News Briefs

Steer Town tense following double murder

The St Ann community of Steer Town remains tense following an incident in which two male residents were killed at a beach in Mammee Bay in the parish on Sunday.

Following the attack, WhatsApp messages have been circulated heightening fears of a reprisal.

Yesterday, administrators at the Steer Town Academy and Steer Town Primary and Junior High kept their doors closed out of precaution. The schools are expected to reopen today.

The St Ann Divisional Commander Senior Superintendent Calvin Small says there is an increased presence in the area and that the police will remain there as long as it is necessary.

Lime Hall Division Councillor Genevor Gordon Bailey is appealing to residents to remain calm.

J’can appointed to fill 14-year judgeship vacancy

RALEIGH, NC (AP):

The United States’ longest federal court vacancy ended last Thursday after nearly 14 years of foot-dragging and politics as the US Senate confirmed a university professor to a North Carolina trial court seat in a bipartisan vote.

The chamber voted 68-21 to confirm Richard E. Myers, a former journalist-turned-attorney and law professor, to the US District Court vacancy in eastern North Carolina. The vote belied the volatile politics of past years as nominees came and went – one several times – across three presidential administrations.

Born in Jamaica, Myers grew up in North Carolina and worked at the Wilmington Morning Star in the early 1990s. He earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina’s School of Law in Chapel Hill and has been a professor there. He previously clerked at the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and was a federal prosecutor in both California and later North Carolina.

T&T introduces new $100 bill to tackle financial crimes

PORT OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

The central bank of Trinidad and Tobago has acknowledged that there would be a temporary disruption to the local economy as it puts into circulation a new $100 bill (J$2,078.80) aimed at dealing with money laundering and other crimes within the financial sector.

The new bill goes into circulation today and the old bill would no longer be legal tender as of December 31. The new polymer TT$100 bill is being distributed to commercial banks Monday.

Central bank Governor Dr Alvin Hilaire said that other adjustments would be made to other notes in circulation.

“We do know that we don’t have a general counterfeiting problem, but again, we know the highest denomination, the $100 bill, has been more susceptible over the last few months and we have actually noticed the bleaching … ,” he said.

Last week, National Security Minister Stuart Young said the new polymer bill will be harder to counterfeit and would also undermine the use of stored cash to fund criminal activity.

Dominica opposition says election was ‘rigged’

ROSEAU (CMC):

The leader of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP), Lennox Linton, has said that the December 6 general election was “rigged” said his party would not recognise the results of the polls and is calling for fresh general election in Dominica.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit was sworn into office last Saturday for a fourth consecutive term, hours after he led his ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) to a sweeping 18-3 victory in the election on Friday.

In a Facebook address to supporters, Linton, who was one of the three successful UWP candidates, said even though the party had taken its concerns to the regional and international election observer teams monitoring the polls, nothing had been done to ensure a free and fair election in Dominica.

He accused the DLP of chartering flights to bring home Dominicans to vote in the election.

‘We will not going to recognise this government because it is the result of a stolen government. That’s where we stand. We in the United Workers Party consider that the three seats that we hold were properly won because they had nothing to do with bribing or bringing in any overseas votes,” Linton added.