Skip to playerSkip to main content
CCNTV6
  • 6 months ago
The Prime Minister of India was bestowed this country's highest award

T&T's Prime Minister opted out of the CARICOM Heads of Governments Meeting

And the Ministry of Education reintroduced the announcement of the top ranking SEA students
Transcript
00:00In sport, table tennis sensation Chloe Fraser did it again as she struck gold at the world's
00:10table tennis contender series in Caracas, Venezuela. Fraser won the under-17 singles title in
00:16straight sets over Antigua, boosting her ranking as she gears up for the Junior Pan Am Championships.
00:23Before the under-17 girls singles title, Chloe Fraser teamed up with Gabriel John for the
00:30mixed doubles against the Venezuela, but luck was not on their side as they went down 3-1.
00:36After working her way up to the final, Chloe Fraser came up against Studi Kashyap of Antigua.
00:42She quickly got into her groove and took advantage of a few errors by her opponent. Still though,
00:48Kashyap kept it close. Maybe it was the pace of the match or just nerves.
00:53Fraser took the points though and the first to set 11-6.
01:04Fraser was up 6-2 in the second and there was nothing much Studi could do to stop her progression
01:10as she was playing catch-up.
01:22Fraser would go on to win that set 12-10 to go two sets up. She would need to win the
01:27third to seal the match. What would be the game plan now to solidify her place amongst
01:33the best in this region? Studi was not willing to hand it over easily either as she is coached
01:38by TNT's Elena Edwards. The Antiguan started off well, going 4-1 up, but could she continue
01:44to outsmart her opponent? Fraser, who plays in France, didn't have to do much to get back
01:50into this match as Studi began to stutter under pressure.
01:55The Crusaders player was searching for that two-point lead as victory became closer in sight. And
02:03she got it. 10-8. And one more point needed for the win. Her opponent pulled a point back.
02:08But this is the moment. Fraser won the WTT under-17 female crown.
02:22Fraser securing gold in the girls under-17 singles category. Point secured as she is likely to climb
02:30from her 245th Youth World Ranking. A memorable title in Caracas and a possible sign of things to come
02:38for a female national table tennis player aiming to create history by going to the Youth Olympics.
02:44Sergio Dufour, TV6 Sport.
02:53And that's a wrap on the past seven days on 6. I am Renessa Cutting. If you didn't catch this segment in
03:00its entirety, you can find it on our website, www.tv6tnt.com. And you can find all these stories
03:08and more on the TV6 mobile app. Thanks for choosing TV6 and do have a great evening.
03:30Good evening and welcome to the past seven days on 6. I am Renessa Cutting. Here's what made the news
03:54this past week. The Prime Minister of India was bestowed this country's highest award. TNT's Prime
04:01Minister opted out of the Karakam Heads of Government meeting and the Ministry of Education reintroduced
04:07the announcement of the top-ranking SEA students. As per usual, if it was happening, it was on 6th.
04:15Let's get right into it. Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi, was awarded the Order of the Republic of
04:22Trinidad and Tobago last week, this nation's highest civilian honor. The recognition was
04:29announced by Prime Minister Kamala Fassad-Bissessa, who hailed Prime Minister Modi's visit as a moment
04:35of shared pride and deep historical connection. The award was presented to Prime Minister Modi for
04:42his influential global leadership, close ties with the Indian diaspora, and humanitarian contributions
04:48during the COVID-19 pandemic. During his speech, the Prime Minister expressed a heartfelt gratitude to
04:55the people of TNT for conferring upon him the nation's highest award, saying the award symbolizes
05:02a deep external friendship between the two countries. I accept this award on behalf of the people of India,
05:09as it is a matter of collective pride for all 1.4 billion Indians. Friends, this award is being
05:17conferred on a foreign leader for the very first time, and this reflects the exceptional depth of our
05:23special relationship. The ties between India and Trinidad and Tobago are rooted in our shared history
05:30and cultural heritage. The Prime Minister urged the Indian community in TNT to preserve the traditions,
05:36culture and customs shared between the two nations. President Kangaluji and Prime Minister Kamalaji
05:44are the biggest band ambassadors of this community. Cultural connections between our two nations
05:50are visible in every nook and corner. Our relationship carries the excitement of cricket
05:57and the flavor of Trinidad pepper. When the rhythms of the calypso meet the treats of the tabla,
06:08our relationship becomes an exquisite symphony. The deep cultural connect between our two peoples
06:15is one of the greatest strengths of our partnership. Modi said he also saw the ORTT as yet another reason to
06:23further strengthen the relationship between both countries. For India, Trinidad and Tobago is not
06:30just an important partner in CARICOM, but also a very vital global partner. Our partnership holds great
06:38significance for the entire global south. As two vibrant democracies, we will continue to work together
06:46for the well-being of not just our own people, but also for the greater good of humanity. Prime Minister Moody
06:53is on his second leg of his five-nation tour. The tour marks his first visit to Trinidad and Tobago as
06:59Prime Minister. Charlotte Kisto, TV6 News.
07:06While during the two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, the government of India signed the sixth
07:11memoranda of understanding with the government of TNT. Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign
07:19and Caricom Affairs, Nicholas Morris, presents the bilateral agreement signed between India and Trinidad
07:25and Tobago. In a fitting culmination to this visit, the government of Trinidad and Tobago is pleased to
07:32announce the exchange of six memoranda of understanding between the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the
07:38Republic of India. These MOUs reflect our shared commitment to deepening bilateral relations
07:44cooperation across a wide range of areas that are vital to our multi-mutual development and prosperity.
07:52The first one involves the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, which is an autonomous institution
07:58of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India, which sets standards for all drugs that are
08:04manufactured, sold and consumed in India. The MOUs are as follows. A memorandum of understanding signed
08:11between the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare India,
08:17and the Ministry of Health Trinidad and Tobago on Pharmacopoeia Corporation. The second is a grant
08:22program. Indian grant assistance for the implementation of quick impact projects, which will support initiatives
08:30not limited to infrastructure upgrades such as roads, education, health, sanitation. The government of
08:36India will provide grant financing on assistance for up to US$50,000 with a maximum of five projects
08:43per financial year. The third memorandum involves cooperation on diplomatic training between the
08:50Ministry of External Affairs in India and the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs here in TNT.
08:57The two countries also signed an MOU for Corporation and Sport, though no further details were given.
09:04The final memoranda will see the expansion for cultural exchanges and studies.
09:10For cultural exchanges between the government of India and the government of Trinidad and Tobago for the
09:15period 2025 to 2028. And MOU number six, a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the Indian
09:23Council for Cultural Relations, Chair of Hindi and Indian Studies at the University of the Westernies,
09:29Trinidad and Tobago. The Parliamentary Secretary heralds the agreements as beneficial for both countries.
09:36The commitments outlined in these MOUs reflect our shared vision of progress, prosperity and partnership.
09:42In this presentation, you'll also see a presentation of sweets on Mithai from the Honour Prime Minister Kamala
09:49Passat-Bissessa to Sri Narendra Modi, which represents the success of this visit.
09:56In other news, Caricom leaders are in Jamaica for the 49th Heads of Government meeting,
10:02but Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissessa is not in attendance.
10:08According to the agenda on Caricom's website, Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamala
10:15Passat-Bissessa was carded to be a featured speaker at the opening ceremony of the 49th
10:21Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Jamaica. However, a media release from the Ministry of
10:26Foreign and Caricom Affairs confirms that the Prime Minister will not attend the event. Instead,
10:32Minister Sean Sobers will lead a delegation, which includes Minister of Homeland Security,
10:37Roger Alexander, to participate in the meeting. No reason has been given for the Prime Minister's
10:44absence. The media release notes, however, that Passat-Bissessa has sent written greetings
10:49to Caricom Chairman and Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, and briefed her ministers on the
10:56critical role of relations between Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean community. But former
11:02Foreign Affairs and Caricom Minister Dr. Amy Brown believes the Prime Minister's absence will only
11:08reflect poorly on Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago holds lead responsibility within the
11:16Caricom Quasi Cabinet for issues of regional security and energy. And both of those thematic areas
11:26really require leadership and regional coordination at this time. The Prime Minister should be present.
11:35Her decision to send two new ministers, Minister Sean Sobers and Minister Roger Alexander,
11:42at this critical time, must be regarded as a poor decision. And as a founding member of Caricom,
11:51we really should ensure that we are represented at the highest level. Brown believes the Prime Minister's
11:59attendance is particularly paramount, given the recent change in government. A full two months after the
12:07government was elected in Trinidad and Tobago. It's an important opportunity to network and interact
12:16at the heads of government level with peers and other prime ministers and presidents within the region.
12:24These opportunities only come once every six months with regard to a heads of government meeting.
12:32We are sending the wrong signals. We had to a quick break. We'll have more news when we return.
12:46Welcome back. The results of the SEA exam were released last week and 66% of the over 17,000
12:54students who wrote the exam attained 50% or more in this year's exam. According to Education Minister Dr. Michael
13:02Dowlath, about one-third of the students got under 50%, while around 2,082 students scored below 30%.
13:12During a ceremony at the Education Ministry's head office on Friday, the top five performers were revealed,
13:18though not ranked in any particular order, as placements may change in the event of reviews.
13:24For now, the ministry revealed the top five performing students, three males and two females, as
13:31Nicholas Dolly, an autistic child of the Shugwanis Government Primary School,
13:36Kailash Dayal Singh from Exchange Presbyterian, Ashlyn Ramkisun from Jordan Hill Presbyterian Primary,
13:44Sandhya Maharaj from Makolay Government Primary, and 11-year-old home-school student Xavier Talisford.
13:51Minister Dowlath congratulated all the students on the culmination of their hard work, saying,
13:58there were overall improvements to mathematics and English language arts, while there was a slight
14:04decrease in the performance for creative writing. He says even though the SEA is a high-stakes exam,
14:10which determines which school a child is placed in, every school is equipped with trained educators,
14:17ready to work with the nation's children.
14:20We want to recognize excellence. So after the reviews have taken place in a couple of weeks,
14:30we will publish the list of the top 200 students from the SEA exams. Those students who have demonstrated
14:39academic excellence and will be an inspiration to the peers and to this nation.
14:46While mixed reactions came in from education stakeholders the day prior on receiving the news
14:52that the announcement and recognition of the top SEA performers were being reintroduced
14:57after the initiative was scrapped in 2022.
15:0020-25 will see the return of the public announcement and recognition of top-performing SEA students
15:08after the initiative was cancelled under the former PNM administration. A release from the Ministry of
15:14Education today indicates that it will host a recognition and awards ceremony on Friday,
15:20one day after results are released. The move is being welcomed by the President of the National
15:26Parent Teacher Association, Walter Stewart, who is also making the following recommendation.
15:32National Parent Teacher Association applauds the reintroduction of the public recognition of the top SEA
15:40students as this demonstrates the acknowledgement that hard work pays. This significant gesture also
15:49will motivate and provide a level of pride not only to the current crop of students,
15:56students, but would also serve as an inspiration to future students who will aspire to replicate
16:02and match their success as well as surpass the success of the current crop. It is important to note,
16:10however, that accolades such as this one should not only be bestowed on the top national students,
16:17but similar public recognition and acknowledgement should also be afforded to students of each education
16:24district so as to ensure equity and encourage that spirit of district pride. Meantime, Tita says while
16:32it supports the recognition of excellence, the SEA is not the best means of assessment for students.
16:39The association is also calling for greater attention to be placed on the students at the other end of the
16:45spectrum. While we celebrate these students, we must never forget those who did not achieve the ranges
16:55that are perceived to be high achievers. We must have intervention and meaningful intervention for those
17:02who are at average marks or at the other end of the spectrum. Standardized tests are not the ideal
17:12metrics to evaluate our students and the education system, but unfortunately, these standardized tests
17:21are accepted in our society and our education system. However, the National Primary Schools
17:28Principals Association is reserving comment on the matter. The National Primary School Principals Association
17:35which is to clarify that the Ministry of Education has not engaged the Association in any discussion
17:42regarding the proposed reintroduction of an awards program for SEA students. Such initiatives fall solely
17:50within the remit of the Ministry of Education and the Honorable Minister, and we await any formal
17:56communication on the matter. NAPSFA takes this opportunity to congratulate all students
18:02students and their parents who participated in the SEA examination in 2025. We are proud of all of their
18:09dedication and perseverance and we wish them every success as they begin this new chapter in this
18:16secondary school and beyond. Both tutors and the NPTA also had no formal notification of the decision.
18:25This is the past seven days on six. We'll be right back.
18:35Thanks for staying with us. Scores of former CPEP employees demanded answers from the government
18:41over the recent termination of hundreds of contracts, which led to the dismissal of thousands of workers.
18:48Termination letters to over 300 CPEP contractors on Friday left over 10,000 of their employees on the bread
18:57line. I used to work CPEP. It's no more. I would like to get an answer of what and when and why.
19:06Why they do us that? Because they know that we are poor people in this country. We have lives too. We have bills too.
19:13Many are left in a place of uncertainty. They've heard talk of being rehired pending the outcome
19:19of an audit, but no one knows for sure. On Wednesday, contractors and their employees
19:24walked to the CPEP head office in St. Madeleine in protest, demanding answers and hoping to be rehired.
19:31As much as we love people like to say, it's small money. The same small money was doing something for
19:38the children. It was feeding them. It was doing something. Let me tell you something. That spoon,
19:45it might not be a pot spoon, but that little teaspoon, it's doing something.
19:48I want to know when will we get to mark the CPEP work and how soon and how sure this is for us.
19:56You see all these people have seen here? Nobody here is begging. They're standing for what they're
20:01working for for the past umpteen years, couple of years. We ain't say we don't want a handout.
20:08We want the job that we signed up for. The promise of a final one-month payment
20:13by the minister, they say, will do little to nothing for families, especially those with
20:18children and upcoming book lists needed for school.
20:29On reaching the front steps of the building, workers called out to officials inside, hoping
20:34to get clarification. But none came. Members of the media attempted to speak with CPEP's CEO,
20:40Keith Eddy, but were told they could not enter the building.
20:44Hi, were you told that members of the media can't enter the CPEP building?
20:49Good day, Ms. Security. Good day.
20:57All right, so let me go.
21:01So is the door locked now?
21:03Shortly afterwards, a senior operations officer at CPEP said he contacted the CEO who informed him
21:16he could not at that time speak with media personnel and that he was seeking advice. CPEP, which was
21:23previously under the Ministry of Local Government, has been moved to the Ministry of Public Utilities.
21:28Line Minister Barry Padarath says the move to terminate contractors will facilitate a much-needed
21:35thorough review and audit of CPEP. He says it was uncovered that the last administration approved
21:42hundreds of contracts days and weeks before the general election. We spoke with a few such
21:48contractors on Wednesday who called the terminations unfair, saying it might have been politically motivated.
21:55When all this unjust taken place, UNC Padarath got a conscience. Yes, this was a political thing, yes.
22:04Were you campaigning to any political party prior to the election?
22:08All of us was campaigning for political party.
22:11Minister Padarath says CPEP hires contractors and the contractors hire workers. However,
22:17the government has approved a final one-month payment to the terminated contractors, money from which,
22:23he says, it is expected they do what is right and give workers a salary to cover the month of July.
22:30Cindy Ragumar Chika Singh, TV6 News.
22:35In a surprising twist, CPEP is to take legal action against one contractor who had initially threatened to
22:42sue the company over a terminated contract. The case is being handled by Freedom Law Chambers,
22:48which is headed by Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan.
22:52After threatening legal action against the CPEP Company Limited,
22:57one contractor may have to pay CPEP's legal costs after withdrawing the challenge.
23:02According to Freedom Law Chambers, which is headed by Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan,
23:07Lawyers acting on behalf of the contractor served an urgent application for an injunction against CPEP
23:14on July 3rd, only to withdraw the pre-action after Freedom Law Chambers was already retained
23:20and had already responded to the action. Freedom Law Chambers says its clan is not surprised by the
23:26decision to withdraw the claim because it was, quote, clearly filed with ulterior political motives in
23:32mind and lacked legal merit. Their correspondence goes on to state, quote, the PNM, having presided over
23:40the dismissal and termination of thousands of workers during its time in government from 2015 to 2025,
23:48knew or ought to have known that there is no lawful justification for bringing such a claim.
23:54The law firm is now seeking to recover legal costs incurred in the case on behalf of CPEP.
23:59The law chambers further notes that the contractor has benefited over $7 million over the course of
24:06seven years and claims there have been several flagrant breaches of the laws. Freedom Law Chambers
24:12says it intends to draw this to the attention of the relevant authorities to determine whether criminal
24:18charges and prosecution should ensue. And all contractors under the National Reforestation
24:25and Watershed Program were terminated last week with a midget effect, according to reports that amounts
24:31to 4,608 people under that program who are now placed on the breadline.
24:39A notice dated July 2nd was sent out to contractors of the National Reforestation and Watershed Program
24:46by the Ministry of Rural Development and local government informing them of their immediate termination.
24:51The notice to at least one contractor stated that payment in lieu of 30 days notice
24:56will be processed and remitted. It also gave a direction for all property belonging to the ministry
25:03to be returned within a period of seven days after receiving the notice.
25:07Public Relations Officer of the People's National Movement and former Minister of Local Government
25:12Faris Alrawi says the party received information of that nature last Sunday and on July 1st,
25:19the manager of the reforestation program was dismissed.
25:22And today at Wednesday, the CEO of the forestry division was instructed by the Minister of Finance
25:33Finance as Corporation Soul to dismiss immediately all forestry contractors. That was met with the same
25:45formula approach used in CPEP. When compounded, Alrawi says nearly 20,000 people are on the breadline.
25:52In less than two months of the UNC's government, you now have 19,810 unemployed, fire not renewed, 10,700 CPEP workers, 4,608 forestry workers, 140 change agents in rural development ministry, 400 workers at WASA, 700 workers being COVID employees as we are told,
26:21from the RHAs, I won't name which one because people are fearful of being whistleblowers, another 900 at another RHA.
26:31Added to that, Alrawi says, 10 executives of WASA, 10 at the Office of the Attorney General and the Central Bank Governor, Dr. Alvin Hilaire.
26:42He states that it comprises direct termination and the non-renewal of contracts.
26:47But I add to that, 2,341 interns at the HDC.
26:54Alrawi says it is a very unusual situation in that the instructions are coming from the Minister of Finance as Corporation Soul to the various CEOs to terminate workers.
27:05He further believes that the UNC's allegations to which these actions are being taken are unsubstantiated.
27:12How does a minister of government come to the population and give facts with no space or time for investigation?
27:21It is beyond the laws of physics for anybody to come and tell us that they could have come to a conclusion in law based upon facts within two days of being in government or one week of being in government.
27:35The opposition is calling it tyranny and says it will be taking action.
27:40There will be further action. There will be legal action. There will be other forms of engaged, responsible action by the opposition.
27:48But today is the day that you know it's not yellow is the code, but yellow is the curse because it has to be a curse.
27:55Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
27:59Sports is up next. Keep it here.
Be the first to comment
Add your comment