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Mickela Panday, leader of the Patriotic Front.

PATRIOTIC Front political leader Mickela Panday said the recent budget debate in the House of Representatives and the Senate showed to the population that neither the Government nor the Opposition is able to address the serious issues facing Trinidad and Tobago today.

The House passed the budget on October 11. The Senate passed the budget on October 14.

In a video posted on social media, Panday said the public was hoping to get a sense of hope from the budget as well as the ensuing debate, that their parliamentary representatives were serious about solving the problems which are affecting them.

She lamented that all the public got from the PNM and UNC after two weeks of parliamentary deliberations on the budget were “ill-timed anecdotes, failed attempts to be comical, and the usual mudslinging.”

Panday claimed the budget sought to create the impression that TT was not affected by the covid19 pandemic over the last two years and it was “back to business as usual.”

She said the pandemic is a reality as are the lives and livelihoods affected by it.

Despite the hardships suffered by many people before and during the pandemic, Panday said, “The Government and Opposition seem devoid of any new ideas to move the country forward.”

Regardless of its human talent or natural resources, Panday said, “Without a new vision, we will be left behind.”

She added that the population needs to decide when enough is enough.

“In 2025, the Patriotic Front will be contesting the general election.”

Panday said the party will share its vision for the creation of a safe and knowledgeable society where there will be equal opportunity and economic prosperity for all.

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Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond is leading a delegation to the World Routes Development Forum 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.

The delegation includes Mr. Ramesh Ghir, Chief Executive Officer of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Mr. Kamrul Baksh, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority.

The World Routes is an annual event, which brings together airlines, airports, tourism authorities, tour operators and other key aviation decision-makers. It is also dedicated to route development and strategic planning in the aviation industry.

Over the next few days, Minister Walrond and team are expected to meet with several key persons in the aviation industry with the intention of encouraging investments in destination Guyana.

Minister Walrond added, “The forum presents an important opportunity for bringing additional airlift to Guyana.”

She noted that, “Our focus, as always, is to sell Guyana as a lucrative investment destination. We want to encourage investment that will allow cheaper airfares and increase travel and destination options.”

Additionally, Chief Executive Officer of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Mr. Ramesh Ghir, underscored that Guyana has benefited tremendously from its participation in these engagements.

He said “The majority of new airlines entering the Guyana market are as a result of negotiations that have taken place at the Routes forum.”

During this visit, Minister Walrond is also expected to meet with several Ministers of Tourism from the Region.

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A speedboat that was transporting some 20 passengers including local athletes became submerged in the Essequibo River.

The incident occurred at around 12:30hrs today between Parika and Supenaam.

Reports are that the boat was part of a fleet of vessels that was transporting athletes who participated in the Heritage Games in the city. They were heading to Supenaam, from where they would have returned home to Region One (Barima-Waini).

When the boat in question began to sink, the captains of other boats that were part of the fleet noticed what was transpiring and went to the distressed passengers’ rescue.

According to a passenger on the boat, “…the boat bottom burst open and started taking in water.” The passenger related that there were no injuries but every person onboard is still ‘shaken up’ by the incident.

“The boat sank quickly,” the passenger recalled.

INews will provide more details as it becomes available.

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Les hommages se multiplient suite au décès de Mikaben, l’artiste haïtien auteur de « Ou Pati », victime d’une attaque cardiaque sur scène au concert de Carimi ce samedi 15 octobre 2022, à l’âge de 41 ans.

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Responding to previous remarks made in Parliament on the George Town Landfill project by the Premier, Wayne Panton, MP Joey Hew, the Deputy Leader of The Opposition, released a statement on October 13, 2022 explaining that the Opposition wished to set the record straight.

Overall, MP Hew said that “the Premier’s attempts to smear both the Progressives and the project are regrettable and must not go uncorrected.”

The true story, according to MP Hew, is that the Premier caused delays and “rather than seeking to explain his own delays and the risks they have caused, the Premier sought to deflect attention by manufacturing claims about the Progressives’ actions in government.”

On the point of misleading the country, MP Hew clarified that the Opposition has “never said there was a ‘fully negotiated contract’ that PACT could get on and execute as the Premier claims.”

Instead, the Opposition was clear from the outset “that more work was needed to complete the contracting process.”

As evidence of this, MP Hew provided a link to a YouTube video containing the statements previously made in March 2021 (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UUJNnxfb1g).

In relation to project delays, MP Hew intimated that the Premier and PACT government left the project to “one side. “

MP Hew continued: “The difference is that we would have gotten on and done the hard work, but the Premier and PACT essentially did nothing. The Premier himself refers to a document from legal advisors setting out the outstanding issues which he was given in August 2021. That was 4 months into the PACT government and meant 4 of the 6 months to get to financial close had passed before the Premier, as Minister responsible, even looked at the work that needed doing.”

In relation to the Auditor General’s report on whether value for money was obtained for the project, MP Hew said: “The Premier says the AG reviewed the project as it stood when we signed and concluded it did not represent value for money. We have not seen that report, so it is difficult to comment in detail. The Leader of the Opposition will ask for a copy since it has been brought up by the Premier.”

In the meantime, MP Hew suggested that “the delays and dithering” by the Premier “have created new financial risks in the project.”

The full statement can be viewed in the link below:

https://tinyurl.com/mpur9csy

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