Black Immigrant Daily News

Le XV de France a payé un lourd tribut pour venir à bout des champions du monde sud-africains, samedi à Marseille (30-26), accumulant les blessés…

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Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley responds to questions virtually during the siting of the House of Representatives on Friday. – AYANNA KINSALE

THE Prime Minister says government has made important strides towards digital transformation and is closer today than ever before to implementing a work-from-home arrangement for members of the public service.

Dr Rowley made the comment in a media release on Thursday in response to a Newsday editorial that said he should attend Parliament virtually on Friday as he recovers from his third infection of covid19.

Rowley did attend Parliament virtually on Friday and answered several questions from Opposition MPs.

In his statement, Rowley said as the work progresses, the country is “not there yet” to allow for the work-from-home policy. The majority of public servants had been sent home for intervals during March 2020 to April 2021 to limit the spread of infection.

“While many are dissatisfied with the pace of transformation this should not be interpreted as an abandonment of the goal. A holistic view of the Prime Minister’s actions will undoubtedly reveal that he has led the charge towards the digitalisation of the public service which remains one of the main prerequisites for the implementation of a work-from-home policy.”

In September, Rowley earned condemnation when he said the country was not ready for a major work-from-home policy as the economy reopened as covid19 cases declined.

He said then: “I don’t know that we are sufficiently prepared for that to be a major initiative, largely because it requires certain technical infrastructure and a certain level of discipline. Some people not even working in the office, so we have to be careful how we talk about that.”

In his media release on Thursday, Rowley said in 2020 Digital Transformation was added to the purview of the Ministry of Public Administration with Senator Hassel Bacchus appointed as minister. The following year, Rowley separated the two and created a full ministry of Digital Transformation and Bacchus was appointed line minister.

The release said over the last few years several government agencies have taken steps in achieving various levels of digitization which included the launch of DevelopTT. DevelopTT streamlines the development application and approval processes for property development.

Other gains highlighted were the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs steps to bring some its services online. The Judiciary also made “significant steps” utilising digitization and virtual hearings while there is ongoing work in the public service towards digital transformation.

“Preparatory work is now on the way for the digitalisation of the Ministries of Health, Social Development and Family Services and Housing and Urban Development. These ministries interact personally and directly on a daily basis with tens of thousands of members of the public.”

To show that he was not against remote working, Rowley said he attended Parliament virtually on November 4, when he tested positive for covid19. He also said during the height of the pandemic Cabinet meetings were held virtually, a year after the launch of eCabinet.

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A crime scene unit officer gathers evidence outside Just in Time supermarket, on Cipero Street, San Fernando on Saturday where one bandit was killed during a robbery. – YVONNE WEBB

YVONNE WEBB AND COREY CONNELLY

The shooting deaths of a special reserve police officer in Tobago and two Diego Martin men have taken the murder toll to 529, equalling this country’s murder record in 2008.

Initial information said PC Kyle Lashley was shot dead during a drive-by at Les Coteaux on Saturday. This is the 10th murder in Tobago for the year.

Lashley, who had fewer than five years of service was shot shortly after 7 pm, was sitting with a group of men when car pulled up alongside them. Two men came out of car and fired several shots the group.

Lashley fell to the ground and was taken to the Scarborough General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

In an unrelated incident, another man identified as Kurtis Smith, of Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin, was gunned down at the entrance of Starbucks at Sun Plaza, Munroe Road, Cunupia around 4 pm.

Customers and staff were inside the cafe when two masked men shot Smith multiple times near the entrance.

Commenting on the Cunupia incident, Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally condemned the brazen acts of criminality across TT.

He said this leaves no neighbourhood safe.

“It is clear that the continued incompetence and ineffectiveness of this PNM administration to combat the criminal element in our society is having a disastrous consequence for our country and citizens.”

“The longer this failed PNM government remains in office, the greater the threat will be on the safety of all citizens,” Rambally said.

On Friday night, a 45-year-old man was shot and killed on Diego Martin.

According to the police, Leslie “Paco” Downes, of River Estate, Diego Martin, and a 32-year-old man were standing by a pavilion near the River Estate Basketball Court when, around 8.15 pm, gunmen approached them and opened fire.

Downes, a taxi driver, was shot several times while the other man was shot in his back.

The men were taken to the St James Medical Facility where Downes died.

The other man is said to be warded at the hospital in stable condition.

In an unrelated incident, a bandit received a bullet to his head after he and two armed accomplices robbed a San Fernando supermarket of several bottles of alcohol and cash shortly before 4 pm on Saturday.

An armed security guard intervened as the men were fleeing and shot one of the men who fell between the entrance of Just In Time Family Mart Supermarket, at Cipero Street, and a parked vehicle on the entrance.

Police have not yet released the identify of the dead man.

The two men men escaped and San Fernando police mounted a manhunt for them last night.

A few bottles of vodka, whiskey, champagne and rum were recovered outside the supermarket, along with a back pack. The items were bagged as part of the evidence by crime scene unit officers.

The street was cordoned off as Southern Division police, homicide bureau investigators and crime scene unit investigators gathered evidence at the scene.

A district medical officer declared the man dead before his body was removed.

President of the Greater San Fernando Chamber Kiran Singh spoke to the media at the scene of the Cipero Street incident.

He said businesses on Cipero Street were now beginning to be reinvigorated and it was unfortunate these criminal acts were becoming a deterrent to business expansion. He said the supermarket opened up shop just about a year ago, and this investment was a sign for businesses to increase and fill the spaces which have been empty for the past two years.

He said it was also frightening the age of the individuals who were turning to a life of crime instead of a more positive alternative.

He shuddered at their brazenness to attack the supermarket, “in broad daylight.”

“It is unfortunate that there is another robbery of a business place in San Fernando. One was shot and killed, but two young individuals got away. Luckily there was armed security on the compound.

“They came to acquire alcohol with guns. It is sad that crime is once again rearing its ugly head in San Fernando. It has brought shock to us again. A supermarket running an honest business, to earn an honest living and procure employment in the city of San Fernando.

“In broad daylight a shooting has occurred and a youth has lost his life. This creates a damper in the confidence of business people and citizens who traverse the streets throughout the country.

“It is the Christmas season and a time when business people see a return on their investments.”

What is going to happen now, he asked, “when on a daily basis crime is happening with armed intentions and fatalities occur.”

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Pinelands women’s football team produced an outstanding and commanding display to be crowned the Barbados Football Association (BfA) Women’s Super League Plate champions.

Last night at the BFA Wildey Turf, the Pine ladies defeated Mavericks SC 3-1 to bring glory to the Pine and earn the club’s first national female football title.

A brace from Tekoa Hope in the 35th and 56th minutes set up Pinelands perfectly for victory.

Giselle Richards added another goal for Pinelands in the 67th minute to seal the historic victory for Pinelands.

Tianna Sealy converted a 29th minute penalty kick for Mavericks’ lone goal of the match.

Kickstart Rush Genesis ladies finished in third position of the BFA Women’s Super League Cup competition courtesy of a 1-0 victory against RF Prime.

Kickstart Rush Genesis

It was a keenly contested encounter which saw both teams trading attacks and coming close to scoring on numerous occasions.

RF Prime had the best opportunity to open the scoring in the game, but Kerisha Catlyn’s second half penalty kick was fired high over the goal.

Kickstart Rush Genesis made them pay for that missed opportunity in the 60th minute.

Second half substitute Chazelle Cumberbatch took a corner from the right which found unmarked center back Rowland Kirton-Browne who directed her right foot shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

In the BFA Republic Cup third-place playoff encounter between southern neighbours Vanpur Malt Wotton FC and Dover Market/Phillips Bakery Paradise FC, the Dover boys easily brushed aside their opponents 6-1.

Raheim Sargeant, employed in a new role, scored twice to spearhead the Paradise attack in the absence of captain and national forward Armando “Sugar” Lashley.

Dover Market/Phillips Bakery Paradise FC

Sargeant scored his first goal in the 11th minute when he scored from the penalty spot. His cross from the left struck the arm of Wotton defender Zico Phillips and referee Edwin Adams awarded a penalty kick.

Wotton found themselves two goals behind in the 18th, as an instance of miscommunication occurred between goalkeeper Liam Brathwaite and defender Mario Farrell, which resulted in Brathwaite coming off his line to deal with a cross and Farrell heading the ball beyond the oncoming custodian, and into the goal.

Captain Kyle Gibson cut Paradise’s lead in half in the 21st minute.

Jabarry “Papi” Chandler’s freekick from just outside the penalty area was parried away by Paradise’s goalkeeper Jason Boxhill, but Gibson reacted quickly to strike the ball into the back of the net from close range.

Paradise restored their two-goal lead in the 48th minute when Sargeant ran onto a well-weighted pass from Ackeel “Apple” Applewhaite and placed the ball precisely into the bottom, right corner, beyond the outstretched hand of Brathwaite.

Deighton Griffith student and national under 17 forward Shamari Harewood came off the bench to score in the 70th and 76th minute, making it 5-1.

Jamaican international Mario Palmer scored Paradise’s sixth goal in stoppage time to confirm their third-place position in the Republic Cup.

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