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The Progressive Empowerment Party joins forces with the Re-United Farmers Alliance to contest the August 14^th local government elections.

The announcement was made yesterday.

RFA political leader Davica Thomas told a news conference, the membership of the party is made up of former supporters of another major political entity.

Ms. Thomas said, many have faith in the new alliance with the PEP and have come forward in the hope of representing the party at the polls.

Also commenting at yesterday’s launch was PEP political leader Phillip Alexander.

Mr. Alexander assured this alliance offers new hope to the electorate.

The RFA said, it will be contesting all 141 electoral districts come August 14^th , 2023.

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds has delivered the numbers associated with crime in Trinidad and Tobago.

He tells of an increase in murders, larceny of vehicles and narcotic offences.

In the Senate yesterday, the Minister said the statistics have come from the Trinidad and Tobago police service.

He said according to the TTPS there has been an increase in three serious crimes including murders over the past six months.

However, the Minister said serious crimes including sexual assault, kidnappings and shootings have seen a decline.

The Minister said, over-all there has been a general decrease in serious crimes.

Minister Hinds, was responding to questions for oral answers in the upper house yesterday.

The Minister of Finance is slamming as mischief, an Express Newspaper report that says, The Heritage and Stabilization Fund has recorded losses.

The article says there has been a loss of us 913.5 million dollars.

The express business section has said it quoted its figures from the HSF’s annual report.

But minister Colm Imbert says, The Heritage and Stabilization Fund has the same value today, as it was when it came into office in 2015.

But yesterday Minister Impert painted a different picture.

At a media conference Minister Imbert gave the latest figures.

He said as at June 2023 the fund increased … And the Minister said, this is before Government made a deposit.

Minister Imbert said, contrary to the article and unlike other nation’s this country’s sovereign wealth fund recovered at the end of the fiscal year last year.

The Minister said over the past 7 years and 9 months 1.9 billion dollars was withdrawn from the fund.

He said this brought it back to where it was in 2015.

And Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley sees the express report, as a deliberate attempt by the media to mislead the country.

A prison officer has been allegedly held trying to enter the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Center with contraband.

The items have not been publicized but News Centre Five understands, they were deemed illegal. 

The officer, Michael Johnson, who joined the service three years ago was held last Sunday morning.

Reports say the items were found on the officer during a routine search.  

Police from the Arima Station, were called to the center and the officer was taken into custody.

Mr. Johnson was charged yesterday and taken before a magistrate where he was granted bail.

The matter was adjourned.

The Local Government Election will be held on August 14^th, 2023.

The Prime Minister revealed the date via a statement from his office yesterday.

The statement said Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has advised President Christine Kangaloo, to appoint the date for holding the election.

It said nomination day would be Monday June 26^th.

The date was given after repeated demands from the opposition, United National Congress over the past weeks.

The demands for the poll intensified after the ruling of the Privy Council on May 18^th.  When the government’s decision to delay the poll and extend the life of municipal corporations was deemed wrong.

The Privy Council said, the extension of the life of Local Government bodies, as stated in new legislation did not apply to the incumbent councilors and aldermen.

Both the ruling Peoples National Movement and the opposition UNC have stepped up their campaign after the law lords ruled.

Leaders Dr. Rowley and Kamla Persad Bissessar have been calling out their troops.

General Secretary of the PNM Foster Cummings said, candidates for the six of the 14 corporations have already been selected.

He expects screenings to come to an end by next Wednesday.

Opposition Senator Wade Mark yesterday said, his party has wanted this for some time.

The party said it is already on the road to victory.

And the leader of the National Transformation Alliance, Gary Griffith believes the people will send a message on August 14^th.

Mr. Griffith feels the government was forced to call the poll against its will.

In the last Local Government Election the PNM won seven of the 14 corporations while the UNC also tallied seven.