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Opposition leader Kamla Persad Bissessar tells the authorities, don’t raise her salary.

The salary review commission report has recommended salary increase for the opposition leader, the prime minister and several top office holders.

The SRC report was tabled in the parliament earlier this month.

Last night at a town meeting hosted by her united national congress, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar called the SRC recommendations obscene.

However, Kamla Persad Bissessar maintained her previous position that the salaries for public servants and judicial officers should be increased.

The SRC has recommended that with effect from October 1st, 2020 the current salary of the opposition leader of $29,590 per month be increased to $47,500 and, then from October 1st, 2023 to $52,159.

the report recommended with effect from October 1st, 2020 to September 30th, 2023, the prime minister should receive $80,000

According to the SRC from October 1st, 2023, his monthly salary should be increased to $87,847.

If recommendations are accepted, the prime minister’s back pay would be about $1 million before tax.

Five more police officers have been allowed to walk free after another case, of apparent police bungling in a court matter

The officers were accused of accepting a 30 thousand dollar bribe, and weed.

A master of the high court due to insufficient evidence discharged the case against the officers yesterday.

Master Sarah De Silva ordered the charges to be set aside.

The charges were against Keenen Williams, Evans Mitchell, Latifah Lezama, Kevin Gomez and Jabari Mc Intyre.

The outcome came two days after seven other police officers, charged with extortion, were set free after police failed to comply with the court’s instruction for a timely preparation and prosecution of the case.

It was found that the case against the five was marred by prosecutorial missteps and repeated non-compliance with court orders, despite earlier leniency shown by Master De Silva.

She had allowed the state time to correct its procedural errors.

Defence attorney Renuka Rambhajan had previously called for the matter to be dismissed, due to the state’s failures to adhere to judicial directives. Master De Silva, in her ruling, also upheld Mrs. Rambhajan’s argument that she could only commit the officers on the indictment presented

It is now confirmed; judicial review proceedings are to be filed against the Ministry of Health, over its refusal to disclose an internal investigation report by the Northwest Regional Health Authority.

The report follows the deaths of seven babies at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Port of Spain General Hospital.

The babies are said to have died of a bacterial outbreak between April 2^nd and April 9^th.

Ten other babies are reported to have died between, December 22^nd 2020 and April 22^nd.

Different reasons were given for their deaths.

On Monday this week, Justice Robin Mohammed granted permission to the mothers via their attorneys Anand Ramlogan and Sue Ann Deosaran, to file the claim against the ministry.

Following the deaths of the premature babies health minister Terrence Deyalsingh announced, that a probe would be launched and once completed, it would be made public.

However when Mr. Ramlogan and Ms. Deosaran issued a request seeking disclosure of the report, the ministry responded by saying it was exempt.

Port workers are expected to return to their duties today, after the industrial court instructed them to stop their actions.

Yesterday afternoon, the industrial court granted an injunction to the port authority of Trinidad and Tobago, mandating that the workers go back to their duties.

This comes after weeks of protests by the workers who are not pleased with the state, of wage negotiations.

The authority explains, the legal action was taken after workers repeatedly failed to report for duty.

According to the authority over the past few weeks, the workers’ actions have severely disrupted shipping schedules, impacted port operations, and hindered the timely delivery of goods and services to key local and regional stakeholders.

Outside the court head of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union Michael Annisette was not pleased with the ruling.

Mr. Annisette said, he was yet to read the full details of the written order issued by the court.

However he said the union would heed the order.

Chairman of the port Lyle Alexander said, it was never the authority’s intention to take such action but there was no choice.

He said, the workers have taken steps that threaten the port’s operations and are affecting livelihoods.

Seven police officers are freed on extortion charges.

In 2023, they were taken to court for allegedly extorting business operators in Sangre Grande.

Yesterday, Master Sarah De Silva allowed the officers to walk free.

The high court master freed the men after the prosecution failed on two consecutive occasions, to comply with directions of the court.

However it is said the officers can have the same charges re-laid against them because the charges were not dismissed.

The officers are Inspector Deyal Ramlakhan, Acting Corporal Shaheed Khan, PC Davanan Ragbir, PC Jason Osouna, PC Macai Joseph, PC Cleon Smith and PC Reyon Charles.

They were charged with misbehaviour in public office and conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice by, willfully making false written statements to implicate a victim in a criminal investigation.

The matter involved the operation of an illegal gaming house.

The Water and Sewerage Authority announces an early end to Desalcott’s shut down to carry out maintenance works.

Over the weekend WASA said, the work on the desalination plant has been completed and supply should be normalized in the coming days.

The plant was shut down last Monday, and it put WASA customers on a schedule.

In a release yesterday, WASA said the facility was restarted at 5pm last Saturday.

This was one day ahead of the originally scheduled completion time.

According to WASA, Desalcott has advised that production at the facility is being ramped up.

It said, the facility is expected to continue towards attaining full production and delivery of 40 million gallons per day by yesterday.

Trade Unions in the country are being told to step up and protect the rights of the, working class.

The Movement for Social Justice yesterday said, there is a lot happening within trade unions, and people need to take note.

Leader of the MSJ, David Abdullah said, trade unions have to take action.

Over the past weeks there have been rumblings from within the labour movement, as workers demand what they feel is fair.

There have been actions taken by the Trinidad and Tobago electricity workers, postal workers and on the ports.

Mr. Abdullah noted the memorandum of agreement signed between the seamen and waterfront workers trade union and former line minister Stephen Cadiz.

Mr. Abdullah and the MSJ have also taken note of the recommendations of the salaries review commission.

He describes as obscene some of what the SRC feels should be given to some of the leaders of the country.

The MSJ thinks there is still a very high level of inequality when it comes to, the distribution of wealth in the country.

The leader of the opposition calls for urgent help on behalf of residents of parts, of Penal after devastating floods.

Kamla Persad Bissessar yesterday went into some areas badly affected, by two days of flooding.

The local government representatives in the areas under water have been complaining about the situation, which two days ago saw school children and other marooned.

Some schools had to be closed because of the situation

Mrs. Persad Bissessar, along with some of her MPS and local government representatives were in the affected communities, distributing aid to the people reeling from the situation.

She had a list of suggestions for the authorities.

The Local Government and Rural Development Minister Faris Al Rawi yesterday said, his people have been on top of the situation.

Chairman of the Penal, Debe Corporation, Gowtam Maharaj yesterday criticized the central government for not doing enough fast enough.

Mr. Al Rawi was quick to dismiss some of the claims.

The minister assured everything is being done to alleviate the impact on people.

Play Whe-Lotto agents are said, to be owing the national lotteries control board millions of dollars.

The board says, it is because of this new measures are being introduced.

The NLCB says, over the past month it has issued pre-action protocol letters to more than 30 of its agents.

In a media release the NLCB says, it wants to recover over six million dollars in debt from delinquent agents.

The company also refutes claims, that disgruntled agents have surrendered over one hundred lottery machines.

According to the NLCB, 36 machines were de-installed because of bad pay agents.

The NLCB says, 22 machines were surrendered or returned because the locations were no longer available, or had poor profitability