The Ministry of Works and Transport is advising the public that there will be a temporary traffic disruption along the Caroni Savannah Road, from Caroni Roundabout to Caroni Flyover, on Friday (30th September 2022) between the hours of 8:00 PM to 7:00 AM. This has become necessary to facilitate road rehabilitation works.

In light of the above, motorists are advised to comply with the following:

• Proceed with caution and observe all directional signs and barriers.
• Motorists should drive at a reduced speed on approaching the work zone.
• Comply with instructions from Police Officers on-site to facilitate a safe and orderly flow of traffic.
• Be aware of heavy equipment entering and exiting the site.
• ​Drive with caution on all milled (possibly uneven) surfaces.

The Ministry said it regrets any inconvenience caused and thanks the public for its continued co-operation. For further information, please visit the Ministry's website (www.mowt.gov.tt) or call the PURE Unit at 638-2350, 638-2256 or 675-4052.

Commissioner of Police (Ag) Mc Donald Jacob has received approval to pay all retired Police Officers an interim pension immediately upon their retirement.

In a Media Release from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) today (Friday 30th September 2022), CoP Ag Jacob said, “the old systems frustrated Police Officers over the years and in keeping with the Strategic Plan, the welfare of Officers is a top priority. He further stated that he is determined to ensure Officers have early access to their retirement benefits.

The Cabinet of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has accepted the recommendations of the Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds, for the Amendment of the Police Service Regulations to allow for the payment of an interim pension of $3,500 to Officers who retire compulsorily from the TTPS. This approval is in keeping with the 2018 policy which was espoused for Public Officers to access the interim pension. The Cabinet note now allows Police Officers to access this provision.

The Acting CoP thanked Minister Hinds for his assistance in addressing the matter, which was forwarded from the Office of the Commissioner in June 2022. Mr. Jacob also expressed thanks to the Human Resource Branch, Finance Branch and Legal Unit for the pivotal roles they played in bringing the matter to fruition.

Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner has given instructions for the required internal preparation to ensure Officers receive this interim payment with effect from October 2022.

Mr. Jacob said he is aware all Officers look forward to retirement and the remuneration and benefits accrued over time, after “serving our country with P.R.I.D.E.” He agrees the interim pension payment of $3,500 to Officers who have retired compulsorily, is a positive move. He notes this relief is only one step in the right direction and commits to ensuring the systems are enhanced to improve processing of retirement benefits and will significantly reduce the waiting time for retired Officers.

The Gov­ern­ment of Trinidad and Tobago has es­ti­mat­ed it will collect $50 million in prop­er­ty tax rev­enue for 2023 along with an es­ti­mat­ed $13.591 bil­lion in rev­enue from oil com­pa­nies, also in 2023. These figures were revealed in the 2023 Bud­get doc­u­ment, ‘Draft Es­ti­mates of Rev­enue (DER).’

De­bate on the 2023 National Bud­get con­tin­ues at 10:00 AM this morning (Fri­day 30th September 2022), with Op­po­si­tion Leader Kam­la Per­sad-Bisses­sar presenting her response at the 3rd Sitting of the House of Representatives. The Opposition Leader will have the same 4-hour length of time as Finance Minister Colm Imbert utilized to present the Bud­get on Mon­day (26th September 2022).

Minister Im­bert announced at the time that Gov­ern­ment is on track to com­mence prop­er­ty tax col­lec­tion in 2023 for residential prop­er­ties. As­sess­ment of com­mer­cial, in­dus­tri­al and agri­cul­tur­al prop­er­ties will fol­low.

Im­bert said the le­gal struc­ture for the prop­er­ty tax is al­ready in place, but Gov­ern­ment in­tends to make “some sim­ple amend­ments be­fore the end of the year” to the Val­u­a­tion of Land Act, to tight­en and clar­i­fy the pro­ce­dures for the gath­er­ing and pro­cess­ing of in­for­ma­tion and val­u­a­tion of prop­er­ties.

The DER doc­u­ment shows a line item for prop­er­ty tax with no ac­tu­al fig­ure for 2021, an es­ti­mate of $100 mil­lion for 2022, no re­vised es­ti­mate for 2022 and a 2023 es­ti­mate of $50 mil­lion.

[Source: T&T Guardian]

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, S.C., MP, will present her response to the Budget Presentation at the 3rd Sitting of the House of Representatives at 10:00 AM this morning (Friday 30th September 2022).

​Watch the live stream below when it begins at 10:00 AM.

Officers of the South Western Division intercepted four (4) illegal immigrants and seized a quantity of illegal items during an anti-crime exercise conducted in the Division on Wednesday (28th September 2022).

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), based on information received, the Officers proceeded to School Road, Santa Flora, in the vicinity of Mahawal Beach, where four (4) Venezuelan immigrants were intercepted. When the Officers searched the suspects, they discovered one (1) Beretta pistol, two (2) rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition, and twenty (20) cases of alcohol. The suspects were detained and the illegal firearm, ammunition, and alcohol were seized.

The exercise was co-ordinated by Senior Superintendent Teewarie, ASP Mathura, Inspector Marcelle, Sergeants Khan and Sobie and PC Seecharan. The exercise also included Officers of the South Western Division Task Force, the Criminal Investigation Department, and the Canine Unit.

Meanwhile, in the Central Division, Officers received information, then proceeded to a bushy unoccupied lot in the Exchange Housing Development. When the Officers searched the area, they found one (1) Glock-19 pistol fitted with a magazine, containing four (4) rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition hidden in a rusted barrel. The Officers took possession of the firearm and ammunition.

Investigations are continuing.

The Government Assistance for Tuition (GATE) Programme has been expanded to facilitate progressive matriculation to a Bachelor's Degree and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programme Level four (4) and above.

A Media Release from the Ministry of Education today (Thursday 29th September 2022) states that with immediate effect, students enrolled in institutions and programmes accredited by the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) will be funded as follows:

• For one (1) non-terminal programme and one (1) Bachelor's Degree, or
• For one (1) Diploma and one (1) Bachelor's Degree or
• For one (1) Advanced Diploma and one (1) Bachelor's Degree, or
• For one (1) Associate Degree and one (1) Bachelor's Degree, or
• One (1) Certificate Programme and one (1) Bachelor's Degree.

As it relates to TVET, the Ministry said the GATE programme will now allow for the following:

• One (1) TVET level three (3) programme or equivalent as Diploma and one (1) TVET level four (4) programme equivalent as Advanced Diploma.
• One (1) TVET level four (4) programme equivalent as Advanced Diploma and one (1) TVET level five (5) programme equivalent as a Bachelor's Degree.
• One (1) TVET level three (3) programme equivalent as Diploma and one (1) TVET level five (5) programme equivalent as a Bachelor's Degree.

The Ministry said it should be noted that:

1. Students should register for the Baccalaureate certification or TVET equivalent within two (2) years of completion of the initial course of study.
2. The Baccalaureate course of study should be aligned to the areas identified on the Interim Development List, as well as areas associated with maintaining the cadre of professionals in the areas of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology, Agriculture, Law, Psychology, Social Work, the Creative Sector and Sports.
3. Citizens under the age of fifty (50), already in possession of qualifications which allow them to matriculate to a Baccalaureate program or its TVET equivalent, must register by September 2024 to be eligible for GATE funding.

A 43-year-old Tunapuna man was granted bail with surety in the sum of $150,000 and ordered to stay fifty (50) feet away from his step-daughter, when he appeared in Court earlier this week, charged with sexual offences against the minor.

The accused was charged with two (2) counts of sexual penetration of a minor and two (2) counts of sexual touching, when he appeared before Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor, in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court, on Monday 26th September, 2022.

He was granted bail and ordered to not have any direct or indirect contact with the minor or her family members. The accused is to also report to the Tunapuna Police Station twice per week between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

The matter was adjourned to 17th October 2022.

The girl reported to her teachers that a man, known to her, came to her bedroom at night frequently when her mother was asleep and allegedly committed sexual acts against her.

A report was made to the Police and Officers of the Special Victims Department (SVD) contacted.

The accused was arrested on 24th September 2022 in connection with the matter.

Investigations were supervised by W/Supt. Claire Guy-Alleyne, ASP Theodore-Persad, ASP Seecharan, Insp. Lopez, Sgt. David and W/Cpl (Ag.) Deonarine, all of the SVD.

WPC Graham, also of the SVD laid the charges against the accused on 24th September 2022.

The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is advising motorists and members of the general public of traffic restrictions along Tragarete Road, between Edward Street and Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain.

WASA says this has become necessary in order to facilitate repairs to a damaged sewer pipeline. Once excavation works is in progress, vehicular traffic will be restricted to and from the area.

These works are scheduled to take place between 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM on Thursday (29th September 2022).

Motorists are asked to proceed with caution and to obey the instructions of the Traffic Control Officers on duty in the vicinity of the jobsite.

For further information or assistance, customers can contact WASA's Customer Call Centre, toll free at 800-4420 or 800-4426.

The Authority thanks the public for their co-operation during the period of traffic restrictions.

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS), strong upper-level divergence is enhancing low-level convergence across the Lesser Antilles. This, together with adequate equatorial moisture is producing cloudiness, showers, and thunderstorm activity over Trinidad and Tobago today (Thursday 29th September 2022).

These conditions are forecast to continue during the afternoon, becoming settled during the evening into the night.

In the event of a heavy shower or thunderstorm please be on the look-out for street or flash flooding and gusty winds in the vicinity. If showery periods are prolonged in areas so prone, the risk of landslips/landslides will be elevated.

The Ministry of Health revealed in its weekly COVID-19 update on Tuesday (27th September 2022) that there have been 584 new COVID-19 cases in Trinidad and Tobago plus twelve (12) unfortunate deaths over the period 22nd - 27th September 2022.

The rolling 7-day average of new positive cases is 100 while the rolling 7-day average of new deaths is two (2). T&T’s total active positive cases is currently at 3,686. The country’s death toll has increased to 4,207.

As of 21st September 2022, 315 deaths were fully vaccinated persons while 3,490 deaths were not fully vaccinated. 390 deaths were recorded prior to 24th May 2021 (date at which the first group of vaccinated persons became fully vaccinated).

A total of 716,991 persons have been fully vaccinated, representing 51.2% of the population. Meanwhile, 683,009 persons are not fully vaccinated (only received a first dose or no doses), representing 48.8% of the population. 168,714 persons in total have taken a booster shot.

Based on data from 22nd July 2021 - 21st September 2022, 4,358 patients in the parallel healthcare system (Hospitals and step-down facilities) are fully vaccinated, representing 20.7%, while 16,719 are not fully vaccinated, representing 79.3%.

The Ministry also notes that there are currently 124 COVID-19 positive patients in total being treated at Hospitals and step-down facilities.