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Former Education Minister, Dr. Tim Gopeesingh is concerned about how the allocation will be spent in this new financial year.

Education got the largest allocation in this year’s National Budget.

The figure announced by the Minister of Finance is 7.9 billion dollars.

Dr. Gopeesingh said yesterday the way the funds are spent is the real area of concern.

Dr. Gopeesingh is also questioning the process used to ascertain which students and how many will actually be getting free laptops from the State.

There are now concerns about government’s announced intentions to put the Port Authority in private hands.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert says government is now engaged in looking for interested private parties and the Interisland Ferry Transport will remain under the Port Authority.

However the representing Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union says the plan will not work.

President of the union Michael Annisette says he is not surprised by the move but there are some important questions, which must be answered.

Mr. Annisette says the port can be a viable entity.

Mr. Annisette was speaking with Newscenter 5 on following the Finance Minister’s Budget presentation.

The leader of the opposition Kamla Persad Bissessar is not impressed by the measures laid before the country by the government.

Mrs. Persad Bissessar scoffed at Minister Imbert’s presentation calling it a package of lies.

She said the government is looking to blame the deficit in this year’s Budget on the current pandemic.

The opposition leader said the Minister has given false hope to the people.

Mrs. Persad Bissesar is expected to giver her official response to the Budget on Friday, after which the debate will continue.

Minister of Finance Colm Imbert has delivered a Budget valued at over 45 billion dollars.

Among the proposals of his government, the removal of the fuel subsidy, the introduction of property tax next year, tax concessions on imported private vehicles are no more and those earning up to $7,000 dollars per month are in the tax free zone.

The package also brings with it, higher fuel prices, an increase in the cost of luxury food imports and the removal of the subsidy on gas.

In the parliament yesterday, the Minister listed some plans aimed at increasing revenue.

Among them the sale of all NP gas stations.

And the Minister has announced a freeze on hiring in the public sector.

Minister Colm Imbert also announced the provision of 50 million dollars for the acquisition of computers for needy students.

There is to be a waiver of stamp duty for first time homeowners and the Salary Relief Grant and Income Support programs will be extended to December for people in the creative and cultural sectors.

COVID-19 related deaths continue to rise. The death toll now stands at 81.

In a release, the Health Ministry says 3 additional people have tested positive for COVID-19.

There are 1,801 cases.

The number of samples which have tested positive at public and private facilities are 4,766

One thousand and ninety-seven people have been discharged from public health facilities and there have been 1,787 recovered community cases.

And also 4 people have been discharged from public health facilities.

A fatal police shooting in south Trinidad.

The deceased is identified as Damien Scoon.

Mr. Scoon also known as “Yankee” was shot and killed by officers this morning.

Reports say Mr. Scoon was at his Jamadhar Street, San Fernando home when police executed a search warrant.

Officers say when they entered the premises; Mr. Scoon opened fire on them.

Police say the officers returned fire; hitting Mr. Scoon several times.

He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

There is a legal opinion that the police service erred in not presenting a search warrant before entering the premises of DSS in La Horquetta.

Millions of dollars was found at the house, which is said to be the center of a legitimate business operation.

There have been questions over the procedure used by the TTPS, which has said it was done under the Public Health Ordinance.

Attorney Fareed Ali says this was not good enough.

Mr. Ali believes the right thing to have done was procure the warrant.

Yesterday Commissioner Gary Griffith confirmed that he was acquiring external support to assist him in investigating the matter. 

Outrage from the Prison Officers Association following the killing of another colleague.

Officer Stephon Richardson was gunned down outside his Princes Town home last evening.

Reports say the bullets came from within a moving vehicle.

Mr. Richardson was hit 5 times.

He died at the scene of the shooting.

This morning, President of the Prison Officers Association, Cerron Richards said the killings continue and his members have become sitting ducks.

Mr. Richards feels there are people who do not want the system fixed.

Officer Richardson completed his training and was recruited 4 months ago.

According to Cerron Richards the lives of prison officers are at risk and this will affect the desire of people to join the service.

Last month, another prison officer was shot and killed at his home.

Forty-eight-year old Sherwin Francis was at his Oasis Greens, Chaguanas home when 3 men entered the premises and killed him.

Commissioner Pulchan said yesterday the authorities are investigating.

He said it is too early to deduce that the killing of Stephon Richardson was related to his job.

The Prisons Commissioner said there seems to be a pattern.