CALL US AT:

The Movement for Social Justice is expressing faith in the Elections and Boundaries Commission to conduct free and fair elections.

This as the opposition United National Congress expresses concerns about the possible absence of Commonwealth Observers as suggested by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley on Friday night.

Speaking with Newscenter 5 yesterday political leader David Abdullah said unlike Guyana this country has a history of successful polls.

Mr. Abdullah said the EBC is well equipped and has his party’s support.

The party will be fielding 5 candidates in the polls next month.

The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service says it is closely monitoring a low-pressure system in the Atlantic.

It says the system has an 80% chance of development into a tropical depression over the next 48 hours.

The MET office says the system is located approximately 1950 km east of the Lesser Antilles, centered and is moving westward near 30 km/hr.

It says current analyses suggest that on its projected track, the center of the system is forecast to reach the Leeward Islands by Wednesday night.

The MET office says at this time, the system poses no direct threat to Trinidad and Tobago.

The MET office says it will continue to closely monitor this system.

Another person has tested positive for the coronavirus bringing the tally to 148.

A release from the Ministry of Health says the case is pending epidemiological investigation and all established protocols have been implemented.

The Ministry of Health says the clinical update as of the morning of Monday 27^th July, 2020 are number of samples submitted to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and UWI site for testing for COVID-19 is 6550.

It says the number of unique patient tests completed is 5014 while number of repeated tests are 1536.

The update says number of persons discharged are 128.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Health says there are 12 positive covid-19 patients at the Caura Hospital with no COVID-19 positive patients in step-down / transition.

A joint exercise between the police and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard results in the capture of 32 Venezuelan nationals and 1 Trinidadian.

A release from the police service says at 4:36 pm on Saturday 25^th July 2020, officers of the TTCG spotted a pirogue in the vicinity of the 3^rd Boca, Chaguaramas.

A chase ensued and shortly after, the vessel was intercepted near Chacachacare islands.

Upon bringing the vessel to a halt, TTCG officers observed 2 persons swimming to the shore.

Officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service also responded and mounted a search for the suspects, however, it proved futile.

The 32 immigrants were conveyed to Staubles Bay where they were medically examined and transported to the Chaguaramas Heliport where they will undergo 14 days quarantine.

Anyone who has information on suspected illegal immigrants are strongly encouraged to call the police at 555.

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says yes to a debate but only if the leader of the Opposition will attend.

Dr. Rowley he will only consider it but says there was a Debates Commission and Mrs. Persad Bissessar pulled out.

The Prime Minister says this led to the collapse of the commission.

Dr. Rowley further stated that Mrs. Persad Bissessar had already dismissed the notion by taking the escape position by saying there is already a debate taking place because that is what the campaign is.

Independent Liberal Party candidate for Lopinot/Bon Air west, Jack Warner believes the August 10^th General Elections would be a close race.

And he is confident he would win the seat and become an Independent MP in the House of Representatives for another time.

In 2013 Mr. Warner won the By Election in the Chaguanas west constituency and was the sole Independent MP in the Parliament.

Today Mr. Warner says the results will be close between the 2 main political parties, but he is confident he will be victorious.

Mr. Warner says he was planning to join forces with other small political parties to contest the polls.

However, he says this did not happen.

Speaking on The Morning Show on i95.5fm today, Mr. warner said he chose to contest the seat in which he resides because there has been no proper representation in the district.

Mr. Warner is the sole candidate for the ILP.

On the 30^th anniversary of the 1990 attempted coup, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, the man who led the insurrection says he is not at all sorry for attempting to over throw the government.

He says while he regrets that 26 people were killed and many more hurt on July 27^th 1990, he says he will not apoligise for staging the coup.

Mr. Abu Bakr says members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen were right and the State was wrong.

He says this was the view of the Privy Council and he is standing by that.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Mr. Abu Bakr expressed remorse for those who lost loved ones during the coup.

He said he does not apologise for risking his life and that of 113 members of the Jamaat who attempted to remove an unpopular and oppressive N.A.R government led by then Prime Minister ANR Robinson.

Mr. Abu Bakr said many people died at the hands of the police, adding that at least 18 were killed during looting.

He also said he would take legal action against any media house that reports him as apologising for the attempted coup.

Speaking with Newscenter 5 today, today, Mr. Babu Bakr says the ruling of the Privy Council must be upheld.

President of the Republic, Paula Mae Weeks said she observed that in a recent affidavit, Mr. Abu Bakr said he was sorry for all the pain he caused the nation and it was time for closure.

In her message on the 30^th anniversary of the insurrection the President said, some thought that his words amounted to an apology and were a welcome, though belated step towards reconciliation.

She added that Mr. Abu Bakr later strongly denied that he had ever apologised to the nation for 1990.

President Weeks said it was an affront to the victims and the country as a whole that in his affidavit, Mr. Abu Bakr attempted to determine when closure should be had, especially having abjured any remorse or regret for the attempted coup and the consequent events.

She said while the country may never get an unequivocal apology from Mr. Abu Bakr, citizens must be the drivers of effecting their own reconciliation.

The President said she was heartened to see religious leaders call for a day of prayer to commemorate this dark chapter of the nation’s history and to show gratitude for the democracy citizens enjoy today.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management say it is well prepared to co-ordinate relief efforts in Tobago.

Chief Executive Officer of the agency retired Major General Rodney Smart tells us preparedness work has been ongoing for some time.

Speaking with Newscenter 5 this morning the retired Major Smart said the agency is ready.

Mr. Smart also said the public health guidelines have been taken into account light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another appeal from the Opposition Leader for the government to bring nationals stranded in foreign countries home.

Mrs. Kamla Persad Bissessar says there are thousands of nationals who want to come home, but the government is using questionable reasons to avoid their return.

At a campaign meeting of her United National Congress last evening, Mrs. Persad Bissessar said too many nationals, caught outside closed borders are suffering.

The government has repeatedly said the repatriation of nationals must be done in phases so as to safeguard the health care system.

But Mrs. Persad Bissessar feels the government is failing its own people.

She also dismissed those who claim her party’s plan to bring home nationals will lead to widespread COVID infections.