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Both parties represented in the Parliament are blaming each other for what is being called the collapse of the Budget debate.

The Opposition claims that the Prime Minister and his MP’s were coward and refused to participate in the budget debate

But the government is rejecting that, saying the United National Congress fell down on the job.

The debate is said to have collapsed after government MP Lisa Morris Julian spoke last Saturday evening.

Yesterday at a news conference of the united national congress, MP for Point-a-Pierre and chief whip, David Lee said the People’s National Movement collapsed its own debate.

However speaking with Newscenter 5 via telephone yesterday Minister of Communication Symon De Nobriga said the UNC is not being honest about what transpired at the end of Saturday’s debate.

But the Movement for Social Justice political leader, David Abdullah slammed both sides for the way the Budget debate ended.

Mr. Abdullah said what transpired showed a lack of leadership in the Parliament and the country.

Three men are reported have drowned over the weekend.

One of them is yet to be identified; the other 2 are Jonathan Woo and Alexander Beepath

Mr. Beepath was the son of former Public Transport Services Corporation chairman Terrance Beepath.

Reports say the younger Mr. Beeptath was hiking with a group of people in Blanchisseuse on Saturday when he went in to the sea.

It is said he experienced difficulties and went under but did not resurface.

And reports say Mr. Woo drowned in an area known as Weir at Arena Road in Brazil Village while the unidentified man drowned in waters off Erin Bay.

Investigations are continuing.

Seven new Delta cases in the country, one of the patients has died.

The Ministry of Health says the new Delta cases bring to 49 the total number in Trinidad and Tobago.

Five of the new Delta cases had no travel history and 6 of them had contact with symptomatic people.

Of the 7 cases, 3were fully vaccinated, 1 partially vaccinated and 3 were unvaccinated.

The Ministry of Health also confirmed 11 deaths as a result of the coronavirus.

The number of deaths now stands at 1,551.

The ministry has also confirmed two hundred and forty-eight new cases of the virus.

Six more cases of the Delta Variant have been found here.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Rosah Parasram made the announcement during the COVID-19 update.

And Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said the large number of persons being admitted to hospitals, have not been vaccinated.

He said this is of major concern to him.

At the COVID-19 media update yesterday Minister Deyalsingh said the numbers are on the increase.

Minister Deyalsingh said there should not be any person dying from COVID because due to them being unvaccinated.

Another call for the President of the Republic to speak up on the issues related to the collapse of the Police Service Commission and the appointment of a Commissioner of Police.

Senior Counsel Martin Daly has been asking questions about the issue.

Yesterday, in a release he said it is not surprising that the government believes it can dismiss the matter as trivial.

He says the government of Dr. Keith Rowley has lost its way in a fog of authoritarianism.

Fifty three percent of teachers boycotted classes, on the 2^nd day of the return of students.

But the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association is denying that it called on its members to stage a “sick out”.

However the union says the absence from schools yesterday was the decision of teachers.

President Antonia De Frietas said teachers recognised it was their right to rest and recover from the stress.

Dissatisfied with the Education Ministry’s handling of issues connected to the reopening of schools, the teachers are said to have absented themselves from all forms.

Education Minister Dr. Nyan Gadsby Dolly could not give numbers when reporters approached her in Marabella yesterday morning.

But later, the Minister told the Express Newspaper, 47 percent of teachers were present at schools.

On the 1^st day of the “Blackout” last Friday, the Ministry reported that 44 percent of teachers attended classes.

Monday marked the return to physical classes for fully vaccinated Forms 4, 5 and 6 students.

Student turnout was said to be poor.

TTUTA has lamented the roll out of the Ministry’s vaccination program.

Minister Gadsby Dolly insisted the program is aimed at protecting children and teachers from the coronavirus.

On Monday some parents protested outside the Minister’s offices, saying their unvaccinated children were being treated unfairly.