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Among the nations student population are said, to be gangsters and drug addicts.

Education Minister Dr. Nyan Gadsby Dolly says, this is a big problem within the education system.

The Minister also says, too many students are involved in such activities while others are violent, and disrespectful towards teachers.

Dr. Gadsby Dolly says, this is happening at over 20 troubled Secondary Schools across the country.

On Wednesday she said, some parents are powerless when their children exhibit these types of behaviours.

Dr. Gadsby Dolly said the girls are also getting involved in the same type of ill behavior.

She said, it might be time for a discussion on mandatory national service for repeat delinquent offenders.

She placed parents and their unruly children on notice.

Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley calls the haul of guns and ammunition found in the North Eastern Police Division, a threat to national security.

Dr. Rowley made the statement in the parliament yesterday, as he contributed to the dying minutes of the budget debate.

He called on the opposition, to stand with the Government on the issue of crime.

The Prime Minister applauded the police for their work.

There have been no arrests yet in connection with the arms and ammunition find in the Santa Cruz area.

Government’s 2023/2024 fiscal packages are being called, a repeat of last year’s and years before.

This is the view of opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

In her response, following Minister of Finance Colm Imbert’s budget presentation in the lower house, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar said, the document contained nothing new.

She said, Minister Imbert has manipulated the presentation of the data to his advantage. Mrs. Persad-Bissessar will deliver her full response to yesterday’s budget presentation, at the next sitting of the Parliament on Friday

Government reintroduces a school supplies and book grant.

Finance Minister, Colm Imbert explained, that this move is in response to the addition of new textbooks on booklists.

However, parents would have to undertake a means test to qualify

Minister Imbert also said, steps would be taken to standardized textbooks to further reduce the burden of parents having to purchase new books every year.

Mr. Imbert said, this initiative would cost $65 million dollars and assist some 65,000 needy students.

It is confirmed, Government will begin collecting property tax next year. Property owners and occupiers will soon receive notices, on the amounts they are required to pay.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert made the revelation yesterday, as he presented the national budget.

He said, the valuation division has crossed the 50% threshold of residential properties, required to give effect to the law.

He added despite the relatively low rate of the property tax, government would still ensure the most vulnerable in society are shielded from the immediate impact of the taxes.

The opposition United National Congress has been calling on the state to hold its hand on the property tax, given that citizens are still reeling from the Covid 19 pandemic, many of them who lost their jobs.

In June of this year Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said, for the average person” property tax will cost $3 a day, “less than a dinner mint”.

The 2023-2024 National Budget is to be presented in the Lower House this afternoon.

As is usually the case there is speculation ahead of the presentation of the fiscal package.

Yesterday Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said, the speculation over the contents would be over.

One daily newspaper has reported an increase in the minimum wage is likely.

The story said, the minimum wage would be increased by two dollars to 19 dollars and 50 cents.

General Secretary of the National Trade union center Michael Annisette says, if the minimum wage goes up by the reported two dollars, it would not be enough.

He said, yesterday if the report is true, government would have to explain what mechanism it used to arrive at the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, President of the Public Services Association, Leroy Baptiste is rejecting what has been reported.

He said, public servants have been living pay cheque to pay cheque and on borrowed funds for quite some times.

The PSA has been rejecting the government’s four percent salary increase and has legally called the proposed four percent.

Several other unions have already accepted the four percent.

The crime situation is said, to be one of the major obstacles to this country’s progress towards the, United Nations sustainable development goals.

The UN held a media briefing for the SDG’s Summit 2023 in Port-of-Spain on Wednesday

UN resident coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago Joanna Kazan said, there are several issues contributing to these failures most notably the crime situation.

Director of the economic commission for Latin america and the Caribbean Diane Quarless said, that many of the SDG’s for Trinidad and Tobago are moving in the wrong direction.

Ms. Quarless reiterated the effects of crime in Trinidad and Tobago on SDG’s among other issues.

The UN held the summit as it seeks to revitalize implementation of goals in the region, within the context of the United Nations multi-country sustainable development framework for the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.  

State owned Caribbean Airlines comes under fire again, for it’s handling of the inter-island air bridge. 

This latest salvo of criticism comes from Secretary for Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation, Councillor Tashia Grace Burris. 

Speaking during yesterday’s sitting of the assembly, councillor Burris described CAL’s current arrangements as disrespectful and inadequate. 

She was at the time, piloting a motion that called for the establishment of a Tobago public transport company to manage air and sea transport, to and from the island, as well as public transport. 

She claimed aircraft bought to service the air bridge are now flying to other destinations. 

The motion called for, an integrated transportation system, something the tourism secretary believes will go a long way in alleviating the problems faced by the travelling public in Tobago. 

She added that it was also a critical part of plans to develop the Scarborough port development project. 

But in response minority leader Kelvon Morris described the motion as, pie in the sky and a smokescreen which left a lot of unanswered questions. 

Quoting figures from passengers utilizing the sea bridge on Tuesday, Mr. Morris said, nothing will come of the motion, as there is no crisis.

Mr. Morris also pointed out that a department of transportation already existed, with the division of tourism, culture, antiquities and transportation. As such there was no need for the new company being proposed.