Black Immigrant Daily News

News

FLOODED OUT: This photo posted to social media on Wednesday, shows floodwaters inside a house in Railway Road, Sangre Grande. – Social media

HEAVY and persistent early morning showers left several parts of the country under flood waters on Wednesday.

The thunderstorms began during the pre-dawn hours after being precipitated by the passage of a tropical wave over the islands. By 6 am, social media users were beginning to post photos to show the impact of flooding in their communities.

The Met Office has since issued a national riverine flood yellow alert from Wednesday morning all the way to Friday.

People and communities have been urged to take all steps to ensure protection of their property as major run-off of rainwater is expected to fill all of the major rivers which could then burst their banks and spill over into communities.

COLLAPSED: The roadway in Couva collapsed following heavy early morning thundershowers which also caused widespread flooding on Wednesday. Photo by- Lincoln Holder

A social media user posted an image of flood waters inside his home. Information has also reached Newsday of a roadway collapsing into a ravine near a bridge in Central Trinidad while several communities remain underwater as of mid-morning.

The Leaders in Service Team, a slate whose members are contesting several positions in the PNM’s internal elections, stated on Wednesday morning that a campaign meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Northeastern Community Centre, Duranta Gardens in Sangre Grande, was postponed due to major flooding in that community.

Newsday was told that Toco/Sangre Grande MP Roger Munroe and his team as well as councillor Martin Terry Rondon are on the ground assisting affected residents.

Wednesday’s bad weather and flooding came only weeks after a similar weather system, i.e. a tropical wave, led to islandwide flooding and at least one person, a woman, losing her life in flood waters.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

Republic Bank has announced a US$228.4 million profit being recorded by the year ended September 30, 2022, a 16.7 per cent interest compared to 2021 that the company attributed to society bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Chairman of Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL), Vincent Pereira, announced that while the figure represents an increase of US$32.6 million or 16.7 per cent over the 2021 reported profits of US$195.8 million, it is also US$8.1 million or 3.5 per cent below the 2019 reported profits of US$236.7 million.

“This performance reflects the impact of the Group’s expansion, revenue diversification and cost management strategies, the uptick in economic activity as well as the increase in yields in the US dollar-denominated financial instruments held across the Group,” the statement said.

The Chairman further noted in the statement that over the past financial year, the countries in which RFHL operates have continued to relax their COVID-19 protocols. This means borders and schools were re-opened, restrictions on gatherings and public mask mandates were removed and almost all commercial activities resumed.

“The resulting resurgence of economic activity, especially in the tourism-dependent economies, augured well for the Group. Throughout this period RFHL continued to serve its stakeholders, providing support to our customers as they navigated new challenges to their business model. We also worked to improve the customer experience through increased investment in our digital offerings.”

“During 2022 we strengthened our sustainability focus, adding capacity and execution capability to the Group through the creation of an Office of Sustainability. Additionally, through our Group flagship Power to Make a Difference Programme we are forging new, valued partnerships with NGOs and groups whose specific focus aligns to the pillars of our sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) effort,” he further announced.

He explained that by continuing their focus on being a responsible and sustainable bank, they hope to play a role in actively shaping a more sustainable future for all. Meanwhile, the Board of Directors have declared a final dividend of US$0.52 (2021: US$0.45) per share.

This brings the total dividend to US$110.1 million or US$0.67 (2021: US$0.60) per share for the fiscal year, an increase of 12.5 per cent in total dividend payment over 2021, and in line with the 2019 dividend payment. At a closing share price of US$20.96, this dividend represents a dividend yield of 3.21 per cent (2021: 2.93 per cent). The final dividend will be paid on December 1, 2022, to all shareholders of record on November 17, 2022.

“Within an environment that presented both challenges and uncertainty, the Group has delivered a good performance for the year ending September 30, 2022. This success could not have been realised without the talented, resilient, and dedicated staff across each of the fourteen (14) countries in which we operate. For their continued high level of commitment and their dedication to our customers, I am truly grateful,” Pereira concluded.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

See full statement from the People’s Progressive Party:

The People’s Progressive Party condemns in the strongest possible terms the obstruction of an engagement between Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag and residents of Belladrum, Region Five by APNU+AFC Member of Parliament Vinceroy Jordan.

Minister Parag’s visit to the community was as a result of a request made by residents during an earlier visit by President Dr Irfaan Ali. The residents had sought the president’s intervention to facilitate access to skills training, scholarships and other empowerment opportunities.

It is in this regard that the Minister visited the community on Tuesday November 8th, and was prevented from accessing the Community Development Council building by Jordan and a small group of APNU+AFC activists.

The PNC led APNU+AFC has demonstrated time and time again that it is incapable of offering meaningful leadership to their constituents or anyone for that matter, and is therefore in its familiar obstructionist mode with racism being its tool of choice.

While in office they took multi-million dollar scholarships for themselves and their relatives and denied ordinary Guyanese these very opportunities.

Their attempt to obstruct the PPP/C government’s housing drive at Amelia’s Ward in Linden, Region Ten and at Mocha Arcadia on the East Bank of Demerara are just a few examples of how they wanted development to bypass certain communities so that they can continue to peddle false claims of discrimination.

The blame for this worrying development should be laid squarely at the feet of PNC and Opposition Leader Mr. Aubrey Norton who has been unabatingly setting a tone of racism and aggression towards the legitimately elected government and its officials.

Norton has also started pivoting his poisonous rhetoric and confrontational tone towards members of the media as was recently witnessed during a community rally in the East Bank Demerara community of Mocha Arcadia.

The PPP unequivocally condemns MP Jordan’s cowardly behaviour and bullying tactics towards Minister Parag and urge that it be similarly denounced by Civil Society and other national stakeholders.

The party further calls on Civil Society and other national stakeholders, as well as all patriotic Guyanese at home and abroad to make their voices heard to Mr. Aubrey Norton and members of his cabal, on this most vexing and worrying matter of his racist and aggressive posture, and the subtle as well as overt messages he continues to send to his cabal and supporters against the duly elected Government and its functionaries, and against the national interest of the state.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

When Barbados’ social services are amalgamated, there will be a Child Protection Agency rather than a Child Care Board (CCB).

This was disclosed by Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, during a courtesy call with Resident Representative for the UNDP, Limya Eltayeb recently.

He was joined by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Jehu Wiltshire, and Research Analyst, Rean Gibson.

Humphrey explained that matters related to child protection, the elderly, disabilities and welfare, will all fall under the Department of Family Services headed by a directorate.

However, he said the establishment of a child protection directorate would require a change in mindset for Barbados.

Humphrey explained that while there was a Child Justice Bill for children involved in criminal activities, the Child Protection Bill was designed for those in need of care and protection.

However, he stressed, there was a need to fill the “middle gap” for children who did not need to be in the justice system, but were in need of guidance through child protection methods.

The Minister also outlined plans for the island’s social services sector, in general, and where the Ministry hoped to take the discussion going forward.

In response, Eltayeb, expressed her satisfaction with the strides being made in the island’s social services sector, and offered the UNDP’s assistance with programmes going forward.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

PRESIDENT CHANDRIKAPERSAD SANTHOKI en minister Albert Ramdin praten vaak over een vangnet om het leven te verlichten voor grote delen

NewsAmericasNow.com