 250 scholarships to teachers in the existing Caribbean vocational qualification skilled areas.
Gopeesingh said the scholarships would be offered at the University of T&T (UTT), National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) and the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP).
They would be implemented in two phases, each of a two-year duration, Gopeesingh added.
A joint steering committee was to be established to monitor the programme, he said.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-01- ... ays-dr-tim
Turtle hunting to be banned year-round
By Kim Boodram kim.boodram@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Sep 27, 2011 at 11:46 PM ECT
Story Updated: Sep 27, 2011 at 11:46 PM ECT
A year-round ban on turtle hunting is expected to take effect within the next few weeks.
Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath confirmed yesterday he has received Cabinet approval to amend the Fisheries Act and make it illegal to hunt any turtle.
In February, Bharath met with local environmental group Trini Eco Warriors, the members of which are Marc DeVerteuil, Stephen Broadbridge and Kyle DeLima, as well as international conservationist Pete Bethune, to discuss a ban on turtle hunting.
A loophole in the Fisheries Act allowed the hunting of turtles between October 1 and February 28, but this will now be illegal following Monday's amendment to the Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations, made under Section 4 of the Fisheries Act, Chap 67:51.
"An amendment has been made to the existing Fisheries Act to effectively close this loophole and ban turtle hunting year-round," Bharath said yesterday. "This amendment has to be gazetted, which could happen in the next two weeks, and it will go into effect immediately afterwards."
The amendment, referred to as the Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs (Amendment) Regulations, 2011, now "prohibits the killing, harpooning or selling of turtle". It further states: "No person shall, at any time, kill, harpoon, catch or otherwise take possession of any turtle, or purchase, sell, offer or expose for sale or cause to be sold or offered for sale any turtle or turtle meat."
Trinidad and Tobago has nesting populations of five of the seven species of marine turtles occurring worldwide and has one of the largest nesting populations of leatherback turtles in the world, second only to Africa.
All turtles are regarded as critically endangered worldwide, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Trinidad and Tobago is a party.
DeVerteuil said yesterday his group is honoured to have been the catalyst in gaining effective laws against turtle hunting, a fight that has been carried on by local environmentalists for decades. "It looks like we won't be killing sea turtles any more," he said.
"We commend this minister for signing this amendment, but we do have questions about specificity and we look forward to further details of the ban."
DeVerteuil has also called for the reinstatement of the Honorary Game Warden programme, under which selected volunteers are given the policing powers of game wardens.
"There are 14 game wardens and two fisheries officers. It is impossible for them to enforce all our wildlife laws. The volunteer programme could serve to make the law much more effective."
Eco Warriors, which celebrates its first anniversary on October 14, is also advocating a ban on net fishing in turtle nesting areas. Roughly 3,000 critically endangered leatherback turtles are caught in artisan nets every year, about 1,000 of which die as a result
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Tur ... 81788.html
Hunting banned for two years
Minister in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Ramona Ramdial said today the main purpose for the hunting ban was preservation.
By SUE-ANN-WAYOW sue-ann.wayow@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Sep 19, 2013 at 4:02 PM ECT
Story Updated: Sep 20, 2013 at 11:43 AM ECT
Hunters, hang up your guns, and tie those dogs.
A two year moratorium on hunting was announced by the State
yesterday. The hunting season was due to open October 1.
Minister in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Ramona Ramdial said today the main purpose for the hunting ban was preservation.
During consultations regarding a wildlife policy that was implemented earlier this year, Ramdial said several persons called for the moratorium. She said the ministry was getting statistics from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and other organisations showing the degeneration of the wildlife population.
Ramdial said: " Therefore the moratorium on hunting would be to audit and assess what we have and then a way to move forward based on the statistics that we have."
She said a UWI professor would be partnering with the ministry to look at the possibility of breeding the wildlife population in captivity.
Ramdial said the main challenge for the government during the moratorium would be illegal hunting.
"The challenges however is the illegal hunting aspect.That is something that will need to be monitored and enforced with a partnership with the Ministry of the Environment and Forestry Division and National Security also."
And the ministry was attempting to address concerns that hunters would have.
Ramdial said: "An education and public awareness campaign is about to start and we have been laising with the hunters association.We are listening to them and we are going to find a way to deal with it (issues)."
Last month president of the Hunters’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago Buddie Miller said hunters will resist a moratorium if it was unfairly and unreasonably applied.
The last time a two-year moratorium was imposed was in 1987-89 and resulted in large sections of the forests in Biche, Charuma, Cumaca, Ecclesville and Moruga being overtaken by marijuana cultivators, said Miller.
A two-year moratorium which was imposed in 1987-89 and resulted in large sections of the forests in Biche, Charuma, Cumaca, Ecclesville and Moruga being overtaken by marijuana cultivators, said Miller. Mohan Bholasingh, President of the South Eastern Hunters' Association said he was against the ban " 150 per cent."
He said research showed that moratoriums were more destructive to wildlife than beneficial.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Hun ... 59701.html
Habit7 wrote:So glad to see the PP acheivement thread bumping again thanks to UML.
You would think with so many achievements the government would tout these as the main message on their platform. Yet we get character assignations of Dr. Rowley, Farisgate and Marlenegate.
UML talk to your party nah, send them a link to this thread.
RASC wrote:When you think about it... This thread highlighting the PP more than the PP doing on their own platform for real.
Their entire campaign is "smear Rowley"
After which its *CRICKETS*
pete wrote:Are they actively campaigning already? I just think they're waiting for the rest of their projects to finish..
NGC records $6.5b profit
Story Created: Jul 25, 2014 at 9:29 PM ECT
Story Updated: Jul 25, 2014 at 9:29 PM ECT
The National Gas Company has recorded a profit after tax of $6.5 billion for its financial year ended 2013, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced on Thursday.
“This is the highest profit in the history of the company. It makes the NGC easily the most profitable locally owned company and one of the most profitable companies in the region,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at an appreciation evening hosted by the NGC at the Hyatt Regency (Trinidad) hotel in Port of Spain.
She said: “The NGC contributes significantly to the Treasury by way of taxes and dividends.
It is therefore fitting that the government as the shareholder recognise this achievement.
Our vision for the NGC is that it becomes a global player in energy. As the company continues to grow it must look beyond these shores and seek out opportunities in the region and internationally.”
NGC posted a $3.9 billion after tax profit in 2012.
Persad-Bissessar said that many relationships had been forged in the Caribbean region, China, India, Japan and Africa.
“It is time to turn these relationships into investment opportunities subject of course to proper due diligence.
Record level investments and record level profits will mean little if it doesn’t reach the man on the street.”
She said the NGC had been transformed.
“The transformation of the company is historic and has come about through three strategic decisions these were — firstly the self-marketing of its LNG cargoes that were associated with its 11 per cent shareholding in Train IV.
Secondly the acquisition of Conoco Phillip’s shares in Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd (last year) and thirdly the acquisition of Total’s upstream assets.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business ... 79232.html
NGC pays US$600m for Phoenix Park Gas shares
By Carla Bridglal carla bridglal@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Aug 16, 2013 at 8:42 PM ECT
Story Updated: Aug 16, 2013 at 8:42 PM ECT
The National Gas Company (NGC) has purchased US-based energy giant ConocoPhillips’s 39 per cent share in Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd (PPGPL) for US$600 million.
The transaction was signed yesterday morning, Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine said in a brief statement at the end of the official opening ceremony for the 2013 Deepwater Bid Round in Port of Spain, adding that this was a significant day for the country’s energy sector.
“This is the largest acquisition by the government through one of its state enterprises since 1985 when the country acquired the Texaco (now Pointe-a-Pierre) refinery in 1985.
“In nominal terms it may well be the largest acquisition in the history of the (local) energy sector,” he said.
PPGPL, he said, was a very lucrative investment, with a profit index of between 21 and 25 per cent.
NGC already has a 51 per cent interest in PPGPL; this deal will give the State-owned natural gas distributor a 90 per cent stake.
The remaining ten per cent is owned by Houston, Texas-based Pan West Engineers and Constructors Inc, a subsidiary of General Electric.
Ramnarine said he has suggested to Finance Minster Larry Howai that some of the 39 per cent be divested on to the local stock exchange.
“For too long the energy sector has been divorced from the stock exchange. (The equities traded are) not a reflection of national economy. There is little or no representation of the country’s main economic driver and this is something we want to change,” he said.
The composition of the PPGPL board will also have to change, Ramnarine said. “Currently there are seven directors: four from NGC, two from Conoco and one from GE. Now (NGC) will have six out of the seven. This gives us control of an asset responsible for marketing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or cooking gas) and natural gasolines,” he said.
He added that the NGC had been advised by several top international financial experts on whether or not it would have been a good investment, including Credit Suisse and First Citizens.
In 2003, ConocoPhillips had first announced its plans to divest shares in PPGPL, as part of a company-wide divestment of its midstream operations.
The NGC had then said it would be interested in the purchase if the price was right.
In 2004, Conoco changed its mind and withdrew its offer to sell, but now it appears to have made its final decision.
For the year ended December 31, 2012, NGC recorded a $3.930 billion after-tax profit in 2012, more than $670 million lower than the $4.604 billion profit it made in 2011.
The company did, however, end the year with $12.34 billion in cash and cash equivalents.
PPGPL was recently in the news after a malfunctioning pressure valve in the NGC natural gas pipeline running into PPGPL early Good Friday morning caused a disruption in the gas supply to power generation companies, leading to a nationwide blackout lasting a few hours in South Trinidad and as many as 12 hours in some parts of West Trinidad.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business ... 99321.html
Petrotrin maintains its investment grade credit rating
Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (Petrotrin) has maintained its investment grade rating of Baa3 with a Stable Outlook from international credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) following their annual review of the Company's operations in February 2015.
In Moody's release dated 26 March 2015, the key factors contributing to Petrotrin's favourable rating include:
Support from the shareholder;
Single Asset refinery risk mitigated by degree of upstream (Exploration and Production) integration;
A strong market position
While Moody's noted that Petrotrin's refining margins in 2014 were negatively impacted from negative fuel oil margins, rising global refined product supply and product marketers introducing low sulfur diesel in the Caribbean region, Moody's also positively commented on the degree of operational integration provided by Petrotrin's exploration and production division, offsetting its reliance on its refining operations.
Moody's also took note of Petrotrin's strong market position in Trinidad and Tobago and the competitive advantage enjoyed by the Company in the Eastern Caribbean petroleum product exports markets as a result of its flexibility in accommodating customer requirements and the premium service it provides.
Given the challenges currently facing operators in the global energy market, Petrotrin welcomes this rating affirmation as the Company continues to implement strategic initiatives geared towards securing its long term viability.
https://www.petrotrin.com/en/The%20Left ... ating.aspx
JAIL WITHOUT BAIL
Bill passed: Illegal firearms accused face 120 days in prison
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Mar 31, 2015 at 9:53 PM ECT
Story Updated: Mar 31, 2015 at 9:53 PM ECT
There will be no bail for up to 120 days if a person over the age of 18 is caught with an illegal gun or accused of using a gun in the commission of a crime.
The Bail (Amendment) Bill 2015 was passed in the Senate yesterday with a majority although three Opposition Senators voted against it.
Independent Senators Elton Prescott SC, Helen Drayton and temporary Senator Dr Aysha Edwards who is acting for Independent Senator Ian Roach voted against the Bill.
The Bill, once proclaimed by the President, will become law as it was already passed in the House of Representatives on March 20, with 36 members, including the Opposition bench, voting in favour of it. The Bill required a special majority for passage and has a sunset clause—it expires August 2016.
At the Senate sitting yesterday, Attorney General Garvin Nicholas moved that the second reading of the Bail (Amendment) Bill, 2015 be taken and he kicked off the debate in the Upper House.
Both Opposition and the Independent benches raised concerns over the Bill but in the end the Opposition members all voted in favour. There were 27 votes in support of the Bill.
The Bill states that a court shall not grant bail to:
(a) a person who is under the age of 18 years and charged with an offence under the Anti-Gang Act, 2011;
(b) on or after the commencement of the Bail (Amendment) Act, 2015, is charged with an offence (i) under section 6 of the Firearms Act, where the person has a pending charge for an offence specified in Part II of the First Schedule; or (ii) specified in Part II of the First Schedule, except an offence under section 6 of the Firearms Act, where the prosecution informs the court that the person or any other person involved in the commission of the offence used or had in his possession a firearm or imitation firearm during the commission of the offence.
The person can apply for bail after 120 days if the prosecution has not started a case.
In winding up the debate yesterday, Nicholas said the Bill was geared to solve the problem of gun crimes in this country.
He said at the end of the day the legislation is to solve one real issue—Trinidad and Tobago is overrun with guns, and although the Government’s policies have kept criminals at bay there was need to go further to ensure people with firearms do not continue to terrorise the innocent people of this country.
Nicholas accused the PNM of being pretensive in its care and concern for the people in its constituencies.
“The constituencies which the PNM considered to be safe seats, if you walk those areas, if you talk to those people they are the ones, Mr Vice President, who are seriously affected by gun crimes,” said Nicholas.
He said he walked these areas and the people themselves thanked him for bringing the Bail (Amendment) Bill to deal with guns.
Opposition Senator Camille Robinson Regis asked Nicholas, “When you walk there?”
He responded that he walked in the Diego Martin areas over the past couple weeks.
“That’s why you got beaten in the last election,” said Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds.
“It is not about if I got beat in the election or not, the issue, Mr Vice President, is that I am here as the Attorney General today...to ensure that whatever I can do to protect the lives of citizens of Trinidad and Tobago I shall do,” said Nicholas.
He said he was startled that Opposition members could speak of confidence in judicial officers and apparent lack of confidence when it comes to the Police Service.
Nicholas said he has equal confidence in both the judiciary and law enforcement.
Who killed Dana?
“Who killed Dana Seetahal?” asked an Opposition member.
“We will find out who,” said Nicholas as he went on to say there are “gaps” in the forensic system but Government was already looking at a system to engage private forensic services to fast track matters.
Nicholas pointed out that Opposition Senator Avinash Singh made a case for the Bail Bill as he himself noted that over 75 per cent of murders committed in this country were by the use of firearms.
Temporary Government Senator Wayne Sturge said the Bill was not draconian, adding that there were safeguards in place to deal with persons who may claim they are “set up” by police.
He said there have been cases before where persons made legal challenges against the State for gun charges and were vindicated in the courts. See Page 4
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/JAI ... 41771.html
Govt making it easy for guide dogs
By By joel julien joel.julien@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Feb 28, 2015 at 8:36 PM ECT
Story Updated: Feb 28, 2015 at 8:36 PM ECT
Cabinet has approved the implementation of a policy to allow the access of guide dogs used by visually impaired and differently abled people in government buildings, Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj has said.
Maharaj made the announcement during the post-Cabinet news briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair on Thursday.
“The Ministry of Food Production recognises that differently abled persons are equal citizens of Trinidad and Tobago and ought to enjoy equal access to services available to citizens,” Maharaj said.
“This is in keeping with the first two pillars of sustainable development as identified by the Government, namely people-centred development and poverty eradication and social justice.”
Maharaj said research has shown visually impaired citizens are disadvantaged because of the lack of facilities available to them.
“In particular, research shows that the visually impaired persons employed at the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association have limited mobility throughout the country and limited public access to Government offices and private businesses,” Maharaj said.
“As such Cabinet has approved the implementation of a policy to allow for the access of service dogs used by the visually impaired and disabled persons in government buildings and the granting of concessions to appropriate individuals for the procurement of equipment and the maintenance of service dogs.”
This country will be setting the trend with this policy regionally, Maharaj said.
“Research conducted revealed that dogs can be trained as assistance dogs which can be used for the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, persons with physical disabilities, children with autism, persons with epilepsy and person with diabetes,” Maharaj said.
Labrador retrievers have been deemed by experts as the most suitable type of assistance dogs, he said.
Cabinet agreed to the waiver of the Value Added Tax (VAT) and the 40 per cent Customs duty on the importation of service dogs for use by the visually impaired and disabled people, Maharaj said.
A waiver of VAT and the Customs duty on equipment recognised to train service dogs, which include guide dogs harnesses, dog leashes and collars, waterproof dog boots, portable crates, kennels, dog beds and training aids were also approved.
“The draft policy permitting the access of service dogs by the visually impaired and persons in Government buildings is to come into effect 60 days after the approval of the Cabinet which is (Thursday),” Maharaj said.
During this 60-day period the Food Production Ministry will roll out a national orientation and awareness campaign, he said.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Gov ... 27251.html
Ministers launch cycle-lanes
Saturday, February 28 2015
INTRODUCING CYCLE LANES: Motorists need to familiarize themselves with new traffic rules for cyclists at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yes...
INTRODUCING CYCLE LANES: Motorists need to familiarize themselves with new traffic rules for cyclists at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yes...
TRANSPORT Minister, Stephen Cadiz, and Works Minister, Dr Suruj Rambachan, will this Sunday at 8.30 am at the BPTT Office at Queen’s Park Savannah (QPS), Port-of-Spain, launch cycling lanes, backed by the local cycling fraternity.
Members of the public are invited to turn up with their bicycles, to be facilitated by the first designated cycling lane at the inside lane of the QPS.
Yesterday the two Ministers held a media briefing to announce the initiative at Rambachan’s office, attended by leading lights of the cycling community including Barry Edgehill, Roger Gibbon, Sheldon Waithe, Gene Samuel and Michael Phillips.
The “Share the Road” initiative was drafted by Waithe, who said he had taken up the baton of the years of lobbying by Gibbon. The campaign promotes the health, sporting and environmental benefits of cycling.
The proposal is that between certain hours of the day, a lane on existing roadways is to be designated for use by cyclists for whom the motoring public is asked to provide a heightened level of care and alert.
The cyclists are asking local media to spread the word, so as to sensitise motorists to their presence. More than one speaker at yesterday’s launch lamented the recent death of former national cyclist and coach, Clinton Grant, who was killed by a vehicle when cycle-training at the Mucurapo Foreshore in March, 2014, even as Minister Cadiz recalled the tragic death on the roads of Chaguaramas, of boat-maker, the late Brian Bowen, years ago, the then husband of former Miss Universe, Janelle “Penny” Commissioning-Chow. Waithe said it is clear who is the loser if a cyclist’s body collides with a metallic machine.
Samuel suggested that citizens living in each region in TT could lobby their local authorities to designate a dedicated cycling lane on local throughfares.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,207573.html
$61m facelift for Mt Hope Women's Hospital
By Joel Julien joel. julien@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Aug 13, 2011 at 10:43 PM ECT
Story Updated: Aug 13, 2011 at 10:43 PM ECT
THE MT HOPE Women's Hospital will undergo a $61 million facelift, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan has said.
Renovation of the 31-year-old health facility is expected to start after the reading of the national budget in September and is scheduled to take 18 months, Khan said.
Khan made the statements as he addressed the post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair on Thursday.
"In our thrust in improving the health sector the Cabinet has agreed to the development, refurbishment and upgrade of the Mt Hope Women's Hospital," Khan said.
Khan said Cabinet agreed to the construction of a new two-storey building to house outpatients from the hospital.
"The present outpatient area is in a very derelict condition," he said. The hospital's registration area will be upgraded to make it a "more public and patient friendly environment", Khan said.
New beds will be provided for the hospital's delivery room, and the old ones will be discarded.
There will be a refurbishment of the operating theatre and expansion of the recovery area.
Staff will also benefit from the multi-million-dollar makeover as an on-call area outfitted with change rooms will be constructed.
An expansion of the storage area for medical records is also planned, he said.
Two new elevators will be installed to replace the current elevators as well as new air conditioning systems.
"What we intend to do is an overall plan to upgrade Mt Hope Women's Hospital as it is, as well as constructing two new high-rise prefabricated buildings on the eastern side located near to the (Water and Sewerage Authority) building," Khan said.
"In doing so we will be able to increase the amount of patients being seen in a totally new capacity for clinics," he said.
"The design will be such that there will be a proper patient flow and patient friendly atmosphere."v
Health Minister tours new Mt. Hope Outpatient building
March 5, 2015
Health Minister Dr. Fuad Khan conducted a tour of the $79,000,000 Mt. Hope Outpatient Building and Colonoscopy suite yesterday.
He says it will increase healthcare for women and children.
“It is going to be a complete structure of outpatient approaches. It could also be used for inpatient if necessary but what it will do is free up the Women’s Hospital Space that we can now develop into more wards and move the administrative structure in part. We also have a dedicated breast-feeding area as well as an ante-natal unit for training and ante-natal care,” Dr. Khan said.
The structure is under construction and expected to be completed in May.
Loop News Service
Source:: Loop TT
http://www.ttonline.org/2015/03/05/heal ... -building/
Rory Phoulorie wrote:All these political parties are so backward thinking. Not a single government has seen the need for installing tactile paving in urban areas to assist the visually impaired. Such a simple solution for such a great benefit.
A Beacon of Hope.........
Some were moved to tears today as the Honourable PM Kamla Persad Bissessar and Dr Roodal Moonilal presented keys to members of the differently abled community in Trinidad,
Most of these needy persons were in waiting for 10,12 and 15 years.
Dreams were fulfilled as the Government continues to deliver to the People.....
Latest data shows T&T’s middle class growing
Rapheal John-Lall
Published:
Monday, March 16, 2015
More people are now in T&T’s middle class, according to Dr Roger Hosein, senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine. He said according to the latest available data, in 2012 less than half of the population worked for less than the average monthly income of $4,955.
However, he added: “A closer inspection is required as the inflation rate in the same time period would have escalated the cost of living. Also there is a catch—a country’s wealth includes its assets below the ground and above the ground. We need to ask for all the oil taken out of the ground, and gas taken out of the ground, in that time period 2001 to 2012, did we sufficiently replace it with an adequate improvement in the stock of skills that our people have or did we fritter too much away on consumption, lowering our long run productive capacity,” he told the T&T Guardian yesterday.
“By 2012, the most up to date continuous sample survey of Population (CSSP) 42.9 per cent of the population worked for an income below the average and 8.5 per cent of the population worked for more than twice the average income. This means that the middle class roughly defined here as people with an income above the average level and below high income (defined as twice the average) expanded from 0.35 of the employed labour force to 0.48 of the employed labour force,” he said.
He compared this to the early 2000s when over half of the population earned less than the average wage. “In 2001, the average income in T&T was $2,405. The employed labour force was 514,100 people and of this, 56.7 per cent of the labour force worked for a salary below the average and 7.8 per cent worked for an income two times the average wage rate,” he said.
Speaking about the 2012 period, Hosein said the economy declined around this time because of the oil and gas environment. “However, in the same interval of time the economy has decreased its stock of crude oil and natural gas considerably and so the transfer of below the ground wealth to this change in above the ground wealth has to be balanced against this associated decline in natural capital.”
According to a November 2012 World Bank Report on Economic Mobility and the Rise of the Latin American Middle Class, the income definition of the middle class in Latin America and the Caribbean is between US$10 and US$50 a day. That works out between $64 and $320 a day in local currency.
Before that in 2011, the Government increased T&T’s minimum wage to $12.50 an hour which worked out to be $100 per day or US$15.62 a day. This means that even a worker earning the minimum wage in T&T’s formal employment sector qualified to be included in the country’s middle class or the lower spectrum of the middle income group, according to the World Bank metric.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/business/2015 ... ss-growing
Dr Roodal Moonilal creating equality in the distribution of homes..
All differently abled including the visually impaired were given the opportunity to receive their own home.
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Over 100 differently-abled persons – representing collectively more than 900 years of waiting for government houses
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