Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Ansa McAl Ltd's chairman Norman Sabga said the conglomerate will be suspending dividend payments for the next three years in order to support the group's ambitious growth plans, strengthen its balance sheet and ensure financial flexibility. He made the announcement as part of the chairman’s statement on the 2024 audited financial statements. "We are confident that this reinvestment will yield far greater long-term benefits – enhancing our competitive position, expanding into new markets and unlocking new growth opportunities. "Moreover, we fully expect these efforts to drive significant appreciation in the company’s share price, ensuring that you – our valued shareholders – benefit from a stronger, more resilient and more valuable company. "The future of our company has never been brighter," he said. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eG2Ujy45

The Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC) in collaboration with the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation hosted its second Investor Education Community Outreach Roadshow at the Duranta Community Centre, Sangre Grande, on March 19. The roadshow aimed to educate the public in making wise financial and investment decisions. The theme of the event was Empowering Communities Through Financial Literacy and Investor Education. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e_WesE88

AS part of the government’s continued initiative to enhance the steelpan industry, the National Steelpan Steering Committee has launched the Pan Tuner Apprenticeship Programme. The launch took place at the Ministry of Trade's head office in Port of Spain, on March 21. Speaking at the launch, Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon said the two-year programme, at a cost of $1.95 million, will train 15 people between ages 17 and 35 with "prior steelpan playing experience in the meticulous craft of steelpan tuning which includes note marking, tempering and tuning." Read more: https://lnkd.in/ekNUEHE8

NATIONAL FLOUR MILLS (NFM) has come a long way since its beginnings in 1966. Back then it was called Trinidad Flour Mills. It had a staff of 28 people and provided one product, flour, to Trinidad and Tobago. Now, some 58 years later, NFM is not only a national institution that provides flour, feed, dry mix products, pet food, oil and a range of ginger teas, but it also has expanded to serve the region and several parts of the world. NFM, now 400 workers strong, exports to Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Dominica and parts of the Bahamas. Speaking with Business Day on March 19, NFM chairman Ashmeer Mohammed said the company plans to rise to even higher standards with a drive to continue its product innovation and improve efficiency by updating its machinery and investing in its people. Read more from the Business Day magazine in today's Newsday or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/epwwCqiy

THE "six-pack" in aviation refers to six essential flight instruments in an aircraft cockpit: the attitude indicator (AI), heading indicator (HI), turn co-ordinator, airspeed indicator (ASI), altimeter and vertical speed indicator (VSI). In the early days of aviation, pilots navigated from one point to another using rivers, roadways, hills and other landmarks that could be viewed from the air. This limited the pilot to fly by visual flight rules (VFR) only. This is a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions known as visual meteorological conditions (VMC) in which VFR flights are permitted once the pilot has a very clear view of the surrounding environment including terrain. Read more from the Business Day magazine in today's Newsday or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/eR3F2zuM

TRINIDAD and Tobago is celebrated for its rich diversity – its people, cultures and natural resources. Among these treasures lies an unheralded gem: the mud volcano. Recognising the unique potential of this natural phenomenon, The Mud Soap Co, a local business is centred on extracting and harnessing its remarkable properties. In 2015, US amended the Federal Food and Drug Act by passing the Microbead-Free Waters Act. This legislation prohibited the use of microbeads and microplastics in rinse-off personal care products, such as soaps and toothpaste, to reduce the environmental impact on soils and waterways. Read more from the Business Day magazine in today's Newsday or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/estZHnfb

SMALL and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in driving economic growth, yet many face significant challenges when accessing the financing needed for expansion. Despite various initiatives designed to address these challenges, capital remains a primary barrier for many SMEs. Let’s explore the key facts surrounding SME financing, focusing on the financial ecosystem, available funding options and emerging trends that shape the future of SME growth. Read more from the Business Day magazine in today's Newsday or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/eGUMjfYE

ERIC Solis Marketing Ltd (Solis) reported a profit after tax of $3.16 million for the third quarter of the financial year – an 80 per cent increase from the $1.75 million recorded for the same period in 2024. In its unaudited financial results published on the TT Stock Exchange website on March 14, Solis credited its performance to strong sales in its copier and printer division and an expanding footprint in commercial interiors. Read more from the Business Day magazine in today's Newsday or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/ehSxvCBm

MINISTER of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles-Robinson wants urgent action to address the region's growing environmental challenges. "The environmental crisis is not a future problem, it is here today," Beckles said in her opening address at a preparatory meeting for next month's Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions for the group of Latin America and the Caribbean (Grulac), at Hilton Trinidad, on March 18. She said the Caribbean plays a central role in shaping global environmental strategies, urging countries to collaborate more effectively. "Our future depends on our ability to act decisively and collectively." Read more from the Business Day magazine in today's Newsday or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/eiczvb9V

IN the largest private sector investment ever made by IDB Invest, a US$150 million financing package has been granted to Massy Group to support trade, food security and sustainable growth. The financing package includes a US$90 million long-term loan to upgrade Massy’s capital expenditure. IDB Invest and Massy Group announced this strategic partnership at a signing ceremony of the agreement at Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, on March 17. Read more from the Business Day magazine in today's Newsday or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/e7VNrGTN