NGC said the GNT was here to learn more about TT’s oil and gas industry, as the East African nation seeks to develop its unexploited offshore gas reserves amidst a slow-moving economic growth and low commodity prices.

In a release issued yesterday, NGC said, “The appeal of Tanzania’s 53.2 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas resources has brought intense competition among the global energy players.” NGC explained that Tanzania’s government, through its ministry of energy and minerals, has “opened discussions with International Oil Companies (IOCs) for the negotiation of a Host Government Agreement (HGA), with a view to developing an LNG project.” “Discussions began in September 2016 and the government of Tanzania constituted the GNT to meet with negotiating teams for the IOCs. To date, the IOCs and GNT have agreed to develop a term sheet separately in order to start negotiations which will develop the HGA.” The purpose of the June 28 visit to NGC’s Point Lisas head office was to “help the (GNT) team acquire knowledge and experience which will help to modify and develop a better term sheet.” NGC President, Mark Loquan and NGC Vice-President, Gas Transmission and Distribution, Ronald Adams, delivered a presentation to the GNT, “which spoke to both the NGC Group and NGC’s interest in LNG.” Also representing NGC Group were Verlier Quan Vie, Senior Manager, Commercial, NGC and Alvin Dookie, Vice-President, Business Development at Phoenix Park Gas Processors Limited.

NGC said Loquan noted that these study tours are important to NGC, as they cemented NGC’s new strategy – transforming its business, growing along the value chain, moving into other jurisdictions and becoming a global player through strategic partnerships.

NGC also expressed an interest in promoting not only itself but Trinidad’s service sector and academic institutions, “if value could be created in Tanzania’s critical stages of development.” NGC added, “The GNT expressed great interest in the gas model used in Trinidad, issues with respect to development of the gas model, infrastructural development for gas distribution and other elements such as LNG production, royalties and fiscal terms which in Trinidad are set by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries.” The GNT team was led by Professor James Mdoe, acting permanent secretary in Tanzania’s ministry of energy and minerals, who “thanked NGC for sharing its experience and extended an invitation to visit Tanzania.”

Mark asked if the Police Service is adequately equipped to prevent and solve such kidnappings.

Dillon replied, “The Commissioner of Police (CoP, Stephen Williams) has informed me that the Anti Kidnapping Squad, the Cyber Security Unit, the Task Force, the Criminal Investigation Department, working together with the Strategic Services Agency, are prepared to treat with issues pertaining to kidnapping in Trinidad and Tobago.” Mark asked about the status of Gregory Laing who was kidnapped yesterday, but Senate president Christine Kangaloo disallowed that question.

Mark asked Dillon if the various forces he had listed are properly resourced and are prepared to deal with any eruption of kidnapping.

Dillon replied, “I thought I had just answered the question.

Based on the advice of the Commissioner of Police the unit as I mentioned before – the Anti Kidnapping Squad, the Cyber Security Unit, the CID and the Task Force, and I also added to that the Strategic Services Agency – are prepared to treat with the issues of kidnapping in Trinidad and Tobago.”

“If you are so powerful, contribute something to a poor family.

Come and show some mercy to these people whose children cannot go to school, who are getting sick, who the rains have flooded out their homes.” R ama d h a r s i n g h issued the challenge through the media after Unicomer Courts distributed $50,000 worth of household appliances to some families in the Woodland area who lost stoves, beds, and fridges to flood waters last week.

“We call upon the people who have been spared. The businessmen.

The powerful interest groups in the community.

We call upon those powerful interest groups to show some mercy to south Trinidad. Come forward. Come from Port of Spain. See where Woodland is, where Debe is, where San Francique is.” Ramadharsingh said the goodwill of corporate Trinidad was the only salvation for affected communities as the regional corporation is under-resourced to alleviate all of the problems. Ramadharsingh also criticised the three-week processing time for the distribution of the $25 million relief fund that was approved by Cabinet to be given to storm victims for household repair.

“Applications are not being processed in an emergency format. They are being processed run of the mill, as if you are making an application on the basis of poverty.

That means that it may be months before these people get approval because those things have to be approved by a board in the ministry, the permanent secretary.

I am not sure that anyone who has a roof broken can wait to get a grant to repair that home.” Unicomer Courts gifted five stoves, five fridges, ten washing machines, and three microwaves to families living along Pluck Road, Woodland, whose homes were flooded out.

“I personally want to thank the councillor in the area, who came to my aid and helped me sandbag the river to ensure it didn’t flood my house again, at least for a little while,” said Imtiaz Baig, a Pluck Road resident whose home was flooded by three feet of water.

“I lost a stove, a couch set and a fridge. I am really grateful for the stove I’m getting today.”

Forbes helped her team capture the inaugural Colombian professional women league’s title with a 1-0 win over Atletico Huila on Saturday at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Camp?n in Bogota.

The two-legged final was played with Santa Fe defeating Atl?tico Huila 2-1 in the first encounter, for a 3-1 aggregate score, and qualifying for the 2017 Copa Libertadores Femenina.

The fan base in Colombia football is impressive and scores of supporters have been behind Forbes, grabbing opportunities for autographs and photographs, especially since the team’s success on the weekend.

One fan at the game was seen displaying a placard which read “We love you Kimika. I want your gloves.” Colombia’s league teams can field a maximum of eight foreigners, with players from Venezuela, Paraguay, Costa Rica and Panama alongside Forbes among players in the 18-team league.

The 26-year-old Forbes, born in Plymouth, Tobago, kept 10 clean sheets in 16 games for her club and has been a key part of the team’s campaign this year.

She was over the moon on Monday and deservedly so.

“I feel incredible and overwhelmed to be a part of history once again,” Forbes said.

“It is such an amazing feeling to play in the first professional women’s league in Colombia and to finish the league as part of the team that won the title. I was also the first goalkeeper to go five games without conceding a goal which they said was some form of record.

I am thrilled at the moment,” added Forbes who also enjoyed success with Paraguayan club Sportivo Limpeno last year.

“Football is the most beautiful sport in the world and hard work definitely pays off. I am very happy and thanking the Lord for blessing me with opportunity to play professionally and be part of such an amazing team.”

Yesterday during a Senate break, reporters met new Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Allyson West, a taxation specialist and attorney who up to recently authored Price Waterhouse Coopers’ (PWC) annual National Budget analysis.

West said she was reticent about party politics, but sees it as a way of making a meaningful contribution towards improving TT’s tax system.

“I appreciate that it is a very difficult ministry at a difficult time in the country’s life, so I have a tough task ahead of me, but I have quite a lot of experience in the tax area that will be my focus.

So I’m really hopeful that I can make a positive difference.” Asked if the public should be fearful that she is a tax expert, West laughed and replied, “No. My objective will be to ensure that taxes are properly and fairly applied. I really want to bring the concept of ‘service’ to the tax area and ensure that we recognise, the administration recognises, that the taxpayers are our clients, so we deal with them more efficiently, we give them their refunds but we collect the taxes that are due to the Government.” Asked if she was surprised by her appointment, West replied, “Yes and no. I have known the Prime Minister (Dr Keith Rowley) for quite some time, and I do know he appreciates my knowledge in the area, so that didn’t shock me. I was hoping to avoid a political post because I have shied away from politics all my life. But he said we need to get it done, so I accepted the job.

“I’m happy with the Ministry of Finance, but the position of Senator is not something I would have gravitated towards, but I was called to serve and I decided to take up the challenge.” Asked her first priorities after being sworn in as a minister today, she replied, “I will be gathering information.

I want to see where the Board of Inland Revenue is at, what their challenges are, what their approaches are and determine what we could do differently as soon as possible. We have to consider the issue of the Revenue Authority and where that goes but in the meantime we have what we have”.

West said she believes in the idea of the Revenue Authority, but hoped for better remuneration and meritorious promotions for tax officers to stem an exodus from the public service.

Asked her message to the general public, West said many demands are made on Government, that require revenues, adding, “I’d like the taxpayers to recognise that we all have a responsibility.

If we all play our part the burden is spread more evenly.

So, for example, the issue of increasing tax rates should not arise if everybody pays the correct amount of tax.” As to her background, West said she was the tax partner at PWC. “I’m an attorney at law. I’ve spent all my life working in tax, apart from a short stint in teaching. I worked at the Board of Inland Revenue as a State Counsel involved in things like attending court, defending the board’s position and prosecuting people. I was part of the implementation team for the VAT system.

“So I had a very interesting time at the board. I really enjoyed working there. I do have a commitment to the tax system and to see it working properly.

Then I left and joined Price Waterhouse Coopers, so I saw the other side.” Asked her motivating factor to accept the ministerial post, she said, “I’ve made several comments dealing with the Board of Inland Revenue over the past 20 years or so, that things could be done so much better, could be made easier. Some of our clients want to pay as least as possible, but most people will pay a fair amount of tax but they want fair treatment. “ West said that rather than complain, she had opted to help. “I will give it my all. I’m hopeful, to make a difference for change.”

In the process, the 17 year old Johnson became the first Trinidad and Tobago Woman International Master (WIM) title- holder, and is also the youngest person, from the English-speaking Caribbean, to achieve that feat.

Her performance also earned her a Woman Grand Master Norm – the first TT chess player to gain such a rank.

Three of these norms are needed to become a Woman Grand Master (WGM).

Gabriella’s brother, FM (FIDE Master) Joshua Johnson, earned the bronze medal in the Absolute section and obtained an International Master (IM) Norm.

In the Absolute Championship, FM Isaiah McIntosh, the TT Under-18 champ, finished fifth with 5.5 points, while national junior champ Alan-Safar Ramoutar had a tally of five points. And national Under-12 champion, Zara La Fleur, had a creditable performance in the female category.

Addressing the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities’ (NCPD) annual general meeting at the San Fernando City Auditorium, Harris Promenade on Wednesday night, Seebaran- Suite said there was a need for a national registry of persons with disabilities as this figure was not known locally.

She however surmised that there was approximately 15 per cent of the population or 180,000 persons with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago. “We have not yet mainstreamed people with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago,” she said, adding that the educational policy did not address the specific needs of children with disabilities.

Meanwhile, NCPD chairperson Shereen Baksh described the past year as “challenging” due to the centre’s limited financial resources, its monthly commitments and a “national economy rife with downsizing and retrenchment.” “While our national economy depends heavily on the energy sector and oil prices have not yet rebounded as expected, the threat of inadequate government funding is real,” Baksh, who is legally blind, said.

At 8.30 am, SRP David Alexis who is based at the Arima Police Station and his son Brent secured their house at Carib Homes, Cleaver Wood Arima and left. At 11 am neighbours observed smoke coming from the house and alerted police.

When officers responded they observed fire in one of the rooms of the house and alerted fire officers.

The same team of officers then observed that the house appeared to be ransacked and they coordinated an exercise which resulted in the three suspects being held a short distance away from the scene of the robbery and arson. According to reports, officers found the three suspects casually walking along the roadway with bags around their shoulders.

When they were confronted, the three suspects attempted to escape but were held. Inside the bags were the stolen bullet proof vest and police sweater along with a quantity of household items. The suspects were taken into custody and the items were later identified by two victims. Yesterday officers searched the homes of the suspects and discovered several other stolen items.

Fire officers were able to save the officers’ home from being gutted, restricting damage to one room.

While some responded favourably saying her new portfolio as Minister of Public Utilities will enable her to provide jobs for constituents, others described her as a non-performer with an unapproachable disposition.

Resident Rolston Baboolal, a vocal and involved member of the community, said Mc Donald’s new role augured well for government and the people.

“Marlene Mc Donald is one of the best MPs that I see who is really bright and bring forward many things to the Cabinet and also to the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” Baboolal told Newsday along Picadilly Street, mere footsteps away from Mc Donald’s constituency office.

He said as Public Utilities minister, Mc Donald will be able to assist unemployed youth in the troubled area.

“She will be able to take people behind the bridge and put them in places like WASA and T&TEC. I feel proud for my MP. I have a great love and understanding with her and I am glad she come back an MP.” Mc Donald, an attorney, had previously held the housing ministry portfolio after the PNM won the September 2015 general election.

Baboolal, who lives near to the Clifton Street Towers, dismissed the view that Mc Donald was a non-performer.

“She is a performer but people don’t understand the woman.

I deal personally with Marlene Mc Donald and I am telling you that she will be the next MP and political leader of the PNM.

“Once people listen to what she say, everybody will get work in the Port-of-Spain South area.” Fifteen months after she was relieved from the Cabinet for her alleged role in the approval of grants to the Calabar Foundation as Minister of Community Development under the former Patrick Manning administration as well as the issuing of a Housing Development Corporation home to her friend, Michael Carew – matters which were before the Integrity Commission – Mc Donald was returned to the Cabinet late on Wednesday, replacing Fitzgerald Hinds as Public Utilities minister.

Hinds has been appointed Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.

Speaking last Friday, Lawrence indicated that his team would be giving it absolutely everything to achieve the required results in the next set of matches. TT will host Honduras on September 1, and then travel to face Panama on September 5.

“At the moment we have got Honduras next and that is the key focus. Plain and simple we need to win the game. If we want to have any chance of qualifying for Russia, we need to win this game.

It’s not going to be easy because there are no easy games in World Cup qualifying but we are home and we need to take advantage of the situation. After we win this game then we need to win the next one against Panama, plain and simple,” Lawrence stated.

And as to why there should be that belief that TT can still get to Russia 2018, the former Wrexham FC player said, “If you want to take the positives from the games we played so far, you would like to say we have a good chance but it’s not going to be easy because Honduras are in the same position as us.

“ They know they need the points. They are going to come here well prepared and they are going to fight. We just need to ensure that we want it just a little bit more than them,” he added.

“We have to focus on the positives.

It’s not an easy thing and it’s not often we go to a place like Costa Rica and be able to come out of the game with more possession and more shots and having a performance where I thought we should have taken something away from the game, When you look back at the positives it gives you hope going into the next game. But we cannot afford to rest on these good things we have done, we have to keep progressing.” With his immediate focus being the men’s team when he came in to the job in late January, Lawrence still has his eyes on the overall development here.

“I’ve come in right in the middle of the campaign for Russia so I haven’t been able to go deep into how we are going to structure this but at some point I am going to be involved. I am going to have meetings with the youth team coaches. I’ve met with the zones recently because we have started the Under-13 programme. The idea is to try and bring everything into one so that we can have direction in our development process and not just try to create winning teams.

“We need to create our own philosophy. We need to be very strong in what we are going to do and believe in what we are going to do. I have brought on board coaches with me and we have worked together for the past fourand- a-half months or so. They have seen what I am trying to do and they have all bought into it.

The idea now is for it to spiral all the way down. The idea is for people to see there is progression and there is positive in what we are trying to do and then people will come on board and try to integrate it within their club.”