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Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan. – Photo by Jeff Meyers

Villages and boroughs in southern Trinidad are one step closer to benefiting from the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension to Point Fortin project.

On Thursday Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, along with a technical team from the ministry, witnessed a key milestone with the completion of Package 3A of the La Brea Interchange Bridge.

A media release from the ministry said a major concrete pour for the interchange bridge deck began at 7pm on Thursday and was completed at 8 am on Friday. During those 13 hours, an estimated 220 cubic metres of concrete was installed.

The release said it represented a significant achievement. The 47-metre La Brea Interchange Bridge is the longest single-spanning bridge of the highway extension project. Once completed, it will serve as the main connector to the La Brea community and the La Brea Industrial Estate.

Construction is being undertaken through 12 work packages using local contractors.

Communities that will ultimately benefit from the project, the release said, include: Fyzabad, Mon Desir, La Brea, Point Fortin, San Fernando, Debe, Gulf City and La Romaine.

It is anticipated that on completion, the project will significantly improve the efficiency of the road network in the southwestern area by providing road access and connectivity to Debe.

Other benefits, as indicated in the media release, include: less traffic congestion, an increased capacity on the highway, improved access to and from adjacent communities and improved pedestrian accessibility and safety.

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UNC Senator Anil Roberts –

Opposition Senator Anil Roberts said that fiscal measures being implemented by government are the same as those which would be imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if TT had approached them.

Speaking during the budget debate in the Senate on Friday, Roberts said the Finance Minister loved to boast about ignoring advice from economists who had suggested he seek support from the IMF.

“They didn’t listen, but they have been implementing IMF prescriptions from day one when they came in. They’ve been conducting price controls, they’ve cut down the public sector across the board, because they leave public servants on the establishment, they believe the people don’t know that job losses have occurred, 123,000 people off the NIB rolls. They have been instituting, removing price controls on the fuel subsidy, on TTEC, on WASA, these are all IMF prescriptions.”

He said the Government should thank the previous People’s Partnership administration for leaving the country in a good condition.

“The only reason the government did not have to go to the IMF was one word: Kamla: $12.26 billion in reserves in 2015, US$7.8 million in the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, 14 months import cover, AAA+ investment rating. So the PNM could borrow $30 billion because Kamla left the economy strong. If she hadn’t, you would have had to go to the IMF. So you are giving the people IMF without being IMF.”

Roberts had to be cautioned several times by Speaker of the House Christine Kangaloo for imputing improper motives to members of the Parliament and for relevance.

During the mid-year budget review in June 2021, Imbert said if TT approached the IMF for financial relief, the retrenchment of 30,000 people would be one of the outcomes.

“Certain economists continue to insist that the Government should go to the IMF for funding. Those economists would not tell the population that when countries approach the IMF for funding, they have to agree or commit to certain policy adjustments. We are certainly not going to make structural adjustments such as retrenchment, removal of subsidies and devaluation at this time.”

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The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is encouraging students to participate in its ‘Census in Schools’ programme tour, which got under way on Friday (October 14).

The programme, an initiative of STATIN, is geared towards raising awareness among students about the importance of the Population and Housing Census, so that they can pass on key messages about the national exercise to their parents and other family members.

“When students take home the message of how important the 2022 Census is, they help ensure that their households are counted,” Senior Information/Research Officer at STATIN, Sasha-Gaye Fraser, said.

Fourteen high schools and eight primary schools across the island have been selected to participate in this year’s tour, which is to end on November 30.

The schools were chosen based on key metrics that have been developed to ensure that the programme resonates with as many homes, families and friends as possible.

The STATIN team will visit one school in the morning and another in the evening session. The engagement will take place in the school’s auditorium or a general assembly area that will accommodate as many students as possible from each grade.

Fraser said the sessions will include fun activities such as giveaways of branded 2022 Census in Schools promotional materials. These include pens, pencils, rulers, water bottles and drawstring bags.

“Other interactive games will be incorporated in the session to get students involved and to learn more about the Census while being entertained,” she said, adding that the STATIN team will also incorporate a live performance from a guest performer, where possible.

The engagement at each school is to be captured on video and packaged for use across social media platforms as part of the 2022 Census publicity.

Fraser said that “by virtue of having the activity in schools, teachers and other members of the school population will also be exposed to the Census message and the importance of participating in the Census.”

She noted that the school tour is a national call to action for every educator and student across the country.

“Our nation’s educators are trusted voices in every Jamaican community and with their help, we can teach every student in the nation about the importance of participating in the 2022 Census,” she added.

The 2022 Population and Housing Census, from September 12 to December 31, will collect data on the population to better enable the Government to serve citizens and make policy decisions.

The Census is a count of the country’s population and provides social and demographic data, details of the housing stock, information at the community level, and on hard-to-count individuals within the population.

The exercise is conducted once every 10 years and records information on everyone in the country.

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Last season’s beaten finalists Jamaica College (JC) cruised into the second round of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup competition with a comfortable 3-0 victory over St Jago High on matchday 22 on Friday.

In-form striker Kevaughn Wilson scored twice at Prison Oval in Spanish Town, taking his goal tally to seven goals from eight games while J’Havier Lynch scored JC’s third goal and his sixth of the season.

JC, the winningest school in the competition with 30 titles, became the highest-scoring team in this season with 47 goals and consolidated the top spot in Group B with 22 points. St Catherine High, which will be in action on Saturday, are second with 16 points.

However, it was a cruel blow to St Jago High in their quest to make the second round as they remained in third spot on 12 points and will have to win their remaining two games against lowly Holy Trinity High and bottom-placed St Mary’s College.

Over in Zone E, Wolmer’s Boys’ School also booked their spot in the second round with a 4-2 win over Hydel High. Both teams started the day battling for the second spot in the group to join Mona High in the next round.

Mona lead the group with maximum 24 points from eight games while Wolmer’s Boys moved to 18 points, four ahead of Hydel High on 14 , which now wait to see if they can advance as one of the four best third-place teams.

Camperdown High won 4-1 at Kingston High to be on 12 points in fourth spot and with one game remaining will be hoping to leapfrog third place Hydel High.

Camperdown are set to play bottom-place Papine High while Hydel High have the more difficult task of playing group leaders Mona High.

Over in Group C, Haile Selassie High advanced to the second round without taking the field, thanks to Tivoli Gardens which lost 1-0 to Charlie Smith High in the second game of a doubleheader at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Charlie Smith lead the group with 23 points and Haile Selassie remained in second with 17 points and are set to play Bridgeport High on Saturday.

Tivoli Gardens are third on 13 points with only one game remaining and they too will be waiting anxiously to see if they can advance as one of the best third-place teams.

Edith Dalton James jumped into fourth spot on 10 points with an exciting 3-2 win over Vauxhall High in the first game at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Rajeeve Clarke opened the scoring for Edith Dalton in the fourth minute before Kimarly Scott levelled the scores for Vauxhall in the 12th minute. Richardo Walker then handed Vauxhall a 2-1 lead by netting in the 20th minute.

Traves Campbell equalized for Edith Dalton in the 66th minute before Odane Lawrence found the winner with basically the last kick of the game in the 94th minute.

Friday’s results

Group BSt Jago 0 Jamaica College 3

Group CEdith Dalton 3 Vauxhall 2Charlie Smith 1 Tivoli 0

Group EKingston High 1 Camperdown 4Hydel 2 Wolmer’s 4

Saturday’s games (Home teams named first)

Group AMeadowbrook vs Calabar HighKC vs St George’s College at Stadium EastWaterford High vs Ardenne High

Group BSt Catherine High vs Cedar Grove Academy at Prison OvalSt Mary’s College vs Holy Trinity High

Group CHaile Selassie High vs Bridgeport High at Arnett Gardens Sports Complex

Group EMona High vs Papine High

Group FClan Carthy High vs Cumberland at Alpha InstituteCampion College vs Kingston TechnicalExcelsior High vs Jose Marti

All matches are scheduled to start at 3:30 pm.

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