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The Water and Sewerage Authority gives an update on its repairs to a ruptured 48 inch main. 

The repairs are now completed and 30 percent of the water is back in the system.

Residents in many parts of the country were up to earlier today complaining about the dry taps despite assurances from WASA.

The authority says it is now in the process of restarting operations to gradually restore supply into the transmission system.

Customers were also advised that it might take up to 48 hours, for the service to normalize in accordance with established water supply schedules.

Customers were further advised, that they might experience some discolouration in their water supply as the service is restored.

However residents of several areas of Trinidad are complaining of dry taps, even though they were promised an improved supply of water.

Over 250 thousand customers of the water and sewerage authority were affected by a lack of water for most of this week.

At a news conference WASA’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Romain, said repairs to the ruptured 46 inch main took longer than expected.

The ruptured main has affected people from Oropune Gardens Piarco in the east to Cocorite in the west.

Yesterday Mr. Romain gave an assurance that a supply will be turned on in the afternoon.  

Mr. Romain could not say what exactly caused the situation or the cost of this repair.

However he promised to reveal the particulars at a later date.

Consumers are being told to expect a reduction in the price of National Flour Mills products.

The NFM says, it is in the process of calculating the new prices.

Chief Executive Officer Ian Mitchell says, the company has been monitoring the grain market and talking to experts.

Speaking with News Centre Five yesterday Mr. Mitchell said, the public will be notified of a decrease in the cost of flour very soon.

Mr. Mitchell also said there are several factors being contemplated at this time.

And another flour producer says, it has already reduced the prices on some of its products.

On Monday Nutrimix Flour Mills’ announced it had reduced the prices on its country pride, and Nutrimix Premium grade 2kg and 10kg flour products.

Nutrimix said, its price reduction ranges from 10 per cent to 13 per cent on its 2kg flour and 10 per cent to 12 per cent on its 10kg size.

It said a price reduction on its entire range of 45kg products is also imminent.

The Caribbean region is getting some help from the United States in its fight against the illegal importation of guns and ammunition.

The weapons are used by some to commit violent and serious crimes in countries in these parts.

Yesterday during his visit to Trinidad and Tobago for the Caricom Heads Summit, U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken revealed some initiatives aimed at battling the challenge.

Secretary Blinken arrived for the summit yesterday, accompanied by Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jefferies.

Both u.s. officials said one of the main items for their meeting with caricom is the situation in haiti

The member state has been rocked by deadly violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, in 2021.

Caricom has committed itself to bringing peace to Haiti.

Mr. Jefferies made his government’s position clear regarding Haiti, whose leader was at the summit.

The U.S. has also pledged to help the region with its bid for food security.

Kamla Persad Bissessar is accused of trying to push panic buttons by using the name of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen in a bid to meet her agenda.

According to the Jamaat a statement reportedly made by Kamla Persad Bissessar to Caricom and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association implies that, the Peoples National Movement has used it in the past to intimidate voters in marginal constituencies.

The Jamaat asserts this is an old tactic used by politicians to promote their agendas, and in this case to get observers here from Caricom.

The Jamaat denies being part of any agenda to interfere with the constitutional rights of citizens to vote freely.

The faith-based organization is telling Mrs Persad Bissessar, to focus on winning the hearts and minds of the people rather than traumatizing them with the non-existent “Jamaat Boogieman”.

The Jamaat says, it is now focused on empowering its youth and women under the banner a profession or skill is better than a gun.

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds vows to protect the country’s image, even as investigations are on going into allegations of sexual abuse at the Heliport Immigration Detention Centre.

On Monday, Minister Hinds sought to explain the present status of a report, female Venezuelan migrant, who has accused three members of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, of rape.

The situation allegedly involving a 21 year old has made its way into a joint select committee hearing and the parliament.

It has also caught the attention of international refugee bodies.

At a news conference, Minister Hinds said, the Government and the police are intent on getting to the bottom of the matter.

The Minister described as erroneous and false, reporting on the alleged situation involving the female migrant.

Minister Hinds also sought to clear the air on the present status of the woman.

Minister Hinds further noted that the woman is a victim of human trafficking, and whosoever is responsible for the crime will be brought to justice.  

Major difficulties as students and parents looking for S.E.A. online results encounter stumbling blocks.

Accessing the Education Ministry’s online portal was frustrating for thousands yesterday.

While the Ministry released the results at noon, getting through to what was online was problematic.

The Ministry had announced that no hard-copy results slips would have been issued as in the past.

The Ministry said the only way to access results was via the S.E.A portal.

But that was chaotic for some eager students and parents.

Many parents suggested that the Ministry should return to what was maintained before.

Nevertheless the Ministry of Education says, there has been an overall improvement in the performance of students in the Secondary Entrance Assessment this year.

Kamla Persad Bissessar denies in involvement in the issuance of cheques tallied at over a million dollars, to a former head of her party’s youth arm Kaveesh Siewdial.

Last night the Opposition Leader dismissed copies of the cheques posted on social media one of which carries her name.

But she calls on the police to investigate.

At a meeting of her United National Congress last evening Mrs. Persad Bissessar said, there appears to be criminal acts at play.

She said, it seems those who recently jumped ship to the Peoples National Movement may have been nudged.

At least five members of the UNC resigned in the last three weeks and joined the ruling PNM.

The PNM leader Dr. Keith Rowley warmly and publically welcomed a couple of them.

Five-year-old Jenysa Murray is back safe in her mother’s arms.

There were cries of relief in Erin yesterday, as rescue teams handed over Jenesya to her mom Marina Murray.

Jenysa was missing for some 12 hours after falling into a swollen river.

Jenysa, who is autistic and non-verbal, survived being washed approximately two miles downstream from her father Jason Alleyne’s home on Carapal Road, in raging murky waters caused by Friday’s rain.

Although the water passed through a floodgate, a villager accompanying search teams spotted her in the Carapal River near the sea, clinging to a tree root in neck-high water. Hunters search and rescue entered the deep river and rescued the terrified girl at around 8 am. Jenynsa spent the day at the Siparia district health facility undergoing tests and treatment for minor abrasions and ingesting river water .

The focus is on the Caribbean community this week.

Heads of Government are now in Trinidad and Tobago to meet and discuss critical issues for the region.

They will also participate in the 50^th Anniversary celebrations of Caricom.

United states secretary of state Antony Blinken will be among high-level officials carded to attend the Anniversary of the formation of Caricom.

A statement on the US state department’s website says Secretary Blinken will be here on July 5^th to “participate in the Caricom Heads of Government meeting and the 50th anniversary of Caricom celebration”.

While in Trinidad and Tobago he is expected to deal with pressing issues in the region with the representing heads of governments, including Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, and incoming Caricom Chair and Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit”.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also expected to attend and address the August body.

He is to reiterate the UN’s “commitment to call for more ambitious action” in the areas of climate crisis and the restructuring of the International Financial System for the benefit of small developing economies such as those of the Caricom states.

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland KC, will engage leaders on their perspectives on collaboration “on strategies to provide more tailored and practical assistance to the region.

Trinidad and Tobago will be in the Regional spotlight next week, as it hosts special events to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of The Creation of Caricom.

Caricom day will be observed on July 4^th , 2023.

Caricom and foreign affairs minister Dr. Amery Brown says, several countries of the region have decided to declare a holiday for this year and the commemoration.

However, Trinidad and Tobago has not declared such, at least, not yet.

The Caricom heads summit will be held in Trinidad and Tobago from July 3^rd, 2023.

Speaking on Tv6’s Morning Edition Programme yesterday, Dr. Brown said, the agenda would be a diverse one.