As a gift to the Hindu community for Divali, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last night announced a 20 per cent discount on flour, rice and oil. Speaking at the annual Divali celebrations at her Penal constituency office, Persad-Bissessar said the discount will take effect from Tuesday until Divali, which will be celebrated on Thursday.
The PM said similar to what was done on other occasions and in keeping with this Government’s goal to make food more affordable, the following National Flour Mills products will be discounted. The products include:
•Ibis all-purpose flour (2 kg and 10 kg)
•Hibiscus all-purpose flour (2 kg and 10 kg)
•Lotus all-purpose, whole wheat, bakers and cake flour (2 kg and 10 kg)
•Five Roses all-purpose flour (2 kg and 10 kg)
•Lotus soya bean oil (all sizes–500ml, 900ml, 1.5 L, 3L, 5L and 17.25L)
•Lotus rice (all sizes)
•Cuisine all-purpose flour (2 kg)
•Club select all-purpose flour (10 kg)
‘Be Ebola vigilant at ports of entry’
Meanwhile, as the nation faces the threat of Ebola, the PM called on all those who guard the nation’s ports of entry to be vigilant, as one case of Ebola will be disastrous for T&T. “We must be vigilant more than ever. We must be our brother’s keeper. We must not allow Ebola to enter our country. While we may say that this disease has a remote chance of coming here, we must not let our guard down.
“Those persons who stand guard at our borders and ports of entry must remain vigilant. The world has stood up and is coming together to fight this disease. Let us be part of that team that is focused on keeping Ebola away from our shores.
“Many among us would say that today Trinidad and Tobago and the global community are plagued by grave darkness. And that darkness is taking many forms —the darkness of terrorism, disease, abuse, injustice, inequality, poverty and hunger, natural disasters, and the negative effects of climate change. The PM noted the darkness right here in T&T. “We have the darkness of crime, and in particular the murders. We now have a new darkness—Ebola, which is threatening the world.”
PM calls on Maharaj to end hunger strike
The PM also called on highway supporter Ravi Balgobin Maharaj to end his fast. Maharaj continues his fast to counter the hunger strike by environmental activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh. “I call upon Ravi Maharaj, I do believe he is indeed truly fasting, I call upon him to end his hunger strike for your life is more important.” She told him to put his faith in the rule of the law and God Almighty.
“According to the rule of law, construction of the highway will proceed and we will all benefit from the highway.”