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Unions representing the protective services are saying a flat out “NO” to government’s 4% wage offer.

Yesterday representatives of the Police, Fire, and Prisons Officer Association met with the C.P.O. Dr. Darryl Dindial who presented his final wage increase offer.

Today the President of the Prison Officers Association says his members will not accept the offer put forward by the Chief Personnel Officer.

Cerron Richards describes the proposal as a slap in the face for all hard working members of the services.

Speaking with Newscenter 5 Mr. Richards says his officers deserve more.

The Fire Sevice Association President Leo Ramkissoon is also rejecting the offer.

Mr. Ramkisson and his executive out rightly reject it. 

President of Police Social Welfare Association Gideon Dickson is quoted in the Express Newspaper as saying his officers provide an essential service and this is not good enough. 

A board is installed at the newly established Trinidad and Tobago Special Economic Zones Authority, SEZ.

Karen Tom Yew-Jardine heads it.

A release from the Ministry says they received instruments of appointment from Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee Scoon on Monday.

Sharon Mohammed serves as Deputy Chairman.

Other members of the new board are Aisha Donaldson, Irfan Hosein, Matthew Jones and Deomati Ramdass.

The release says also on the board are Stephen Rodriguez, Deyson Scott, Bernard Shepherd and Elena Araujo.

It says members of the board were appointed in accordance with Section 7 of the SEZ Act, 2022.

The Special Economic Zones Bill, 2021, was unanimously passed in the Lower House on January 19^th after being approved in the Senate on December 7^th 2021.

The SEZ Act, 2022 was partially proclaimed by President Paula Mae-Weekes on January 31^st.

The SEZ Act, 2022, creates a modern licensing and administrative regime for operators, SEZ Enterprises and Single Zone Enterprises.

The Ministry says once fully operationalised, domestic and foreign investors can expect enhanced transparency, predictability and security for their investments. 

Google’s dedication to the Steel Pan renews calls for the an official proclamation of Steel Pan as the National Instrument in Parliament

The search engine giant dedicated its popular doodle to the steel pan, yesterday.

It featured a short animation by local creator Nicholas Huggins and original music from Len Boogsie Sharpe and Etienne Charles among others.

Pantrinbago President Beverly Ramsey Moore said yesterday, it was a proud day for Trinidad and Tobago.

Mrs. Ramsey Moore welcomed the development, but believes more could be done.

Speaking with Newscenter 5 yesterday the head of the world governing body for pan thanked Google for the recognition.

And Minister of Culture, Tourism and the Arts Randall Mitchell said he has been in discussion with Pantrinbago on the issue and the ball is in their court.

He also said he too is proud.

Yesterday, Mrs. Ramsey Moore said her organisation wants nothing short of proclamation in Parliament.

Motorists and others in Moruga are threatening more protests over bad road conditions.

Yesterday, for a second consecutive day residents burnt tires expressing their frustration with the state of the roads.

Different parts of the main road were blocked.

In Cachipe Village homeowner Lorna Hamilton told sister station TV6; she has to move out because of the damage to her house.

MP for Moruga, Michelle Benjamin yesterday said that situation triggered the protests.

But the Ministry of Works says its mandate is to repair the road only and it has given no instructions for Ms. Hamilton to move.

The Ministry says it will carry out emergency work on the road.

Not too far away in Gran Chemin there was another fire, set by residents.

Works Minister Rohan Sinanan yesterday said 300 road projects have been carried out.

He said the problems are also linked to climate change and ageing infrastructure.

Minister Sinanan added that money is a problem as well.

This week has also seen protests in Barrackpore and Claxton Bay.

Both were about bad roads as well.

The bloodletting continues as another man is gunned down in Enterprise, Chaguanas.

He is identified as 29-year-old Dwayne Robinson.

Reports say the incident took place at his Goodwill Road home around 8:45pm on Monday.

Newscenter 5 understands Mr. Robinson and his 41-year-old wife were seated outside their home when a Nissan AD wagon pulled up and the occupants opened fire.

They were conveyed to the Chaguanas District Health Facility where Mr. Robinson was declared dead.

His wife was treated for a gunshot wound to her right leg.

This is the 2^nd homicide within the Enterprise community within less than 24 hours.

Sunday night, 18-year-old Shirod Richards was gunned down outside a shop at Tobago Road Ext., Enterprise Chaguanas.

And a man was shot in the face at the corner of Queen and Charlotte Streets in Port of Spain on Tuesday night.

He is identified as 38-year-old Marcus Yearwood.

The victim was conveyed to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he’s being treated.

Five men, among them a Venezuelan, are caught allegedly stealing Trinidad and Tobago Telecommunications cables in Blanchisseuse.

The group consist of, two 18-year-olds, a 19-year-old, a 23-year-old and a 24-year-old Venezuelan, all from central are detained at the Barataria Police Station assisting detectives with their investigations into the recovery of 73 meters of TSTT cables valued at $5,587.

According to police reports, at 12.30 am on July 23^rd, officers of the Blanchisseuse Police Station were on patrol along the Paria Main Road, upper Blanchisseuse, in the vicinity of Marianne Beach when they observed 2 vehicles along the roadway.

The officers attempted to stop the vehicles however one of the drivers alighted from the vehicle, ran down steps that led to the beach and escaped from the scene.

Meanwhile, police conducted a search of the other vehicle, which had four occupants on board.

During the search, police allegedly found a number of black cables and cutting shears in the trunk of both vehicles.

The suspects were immediately arrested and a search mounted for the 5^th suspect who was eventually caught.

PC Sampson of the Blanchisseuse Police Station is continuing investigations.

Two male suspects are assisting detectives with their investigations into the recovery of $240,000 worth of stolen boat engines and dinghies.

The discovery was made last Friday in Diego Martin.

The men are a 20-year-old and 28-year-old both of Blue Basin, Diego Martin.

The men were arrested Friday night following the execution of a search warrant as a result of an intelligence-led exercise into a report of larceny boats and engines made to Carenage police on June 15^th.

According to police reports, officers of the Air and Coastal Support Unit conducted the exercise in the Blue Basin area after receiving information on the whereabouts of stolen marine equipment.

During the operation, police allegedly found and seized two 12 foot dinghies and two boat engines with a combined estimated value of $240,000 at the location.

The men were subsequently arrested and taken to the Carenage Police Station.

Officers of the Carenage Criminal Investigations department are continuing enquiries.

Naparima MP Rodney Charles says the Prime Minister has run out of people to blame for the crime situation now plaguing the country.

He says the latest crime plan to set up a committee is proof of Dr. Keith Rowley’s failings.

Last week the Prime Minister announced his government intends to declare crime as a public health emergency.

He said a committee has been set up to deal with the problem.

Speaking at the United National Congress weekly media conference yesterday Mr. Charles said those who make up the committee should be cautious.

Mr. Charles also said the committee should call for more information including expectations.

Mr. Charles also said there must be a clear policy as to how the crime situation will deter children in schools from engaging in the same manner.