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Chief Secretary Farley Augustine breathes a sigh of relief, saying Beryl was not as bad as expected but people on the island needed to take heed.

The Tobago emergency management agency director Allan Stewart there was more than one hundred incident reports.

Chief Secretary Augustine called, on everyone in Tobago to return to work and school today.

Addressing a news conference at the emergency operations centre at Fairfield Complex yesterday, Mr. Augustine announced the closure of all shelters on the island.

Mr. Augustine also lamented what he sees as apathy among some who fail to heed warnings of impending disaster.

Beryl is making her presence felt in parts of the region, including Barbados, Grenada and its dependencies and Trinidad and Tobago.

There was rain and heavy winds for most of the night as hurricane Beryl touched down.

As we speak, Tobago remains under a hurricane warning and Trinidad is under a tropical storm warning.

This morning correspondent Whitfield Turner, told of strong winds after a calm night.

Tobago is said to be, operating in a State of Emergency as hurricane Beryl barrels towards the island chain.

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine made the declaration yesterday.

He also announced the closure of schools across Tobago until further notice.

Schools are also closed in Trinidad as well.

Last evening, before the showers, national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds, announced the defence force is ready to be part of the response to this hurricane.

Minister hinds also revealed more boots are being sent to Tobago.

The fire service search and rescue unit has also been called out.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is also being impacted by Beryl.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonzales put his people on notice, advising everyone to buckle down, secure their lives, limb and property, and to look out for one another.

Dr. Gonzales painted a grim picture of what was then on the horizon.

Emphasizing the need to take this weather system seriously, Dr. Gonzales recommended moving to shelters.

He revealed that he and his family could be affected.  

Meanwhile, at five o’clock this morning the national hurricane center put Beryl at 125 miles east, south east of Grenada and 140 miles south east St. Vincent.

She was pushing winds of 120 miles per hour

A hurricane warning is in effect for, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago.

Several parts of Port of Spain are now under water following heavy rain.

The office of disaster preparedness and management says, there is street flooding along independence square, Wrightson Road, George, Queen, Charlotte and Prince Streets.

It says the St. Anns roundabout, City Gate, the Central Market near the bus route; South Quay and Chacon Street are also under water.

This morning, the met office said, it is monitoring an area of low near the central tropical Atlantic.

It said, at 8 o’clock this morning, the area of active weather associated with the low pressure was centered east-southeast of the southern Windward Islands.

In a statement the met office said, showers and thunderstorms associated with the system continue to become more organized, and environmental conditions are expected to remain conducive.

It said, the system is expected to continue moving west-northwest and develop into a, tropical cyclone within the next 1-2 days.

The national hurricane center has given the system a 90% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next, 48 hours and a 90 % chance of development through 7 days.

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

It says, the initial outlook for this country is cloudy skies, with showers and a medium chance of thunderstorm activity by Monday July 1^st.

It explains, sea conditions are expected to become further agitated, particularly along western and northern coastlines.

And the ODPM’s Kirk Jean Baptiste, is calling on members of the public to be prepared for the rains to come.

The met office has said, currently there are no alerts, watches or warnings in effect for Trinidad and Tobago

It said, it continues to monitor this area of low pressure and will issue an update this afternoon or earlier if necessary.

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley is saying, a bit more about efforts by his government to get an investor for the Petrotrin Refinery.

Last weekend, Dr. Rowley estimated that by August this year, there could be a successful bidder for the state owned refinery.

The reported interest in the refinery by Indian businessman, Naveen Jindal is already causing controversy.

Allegations and corruption charges against Mr. Jindal, have raised serious questions.

Yesterday, at a fundraiser breakfast for his ruling Peoples National Movement, Dr. Rowley told of growing interests in the refinery, which was closed in 2018.

He referred to people of interest on the African continent.

The opposition and sections of the labour movement, have been raising questions about the Jindal interests.

Police arrest six persons in connection with the discovery of a quantity of ammunition, illegal narcotics and robbery enquiries.

A release from the TTPS says, a party of officers from the Southern Division conducted anti-crime patrols between 4am to 9am yesterday, in an effort to curb the rise of gang activities as well as firearm, robbery, and shooting offences in the division.

It says, the officers paid special emphasis on targeting known offenders suspected of being, involved in these crimes.

The TTPS says, based on intelligence gathered on suspected gang activities and surveillance conducted, the officers executed search warrants at the home of priority offenders, in the Farmers Road Perry Young, Indian Walk and Charles Street, La Romaine areas.

It says, the officers arrested six suspects during the exercise for various offences.

Two 18-year-old men of Princes Town were detained for possession of cocaine for trafficking, two suspects, ages 23 and 36, of Indian Walk were arrested on robbery enquiries, while two men from Indian Walk, ages 37 and 44, were arrested for possession of ammunition. Investigations are ongoing.

A stabbing, gun crime, a fistfight and a vehicular accident leave four men dead.

The incidents occurred in Ste. Madeline, Point Fortin, Freeport and Port of Spain between yesterday and this morning.

4 men are now hospitalized at the Scarborough General Hospital, following a drive by shooting in Egypt Bethel Tobago.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, shortly before 10am.

The leader of the opposition is taking the government to task, for its reported relationship with Indian businessman, Naveen Jindal.

Kamla Persad Bissessar last night linked the Keith Rowley government to; Mr. Jindal’s reportedly corrupt practices.

She claimed, Dr. Rowley and his government have not been telling the truth about its relationship with, Mr. Jindal who is facing charges in his home country.

Prime Minister Rowley has said, he was unaware of the allegations against Mr. Jindal, who has an interest in running the Petrotrin refinery.

Mrs. Persad Bissessar said, the government is taking the country along the wrong road.

The leader of the United National Congress was addressing, a political meeting after the installation of her executive in Chaguanas.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Persad Bisessar is insisting the constitution of the UNC, will handle the situation involving the vote of MP Dr. Rai Ragbir.

Last week he voted with the government on the whistleblower bill.

The party has since criticized Dr. Ragbir.

The UNC leader said, she would not be involved in any “bacchanal” because the party is bigger than any individual.