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The Chief Secretary is giving notice to the Government, he will be taking the ongoing fiscal dispute between the Tobago House of Assembly and the Central Government before the Dispute Resolutions Commission. 

The THA has decided to double down on its claim, that it is owed millions of dollars by the ministry of finance. 

In outlining the reprioritized focus of his executive council, Secretary of Finance, Trade and the Economy, Mr. Augustine said, negotiations to recoup the outstanding sum have failed to bear fruit. 

As such he said, it is time for a change in approach from the THA. 

Stressing that there was no need for new legislation to give Tobago a greater share of the fiscal pie, Mr. Augustine said, there has been a fiscal stranglehold on the island by the Central Government since 2017, but more so since his administration took office. 

In light of this the Chief Secretary pointed to new approaches to drive the island’s development. 

He said, the outstanding monies will be used to pay monies owed to contractors. 

In response, minority leader Kelvon Morris rebutted saying, the Chief Secretary’s arguments cannot hold water. 

He wants to know what the current administration did in the last two years. 

Minority leader Morris asserted that Tobago businessmen were hurting because of the THA’s policies. 

Mr. Morris is calling for fresh THA elections now. 

One political leader is describing Trinidad and Tobago’s silence, on the Guyana, Venezuela border fight as detrimental.

The assertion is being made by political leader of the Trinidad and Tobago democratic front Anthony Williams is concerned.

Venezuela, is getting set for a national referendum vote on the next steps in its moves to possess the Essequibo region on its border with Guyana.

Speaking with Newscentre five yesterday, Mr. Williams said, leaders must address the crisis.

He said, he may understand why the Prime Minister has not said much on the situation.

He said, Caribbean leaders must stand in unity at the side of Guyana and the Guyanese people, and he calls on Venezuela to rethink these referendum calls, which may be used as a declaration of war.

Caricom has taken a position on the matter and condemned the planned action by Venezuela.

Students, who are expelled from their various schools, are to be placed into the Milat Programme.

The announcement was made by Education Minister Dr. Nyan Gadsby Dolly yesterday.

The Minister said, transitioning would be mandatory.

She also revealed school expulsions are rare, and admitted there has been an increase in the number of expulsions.

So far this year, 10 students have been removed from the public school system.

Minister Gadsby-Dolly yesterday, described the increase as small this year.

The measures referred to by the Minister are being supported by the union, representing teachers.

The first Vice President of the Trinidad and Tobago unified teachers association, Adesh Dwarika is reported as saying he is pleased with the minister’s announcement.

A gun attack on a motorist in distress in Arima is receiving the attention of police.

According to reports. a 35 year-old man was driving his white panel van on second Koon-Koon Trace, Malabar, around 1 pm on Tuesday when the van broke down.

The man told police, shortly after he saw a white Nissan Tiida stop behind his vehicle and a man got out.

The stranger reportedly got out of the Tiida, pointed a gun at the van and shot at the driver.

The victim told police; he crouched into the passenger side seat of his van.

The gunman then allegedly walked around the van, and pointed his gun at the driver again but did not shoot.

Instead he got back into the Nissan Tiida and drove off.

The driver was not wounded but police reports say, the windscreen of the van was damaged during the incident.

Police from the northern division crime scene investigation unit visited the scene.

Complaints against police officers have been consistently climbing over the past two years.

The Police Complaints Authority’s Director David West says, for the period 2021 to 2022 the number of complaints stood at 569.

That number jumped to 713 between 2022 and 2023.

Director David West relayed the information while sitting before a public accounts committee, of the parliament yesterday.

He said, the increase may have had a lot to do with the easy access people have to PCA via social media.

Mr. West then listed the number of closed matters for the period 2014 – 2022 disclosing, that the filed incidents were sent to the Police Commissioner and Director of Public Prosecutions.

He also made an appeal for high-end vehicles to help in the authority’s work.

Member Jerlean John feels there are times when people seeking to make complaints are afraid, to do so.

She also asked the PCA Director to state his views, on reports that police officers may have been involved in mediating peace treaties with gangs.

Mr. West expressed his concern.

Shaquille Cudjoe of Valencia is fined $30,000 for possession of arms and ammunition.  

A statement from the TTPS says, 24-year-old Mr. Cudjoe was charged with one count of possession, of a revolver and possession of two rounds of .38 SPL ammunition.

Mr. Cudjoe, is unemployed and resides at Cumaca road, Valencia.

He pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared virtually before Sangre Grande Magistrate Cheron Raphael on Monday.

the TTPS says, he was fined $15,000 for each offence and given six months to pay the fines.

It says, should he fail to pay them, he will be sentenced to three years hard labour in prison.

The accused was arrested and charged on Sunday by Valencia police post, after officers attached to the eastern division responded to a man armed along Valencia Old Road, Valencia on said date.

According to police reports, during a road check exercise during the period 10.35 am and 12.30 pm on Sunday, officers were alerted to the report and immediately responded.

Upon arrival at the corner of Tattoo Trace and Valencia old road, they spotted a man matching the description of the suspect.

Police subsequently approached Mr. Cudjoe who was searched during which they found the firearm and ammunition.

The opposition, United National Congress is of the view, that Government should reconsider the dragon gas deal with Venezuela.

Venezuela and Guyana are involved in a territorial dispute over the Essequibo region.

In Guyana both the opposition and the government rejected Venezuela’s planned referendum on whether or not to annex the disputed territory

The referendum is set for December 3^rd, 2023.

On Monday evening opposition MP David Lee read from a Reuters report on the dragon gas deal between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago.

He said, Guyana is part of Caricom and given the circumstances Government should reconsider.

He stated, Caricom nations including this country and the U.S, have called on Venezuela to respect the international law.

Mr. Lee questions, the message being sent by the state. 

He had some questions for Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, and his energy Minister Stuart Young.

On Monday Dr. Rowley expressed the hope that this country’s investments, are not impacted by the conflict.

The Prime Minister was at a news conference in Port of Spain.

A pan yard in St. Augustine is the scene of a gun attack which claimed the life of Kester Reid

Yesterday at the entrance to Sforzata pan yard on Evans Street a man walked up to Mr. Reid, and shot him while he was on his cell phone.

He was shot several times from behind

The incident is reported to have occurred at around 3pm.

Mr. Reid was from Five Rivers Arouca, and worked as a service technician at a car care centre on the compound.

The victim died at the scene.

Police are calling the killing a hit.

The male relative who reportedly fired shots inside and outside an insurance company in San Fernando is now dead.

His name has been given as Sharaz Ageemolah.

After his rampage he was found inside a vehicle in La Romain.

It is believed Mr. Ageemolah killed himself.

Earlier during the incident at the general accident insurance company at cross crossing shopping center yesterday, a woman was wounded inside the business while a man, Rosario Danny Ramdhan was killed outside.

Mr Ramdhan was 24 years old and was from Claxton Bay.

The woman’s name has not been released officially and she remains hospitalized. Up to last evening she was listed in a stable condition