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The OWTU, Roget said, is also protesting the company's failure to accede to the promise of variable pay, subject to the company's profitability. The collective bargaining agreement states if the company makes in excess of $100 million, it will pay bonuses to workers.
But last Thursday, a circular went out to all employees stating the company was profitable in fiscal year 2010/2011 and, as such, employees were rewarded with variable pay at the end of June.
He had said then that there would be a subsidiary of international company Bunkers' International Corporation.
The company, he had said then, will bunker vessels working for Oldendorf, a German-based company which recently established a transshipment business in the country.
Ramnarine said an estimated 125 ships would be bunkered in local waters as part of the new venture, with a future growth potential for 350 vessels.
Mas now copyright protected
By Wayne Bowman wayne.bowman@trinidadexpress,com
Story Created: Oct 12, 2012 at 10:49 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 12, 2012 at 10:49 PM ECT
Carnival mas band designers, bandleaders, artisans, musicians and others involved in what is defined as works of mas will from now enjoy copyright protection for their respective creations and productions.
This was stated by the vice president/commissioner of compliance at the Trinidad and Tobago Copyright Collection Organisation (TTCO), Richard Cornwall, at the launch of the TTCO's new area of copyright protection known as Works of Mas.
Assistant chief officer of compliance at TTCO, Dion Heath, told the Express this makes Trinidad and Tobago the first nation in the world to provide copyright protection for the Carnival arts. He said that the TTCO was in fact in the process of securing the rights for Trinbago to become the legal domain for the protection of Works of Mas.
"We are presently working on securing a treaty with the World Intellectual Property Organisation to have Trinidad and Tobago made the domain for works of mas, meaning that we will be where anyone from wherever in the world will register for copyright protection of anything to do with the production of mas, that is designers, bandleaders, artists, musicians, performers and others," Heath said.
To date, the National Carnival Development Foundation has signed up with TTCO and Heath is confident that more bands and organisations will come on board as the word gets out. He said that in the coming weeks the TTCO will be hosting a number of workshops and seminars to educate members of the mas fraternity as well as anyone involved in the arts and entertainment arena interested in their rights and copyright law.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Mas ... 84791.html
Millions of $$ saved
Doctors stopped from outsourcing patients
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Oct 11, 2012 at 9:59 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 11, 2012 at 9:59 PM ECT
Outsourcing of speciality services from private hospitals have been stopped resulting in a savings of millions, says Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan.
In his contribution to the budget debate at the Parliament sitting on Wednesday, in the Lower House, Tower D, Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, Khan said he stopped doctors from sending patients to private hospitals for treatments and instead put in place a plan where it can be done at the public hospitals.
He noted that this year the cost of outsourcing services dropped at the South West Regional Health Authority from $34.5 million to $1.1 million.
Khan said in 2009 the Eastern Regional Health Authority outsourced services to the tune of $27.6 million — 40 per cent of that went to Westshore Medical and 26 per cent to St Clair Medical Centre.
The North Central Regional Health Authority, he said, outsourced some $62.6 million and of that cost a bulk went to heart surgery, angioplasty and angiography.
Khan said at each Regional Health Authority the annual subventions were increased in this year's budget.
North West Regional Health Authority - annual subvention $702 million — an increase of $92 million; Eastern regional health Authority - $280 million—an increase of $29 million; North Central Regional Health Authority- $749 million — increase of $73 million; South West Regional Health Authority - $786 million — an increase of $157 million.
"There is an increased subvention to the regional health authorities, that increase subvention can be haemorrhaged out if you look at the outsourcing," he said.
Khan said a module has been put into place to develop the public health sector by training young doctors in the very speciality areas that were being outsourced.
He said the University of the West Indies are having discussions with Johns Hopkins University, in Maryland, United States, to develop a plan to start training in sub specialty areas such as neurosurgery, cardiology, pathology and more within the next year.
Another initiative, said Khan, is the developing of the public/private partnership.
Opposition MP Dr Amery Browne said this was the same as outsourcing.
However, Khan explained that private persons will be allowed to come into the public health sector and work but they will have to train doctors in the process.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Mil ... 19001.html
Govt looks to hybrid as another option
By Juhel Browne CCN Senior Multimedia Journalist
Story Created: Oct 13, 2012 at 9:52 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 13, 2012 at 9:52 PM ECT
Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine says his ministry has purchased a hybrid vehicle, as it considers options other than having motorists convert from gasoline and diesel to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to help reduce the multibillion dollar fuel subsidy.
He made the disclosure in an interview with TV6 News last night.
TV6 News met the Energy Minister last week to discuss the Toyota Prius Hybrid which was recently purchased by the Energy Ministry.
"There is no need to plug in that vehicle. The motion of the wheels as that car moves charges a battery and at the opportune time when the battery is charged, the vehicle switches to the battery," Ramnarine said.
But there is a catch—hybrid cars which use technology to help reduce the number of times a motorist needs to fill up at the gas station are not cheap.
"Interestingly, the foreign used dealers have informed us that it is possible for them to bring in foreign used hybrid vehicles. So that is information that we will explore," Ramnarine said.
He said he held discussions with new car and foreign-used car dealers on the matter.
A pamphlet distributed by the Energy Ministry stated the Toyota Prius Hybrid and the Honda Civic hybrid both cost $400,000.
The pamphlet also said the government was now negotiating incentives with the new car and foreign used dealers to lower that price for motorists
While the Government's stated goal is to have motorists convert to compressed natural gas (CNG), Ramnarine said it is not ignoring the potential of hybrid vehicles.
On October 2, a national debate on the fuel subsidy was triggered when the price of premium gasoline rose from $4 to $5.75 per litre as part of a planned reduction in the subsidy for fiscal 2013.
Finance Minister Larry Howai told the House of Representatives last week during its debate on the 2012/2013 budget that the fuel subsidy cost the State $3.74 billion in fiscal 2012.
Opposition MP Colm Imbert and Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley questioned whether increasing the price of premium gasoline would really help lower the fuel subsidy, as they noted the majority of motorists use super gasoline and diesel which account for the majority of the subsidy.
Referring to the hybrid car purchased by the Energy Ministry, Ramnarine said: "There are three other hybrids in Trinidad which are vehicles which were brought to Trinidad by returning nationals. So this is the first hybrid to be purchased in Trinidad & Tobago. The vehicle behind you, I am advised, it gets about 50 miles to the gallon and it's equivalent would get about 30 miles to the gallon."
Ramnarine said, as such, there is much more fuel efficiency with the hybrid car.
He said the Government was also exploring the use of hybrid buses for mass public transport
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Gov ... 56341.html
'T&T getting more $$ for LNG'
By Ria Taitt Political Editor
Story Created: Oct 16, 2012 at 11:03 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 16, 2012 at 11:03 PM ECT
After 13 years in natural gas exportation, Trinidad and Tobago is finally getting the proper value for its LNG supplies.
Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine disclosed yesterday in the budget debate in the Senate that Trinidad and Tobago had begun marketing its LNG on much better terms than previously applied.
On one cargo alone, the National Gas Company (NGC) earned revenue of US$25 million, whereas under the previous marketing arrangement it would have earned US$4.3 million for the same cargo.
Ramnarine said previously all LNG cargoes were marketed by BPGM, a trading company owned by BP Global. He said last August NGC served notice (giving the statutory one year's notice) that it was decontracting that arrangement.
He said on August 17, 2012, the NGC sold a cargo of 118,000 cubic metres, through a bidding process, using a trading company called Gunvor (which has offices in Singapore and Geneva).
He said through the bidding process, NGC obtained a price of $9.25 per mmbtu, getting US$25 million—"over US $20 million more in incremental revenue" than under the previous arrangement.
"After 13 years, the citizens working at NGC have gone where no one has gone before... Now NGC is marketing the energy cargoes which it rightfully owns under Train four," he said, adding that the chairman of NGC at the time the decontracting arrangement was negotiated was Larry Howai, now Finance Minister.
Ramnarine said an analysis was done of how much money was lost from the bp arrangement between 2009 and 2012. He said some US $120 million, or close to TT$800 million, was lost under the old arrangement.
He noted that Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley was part of the Cabinet which had given the marketing contract to bp. Noting that in countries like Qatar the Government is involved in the marketing of its gas, Ramnarine said in Trinidad and Tobago there had been "very little involvement by the Government beyond Point Fortin".
"This is a significant achievement of this administration," he said, adding that the next shipment of natural gas is due in December.
Ramnarine also said Government expects Tobago to be a major player in the gas industry by 2017. It said the sister isle is surrounded by hydro-carbon resources. He said an investment of US$2 to US$3 billion is expected to be made in gas exploration in Tobago by a company called Centrica.
Ramnarine also said the country has been able to diversify its natural gas beyond the US market during this administration's tenure.
He said three years ago, 80 per cent of natural gas was going to the US market. Currently 20 per cent of LNG goes to the US, 16 per cent goes to the Americas (the Dominican Republic, Canada and Puerto Rico), 35 per cent to South America (Argentina, Brazil and Chile), 14 per cent to Asia, one per cent to the Middle East and 14 per cent to Europe.
Ramnarine said Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert's statement that natural gas production fell by 30 per cent was wrong. The Minister said between 2010 and 2012 there was a four per cent decline which had to do with curtailment because of the maintenance programme of bpTT.
He said for instance two major platforms were down because of maintenance work. This maintenance programme will continue until early 2014, he said.
Ramnarine said over the last ten years there had been an intense focus by the government on natural gas at the expense of oil production. He said this Government is in the process of placing incentives for stimulating oil production, which is now 83,000 barrels a day.
He said Government expected to exceed the 2008 healthy target of 2,690 rig (operating) days. He said to date for this year there were 1,814 rig days. He said there was "tremendous activity" in the upstream side of the energy sector this fiscal year.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/_T_ ... 06551.html
House showdown over AG today
By SEAN DOUGLAS Friday, October 26 2012
EXPECT claims and counter-claims, plus a bombshell or two, as Opposition Leader, Dr Keith Rowley, at 1.30 pm begins today’s Lower House debate on his censure/no-confidence motion in Attorney-General, Anand Ramlogan over the section 34 scandal.
Yesterday Rowley’s office e-mailed media houses a reminder of the debate, even as Minister of Communications, Jamal Mohammed, told the post-Cabinet news briefing that yesterday Government Ministers were “very excited” to be defending Ramlogan in the House.
The Opposition is gunning for Ramlogan whom they argue must share some blame for Section 34, in addition to fired former Justice Minister Herbert Volney.
The lead-up to today saw Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar host a sudden meeting of top Ministers at Cabinet’s “Boards Committee” at the Diplomatic Centre on Wednesday. With some Ministers staying until about 11.30 pm , according to Minister of National Security, Jack Warner, the meeting might also have seen some planning for today’s showdown.
Likewise, on the Opposition side the arrival of Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary in Trinidad last Tuesday — well ahead of Sunday’s PNM Annual Convention — might also signal high-level strategising for today’s debate. London yesterday dissolved the THA from today (to call fresh polls), opening the Opposition to jibes in today’s debate.
Opposition Chief Whip, Marlene Mc Donald, yesterday told Newsday that Government Chief Whip, Dr Roodal Moonilal, had advised her to tell her MPs, “to be prepared to eat doubles and drink Milo until two or three o’clock on Saturday morning.”
She said, “I spoke to the Leader of Government Business (Moonilal) and he said, ‘Yes, we can complete it, and bring it to closure on that day (today)’.”
“We have seven speakers and they have 15,” she said, of an informal deal struck with her and Moonilal. Mc Donald explained the sequence of how all 22 speakers will be allocated, saying, “He will put in two and I’ll send in one”. Newsday reckons if all 22 speakers each speak up to 75 minutes (full time and extra time) the debate could last 27 hours, and so stretch to about 5 pm on Saturday.
Mc Donald said because this is a censure debate, she’d be alert in case the Government tries to alter anything, but said they’d acted honourably by letting her talk in the Budget debate, while ill during the Budget debate.
But Diego Martin Central MP Dr Amery Brown told Newsday to expect ministerial statements, frequent interruptions and distractions from censure motion. Rowley’s motion hits Ramlogan on two fronts. Firstly, he says the AG is “responsible for the administration of legal affairs in Trinidad and Tobago,” alluding culpability for “section 34” simply as line Minister.
Also, Rowley is saying Ramlogan had “knowledge and/or participation”in the premature proclamation of section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Bill 2011 that gave an amnesty to defendants, such as two UNC financiers, Ishwar Galbransingh and Steven Ferguson. Rowley also said Ramlogan had not appealed Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh’s rejection of the extradition of Galbransingh and Ferguson had led to a loss of confidence in the UNC duo.
Rowley wants the House to chide Ramlogan for allegedly violating Parliament’s trust by the premature proclamation of section 34, and is calling on the Prime Minister to fire him.
In his recent Budget speech, the Minister of Finance announced a number of changes to the National Insurance in Trinidad & Tobago. These included:
• Increasing all of the NIS benefits, except the retirement pension, by 50%. Grants will be increased by 50% in 2013 whilst other allowances (eg employment injury, invalidity, sickness) will be increased by 25% in 2013 and 20% in 2014.
• Increasing the joint contributions payable by employees and employers to NIS to 11.7% of insured earnings in 2013 and again to 12.0% in 2014. Employees will then be contributing 4.0% of their insured earnings and employers 8.0%.
• Increasing the NIS Earnings Ceiling to $10,000 per month in 2013 and then implementing further increases in each future year so that it reaches $22,000 per month in 2020 as set out in the table on the right.
• Replacing the current formula for calculating retirement pensions with a new career average indexed system.
• Providing insured persons with the option to make voluntary contributions to the NIS to save additional amounts for their retirement. These contributions would be invested in a separate investment vehicle that we assume would be administered by the NIS.
kaylex wrote:Appoint Reshmi Ramnarine to the head of an Intelligence Agency--great milestone
rspann wrote:UML,I note with interest your points and some are accepted,except that I have a problem with one .You show how the health minister is saving money by stopping the sending of patients to private hospitals,but you don 't seem to understand the facts or even have the facts.The PNM outsourced operations in certain fields because of a lack of personnel in the public hospitals.He wants to stop dialysis and neurosurgery among others but he is stopping it before he gets personnel to fill in in the public institutions.What I suggest you do is to find out how many people are dying before you trumpet his savings,remember it is not his or the PP s money he is saving,while presiding over the deaths of people whose life might be saved otherwise.Ian alleyene showed one example of a man from tobago who died while waiting on a simple brain operation,Fuad saved $900000(taxpayers money) by not sending him to a private institute,but he died.If it were your son or father,wouldn't you have wished they sent him outside for the operation?The drill they claimed they couldn't get for a whole year is a couple thousands TTD(not $3M) check online and google Cranial drill,you would see how cheap it is,but is one set of games they playing with poor people lives,(cause rich ones can go to a private hospital)He is a failure as a minister of health.What he should have done is get the public healthcare in order before stopping outsourcing the work.He says that he is going to get neurosurgeons,but turns around and says that no good neurosurgeons wants to work in the public service because they make more in private practice.Its been two years hes been Promising but no results.Right now he even breaking Jack's record for broken promises(flooding will be a thing of the past,Diego highway finished and every other promise made on tv in front the camera to gullible people who went to him for help)
OPV DEAL EXPOSED
How T&T brokered an agreement with BAE Systems• AG negotiated for $400 million more for a total of $1.382 billion• Coast Guard commander expressed his reservations since 2008
By Asha Javeed asha.javeed@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Nov 17, 2012 at 10:51 PM ECT
Story Updated: Nov 18, 2012 at 1:23 PM ECT
In a David-versus-Goliath-like battle, which was Trinidad and Tobago against the UK firm British Aerospace Engineering (BAE) Systems in legal arbitration, this country emerged compensated.
The legal "victory" means T&T could pay the balance of the $2 billion loan, which it had secured to embark on the project to purchase three offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), which spanned three years and concluded when the People's Partnership Government cancelled the order from the UK firm in September 2010.
There has been the argument that the settlement of $1.382b was simply a refund equivalent to the sum paid by the Brazilian Navy for the cancelled OPVs, which was £133 million ($1.3b).
But long before a settlement was agreed to with BAE, the country's governments—the former PNM (People's National Movement) administration, which placed the original order, and the present PP coalition—were having problems with the British defence company.
The UK's Ministry of Defence, which had provided technical assistance to the project, was also aware of BAE's failure to meet its contractual obligations.
Both BAE and the T&T Government agreed upon the resolution of the dispute to a non-disclosure clause for arbitration documents. BAE Systems was seeking to recover $611.032 million from the State as it had taken a 100 million pound sterling charge on its books and, in turn, T&T had issued a counter-claim of $1,654 million for the boats, which were valued at £155 million ($1.55b).
There was no arbitration judgment as both parties settled the matter shortly after the hearings concluded. What exists are witness statements and documents filed in support of each party's claim.
In copies of documents obtained by the Sunday Express, which formed part of the arbitration hearings between the parties in London from May 8-18, it outlines deadlines which BAE failed to meet with the OPVs, the lack of information and transparency provided to T&T as a customer, as well as ways in which BAE sought to compensate this country for their inability to keep to the terms of the contract signed in April 2007.
Details were contained in the witness statement of Commodore Garnet Best (Retired T&T Coast Guard), who was the director of Defence Transformation and Integration Secretariat (DEFTIS), which was a unit in the Ministry of National Security, and Captain Mark Williams, who managed the OPV project for T&T in the United Kingdom.
Best, who was instrumental in the conceptualisation of the OPV project, noted when RFPs (request for proposals) were first issued by the PNM government, it was very specific in what it wanted: "We wanted an armament capable of firing both 'aim to miss' and 'aim to hit' rounds, for which purpose accuracy was important."
Mere months after the execution of the contract, BAE informed the Joint Programme Board meeting (which handled the OPV matter) of a delay in delivery of two interim vessels.
Since 2008, the PNM government was aware of the late delivery of the interim vessels, as well as the push back of delivery of the OPVs.
"I recall also that in its report on June 17, 2008, the MOD (British Ministry of Defence) was critical of BAES and its lack of openness and transparency, and its failure to share information and details of its build programme, which was inconsistent with the principles of the partnership agreement that I had signed in October 2007. The MOD also noted there were discrepancies in what BAES was stating to be the cause of the delay and also what it was reporting as to the precise extent of the delay," stated Best.
The former CG commander said it was the MOD which advised T&T to "reiterate the importance of the contractual delivery dates" for OPV 1, in time for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain in November 2009, "which was to be attended by Her Majesty the Queen and for which meetings we had planned to use OPV 1 for security purposes as BAES was aware".
However, BAE failed to meet their own deadline targets in 2009 for delivery of OPV 1 and OPV 2.
Best said on 16 May, 2009, the Trinidad and Tobago government issued a notice of default in respect of BAE's failure to deliver OPV 1 by the contractual delivery date. However, a month after, BAE insisted it could meet the OPV schedule as previously forecast—OPV 1 on February 24, 2010, OPV 2 on May 15, 2010 and OPV 3 on November 15, 2010.
"During the course of late 2009 and 2010, in consequence of these delays and BAE's consequent default under the contract, giving rise to a right to terminate the contract with the government, BAE proposed re-setting the delivery dates for the three OPVs, in return for providing the Government with a package of compensation," he said.
However, that draft was not signed by the old administration or the new People's Partnership Government.
But the company then experienced another problem with the combat systems.
A major cause of concern was that the guns were not done to specifications and whether they could be effective—it could not successfully hit a moving target unless done manually, which would not be practical on the high seas, and could only fire within a 4 km and not a 6 km radius, which was specified in the contract.
"We considered it vital that OPV 1 be demonstrated to be fully compliant with the build specification before the Government accepted the vessel, all the more so because it was first of class. BAE's reluctance to provide further trials and tests to satisfy its customer was difficult to understand," said Best.
"BAES was asking us to accept the vessel without having demonstrated any effective capability of the main armament in the mode in which it was primarily intended to be operated. We had no data on the performance of the armament and no visibility on how it would perform after the problems had been resolved.... In an e-mail to me of May 18, 2010, commenting on the letter, Captain Huggins (also of the T&T Coast Guard) observed: "It is clear that this vessel would not be able to defend itself if attacked when up against current technology. I would not like to sound or appear facetious, but in terms of a naval vessel, our attempts of an upgrade has more or less resulted in a downgrade...we are back to using mechanical sights."
Following this, a report was done by the UK's Ministry of Defence on June 18, which observed that T&T OPV 1 had been offered up for acceptance "with a degraded combat system and a number of relatively minor outstanding issues/defects throughout the ship".
In its assessment report, the MOD surmised: "In an ideal world, the vessel should be presented for acceptance, fully completed and without any defects. However, in our experience, that is never achieved, and hence there is always a judgment to be made about whether the ship is in sufficiently complete state to 'accept' and take forward."
The MOD had urged T&T to consider accepting the degraded boat with a hope of rectification (possibly one year).
For his part, Best agreed with the MOD to accept the OPVs subject to the contractual commitments being put in place pre-acceptance.
"A large amount of time and money had been invested in the project, not to mention manpower (including a large number of staff and crew) over an extended period of time," he observed.
Best wasn't the only one who shared this view.
On August 14, 2010, former minister of National Security John Sandy had provided a note to Cabinet in which, having reviewed the regional maritime security requirements, had recommended that government accept the OPVs on the basis of an acceptance agreement put in place that included a rectification plan to correct all outstanding faults, compensation for the diminished capability of the combat system and a re-negotiated compensation package for delayed delivery.
That was disclosed in the witness statement of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan. In his witness statement to the arbitration, Ramlogan said it was a collective Cabinet decision to terminate the contract on September 16, 2010.
"One of the factors that weighed in keeping the OPV contract going was the vast amount of time, sunk cost and opportunity cost, in terms of man time, that we had invested over a very substantial period of time, and the fact that we needed to upgrade our maritime capability. However, in the end, we decided to cancel for the reason stated in our letter the following day: namely, the very substantial delay in BAES in delivering the OPVs which did not inspire any confidence as to the future. Added to this history of delay was the future ongoing delays in delivering the OPVs, the continuing uncertainty over future timescales for rectification, the uncertain prognosis upon rectification and the risks that Government would be taking in accepting the OPVs in these circumstances," stated Ramlogan.
—To be continued in tomorrow's Express
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/OPV ... 31481.html
PM opens $735m Tobago hospital
By Elizabeth Williams Tobago Bureau
Story Created: Apr 4, 2012 at 9:54 PM ECT
Story Updated: Apr 4, 2012 at 9:54 PM ECT
Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar yesterday called on the Tobago House of Assembly and all other parties involved to ensure the remaining phases of the new Scarborough Hospital are completed as soon as possible. Persad-Bissessar thanked the people of Tobago for their patience, dignity and fortitude for the past 14 years of waiting on the $735 million hospital, and said she would not allow such delays to reoccur.
"And here we are today making you the promise that for as long as our government continues, we must never allow history to repeat itself, in the way it did for the past 14 years. Tobago stands side by side with Trinidad, and with my government we will commit to that," Persad-Bissessar said.
Persad-Bissessar said the 100-bed hospital is a representation of what true partnership is all about.
"I must say that this project has truly been a team effort. It has shown that indeed, partnership is a vital factor, in making dreams into a reality," Persad-Bissessar said. She said health care must also involve healthy lifestyles and said her government will do all, to protect the children of the country, where health and other services are concerned
Health Secretary Claudia Groome-Duke said it was a new start towards better health care services, for the people of Tobago, and the country at large.
"This ceremony ushers in a new era, for both staff and patients, and sets new benchmarks for patient care," Groome-Duke said.
The hospital will provide both in-patient and out-patient services. CT scan services have started, and others are to begin next week.
THA Chief Secretary Orville London said the hospital project sits on the threshold of success, and thanked previous THA Chief Secretary Hochoy Charles and others for the work that went before.
"Every political party has shared in the pain, work and praise of this entire process. We cannot underestimate the importance of this facility to the people of Tobago, who have high expectations," London said.
The plaque was then unveiled to signal the commissioning of the hospital. Persad-Bissessar, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan, Chief Secretary London, and Health Secretary Groome-Duke, conducted a brief tour of the radiology department and other parts of the facility. See Page 16.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/PM_ ... 06125.html
Fuad: Millions for private health care
...153 hospitals, facilities benefit
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Dec 19, 2012 at 9:58 PM ECT
Story Updated: Dec 20, 2012 at 1:45 PM ECT
Private hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago have been raking in big bucks from the State health sector as Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan disclosed yesterday that hundreds of millions of dollars were paid to these medical institutions for outsourcing services.
He was responding to a question on the Order Paper by Independent Senator Harold Ramkissoon during the Senate sitting at Tower D of the International Waterfront Complex, Port of Spain.
Khan said approximately 153 private hospitals, nursing homes and healthcare facilities (including those performing investigative tests such as CT scans, MRI scans and laboratory tests) were used to outsource medical services.
Caribbean Heart Care (Medcorp Ltd), Medical Associates, West Shore Medical, Advanced Cardiovascular Institute (ACI) and John Hayes Memorial Kidney Foundation were some of the hospitals named by Khan as having received multimillion-dollar payments for services.
Ramkissoon had asked Khan to provide figures for the period 2009-2010 and 2011-2012.
Khan said the figures were too numerous to list, but he listed the big amounts paid to the main provider hospitals.
He said approximately $164 million was spent by health authorities for outsourcing services for the period 2009-2010.
The breakdown was as follows:
• South-West Regional Health Authority
(SWRHA)—$7 million-plus
• Eastern Regional Health Authority
(ERHA)—$4.8 million
• North-West Regional Health Authority
• (NWRHA)—$4.5 million
• North-Central Regional Health Authority
(NCRHA)—$62 million
• Ministry of Health—$84 million
From the figures provided by Khan, some $179 million was spent on outsourcing services to private hospitals for the period 2010-2011.
This breakdown was as follows:
• SWRHA—$4.8 million
• ERHA—$10.5 million
• NWRHA—$2.5 million
• NCRHA—$58.4 million
• Ministry of Health—$103 million
The SWRHA, said Khan, paid the Community Hospital of Seventh Day Adventists $34 million, Southern Medical Clinic $4.7 million, Surgi-Med Clinic $2.6 million and Cross Crossing Medical Centre $2.5 million.
The Eastern Region outsourced services from ACI at $2 million, Caribbean Heart Care $6.4 million, Medical Associates $8.4 million and Westshore private hospital $7.9 million.
ACI also received from the NWRHA some $9 million in outsourcing services, John Hayes Memorial Kidney Foundation received $2.7 million and the Community Hospital of Seventh Day Adventists was paid $1.1 million.
The NCRHA pumped more millions into ACI with another $23 million in outsourcing services, some $73 million to Caribbean Heart Care, $31 million to Medical Associates and another $23 million to the Community Hospital of Seventh Day Adventists.
Khan only quoted the million-dollar figures, saying these were the sums paid for services such as neurosurgery, cardiovascular services and intensive-care treatment.
"I must say, the outsourcing has basically gone right down in this period from January to December 2012," said Khan.
Speaking to the Express by phone last night, Khan said these figures (over $400 million) were the driving force for him to stop all outsourcing to private hospitals except with the authority of the minister or the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
"This money should have been used to upgrade the public health system and develop procedures in-house; this money should have been spent on much more comprehensive services such as increasing the amount of equipment in the system," said Khan.
"Look at the kind of figures we are looking at...at the end of the day, if this continued, money would have just been spending like crazy," said Khan.
He said there were constraints on the system because he could not increase the salaries of doctors in the public health sector without the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO), yet RHAs were paying millions to private hospitals for services provided by doctors with larger salaries.
"This outsourcing is an inefficient system that needs to be addressed," said Khan.
He said the ministry was working to develop cardiac care and other services, of which millions were being paid for previously at private institutions.
Asked whether there was any indication of questionable practices given the money paid over the years, Khan said: "I know that certain people have an affinity for certain areas."
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Fua ... 95671.html
the potential is there
By By Curtis Rampersad Publications Editor
Story Created: Dec 19, 2012 at 12:39 AM ECT
Story Updated: Dec 19, 2012 at 12:39 AM ECT
Multinational energy companies and billion-dollar mega-projects are hardly new to Trinidad and Tobago.
But in the past few years, they haven't exactly been beating down the door to set up shop here, preferring instead to construct petrochemical plants in other oil and gas rich countries.
Lately, more than a few investors who were interested in partnering on projects with Trinidad and Tobago, have turned to the United States, seeking out better pricing in the world's biggest economy which now brags about its abundant shale gas supplies.
That scenario may be about to change.
In June, the Ministry of Energy received a proposal from Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan for a methanol to petrochemicals project.
Mitsubishi Corporation leads a consortium that includes Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals, local partner Neal & Massy Holdings Ltd and Integrated Chemical Company Ltd (ICCL), a Texas, United States-based company.
Negotiations were led by Mitsubishi Corporation for the project, the first phase of which will involve a total investment of US$1 billion and will be situated in the Union Estate Industrial Park near La Brea in south Trinidad.
The project site created a national environmental stir years ago when the Alutrint aluminium smelter was planned there.
This time, Group chief executive at Neal & Massy Holdings Gervase Warner says things will be very different.
In an interview with the Business Express last week at the local conglomerate's Port of Spain executive offices, Warner was enthusiastic about the project's environmentally friendly aspects as well as it potential to make money and diversify Trinidad and Tobago's economy.
The potential for rapid downstream development is there because the methanol to petrochemicals plant opens a window for a number of other projects, he says.
His vision is simple yet ambitious: the Mitsubishi consortium could be the beginning of a new energy industrial estate in Trinidad and Tobago.
"A Mitsubishi petrochemicals project could spawn further developments, a small version of Pt Lisas," Warner suggests.
The consortium plans to engineer, construct and operate a natural gas-based integrated chemical complex at La Brea.
The complex at La Brea will produce methanol and dimethyl ether (DME).
In terms of output the first stage is projected to produce one million metric tonnes of methanol and 10,000 metric tonnes of DME.
The largest current use of DME is as a replacement for propane in LPG and as a propellant in aerosol canisters.
It is estimated that for the first stage, 100mmscfd of natural gas will be consumed in the production of methanol being used for the production of DME.
The partners in the consortium say the potential expansion of DME production, in subsequent stages, would require additional quantities of methanol.
The estimated total investment for the first stage is US$1 billion.
Warner recalls that when Neal & Massy was introduced to ICCL which expressed an interest in a Trinidad project, "we listened to their proposal and it sounded interesting. We said we would be happy to help. But just as this government got elected in 2010, the Minister of Finance (then Winston Dookeran) had a roundtable discussion on how to generate investment and diversify the economy."
Warner realised that the methanol to petrochemicals project being described was similar to the Hubco project previously envisioned by Neal & Massy and its partners bpTT, Yara and Methanex.
This was a project that Neal & Massy had never got approval for so when Warner saw a new opportunity for a good project, the concept was impossible to turn down.
"After the project was described I thought it was important and could lead to further downstream and manufacturing sectors," he says.
After Neal & Massy and its partners were not awarded their original petrochemical bid, the new project seemed like the way forward.
The consortium led by Mitsubishi, put forward an unsolicited proposal that was different and more advantageous to both local content and the environment.,
"We believed we had a good project for the amount of gas we needed. We thought it was pretty clever in terms of downstream. So even though we were turned down (with the previous project) we brought Mitsubishi to the front and changed our proposal to create a lot more downstream and be able to commit to more downstream activity. We reconfigured the project to allow for the production of acetic acid first. Mitsubishi also brought in other companies to talk about other products," Warner said.
With the Mitsubishi plant opening a window for other projects, there was now the potential to develop an offshoot manufacturing and industrial sector which could the export of PET (used for plastic bottle production) as well as products like coolants.
"We created a new, unsolicited proposal with Mitsubishi in front and a lot more downstream products. It is significantly different and we have modified some of the relationships in terms of what Neal & Massy can do in terms of local content," Warner said. "When we submitted this unsolicited proposal we knew that a 100mmscfd was a substantial amount (of gas) but was doable. We knew that the country urgently needed a new project because there was a lot of power being generated at that facility in La Brea on a take or pay contract with TGU (Trinidad Generation Unlimited)."
The consortium started negotiating with the Ministry of Energy and others and executives from Mitsubishi in Tokyo, Japan met with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to discuss the project.
"We were happy when the project met with Cabinet approval," Warner recalls. "We know where we are going to get the gas from, we've spent a lot of time negotiating with the (National Gas Company) to get gas pricing and a full blown arrangement so the Government of Trinidad and Tobago could get a share of the arrangement."
The consortium will partner with Government to develop further downstream cluster industries, while simultaneously producing chemicals that are more friendly to the environment than an aluminium smelter would ever have been.
It's projected that subsequent project phases will increase local investment and provide employment within the La Brea community.
The first stage is estimated to create close to 200 direct jobs and almost 300 indirectly jobs.
Warner observes: "We've had precious few proposals (for big projects in Trinidad and Tobago) and we are not about to get a whole lot coming our way. There were people who had started projects and chose instead to build in the United States and there's a whole lot of excitement there and the major players are getting quite choosy about what terms and conditions they will offer for petrochemical projects because of an enhanced production of shale gas. We have a small, narrow window that is closing for major projects and there's not a whole lot of people kicking down the door to get in. Especially with a local partner and downstream diversification, if you get an unsolicited proposal, I think the people of Trinidad and Tobago would appreciate that the Government wouldn't ignore it and look at the proposal and based on merit and everything else we had in front of us, we are happy that Government gave special attention to it."
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business ... 54101.html
VAT removal starts today
Published:
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Geisha Kowlessar
Thousands of consumers who expect their pockets to be eased today with the removal of the 15 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) will feel only some measure of relief, as there will not be total compliance. Distributors and supermarkets have been working round the clock to make the necessary adjustments, chairman of the Food Distribution Association Marc Mouttet said yesterday.
In September, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced at a pre-budget rally that from today, the VAT on thousands of food items (excluding alcohol and "luxury goods") would be removed in an effort to lower food prices and curb food-price inflation.
Mouttet said although all stakeholders gave the commitment that prices would be changed, it was “virtually impossible” to make all the adjustments within mere hours, and therefore consumers should not expect total price reduction today. For the greater part of yesterday, stakeholders in the food industry were locked in a meeting fine-tuning interpretations of the VAT-free list.
Those who attended included Trade and Industry Minister Vasant Bharath, members of the ministry’s legal team, Vernon Persad, president of the Supermarkets Association and Mouttet. “Everything is in place and everyone is on board to taking off VAT from the specified items,” Mouttet said.
“But we must warn there will not be full compliance today, because there will be some impeding issues...there is no doubt there will be some teething issues, because a task of this magnitude is not done seamlessly. “It is a huge manual task to change the prices...There is still a significant amount of work to be done manually to change price tags.”
He assured, however, that distributors and supermarket owners were working round the clock to ensure the changes take place to benefit consumers as soon as possible. “Throughout the day today, the removal of VAT will continue to take place...This will not deter us from getting the job done,” Mouttet added.
He said there were slow Divali sales at many supermarkets as customers were anxiously waiting for the VAT-free list to be put into effect before restocking their cupboards. Some supermarkets also closed early yesterday to facilitate the process, and staff were also expected to work well into late afternoon today to speed up the process, Persad said.
Saying that every effort was being made to change as many prices as possible, he added, “We are giving this our best shot and I guarantee customers would be happy tomorrow (today) when they walk into the supermarkets. “But it is going to take some time, especially in the larger supermarkets, where they are faced with the task of changing at least 10,000 items.”
He said yesterday’s meeting with stakeholders was aimed at clarifying “ambiguous descriptions” of some of the items on the list, as changes must be made across the board and by all VAT-registered outlets. “After the prices have been changed we then have to do cross-checks to ensure no mistakes are made, and that as well take time.”
Restaurants: Don’t expect cheaper food
The removal of VAT would have no impact on the operations of restaurants, as food prices at those places would remain the same, Hassel Thom, president of the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurant and Tourism Association, said yesterday.
He said restaurants which were VAT-registered would not benefit from the measure.
“While VAT has been removed from non-luxury-termed food items, which may benefit the man in the street, this will not necessarily reduce the cost of a meal in a restaurant, or other food and beverage operations that are VAT-registered, bearing in mind that to convert the non-VATable raw material to a finished meal (requires) the use of electricity and water (both VATable commodities), with other raw material that has been classed as luxury items.
This process in itself converts the finished product to a VATable commodity,” Thom said.
Apsara Restaurant on Queen's Park East, Port-of-Spain, was one of several restaurants still to decide how the initiative would affect its business. Asked if customers could expect lower prices on meals, one manager said yesterday no directive had been given whether or not prices should be changed.
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-11-15/v ... arts-today
Govt 'committed to opening all spaces'
Sando teaching hospital commissioned...
By Sue-Ann Wayow sue-ann.wayow@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Dec 28, 2012 at 10:56 PM ECT
Story Updated: Dec 28, 2012 at 10:57 PM ECT
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar spoke yesterday about the difficulties of healthcare in the southland.
She was speaking at the commissioning of the San Fernando Teaching Hospital at Chancery Lane in San Fernando.
The multi-million-dollar complex, which began under the former People's National Movement (PNM) administration, was initially planned as an administrative building to house Government ministries.
But Persad-Bissessar said, "A person cannot enjoy any of that if that person is ill or dead."
She said, "In the same way we had the differences of opinion about the opening up of the highway, I don't think anybody understands how long it takes a person to get from Point Fortin to San Fernando to reach this hospital. How long it takes them to get to Port of Spain, how long it takes a person from Fyzabad or Siparia or Debe to get into San Fernando, and thereafter into Port of Spain. And even perhaps if they do know, some of them do not care. My Government is committed to opening all the spaces and places."
Persad-Bissessar said the commissioning of other heath facilities, including the Point Fortin and Arima hospitals, will take place soon.
She added she would not apologise for her Government's plans to develop the country's economy, education and health sectors, along with initiatives to reduce crime.
"I make no apologies," she said.
Emphasis will also be placed on the development of Tobago in 2013.
She also said despite objections, construction of the highway to Point Fortin and the University of the West Indies south campus in Debe will continue.
"You have heard me speaking of the very major billion-dollar energy projects that will be coming in Trinidad and Tobago in the new year. We want to grow sustainable jobs. We want to grow the economy in order to improve the quality of life of all our citizens. Our energy sector is yet to take off which will allow us to get the revenue in various ways and create jobs that will give us ways to deal with other kinds of projects such as these (the San Fernando Teaching Hospital)," she said.
Persad-Bissessar said crime fighting will remain a major concern and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed in the new year throughout the country.
Focus will also be placed on early childhood education, as the first seven years of a child's life were crucial in shaping that child into the adult he or she would become, she said.
Speaking about Tobago development, Persad-Bissessar said, "They (Tobagonians) have been so disadvantaged over the years and, just like us in the South how we feel that we have been neglected for so long, people in Tobago they feel the same way. They are like the step-child, the orphan child of Trinidad. They must no longer be so, they must be side by side with us, and that is why I could empathise with them that they have seen the rural neglect."
She said the Tobago Constitution Amendment bill and the Tobago House of Assembly Amendment bill are ready to be debated in Parliament next year.
She added, "I take the opportunity to wish you a better, more prosperous new year as you go into Old Year's Night, as we call it. Be careful. Stay alive. Be safe. Take care of yourselves. There is a loved one waiting for you at home or elsewhere. Get home safe and may God continue to bless each and every one of you and may God continue to bless our great nation."
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Gov ... 17681.html
UML wrote:
so many threads to put this in
bluesteel29 wrote::lol:
sumtin fall in ya garden orrr
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