$5

Sunday, December 24, 2023 GUARDIAN OF THE PEOPLE No 40219 guardian.co.tt

PRINCESS PERFORMS
This snow princess
entertains patrons at the
Joel John concert, Gulf City
Mall, La Romain, yesterday.
PICTURE INNIS FRANCIS

TRINI COPS
FOR TOBAGO TTPS sends reinforcements to keep
peace on the island after crime surge
Chamber still wants emergency
meeting with CoP
Police Commissioner
Erla Harewood- Christopher PAGE 5 T&T Chamber of Commerce
Tobago Division chairman Curtis Williams

Daughters SPECIAL REPORT

name single dad Open wounds for families this Christmas ...
‘Father of
the Year’ 595 PEOPLE STILL MISSING
PAGE 3 PAGES 6-9
2 Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

3 Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
The
News
Digest
Today’s stories
in capsule
OPINION
Reasons,
resources,
and rituals
Economics texts list
land, labour, capital and
entrepreneurship as the
factors of production. But
neither land nor capital can
do anything by themselves.
They both need people to
envision a future and to take
action to make that vision a
reality. The term “labour” is
a relic of a bygone era that
economic theory has not ...
Mariano Browne
Page 15
‘Discipline is key to success’
Single dad not sparing the rod and spoiling the child
SHALIZA HASSANALI
Senior Investigative Reporter
shaliza.hassanali@guardian.co.tt
As a single father of twin girls,
Keston Ettienne, 50, believes in
discipline.
The father of the 13-year-old
girls—Shantai and Sheimia—keeps
them off social media.
Ettienne, who lives with his
girls in their humble home in
Laventille, said he shows the girls
right from wrong.
“They can’t come with non-
sense around me,” he told the
Sunday Guardian in an interview
last Tuesday. The twins came
to the national spotlight after
their school, Rose Hill Primary,
grabbed headline news last year
for the rapid gunfire it faced by
warring gangs in the community.
The bullets that ripped through
the school’s walls disrupted
classes and frightened the pupils
who had to dart under chairs and
tables to safeguard themselves.
During those challenging times,
Ettienne, a part-time cleaner at
the school, ensured his girls fo-
cused on their schoolwork.
Growing up, Ettienne said, his
father never spared the rod and
spoiled his children.
“I get licks as a child when I did
something wrong. It did not kill
LEAD STORY NEWS
Tobago Police Division Penal/Debe
INSIDE YOUR GUARDIAN
555
gets reinforcements
Police officers from Trinidad have
chairman dies after
ailing for weeks
been sent to Tobago to provide A few days shy of his 64th
reinforcements to the Tobago birthday, the chairman of the
Division to increase safety and Penal/Debe Regional Corporation WEATHER
security on the island during the Diptee Ramnath passed away
Christmas season and beyond. after ailing for some time. FAIR
Residents and the business Between 2003 and 2010, Fair to partly
community were left horrified by Ramnath had been the sole PNM cloudy
the number of murders recorded
in Tobago in under 24 hours last
councillor in the history of the
Penal/Debe Corporation—the
conditions with
week, pushing the island’s toll to
13 so far for 2023.
jewel among the UNC stronghold
corporations. In an immediate
a few, brief light
to moderate
On Tuesday a Signal Hill woman response, Opposition Leader showers.
was found dead in a drain in Mt Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she
Piarco Max 31°C Min 24°C
Irvine. Less than 24 hours later ...
—Page 5
was saddened by Diptee’s ...
—Page 13 Crown Point Max 31°C Min 25°C
Santa’s YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
10.30 am: 30 (House Cat)
helper
1 pm: 23 (House)
4 pm: 9 (Cattle)
7 pm: 31 (Parson Wife)
10.30 am: 20, 25
1 pm: 30, 17
4 pm: 35, 22
7pm: 20, 5
Quote of the Day 10.30 am: 7, 2, 2, 3
1 pm: 0, 1, 8, 4
“Blessed is the season 4 pm: 7, 9, 8, 1
7 pm: 6, 3, 8, 4
which engages the
whole world in a 4, 7, 13, 15, 18 M: 3
Leslie-Ann Burnette-Alexander takes a photo with Santa, while shopping conspiracy of love.”
at Stumpy’s Emporium, Canaan, Tobago, yesterday. 3, 8, 13, 14, 28
PICTURE VINDRA GOPAUL — Hamilton Wright Mabie PB: 9 M: 3
me. It made me a better person.”
Ettienne has followed in his fa-
ther’s footsteps by disciplining his
twins.
“Daddy used to beat really bad.
Oh my God. That was when we
were in primary school,” Sheimia
remembered.
“I does beat bad. I doh play
that. I is old school, the right thing
is the right thing,” Ettienne inter-
jected.
“Remember it is all about disci-
pline and respect. Nobody can’t
come and tell me how to deal with
my children because I minding
them. I don’t want no spoil chil-
dren. I want my girls to be decent
and to succeed. All I ask of them
is to be high achievers.”
Ettienne feels the Government
should bring back corporal pun-
ishment in schools while parents
should ban children from social
media.
“My girls are not on Facebook
at all. They are not of age for that,
so certain problems I don’t have.
Don’t get twisted, children must
be children. When you make
them get big too fast you in trou-
ble.”
Stating that society was decay-
ing because of children’s disre-
spect for parents, teachers and
Laventille single dad Keston Ettienne hugs his twin daughters Shantai, left, and Sheimia at their home in Rose Hill,
Continues on Page 11 Laventille, last week. Ettienne was named 'Father of the Year' by his daughters last week. PICTURE NICOLE DRAYTON
4 Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Tobago Police Division
gets reinforcements
... officers from Trinidad sent to help keep order on the island
ELIZABETH GONZALES AND
RHONDOR DOWLAT
Police officers from Trinidad have
been sent to Tobago to provide
reinforcements to the Tobago
Division to increase safety and
security on the island during the
Christmas season and beyond.
Residents and the business
community were left horrified by
the number of murders recorded
in Tobago in under 24 hours last
week, pushing the island’s toll to
13 so far for 2023.
On Tuesday, a Signal Hill
woman was found dead in a drain
in Mt Irvine. Less than 24 hours
later, police responded to a dou-
ble murder in Crown Point. By
Friday, two men were injured in
a drive-by shooting.
After an alleged member of a
Tobago Sixx Gang was shot and
killed at the Crown Point estab-
lishment, a release issued by the
T&T Police Service’s Head of Hom-
icide Snr Supt Rishi Singh said po-
lice were preparing for possible
reprisals.
Guardian Media was told that
whilst the number of officers will
not be disclosed because of the
sensitivity of the operation, mem-
bers of the Inter-Agency Task Force
and Guard and Emergency Branch
from Trinidad are part of the oper-
ations currently in Tobago.
Officers conducted a mobile/
foot patrol in the downtown Scar-
borough area yesterday where
several vehicles and people were
stopped and searched however,
nothing illegal was found.
These exercises will continue
across the island.
The exercise was spearheaded
by ACPs Collis Hazel, Kelvern
Thompson, coordinated by Snr
Supts Roger Alexander, Earl Ellie,
Michael Jackman, Supts Dave
Spence, Rodcliffe Kirk, supervised
by ASP Ramesar and included
Insp Forbes, Cpls Wallace, Tobias
and PCs Balkaran, Smith, King, De
Coteau, Babwah and Basso.
Business community
horrified, says CoP must
visit the island in January
Meanwhile, Tobago’s business
community is still calling for an ur-
gent meeting with Commissioner
of Police Erla Harewood-Christo-
pher as the island’s murder rate
reached a record high last week.
Chairman of the Trinidad and
Tobago Chamber of Industry and
Commerce, Tobago Division Cur-
tis Williams told Guardian Media
the situation is frightening and
that crime has cost Tobago mil-
lions in losses in 2023.
Williams said the business com-
munity was left horrified by the
number of murders recorded in
Tobago in under 24 hours push-
ing the island’s toll to 13 for 2023.
Williams said, “I need to see the
Police officers on the streets of Tobago yesterday.
PICTURE COURTESY PC KESHAV BABWAH
Man charged with murder
of Mt Irvine woman
A Patience Hill man is expected to
appear before a Scarborough Magistrate
charged with the murder of 39-year-old
Jannelle Sowe-Thomas.
Police charged the man on Friday
afternoon following advice from the
Director of Public Prosecutions. He is
expected to appear before the court on
Wednesday morning.
Sowe-Thomas would have celebrated
her 40th birthday on that day with
close friends and family, but instead,
investigators spent the day closing the
case to have a suspect charged with her
death.
Police suspect a domestic dispute
may have been the motive behind the
murder. Sowe-Thomas of Signal Hill was
doused with gasoline and set on fire in
Mt Irvine on December 19.
The man reportedly walked into the
commissioner of police in January.
She needs to be in Tobago in Jan-
uary because we have to set the
pace for this island and we need
the commissioner to be on board
with it. She never visited Tobago
on an official basis to see the stake-
holders and business community,
so we are pleading with the com-
missioner of police, yuh need to
be in Tobago in January. Let’s start
the year on a good foot.”
Williams said the business com-
munity was uncomfortable with
the criminal elements and activi-
ties. This, he said, has been creep-
ing into Tobago for some time.
“We want the commissioner,
we want the head. We don’t want
the ACP. We want to have mean-
ingful dialogue, not promises.
She can share some of her objects
and proposals that she may have
for the island because dealing
with crime in Tobago as well as in
Trinidad is two different things.
Tobago is unique and we need to
set a proper plan.”
The chamber will write to the
commissioner on January 1, ask-
ing for the meeting.
“We (the business community)
have been hit by crime. I myself
have been a victim of it in the
Crown Point area suffering thou-
sands of dollars in losses and just
the trauma my employees faced,
it amounts up to hundreds of
Shirvan Police Station and confessed
before taking officers to Gleneagles
Drive, where he allegedly left Sowe-
Thomas’s body in a drain.
Sowe-Thomas was Tobago’s 11th
murder victim for 2023. In a brief
conversation, Sowe-Thomas’ mother,
Moureen, told Guardian Media she has
been having a hard time coping with
her daughter’s death. She is not sure
how to feel about the news that a man
known to the family has been charged
with her murder. However, she said it
was justice for the family.
The family will be present at the
Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on
Wednesday for the hearing.
She said celebrating her daughter’s
birthday without her was devastating.
“I cannot talk about it right now. I
don’t even know what to say. Every time
I talk about it my head gets hot. I don’t
know. Her sisters would like to go to
the court, but I would not be able to
go. It’s hard.”
Two men shot in Carnbee
Meanwhile, two men were warded
at the Scarborough General Hospital
on Friday night after gunmen shot at
them in Carnbee #1.
CCTV footage showed the men
were sitting in a dark area along the
pavement just after 11 pm when a
silver car pulled alongside them. Two
armed men jumped out and shot at
them several times.
Police told Guardian Media that
Ajanie Alleyne and Kishawn McDonald
were shot in the buttocks, leg, and
penis. The men escaped on foot before
the gunmen returned to the car and
sped off.
Guardian Media understands the
car allegedly involved in the shooting
was found abandoned in Signal Hill
Saturday morning.
Investigations are ongoing.
thousands of dollars. That is why
we need the commissioner here.
“We just need her for one day
to sit and discuss things of perti-
nent importance to the security of
the island of Tobago.”
Williams said he understands
the police alone cannot reduce
crime, which is why his chamber
is offering all the support the To-
bago police needs to effectively
reduce the crime rate.
Calls and texts to Commissioner
of Police Erla Harewood-Christo-
pher went unanswered.
news 5
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley shares a light moment with members of the
media after hosting a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s,
on Friday. At left, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young
holds up a copy a licence for T&T to develop the Dragon Gas field in
partnership with global energy giant Shell.
PICTURE ABRAHAM DIAZ
Annisette wants working class
to benefit from Dragon deal
PETER CHRISTOPHER question that I will continue to
Senior Reporter ask and we, the labour movement
peter.christopher@guardian.co.tt being NATUC, is how the money
is being distributed with the peo-
Will the middle to lower ple, the workers, the dis-
class benefit from the advantaged and the poor
Dragon gas deal? ...”
This is the question Anisette, in a phone
raised by General Secre- interview with Guardian
tary of the National Trade Media yesterday, said,
Union Centre Michael “That is what is critical
Annisette after news that and that is what is im-
Venezuela had granted a portant. For too long
licence for operations to General we have seen where the
begin in the Dragon gas Secretary of working class, the mid-
field. NATUC Michael dle class is being called
He said while the news Annisette upon to carry the brunt
was good as it should of the burden with the
bring increased revenues for T&T, economic crisis—be it the global,
he is worried that the working be it the local ...”
class will not benefit from this ar- Annisette wants policy put in
rangement. place to ensure that there is a sig-
“Yes. It will generate revenues nificant trickle down to the work-
for Trinidad and Tobago. But the ing class.
Shoppers continue to
flock to Massy Stores
Sales did not slow down at Massy ique Parisot-Potter questioned
Stores for the Christmas period. foreign exchange spending on
Despite being the subject of international training sessions at
many dark jokes or internet Fort Myers, Florida.
memes for much of the past Parisot-Potter also questioned
week, crowds continued to flock what those sessions entailed with
to the Massy Stores on Friday and the suggestion that they involved
yesterday, as thousands went to ‘bizarre rituals’ and ‘highly dubi-
the groceries around the coun- ous activities’.
try to do last-minute shopping or Parisot-Potter has since been
secure Christmas specials adver- placed on administrative leave
tised by the supermarket chain. until January 12, 2024, or until
Massy Stores’ marketing team the completion of an internal in-
confirmed that its stores had vestigation.
been extremely busy, particularly The group has since denied that
on Friday as we sought an inter- the sessions involved questiona-
view to confirm if sales had been ble activities.
positive. However, before and since
Guardian Media visited Massy making a statement denying the
Stores in Westmoorings yesterday sessions were questionable in
and saw a full car park and a regu- practice, Massy and, in particular,
lar stream of vehicular and pedes- Massy Stores has been the object
trian traffic. of several viral internet posts and
Massy Stores is one of the com- jokes about the brand’s involve-
panies under the umbrella of the ment in weird practices.
Massy Holdings group. Last week Several Massy Stores branches
at a Massy Holdings shareholders’ are set to be open overnight, with
meeting, the group’s executive all branches set to close later
vice president, Business Integrity today.
& Group General Counsel Angel- —Peter Christopher
 6 news
Pensioner Esmond Byam
595 people can’t be found in T&T
The Missing Ones
When people go missing, and
until they are found, it is like
an open wound for families. In
T&T, some are found alive while
others are found dead. Many just
vanish. The uncertainty and lack
of closure leave many families
unable to move on. In 2018, the
then police commissioner Gary
Griffith introduced a Cold Case
Missing Persons Unit dedicated
to finding people who have been
missing for long periods.
This week, the Sunday Guard-
ian takes a look at our missing
citizens.
JOSHUA SEEMUNGAL AND
SHALIZA HASSANALI
Investigations Desk
Over the last six years, a person
has been missing every 11-and-a-
half hours in T&T, with an average
of more than two missing person
reports daily.
Between January 2018 and De-
cember 19, 2023, 4,546 people
were reported missing to the Trin-
idad and Tobago Police Service
(TTPS), according to data.
Of the people reported miss-
ing for that period, 13 per cent or
595 people still can’t be found.
Approximately 83 per cent were
found (3,768 people), while four
per cent (183 people) were con-
sidered dead or found dead.
Most people reported missing
were women, accounting for ap-
proximately 55 per cent.
Young women between the ages
of 15 and 19 were the people most
commonly reported missing. The
majority of people, around 52 per
cent, were between the ages of 15
years old and 19 years old.
Thirteen per cent of those re-
ported missing were in their 20s;
ten per cent were in their 30s;
seven per cent were in their 40s;
six per cent were in their 50s; and
12 per cent were over 60 years
old.
Ramharrack Ram
Members of the Hunters Search and Rescue Team, led by Captain Vallence Rambharat, look at the bones of dogs at
Heritage Road in Barrackpore, while searching for missing businesswoman Christina Adsett in September.
Here is how that
data stacks up
Breaking down the numbers by
divisions, the Northern Division
had the most missing reports,
while the division with the least
number of reports was Tobago.
• The Northern Division (Arima,
Arouca, Cumuto, La Horquetta,
Malabar, Maloney, Piarco, Ma-
racas/St Joseph, Tunapuna, San
Raphael, St Joseph) had the most
reported missing people during
that period with 922 reports;
• The Central Division (Chagua-
nas, Couva, Caroni, Cunupia,
Brasso, Freeport, Las Lomas,
Longdenville) with 733 and;
• The Southern Division (San
Fernando, Barrackpore, Gaspa-
rillo, Marabella, Mon Repos,
Moruga, Princes Town, Ste. Ma-
deleine, St Mary’s) with 728.
• The division with the least
number of reported people was
Tobago with 133, followed by the
South Western Division (Siparia,
SPECIAL REPORT
Cedros, Erin, Point Fortin, Guapo,
Fyzabad, La Brea, Oropouche,
Penal, Santa Flora, Siparia) with
370.
For the reported period, 2023
had the lowest number of reports
with 673, followed by 2022 with
681.
2019 was the year with the most
reports–940. This was 155 more
reports than the second-highest
total, which was in 2018.
Hunters Search and
Rescue Team
The Hunters Search and Rescue
Team (HSRT) have been recording
their own data.
According to the data they
shared with the Sunday Guard-
ian, from January 1 to November
30 of this year, 482 people were
reported missing.
Of this figure, captain of the
HSRT Vallence Rambharat said
424 people were found while 58
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Dane Clarke Business woman Christina Adsett
Senior citizen Sandra Singh
there were 17, six of whom were
female and 11 males.
“Sixteen of these missing per-
sons were accounted for.”
He said the DNA result of one
male whose body was found was
still pending.
Rambharat said in 2022 senior
citizens over the age of 60 rep-
PICTURE RISHI RAGOONATH resented 4.5 per cent of the total
number of missing people.
remained unaccounted for.
This year, the figure jumped to
The HSRT recorded 371 missing
seven per cent.
people last year, while the TTPS
He said the HSRT was not overly
received 552 missing person re-
worried about younger teenagers
ports with 466 accounted for in-
who go missing as they tend to re-
cluding 30 people found dead.
turn home.
Rambharat said police figures
“The categories that we are
always reflected a 20 per cent
concerned about are the 18 to
“top-up” on HSRT’s statistics.
60 and 60 and over who may be
The devil is really in the details.
homicide victims.”
Over the last 11 months, Ramb-
Unfortunately, he said, some of
harat revealed that 328 of the
these senior citizens who suffer
missing people were under the
from dementia and Alzheimer’s
age of 18. It also showed that 322
disease are never found.
were females, 24 of whom are still
Others, Rambharat said, end up
missing.
in conflict with family members
In the age bracket 18 to 60, 121
and strangers over inheritance
were reported missing.
and what they possess. “We don’t
There were 34 missing person
know for sure if they are pushed
reports of people over the age of
out from the security of their
60, 23 of whom were males and
homes and that is disturbing to
11 females.
us.”
So far, seven males and three
Rambharat said some of the el-
elderly females have not been
derly were found wandering on
found.
the streets or in hospitals.
Comparing last year’s figure of
people over the age of 60 who
Continues on page 7
went missing, Rambharat said
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Missing Shiva Lochan
... TTPS gets 2 missing person reports a day since 2018
From page 6
Some of the cases reported
during the period include:
• February 2018—Kelly Street
resident Coreen Singh disap-
peared after leaving her home.
She was never found. Friends said
Coreen told them she had a meet-
ing at a male friend’s apartment
to discuss her impending divorce.
• March 2018—Mother of seven
Kumti Deopersad reported miss-
ing after walking out of a health
facility. She later contacted her
husband to say she was abducted
by four men. A week later, she re-
turned home, saying she escaped
her captors by using a hairpin to
unlock a door.
• June 2018—20-year-old Shar-
day Emmanuel disappeared after
leaving her Mamoral home. She
was never found.
• September 2018—Upper Level
Educational Institute Spanish
teacher Susan Maynard left her
Charlieville home in September
to buy a phone card at a nearby
parlour but was never found.
• September 2018—Gangadhar
Hanooman went missing after
stopping at a vegetable stall on
his way to his Roystonia home.
He was never found.
• September 2018—San Fer-
nando resident Natalie Pollonais
was rescued by police after being
kidnapped shortly after leaving
the Central Athletics Clubs at the
C3 complex.
• November 2018—16-year-old
Shindlar Cuffy went missing after
leaving home in a taxi that was
supposed to take her to school
at Marabella North Secondary
School. Her relatives believed she
was lured to join a cult. She was
never found.
PEOPLE 60 AND OVER
REPORTED MISSING IN 2023
• Cuthbert Tannis, 61, Maracas-St Joseph
• Dane Clarke, 65, San Juan
• Ursus Daniel, 62, Arima
• Hugo Bruce, 77, Princes Town
• Junior Daniel, 61, Barataria
• Ava Hospedales, 66, Laventille
• Robert James Sooran, 72, Princes Town
news 7
SPECIAL REPORT
Luis Tovar Solina Garnes Kimalee Larmond
• March 2019—17-year-old Pen- Bruce vanished without a trace. later found. A man was charged • November 2022—32-year-old
nywise employee Netanya Mo- • June 2020—Joevon Inniss of with her murder. Jamaican national Kimalee Lar-
hamdally was found stabbed to Barataria reported missing after • July 2021—17-year-old Ven- mond was last seen leaving her
death in a muddy puddle after he was last seen driving his car. ezuelan Noirelle Benere disap- Chase Village home. To date,
being reported missing five days The vehicle was found aban- peared and is still unaccounted there have been no leads about
earlier. She left home at Gaston doned but he was never found. for. her disappearance.
Street to visit her father. • July 2020—24-year-old Diego • December 2021—29-year-old • April 2023—Diego Martin resi-
• April 2019—36-year-old Martin resident Grace Roberts Filipino Lyka Bernas was last seen dent Justin Awai, a water taxi em-
Stephan Suroogdeo was reported disappeared after entering a taxi at her Jerningham Avenue, Bel- ployee, is still missing.
missing after he was last seen in never to be seen again. mont home, but remains missing. • April 2023—Venezuelan res-
Valencia. • August 2020—Princess Phil- • May 2022—Petit Valley resi- ident Louis Tovar, who suffers
• August 2019—Shanice Cooper, lips, 16 years old at the time, was dent Oliver Thomas, 62 years old, from Alzheimer’s, was reported
six months pregnant at the time, last seen at her family home be- remains missing. missing. A human skull was found
disappeared after leaving her fore she left to visit a friend. She • June 2022—39-year-old Anna during a search for him.
Belmont home. She was never told her parents that she was Maria Aimey of Palmiste was re- • May 2023—Driver Vivion Sa-
found, but in 2021, a 37-year-old being followed by a group of men ported missing and it’s unclear if maroo was reported missing after
man, known to her, was charged on her way home from classes she was found. going on a private job.
with her murder. at Marabella North Secondary • June 2022—31-year-old Sanjay • September 2023—Christina
• September 2019—73-year-old School. She has never been Deodath went missing in Moruga. Adsett went missing after she
Kenrick Titus was last seen at his found. Police later found his truck with was last seen cleaning the front
Rousillac home. Titus, who had • February 2021—Shazida Na- blood stains in it abandoned in of her home/business, Christina’s
Alzheimer’s, was not found. gamootoo of Williamsville was Cocoyea. He was not found. Foot Spa. When police visited her
• October 2019—15-year-old Bri- last seen leaving her Las Lomas • August 2022—21-year-old home, they found the back door
anna Toll disappeared after last home. Blanchisseuse farmer Oreon open but there were no signs
being seen at her Barrackpore • May 2021—28-year-old Carapi- Gomez has not been since leaving of forced entry. Christina’s cell
home. She was never seen again. chaima farmer Becker Seelal left home to meet, what he believed, phone and car keys were found
• November 2019—19-year-old home to collect money from a was a girl he met online for a date. in the house.
Marlon Burke Jnr was last seen customer but was not seen again. • September 2022—40-year-old • December 2023—The search
along Tumpuna Road in Arima. • June 2021—Annalisa Gookool Fondes Amandes, St Ann’s native for 28-year-old electrician Shiva
He was never found. of Vega De Oropouche was re- Solina Garnes went missing; she Lochan continues. He left home
• March 2020—Driver Clevon ported missing, but her body was remains missing. after a callout for work.
THE MISSING
• Chester Greene, 76, Trincity • Claire Jones, 80, San Fernando • Sahadeo Ramsaroop, 65, Princes Town
• Rodney Radar Lewis, 60, D’Abadie • Ramharrack Ram, 84, Claxton Bay
• Sonny Fitzgerald Virgil, 76, Santa Cruz • Christopher Felix, 76, Chaguanas SENIOR CITIZENS
• Leon Harry Seemungal, 68, Arima • Prakash Bisram, 67, Debe STILL MISSING
• Sheila Gill, 72, Morvant • Gregory Ward, 62, D’Abadie
• Trevor Edwards, 69, Couva • Joyce Howard, 84, St Joseph • Anthony De Couteau, 71, Guapo
• Gregory Gordon, 67, Chaguanas • Gita Ramnath, 60, Rio Claro • Esmond Byam, 73, Arima
• Basdeo Boodoosingh, 76, Couva • Christopher Mitchum, 64, Diego Martin • Christina Adsette, 62, Penal
• James Jordan, 68, Point Fortin • Kenneth La Rode, 60, Fyzabad • Sandra Singh, 76, Piarco Old Road
• Irma Joseph, 84, Beetham Gardens • Cecil Beckles, 67
 8 news Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

One son vanishes, another murdered ...

‘It’s the worst nightmare’
SHALIZA HASSANALI
Senior Investigative Reporter
shaliza.hassanali@guardian.co.tt
Rima Hosein lost her two sons
weeks apart—her youngest son
Matthew Hosein, 17, mysteriously
disappeared on August 25.
Her firstborn, Mikiel Hosein, 19,
who went in search of Matthew,
also vanished on October 31.
Mikiel’s decomposing body was
found nine days later.
The double tragedy, she told the
Sunday Guardian, is the “worst
nightmare” of her life.
“I had both my sons. I worked
hard to mind them boys and then
to lose them like that in a matter
of weeks has been a hard blow for
me ... a real hard blow. Life will
never be the same again,” said
Hosein, 39, during an interview
on Tuesday.
The mother strongly believes
that Mikiel’s relentless search for
Matthew drove him to his death.
Hosein said Matthew was in a
joyous mood after collecting his
Caribbean Secondary Education
Certificate results and several
awards at his Carapichaima West
Secondary School in August. He
had obtained seven CXC passes
and set his heart on becoming a
cardiologist. However, he never
lived to fulfil his dreams after van-
ishing on Arena Road, Freeport,
on August 25.
An extensive five-day search by
the Hunters Search and Rescue
Team (HSRT) and police came up
empty-handed.
Rummaging through Matthew’s
belongings for clues, Hosein said
she found suicidal notes which
she handed over to the police.
In one note dated August 20,
Matthew requested that he be
Matthew Hosein’s mother,
Rima Hosein
buried in a particular outfit and a
special song be played for his fu-
neral service.
“I don’t think Matthew killed
himself, he had so much to live
for,” Hosein said, admitting that
many people envied her son for
his accomplishments and the
clothes he wore.
Hosein said Matthew’s strange
disappearance tore the family
to pieces and pushed Mikiel to
search for his younger brother
with whom he had shared a spe-
cial bond.
“I warned Mikiel not to go look-
ing for Matthew. I told him that
was the police’s job and let them
do their investigations but he re-
fused to listen.”
On October 31, Hosein said Mik-
iel left home, stating that he was
going to search for Matthew. Ho-
sein recalled her last conversation
with Mikiel.
“He told me he was going to
Matthew Hosein disappeared in
August 2023.
find whoever killed Matthew. I ad-
vised him not to go searching or
to ask questions because it could
land him in trouble.”
She said Mikiel had accused her
of taking Matthew’s disappear-
ance “too easy” and was deter-
mined to bring some closure to
his disappearance.
Mikiel was last seen in a Chagua-
nas bar with friends but never
made it home.
Hosein began searching for her
second son.
On November 9, the grieving
mother heard an unidentified
body was found at Woodford
Lodge in Chaguanas. Deep within
her gut, Hosein said, she knew the
corpse was Mikiel’s but was pre-
vented by the police from viewing
the body which they believed was
a 63-year-old man.
“One officer kept telling me it
have nothing for me to see, that
it was not my son. As a mother,
Mikiel Hosein was found murdered
in October, days after he went
searching for his younger brother
Matthew Hosein, who had vanished.
you does know when your child
dead. I smell Mikiel in the house,
it smelt of death.”
The night Mikiel left home, Ho-
sein said, her stomach started to
churn as she knew something was
wrong.
For three weeks Hosein waited
for someone to claim the body,
but no one stepped forward.
Eventually, she was given clear-
ance to view the body in late
November at a funeral agency in
Couva.
It turned out that Hosein’s intu-
ition was right, as the first thing
she noticed on the corpse was a
tattoo Mikiel had engraved on his
left arm after Matthew went miss-
ing.
The tattoo bore Matthew’s
name with two doves which signi-
fied the brothers’ love and devo-
tion for each other.
“It was just a small piece of flesh
with the tattoo that was stuck
onto the bone that I was able to
identify Mikiel’s body.”
Hosein said due to the body’s
advanced stage of decomposi-
tion, Mikiel’s cause of death was
unknown.
“The body had no kidneys,
heart and liver, there were no or-
gans to determine how he died.”
The unfortunate turn of events,
Hosein said, weighed on her.
Turning to God for comfort,
Hosein said there have been more
questions than answers, as she
needed closure on Matthew’s dis-
appearance and Mikiel’s killers to
be brought to justice.
As for Christmas, Hosein said,
this is the last thing on her mind.
“How could I celebrate Christ-
mas knowing that Mikiel was
killed and his murderer or mur-
derers are still roaming free while
Matthew is still unaccounted for?
I can’t bear to see everybody with
their children for Christmas and I
don’t have Matthew with me. This
pain is too much, just too much. I
cry every day not knowing where
my son is or what has happened
to him. I now know how a mother
feels when they lose a child. But
knowing you lost your two sons
weeks apart, oh God, this is kill-
ing me.”
Hosein said she has been trying
to be strong for her five-year-old
daughter Annalise Lopez who has
not been coping well.
Annalise and Mathew were in-
separable.
“The hardest thing is not hear-
ing Matthew’s voice and I still can-
not accept Mikiel is gone.”
Promising not to give up hope,
Hosein said, she has put all her
trust and faith in God.
“I am not giving up. I just hope
Matthew is alive.”

In grief and pain, still waiting for a reply

Oreon Gomez, who went missing on
August 26.
Distraught mom Sharon Chapman
has been expressing her grief and
pain by calling and WhatsApping
her son’s cell phone since he went
missing four months ago.
Despite not getting a reply,
Chapman refuses to think that
her 22-year-old son Oreon Gomez
is dead.
Gomez left his Blanchisseuse
home on August 26 to make ar-
rangements for a hiking trip he
had organised. Unknown to his
family, Gomez went on a date in
Arima with a woman whom he
met online. That was the last time
he was seen alive.
Fighting hard to contain her
tears during a telephone inter-
view on Monday, Chapman ad-
mitted that managing without her
only child has been a living hell.
One way of dealing with her
anguish, Chapman said, was call-
Sharon Chapman
ing or messaging Gomez’s phone.
Gomez was Chapman’s pride and
joy.
“Up to today, I messaged him
asking where he was,” she admit-
ted.
However, the WhatsApp mes-
sages would only show one tick
which meant the phone was ei-
ther switched off or had no sig-
nal. Her calls would go straight to
voicemail.
“No mother who loves and
cares for their child or children
would give up on them. I would
message Oreon with the hope of
seeing two ticks on his phone, I
also pray that he would answer
my call one day.”
Had Gomez been around,
Chapman said, he would have
celebrated his 22nd birthday on
November 6.
Chapman still sent Gomez a
birthday greeting on his phone,
hoping to get a reply.
“I sent him a message wishing
him a happy birthday. I know he
had big plans for his birthday ...
one of them was to go to Tobago.”
For yet another time Chap-
man’s heart was broken, as the
message did not go through.
In her quiet moments, Chap-
man, 42, said she would pray for
his safe return.
At night, she is unable to sleep
as she wonders where Oreon
could be or if he is being held
against his will.
These thoughts, she said, worry
her to no end.
“It’s one of the worst things a
parent could go through. Coping
has been very difficult. You don’t
have answers to many questions.
It’s stressful.”
This Christmas, Chapman said,
there would be no celebration or
joy at her home.
“I just don’t have the zeal to do
Continues on page 9
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Seven years since Glenda’s gone
JENSEN LA VENDE
Senior Reporter-Investigative
jensen.lavende@guardian.co.tt
For the last seven Christmases,
the family of missing lecturer
Glenda Charles-Harris has had to
endure life without her presence,
a wound that reopens yearly com-
pounded by a lack of answers.
Sunday Guardian spoke with
her daughter Helen Bergendahl
via Zoom from her Swedish home.
The 54-year-old mother said since
the disappearance of Charles-Har-
ris she has not returned to the
country to celebrate another
Yuletide season.
Charles-Harris has been missing
since July 2015.
The 78-year-old mother of
four was last seen alive at the
Tru Valu Supermarket, Diamond
Since son, niece missing ...
‘It really don’t have any Christmas’
Like Bergendahl and her siblings
and their children, Iyana Cud-
joe’s Christmas lacks a key ele-
ment, family.
Sunday Guardian spoke with
Cudjoe at her Blue Basin, Diego
Martin home last week. Cudjoe’s
son, Saleem Joseph, went missing
on November 26. At the time of
his disappearance, he was staying
with his aunt at Superville Hill,
Chinapoo Village, Morvant.
“I done say it don’t have a
Christmas. Me and my son close,
real close, everywhere I go he up
under me so it really don’t have
any Christmas.”
The 35-year-old mother of two
whose birthday was on Decem-
ber 16, said the agony of her miss-
ing son is exacerbated by the fact
that a missing relative is nothing
new to the family.
On January 24 last year, Cud-
joe’s niece Katisha Cudjoe went
missing. Four days later the de-
composing semi-nude body of a
woman was found down a preci-
Many unanswered questions surrounding Adsett’s disappearance
From page 8
ing much since this dilemma.”
Chapman said Gomez’s disap-
pearance has affected not only
her family but the entire rural
community.
She also wondered if Gomez’s
investigation ran cold, as the po-
lice no longer provided her with
updates or information about her
missing son.
“I haven’t heard from the police
in months.”
‘Grieving for my mom’
Every night, Kelly Adsett
clutches a photograph of her
mother against her chest to fall
asleep.
Costaatt lecturer Glenda Charles-
Harris who has been missing since
July 2015
Vale, Diego Martin, around 5.30
pm on July 27, 2015. Her car was
found abandoned at Indian Walk,
Princes Town, one day later.
pice at the Heights of Aripo. Three
days after that, on February 1, the
body was positively identified as
that of 21-year-old Katisha.
Having to endure last Christ-
mas without Katisha, Cudjoe is
not anticipating a jolly season,
for the second year in a row. Even
with the memory of her niece,
Cudjoe remains hopeful that she
will see her son again, alive.
Asked if she believed her son
was still alive, Cudjoe said yes.
“The way the country is going,
people going missing, every time
you check somebody going miss-
ing and then a couple of days,
you’re finding a decomposed
body here and there. That is
heart-wrenching for me because
every time I hear you find a body,
the first thing that pops into my
head is my child and wonder if
it is him. Because the last family
member who went missing, we
didn’t get her back alive.”
Losing the fight to hold back
her tears, Cudjoe pleaded with
It’s a painful routine for Kelly
since her 62-year-old mother
Christina Adsett, a business-
woman, was last seen alive on
September 11 at her Suchit Trace,
Penal, home.
Police found Adsett’s back door
open but there were no visible
signs of forced entry.
Her cell phone and car keys
were discovered inside the house.
Adsett is one of 34 people over
the age of 60 who went missing
between January 1 and November
30 of this year, according to data
provided by the HSRT.
Despite offering a $20,000 re-
ward for her mother’s wherea-
bouts, Kelly who lives in England
said no one came forward with
any information.
Helen Bergendahl, daughter of
Glenda Charles-Harris.
Bergendahl said last year she
and her siblings began the process
of legally declaring their mother
dead. The process is ongoing.
“Christmas was always huge
Iyanna Cudjoe with her daughter Saleema Joseph at their home on
Covigne Road, Diego Martin.
whoever may have her son to re-
lease him. She said what’s worse
is that her daughter and son were
very close, and she couldn’t com-
fort her because she too needed
it.
“I can’t even comfort her when
she is crying because I know how
“Please if you have informa-
tion regarding my mom, come
forward. Imagine if this was your
mother or loved one missing,” she
pleaded.
The family also sought help
from the British police as Adsett
is a British citizen.
Kelly slammed the Government
and T&T Police Service (TTPS) for
not doing enough to find people
who are missing in T&T.
“They don’t care. It’s not their
family. You have the wrong peo-
ple in Parliament. They only think
about themselves and all this will
carry on until it happens to one
of them. I hope they feel the pain
one day and no one is there to
help them.”
Kelly said she sent emails to
in our family. Like all local fam-
ilies Christmas was huge in our
house,” she said.
‘No words to offer comfort’
For Bergendahl the torture of
never having the closure that Cud-
joe had last year is what pains the
most. Since then, she said she and
her siblings have all had some sort
of ailment, be it insomnia or acid
reflux after their mother, the rock
of the family, vanished.
Having accepted that her
mother was killed in 2015, Ber-
gendahl said the inability to have
a final send-off for her or a final
resting place for the family to
visit is the proverbial salt in the
wound. She is comforted in one
thing, her mother’s strong reli-
gious faith, which she hopes gave
PICTURE SHIRLEY BAHADUR
she is feeling. I have nothing I can
say, I can’t say it would get better
because, to me, it’s not. We faced
this same tragedy almost a year
ago and for that to happen and to
go through this again, it’s not fair.
I find it’s not fair.”
Joseph was last seen in Mt Hope
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley
and some MPs to help find her
mother but they were “ignored”.
Three months later, Kelly said
there were no new leads in her
mother’s case.
“They are not interested. Why
do you think all these people are
missing? Words can’t explain how
I feel. No one understands. I have
lost my mum.”
Insisting Adsett had no ene-
mies and worked hard for what
she wanted, Kelly said, she felt
proud of her mother’s accom-
plishments.
Kelly said she was amazed at
how quickly the TTPS recovered a
cellular phone stolen in 2018 from
the son of Finance Minister Colm
Imbert but had great difficulty
news 9
her comfort in her final moments.
Having been in the shoes of
Cudjoe for some years more, Ber-
gendahl said there are no words
that can be said to offer comfort.
Time, she said, does not heal
wounds, but it makes bearing the
burden somewhat easier as life
must go on. The experience will,
however, change anyone, for life,
she said.
“For those people that don’t
give the families a chance to give
their members a worthy funeral
where you can grieve properly,
and people can unite and grieve.
I think that is heartless. At least let
people have that, at least let them
have a burial, let them grieve.
You have done the deed, we all
understand that, but at least
allow everyone touched by this to
grieve.”
Saleem Joseph
wearing a pink hoodie, blue jeans
and a pair of white and black
Tommy Hilfiger slippers. His hair
was combed cornrow style. Any-
one with information on the dis-
appearance of both Joseph and
Charles-Harris is asked to contact
the nearest police station.
finding missing people.
“All I want is my mum. I miss
her voice. Life is already hard and
it has been harder without her. I
cry to sleep every night holding a
photo of her close to my heart. I
wish this was a nightmare that I
would wake up from.”
She said there were many un-
answered questions surrounding
Adsett’s mysterious disappear-
ance.
“I hope I get answers.”
Spending Christmas without
Adsett, Kelly said, would be sad
and painful.
“Christmas would never be
the same again. This time of year
would be hard with everyone
celebrating with their loved ones
and my mom won’t be here.”
 10 news
‘Youths left idle in Paramin’
Residents say John Mader ground
off limits to them, only used for parang fest
JOSHUA SEEMUNGAL
Senior Multimedia Reporter
joshua.seemungal@guardian.co.tt
Amidst the struggles many face, if
there is one place capable of reig-
niting a dimming Yuletide spark,
it is the spiritual home of Trini
Christmas—Paramin.
That is why every year in De-
cember, thousands of people
from across the country brave the
community’s vertigo-inducing
roads to attend the annual Parang
on D Hills Festival at the John
Mader Recreation Ground.
This year’s edition, on Decem-
ber 15, was again well-attended,
with patrons feasting on sweet
parang, delectable delicacies and
festive warmth.
In celebration of the event’s
success, MP for Diego Martin
North/East Colm Imbert took to X
(formerly Twitter) claiming it was
the biggest one in its 14 years.
A young man from Paramin,
Nathaniel Roper, saw Minister Im-
bert’s post as an opportunity to
raise awareness of a long-stand-
ing issue facing the community.
Residents, Roper claimed, cannot
use the John Mader Recreation
Ground.
Roper was blocked by Minister
Imbert’s Twitter account shortly
after.
Guardian Media went up to
Paramin last week to determine if
Roper’s claims were true.
Miscommunication between
residents and those responsible
for the ground appeared rampant
as we got two very different ver-
sions of the story.
Several Paramin residents
firmly believe the ground was
not reopened. Those working
with Imbert, however, said work
was completed and the ground
handed back to the Maraval
Roman Catholic Parish, which
manages and owns the field.
For many decades and across
several generations, the John
Mader Recreational Ground—as
it was recently renamed—was
the sporting and cultural hub of
the community. The ground is
steeped in legend, with elderly
residents recalling tales of a bi-
zarre dispute over a donkey’s
burial there and closely-fought
football and rounders games.
“I’ve lived in Paramin my entire
life and growing up before they
refurbished the ground and put
the pavilion and all of that stuff, it
was a widely used area. Every day
you would see the ground full of
people. Sports was a staple in the
community and the community
of Paramin is so close-knit that
when you used to see people on
the ground, people would hurry
to go and play. It was like every-
body knew everybody and every-
body was excited to go down to
the ground in the evenings and
that kind of stuff.
“Then they came and said they
are refurbishing the ground and
they are renaming it. Everybody
was happy—they said ok, cool.
Thanks. Nobody asked for it,
but I guess that was also in part
because they always had the pa-
rang on the ground. When they
refurbished it, they put up a stage
and they put this pavilion. That’s
the first thing everybody was con-
cerned about,” Roper, in his early
20s, said.
Seven years after work began,
Roper said, the John Mader Recre-
ation Ground is yet to be officially
opened. “They asked us not to go
on the ground while the grass was
growing, and everybody obliged.
When they found that the grass
was grown enough, some peo-
ple started to play. We were told
that’s not ok, they haven’t opened
the ground. So they said until
they open the ground properly,
nobody is playing on it, then, at
some point, people got fed up
and just put their goalposts on the
ground. They came back to the
goalposts being cut. They said no-
body is allowed to use the ground.
“The residents have not been
able to use the ground but every
year—barring the COVID years—
there is parang every year with-
out fail on that same ground.
They refurbish the ground strictly
for parang, that’s what I would
say, and ever since then—I am a
man now and then I was a boy
and it’s still the same. Seven years
we can’t use the ground because
the ground can’t be opened yet?
Nobody wants to open it? That’s
unfair,” the former Fatima College
student said.
Roper said the issue was dis-
cussed by villagers at the recent
parang festival, with many com-
ing to the consensus that some-
thing needed to be done. His
father hosted a football camp on
the field for many years and ever
since it was forced to stop, young
men have asked him repeatedly
when it will restart. Unfortu-
nately, he cannot give them an
answer.
“And that’s what prompted me
to speak up about it when I saw
the tweet by the minister about
how successful it was. Yes, it’s
very successful for you, but for
the people who are living here,
it’s kind of becoming a little bit of
a nuisance because I guess it’s a
big attraction—once a year—but
what is happening for the other
364 days? To hell with Paramin?
“I expected him to block me be-
cause that’s what he does when-
ever somebody shares a negative
on his positive. I guess I kind of
hoped it would have gone differ-
ently.
“It’s hard to see that the chil-
dren are out of school right now
and nobody can use the ground.
What are the children supposed
to do when they are out of school?
I can tell you—they are liming.
They are on the block now. Chil-
dren 13, 14, and 15 years old on the
block. These youth are starting to
get into this crime thing because
you are seeing that the ones who
don’t have a positive influence—
who are liming on evenings and
this kind of thing—are hanging
with the wrong crowd.
“That never come to Paramin
before. It’s nothing about music.
It’s just that they don’t have any
other way to express themselves
and that’s the people who will
accept them when they have
nothing to do … All 4 o’clock or 5
o’clock, men used to be sweating
on the ground, but now you will
catch them by the bar liming.”
Guardian Media visited the
John Mader Recreation Ground
on Tuesday morning. With a
breathtaking vantage point of
west Trinidad and Port-of-Spain,
the ground, located a short walk
down a hill from the Our Lady of
Guadeloupe Catholic Church, had
new lights, a new pavilion and a
new stage area. Some scaffolding
from the recent parang festival
was still erected. The grass was
pretty well manicured apart from
a few scattered brown patches.
The ground’s front gate was un-
locked and open, yet not a single
person was there.
According to a life-long resi-
dent, a few young men recently
resumed playing football on the
ground, but they are ‘taking a
chance’.
“Right now, the ground is still
under repairs because the grass is
not catching. Boy, they do some
work on that ground and I don’t
think that ground ever open,
with ministers opening it. They
are planting over the grass on the
ground, but what the youths are
saying is that the ground didn’t
finish, yet still you’ll come and
use it for the parang,” the resident
in his late 50s said. Another resi-
dent who lives near the ground,
a mother in her 30s, said most
youths are not sure if they can use
the field or not.
“The youths are taking a chance
because the guy responsible for it
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
The John Mader Recreational
ground in Paramin
PICTURE JOSHUA SEEMUNGAL
Imbert’s team tell
a different story
People who work with Imbert,
however, told a different story.
According to them, work on the
ground began shortly before
Carnival 2020 and was done to
construct a new stand, as well as
repair infrastructure that, they
said, was left too dilapidated under
the PP government. Admitting
there were some delays as a
result of funding issues, they said
construction stopped for two years
because of COVID-19 regulations
but is complete apart from new
swings and slides, which are
expected soon.
The ground, they said, was
handed back over to the local
parish. They added that there would
not be an official opening because
there was already a renaming
ceremony in 2009. The sources
said the ground was not open to
the general public per se because
of its proximity to the Our Lady of
Guadalupe Roman Catholic Church.
They said the land was owned by
the church and there is no state
land in Paramin to accommodate
another recreational ground.
sometimes would act up and say
they have to wait for the opening.
Then, they would complain about
the grass, but for the parang, they
actually put material on the grass,
so they won’t mash up the grass.
But to say they had an official
opening, where they say it is open
to the community for a commu-
nity event, no. It’s been a while,
’cause they fix that ground about
a year now,” she said.
They all expressed hope that
action will be taken, so that resi-
dents can, once again, benefit as
intended when built by the com-
munity decades ago.
Calls to Imbert’s phone went
unanswered, while WhatsApp
messages received one tick. At-
tempts to contact the MP’s office
were unsuccessful, while enquir-
ies to the Rural Development
Company of Trinidad and Tobago,
the entity responsible for the re-
furbishment project, were not ac-
knowledged.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Daughters name dad ‘Father of the Year’ for being a pillar
From Page 3
elders, Ettienne said parents
have to take responsibility for
their children’s actions.
Crochet for sale
Sitting on the staircase of their
home, Shantai, the braver of the
two, praised her father for their
meals, ensuring they get an edu-
cation and paying the bills.
“I can’t tell you when last we
saw our mother. Through it all,
Daddy has been at our side,”
Sheimia said.
Stating that many days were
tough, the twins said that they
put their shoulders to the wheel
and passed their 2021 Second-
ary Entrance Assessment exam-
ination for Bishop’s Centenary
College where they have been
excelling in all subject areas.
Of a class of 28 Form Two
students, Shantai and Sheimia
placed second and third respec-
tively in last term’s examinations.
The teenagers will receive their
report cards in January for the
exams they sat this term.
“I’m positive they are going to
do well again. Them girls going
guns,” Ettienne said, smiling
from ear to ear.
Outside of school, the girls play
the national instrument with
NGO En ToTo and have mastered
the art of crocheting.
They showed an entire line
of beautifully knitted clothing,
hats and handbags that are on
sale. The girls learn to crochet
after joining a club in school in
2022. Some of their pieces were
recently sold in a pop-up shop in
Barataria.
“I made $190,” Sheimia
boasted. Shantai pocketed $95.
“I love to make matching sets,”
Shantai said, stating that her
favourite outfit was a blue and
white skirt and top which she
made in a day.
Ettienne said next year he
would advertise their collection
Laventille father Keston Ettienne, left, gets a “Father of the Year” trophy
from Shantai at their home in Rose Hill, Laventille.
on social media to attract more
buyers and help them start a
business.
Despite showcasing their tal-
ent, the teenagers admitted their
struggles have been endless,
but promised to make Ettienne
proud.
The twins have already
mapped out their career paths.
Sheimia wants to become a
business owner and Shantai
hopes to pursue real estate.
At times, Ettienne said, they
would have to make do with the
little they have.
“Sometimes we have nothing
to eat, the house ain’t the best,
but most importantly, we have
life.
“Nothing I do concerns me,
it have a benefit leading up to
PICTURES NICOLE DRAYTON
them. I want Shantai and Sheimia
to do better, so I try to encourage
them every day. As bad as it is, it
is good as it could be. You must
have faith.”
For months, Ettienne said they
have been managing without a
washing machine and fridge.
The conditions under which
they live are not ideal.
The 50-year-old house Etti-
enne inherited needs repairs.
“What I want for my girls is
comfort. With God’s blessings,
it will come. I does try to show
them as hard as life is, one day
it will get better if they work to-
wards their goals,” Ettienne said.
Empty promises
Last year an MP promised the
twins two laptops to assist with
Thirteen-year-old twins Sheimia,
left, and Shantai Ettienne show off
crochet bags that they made.
their studies and research which
they never received. Having faced
many disappointments, Shantai
said, “Daddy always tells us to
keep a positive outlook on life.”
The twins were asked what they
wanted for Christmas.
Pausing for a few seconds as
she gathered her thoughts, Shan-
tai suddenly burst into tears. “My
greatest wish is for Daddy to be
happy,” she replied while looking
at her father.
Unable to contain her emo-
tions, Sheimia answered “I would
like to say Daddy is the best. He
tries. He deserves to be happy.”
The girls did not ask for any-
thing special.
Ettienne interjected, saying his
daughters’ happiness came first.
“They should not be studying
my happiness. My happiness is
seeing them do better.”
HAVE YOUR SAY
letters@guardian.co.tt
newsroom@guardian.co.tt
news 11
Father of the Year
But for the girls, their father is
the best. Shantai wanted to give
her father an award.
She said that with 2023 coming
to a close, she and her twin sis-
ter wanted to acknowledge their
father’s work in single-handedly
raising them.
However, they didn’t have the
money to buy him a trophy.
The teenagers looked around
their crumbling Laventille home
and their eyes fell on Shantai’s 2021
award from the Inter-Agency Task
Force for her outstanding academic
performance at the Rose Hill RC
Primary School in Laventille.
The twins surprised their dad
with a “Father of the Year” award
for being what they say is their
pillar of support, role model and
motivator in the face of life’s chal-
lenges.
Amid screams and applause, the
13-year-old girls bestowed Keston
Ettienne with a small trophy at his
Laventille home last Tuesday.
“You are the best Daddy in the
world,” a smiling Shantai told her
50-year-old father, as she gave him
a congratulatory hug in their con-
gested living room.
“Go, daddy! Go, daddy!”
Sheimia shouted as she paid kudos
to Ettienne, a single parent who
has been their guiding light and
inspiration.
Touched by his daughters’ kind
gesture, Ettienne’s eyes filled up
with tears.
“Today, all yuh girls surprise
meh. You know, I am here for all
yuh, we going down the road to-
gether through thick or thin,” Etti-
enne said, as he wrapped his arms
around them.
 12 news
NGOs asked to help get children off the streets
RHONDOR DOWLAT
Senior Reporter
rhondor.dowlat@guardian.co.tt
Non-government organisations
(NGOs) are being asked to offer
assistance to help remove people
begging on the streets, especially
children.
This call was made by the head
of the Trinidad and Tobago Police
Service’s (TTPS) Gender-Based
Violence Unit Superintendent
Claire Guy-Alleyne yesterday
after concerns were raised by the
authorities about the increasing
visibility of local and migrant chil-
dren on the streets either begging
by themselves or accompanying
adults to do the same.
Guy-Alleyne said the issue was
“worrying” and added that she
would like to see more NGOs step-
ping up to help these people, es-
pecially the children to get them
off the streets because they can be
victims of different forms of abuse
and assault. “These non-gov-
ernmental organisations should
come forward and help get these
children and adults off the streets.
It would be great,” he said.
Asked if there are any cases of
abuse against children begging on
the streets in different parts of the
country, Guy-Alleyne said, “None
before the Unit but it is something
to be checked on with divisional
heads.”
On Wednesday the division met
with key parties in the child pro-
tection system. This meeting was
held at the division’s St Clair office
to focus on the responsibilities of
responding State agencies to the
Cricketers spread Christmas joy for Barrackpore kids
RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Determined to promote physical
activity among youths, former
West Indies cricketers Samuel
Badree and Jason Mohammed
generously gifted toys and sports
equipment to more than 1,000
children from Barrackpore, the
very community that nurtured
their rise to becoming world-class
cricketers.
The toy drive started at 2 pm
from Badree’s home in Upper
Barrackpore.
Speaking to Guardian Media,
Badree said Christmas in Barrack-
pore has always been a special
time.
“Doing this brings back so
many good memories. As a young
boy, I received so much stuff and
hampers from so many different
people. Now that I have found
myself in a fortunate position we
decided to bring cheer and good-
will to people in the Barrackpore
area,” Badree said.
Saying they felt a deep bond
with this community, Badree said
1,000 children from Oropouche
River Road, Battan Trace, Cumoto
and Rochard Douglas Road bene-
fited from the toy drive.
Head of the Trinidad and Tobago
Police Service Gender-Based
Violence Unit Superintendent
Claire Guy-Alleyne
PICTURE NICOLE DRAYTON
issue of child endangerment.
Leading the discussion was
Vijay Gangapersad, Permanent
Secretary (Ag), Gender and Child
Affairs.
Also engaged in the discussion
were the Children’s Authority
of Trinidad and Tobago (CATT)
representatives Sheldon Cyrus,
director/chief executive officer;
Rhonda Gregoire-Roopchan,
general manager, Child Welfare
Services; Vandana Siew-Sankar-
Ali, general manager, Child and
Family Reintegration Services;
Superintendent Guy-Alleyne
and Sergeant Nashia Moreau of
the Special Victims Department;
Chief Immigration Officer (Ag)
Vera Persad; and Senior Legal Of-
ficer Immigration Division Leselli
Simon-Dyette.
Also, in attendance were Sanjay
Singh, Deputy Permanent Sec-
Former West Indies cricketers, from right, Samuel Badree and Jason
Mohammed bring holiday cheer and happiness to children in their
Barrackpore hometown by treating them to toys and goodies for Christmas.
He said because of economic
hardship, they also have plans to
distribute hampers.
“Families seem to be struggling,
it’s an opportunity to give them
something during Christmas,”
Badree said. An underlying theme
of the toy drive was also to en-
courage physical activities among
children.
“We are giving a lot of bats and
an assortment of balls, cricket
supplies, and skipping ropes,” he
said.
Through Badrees Academy for
Vijay Gangapersad, Permanent
Secretary (Ag), Gender and Child
Affairs PICTURE NICOLE DRAYTON
retary; Irma Bailey-Reyes, Child
Affairs Co-ordinator; and other
personnel of the Office of the
Prime Minister (Gender and Child
Affairs).
Amongst the issues raised were
social challenges arising from
members of the population who
resort to illegally engaging people
on the street for cash or kind, par-
ticularly when children either ac-
company such individuals or are
forced to engage in such activities
by themselves.
A release from the Ministry
of Gender and Child Affairs and
the National AIDS Co-ordinating
Committee stated that Wednes-
day’s meeting sought to improve
the collective response of enforce-
ment agencies through a greater
understanding of the response
process and to explore opportu-
nities for workable solutions to
ensure that the rights of children
are protected.
Sports Education, Badree said
children learn to love cricket.
“At my academy, we have a lot
of equipment made available to
children. Bats, gloves, pads. Once
they are hooked on cricket they
can advance themselves. We also
offer scholarships,” he said.
Badree said as part of his work
with the Sports Company of T&T,
teams were going into commu-
nities to deliver a three-month
quality programme to encourage
children to play sports.
Meanwhile, Jason Mohammed
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
FILE: A Venezuelan migrant mother, accompanied by her children, stands on
Union Park Road in Marabella, appealing for charitable contributions in
October. PICTURE KRISTIAN DE SILVA
Gangapersad highlighted the strongly advised to exercise re-
need to ensure that children are straint and to desist from expos-
protected and cared for and not ing children to danger and any
exposed to actions that are likely forms of abuse.
to endanger them. He also em- The Gender and Child Divi-
phasised the power of public en- sion, key government ministries/
gagement and attained consensus agencies and other stakeholders
for further strengthening the joint responsible for child protection
proactive response of State agen- welcome the public’s support in
cies. this regard.
Gangapersad called for con- Reports of child abuse and en-
tinued collaboration to engage dangerment can be reported to
in further discussion for an im- the TTPS (999), the Children’s
proved integrated approach to Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
child care and protection in early Hotline (996 or 800-2014) or the
2024. Enforcement Unit–Immigration Di-
Members of the public are also vision at investigations.pos@gov.tt
A young boy’s excitement peaks as Santa Claus hands him a toy during the
Christmas treat, hosted by former West Indies cricketers Samuel Badree and
Jason Mohammed in Barrackpore yesterday. PICTURES KRISTIAN DE SILVA
urged children to put down their sports in general provide lucrative
devices and get active outdoors. careers.
He said the real reason for this “It’s such a huge difference
treat was to put a smile on chil- from 30 years ago, playing for
dren’s faces. your country is so valuable now. If
“We are providing the bats and you make it to the IPL where Sam-
balls and we want our children uel played, there are so many av-
to get out there and play sports. enues to make a career in cricket
Even in our community, we see and make a living after cricket.
less of this happening. The recre- It will get even better with more
ation grounds are empty. We want opportunities around the world,”
kids to be out there, playing,” he Mohammed said.
said. The cricketers are expected to
Mohammed said cricket and distribute hampers soon.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Deputy chairman of the Penal/Debe Regional
Corporation Gautam Maharaj fondly remembers
Diptee Ramnath. PICTURES KRISTIAN DE SILVA
Penal/Debe chairman dies
after ailing for weeks
RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
A few days shy of his 64th birth-
day the chairman of the Penal/
Debe Regional Corporation
(PDRC) Diptee Ramnath passed
away after ailing for some time.
Between 2003 and 2010, Ram-
nath had been the sole PNM
councillor in the history of the
Penal/Debe Corporation—the
jewel among the UNC stronghold
corporations. In an immediate
response, Opposition Leader
Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she
was saddened by Diptee’s pass-
ing, saying he had been a stalwart
of the UNC. “Diptee has made an
indelible contribution to the ser-
vice of the people in the Local
Government sector. In keeping
with the UNC’s mantra to serve
the people, he worked tirelessly
over several years to provide
goods and services to burgesses
as the elected representative of
Quinam-Morne Diablo and as
Chairman of PDRC,” Persad-Bis-
sessar said.
She noted that Ramnath’s
work was “the embodiment of
the ethos of Local Government
service.”
Meanwhile, former chairman
Dr Allen Sammy reminisced over
Ramnath’s colourful political ca-
reer after he joined the UNC in
1992.
“He was the first PNM council-
lor to ever be part of the Penal/
Debe Regional Corporation,”
Sammy recalled.
With loyal supporters espe-
cially from the Goodman Trace
and Penal Rock Road area, Ram-
nath continued to represent
bringing much-needed infra-
structural development to his
community.
Sammy said in 2003 when the
UNC rejected him as the candi-
date for councillor, Ramnath left
the party and joined the PNM
where he successfully won his
seat.
In 2010, before Persad-Bis-
sessar became prime minister,
news 13
hardly anybody goes
further West to
Chaguaramas to
work. Everybody is
going more in the
East. What they
need to do is fix the
Cocorite problem
with traffic.
Ronald Chuckaree
QUESTION: I’m sure because
it was a planned
DO YOU THINK THE project, right? So, of
course, a lot went
NEW INTERCHANGE into it. So, yeah, I
WILL ALLEVIATE WOES do think it will and
when school opens
IN THE WEST? on the 2nd and things
get back to normal, we
Dr Allen Sammy, former chairman of the Penal/Debe PICTURES ANISTO ALVES will see. That will be the true judge of it.
Regional Corporation, shares heartfelt memories of
Diptee Ramnath after his passing. Darron Jacobs Ashley Warwick
It should alleviate I think that it really
some of the traffic.
The roundabout
was a great
addition and I
won’t. I think the
issue is that we
have too many cars
on the road, so I
think it will help.
I think it will help.
I think it will be
beneficial.
think no matter how
much interchanges
you open, it’s not really
going to alleviate the
traffic situation because the issue isn’t
Anne Lezama traffic as much as it’s too much people
It has alleviated the driving because public transport is really
traffic because I live unreliable in this country.
across there in the
towers and to get Irene Hinds
out of here before I really think it will
the roundabout it help the traffic. I
was a lot of traffic, live in Cocorite
especially with the and to go around,
International School. you used to have
to wait, coming
Paul Winter this way. So now
No. I think it was a grand waste of money we making the
and the money could have been used roundabout and go up,
by far better, because if you think about so now it is very good for us. It would
it, you have to come all the way around help with the traffic, once people drive
if you’re coming from Diego Martin, carefully, we will be ok.
Penal/Debe Regional Corporation chairman Diptee Ramnath
PICTURE COURTESY THE PENAL DEBE REGIONAL CORPORATION
Ramnath again switched sides, Ramnath had served his country
returning to the UNC. well, helping people across south
Dr Sammy said Ramnath Trinidad.
started as a small contractor The Ministry of Local Govern-
doing electrical installations and ment also issued condolences
later expanded to installing elec- saying Ramnath’s notable works
trical poles for families across the positively impacted the lives of all
country. He leaves to mourn his the burgesses he represented.
wife, Debbie. “Ramnath was able to build a
Meanwhile, Ramnath’s friend strong working relationship with
and charter president of the community groups and religious
Rotary Club of Penal Surujdeo organisations, fortifying his in-
Mangaroo said he was deeply delible mark on Local Govern-
saddened by Ramnath’s passing. ment,” the ministry said.
He said Ramnath was an avid Current PDRC chairman Gow-
supporter of the Rotary Club of tam Maharaj said Ramnath’s
Penal. death means there will now be
“He was a Charter Member of a by-election in the Quinam/
our Club when we got chartered Morne Diablo seat.
in October 2002. His dedication He said Ramnath was always
to the community and his unwa- committed to his duties.
vering support for our organisa- “He is the type of person to go
tion will always be remembered,” out there, even if it does not fall
Mangaroo revealed. under his remit he will do all of
He described Ramnath as a the networking to bring relief to
true leader. the people. He is well known for
In his community, villagers that. He also loved to dress well,
were also in mourning. someone who was always dash-
Glenford Ramnarine said, “It ing.
was shocking to me, this was a re- Ramnath’s funeral will take
ally great councillor and this has place next Tuesday where a pro-
left a dent in our community.” cession will take place outside of
Ramnarine contended that the corporation.
 14 Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

Guardian
opinion
Established 1917

Dragon Gas: Awakening,

crawling or dancing?
The Government must be congratulated for sticking to its
guns in pursuing additional sources of natural gas from A sales clerk at Bachu Store, Chaguanas, cuts yards of tablecloth for customers on Friday. PICTURE VASHTI SINGH
Venezuela. The reality is that T&T’s natural gas production is
in secular decline. As of September, production averaged 2.6
billion cubic feet a day, 35 per cent less than installed plant L ast week, there was an uproar
surrounding the replacement
of Deborah Thomas-Felix as pres- Why query the Industrial
capacity. The result is that there isn’t enough gas to satisfy
ident of the Industrial Court with
demand. Some plants are closed and those still functioning
are operating well below their maximum capacity.
Finding new gas is a priority whether it is in deep water or
Heather Seale. The appointment
was made by President Christine
Court process now?
Kangaloo after consultation with
Venezuelan waters. This has serious implications for this
country’s economic future.
Obtaining a licence is only the beginning of this journey.
Chief Justice Ivor Archie under
section 4(3)(a)(ii) of the Indus- Prof Hamid Ghany
trial Relations Act (Ch 88:01 of the hamid.ghany@sta.uwi.edu
There may be dancing at the prospect of a new gas supply, Laws of Trinidad and Tobago).
but the Dragon project is a long way from dancing. Dancing It was obvious that the informa-
requires motor co-ordination and execution of a series of tion about a pending change was current holder of the office and and then the President makes up
moves and steps to produce a continuous fluid movement. leaked before the new appoint- to taint all of her appointments his or her own mind as to what
Who is providing the music? For the Dragon project to dance, ment was made. The Joint Trade made after consultation or in her course of action they will take.
two important issues must be addressed. Union Movement sent a letter to own deliberate judgement with a That process has been in place
First, an agreement is a commitment to facilitating the the President of the Republic to Government brush. since the modifications to the In-
project and does not guarantee its completion. Commitments request the continuation of Debo- The provisions in the Indus- dustrial Relations Act after 1976.
must be kept and Venezuela has a patchy record in keeping its rah Thomas-Felix as president of trial Relations Act go back to 1972 For all these years, that has
commitments. the court. when the legislation was passed been the process and in Decem-
Second is the political risk. Venezuela’s political situation The Law Association put out a as Act No 23 of 1972. In those ber 2023 there is a major outcry
is unstable and has led to the imposition of a wide range stinging statement advocating for days, we were still a monarchy about the process because of the
of sanctions by the United States which has hobbled the change in the process of appoint- with the Governor-General mak- change from Deborah Thomas-Fe-
performance of Venezuela’s economy and its energy sector. ing Industrial Court judges. The ing the appointments. According lix to Heather Seale. Why this sud-
most telling blow in their state- to the original section 4(3)(ii) of den upsurge in consciousness?
Concluding the negotiations was only possible because of a
ment aimed at the Office of the the 1972 Act the president of the What caused this to happen?
two-year exemption window granted by the United States.
President of the Republic with the Industrial Court was: “a person The trade union movement is
This is to ignore all the other technical risks which still must following words: who has the qualification (age ex- divided with JTUM and NATUC
be dealt with. “But given that the President of cepted) to be appointed a Judge of on one side and the All-Trinidad
This two-year exemption is too short for any energy the Republic herself is effectively the Supreme Court of Judicature Sugar Workers union on the other
project to be viable. Further, the licence is for 30 years elected to her office by the Gov- and is appointed by the Gover- side. Various Chambers of Com-
which indicates the expected production life of the field and ernment, it is hard to eliminate al- nor-General after consultation merce have weighed in on the
the recovery period needed for an investment of nature to together the perception, if not the with the Chief Justice …” process and the Law Association
be viable. What happens if the two-year exemption is not risk, that an incumbent president The only item that changed in is leading the charge.
renewed? Given that two years is too short to allow recovery of the Industrial Court might strive this subsection was that T&T be- Was there some major systemic
of any capital expended, one should proceed very slowly. to avoid alienating the Govern- came a republic in 1976 and the flaw by which Thomas-Felix was
What happens if Venezuela’s elections do not meet the free ment in order to pave her way to Governor-General was replaced appointed in December 2011 by
and fair test as determined by the United States? These risks re-appointment. Moreso, since the by the President. In the 1962 former president George Maxwell
cannot disappear simply because a licence has been obtained. reappointment process is neither Constitution, there was no for- Richards that was never fixed and
Another key issue is that the licence has been awarded transparent nor guided by any mal recognition of the power of now needs fixing because she was
to a joint venture between Shell and the National Gas objectively verifiable standards, consultation for the office of Gov- not reappointed as president of
Company. This is not a T&T project and neither NGC nor the Her Excellency is not required to ernor-General in section 63 of the Industrial Court by President
Government have control over the investment decision. Shell give any reasons for her course of that Constitution. In the circum- Christine Kangaloo?
is the majority partner and is in the driver’s seat, not NGC. action.” (Guardian, December 15, stances, it is difficult to envisage All of a sudden there is this call
Therefore, Shell’s investment decisions will be dependent on 2023, story by Chester Sambrano). how the power of “consultation” for the Cabinet to be removed
its internal investment processes. The time taken to proceed This part of the statement would have been exercised by the from the process of having a say
sounded more like it could have Governor-General seeing that the in the appointment of the other
with the Loran Manatee project is a good guide to the Dragon
come from the Opposition who Chief Justice was appointed by the Industrial Court judges. There
project which is more complicated.
had generally been making the Governor-General on the advice has been silence since 1976. What
The Prime Minister’s comments indicate that the risk is same point earlier this year when of the Prime Minister in section is the trigger now?
appreciated. “If you are going to be the majority shareholder, the election of the President took 79 of that Constitution.
you are going to have to put out the majority investment place in February. After we became a republic in Prof Hamid Ghany is a Professor
and take the majority risk. Because of the importance of this This statement is really a tell- 1976, the powers of the President of Constitutional Affairs and
venture to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, we always have ing blow to the independence were altered insofar as there was Parliamentary Studies at The
to limit our risk exposure …” This comment is somewhat at of the office of the President of included a specific power of con- University of the West Indies
variance with the Energy Minister’s statement that “we are the Republic. By saying that “the sultation that did not exist before (UWI). He was also appointed an
putting all the pressure we can (to get them to) bring it in two Honorary Professor of The UWI
President of the Republic herself 1976 for the Governor-General. upon his retirement in October
years.” is effectively elected to her office That power is now exercised by 2021. He continues his research and
Two years is in line with the ruling party’s election by the Government …” is to per- the President engaging in consul- publications and also does some
timetable. Given all the facts, Shell is unlikely to be in a hurry. sonalise the criticism against the tation with named office holders teaching at The UWI.
Newsgathering Editors Editor: Robert Alonzo
CONTACT US Kejan Haynes —kejan.haynes@guardian.co.tt robert.alonzo@guardian.co.tt
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Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Reasons, resources, and rituals
E conomics texts list land,
labour, capital and entre-
preneurship as the factors of
production. But neither land nor
capital can do anything by them-
selves. They both need people to
envision a future and to take ac-
tion to make that vision a reality.
The term “labour” is a relic of a
bygone era that economic theory
has not relinquished. Instead,
modern management theorists
speak of human resources.
The greatest resources of any
organisation are its employees, its
people, and its human resources.
The employees are the driving
force behind the success of any
organisation. People design,
build, promote, market and sell
the products that make an organ-
isation successful. They interact
with customers who consume the
product and build the touchpoints
for customer service and support.
Employees and the organisation’s
human resources are its back-
bone.
A successful organisation in-
vests, trains and supports its
human resources to allow them
and the organisation to achieve
their objectives. The presump-
tion is that the education system
will provide people who are lit-
erate and functional. This means
that employees will come with
the range of technical skills that
an organisation would need, like
IT, accounting, engineering, and
A zone of peace, Part 2
T rinbagonian Child, as I advised
you last column, you need to
keep close watch on what is hap-
pening between Guyana and Ven-
ezuela in respect of their dispute
over ownership of a vast area of
the Essequibo. The dispute has
reached the point where they
produced a joint declaration on
December 14, 2023, in Argyle, St
Vincent and the Grenadines in
which they agreed to make peace
going forward.
You should pay attention be-
cause they are close South Amer-
ican neighbours of ours and, if
matters get out of hand, your gen-
eration is likely to experience the
nasty effects much, much more
than mine. We in the Anglophone
Caribbean are generally silent
about it, but, militarily, Guyana
is no match for Venezuela. And it
is not clear that the joint declara-
tion that followed the Venezuelan
referendum is powerful enough to
push Venezuela back from its pro-
prietary claims to the Essequibo.
Indeed, Beloved Child, in one of
the points of agreement, the decla-
ration states as follows:
‘Noted Guyana’s assertion that
it is committed to the process and
procedures of the International
Court of Justice for the resolution
of the border controversy. Noted
Venezuela’s assertion of its lack of
Mariano Browne
legal to name a few. These techni-
cal skills are insufficient in them-
selves to build a high-performing
organisation. Hence, successful
organisations continually invest
in training to build, reinforce, or
upskill the organisation’s culture.
Sometimes this training is tech-
nical to ensure that “technicians”
keep abreast of developments
in their area of expertise to stay
at the cutting edge of their pro-
fession. Sometimes training is
necessary to reinforce the firm’s
system and procedures and any
changes or updates thereto to cor-
rect deficiencies where identified.
However, to build capacity, and
improve productivity and perfor-
mance, a different type of train-
ing is required. Often this type of
training revolves around human
interaction and deepening in-
terpersonal and communication
skills, what some call soft skills or
emotional intelligence. This type
of training employs a wide range
of techniques.
Universities and professional
firms provide training in specific
areas of interest or to keep in
touch with new themes and devel-
Dr Winford James
consent and lack of recognition of
the International Court of Justice
and its jurisdiction in the border
controversy.’
So while, as I told you, I was
impressed by the other points of
agreement in the declaration, I was
not at all happy, Threatened Child,
with Venezuela’s assertion that, in
contradiction to Guyana’s, it didn’t
recognise the jurisdiction of the ICJ
or consent to being subject to the
ICJ’s authority.
The history of the world, more
particularly, of bilateral disputes
over territory, is littered with ex-
amples of broken agreements and
treaties. And even though I con-
sider the Argyle Declaration a tri-
umph in international diplomacy,
and continue to be optimistic that
peace will prevail, there is an abid-
ing misgiving that I find myself
unable to shake from my mind,
Suddenly Silent Child. Political
naïveté hardly ever helps the cause
of the weak.
Both states are clinging to their
claim to the territory, and we are
all waiting with fingers crossed to
opments in technical areas. Often
private sector firms will approach
a specialist consulting group to
design programmes which are
unique to that organisation, or fo-
cused on achieving specific objec-
tives which management deems
critical to future growth and de-
velopment.
This is the context of Mrs Pot-
ter’s unique statement at Massy
Holdings Limited’s Annual Gen-
eral Meeting on December 18,
and the brouhaha that followed.
Her comments were the subject
of an internal memorandum di-
rected to the senior management
on November 26, 15 working days
before the AGM. Her statement
raises four questions: First, what
is the nature of the training? Sec-
ond, is the training necessary?
Third, is this a good use of foreign
exchange? Fourth, do the consult-
ants have an undue influence over
the executive?
First, the training is an executive
leadership training programme
that has been in existence for over
ten years. To be effective and to
ensure a consistent approach by
the company, all group executives
see what the relevant international
court will rule. In the meantime,
let me remind you, Dear Child, of
the relevant agreement in Argyle:
‘Agreed that any controversies
between the two States will be
resolved in accordance with inter-
national law, including the Geneva
Agreement dated February 17,
1966.’
The disputed territory is cur-
rently part of the Cooperative Re-
public of Guyana. How much is it?
Permit me to admit, Understand-
ing Child, that it appears I made
errors on the size of the claimed
portion of the Essequibo and on
other historical facts as well. That
is, according to my brother Ste-
phen Kangal. I defer to him on
what the correct facts are since he
has worked in foreign affairs for a
considerable period and so knows
his onions, as they say. He read my
column of December 17 and was
kind enough to provide the follow-
ing (edited) ‘corrections’, which I
regard as clarifications and elabo-
rations:
1. Guyana has 83,000 square
will need to be exposed to the
programme to ensure that they
all are aligned with the group’s
objectives. During its ten years,
the programme would have been
reviewed and sharpened many
times to ensure that it remained
relevant and its outcomes benefi-
cial to the group’s operating per-
formance. This type of training
focuses on personal growth and
development and goes well be-
yond tactics and strategy. Group
managers must operate and com-
pete in an international context.
Second, economic growth
and development in the region
are dependent on the success of
private-sector firms. Given the
economic challenges facing the
Caribbean, building strong entre-
preneurially driven companies
with well-trained leaders is critical
to the region’s future. Massy Hold-
ings is a well-diversified conglom-
erate with over 13,000 employees
scattered across many countries,
creating a diverse cultural mix. It
needs excellent leadership to keep
the organisation on an even keel
and focused on a central cohering
theme. Furthermore, since the
company is growing by acquisi-
tion, building and maintaining an
organisation culture requires a
central organising principle. This
means continuous training and
review. Training in this context
is a necessary expense to build a
team.
miles of landed territory and
the Essequibo is approximately
three-quarters of that size, that is,
62,250 square miles. But Maduro
is also claiming the “undelimited”
appurtenant offshore maritime
areas that abut on the Essequibo
coastal façade extending to over
200 nautical miles in the Atlantic.
2. The British gained control of
the County of Essequibo in 1814
by treaty with the Dutch. So since
Venezuela became independent in
1821, the Essequibo could not be
part of the Spanish Empire or Ven-
ezuela at that time. The Dutch-con-
trolled Essequibo that was passed
to the British extended to the
mouth of the Orinoco.
3. The current Essequibo bound-
ary with Venezuela was estab-
lished by the 1899 Anglo-American
Arbitration whose judgment was
encapsulated in the 1905 Treaty
of Washington that Venezuela un-
conditionally and totally accepted
because Venezuela gained territory
(39,000 square kilometres) as well
as the mouth and areas located
North of the Orinoco River that
were its main objectives in the ar-
bitration/complaint process.
4. Venezuela did not remain
quiet until “now”. Although the
treaty was meant to be permanent,
final, and binding for all times (no
denunciation or derogation provi-
opinion 15
The third question, whether
foreign exchange should be used
for this purpose, is a red herring.
Each subsidiary in whatever coun-
try they are based, would have to
find its foreign exchange to pay
for the programme. It would not
all come out of T&T’s reserves. In
any event, the group also earns
foreign exchange which it should
spend on its priorities. Even if it
is expensive, this type of training
is necessary and not easily dupli-
cated.
One would expect that after
working together for ten years a
partnership would have devel-
oped between the parties. How-
ever, the board would have to
determine whether that arrange-
ment affected the judgement of
the group’s executive manage-
ment. The group’s financial re-
sults are a useful measure. The
earnings per share metric has
risen from 3.85 cents in 2017 to
38.61 cents in 2023.
Mariano Browne is the Chief Exec-
utive Officer of the Arthur Lok Jack
Global School of Business. ALJGSB
is a not-for-profit corporation.
Fair disclosure: I am not a share-
holder of Massy Holdings Group.
Massy Holdings is not a shareholder
of ALJGSB. I have not discussed this
matter with any officer or board
member of the Massy Group. Ger-
vase Warner is a director of ALJGSB.
sions) Venezuela raised objections
to the validity of The Treaty in 1962
at the UNGA and quite illegally and
unilaterally declared it “null and
void”. So Venezuela since 1962
(before independent Guyana)
has been raising objections to the
treaty and boundary for 60 years
even though it accepted it as bind-
ing and immutable for also 60
years (1899-1962).
5. Venezuela and Guyana are not
reading from the same page on the
current controversy settlement
procedures as contained in the Ar-
gyle Declaration. Guyana accepts
the ICJ as the dispute settlement
mechanism as chosen by the UNSG
in 2018. Venezuela wants non-judi-
cial settlement because it has no
legal legs to stand on and is relying
on the 1966 Geneva Agreement
backed up by its superior forces.
6. I repeat: contrary to what you
wrote, Venezuela does not want
“international arbitration” but
only and exclusively “bilateral di-
plomacy and bilateral dialogue”
because it has no case to put for-
ward that can stand up to the rig-
ours of the jurisprudence of the ICJ
and international law principles re-
lating to territorial acquisition and
preservation.
Learning Child, we, your uncle
Stephen and I, are in the business
of informing the public.
 16 opinion
Massy debacle and demonology in T&T
It is unfortunate that Massy’s
AGM did not take place closer to
Halloween rather than the Christ-
mas season. The countless social
media jokes and memes because
of the recent allegations have
now given Trinidad’s zeitgeist a
spooky, occultic undertone. Even
established brands like Rituals got
in on the meme action.
I do not take any position on
the truthfulness of allegations
of Massy executives paying US$1
million per year to attend confer-
ences where they are trained in
speaking to the dead. Such allega-
tions are, however, in the public
domain.
This article is not accusing
Massy executives of taking part in
the occult but simply expanding
on the trending topic of the day.
T&T has a rich history of its
folklore including Papa Bois, Sou-
couyant, La Diablesse and Douen.
However, this column focuses on
the witchcraft-for-profit industry
in Trinidad.
The Hebrew word for spirit or
Jonathan Bhagan
Attorney At Law • President,
Christian Youth Foundation
https://www.facebook.com/
ChristianYouthFoundationTT/
Chairman, Caribbean Committee Against Sex Crimes
https://www.facebook.com/
CaribbeanCommitteeAgainstSexCrimes/
demon is transliterated as she- uses the word daimonizomai
dim. The concept of shedim has which is translated into English as
a distant similarity to the concept demon possessed or demonised,
of djinn in Arabic or Islam. When eg, the man possessed by legion.
referenced in Deuteronomy and From the introduction of Chris-
the Psalms, the word is used in tianity, all shedim and Daimonia
connection with human sacrifice. were then considered to be evil
Shedim may be used to refer to spirits, and only Angels and Christ
the gods of the Canaanites such as were considered good.
Baal and Molech to whom human In the context of the alleged
sacrifices were once offered. one-million-dollar seminars
The Greek translation of Shedim which involved talking with the
is daimonia from which we get the dead, any spirits that do respond
English word demon. The Greek to such attempts would be classed
concept of Daimon is associated as demons or familiar spirits ac-
with nature spirits, ghosts and cording to Christian tradition.
spirit guides. The New Testament Leviticus 20:27 states “A man
also or woman that hath a familiar
spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely
be put to death: they shall stone them
with stones: their blood shall be upon
them”
While the New Testament no longer
encourages the penalty of death, the
Apostle Paul cursed the sorcerer Ely-
mas with blindness for a season in Acts
chapter 13. St Patrick the patron saint
of Ireland was reported to have battled
with druids in 432 AD as he started the
conversion of Ireland to Christianity.
Popular demons in Trinidad
As with my human trafficking inter-
views, my sources for the following
information will remain anonymous.
Serious practitioners of the occult
in T&T join covens where oaths are
sworn to specific demonic principali-
ties in exchange for favours from the
demons.
One of the most popular demonic
principalities in Trinidad is Asmodeus,
the demon of lust and allegedly a gen-
eral directly under Satan. Invocations
to Asmodeus involve a circle lit with
candles, blood sacrifice and sexual
activity.
Asmodeus is popular in Wicca and
Satanist circles in Trinidad as it is a
demon mentioned in the Kabbalah,
popular media and in major texts on
demonology. My knowledge about As-
modeus began when someone I know,
who claimed to be possessed, told me
about writing the name Asmodeus on
his wall in red without him remember-
ing it. Years later, I observed an exor-
cism where the spirit of Asmodeus was
cast out of a man.
I have had short conversations with
members of the Wicca and Satanist
communities in Trinidad and on one
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
occasion Asmodeus was also men-
tioned as the demon to whom they
dedicated themselves.
The queen of the coast is a spirit that
is more popularly used by practition-
ers of obeah in Trinidad. My knowl-
edge of this spirit is limited, however,
I do know that someone in Trinidad
used to offer a course in obeah cost-
ing $5,000 (TT) with the “final exam”
being a dedication to the queen of the
coast.
Leviathan is an entity mentioned in
the bible in the book of Job 3:8 which
states, “Let those curse it who curse
the day, who are ready to rouse up
Leviathan.” Leviathan is an entity also
associated with the water being de-
scribed in the Bible and other sources
as a serpent or a dragon-like creature.
The satanic bible describes the levia-
than as one of the four crown princes
of hell and associated with water.
The entire Massy magic debacle
may be blown out of proportion, these
facts have not yet been established in
a court of law or by any competent
tribunal. However, scrutiny of frivo-
lous spending that can be classified as
waste is always a good thing and I sup-
port Angelique Parisot-Potter in her
role as a whistleblower.
Alleged death due
to demonic possession
Unfortunately on December 22,
2023, Newsday reported the death of
a 22-year-old woman allegedly due to
demonic possession. It must be said,
however, that deaths due to possession
are rare and a police investigation and
autopsy should follow. Many alleged
cases of possession according to exor-
cist Fr Ripperger are simple psychiat-
ric conditions and not supernatural.
A doggy’s
Christmas
GML’s senior reporter and
proud pet mom Rhondor
Dowlat poses with her
furbaby, Jolie Bella,
adorned in her festive outfit
at their Central home.
PICTURE VASHTI SINGH
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt 17
 18 commentary
Needed, a meaningful season of goodwill
T
he Roman Catholic priest
surveyed the sparse congre-
gation and wondered if this
fallout of numbers attending the
Sunday morning mass is yet an-
other indication of the times we
live in, times of deviance, social
decay and more.
The decline in church attend-
ance, at least at that church and
perhaps on a broader scale here
in T&T, surely a phenomenon of
the wider Christian world, is a
matter that is very relevant on
this eve of the day when the Chris-
tian World celebrates the birth of
Christ (even if only symbolically)
in a variety of ways relevant to the
cultures.
Without asserting that this
drop in attendance at Mass at one
Catholic church is being experi-
enced in several other churches
and across other Christian de-
nominations, and it is related to
a loss of faith in the religion, as it
may not be a decline in believers,
but rather a carry-over from the
COVID-19 period when the num-
bers allowed into the churches
were limited, it must be worrying
to those responsible for gathering
the faithful of the flock.
In obvious concern about the
decline in attendance, Archbishop
Jason Gordon has himself ad-
dressed the issue and on occasion
used the television pulpit to urge
Catholics to come back to the live
Industrial Christmas wishes
T
he appointment of Her Hon-
our Mrs Heather Seale to
replace Mrs Deborah Thom-
as-Felix as the president of the In-
dustrial Court has led to calls for
a change to the way judges there
are selected and replaced.
There is no doubt that the
issue ought to be revisited, with
fixed appointments followed by a
maximum number of renewals as
the best way to provide a higher
degree of tenure security whilst
allowing the tribunal to see a
healthy flow of change to its com-
position.
But the Industrial Court, to
remain relevant and to play the
right role required in the 21st
century, must go through much
deeper changes than the way
judges are appointed.
Like most of our labour laws,
the Industrial Court was cre-
ated in a different era and was
designed to help tackle issues of
that time, not what today’s T&T
requires.
Reforming the Industrial Court
would also help remove some of
the anomalies it ended up with
which, notwithstanding the great
work its judges may do, can cause
considerable issues to society as a
whole.
Perhaps it is time for the Gov-
ernment to take the opportunity
of having a new president leading
the tribunal to work on a ‘Christ-
Tony Rakhal-Fraser
tfrasertt@gmail.com
Mass physically. I am not saying
the fall in numbers as observed
in one or two instances is wide-
spread, the fact is, though, a fall in
numbers has been reflected upon
by a couple of Catholic priests.
Notwithstanding all those reser-
vations, it is relevant and valid to
wonder if the Christian religions
here in T&T are facing something
of a questioning beyond all the
possible legitimate reasons stated
above for a decline in attendance
at church.
At a minimum, it can be assur-
edly said that staying away from
attending Mass is a practice con-
trary to the biblical injunction
given to adherents of the faith:
“Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the man-
ner of some, but exhorting one
another and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching.”
Hebrews 10-25.
Nonetheless, sitting in the pew
mas wish list’ of changes at the
Industrial Court.
A most fundamental one is the
removal of what is a highly unu-
sual characteristic of this tribu-
nal–that, apart from a few limited
cases, it is not directly open to the
citizen but, instead, restricted to
the trade union movement.
Given the way the IC was set up,
most grievances by employees
cannot be taken to court directly
by them. Instead, they must be
represented by a trade union.
Essentially, the cases at the
Industrial Court are between a
trade union and an employer, not
an employee and the employer,
which seems to go directly against
the rights of our citizens, includ-
ing the right we have not to be
members of a trade union.
But being represented by a
trade union should be an indi-
vidual choice, not one imposed
by the nature of our employment
tribunal.
Equally fundamental is the
need to create a more robust ap-
peal system for employment dis-
putes.
As things stand, once the judges
at the Industrial Court reach a de-
cision, appeals are limited to prin-
ciples of law, but not necessarily
the ruling itself.
The union or the employer may
be able to question whether their
verdict is within the law, but are
of the morning service and ob-
serving most assuredly quite a
significant decline in attendance
set me wondering if a diminution
in attendance, as tenuous as I can
conclude on that subject, is im-
pacting negatively on social and
human society of the period.
All faiths of the religious of
the world profess to be about
fostering human principles and
high-quality human behaviours,
eg, how we view our fellow
human beings, how we treat
them, our belief in and practice
of being good to our brother man/
woman, all of it designed to rais-
ing the quality of life for us all and
avoiding inhumanity against all
others, not just those who belong
to our particular faiths.
Without seeking to explore
in-depth what is happening in
the major religions of the world
whether they are increasing
in numbers or declining, and
not able to question, for instance,
the amount awarded to the win-
ning party and how the tribunal
reached that amount.
This is particularly worrisome
given that the law barely gives any
guidance as far as the scope of the
penalties.
In practice, the Industrial Court
can determine whichever awards
it sees fit for the case, without a
minimum or maximum limit set
by law. And, once that is set with-
out the right to appeal against the
decision, the amount can effec-
tively become a new benchmark
for other cases.
All this is even more relevant in
countries like ours that inherited
the British legal system, by which
tribunal decisions move the law
along without the need for parlia-
mentary involvement.
A recent example was when
the Industrial Court ruled that,
even if mutually agreed by a trade
union and an employer, employ-
ees facing retrenchment are not
allowed to be released on full pay
whether non-religious beliefs are
increasing in numbers, a few sur-
veys I have read found declines
in Christianity, and increases in
Islam and Hinduism.
That pattern has been found to
be replicating itself in T&T by the
world atlas.
Even a cursory scan of what’s
happening in our world, T&T very
much included in that scan, will
reveal severe failures to achieve
the objectives listed above. Those
deficiencies are showing them-
selves in wars, in the inability to
achieve a human environment in
which equity exists in love and to-
getherness.
The present environment is one
in which major Christian socie-
ties are brutalising non-Christian
countries, even doing the same to
countries and peoples who share
the same faith, but are ideologi-
cally different and of another eth-
nic grouping.
The focus of religions and
their leaders is usually on getting
non-believers to become involved
in their religions. Contrarily
though, any observable decline
may very well be the result of a
major failing amongst religious
countries and groups to demon-
strate the elements of their faiths
and the requirements to “love thy
neighbour and do good to all of
mankind.”
Can the priests on the pulpits
earlier, during the notice period,
and that, instead, they must serve
the whole notice at work.
Irrespective of the reasons be-
hind the judges’ decision on the
specific case in question, the fact
is that the Industrial Court effec-
tively made it the rule in T&T that
mutually agreed on payments in
lieu of notice are illegal, without
further routes to question a rul-
ing that has considerable impli-
cations to employers, unions and
employees.
One way we could solve some
of these anomalies would be by
having a higher employment tri-
bunal tier designed to deal with
appeals from both parties, includ-
ing complex cases like the issue
of payment in lieu of notice, or
when the penalties awarded are
considered too high or too low.
In fact, many countries have this
structure already.
But none of these more funda-
mental issues over how the Indus-
trial Court operates should come
on their own. We need much
deeper reforms of our employ-
ment laws.
Employers’ bodies have already
proposed the concept of a kind of
‘employee charter’ to guarantee
a set of rights designed to protect
workers from abuse and ensure
good industrial relations prac-
tices. This is a good proposal that
ought to be considered–and, so
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
this morning, on the morrow and
throughout this period urge upon
themselves and congregations
the need for them to demonstrate
what they believe in and preach
about? Christian theologian Dr
Francis Schaeffer back in the
1970s and 1980s wrote about a
post-Christian world.
The fact is that in today’s world,
the major Christian nations are
not doing very well at display-
ing the principles of their faith.
Many are locked into much evil
and advantage-taking of helpless,
defenceless peoples, in many
instances such un-Christian-like
behaviours are being done to
nations of peoples in their home-
lands by brutal armies of men,
women and leaders who count
themselves amongst the believers
of the Christian word. The fact is
history is loaded with instances of
wars pursued by religious group-
ings of believers in a god.
Nonetheless, I say goodwill to
all on this symbolic day of peace
and love to all mankind. Maybe I
will return to this subject outside
the season. Best wishes to all.
Tony Rakhal-Fraser is a freelance
journalist, former reporter and
current affairs host at TTT, news
Director of CNMG and AVM
Television, correspondent to
the BBC Caribbean Service, the
Associated Press and current
columnist for the Sunday Guardian.
far, the unions haven’t explicitly
said they are against it.
But any new set of rules must
also be grounded on the concept
of flexibility and adaptability so
that the jobs market can evolve as
the world moves on.
Take part-time and flexible
working, for instance.
Our laws are so rigid to the
point they make it extremely dif-
ficult for employers to adopt such
approaches, even when they are
preferred by prospective employ-
ees.
Accidentally, this rigidity also
runs against principles of equal
opportunities and inclusion, as
they can exclude women with
young children who cannot work
full time, carers who need flexibil-
ity as far as their hours are con-
cerned, etc.
The wish list could go on and
on.
So, if there is still time and col-
umn space for a single one, that
wish is that we use 2024 to have
an urgent and meaningful root
and branch review of our employ-
ment laws, including those cover-
ing how our Industrial Court is
structured and ran so that we can
ensure T&T and its workforce can
have a bright future for years and
decades to come.
In the meantime, have a peace-
ful and joyful holiday season and
a great new year ahead.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt commentary 19
Carol of the Drums

Members of the Malick Folk Junior Performing Company perform Carol of the Drum during Tropical Tidings: A Christmas Celebration with the Prime Minister, at NAPA Port-of-Spain on
Wednesday. PICTURE ANISTO ALVES

Will AI be bleached out in 2024?

I
n 2024, AI will be impercep-
tible and ubiquitous. The illu-
sion will be that it has faded,
or failed. But it will not stall, or
be bleached out. It will embroider
itself indiscernibly into the very
operating fabric of every enter-
prise on the planet. What will fail
is the human to achieve consensus
about its regulation. AI regulation
will be revised and redrawn count-
less times in many countries, due
to the speed of AI evolution into
task-specific species. The oppor-
tunity which human failure will
present will make it possible for
the industry to take the first steps
at self-regulation.
being distributed daily. Many of
these stories proliferate factual er-
In 2024, the shift will be from the lab rors and misinformation and are
into production. The focus will be on hosted on news websites where
the content has been generated
tangibles based on measurable business completely by AI. This has re-
use cases that can transform the way sulted in the “watermarking” of
a brand builds its identity. Brands will misinformation manufactured by
AI, following the template intro-
use GenAI prototyping to scale across duced during the COVID-19 pan-
business channels, factories, demic, to combat misinformation
about the virus.
marketing, sales, and service Law enforcement agencies will
functions, for everything face a barrage of AI impersona-
tions of humans—either through
from EVs to kitchen appliances. voice synthesis or Deepfakes using
audio and video. Image generation
and voice synthesis foundation
could use GenAI, alongside cus-
tomers’ 360-degree data and re-
al-time interaction behaviours to
generate a customised style of life
products. This is in addition to
AI-assisted costume designs using
trend analysis to predict fashion
drifts, fabrics, and interests.
In 2024, the shift will be from
the lab into production. The
focus will be on tangibles based
on measurable business use cases
that can transform the way a brand
builds its identity. Brands will use
GenAI prototyping to scale across
business channels, factories, mar-
keting, sales, and service func-
tions, for everything from EVs to

Costs associated with AI tech-
nologies will increase in 2024.
The supreme challenge will be to
deploy GenAI-driven processes at
scale. The aim will be to achieve
operating efficiencies that are in-
terlaced with the economics that
support its pervasive deployment.
The reality of the rising cost to
run it, the complexities involved,
and the climbing clamour for reg-
ulation, could mean that the tech-
nology could face a development
slowdown.
Players will need to acquire
high-powered chips to run AI ap-
plications. In the case of gener-
ative AI, the advanced graphics
processing units, or GPUs, de-
signed by Nvidia, will be in de-
mand to enable large companies,
and small developers alike to be
able to run their AI workloads.
Companies like Amazon, Google,
Alibaba, Meta, and some AI com-
panies have already started to de-
velop their specific AI chips. Many
digital media AI startups in anima-
Dr Fazal Ali
tion, film, and sound technology
are offering cutting-edge services
using apps and other platforms.
The tools and capabilities of
these portals run on applications
housed in server farms. Users an-
ywhere in the world paying a sub-
scription can have access to these
server farms and high-powered
chips that produce results almost
instantly. A standard one-month
plan sells for about US$12. This
gives the creator access to 625
credits that can transform text to
video in under 16 seconds, access
to unlimited video editor projects,
100GB of assets, the use of up to
five editors, the video editor can
export in 4K and Green Screen
alpha matte, 2K image exports
and full 3D texture options, and
the subscriber can experience one
bespoke AI generator training ses-
sion with the plan.
This guarantees that during
2024, Deepfaking and other AI-as-
sisted acts and artefacts will at-
tract reforms in the law. Persons
may use “stems” to produce an
AI-generated audio clip using
platforms like Elevenlabs. The
audio clip can then be laid over an
AI-generated image of the people
using photographs and video foot-
age to address millions of people
on social media anywhere in the
world attending a virtual rally.
All of this while the person
remains confined and their fol-
lowers avoid public gatherings.
Search engines will publish inter-
net advisements, and citizens will
receive alerts that the content or
material that they may be perusing
from a particular web publisher is
AI-generated, and not created nor
curated by humans.
AI-generated stories are already
models will be used to target peo-
ple who publicly post randomly
on social media platforms. This
will enable low-cost and realistic
Deepfakes, causing wide-ranging
harm including damage to per-
sonal and professional relation-
ships, bank fraud, insurance, and
benefits.
Brand identity in many in-
dustries will be enhanced using
GenAI to create content and per-
sonalisation heuristics that allow
customer interactions at new lev-
els of intelligence. Personalisation
and steering strategies will allow
Community Tourism strategies
to offer visitors ways to explore a
mosaic of communities in a single
destination, that offers thrilling
and distinctive natural, heritage,
and cultural experiences.
Caribbean boutique hotels
building on the “experience econ-
omy” will identify when, where,
and what to offer existing visitors
to make their stay intuitive and
luxurious. Masquerade bands
kitchen appliances. This drive to
domain-specific processes will
accelerate the shift of GenAI from
general process enhancements to
domain-specific capabilities.
Vertical industries will mush-
room around species-specific AIs.
This, in turn, will drive AI do-
main-specific processes that are
unique to emerging verticals but-
tressed by FinTech. The only thing
swifter than the speed with which
AI technologies have appeared
is the speed with which they are
evolving, reshaping enterprises,
and differentiating lithe organisa-
tions from inelastic ones.
Dr Fazal Ali completed his
Masters in Philosophy at the
University of the West Indies, he
was a Commonwealth Scholar
who attended the University of
Cambridge, Hughes Hall, provost
of the University of Trinidad and
Tobago and the acting president
and chairman of the Teaching
Service Commission. He is presently
a consultant with the IDB.
 20 news Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

Documenting our experience

The Caribbean Corona Chronicles Oral History digital archive
As a university focused on using
research for the upliftment of its
community, the University of the
West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, the
premier tertiary institution in the re-
gion, producing world-class scholars,
believes science should be accessible
to the public. We offer this media
series, UWI Scientists Speak, where
our scientists, three of whom were re-
cently awarded the highest award of
the nation—the Order of the Republic
of Trinidad and Tobago, will present
some of their work.
This week, we hear from Dr Debbie
McCollin, who discusses the research
done by the Caribbean Corona
Chronicles Oral History Project to
document and analyse the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic on the Car-
ibbean people. Dr Debbie McCollin
is a lecturer in The Department of
History at The University of the West
Indies, St Augustine, and Regional
Co-ordinator of The Caribbean Civi-
lisation Regional Unit of The UWI.
—Prof Rose-Marie Belle Antoine,
principal, UWISTA
“The greatest lesson I learnt from
the pandemic is that life changes in
the blink of an eye … so we need
to love … be flexible … and be our
brother’s keeper.”
These words from Deanna
Gomez-Peyrefitte, an entrepreneur
from Belize, echo throughout the
Caribbean. Deanna is part of an
exciting new project called The
Caribbean Corona Chronicles Oral
History Project, emerging from The
Dr Debbie McCollin
Caribbean Civilisation Unit and the
Department of History in the Fac-
ulty of Humanities and Education
at The University of the West In-
dies, St Augustine.
The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2,
or COVID-19, was declared a pan-
demic by the World Health Organ-
ization (WHO) on March 11, 2020,
and became one of the most dev-
astating public health disasters
in world history. The COVID-19
outbreak completely destabilised
global economic and political sys-
tems and transformed social and
cultural practices in every world
nation. The Caribbean, a diverse
region economically dependent
on international trends and indus-
tries, was deeply affected by this
crisis. Mandatory quarantine, bor-
der closings, public shutdowns,
social distancing and compulsory
mask-wearing were instituted,
and industries and services were
brought to a standstill—as health
authorities worldwide fought to
contain the deadly contagion. The
race for a vaccine intensified! Amid
this societal chaos, innovation in
digital technology and engagement
and work-from-home opportunities
flourished. The lives of Caribbean
people were dramatically trans-
formed.
In the face of such historical
circumstances, it was incumbent
upon scholars of History and the
Humanities to find ways to capture
and preserve the essence of the
COVID-19 pandemic experience
and study and compare the impacts
of this epic crisis on Caribbean
peoples. The Caribbean Corona
Chronicles Oral History Project was
designed to answer this very need.
Conducted by a team of nine re-
searchers from the Caribbean Civi-
lisation Unit and the Department of
History, the goal of this three-year
project is to record and begin to
assess the revolutionary changes
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
(and subsequent lockdowns) on
the lives of Caribbean people and
societies. Utilising the Zoom Web
Conferencing platform for inter-
views and UWISpace and YouTube
as the digital repositories—an on-
line public archive is being created
of 200 recorded and transcribed
interviews of people of various vo-
cations across the Caribbean.
Over 70 interviews with Carib-
bean citizens have already been
made accessible to researchers
through the project website. In tar-
geting interviewees, the research
team focused on the diversity of
gender, age, socio-economic status
and geographic distribution across
the Caribbean and within Carib-
bean territories (urban and rural).
With interviewees, for example,
from T&T, Antigua and Grenada in
the eastern Caribbean, to Belize in
Central America and the diaspora
Caribbean communities in North
America, this project already boasts
a rich composite of Caribbean ex-
periences. Once completed, it is
expected to be a significant histor-
ical source for COVID-19 pandemic
researchers across the world.
In these candid interviews, Car-
ibbean teachers and students re-
vealed the trauma associated with
the dramatic shift to online teach-
ing and learning. Members of the
entertainment industry detailed
their personal stories of growing
debt due to the loss of income as
a result of event prohibitions and
the general lockdown. Business-
men and employees described
the severe impact of the decline
in business and the loss of jobs,
but also their newfound avenues
for commerce. Additionally, reli-
gious leaders, government officials
and non-profit organisations pro-
vided insight into the Caribbean’s
extensive pandemic relief effort.
Individuals directly engaged in
the fight against COVID-19 are also
represented; doctors, nurses and
other medical staff from across the
Caribbean openly described their
harrowing experiences during the
pandemic. COVID-19 survivors
were a special group of interest
to the research team. Via the ar-
chive, these survivors shared their
complex encounters with the local
public health systems through their
hospitalisation, quarantine and re-
covery from this deadly virus.
The project website, caribbean-
coronachronicles.com, serves as
the platform for exhibiting The Car-
ibbean Corona Chronicles Oral His-
tory Archive. This archive (currently
accessible but scheduled to be
completed in August 2024) makes
this rich pool of interviews freely
available to the public, academic
researchers, documentary-makers,
analysts and policymakers. This
project offers critical first-hand ac-
counts of the Caribbean COVID-19
pandemic experience that will un-
doubtedly help to strengthen our
future public health responses.
If you wish to participate in this
important project, please email
us at caribbeancoronachronicles@
gmail.com

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Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
The nightmare
before
Christmas
I
t was like any other morning.
But something was different;
it was one of those intangibles
I could not immediately put my
finger or thoughts on—more of a
lightness in the aura. My first real-
isation that this was no ordinary
morning was when I turned on
the bathroom faucet, and instead
of the trickle that I was accus-
tomed to, a gush of water startled
me.
I immediately turned it off.
Something was amiss. Was there
a flood that occurred during my
slumber?
I ran to the window and cau-
tiously peered through the blinds
at the front of the house. From my
slightly elevated vantage point, I
could see several homes. From
the daylight creeping over the ho-
rizon, a serene landscape greeted
me. Still, it was too perfect.
I ran from window to window
to get a complete picture of the
scenery. People were stirring, and
nothing was amiss.
I cautiously opened the front
door and took in a breath of the
deliciously cool morning Decem-
ber breeze. Neighbours passing
by greeted each other with sal-
utations and best wishes. This,
indeed, was not the same place
where I went to sleep, one where
everyone was so afraid of being
robbed and murdered, where
doors were tightly shuttered, win-
dows were protected by burglar
The CRBC: Business leaders working for a better T&T
G
iven the state of inter-
national geopolitics, the
global economy is going
through deep uncertainties and
economic shrinking that are oc-
curring in almost every country,
especially T&T. While this is not
the ideal environment for growth
and prosperity, the Leadership
of the Confederation of Regional
Business Chambers (CRBC) is de-
termined to discover a strategic
glide path for the survival and
even growth of the SME sector.
Vivek Charran, chairman of
CRBC is very passionate about
the state of the progressiveness
and sustainability of the SME sec-
tor and is a renowned advocate
and opinion leader in the sphere
of economics and business. Vivek
continues to raise his voice on na-
tional media to seek the interest
of the SME sector at all times. In
addition to this, he continually
engages in meaningful conversa-
tions with government officials,
representatives from the banking
sector and other prominent mem-
bers of the business community.
It is clear for any kind of pros-
perity to manifest within T&T, the
proofing, where every car back-
fire sent everyone scampering for
cover and where strangers were
viewed with suspicion.
While chatting with my next-
door neighbour, I asked him
about his water supply. As perfect
as ever, he replied. He looked at
me quizzically, “What happened
to you? Are you having a Rip Van
Winkle episode?” He smiled.
I suddenly realised what was
strange about the landscape. I
looked around me, and there were
no more unsightly water tanks in
everyone’s yards; the water came
directly from the mains into our
homes. In place of the tanks,
there were pristine lawns and gar-
dens. I told my friend about my
nightmarish water woes where
we only had water intermittently–
if we were lucky, and many had
no water for weeks or months.
“That must have been some
nightmare,” he chuckled. We
have not had problems with water
since we became an independent
nation. The ANR took care of that
as soon as they won the election.”
I was surprised, “ANR?” I asked.
“Yes, the Altruistic Nationwide
Referendum party. Then, during
the 1973 oil boom, we had enough
money to make every citizen rich
beyond our wildest dreams.”
“But what about the People’s
National Movement?” My friend
explained it: The PNM was a bust
when people discovered they
expansion and competitiveness of
the SME sector is critical. And this
is the main objective of the con-
federation.
I can remember the confed-
eration’s first meeting that took
place in an afternoon in March
five years ago. This meeting was
chaired by Mr Ramchand Rajbal
Maraj, who was then the president
of the Couva Point Lisas Chamber
of Commerce. This initial meeting
was attended by approximately
ten different chamber presidents,
Criss Crossing the various com-
munities throughout our nation.
Mr Rajbal’s main speaking point
during that meeting was that. “In
unity there is strength and we all
need to speak with one voice.” Mr
Rampersad Sieuraj, then presi-
dent of the Penal/Debe Chamber
of Commerce insisted that the
CRBC must be apolitical, and not
be involved in making any polit-
ical statements whatsoever. “We
compliment the Government
when it is due, and we criticise
the Government when it is due,”
stated Mr Sieuraj.
Another president, Ricardo
Mohammed who leads the East-
were only in it for themselves.
After that, T&T’s economy soared
into the stratosphere. Citizens be-
came so rich that we had to im-
port labour from other islands,
Guyana and Venezuela. We had
fast light rail systems that took us
everywhere, significantly reduc-
ing our need for cars, which im-
proved air quality. Crime became
so insignificant that there was no
need to lock our doors or for guns
for protection. Most of the secu-
rity companies went out of busi-
ness. Our jails were downsized.
Furthermore, there were no
more stray dogs and cats, as the
authorities began a mandatory
spay-and-neuter programme and
outlawed backyard breeders and
inhumane treatment of all ani-
ern Business Merchants Associ-
ation (EBMA) in Sangre Grande
has executed two local tour-
ism-based projects; Ah Taste ah
Grande & Ah Grande Christmas.
These projects seek to brand the
town of Sangre Grande and en-
courage local tourism and at the
same time, encourage consumer
spending via innovative sales pro-
motion techniques.
In the Southern region, in the
City of San Fernando, the CRBC
collaborates with the San Fer-
nando Business Association (SBA)
led by the indefatigable Daphne
Bartlett. Mrs Bartlett has always
been an advocate for the better-
ment of San Fernando, especially
the reopening of the Pointe-a-
Pierre refinery to spur economic
development and employment.
The CRBC supports Daphne in the
endeavour.
Also, Ms Angie Jairam, the
hard-working president of the
Fyzabad Chamber of Commerce.
Ms Jairam has donated resources
to the betterment of the Fyzabad
Business community. She has
been a leading advocate for the
sustainable presence of law en-
letters on sunday 21
‘Tis the season
Richard
R i h d Ramkhalawan
poinsettia plants at La Vaga Garden,
St James Street, San Fernando, on Thursday.
mals. All dogs and cats had to be
licensed and microchipped to lo-
cate them if they got lost.
Moreover, forex was never
a problem as foreign currency
was easily obtained at any bank
without limits. All international
businesses were eager to open
branches in T&T. Our healthcare
was rated on par with the US. Our
roads were the best in the world,
with nationwide teams working to
fix any problems that arose.
Our schools were so well fi-
nanced that there was no need to
decide which was the best for our
children–from the smallest school
district to the cities–they were
all equally funded; school buses
picked up children from their
homes and deposited them safely
forcement personnel within the
Fyzabad Commercial Districts to
mitigate crime. This is commend-
able, and an excellent example of
community service.
Mention must also be made
about Omar Hadeed who is the
entrepreneur who has brought
several global brands into our
local market such as Bath & Body
Works, Victoria’s Secret and Psy-
cho Bunny to name a few. He is
also instrumental in the establish-
ment of the Food Hall Grocerant
and Domino’s Pizza. He is indeed
a super entrepreneur.
Within the CRBC lies the Yacht-
ing Marine Services led by Peter
Peake, the winner of many speed-
boat races. Peter has been instru-
mental in opening avenues for
individual business persons who
earn incomes by building and re-
pairing yachts, especially yachts
from the international environ-
ment who find T&T an attractive
destination.
Not forgetting our sister isle of
Tobago, where Mr Martin George
continuously advocates for the
well-being of Tobago’s business
environment. Martin has also
R khkh l wets
t pink
i k
PICTURE RISHI RAGOONATH
to schools.
Politicians lived altruistically;
gentility in Parliament set a tone
of civility for the rest of the na-
tion. Our magnanimity and po-
liteness became world-renowned,
and tourism soared as cruise ships
lined up to see how sophisticated
people could set a sterling exam-
ple of what can be accomplished
when politicians are no longer in
charge–citizens are.
Then I woke up and realised it
was just a heavenly dream; our
reality is an existential nightmare
that will never end if we stay the
course on our nightmarish down-
ward slope.
REX CHOOKOLINGO,
Via email
been at the forefront of matters
concerning the air and sea bridge,
and how their malfunctions can
negatively the businesses and
lives of our sister isle.
Rajiv Diptee, president of SATT
works quite tirelessly to ensure
that the supply chains and oper-
ations surrounding the grocery
retail sector remain intact and
efficient.
Now that the Christmas season
is upon us, The CRBC wishes to
extend season’s greetings to T&T.
The leaders are selfless individu-
als who wish for a better nation.
Season’s greetings from Vivek
Charran, Ricardo Mohammed,
Rashid and Shareeza Ali, Samuel
George, Daphne Bartlett, Mooti-
lal Ramsingh, Rampersad Sieuraj,
Emerson Chadee, Angie Jairam,
George Alexis, Martin George,
Rajiv Diptee, Peter Peake and
Omar Hadeed.
They are all indeed business
leaders with class.
Merry Christmas everyone.
JAI LELADHARSINGH,
co-ordinator of the Confederation
of Regional Business Chambers
 22 commentary
Protecting decorations from pets
If you own a pet, you’re likely to
have had some decoration-related
or Christmas tree-related disaster.
We can’t blame our pets. Their
natural curiosity combined with
new and interesting scents, shiny
ornaments that dangle enticingly,
and a tree to explore is all too
much to resist.
While there’s only one sure way
to protect our decorations from
our pets (and vice versa)—which is
keeping everything out of reach,
sometimes this is not possible, so
the next best thing is practising
safety where possible.
Starting with fauna, certain
traditional holiday plants such as
poinsettias and lilies contain tox-
ins that are dangerous to dogs and
cats so it is best to avoid them or
place them in areas inaccessible
to your pet. If you suspect that
your pet has nibbled on a toxic
plant, contact your veterinarian
immediately.
While artificial trees are not
as attractive to pets as real trees
because they lack the scent of
the outdoors, they still provide a
haven for getting into mischief.
Before decorating your tree, spray
it with a scented repellent such as
citrus oil, vinegar, bitter apple or
clove oil. Make sure whatever you
choose to use is a scent that your
pet does not like, so he/she will
be more likely to stay away from
the tree and less likely to chew
it. Repellent sprays will need to
be topped up periodically as the
scent wears off.
You can also install a baby gate
around the base of the tree, or
surround the tree with a material
that your pet does not like to walk
on such as aluminium foil. Dou-
ble-sided tape wrapped around
the base of the tree, or plant net-
ting attached to the underside of
the tree helps discourage climbing
At this time of the year, many cel-
ebrate the fact that Jesus Christ
came, but very little focus is placed
on his purpose for leaving Heaven
and tabernacling among men.
Earth has been an accommodat-
ing, yet demanding environment
in which man has struggled to find
real solutions to life’s unrelenting
challenges.
Here, prayer becomes relevant,
for without God we can do noth-
ing. Prayer goes beyond the act
of communicating with God; it is
more about transferring the peace,
love, joy, and all the attributes of
heaven into our troubled earth.
Jesus taught us to pray that
God’s kingdom has rule, influence,
and dominion—come to Earth and
his will, or purpose become estab-
lished here as it is in Heaven. That
is why the message of God’s king-
dom is called the gospel, or good
news, for it is coded with solutions
to order all of Earth’s chaos.
The Bible predicted—and we
are certainly experiencing it—that
this age will be a very difficult one.
While there’s only one sure way to protect our decorations
from our pets (and vice versa)—which is keeping everything
out of reach, sometimes this is not possible, so the next best
thing is practising safety where possible.
and scratching. It may be helpful breached. floor to prevent pets from chew-
to secure your tree to a wall using Lights and electrical cords ing on them. You can invest in
a fishing line to prevent it from should be tucked deep in the tree installing pet-safe cord protectors
toppling over if your barriers are and taped down to walls or the on cords that you cannot hide or
Why Jesus came
sent him ( John 6:38). Many follow
teachings and philosophy that turn
them away from godly wisdom.
Others have become boastful
and proud and scoff at the idea
of serving God. Some appear to
We are to promote the kind of living be religious, but their depraved
minds and counterfeit faith reject
that reflects heaven’s culture within God’s transforming power.
the home and family, the church, and So, what is the believer’s re-
sponse in such a challenging time?
the wider society. The grace of God has The Apostle Paul exhorts us to
been revealed to help us turn from the preach the word of God and to be
prepared to patiently correct, re-
sinful pleasures of this evil world buke, and encourage people with
sound teaching.
to wisdom, righteousness, and It is painful to witness those
charged with promoting God’s
devotion to God. holy order and principles meekly
relenting to popular culture. We
have been warned! “Woe unto
Pastor Julien Cyrus them that call evil good, and good
evil; that put darkness for light,
and light for darkness; that put bit-
ter for sweet, and sweet for bitter”
(Isaiah 5:20).
Our main challenge is not global We note that Jesus came down We are to promote the kind of
warming or the environment, but from heaven, not to do his own living that reflects heaven’s cul-
the hearts of men. will, but the will of the Father who ture within the home and family,
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Your Pet & You
Kristel-Marie Ramnath
move out of reach.
The bottom third of your tree
should be used for sturdy, shat-
ter-proof ornaments that will not
break if your pet pulls them off.
More fragile ornaments can be
placed high on the tree and se-
curely affixed to the branches.
It is best not to use string-like
decorations such as tinsel, angel
hair, and ribbons as they can pose
choking and strangling hazards
for your pets, as well as poten-
tially cause intestinal damage if
swallowed.
Candles are becoming increas-
ingly popular as holiday decor,
but these are a fire hazard and
may pose a respiratory risk to
pets. Never leave a burning can-
dle unsupervised and always
keep candles in spots inaccessi-
ble to pets. You can consider LED
candles for the festive, flickering
lighting without the risk of a real
flame, or choose pet-safe candles
that use natural soy wax, coconut
wax, beeswax or vegetable-based
wax over paraffin wax and are
less irritant on your pet’s nose.
Have a Merry and Safe Christ-
mas!
Copyright © Kristel-Marie Ramnath
2023
the church, and the wider soci-
ety. The grace of God has been
revealed to help us turn from the
sinful pleasures of this evil world
to wisdom, righteousness, and de-
votion to God.
Paul says, “Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners, of
whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15).
Jesus brought transformational in-
formation—truth and light—to our
dark world.
He shared in our flesh and
blood, that through death he
might destroy the one who has
the power of death and deliver
us from our enemy, the devil (He-
brews 2:14). Therefore, in Christ
we have passed from death unto
life.
Today, everyone can sing, “Joy
to the World,” because The Spirit
of the Lord anointed Jesus to an-
nounce good news to the poor,
liberty to the captives, recovery
of sight to the blind, and to set at
liberty those who are oppressed.
God’s kingdom is here; repent
and believe the gospel.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt news 23
Call us on 235-5668 or
email classified@guardian.co.tt

Fabulous fern
Thi llady
This d iis all
ll smiles
il as she
h looks
l k att a b
bunch
h of Christmas fern from a vendor on
Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, on Friday. PICTURE KERWIN PIERRE

Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Ministry of Finance 
Inland Revenue Division
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&DPSXV3OD]D
PUBLIC NOTICE 
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The Board of Inland Revenue wishes to advise the public that the 'XH$UH0DGH(DUO\
CASHIERS’ UNITS The Board apologises for any
will be closed on inconvenience caused.
)5,'$<'(&(0%(5DQG)5,'$<'(&(0%(5 For more information
$7$0 Visit us at www.ird.gov.tt
 24 news Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

South hosts first Carnival fete

INNIS FRANCIS

Following the launch of Carnival in San

Fernando recently, the first semi-all-in-
clusive Carnival party was held at Skin-
ner Park on December 17.
Funky Fitz Entertainment promoted
the event—MAS, The Gift of Carnival—an
eight-hour production, to an apprecia-
tive crowd.
High on the agenda of the performing
artistes were Devon “Dev” Harris and
Devon “Lyrikal” Martin whose perfor-
mances were in memory of Ricardo
Drue who passed away on December 12.
Harris acknowledged the void Drue
left in the fraternity. “We are here today,
we lost a brother! Thank God for health
and strength, no matter the situation,” A section of women
at the event—Mas,
he said.
The Gift of Carnival.
Both entertainers observed silence for
the fallen entertainer and guided the au-
dience to stand in solidarity with them Martin was motioned by the crowd to sweat and revelry, this was the first time
for their colleague. leave the stage and sing for a wheel- in two years that Williams was out after
Harris’ performance was in solemn chair-bound fan in the audience. Sha- finding out about her ailment.
memory of Drue as he performed their nygne Williams, 30, who was diagnosed Other performances included Joshua
2021 hit soca song, South Man. with lupus, attended the event to see Regrello, Christo, Mical Teja, and Nadia
Before performing Happy Place, Martin’s performance. Moved to tears, Batson. More pictures on Page 25.

1$9,*$7,21$/:$51,1*
75,1,'$'1257+:(67&2$67 Singer Nadia Batson performs her hit song Market.

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A patron passes through the legs of a moko jumbie.
PICTURES RISHI RAGOONATH
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt news 25
Honouring Drue
From Page 24

Soca singer Lyrikal performs Happy Place for Shanyne Williams in a wheelchair.
PICTURES RISHI RAGOONATH

Women enjoy themselves. More pictures on Page 26

26 news Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

job hunter
From Page 25
ALL ABOUT
WORK ETHICS
MONDAYS

Friends enjoy the music at Mas, The Gift of Carnival, the first semi-all-inclusive
Carnival party at Skinner Park, San Fernando. PICTURES RISHI RAGOONATH

Pannist Joshua Regrello sings for the ladies.

Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt 27
28 Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
 guardian.co.tt

Syrian Lebanese
Women’s 70 years
of service
PAGE 32

Reach out to
those suffering
in silence this
season
PAGE 33
Gretta Taylor’s 50-year
The BookShelf sojourn with Marionettes ...
PAGE
E 35
Work of PAGES
30-31

Musical and Artistic Director

of the Marionettes Chorale
Gretta Taylor
PICTURE NICOLE DRAYTON
 30 we
50-year sojourn
with the Marionettes Chorale
TONY RAKHALFRASER
7
he Marionettes Chorale is a representa-
tion of who we are as a people–cut from
differing social classes, ethnicities and
dispositions in life; the whole nation of
us who help to make up this place we call home.
Most importantly, the Chorale plays, sings, and
makes merry in the varied, musical genres, those
we invented, and the others we inherited from
the very ancestral cultures out of which our peo-
ples sprang.
“Speaking for the Marionettes, we get along,
we have fun together. The individuals are sensi-
tive to the needs of others, and ‘they get along’.
I love the family vibes that I am getting from the
members of the chorale,” is how Musical and Ar-
tistic Director of the Marionettes Gretta Taylor,
Humming Bird Medal Gold, explains how the
members of the chorale make music; perhaps
not without the occasional discordant note, but
essentially a reverential, harmonious and joyful
Gretta Taylor
conducting the
Marionettes
Chorale.
sound, my interpretation.
“That members ‘get along’ also helps
in the production and presentation of the
music, as it prevents someone attempting
to stick out because you don’t want a Diva,
whom I will have to tell on occasion ‘shush’.”
The musical and artistic director believes
that the age-old Trini habit of ‘liming’ con-
tributes to the quality and blending of the
singing and the music: “All of us–Portuguese,
Indians, all of we Trinis; these are things we
take for granted, but they are represented
in the Marionettes,” says Taylor with a mix-
ture of pride and positive assertion, as she
gives me the ‘why are you surprised look’,
perhaps she saw something I was not aware
of, maybe it’s akin to the ‘cut eye’ she gives
when a singer or two is out of time, and she
as conductor stamps her foot to bring them
back in time.
The Marionettes recently celebrated 60
years of making music as a group of ‘choris-
ters’. During the Christmas season, a Mario-
nettes concert at Queen’s Hall is as expected
as sorrel, ginger beer and a spirit of togeth-
erness.
The music arranged and sung by the Mar-
ionettes over the decades varies through
the European classics and Ameri-
can Negro Spirituals, popular music
of the period, a touch of jazz here
and there, and it would not be a true
Trinbagonian chorale without ca-
lypso and parang, the arrangement
of the latter over the last couple of
decades, the responsibility of Des-
mond Waithe, Taylor said.
“Oh Lord, talking about Desmond
bringing tears to my eyes,” was Tay-
lor’s immediate response, Desmond
having passed away in April 2022.
“Do you know Mr John Boulay; that
man from Charlotteville, he jump on
de Jackass back …” is synonymous
with Desmond, cuatro in hand with
a voice to match the folk of a Tobago
village, and with a broad smile on
his face. Taylor and the chorale re-
member you Desmond.
Marionettes contains all of our
‘wonderfulness’ as a people, some-
thing of the sum of our musical
tastes. “But you know what holds us
together? It’s the music, the liming
and ole talk that we are famous for
as a people,” says Taylor. She cites
her case of leaving Queen’s Hall
after a show and being presented
with a beverage (of guess what?) by
a group of Marionettes limers.
The chorale was started by Joce-
lyn Pierre and June Williams-Thorne
in 1963 and for a long period was
sponsored by the multinational en-
ergy company bpTT.
In preparation for a concert, “I
go through 20 versions of it before
settling on the one we do at Queen’s
Hall,” says Taylor, indicating the
months of practice which start in
September for the Christmas per-
formance.
“Together for 60 years, we have
become an enduring institution,
changing through more than a cou-
ple generations. We even have a few
members who were there from the
start, such as Joanne Mendes.” A sig-
nificant achievement in a sometimes
‘jumbie umbrella’ society.
“I was elected leader of the cho-
rale when I was in England and
really had no plans to take on the
responsibility; but having been
elected, I thought I would give it a
try, fully expecting it would be for a
short period. Fifty years later, here
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
I am.
“I don’t get paid, it’s my contri-
bution; I did not choose it and did
not plan to be here, but after the
passage of years ‘I said, you know
what, maybe this is a master plan,’”
the choir conductor told me sitting
at her piano, which she said was the
source of her musical knowledge
rather than her singing ability, not-
ing that over the decades her fellow
pianist Susan Dore was a core mem-
ber of the Marionettes.
During her stay as conductor of
the chorale, Gretta (I think I can
so refer to her without being given
the ‘cut eye’) has gone beyond the
Trini disposition of relying only on
natural talent. She has done formal
training in organising and conduct-
ing choirs in several cities in the US
and London.
“I learnt that a few of the things
I did naturally were all wrong; the
benefits of those programmes have
been tremendous,” she says. In her
professional life, Taylor, a univer-
sity post-graduate in languages, was
a teacher at St Joseph’s Convent in
Port-of-Spain.
In recent times (a couple of dec-
ades) I have noticed an increase in
the fusion of calypso and parang
into the repertoire of the chorale.
It seems to be completely enjoyed
by members on stage and those
who belong to the ‘External Mario-
nettes’–I know of one who is fierce
in her loyalty to the choir notwith-
standing having not been on stage
for a couple of decades. Yes, there
are those who attend the concerts,
sing and dance, even ‘ah lil breaka-
way’, demonstrative of their abiding
loyalty to the 60-year-old music-so-
cial institution.
Among the large group of External
Marionettes are those who appreci-
ate the classics and the spirituals ar-
ranged and performed by the choir.
“I would say Marionettes has
wiped away the awkwardness of cel-
ebrating as we do in Queen’s Hall.
You cannot please everybody, so we
seek to blend the music,” says the
chorale’s artistic and musical direc-
tor, noting “that not everyone can
take the classics.”
Continues on page 31
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt we 31

Members of the
Marionettes Chorale A work of love
contribution
with Desmond
Waithe, left, Gretta
Taylor and Dr Roger

and
Henry in 2012.

From page 30
Although not being inclined towards
competition in the performance
of the chorale, under ‘popular de-
mand’ by choir members, Taylor
took the chorale to the 1980 T&T
Musical Festival and won in its cat-
egory. “I don’t like the contention
which surrounds a competition,
so that was the one and only time
under my leadership we entered
the Festival; I having bowed to the
wishes of many,” says the musical
director.
Among the tours that the Mario-
nettes Chorale has made are those to
the Llangollen International Musical
festival in Wales, several cities in the
United States and several countries
in the Caribbean. “Performing in
concerts among such international
groups gave me the confidence that
we are as good as any,” says Taylor.

“ Dear Gretta,
“What a marvellous oc-
casion it was to have the
Marionettes in York … You left so
many happy people behind you. I
thought you had a terrific sense
of style in all your chosen reper-
toire,” a note sent to Taylor by
Andrew Carter, with an excerpt
from a newspaper review of the
Marionettes show in York, a town
in Northern England
“It was calypso time with fantas-
tic unanimity in its syncopations
and lilting rhythms so infectious
that it was impossible to keep still;
the Marionettes brought the Car-
ibbean right into the Assembly
Rooms,” said reviewer of the show
Martin Dreyer.
Taylor counts the chorale’s
performances at international
festivals among well-established
choirs as being indicative of the
quality of the group. In T&T, she
thinks the most-valued and out-
standing performance has been
the Marionettes’ version of the
international classic, Les Miséra-
bles
“Three Marionettes choirs
Greta Taylor
PICTURE combined to celebrate the 50th
NICOLE anniversary of Trinidad’s old-
DRAYTON
est [post-independence] chorale,
with what is undoubtedly its most
ambitious production. While the
Marionettes’ decision to present
what has been London’s long-
est-running musical ( first per-
formed in 1985) was probably
based on artistic challenge and as
a suitable follow-up to the equally
ambitious 2011 production of
Bizet’s Carmen, Hugo’s original
intentions for Les Misérables and
his social consciousness make it
even more relevant to contempo-
rary Trinidad.” Simon Lee, the
Trinidad and Tobago Guardian,
December 30, 2014.
Taylor notes that over the years,
the chorale has developed a youth
choir which numbered 60 at its
peak, and which averages 30-35
at present. The Youth Chorale is
obviously directed at giving Mar-
ionettes another 60 years. “I am
also gradually handing over,” she
says, giving another cut-eye to my
suggestion that that will happen
in ten years.
Seriously though, among those
in line for musical directorships
and other leading roles into the
future are Dr Roger Henry (assis-
tant musical director), and Caryll
Warner and Joshua Joseph, two
young conductors who featured
at this year’s Queen’s Hall shows,
with Caroline Taylor now assis-
tant artistic director.
Music also brought Taylor and
her husband, Jeremy Taylor,
writer, publisher and editor, to-
gether and with Caroline ‘inside’,
the Taylor name seems linked to
the Marionettes into the future.
At a personal level, Taylor is the
daughter of the well-known Trin-
idad physician, Dr A G Francis
(Chaconia Medal Gold) and Lorna
Francis, and the family tree is as
mixed as the T&T population.
Implanting my own bias on
Marionettes’ performance at this
year’s Queen’s Hall show, the piece
that stuck out and fitted all that
Taylor said of the Chorale was the
parang selection, Anda Parrand-
ero. During the culminating notes
of the concert, I saw a young man
with one of those prickly hair-
styles arise from his seat, danc-
ing, applauding as if it were at a
soca performance of Voice.
“Marionettes has crossed the
generations and is leaving its
mark on another group of the na-
tional audience,” my thought.
 32 we
70 years
of service,
hope and unity
... over 1,800 hampers
distributed
M
embers of the
Syrian Lebanese
Women’s Asso-
ciation (SLWA)
in T&T recently
came together to accomplish
one of their most impacting in-
itiatives–the much-anticipated
annual Christmas Food Ham-
pers project.
This heartfelt initiative, now
in its 70th year, focuses on dis-
tributing food hampers through-
out the nation to families in
need, embodying the spirit of
giving during the holiday sea-
son.
What began over 70 years
ago as simple parcels of apples
has evolved into a comprehen-
sive food hamper programme,
where hampers have enough
product to sustain a family of
up to six for an entire month.
The hampers, now numbering
1,800 for the year 2023, are me-
ticulously built, packed, and dis-
tributed by over 100 dedicated
volunteers from the association,
along with friends and family.
The heart of the operation
lies in St Anthony’s Hall, which
has graciously served as the
project’s home for many years.
This central location allows for
Past president Justine
Aboud-Chamely distributing
hampers.
efficient coordination and has
become a symbol of the commu-
nity’s collective commitment to
spreading joy during the holiday
season.
Extensive
collaborations and
partnerships
The SLWA Hamper Project has
become a beacon of hope and
unity, bringing together diverse
communities and organisations.
Over the two days, volunteers
collaborate to assemble ham-
pers that contain essential food
items to make the holiday sea-
son brighter for families across
the nation.
The charitable effort is made
possible through a combina-
tion of financial and product
donations from both corporate
entities and individuals. These
contributions are crucial for
procuring everything from food
goods, to boxes, straight down
to tape and paper for assembly,
showcasing the collaborative
spirit that defines the SLWA.
The total value of this charitable
endeavour is over $400,000.
The impact is far-reaching,
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
President Jo-marie
Zakour and vice president
Genevieve Hadeed.
with a wide variety of organisations,
including religious groups and shelters,
joining forces to collect and distribute
hampers to even the most remote lo-
cations.
Expansion of the Christmas
hamper initiative
In reflecting on the project’s growth, Volunteers set in their manual conveyor system to pack hampers.
SLWA president Jo-marie Zakour
shared, “We are incredibly proud to 1,800
witness the evolution of the Christ- hampers
mas Hamper Project over the years. It packed and
stands as one of our longest-standing distributed.
annual initiatives, and we eagerly an-
ticipate it every year. We look forward
to its continued growth and hopefully
doubling its reach to bring joy and sus-
tenance to even more families in need.”
A special thank you to all companies,
individuals and members who have
contributed to making this project a
continued success.
Members and friends of the SLWA dedicating time for the Christmas hamper initiative.
Syrian Lebanese Women’s Association
Founded in 1950, the Syrian Lebanese Women’s Association is an NGO whose main PICTURES COURTESY
mission is to bring women together to help our fellow citizens in need. Our membership MARIEL SABGATANNOUS,
of 350 and counting is committed to assisting the poor, sick, and needy through efforts PUBLIC RELATIONS
that contribute more than half a million dollars annually. The Syrian Lebanese Women’s OFFICER, SWLA
Association has helped those in need in various ways over the last 72 years.
Email: slwassoc@yahoo.com
FB: Syrian-Lebanese Women’s Association
IG: @slwatrinidadandtobago
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Spread
the
Reach out to
lov
ovee
those suffering
silently
during the
season
FAYOLA K J FRASER
T
he intangible spark of
Christmas is upon us,
and the revelling, music,
liming and joy that ac-
companies the season
is soaked into every occasion and
every day that passes. However,
not everyone can boast that the
joy of Christmas is foremost in
their heart or mind, as they grap-
ple with loss or grief, with the ab-
sence of a loved one being most
apparent during this season. The
popular refrain “Christmas is for
children,” does not encompass all
children, as an 11 year old whose
mother passed away in March
2023 after a short battle with can-
cer is spending her first Christmas
without the warm hugs of her
dear mummy. According to her
father, who is also similarly cop-
ing with his own loss, “she has
become more reserved, more in-
troverted.” She shows little inter-
est in the excitement of gift giving
and receiving than ever before.
Coping with grief is not only
difficult for children, but many
adults as well. A 29-year-old man
who lost his friend to the scourge
of gun violence as an innocent
bystander in 2023, expressed the
extra difficult Christmas season
he is experiencing. “I know no
matter what, every Christmas we
taking a lime and a drink … or a
few,” he jokes, “but without my
boy, it just doesn’t feel right to be
out and about celebrating.”
He describes that even because
of social media, when the memo-
ries on Instagram show what they
were doing last Christmas or the
year before, he becomes emotion-
ally triggered, viewing memories
of their friendship, making the
palpable loss even more painful.
When asked what he is doing to
cope with the gaping hole in his
circle, he describes that he is
quietly working through his emo-
tions alone.
While for some, the feelings of
grief and loss are intensified by
the family/friend-centric nature
of the season, some may even feel
guilt about feeling joy when griev-
ing.
Psychiatrist and former inde-
pendent senator Dr Varma Dey-
alsingh describes that during the
festive season, “some of our joyful
memories of Christmas are inter-
twined with activities, presents
and special moments with our
loved one,” making it especially
difficult to cope. “It’s like you tie
in enjoyment with the person,” he
says, without their physical pres-
ence, thus creating a vacuum of
loss. Simple activities, like putting
up a Christmas tree or decora-
tions, making pastelles, listening
to certain songs, or even smelling
various smells, may cause an on-
slaught of grief for a person deal-
ing with the loss of a loved one.
Ascertain if people around
you are suffering silently
Dr Deyalsingh identifies ways
to ascertain if people around you
are suffering silently during the
season.
“There may be a change in their
personality,” he says, “where they
don’t enjoy things they once did
like Christmas shopping, deco-
rating, making meals, or inviting
people over.” Similarly, they may
decline invitations to attend func-
tions, may be more likely to avoid
people, and abuse alcohol or
marijuana to cope with their loss.
These tell-tale signs and sudden
mood changes can alert family
and friends to the fact that a loved
one is struggling during this time.
Toolkit of techniques to
support and uplift others
To support a grieving relative,
Dr Deyalsingh offers a toolkit of
techniques that can be useful in
supporting and uplifting them. He
encourages inclusion of the family
members in events. Even if they
decline the invitation, ensure to
lovingly offer one.
He also suggests that reaching
Association of Psychiatrists of T&T
secretary Dr Varma Deyalsingh
out and speaking to them about
the deceased loved one may be
helpful in some cases, as fond
memories may provide ease.
Even offering to participate in
traditions that the grieving rela-
tive previously did with a loved
one may give them joy, and asking
for their assistance or support in
your own preparations–like ask-
ing them for help to bake a cake
or make sorrel may help get their
mind off of their grief.
For those in need of help,
FindcareTT.com is a social app
which has all the listings for
people who need assistance.
If you are suffering from grief,
you can also call 800cope to be
connected to someone to listen to
you and give you the support you
need. Reach out to someone, no
man is an island.
we 33
Working
through grief
For those suffering from grief
during the season themselves,
he encourages the adoption of
healthy habits that will assist in
working through grief.
• “Make a commitment to be
healthy for the deceased
one’s sake,” he says, “as if they
were alive, they would love
to know you were taking care
of yourself.” Exercise, proper
nutrition, healthy habits and
high-quality sleep are also
important in rebuilding mental
and emotional health when
dealing with grief.
• Reaching out to family or friends
when needed, supporting a
charity, or starting new hobbies
and traditions also helps
provide relief for heavy and all-
consuming emotions.
This Christmas, while we
all celebrate joy, love and
togetherness, it takes nothing to
cast an extra eye on those around
us who may be distressed by the
anguish of the loss of a loved
one. With an extra layer of the
experience of COVID-19, which
caused even more unprecedented
death and loss, so many people
have experienced heartache and
grief. As our neighbours’ keepers,
find the time to reach out to
someone who needs it the most.
 34 we
Shivana
Mangroo
7HDFKLQJFKLOGUHQ
WKHZD\WKH\OHDUQ
MATTHEW CHIN
Reporter
matthew.chin@guardian.co.tt
)
oreign to the way many of
us Trinbagonians have been
taught in the local school cur-
riculum, there is a school in
San Fernando that teaches children ac-
cording to the way they learn, not the
way teachers want them to. It was dur-
ing the COVID-19 pandemic that Princes
Town resident Shivana Mangroo began
her own tutoring services that would
eventually bloom into today’s Genius
Hearts Learning Institute, a tutoring
service where children are understood
before they are taught. However, be-
fore achieving this feat, the mother of
two had suffered the backlashes of sin-
gle parenthood thrust upon her, hav-
ing incurred a future that she did not
want. Mangroo was forced to make a
life-changing decision: sink or swim.
Amid the financial and psychological
woes of the COVID-19 pandemic, there
was a high demand for private tutoring
in T&T. Noticing this trend like many
others did throughout the world, Man-
groo began to privately tutor children
which encouraged her to create her
own business, Genius Hearts Learning
Institute. She teaches Math and Lan-
guage Arts to children between the ages
of 2 ½ to nine years.
In September the brick-and-mortar
wing of Genius Hearts’ preschool was
opened in San Fernando. The 35 year
Shivana Mangroo with students.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Shivana Mangroo
old, however, did not alwayswa ays wantant to
wan
become a teacher. She admitsmitts thatt afafter
ter
er
completing secondary school hoool she e hadad
studied accounting to satisfy
sfyy her fafather.
ath
ther.r.
“Teaching was never in m my cards.
y carards..
When I left secondary school, hool, I had
schoo had d
to further in something in tertiary ed-
n ter ed
ucation, and my father sent ennt me to d do
the Association of Charteredere Certified
ed Certifi fied
e
Accounts (ACCA). I did that basically
at b asically y to
satisfy him. I hated it, I nev
never
ver worked
e worke ked
anywhere in my life where e I used
used those
thosse
certificates. But I love the arts
arts,
s, I do it as
a hobby,” she said.
It was when other teachers
chers noticed d
her skills in quieting theirir noisy
noisy class-- like that,” she said. little faith in her ability to understand him.
rooms and understanding g the e ways stu- But the one moment that Mangroo con- “Throughout his learning, no one really
dents learnt that she had crossed se paths siders the ignition to her path towards took the time to understand why he would
with her future. Realising g that
thaat the pur- teaching was when a fellow churchgoer say or do the things he did. I decided to
pose of her life had nothing ng to do with persuaded her that teaching was her call- understand why he would rebel and we
recording transactions orr int interpreting
terpreting ing. And from there, she decided to take it developed a relationship ... he needed to
financial data but rather watering
wattering the seriously for the rest of her life. be healed from plenty of things he went
hearts and minds of T&T’s ’s young
yooung gen- “One of my sisters from church told me through in his learning experience. Pre-
eration. teaching was my calling, and, apparently, school was brutal to him,” she said.
When her son, Tristan-Lee,
n-Lee e, started I was holding down the classes really good. Mangroo is currently developing a re-
preschool, she was still attached
attac he to
ached They needed an assistant teacher and I search-based curriculum that promotes her
him—as most parents would uld be e to
to ttheir
heirr accepted the position. I was doing so well method of teaching (teaching children the
child—refusing to leave him m alone.
al
alone
one. that they offered to send me to the Univer- way they learn) to share with early child-
Spending the day in the secretary’s
secretar ary’s’s of-
of-
of sity of the West Indies (UWI) to study early hood teachers via workshops.
fice, sometimes she would d be asked
aske
sked d by
by childhood care and education. It happened “We try so much for children to be geni-
teachers to supervise their ir classrooms
classsroo
ro ms effortlessly ...” she said. uses on an academic level. I want children
whenever they stepped away. way. to be true and be able to express their true
“There was this one time teachers
e the teacacher erss Shivana’s teaching style authentic selves in learning. And I want
were preparing for an event nt and left
eft me them to be a genius at heart before they ac-
to look after a class and then
hen a tea teacher
ache er In her quest to better understand the nu- tually understand how to function academ-
in another class asked, ‘Since
ince you have have anced mentalities of youngsters, Mangroo ically,” she said.
this class so quiet, maybe you can thro throw
row w recounted her experience of teaching a five-
an eye on mine?’ And they hey were sur- surr- year-old boy whose distraught mother had Continues on page 36
prised that I held their classes
asses together
Students show off their artwork.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt we 35
Pakistani writer:
Gaza is beyond words,
where language goes to die
IRA MATHUR

7
his Sunday, Bookshelf features the writing
of Pakistani publisher Taiba Abbas, whose
late grandfather Syed Muzaffar Aga, from
Srinagar, Kashmir, served as a diplomat in
Trinidad in the late 79s.
Abbas, the founder of the independent pub-
lishing house Àla Books and Authors, is co-au-
thor of The Night In Her Hair with her mother,
Huma Agha.
When I asked Abbas what drives her writing,
her distress over the bombing in Gaza was up-
permost in her mind. “Devastation, grief, horror,
trauma. With 20,000 people dead, almost two
million displaced, 10,000 children dead, thou-
sands more orphaned, Gaza is where language
goes to die, is beyond words. As I write these
words, I face the death of language. All words and
meaning wrested from their familiar, compla-
cent, complicit place. I don’t know how to name
the responsibility that we carry within ourselves
as we bear witness to this unspeakable genocide,
as we watch, feel, and plunge every waking mo- The late Syed Muzaffar Aga, from Srinagar, Kashmir,
ment of our consciousness in grief, in waiting, Pakistani high commissioner to T&T and his wife, Alima (a
in praying, standing in all our strength, in all the gifted artist and lover of literature), with Dr Eric Williams, the
force of our representation, for a free Palestine. first PM of T&T in the 70s.
We carry the shifting centre of the peace we seek PICTURE COURTESY TAIBA ABBAS
within ourselves, a poetics of deprivation.”
Born in Pakistan, Abbas, who grew up in Italy
and holds a Master’s in Comparative Literature
from SOAS, University of London, describes The
Night In Her Hair, a collection of nine stories and
paintings, as a modern retelling of ancient Sufi
folk stories.
“Down the northern belt of the mountains,
through the fields and rivers of Punjab, to the
warm coast of the Arabian Sea this collection
The
oo Shelf
bears witness to lives that became the legacy of

Book
spiritual and literary traditions of Sufi thought–
that continue to shape our creative expression,
motifs woven deep inside our cultural psyche
and identity.” Writer and publisher Taiba Abbas

Excerpt from Heer Ranjha, in The Night In Her Hair with permission from the authors:
“Sethi watched Heer without
resentment, without envy. But
with a nameless fear. The cost, the
danger of a beauty such as hers.
‘Tell me about that day,’ she said,
‘The day he met you.’ She could
see that Heer was already there.
In the high fields of Jhang, where
the five saints had blessed him.
In the fields where Ranjha had
opened his eyes. Sethi listened.
She could see it happening be-
fore her eyes.— Heer stepping
out of the river, a cluster of girls
around her, drying their hair on
the bank, making their way to the
village. Behind them, Heer was
wading through the water. The
sun bloomed wetly through her
blood-red veil, half cloaking and
revealing each turn of her body.
Her mouth was full and red,
like the deep cleft of a ruby. Her
hair was half wet, streaking her
neck, lifting in the wind, fan-
ning down the proud slope of her
shoulders. Her lustrous eyes. The
jasmine flowers dangling from
her ears, rivalling the cream of
her skin.‘What was he like?’ ‘I was
afraid to look at him,’ said Heer,
‘Afraid that he would disappear.
Afraid he wasn’t real. I had never
seen anything more beautiful
than him.’ The crushing sweetness
of the memory pressing down on
her, ‘And I never will again.’ The
breath stilled in her throat, and
her voice broke. ‘I saw the side
of his face, gilded in the last rays
of the sun. His face tilted over his
flute. Looking at it. As if he was
waiting for something.
His hair fell over his eyes. The
tree he sat under covered him in
its shade, yet the light wouldn’t
leave him. His eyes showed you
everything, and they revealed
nothing.
What I saw in them was a place
I would never be able to see. A
tumult and a peace that was his
alone. And in that moment, I
would’ve never believed that it
was me that he saw and that he
looked at me. But then, he put his
mouth to his flute, and I heard it.
‘What did you hear?’ Heer closed
her eyes. ‘I became a child again.
His melody stirred the years in-
side me. All the joys I had known
and forgotten. As if he had been
there all my life as if he had seen
them all. His melody shook them
out, unfurled them. Stretching,
gold and unending like the sun.
His music spun them around me.
And I moved with them. I turned
with them. I was free. I was every-
where.
And I laughed, and I laughed.
And I heard his laughter there
with me.’ Heer lifted her hand
and brought it to her chest. ‘Then
his melody gashed me here,’ she
touched her hand to her breast,
‘Here,’ she moved her hand
below her heart, ‘And I became
a woman,’ she smiled, her eyes
still closed, and a tremor cut into
her lips like a wince, as her hand
pressed down, reliv-
ing the moment. ‘It
held me, it owned
me.
Pushing past my flesh. It
burned a hole till my bones were
water and smoke. But his music
played on. Deeper. Till I felt I
would fall through it. Till I felt
I would disappear. And I did. I
felt myself go. And that is when I
opened my eyes and looked into
Ranjha’s face. And he was looking
at me as he played his flute. His
dark eyes holding mine. And as I
looked at him, the air returned to
my lungs. My heart poured and
filled me everywhere. I stood and
listened as he wove my dreams—
everything I never knew I wanted.
Pulling me towards him.
As he touched and bared all
the secrets I never knew I had. As
he clutched everything I was and
could be. I stood and listened. Till
the hours fell away to dusk. In
the dark, his voice was soft and
amber;
it lit the shadows. “Don’t
you recognise it?” he said to
me. “It is you. Look into your
heart. You are the melody.”’ Heer
stopped, the warm tears stream-
ing down her face as they had
when she had stood before Ran-
jha.”
–End of Excerpt
Taiba Abbas has taught Italian,
English literature, Film, and
Cultural studies at universities
in Lahore and Islamabad. She is
currently completing her first
novel.
Ira Mathur is a Guardian columnist
and winner of the non-fiction
OCM Bocas Prize for Literature
2023 winner. www.irasroom.org
 36 we
TRICIA ST JOHN
,
s January really the hard-
est month of the year or is
that theory actually based
on how we spend our sal-
aries in December? My entire
young life, I have heard people,
mostly the adult females in my
life, talk about how hard Janu-
ary is. My mother said it. Her
colleagues said it. The teachers
at the primary school I attended
said it. My mother was a teacher,
therefore I was surrounded by
teachers who, in my estimation,
were rich, yet all of them said the
same thing. That January was the
hardest month. ‘Guava season’
was the term often used to de-
scribe January and its representa-
tion of economic hardship.
As a child, our yard had more
than one guava tree, which we
often raided to make chow, heavy
on the bird pepper. We also got to
help mammy make guava juice,
which I still find to be very de-
licious if made just right. Jam,
cheese, more chow, guavas are
delicious and versatile. It seems
unfair to align them with hard-
ship when they provide so much
enjoyment.
There appear, however, to be
various reasons why January
is dubbed the most depressing
month of the year. December,
obviously, is a hard act to follow.
After a month of fun, food, gifts
and family interactions, it’s back
to reality. Back to school, home-
work and assignments. After the
festivities of Christmas, January
can lead to feelings of sadness
and depression as we start off an-
Trials of single motherhood
From page 34
Mangroo has been a single par-
ent for approximately ten years
and is no stranger to the stigmas
that come with it. The feeling of
judgement had been so intense
that at one point she had tried to
hold onto a relationship to avoid
discrimination. And when she
could not hold onto it any fur-
ther, fellow churchgoers began to
shun her new romance with sin-
glehood.
“When I was eight months
pregnant, the baby’s father said,
‘I’m interested in someone else.’
It was one of the worst times of
my life; I cannot explain it. Peo-
ple, including my extended fam-
ily, treated me differently because
of that. It was a lot,” she said. “I
had to figure out how to be the
best person in the world for my
children and that was without
looking for somebody else to
make it possible.”
Children’s mental health
neglected
Mangroo believes there are
features to T&T’s school curricu-
lum that are more damaging than
helpful to children. For her, the
mental health of children is a top
priority, saying that the feelings
of children ought to be addressed
directly.
“We have some teachers who
January
gets a bad rap
other year of responsibility and
the repaying of loans. Let’s not
forget that. Whether for home
repairs, new appliances, paint or
groceries, January signifies the
start of debt paying.
Workplaces are said to lack
buzz and energy as the new year
starts, and this may be because
decorations are down, Starbucks
has returned to their regular
cups, office parties are over and
the work day for most ends long
after the sun sets.
Feelings … feelings … feelings …
Alongside our feelings of hav-
ing to let go of the festivities too
soon, is the reality that reflection
on the year that is making its exit,
whilst the new one stands expect-
antly on the threshold, may cause
sadness and disappointment. Our
expectations and the opportuni-
ties we may have missed or taken
a chance on can do battle with
our inner demons as we realise
our last year’s resolutions have,
for the most part, fallen by the
wayside. We’ve gained weight in-
stead of lost. We haven’t met our
savings goals, and we still haven’t
would try
to comfort a
child. But that
would be only
for a period
of time. And
then we start
to put labels on
children: ‘They
h a rd e n ,’ or
‘They does cry
for dey mudda,’
etc. And nobody
takes the time to
genuinely under-
stand what these
children are feel-
ing internally on
a psychological
level,” she said.
She is also
a strong oppo- nent
against the Secondary Entrance
Assessment (SEA) which she said
places too much pressure on stu-
dents.
“The psychological aftermath
[of SEA] causes trauma that our
Caribbean culture refuses to un-
derstand, much less deal with,”
she said, unapologetically.
Advice to new teachers
For novice teachers who may
feel overwhelmed by the dynam-
ics of their classroom, Mangroo
suggests advice that she admits
not all teachers have been recep-
made enough changes towards a
healthier lifestyle.
Because having goals for the
things we want to do and work-
ing towards them is an important
part of our human existence, we
may still be inspired to make new,
as well as refresh some of our old,
resolutions.
The first step would be to think
of something you want to work
towards.
It doesn’t matter if it’s an old
resolution or a new one we’ve set,
it just needs to be something you
want to do, and it must also be
realistic. If it stretches us beyond
our comfort zone, it will certainly
be more motivating. The second
thing we can do is tell someone
so that they can hold us account-
able. Telling someone about our
goals helps to increase the likeli-
hood that we will stick to them.
Children don’t usually grasp
the concept of January being a
hard month. As children, we got
snacks, new shoes if the need
arose and warm food in our
tummies every day. The lights
worked, there was water and the
Shivana Mangroo
with her children.
tive
to, even though she has felt over-
whelmed at times.
“When something upsets us,
you need to stop for a minute and
ask yourself, ‘Why is this causing
me to feel like that?’ If it is you’re
working with a child and you get
upset because they’re not writ-
ing properly, why does that af-
fect you? And it stems from a lot
of unhealed trauma ... children
growing into teachers; it’s cul-
tural and traditional that teachers
react like this,” she said.
Employing a different pedagog-
ical approach to her students, she
started to notice differences in
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
television came on and off when-
ever we wanted.
As an adult, I have concluded
that January being a hard month
is all in the mind.
If you have children and hap-
pen to be a single parent, all
months are hard in some way or
other. Even with both parents,
it’s not an easy feat to provide
for children and meet monthly
obligations. It has been passed
down that January is hard. Our
parents said it. We say it, and our Who is
children will probably say it if we
don’t pay attention to our words Tricia St John?
and acknowledge that words have
Tricia St John is a mother,
power.
author, event coordinator,
So as we are drawing to the
motivational speaker and
close of December, instead of
domestic violence survivor.
dreading January we can focus St John lost her left forearm
instead on the positives. On the and two fingers on her right
things we succeeded at in the hand to a domestic violence
passing year. The goals we met. attack in 2004. St John is
The opportunities we grasped. making impressive strides as
she moves on with her life.
“Drip, drip, does full bucket”
She was recognised by the
according to the older heads,
Traditional Afrikan Women’s
so don’t beat yourself up about
Organisation with the Harriet
the things you didn’t get done,
Tubman/Claudia Jones Award
acknowledge that the new year
on March 27, 2021.
gives you more time to do it.
how she would react and teach, lives comfortably in her Princes
which in turn strengthened her Town apartment with her two
relationship with them, facili- children, Tristan-Lee, 13, and
tating the learning process in Shia-Lee, eight. She is proud of
areas that had been tough to how far she has come and feels
complete. satisfied knowing she has taken
Genius Hearts Learning In- them on vacation in Europe and
stitute has a full calendar of the United States. While nothing
events planned for the upcom- lasts forever, there is one thing
ing new year, 2024. Besides that she can relish to her heart’s
having a Sports Day planned delight: it is the here and now
students will get to enjoy a that the single mother created
boat cruise for their Easter when the odds were not in her
vacation. Mangroo also said favour. To Shivana Mangroo, go
there will be Spanish language the spoils.
classes for those wanting to
learn.
Shivana’s memorable Rapid-fire
experiences questions
Taking a nostalgic moment for
herself, the entrepreneur and
preschool teacher said some of 1 . Online or in-person learning?
In-person learning.
the most precious experiences of
her life have been with her family.
She praises them for being an ex- 2 . Favourite book?
The Power of Now by Echkart
Tolle.
cellent support system.
“I remember growing up in
Trinidad I would help my dad
sell apples and grapes on Christ-
3 . Favourite time of the year?
Christmas.
mas Eve, either in San Fernando
or Debe market. My siblings and
I would wake up at 4 am after
4 . Red wine or Shandy?
Shandy.
getting just three hours sleep and
eagerly go to set up our stalls. 5 . Forever young or forever rich?
Forever young.
We’d try to see who could sell the
most,” she said.
Today, the preschool teacher
6 . Favourite song?
Forever Young!
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Don’t deprive yourselves of delicious Christmas
foods, eat small portions in moderation
FAYOLA KJ FRASER
C
hristmas in T&T is synonymous with the creami-
est ponche de crème, the most succulent ham, the
ever-faithful pastelle and the darkest, sweetest
sorrel. There’s no Trini Christmas without a little in-
dulgence, but sometimes, the overindulgence makes
way for a steep uphill climb into the New Year’s res-
olutions of healthier habits and weight loss. Even the
most dedicated health fanatics may be unaware of the
caloric properties of some of our staple Trini Christ-
mas foods, and succumb to eating them with abandon
for the entirety of the Christmas season.
Fortunately, Registered Dietitian (RD) Tessa Hampton
has provided her expertise and information to keep peo-
ple cognisant of what they are consuming this Christ-
mas.
Not aiming to dampen the Christmas spirit, she notes
that there is “nothing wrong with enjoying Christmas
favourites, as the season comes once per year.” How-
ever, she said that with reckless eating, people can fill
up on 5,000-6,000 calories per day, between Christmas
to New Year, which can be double to triple the amount
of calories an individual should regularly consume.
According to Hampton, a pastelle has 202 calories, six
ounces of ponche de crème has 436 calories, and a slice
of black cake has 369 calories. While informing people
of these foods’ contents, she insisted that this does not
mean we shouldn’t enjoy our favourites during this sea-
son, but to “remember, all things in moderation,” and
“to be merry mindfully.”
Hampton is an RD with a BSc (Hons) in Human Nutri-
tion & Dietetics and a Diploma in Institutional and Com-
munity Nutrition & Dietetics from the University of the
West Indies. She has dedicated her private practice to
not only guiding people to control lifestyle diseases like
diabetes and hypertension but also specially caters to
helping women with hormonal imbalances such as Pol-
ycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) manage their health
and weight. She is especially passionate about teaching
clients how local foods can “fit into a healthy diet whilst
simultaneously improving existing medical conditions.”
Assisting women in learning and relearning the rela-
tionship between nutrition, their bodies and all aspects
of human functioning is at the core of Hampton’s prac-
tice. According to her, “the food we eat is quite literally
our fuel. The quality of that fuel has a direct impact on
the functioning of the body.” This functioning includes
women’s hormones, energy levels and even their fertil-
ity. One of the main tenets that Hampton seeks to impart
to her female clients is that there’s no need for or space
for food guilt in one’s life.
The genesis of overeating or
indulgent behaviours can be
emotional causes, hormonal
changes or unexplored triggers,
not simply a lack of self-con-
trol as some may think. She
teaches clients to do away with
food guilt, and better under-
stand their emotional triggers
while showing them alternative
methods that can allow them
to include treats in their diet
in moderation. For her cli-
ents coping with PCOS, she is
uniquely experienced in tailor-
ing treatments for their specific
needs to reduce PCOS symp-
toms such as acne, hirsutism
and weight gain. She has even
supported over a dozen women
who were previously struggling
to conceive, to get pregnant
naturally in the last two years.
Hampton’s approach, there-
37
f o re ,
is all about bal-
ance. This also applies to her
recommendations for main-
taining a healthy lifestyle during with natural sources of sweetness for desserts instead
the Christmas season. She en- of refined sugar, such as bananas or apple sauce. An-
courages women to keep note other hack is to swap simple carbs, such as white hops
Registered Dietitian
of their weight either using a for higher fibre, better blood sugar alternatives such as
Tessa Hampton
scale or their clothing, so as whole wheat hops or homemade whole grain breads.
not to be shocked by a sudden Moreover, preparation for the day is key! Starting the
increase after Christmas. day with a balanced breakfast with adequate protein
She also advises people to not deprive themselves of helps control stress responses and reduce cravings.
delicious Christmas foods, but stick to small portions Trini Christmas can still be the best, and even better
and enjoy in moderation. During the festivities, drinking with good choices and a proper mindset throughout the
water can be forgotten, but staying hydrated is key, as season. Rather than mounting the scale with despair on
thirst can often be confused with hunger. Drinking water January 1, use these tools to enjoy the Christmas season
can help reduce mindless snacking as well as reduce and start 2024 on a positive note. Being mindful of the
water retention from eating salty foods such as ham. If small adaptations can help keep the body and mind
drinking multiple alcohol or sugar-sweetened beverages healthy and happy this Christmas.
such as sorrel, aim to drink a glass of water in between
each to slow down your consumption.
Between paranging houses, liming and attending
Christmas parties, it is also important to stay active dur-
ing the season. Not only can this help with weight main-
tenance, but it will keep blood sugars stable. A good tip
is taking a 15-20 minute walk after a heavy meal to help
your body process the starches in the meal.
Hampton gives her professional advice to those who
do not have access to information on how to compose
their meals. Although during Christmas, “the meat and
starches are the stars,” she encourages people to not for-
get to include vegetables, which are full of antioxidants
and help with weight management.
Especially during this period of socialization, keeping
the immune system boosted with the intake of antiox-
idants is important. She advises that the plate should
consist of ½ vegetables, ¼ protein and ¼ starch. But veg-
etables don’t have to be boring and can take the shape
of some local favourites—like a delicious callaloo or a
festive salad.
Why is it important to maintain a healthy
mindset and make good
choices even during the sea-
son? Although one or two
days of overeating high-cal-
orie foods will not have
lasting effects, a consistent
pattern may affect especially
those who suffer from dia-
betes or PCOS, exacerbating
their symptoms. When these
foods make up the bulk of a
diet during the season, as
opposed to more nutritious
food, insulin levels rise and
fall increasing cravings and
promoting fat storage.
Luckily, Hampton has
shared ideas to adapt rec-
ipes of some Christmas
classics. These include
swapping higher-fat items
for low fat, such as low-fat
milk, or adding less cheese
to your macaroni pie. She
also suggests experimenting
38 rec Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

Double
celebration for
the Coopers
70th birthday
and 45th wedding
anniversary party
in one Eusebio and Christine Cooper
Christine and Eusebio Cooper turned 70 years ber 16, where family, friends and neighbours
days apart–on December 14 and 16, respec- showed up to share their love in tributes of
tively. They also marked their 45th wedding songs and prayers to mark the special occa-
anniversary on December 17. sion. The Coopers are the parents of five chil-
They were celebrated at a surprise party at dren and 13 grandchildren. Cheers to a healthy
their St Mary’s home in Moruga on Decem- and happy union.

Eusebio and Christine Cooper with their children, grandchildren and loved
ones.

Lester Sooklal, Louisa Gabaro, Michael Eusebio and Christine Cooper

Jitta and Eusebio Cooper at the party. PICTURE MARY SINGHGUERRA
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt rec 39
Caribbean
MATTHEW CHIN say, ‘I am a true Virgin Islander.’ I
Reporter got into Calypso because I wanted
matthew.chin@guardian.co.tt our future generations to know
what is theirs, and I want them to

Queen Temisha
Temisha, also known as “Carib- embrace it. This is your culture,”
bean Queen”, has a voice that she said.
many Trinbagonians may con- With a growing repertoire of
fuse for being one of their own; soca tunes under her belt, Tem-
however, the up-and-coming soca isha is proving that neither age,
singer isn’t from the southerly Re- nationality, nor gender can hin-
to be at a very young age and not
public of T&T—she’s from the US der her rise within the music
be able to save him,” she said.
Virgin Islands, with Antiguan and industry. She wants islanders to
“But when it comes to the spe-
Kittian roots. be unified by the artistic gems
ciality of Cardiovascular Intensive
Before entering her reign as the that distinguish them from other
Care and Surgery, we as African
singer, Temisha, the 36-year-old places in the world.
Americans, love our sweets, sug-
Crucian (a native of the US Virgin Meanwhile, Temisha is looking
ars, and salt. A lot of us suffer
Island of Saint Croix) was born forward to performing live for
from hypertension and diabetes. I
Temisha Libert, prepping for the Trinidad’s Carnival season next
want to be able to help us as black
adrenaline of the stage by par- year with eyes set on Army Fete
people as a whole, whether it be
ticipating in several local and in- among other ventures. Those in-
back in the US or the Caribbean.”
ternational pageantries in which terested in learning more about
Taking advantage of Rose’s
she’s competed in and won. She Temisha and her upcoming shows
words, Temisha is seeking to
is also the seven-time Calypso can follow her on Instagram
claim Carnival 2024 with her
Queen of the US Virgin Islands (@temisha_viqueen).
line-up of soca bangers she re-
that she’s won consecutively in
leased this year: “Flags in de Air,”
the Calypso Monarch arena.
In 2009, Temisha was the Vir-
calls on islanders to be united and RAPIDFIRE
gin Islands Idol, Miss US Virgin Is-
be proud of where they’re from, SEGMENT
while “Jammers”, and “Lost &
lands, and then subsequently the
Carried Away” seduces listeners 1. Favourite book?
taker of the title of Ms US Virgin Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson
to go down low while reminiscing
Islands American Elegance Inter- Story
their Caribbean escapades.
national for 2021-2022. She did
For Temisha, unity and patriot-
this while excelling in her career 2. Favourite movie?
ism are inseparable.
in medicine, specialising in Cardi- Titanic
“The US Virgin Islands is a huge
ovascular Intensive Care and Sur-
melting pot, and we have people
gery, she said. 3. Paris or London?
from all over the Caribbean. We London
Considering the power of T&T’s
love and appreciate everybody
musical landscape, she holds
dipping her toes in the realms of could sing both calypso and soca who’s come here to give a piece of 4. Volleyball or golf?
the magic of its soca and calypso
Gospel and R&B. She looked up without having to choose. their culture and to be able to em- Volleyball.
close to her, calling for a Carib-
to icons such as gospel singer But despite her pleasant child- brace ours as well. I want people I hate golf, that’s not even a
bean where the different cultures
Yolanda Adams; Bajan soca artiste hood memories, there was one to really appreciate where they’re sport!
of the region are celebrated and,
Alison Hinds; and Trinidad’s very traumatic event that pierced her truly from. You might hear my
most importantly, represented on 5. Single or taken?
own, Queen of Bacchanal, Destra heart with lasting implications. accent and might think, Where
the airwaves. Taken (Temisha,
Garcia, while also having the op- “I wanted to get into medicine is she really from? At the end of
From the age of four, she began unapologetically, shows off her
portunity to meet Calypso Rose because I watched my brother get the day when I raise my yellow,
developing her passion and love diamond ring)
who, she said, told her that she killed in front of me. It’s very hard white, and blue I can be able to
for music by singing in choirs, and
40 quik flix
Salaar: The Mass King is Back
with the Box Office Bang
Salaar was the most awaited movie
of 2023 and finally, Prabhas is
back in his mass look. The film
got an A certificate but the love
from the audience is just insane.
On the first day of release, it broke
all the records and had more
than 1.8million interest rates on
Bookmyshow which is amazing itself.
The actor has given many
blockbusters earlier like KGF and
now Salaar is on its way. The film has
clashed with the popular movie of
the year Dunki in which Shahrukh
Khan has been seen which is his
third film. Both the movie have got
great public responses and now it
is our time to check if you should
visit theatres for the film if you still
haven’t.
Is it worth watching?
Salaar is an exciting action movie
directed by Prashanth Neel and
starring Prabhas and Shruti Haasan.
It lives up to the high expectations
set by the creators of the popular
KGF series. The story follows Salaar,
a strong and mysterious character
with some complexity.
The movie has intense and
gripping scenes that show Prabhas’s
acting skills. The connection
between Prabhas and Shruti Haasan
adds more depth to the story,
making the whole movie experience
better. Salaar is a must-watch for fans
of action because of its interesting
story, dynamic action scenes, and
excellent cast.
The movie’s technical aspects, like
great camera work and an exciting
musical score, make it even more
enjoyable to watch. Prashanth
Neel’s direction keeps viewers
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
hooked, blending intense action
with emotional moments. While
Salaar might not have a completely
new kind of story, it makes up for
it with energetic performances and
amazing visuals. Overall, if you like
action-packed movies with great
performances and stunning visuals,
Salaar is worth watching.
Plot review
Salaar tells a thrilling story about
power struggles and revenge. The
main characters are Devaratha,
played by Prabhas, and his
childhood friend Vardharaja Mannar,
played by Prithviraj Sukumaran.
Prabhas, as Salaar, deals with the
challenges of his character, guided
by a strong sense of purpose. The
plot becomes interesting as the
childhood friends get caught up
in loyalty, betrayal, and a fight
for supremacy. Shruti Hassan’s
character, Aadhya, a schoolteacher,
adds emotions and a romantic angle,
making the story more varied for the
audience.
The story doesn’t just promise
exciting action scenes, which are
a trademark of director Prashanth
Neel, but also dives into the feelings
of the characters. Jagapathi Babu,
who plays Raja Mannar, Vardha’s
father, adds another layer to the
story.
As the characters face their past,
the movie tells a story of revenge,
friendship, and self-discovery. With
a cast full of stars and the director’s
talent for telling impactful stories,
Salaar seems ready to give the
audience a movie experience that
goes beyond the usual action genre.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
makes pastelles
Joins in Caribbean Christmas
tradition with mom
Hello, boys and girls,
There's only one more day
'til Christmas
I know that you can
hardly wait
You’ve got the lights up on
the tree now
And you are ready for the
Nalo Bruce
holiday …
The radio's playing all the
Christmas songs,
Just the way that you like
There's only one more day
And you can't wait
It's almost Christmas time!
Christmas is a time of celebration and
a time of cheer, and it is said to be the
most wonderful time of the year. When
you think about your Christmas growing
up what do you remember the most? The
memories that seem to last the longest for
most of us are those great family Christ-
mas traditions.
In Trinidad, food is a major part of our
Christmas traditions. Filled with herbs,
spices, and unique flavours that make
every celebration better, after all, a Carib-
bean celebration is never complete with-
out some good food.
Boys and girls, one of the traditional
foods that are prepared for Christmas is
pastelle. Pastelles are a vital part of the
food heritage of the Cocoa Payols of T&T.
It is a savoury treat, which consists of corn
flour formed into a succulent outer shell
stuffed with seasoned minced meat. Some
versions have capers or olives and raisins
included.
Meet four-year-old Nalo Bruce, who was
born in Maryland, USA. Her parents, Mi-
cheal Bruce and Golda Lee Bruce are both
Trinidadians. They ensure that Nalo gets a
taste of T&T’s culture and traditions. They
got Nalo involved in their pastelle-mak-
ing tradition. From heating the banana
(fig) leaves, preparing the filling, forming
and filling the dough, and finally steam-
ing. Nalo was fully immersed in the pas-
telle-making preparation.
kids
kids 41
Holiday traditions are an important part
of building a strong bond among families.
They give us a sense of belonging and a
way to express what is important to us.
They connect us to our history and help
us celebrate generations of family.
These moments create positive mem-
ories for children and provide positive
events for everyone to anticipate! Children
crave the comfort and security that comes
with traditions and predictability. This
takes away the anxiety of the unknown
and unpredictable. Traditions are a won-
derful way to anchor family members to
each other, providing
pro a sense
of unit
unity and belonging.
g..
Mary Cuffy is an educatorr
and local children’s
author. Ms Cuffy is the
author of the Ladybug
book series. She pays
meticulous attention to
tion
detail and the incorporation
er
of cultural artefacts in her
th best
work. Ms Cuffy believes the b t
investment we can make in children is in the
early years.
Email: mary.cuffy@yahoo.com
• IG: marycuffy • FB: mary cuffy/Lola and the
Dancing Ladybugs
Nalo Bruce makes pastel with
her mom, Golda Lee Bruce.
42 kids Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
CROSSWORD 952
ACROSS Eugenia
1. Gratis
5. Baker’s amts.
Last
9. ___W: Rootbeer brand
10. Johnson called The Rock
12. Constellation next to Hercules
13. “The Wizard of Oz” prop
Horoscope
14. Thieves HAPPY BIRTHDAY A chance
16. Contractual promise not to to make a positive change is
work for a similar company: within reach. Consider the
Abbr. improvements you want
to undergo and do your
17. Baseball div. for the Marlins and
research. Being ready to
Mets give the go-ahead when an
18. Blesses opportunity arises will make
19. Condition your journey enjoyable.
21. Digital impressions price: Abbr. Refuse to let outsiders or
24. Small burger your emotions stand in your
27. Yoga gear brand way. A dedicated attitude
28. ___Sytsevich: Marvel’s the Rhino and clear vision will lead to
30. Nyasaland, now your desired success. Live life
32. Cartel acronym your way and enjoy the ride.
33. Lure into crime
34. It may be cracked BIRTHDAY BABY You are
motivated, opportunity-
35. More than lean
driven and astute. You are
36. Parasite’s home groundbreaking and precise.
YOUR NUMBERS
DOWN 7, 14, 21, 26, 34, 37, 45
1. Autumn
2. Synthetic fabric
Aries
March 21-April 19
3. Matriculate
4. Romantic Zoom meetings, maybe 4 STARS Tolerance and
kindness will be necessary.
5. Bag closure
Digging up the past won’t
6. Gal of song
7. Dense prefix
help improve things or shine
a positive light on you. Do a
8. Nibble
20. Subject of the musical “Mayor” 25. Finland’s second-largest city little soul-searching before
10. Embryonic development tissue 21. Amounted (to) 26. Some winds you point a finger at others.
11. Env. contents 22. Alternative 29. “Law & Order: SVU” actor Choose peace and love over
15. Erodes 23. Very, to Verdi 31. Son of Prince Valiant discord to spare yourself
regret.
Taurus
April 20-May 20
3 STARS A change is
overdue, and getting back
to your roots will help you
move forward. Not everyone
will like your decisions, but
it’s time to do what makes
you happy. A gift or financial
gain will help you follow
through with your plans.
Gemini
May 21-June 20
3 STARS Don’t limit your
accomplishments. Set your
sights on what’s important
to you and make it happen.
Refuse to let anyone put you
in a compromising position
or lead you astray. Use your
skills to your benefit and say
no to users.
Cancer
June 21-July 22
3 STARS Flaunt your
attributes, have some fun
and make changes that
make you feel happy and
content with your intentions
and pursuits. Call on those
you enjoy working alongside
to confirm you want to
collaborate more often.
CROSSWORD SOLUTION 951 LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION Leo
July 23-August 22
4 STARS Use your
imagination and surprise
everyone with your
offerings. Don’t let
money slip through your
fingers when purchasing
unnecessary items. The best
impression you make on
others will be your heartfelt
This little girl smiles while being hugged by Santa Claus at the
love and gratitude. Avoid
WARP Christmas Treat and Fun Day Extravaganza, TIWU Hall,
small spaces that can lead to
Eastern Main Road, Laventille, last Sunday.
health risks. Travel light.
PICTURE ANISTO ALVES
kids 43
Virgo
August 23-Sept 22
2 STARS Be aware of family
dynamics, and make it
easier for someone having
difficulty fitting in to feel
welcome. Altering your
appearance or surroundings
will lead to praise for
your ingenuity. Don’t let
overindulgence ruin your
fun.
Libra
Sept 23-Oct 22
3 STARS Speak up and
make a difference, but first
make sure you have your
facts straight. Someone
will mislead you if given
the chance. The best way
to stabilise a situation is by
offering truth and common-
sense solutions. Do what’s
right.
Scorpio
Oct 23-Nov 21
3 STARS Address pressing
money matters or concerns
you have about health or
someone you love. Your
changes will end your
worries and give you hope
for a brighter future. Love
and romance are on the
rise, and fun times are
approaching.
Sagittarius
Nov 23-Dec 21
3 STARS You’ll face
disappointment if you
expect someone to come
through for you without
keeping tabs on their
progress. Don’t lose sight of
your timeline or goal or let
emotional factors intervene.
Don’t share personal
information or gossip. Be
true to yourself and kind to
others.
Capricorn
Dec 22-Jan 19
3 STARS If you do something
charitable, the outcome
will be touching. Let your
intuition guide you when
dealing with money, legal
matters and health. Make
changes at home that
will ease stress by adding
comfort and convenience to
your everyday routine.
Aquarius
Jan 20-Feb 18
5 STARS Cosy up with the
ones you love, and enjoy
the spirit of the season. Sit
back and be thankful for
what you have and those
who contribute to your
happiness. Envision the
changes you want to make,
start talks and get the ball
rolling.
Pisces
Feb 19-Mar 20
2 STARS Don’t let emotions
step in and limit what you
can achieve. Be honest with
yourself and do what’s best
for you. How you handle
sensitive issues will make a
difference to the outcome.
Take the high road and don’t
look back.
CELEBRITIES BORN
ON THIS DAY
Ryan Seacrest, 49; Stephenie
Meyer, 50; Ricky Martin, 52;
Diedrich Bader, 57.
 44 kids Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

HOCUS-FOCUS
Find at least 6 differences in details between the panels
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt 45
Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

Classif ieds
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ne
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o.tt
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ect the
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ds.
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filling
ng
he requ
in relevant information in the quired
ed fi
required fieeld
eld
lds
fields
PORT OF SPAIN (22-24 St Vincent Street)
Dial 1 then ext. 5061 or 5062 Proceed to checkout
d
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SAN FERNANDO (South Park Plaza)
ext. 5222
Opening Hours – Monday to Friday No Credit Card? No Problem..
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BT50 9000KM $200,000.00 TABAQUITE 7 lots, 2 road front-

H.R. PLUMBING SERVICE RETIRE EARLY
681-8458/ 623-6343
Earn US$ Online
www.NicoleNimrodBlake.com
D.MUNGAL H.R. PRESSURE WASHING GERIATRIC NURSE needed
SEPTIC CLEANING SERVICES 355-5934.
623-6343/ 681-8458
745-1835/ 742-8277
EXPERIENCE AUTO Detailing
Expert and Apprentice, St Clair.
Attractive Rates 734-9907.
PREMIER SPECIALTY CLINIC LIMITED EXPERIENCED TECHNICIANS;
automotive, a/c, electrical. info@
ai4ne1.com
H.R./ SEPTIC CESPIT/
LIQUID WASTE REMOVAL
SERVICES
681-8458/623-6343
#1 COUSINS
CESSPIT CLEANING
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DIEGO MARTIN senior home
rental/rent to own 716-4900
381-8324
age, $595,000.00. 707-0781
FAIRWAYS NEWLY renovated
4bedroom. Saddle Road office
space, gym, doctor, accountant
BUYING 716-4900 or 749-7553
USED VEHICLES
275-6252 223 CHUMA Monka Avenue
Petit Valley, 4 unit income asking
FULLY LOADED Kia Sorento
price 2.7M (neg). Two large car
parks. What’s app 289-923-8667
4WD diesel. 80K neg
or 868 481-0775 or 868 731-2074.
785-8168/ 491-2669
2 FAW 10-WHEELER
TRUCKS WESTMOORINGS 5 bedroom
FOR SALE. 381-7427 villa, $13M. Whatsapp-680-2978

PBT PAJERO iO. 278-1777.

FASHION JEWELRY/ VALSAYN PARK south, 1/2acre

CROCHET COURSES immaculate home, 4 bedroom, 5
7820851 bathrooms, pool, 772-6938.
‡06F,Q5DGLRORJLF7HFKQRORJ\ AD WAGON Y12, 8 injector
‡6SHFLDOL]HLQ05,&7DQG0DPPRJUDP engine, CBT, bluetooth, touch LUXURY WATERFRONT 4 bed-
‡0LQLPXPRI\HDUVZRUNH[SHULHQFH screen deck, good condition room, Renaissance $13M What-
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you qualify. EQUIPMENT RENTAL: Back
LQIR#SVFOWWFRP H.R. TRANSPORT Service. 681- Hoe, Roller, Excavator. Services
8458/ 623-6343 Offered: Demolition, Con-
struction, Road Paving. Call:
374-9976, 489-2232 for more
information.

ANTIQUE OAK Desk $6,500

707-0781

ART COLLECTION
MAKE AND OFFER
CAZABON Watercolour,
CAZABON 1857
Lithographs (18),
Karen Sylvester,
Leroy Clarke,
Old Maps, Prints,
over 50 pieces
1,=$07$0(5:+2/(6$/( FB: Wrightson
Investments Ltd.
7+(026775867('1$0(,17+(:+2/(6$/(75$'( Call Ormarys or Shalice
/RW'8QLW&KRRWRR5RDG(O6RFRUUR6RXWK6DQ-XDQ 624-5905


$/:$<67+(/2:(6735,&(6 CHRISTMAS PUPPIES. Pure-
bred Black German Shepard.
67$<)5((3$'6+$,51(76$675$5$=25%/$'(6 Vaccinated & Wormed, great
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35272;02648,72&2,/658%%(56/,33(56 740-3236.
$92152//21'$<11,7(52//21(1(5(;,102*8/
3/$<,1*&$5'60236.5$=<*/8(
)/$0,1*202648,72&2,/6%52206&2/$*7( CITY CNG Pdt 716-4900 or
749-7553
3$1$621,&%$77(5,(6&+$/.0,125$6+$9(56
1,&+2/621),/(62$3635,1&(66&20%67$-%,&
/,*+7(567$-6729(/,*+7(56
7,7$158%%(5%$1'672,/(75,(63+$50$&(87,&$/6
+$5':$5(667$7,21(5,(6+$%(5'$6+(5<
2)),&(6&+22/6833/,(6:$&.(52,/675,1*
(7&(7&(7&
:($5(%8,/',1*$5(387$7,211275(67,1*2121(

12%2'<%8712%2'<
81'(56(//67$0(5
 46 classifieds Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

WEST HILLS 3 bedrooms, GLENCOE 1 bedroom. All

AM MARKETING 2 1/2 toilet/ bath, air- amenities included. $950 a week.
$3,900 a month. 747-1244/
COMPANY LTD condition, swimming
pool, security, parking.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Including land in Arima
633-1846
MAYARO LARGE Office Com-
Reg, Dealer #10 Sales Office: Phone: 622-3831 / 228-9927 /
776-9654 with office, trucks, loader SAN FERNANDO air-condition, pound. Whatsapp-680-2978
#392-394 Cedar Hill 787-6857 / 685-5596 / 296-7307. and more. single person, $2,500.00. 787-
Road, ClaxtonBay Email: laurahomestt@gamail.com. FB: Wrightson 9150, 487-8889
Facebook: Laura Homes TT
768-9800/373-2558 Investments Ltd
ARIMA – Manuel Congo – Single Family Units or call Adam 624-5905
and Townhouses – 3 bedrooms, 2 baths – SALE!!! MAYARO, approved 1
BRAND NEW Starting at TT$1.35M acre parcels, $725K 767-0680. MAYARO,
BELMONT – Norfolk Street – 1-bedroom, 1-bath FRONTIN ROAD,
3 Ton LPG FORKLIFT apartment – TT$900,000.00
CUREPE – Southern Main Road, Commercial TABAQUITE 7 lots, 2 road front- GLENCOE ONE bedroom, air- Beachfront, 5-Bedroom,
Building – 5,000 sq. ft internal, 9 parking – age, $595,000.00. 707-0781
3.5 Ton Diesel FORKLIFT TT$13.75M condition, electricity, cable, wifi, A/C, Wifi, Security
D’ABADIE – La Florissante – 4 bedrooms, 3 $3,800.00. 610-7228 Cameras.
baths – TT$3.7M
GASPAREE – Gasparee Island – Main House: 3
3 ADJACENT lots, Phillipine. HENRY STREET Port-Of-
bedrooms, 1bath; Back House: 3 bedrooms, 1 Seperate deeds, all approvals. Spain. 3 levels, 15,000 678-4210
bath – TT$2.5M 684-7424, 781-7892 sq.ft. excellent invest-
GLENCOE – Gittensdale – Apartments – Two ment. 776-9654
1-bedrooms –TT$1.2M & TT$1.4M
LA ROMAIN – Bamboo Village – 2 Units – 6 BLANCHISSEUSE 8139 sq.ft.
bedrooms, 4 baths & 2 powder rooms each – freehold. 759-3452 1 & 2 Bedrooms Barataria sepa-
TT$2.6M each or TT$4.8M (entire house) rate living-room with kitchen
MARAVAL – Barcant Avenue – 3 bedrooms, 2 a/c, h/c, cable, WIFI, remote gate,
baths – TT$1.85M
USED VEHICLES PETIT BOURG – Commercial & Residential; TAMANA- parking for 1 vehicle. 682-3804,
Upstairs – 2 bedrooms, 1 bath; Downstairs – Roti 752-4120.
shop and restaurant – REDUCED: TT$2.9M CARMICHAEL ROAD. 3 BEDROOM flat house for rent,
PETIT VALLEY – Majouba Crossroad – 1- & Phillipine, San-Fernando
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SOUTH OROPOUCHE – 6 bedrooms, 4 baths, $950,000.00 ROYSTONIA COUVA 5 bed-
ocean views– TT$5.5M room, 2 t/b, 2 storey, $6800.00 ARANGUEZ ONE bedroom. A/C
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TT$1.7M – TT$2.4M ONLY) ROYSTONIA COUVA downstairs
TOBAGO – Shirvan Road – New Development - 2 2 bedroom, 1 t/b, $3500.00
bedrooms, 2 baths – Starting at TT$1.35M
E25 LOW TOP GLASS WOODBROOK – One Woodbrook Place – 3 479-8101
SIDE ($65k) bedrooms, 2.5 baths, FF&FE - TT$3.85M up MAYARO BEACHFRONT. What-
sapp-680-2978 ST. JAMES 2 bedroom, A/c. No ROYSTONIA COUVA upstairs
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CARENAGE GATED, ocean 479-8101
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54
Man United loses again in
worst run at this stage since 1930
Yet another defeat handed Man-
chester United its worst losing
run at this point in England’s top-
flight since 1930 yesterday.
The 2-0 loss at West Ham was
United’s eighth in the Premier
League and 13th in all competi-
tions.
Goals from Jarrod Bowen and
Mohammed Kudus in the 72nd
and 78th minutes at London Sta-
dium propelled West Ham while
United’s run without a goal was
extended to four games.
“That’s not good enough for
our standards,” underfire man-
ager Erik Ten Hag said.
Ten Hag has faced speculation
about his position for weeks, and
former Chelsea manager Graham
Potter is reportedly a contender
to replace him if he is fired. Ten
Hag said recently he has the back-
ing of the club hierarchy but that
will surely diminish if the losses
keep mounting.
United won the League Cup
and qualified for the Champions
League in Ten Hag’s first year in
charge, but he has struggled to
build on that success this term.
His team was eliminated from the
Champions League at the group
stage and exited early from the
League Cup.
Defeat at West Ham left United
eight points off fourth-placed Tot-
tenham, which beat Everton 2-1.
Ten Hag pointed to an extensive
injury list as a factor behind his
team’s worrying form.
“First of all, we need return-
ing the players,” he said. “We
are quite thin in this moment in
the squad. But I have to say the
players who were on the pitch,
also young players, they had very
good performances. But, yeah,
it’s of course the experienced
players bring us to higher levels.”
Tottenham run
Tottenham looks to be over
its recent slump and heads into
Christmas above defending
champion Manchester City after
beating Everton 2-1.
The early season leader tum-
bled on the table after a slew of
injuries and a damaging run of
four defeats in five, with only a
draw at City breaking that los-
ing sequence. But three straight
wins have moved Spurs up to
fourth.
Goals from Richarlison and
Son Heung-min gave them a 2-0
lead after 18 minutes. Andre
Gomes scored for Everton in the
82nd, but the visitors’ recent
sport
Manchester United’s head coach Erik ten Hag looks from the bench before
an English Premier League match against West Ham United at the London
Stadium yesterday.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, left, celebrates with Tottenham’s Emerson
Royal at the end of an English Premier League match against Everton at
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, yesterday.
run of four straight league wins
came to an end.
Lockyer tributes
Luton players and fans and
visiting Newcastle paid tribute
to Tom Lockyer as the captain
recovers from an on-field cardiac
arrest last week.
PICTURES AP
Lockyer had a defibrillator fit-
ted and is recovering at home
after being discharged from hos-
pital following his collapse dur-
ing the abandoned game against
Bournemouth.
In his absence, Luton boosted
its chances of avoiding relegation
by defeating Newcastle 1-0 at Ke-
nilworth Road.
Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke celebrates scoring their side’s third goal of
the game during a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at the
City Ground, Nottingham, England, yesterday.
Andros Townsend scored and
held up Lockyer’s shirt in cele-
bration. Luton and Newcastle
fans also paid tribute to the Wales
international.
Nuno loses
New Nottingham Forest man-
ager Nuno Espírito Santo suffered
a cruel defeat in his first game in
charge of the relegation-battling
club.
A Dominic Solanke hat trick se-
cured a 3-2 win for Bournemouth
with the deciding goal coming in
the fourth minute of added time.
Willy Boly’s red card in the 23rd
minute reduced Forest to 10 men
but Anthony Elanga gave them
the opening goal two minutes into
the second half. Solanke struck
back twice in seven minutes to
put Bournemouth ahead.
Chris Wood looked to have se-
cured a point with his headed
equaliser in the 74th but Solanke
completed his hat trick in stop-
page time.
Burnley rise
Burnley moved off the bottom
of the table with a 2-0 win at Ful-
ham.
Goals from Wilson Odobert and
Sander Berge saw Vincent Kompa-
ny’s team win for the third time
and overtake Sheffield United,
which earned an unexpected 1-1
draw at high-flying Aston Villa on
Friday.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
The Fulham-Burnley game was
the first league game to be han-
dled by a female referee, with Re-
becca Welch officiating at Craven
Cottage.
Tsimikas injured after
colliding with Klopp
Liverpool defender Kostas Tsi-
mikas was injured when he col-
lided with his manager Jurgen
Klopp on the sideline during the
English Premier League game
against Arsenal, yesterday.
Tsimikas was challenged by Ar-
senal forward Bukayo Saka and
stumbled into Klopp, who then
landed on top of him.
After being treated by medical
staff, Tsimikas was brought off
with an apparent shoulder injury.
Joe Gomez replaced him in the
35th minute.
Klopp was OK.
The game was 1-1 at the time.
Arsenal led after four minutes
through Gabriel. Liverpool re-
plied in the 29th when Mo Salah
hit his 151st Premier League goal
to move up to 10th on the list of
the competition’s top scorers.
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
West Ham 2 v Man Utd 0
Fulham 0 v Burnley 2
Luton 1 v Newcastle 0
Nottm Forest 2 v Bournemouth 3
Tottenham 2 v Everton 1
Liverpool 1 v Arsenal 1
Man City v Brentford (Postponed)
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Embiid overcomes ankle injury to
push 76ers to 121-111 win over Raptors
PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid
played through an ankle injury to
push his 30-10 streak to 13 games,
finishing with 31 points and 10 re-
bounds in the Philadelphia 76ers’
121-111 victory over the Toronto
Raptors on Friday night.
Embiid scored all 31 points
after landing awkwardly trying to
block a shot with 5:25 left in the
first quarter. The 30-10 streak is
the longest in the NBA since Ka-
reem Abdul-Jabbar did it for 16
straight games in 1971-72. Embiid
has scored 30 points or more in
14 straight games, the most in the
NBA since James Harden had a 32-
game run in 2018-19.
Embiid briefly went to the
locker room after scoring just
two points in the first quarter but
returned in the second quarter
and had 11 points at halftime. The
reigning NBA MVP was noticeably
hobbling and winced periodically
and favoured his right leg, but it
didn’t slow him down in the sec-
ond half. He also had nine assists
and four blocks.
Tobias Harris and Tyrese
Maxey each had 33 points, the
second time in franchise history
three players have scored 30-plus
points in a game. The other was in
1961 when Dick Barnett, Hal Greer
and Dolph Schayes did it for the
Syracuse Nationals.
Pascal Siakim led Toronto with
Bangladesh beats Kiwis by 9 wickets
in 3rd ODI; NZ wins series 2-1
NAPIER, New Zealand — Bangladesh
needed only 15 overs with the bat
to complete a nine wicket win over
New Zealand in the third one-day
international yesterday, ending
New Zealand’s winning streak in
ODIs at home at 17 matches.
After rolling New Zealand for 98
in 31.4 overs, captain Najmul Hos-
sain Shanto made an unbeaten 51
from 42 balls and Amanul Haque
37 from 33 to lead Bangladesh to
its first ODI win over the Kiwis in
New Zealand in 19 attempts.
New Zealand won the three-
match series 2-1 after winning the
first match by 44 runs and the sec-
ond by seven wickets. But Bangla-
desh gained a measure of revenge
yesterday and primed itself for
the upcoming Twenty20 series,
bowling New Zealand out for its
lowest ever total in ODIs between
the teams.
Earlier, Tanzim Hasan Sakib
took 3-14 and Shoriful Islam 3-22—
both career bests—as Bangladesh
rolled New Zealand cheaply to set
up a dominant victory. Soumya
Sarkar chipped in with 3-18 as New
Zealand fell below its previous
lowest ODI score against Bangla-
desh of 162.
“The ball was nipping, the ball
Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, right, reacts after an injury during the first half of an NBA basketball game against
the Toronto Raptors, Friday, in Philadelphia.
31 points. (AP)
WARRIORS 129, WIZARDS 118
SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry in the Washington guard’s return made the first basket of the game
BRIEF SCORES
New Zealand 98 in 31.4 overs
(Tanzim Hasan Sakib 3/14, Soumya
Sarkar 3/18) lost to Bangladesh
99/1 in 15.1 overs (Najmul Shanto
51*, Anamul Haque 37) by 9
wickets.
was swinging and I knew how we
started would set the tone for my
team,” Sakib said. “I tried to bowl
wicket to wicket and hold my line
and length.
“The wicket really helped me.
This wicket is good for pace bowl-
ers and the wicket really helped
me.”
Bangladesh captain Shanto was
delighted to be able to choose to
field when he won the toss. The
McLean Park pitch usually is one
of the best to bat on in New Zea-
land with an average first innings
score in ODIs of 239.
But the pitch was unusually
well-grassed and Shoriful and
Sakib took full advantage, crash-
ing through the New Zealand top
order to leave it reeling at 6-70.
Both bowlers tied the New Zea-
land batters down by bowling
into the stumps and swinging the
ball both ways. They hit excellent
sport 55
OTHER RESULTS
NUGGETS 122, NETS 117
ROCKETS 122, MAVERICKS 96
HEAT 122, HAWKS 113
following a video tribute with
highlights on the big screen and
finished with 25 points on 7-for-21
shooting but just 3 of 12 on 3s.
Jonathan Kuminga connected
on his first six from the field and
finished with 22 points on 9-for-11
shooting as Golden State won its
eighth straight home game. Klay
Thompson had 20 points with
four 3s. (AP)
KINGS 120, SUNS 105
SACRAMENTO, California — Do-
mantas Sabonis had 28 points,
12 assists and 11 rebounds for his
fourth triple-double of the sea-
son and Sacramento beat short-
handed Phoenix.
Sacramento has won six of eight
to improve to 17-10.
Kevin Durant scored 28 points
for Phoenix, and Devin Booker
had 24 points and seven assists.
The Suns have lost four of five to
fall to 14-14.
PICTURE AP Suns guard Bradley Beal
made a season-high eight 3-point- to Chase Center. (ankle), forward Josh Okogie (hip
ers and had 30 points and seven Poole, traded to the nation’s strain) and centre Jusuf Nurkic
assists, outduelling Jordan Poole capital on draft day for Chris Paul, (personal reasons) were all miss-
ing from the lineup. (AP)
lengths and the ball occasionally
spat off a length which made the
batters reluctant to play forcefully
off the front foot.
The largest partnership in the
innings was the 36 between Will
Young (26) and Tom Latham
(21) for the third wicket. Only
two other New Zealand batters
reached double figures.
Shoriful reproduced the form
that saw him take two wickets in
the opening over of the first ODI,
dismissing Young, Latham and
Mark Chapman (2). Both Latham
and Chapman were bowled by
deliveries which jagged back late
between bat and pad.
Sakib maintained an exacting
line, giving the batters no width
and completing two maidens
among his seven overs. He dis-
missed Rachin Ravindra (8) in
the fourth over to begin the New
Zealand collapse, then removed
Henry Nicholls (1) and Tom Blun-
dell (4).
When the two seamers had left
the host’s innings in tatters, Sarkar
came on and took the wickets of
Josh Clarkson (16), Adam Milne (4)
and Adithya Ashok (10). Bangladesh bowler Soumya Sarkar celebrates taking the wicket of New
The last wicket fell to Mushfiqur Zealand’s Adam Milne during their third One-Day International cricket
Rahim who took 1-36. (AP) match in Napier, New Zealand, yesterday. PICTURE AP
 56 sport Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt

Bertram Blackman, left, presents the Most Outstanding

Bertram Blackman, left, presents girls’ Ambassador Jada Water polo coach Alan Too-A-Foo, left, presents U-14 boys’ trophy to 15-17 boys’ trophy to Nikoli Blackman during the Marlins
Chatoor with a trophy during the Marlins Swim Club awards Liam Chin Lee for being the Most Disciplined and Most Valuable Swim Club’s awards ceremony on Wednesday. Nikoli was
ceremony held at the club on Wednesday. Player for 2023 at the Marlins Swim Club award ceremony. also named the Marlins Boys’ Ambassador.

Blackman honoured as Marlins Ambassador

RAJIV SURATSINGH
Sports Correspondent
On a night of reflection and cele-
bration at Marlins Swim Club, T&T
star swimmer, multiple Junior
“Sportsman of the Year” award
winner, and current world junior
champion Nikoli Blackman, put
more feathers in his cap as he was
awarded most outstanding per-
former of 2023 in the Boys’ 15-17
age category.
Blackman, who had an excel-
lent 2023 showing, also copped
the award for Male Ambassador
for Marlins after his strong rep-
resentation of the club in recent
years.
Despite a late start, Master of
ceremony, Dinnora Gil, was met
with a vibrant atmosphere as the
annual performance awards were
distributed in both age and gen-
der categories for swimming and
water polo.
The most outstanding Marlins
swimmers for this year were:
Jonna Alleyne (girls’ 8-and-un-
der), Dax Harris (boys’ 8-and-un-
SWIMMING
8 and Under
Most Improved: Jiah Robertson (Girls)/
Akhmose Prieto (Boys)
Most Disciplined: Chloe-Mari Julien
(Girls)/Aaru Diaz (Boys)
Most Outstanding: Jonna Alleyne
(Girls)/Dax Harris (Boys)
9 to 10
Most Improved: Elin Stone (Girls)/
Julius Ennals (Boys)
Bertram Blackman, left, presents a trophy to Zachary Anthony or being the
Most Improved Swimmer, Male 15-17, at the Marlins Swim Club award
ceremony held at the club on Wednesday night.
der), Zahara Anthony (9-10
female), Zion George (9-10 male),
Taylor Marchan (11-12 female), Jo-
siah Alexander (11-12 male), Aimee
Leblanc (13-14 female), Liam Car-
rington (13-14 male), Zoe Anthony
Most Disciplined: Na’Ziya George
(Girls)/Bradley Alexander (Boys)
Most Outstanding: Zahara Anthony
(Girls)/Zion George (Boys)
11 to 12
Most Improved: Zara Perisco (Girls)/
Alexander Alleyne (Boys)
Most Disciplined: Marina Martinez
(Girls)/Gordon Lee-Chin (Boys)
Most Outstanding: Taylor Marchan
(Girls)/Josiah Alexander (Boys)
(15-17 female), Nikoli Blackman
(15-17 male).
Despite being a smaller cate-
gory, the water polo awards re-
ceived a hearty uproar from those
in attendance.
MARLINS 2023 HONOUR ROLL
13- 14
Most Improved: Kurlissa MC Sween
(Girls)/Jacob Chatoor (Boys)
Most Disciplined: Aimee LeBlanc
(Girls)/Marcus Alexander (Boys)
Most Outstanding: Aimee LeBlanc
(Girls)/Liam Carrington (Boys)
15 to 17 Female
Most Improved: Arianne Suite (Girls)/
Zachary Anthony (Boys)
Most Disciplined: Ryana Thomas
(Girls)/ Kadeem Braithwaite (Boys)
Female 9-10 Most Outstanding
Swimmer Zahara Anthony, with a
trophy during the Marlins Swim
Club award ceremony held at the
club on Wednesday night.
Water polo’s “Most Valuable
Players” for Marlins this year
were: Liam Chin Lee (under-14
Boys), Melanie Valdez Brown
(under-14 girls), and Nathaniel
Casimir (under-19 boys).
Most Outstanding: Zoe Anthony
(Girls)/Nikoli Blackman (Boys)Vivian
Caron Award Challenge Trophy
Marlins Ambassadors: Jada Chatoor
(Girls)/Nikoli Blackman (Boys)
WATER POLO
U-14 Boys
MVP: Liam Chin Lee (Boys)/Melanie
Valdez Brown (Girls)
Most Disciplined: Liam Chin Lee
(Boys)/Alexis Avey (Girls)
Most Improved: Josef Thomas (Boys)
Speaking to Guardian Media,
2023 World 50-metre freestyle
Junior Champion Nikoli Blackman
told us about what it takes for a
competitor from T&T to achieve
elite-level status in the sport of
swimming.
“We need to start locking in.
College swimming is no joke.
When you face Americans at a
young age you’re going to get
beat very badly. I’m pretty sure
that the last eight swimmers that
departed Trinidad to seek for-
eign competition last year will all
agree.”
Blackman is eagerly looking for-
ward to next season, most nota-
bly the 2024 Paris Olympic games
where, apart from his individual
aspirations, he hopes to have a
strong relay team.
“I’m looking forward to a relay
team which we need. Right now
it’s Zarek, Dillion, and myself but
we need one more person to form
that relay team for T&T.”
Marlins Swim Club continues
to be a stalwart in producing top
swimming athletes in T&T.
Under 14-Girls
MVP: Melanie Valdez Brown
Most Disciplined: Alexis Avey
U-16 Boys
Most Disciplined - Daniel Gillette
Most Improved - Aariz Celestine
U-19 Boys
MVP: Nathaniel Casimir
Most Disciplined: Benjamin Chow
Quan
Most Improved: Gregg Mannette

Bertram Blackman, left, presents Bradley Alexander with a Coach Maurice Faria, left, presents the Vivian Caron Award Bertram Blackman, left, presents Zion George with the Male
trophy for the Most Disciplined Swimmer Male 9-10 at the challenge Trophy to Nathan Paulson–Spencer during the 9-10 Most Outstanding Swimmer trophy.
Marlins Swim Club award ceremony. Marlins Swim Club Award ceremony. PICTURES VASHTI SINGH
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Wilson battles to Super Singles crown
NIGEL SIMON
Senior Multimedia Reporter
nigel.simon@guradian.co.tt
Aaron Wilson of Carenage Blasters
was crowned champion of the Men’s
Super Singles in the T&T Table Ten-
nis Association (TTTTA) and hosted
a tournament at the National Rac-
quet Centre, Orange Grove, Tacari-
gua, last week Sunday night.
This after Wilson ended the Six-
Player Final with an impressive
record of five wins from as many
matches to complete the two-day
competition as the lone player with-
out defeat.
In his round-robin Finals series,
Wilson, recently based in Denmark,
dominated clubmate Luc O’Young
11-9, 11-8, 11-9 before he battled past
another clubmate Jesse Dookie 11-5,
6-11, 11-7, 12-10; Hawks’ Arun Roopna-
rine 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7; Smalta Cru-
saders’ Malik Gopaul 11-7, 9-11, 11-5,
11-4; and Queen’s Park Cricket Club’s
Derron Douglas 11-7, 2-11, 11-8, 11-9.
The USA-based Douglas ended in
the second spot as he won his four
other matches beating O’Young 11-9,
12-10, 11-7; 15-13, 11-6, 11-5; Roopnar-
ine 5-11, 13-11, 11-8, 12-10 and Gopaul
11-5, 11-5, 15-13.
Dookie, now based in England
was a surprising third-place finisher
ahead of O’Young and Roopnarine
due to superior points won to points
loss ratio of 1.333 to 1.00 and 0.75
after the trio all ended with a 2-3 re-
cord.
This after Dookie had wins over
Roopnarine 15-13, 11-8, 11-5, and Go-
paul 10-12, 13-15, 11-9, 11-6, 11-3 but
was also defeated by O’Young 4-11,
11-5, 8-11, 7-11.
O’Young other victory came
against Gopaul 14-12, 11-9, 11-7 while
he was also on the losing end to Roo-
pnarine 11-9, 6-11, 6-11, 8-11 with the
latter defeating Gopaul 15-13, 11-8,
11-2 for his other win.
On Saturday, Wilson topped his
Group I round-robin series with a
2-0 mark when he beat Don Savant
11-5, 11-5, 11-8 and Sachin Ramsumair
14-12, 11-7, 13-11.
Wilson then overcame Abraham
Francis 11-8, 11-13, 11-9, 17-15; Josiah
Joseph 11-4, 11-9, 15-17, 11-9 and Ameer
Mohamed 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 in his three
knockout matches to advance to the
Carenage Blasters’ Aaron Wilson won his five matches to become the champion of
the TTTTA Mens’ Super Singles at the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua on
Sunday.
TTTTA Super Singles Champions Aaron Wilson of Carenage Blasters, right, Chloe Fraser of Crusaders, second from
left, and runners-up Derron Douglas, left, and Imani Edwards Taylor of QPCC, at the National Racquet Centre in
Tacarigua on Sunday.
‘Final Six’.
O’Young of Carenage Blasters Henry La Croix 11-1, 11-1, 11-3, Em- 11-9, 5-11, 10-12, 11-8.
swept aside Rabindra Outar 11-5, 11-6, manuel Chuniesingh 11-3, 11-6,
11-4 and Joel Billy Taitt (11-1, 11-3, 11-3)
and followed it up with wins against
Neville Cabie (11-1, 11-13, 11-5); Nikoli
Barbour-Alexis (11-4, 11-9, 11-7), and
Isa Mohammed (11-9, 12-10, 11-6) in
the main draw
Roopnarine of Hawks battled past
Gabriel John 11-7, 11-5, 12-14, 12-10 and
Ibraaheem Khan 11-5, 11-4, 11-2 and
in the knockout rounds, he dumped
Mikhail Dookie 11-1, 11-3, 10-12, 11-1;
Nicholas O’Young 11-6, 11-5, 11-6, and
Franklin Seechan 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3.
Douglas of Queen’s Park scolded
Jonathan Cottoy 11-5, 11-8, 11-9, and
Mikhail Dookie 11-3, 11-7, 11-6 and
then got wins against Sharaz Ali 11-6,
11-3, 11-2; Jean-Marc Lee Fai 12-10, 12-
10, 11-6, and Everton Sorzano 11-7,
5-11, 11-6, 11-6.
Dookie of Carenage Blasters over-
came Kevin Lewis 11-3, 11-9, 11-2, and
Edwin Humphreys 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 and
then showed his title ambitions with
victories against Shahjahan Khan
11-1, 11-1, 11-4 and former top-ranked
local duo, Curtis Humphreys 11-6,
11-3, 13-11, and Yuvraaj Dookram 11-9,
5-11, 11-7, 11-8.
And France-based Gopaul of
Smalta Crusaders outlasted Abra-
ham Francis 11-4, 7-11, 113, 11-6 and
Harnarine Moonasar 11-4, 8-11, 11-5,
PICTURES DANIEL PRENTICE
9-11, 11-6 before he humbled 11-4, and Musaahib Newaj 11-9,
XTRA FOODS FUELS HOPE AT
CASA DE CORAZON CHILDREN’S HOME
WITH SUBSTANTIAL GROCERY DONATION
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sport 57
based Chloe Fraser captured the
Women’s Super Singles title after
she ended the four-player Finals
series with a 3-0 record.
Fraser got a decisive win over
Queen’s Park Table Tennis Club
and Great Britain-based Imani
Edwards-Taylor 11-3, 11-5, 11-3;
Powergen’s Priyanka Khellawan
11-7, 11-7, 11-6 and QPCC’s Jordan
Thong 13-11, 11-4, 11-7.
On Saturday in the quar-
terfinals, Fraser, the reigning
national champion, punished
Jerisse Elder 11-2, 11-2, 11-3; Ed-
wards-Taylor rallied past WASA’s
Ambika Sitram 15-13, 9-11, 12-10,
11-7; Thong crushed Candace
Brewster 11-2, 11-3, 11-7, and Khel-
lawan made light work of Eliza-
beth Rajah 11-6, 11-3, 11-9.
On Saturday, when the compe-
tition served off with the group
stages from which the top two
players advanced to the main
draw Fraser, Edwards-Taylor,
Thong, and Khellawan all won
Earlier on Sunday, France- their pools with perfect records.
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United in support, (from left to right)
Xtra Foods Group Marketing Manager
Mr. Daniel Austin, CSR Supervisor Mrs.
Cyril, Casa De Carazon Representative
Ms. Kelly-Ann Christian, Trolley
Attendants Zameer Mohammed,
Jeremiah Joseph, Nikeisha Daniel,
Casa De Carazon Representative Mrs.
Leah-Marie Phillip-Marin, and Xtra
Foods Store Manager Mr. Rajiv Roopia
share a moment of community spirit
during the grocery donation handover
to Casa De Carazon Children’s Home.
 58 sport
Thompson seventh in 100m free at Almost Heaven Open
National swimmer Jeron Thomp-
son and his University of Indi-
anapolis swimming teammates
closed the calendar year at the
Almost Heaven Long Course Open
with a seventh-placed finish in the
men’s 100 metre freestyle.
Competing at the four-day meet
hosted by West Virginia Univer-
sity at Aquatic Centre at Mylan
Park in Morgantown, West Vir-
ginia, the 23-year-old Thompson,
one of ten UIndy swimmers on
show, was seventh to the wall in
the men’s 100m freestyle final in
52.64 seconds, slower than his
52.40 preliminary heats time.
The T&T swimmer also placed
fifth in the men’s 50m freestyle
Consolation final in 24.12 sec-
onds, after he clocked 23.86 in the
preliminary heats.
Racing alongside the Grey-
hounds were a number of mostly
Division I schools, with the host
Mountaineers also welcoming
Duquesne, Florida Tech, Fresno
State, Harvard (men’s only),
James Madison, Kenyon, Savan-
nah College of A&D, Stanford,
Tulane, Alabama, Findlay, Xavier
and Yale.
FILE: Jeron Thompson ... part of the University of Indianapolis men’s gold medal winning team.
Clarendon edges St Benedict’s
in Goodwill final
T&T’s St Benedict’s College had
to settle for the runners-up
spot in the KFC Goodwill In-
ternational Schools Football
Tournament at the Ministry of
Education Ground at Carifesta
Avenue in Georgetown, Guyana,
on Friday night for the second
consecutive year.
This after the 2022 Secondary
Schools Football League Premier
Division winners went under to
Jamaica’s Olivier Shield crown
and ISSA/Wata DaCosta Cup
winners, Clarendon College 2-1
in the final.
Clarendon also made history
by winning the fourth edition
of the tournament in their first
outing.
The first half saw Clarendon’s
midfield out-pass and out-ma-
noeuvre a rash and reckless St
Benedict’s attack.
They would eventually wear
down St Benedict’s defence
as well and scored a soft goal
through Daniel Clark in the 32nd
minute to go ahead deservedly.
The half went without further
goals or incident but the restart
saw the Jamaicans come re-
freshed and by that virtue, they
again penetrated St Benedict’s
harangued defence to double
Young Lions one win away
from Bellissima Events sweep
Young Lions move to within a
win of sweeping the titles in the
second edition of the nine-team
Five-A-Side Basketball Court
Football League hosted by Bel-
lissima Events on Friday night.
This after Young Lions
eked out a 1-0 win over Point
Cumana FC courtesy of an own
goal in their knockout semifinal
at the L’Anse Mitan Recreation
Ground, Carenage to secure a
spot in the final carded for Fri-
day, December 29 from 9 pm.
In the final, league champi-
ons Young Lions will come up
against the winners of the other
semifinal between Big Yard and
Scorpion which is carded for
Tuesday, December 26 (Boxing
their lead as Justin Hayles found
the back of the net after some
loose defending by the T&T
school backline in the 52nd min-
ute.
St Benedict’s managed to pull
a goal back through Jeremiah
Niles, but that was all they got
from a Clarendon College out-
fit that had very few issues for
the remainder of the contest
to take home the top prize of
US$2,500, while the T&T school
got US$1,500.
Both finalists went into the
tournament decider follow-
ing contrasting semifinal wins
on Tuesday night at the same
venue.
The second semifinal be-
tween St Benedict’s and Chase
Academic Foundation had few
goal-scoring chances but was
an all-out battle. Chase, the lone
Guyanese team who remained in
the tournament, kept a leash on
the goal-proficient St Benedict’s
for most of the match. It wasn’t
until the third minute of addi-
tional time in the second half
that Josiah Ochoa found a small
opening that broke Chase’s and
their supporters’ hearts.
Clarendon, firm title favourites
and the Jamaica Olivier Shield
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Quarterfinal
• Big Yard 3 (Kadeem Hutchinson 2,
Jovon Jules) vs Crazy Monkeys 1
Semifinal
• Young Lions 1 (own goal) vs Point
Cumana FC 0
Tuesday’s matches
• Scorpion FC vs Big Yard FC, 9 pm
On Friday
Finals
• Young Lions vs Scorpion FC/Big
Yard FC winner, 9 pm
Day) from 9 pm.
In the lone quarterfinal
contested on Friday, Big Yard
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
PICTURE ALLAN V CRANE
crown and DaCosta Cup win-
ners, continued their goal-scor-
ing spree by defeating Voorgezet
Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs
Four (VWO-4) of Suriname 3-1.
Romarion Thompson (16th)
and Daniel Clark (31st) gave the
Jamaicans a comfortable lead
at half-time before Suriname
responded via Justin Jackson in
the 50th.
Clarendon put the game to
bed when Deandrae Gallimore
had an injury-time goal in the
92nd to seal the commanding
win.
When the preliminary round
concluded, Clarendon and St
Benedict’s College boasted
unbeaten records with three
victories each while Chase’s Ac-
ademic suffered a lone defeat
against the Jamaican team in ear-
lier stages, and VWO-4 suffered
a substantial setback against St
Benedict’s.
St Benedict’s College also had
wins over Carmel Secondary
(3-0) and DC Caesar Fox Second-
ary (6-0) in Pool A round-robin
play.
Chase Academic finished
third for the US$1,000 prize
while VWO-4 was fourth and got
US$500.
led by a double from Kadeem
Hutchinson, and the other by
Jovon Jules caged Crazy Mon-
keys 3-1 while Scorpion FC
who pulled off a stunning 1-0
upset of Smith Hill FC in the
round-of-16 received a quarter-
final round bye.
Last weekend, Young Lions
captured the $5,000 league
title after they played to a 0-0
draw with rivals Smith Hill FC
to finish their campaign with 17
points, one ahead of Scrape Up,
who took home $3,000 as the
runners-up while Crazy Mon-
key’s was a 1-0 winner over
Point Cumana in their final
match on Friday secured the
third spot and $1,000.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
Pietra Gay inspired by
World Basketball Day
The Sports Company of Trinidad
and Tobago (SPORTT) joined the
local basketball fraternity in cele-
bration of the first World Basket-
ball Day on Thursday, the date Dr
James Naismith introduced the
world to the sport 132 years ago.
The occasion was to recognise
the important role basketball plays
in uniting people and communities
across the planet.
In commemoration of this spe-
cial occasion, SporTT highlights
Pietra Gay, the first Trinidad and
Tobago national to play in the
WNBA.
Gay represented Louisiana State
University (LSU) in the USA NCAA
Division I, before playing in and
winning the WNBA in 1997 with the
Houston Comets.
She has also played in leagues
around the world, including Eng-
land, Romania, Turkey, Italy,
Greece, Spain, and Puerto Rico
where she became a household
name with fans of Valencianas de
Juncos, and was approached sev-
eral times by that country to play
for their national team but despite
some enticing offers, the diminu-
tive point-guard maintained her
allegiance to the red, white and
black national colours.
The former national captain,
who helped local club Horizon
Sports Club to play in five national
finals winning three in the early
2000s, is FIBA Level II certified
and coaches men’s basketball,
in addition to her role as Tobago
House of Assembly Sports De-
velopment Officer II, where she
supports sport, youth, coaching
development and develops com-
munity sports programmes.
Q: Your thoughts on the first-
ever World Basketball Day?
A: This is something signifi-
SPORT FEATURE
chael Jordan growing up, as well as
two family members, Ian “Sarge”
Demming, Ada Demming, and An-
thony “Mad Max” Demming.
Q: Is that where you developed
your passion for the sport?
A: The passion for my sport
started in San Fernando and I left
Trinidad and Tobago at a young
age and attended junior high
school in the US, becoming the
first female to play on the boys’
team. Then I went to high school
and then to college at LSU. But my
game started developing on the
playground in Brooklyn, NY, and
my AAU team during the summer.
They even gave me the nickname
‘NBA’, and my passion grew even
more.
Q: Can you share your secret to
success?
A: That’s easy. Once you love
something and you’re passionate
about it, you have to put in the
time, and you have to be consist-
ent. So, I would eat and sleep bas-
ketball 24 hours a day. Wherever
I went, it was with a basketball; I
even slept with a basketball. So,
consistency is the key, and never
giving up, and always believing in
T&T’s Pietra Gay (with ball) in action for the Houston Comets in 1997. yourself before anything else.
cant that’s happening in the sport and Tobago, especially the ‘foun- Q: What kept you motivated
today, and I think it is the first dation builders’ who came before through the tough times?
sport to receive this recognition. me. A: My motto was always ‘I may
World Basketball Day serves as a Q: How did you get into playing live in another country, but I am
unifying force where people from basketball? 100 per cent Trini’. So, though I
different backgrounds can come A: I started playing basketball in was abroad, my blood was always
together. Basketball helps break Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. I flew the
down barriers and brings commu- AKA ‘The Bronx’. I started playing flag at the highest peak, always
nities together. netball first and migrated over to knowing I was carrying Trinidad
Q: What is the significance of basketball at probably ten years and Tobago’s flag. So, it motivated
the sport to T&T? old. I would always watch the guys me to rise above the rest and be-
A: The sport of basketball can in the community play and then come a living example while I was
contribute a lot to peace. So, World take the ball and practice, practice, abroad. In addition, to always be
Basketball Day is also a great way practice until I got good enough at my best because I was not only
to recognise persons who paved to sweat with the big guns. I used representing myself but I was rep-
the way for basketball in Trinidad to mimic ‘Magic’ Johnson and Mi- resenting my country.
sport 59
Q: Do you still play the game?
A: I don’t play basketball any-
more. I am now a coach. I coach a
Division I men’s team. (Royal Extra
Lions/Marabella Raptors). I think
I’m the only (female) coach in
Trinidad and Tobago that coaches
men.
Q: How did you get into sports
development?
A: After playing, I chose to give
back. I think being in sports, I
can now change lives, not only in
basketball but in all other sports.
Youth development and by exten-
sion sport development. Letting
kids see sport as an avenue where
they can be successful and use
sport as a vehicle to be a success.
I was the first person in my family
to graduate from college and it’s
through basketball I did that. So,
I know there are a lot of kids who
can do such through sport, I al-
ways motivate people to use sports
as a tool to get a scholarship and
to work towards other endeavours
of life.
Q: Where do you see the future
of basketball in T&T?
A: Basketball has a great future
in T&T. Once the people who get
elected to serve the sport do their
best to put basketball and the play-
ers first, T&T can be a successful
country and an example for the
Caribbean.
I want to say thanks to all the
women players who have flown
the red, white, and black national
flag high over the decades locally
and internationally. My focus now
is to give back and inspire the fu-
ture generation of young T&T girls
and women once I am given the
opportunity to do so. And to all my
former teams and coaches, thank
you all for believing in me for all
those years.
 60 sport
Marcus Clinton, right, of the victorious Police Men
team collects the “Most Valuable Player” prize in the
Mens’ Division of the Tobago Netball League from
national netballer Jerisia McEachrane.
Seliesha Roberts of Netters, right, was named the
“Most Promising Player” in the Junior Division of the last weekend.
Tobago Netball League. President of the Tobago
Netball League Kyla Keith-Wilson presents Roberts
with her award at the prize-giving ceremony which
was held after the League’s final at Shaw Park Court in the final at the Shaw Park
on Saturday.
Jinelle Campbell, right, was voted the “Most Valuable also included Netball World
Player” in the Junior Division of the Tobago Netball Cup representatives Oprah
League. Campbell’s team SSS Emeralds won the
Junior Division at the Shaw Park Hard Court on
Saturday. She received her award from Khemyah
Anderson, captain of the 2022/2023 National
Secondary Schools 13-and-Under champions Bishops 18. The 93 Ultd outfit defeated
High, at the League’s prize-giving ceremony.
Demisha Henry of 93 Ultd, right, copped the “Most
Valuable Player” award in the Womens’ Open division Games. Another 93 Ultd player
of the Tobago Netball League. Henry collects her
prize from Public Relations Officer of the Tobago
Netball League, Abeni Taylor, on Saturday.
Police won the men’s division of the Tobago Netball League, after beating Take Dat 39-31 in the final at Shaw Park Hard Court on Saturday.
PICTURES CLAYTON CLARKE
93 Ultd, Emeralds, Police
capture Tobago Netball titles
CLAYTON CLARKE
Sports Correspondent
93 Ultd, Scarborough Sec-
ondary Schools (SSS) Emer-
alds and Police Men emerged
champions of the Tobago Net-
ball League which concluded
The 93 Ultd team captured
the Women’s Open trophy
after defeating Netters 43-20
Court on Saturday. With for-
mer national coach Kemba
Duncan in charge, 93 Ultd
was ahead 11-0 at the end of
the first quarter and ended
the first half leading 25-9. The
eventual champion extended
its lead to 35-10 after three
quarters to seal the 23-goal
victory.
This after 93 Ultd, captained
by national player Jeresia Mc
Eachrane, booked their spot
into the final without break-
ing a sweat as their opponents
Shockerz did not show up for
their semifinal match-up.
The winning team, which
Douglas and Aneicia Baptiste,
played unbeaten in the group
stage of the competition which
got underway on November
Knickers Ravens (54-19), Net
Ace (73-6), Netters (31-27) and
Shockerz (57-15).
Among the 93 Ultd lineup
were Khemiyah Anderson
and Jada Hamilton. Anderson
was named the “Most Valua-
ble Player” (MVP) in the Girls
13 and Under Division in this
year’s National Secondary
Schools Netball League. She
captained Bishops High to
retain the girls’ 13 and Under
title. Anderson was a member
of the national U-16 team and
is the daughter of Duncan.
Hamilton represented T&T
at the Commonwealth Youth
Demisha Henry was named
the MVP in the Women’s Open
division.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
HONOUR ROLL
Women Open
MVP: Demisha Henry (93 Ultd)
Special Award: Makayla George
(Netters)
Juniors
MVP: Jinelle Campbell (SSS
Emerads)
Most Promising Players:
Seleisha Roberts (Netters)
Men
MVP: Marcus Clinton (Police)
Special Award: Valdez Perez
(Take Dat)
RESULTS
Women Open
Final
93 Ultd won the Womens’ title at the Tobago Netball League final at
• 93 Ultd 43 vs Netters 20
Shaw Park Hard Court on Saturday. 93 Ultd beat Netters 43-20.
Third place play off
• Knickers Ravens 28 vs Shockerz
27
Semifinals
• 93 Ultd won bt Shockerz
(default)
• Netters 32 vs Knickers Ravens
19
Juniors
Finals
• SSS Emeralds 24 vs Netters 9
Third place play off
• Knickers Lily 16 vs Dynamites
14
Semifinals
• SSS Emeralds 23 vs Dynamites
SSS Emeralds emerged champions in the Junior Division of the 18
Tobago Netball League after defeating Netters 24-9 in the finals at • Netters 15 vs Knickers Lily 12
Shaw Park Hard Court on Saturday.
Knickers Ravens edged Group B winners Knickers Lily Men division
Shockerz (28-27) to take third (15-12). Finals
place. Knickers Lily secured third • Police 39 vs Take Date 31
SSS Emeralds, led by Jinelle place with a 16-14 win over Dy-
Third place play off
Campbell, secured the junior namites. • Netters beat Fire (default)
category with a 24-9 win over Emeralds’ Campbell took
Netters. home the MVP honours. Semifinals
Emeralds, who topped Police copped the men’s di- • Police 34 vs Fire 19
Group A in the group stages vision with hard fought 39-31 • Take Dat 49 vs Netters 15
won all their matches and triumph over Take Dat.
booked their spot in the junior Police and Take Dat qualified The lawmen topped the
final after overcoming Group B for the final with commanding preliminary round with victo-
runners-up Dynamites 23-18 in wins in the semifinals. The Po- ries over Fire (44-18), Knickers
the semifinals of the Big Four. lice team eased past Fire 34-19 Chaps (26-12) and Take Dat
In the other semifinal match, while Take Dat dismissed Net- (48-20). Police player Marcus
the runner-up Netters got by ters, 49-15. Clinton was voted the MVP.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt sport 61

Vishnu Gookool, left, vice-president of the Central Zone of the T&T Table Tennis
Association presents the Women A Team winners’ prize to Anisa Mohammad, Kyra
Sookoo and Linda Partap-Boodhan at the conclusion of the 13th edition of the
Low Cost Central Zone of the T&T Table Tennis Association Tournament ended at
the Tunapuna Hindu School on Wednesday.
Vishnu Gookool, left, presents the Singles Open B
winners’ prize to Aasif Allie of Tunapuna Hindu School
at the conclusion of the 13th edition of the Low Cost
Central Zone of the T&T Table Tennis Association
Tournament.
Vishnu Gookool, left, presents the Men’s Veterans top
prize to Hayden Haynes of Enterprise Youths on
Wednesday.

Seechan, Partap-Boodhan retain titles in Low Cost tourney

NIGEL SIMON with Mohammad and Kyra Sookoo as 11-1, 11-4. by his 11-6, 11-4, 13-11 humbling of tory against Rihana Mohammad.
Senior Multimedia Reporter well as the ‘A’ Team title with Sharazz The Under-15 Boys title was also Anthony Nixon in the semis. Boodhan battled past Arielle
nigel.simon@guardian.co.tt Ali and Lorenzo Mota to end with five won by Allie courtesy of his bat- Sampath defeated Mahangoo Bhagan 11-8, 11-5, 11-13, 11-4 and
over the course of the week-long com- tling 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 defeat 11-7, 8-11, 11-13, 11-5, 11-6, and Hope Saki Hope 11-5, 11-2, 11-9 in her
Hillview Renegades’ Franklyn Seechan petition. of Trent Sampath in the final. 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 in his other pool group encounters and then dis-
(Men’s A Division), and Tunapuna Allie earlier ended second in matches and then Anthony Nixon missed Priya Rambally 12-10, 11-4,
Hindu Schools’ Linda Partap-Boo- ... Allie, Boodhan his round-robin group after losing 11-7, 11-5, 16-14 in the semis. 11-9 while Mohammad brushed
dhan (Women’s Open and Veterans) against Sampath 7-11, 13-15, 11-9, Boodhan (L) won her sec- aside Risha Boodoo 11-1, 11-3, 11-2
retained their respective titles when
capture U-19 crowns 6-11 but securing wins over Ros- ond title when she captured the and Rambally 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 fol-
the 13th edition of the Low Cost Cen- Aasif Allie claimed the Boys’ Under- han Mahangoo 11-9, 11-7, 11-6, and Under-15 Girls winners’ trophy via lowed by an 11-6, 11-1, 11-5 defeat of
tral Zone of the T&T Table Tennis As- 19 crown thanks to his thrilling 7-11, Kairo Hope 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 followed a straightforward 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 vic- Bhagan.
sociation Tournament ended at the 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 win over Jaden Sammy in
Tunapuna Hindu School. the decider.
Competing in the Men’s A Division, When the main draw knockout
Seechan outclassed Rafael Moham- served off, Allie overcame Roshan
med 11-5, 11-6, 12-10 in the final. Mahangoo 11-5, 13-11, 9-11, 13-15, 11-8
When the main draw served off, in their semifinal, and Sammy steam-
Seechan who topped his three-player rolled Veer Singh 11-2, 11-4, 11-4 in the
round-robin pool with a 2-0 record other.
was handed a quarterfinal bye before This after Allie swept aside Kairo
he stopped Sharazz Ali 11-8, 13-11, 6-11, Hope 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 and Singh 11-7, 11-9,
11-6 in his semifinal while Mohammed 11-4 in his three-player group qualifi-
also won his round-robin pool with a ers while Sammy registered wins over
3-0 mark followed by a quarterfinal Roshan Mahangoo 11-6, 11-5, 4-11, 11-5;
bye, and a semifinal defeat of Satesh Umar Ali 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 and Ameer Ali
Jodhan 11-6, 11-9, 11-6 in his semifinal. 11-3, 11-2, 11-4.
Partap-Boodhan won her four- Lyllana Boodhan dominated the
player Women’s competition by Under-19 Girls category and capped it
sweeping past her daughters Rayanna off with a stunning 11-5, 11-8, 11-4 beat-
Boodhan 11-7, 11-3, 11-5; Lyllana Boo- ing of Rihana Mohammad in the fin.
dhan 11-6, 11-3, 11-4; and Arlene Joseph Earlier on, Boodhan battled past Ari-
of Enterprise Youths 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, elle Bhagan 11-4, 11-1, 12-10 and Hannah
11-4. Mohammed 11-8, 11-3, 11-18 followed
And in the Women’s Veterans, Par- by a tense 9-11, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8, 13-11
tap-Boodhan again showed her dom- triumph against Aruna Harry in the fi-
inance with wins over the Enterprise nal-four while Rihana Mohammad won
Youths trio of Joseph 11-3, 11-5, 9-11, her group after wins over Harry 11-6,
11-2, Nadini Griffith 11-1, 11-3, 11-2 and 10-12, 11-5, 11-3, Sakii Hope 11-1, 11-2, 11-4
Kelly Alexander 11-2, 11-3, 11-3. and Pretti Singh by walkover followed
Joseph was second in the tourna- by an 11-6, 10-12, 11-5, 11-3 beating of
ment after beating clubmates Joseph Hannah Mohammed in the semis.
11-2, 11-2, 11-2 and Alexander 11-5, 11-5, Hannah Mohammed had better re-
11-4. demption in the Under-19 Open Novice
Boodhan-Partap also won the Wom- competition with wins over Mia Mapp
en’s Doubles with Anisa Mohammad, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5; Vidika Singh 11-6, 11-8,
the Women’s ‘A’ Teams competition 11-5 and Sharanya Chakrabarti 11-2,

Vishnu Gookool, left, vice-president of the Central Zone of the T&T Table Tennis
Association presents the B Team competition winners prize to Renesh Buchoon
while his teammates, Lyllana Boodhan and Krishan Dubay, look on at the Tunapuna
Hindu School on Wednesday.
 62 sport
Series win an inspiration for
World Cup prep—Russell
Veteran all-rounder Andre Russell
says West Indies’ series win over
England has given him extra moti-
vation to be in the best shape possi-
ble for next year’s Twenty20 World
Cup.
The 35-year-old, recalled for his
first international assignment in
two years, played a key role as he
helped West Indies edge England
3-2 in a thrilling series that wrapped
up here last Thursday.
He is expected to be at the fore-
front of the squad which will feature
in the June 4-30 showpiece in the
Caribbean and the United States.
“I’ll be in better shape, to be
honest. I’ll be looking like a UFC
fighter,” Russell said following the
fifth T20 International at the Brian
Lara Stadium.
“This series win means so much
and it kind of (makes me) want to
push myself to the limit. I have a lot
of cricket to play so that’s good.
“When you’re playing cricket,
you’re in competition and your
body is active and not just sitting
home waiting for the World Cup.
“We’re definitely going to give
some teams a good run for their
money.”
All-rounder Andre Russell cele-
brates a wicket during the England
series.
He added, “I’m just excited to be
back and to have a win. The coach
has been backing me a lot and I’m
so happy and I feel like I’ve won
Powell urges talks between CWI, government
for return of international cricket to Jamaica
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados—West In-
dies Twenty20 captain Rovman
Powell says he wants to see inter-
national cricket at Sabina Park in
Jamaica again soon and has urged
talks between Cricket West Indies
and the Jamaica government, to
have the situation rectified.
The storied venue in the coun-
try’s capital last hosted an in-
ternational 18 months ago in a
three-match T20 series against
New Zealand, and has not staged
a Test match in two-and-a-half
years.
Further, Jamaica has not fea-
tured on the roster of the Car-
ibbean Premier League for four
years.
“Obviously I’m a Jamaican. I
want to play in front of my home
crowd but for the last few years I
haven’t,” Powell said after leading
West Indies to a 3-2 series win over
England last Thursday in Trinidad.
“West Indies Cricket Board and
the Jamaican government really
have to sit down and have a con-
versation about that.
“I’m definitely [worried]. Cricket
hasn’t played there in a long time.
As much as there are quite a few
Jamaicans playing for West Indies
Teammates congratulate West Indies bowler Andre Russell after he took the catch to dismiss Rehan Ahmed during
the fifth T20 cricket match at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando, on Thursday.
this big, big championship (not)
just a series win. That’s how much
it means to me.
“Getting the call-up to come back
and join the West Indies team, I’ve
been working for the last two years
waiting for a call-up and it’s so good
to have a start of being back in the
team and back in the setup.
“And we have a series win, espe-
cially against such a good and chal-
now, there is no cricket there.
“Even if you look on the CPL
team, I’ve heard reports they’re
looking to move the CPL team
from Jamaica.”
Earlier this year, Jamaica’s gov-
ernment also opted not to bid for
matches in next year’s Twenty20
World Cup which will be co-hosted
by the United States, from June
4-30.
Organisers of the International
Cricket Council subsequently an-
nounced Antigua and Barbuda,
Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, St
Lucia, St. Vincent and the Gren-
adines, and Trinidad and Tobago
as host venues.
Dominica subsequently pulled
out.
And while Jamaica’s govern-
ment said its decision not to bid
for matches was based on a sound
“cost-and-benefit analysis”, Powell
said the country not hosting inter-
national cricket was “a little bit
disappointing”.
“Jamaica is the biggest island in
the Caribbean,” said the 30-year-
old who was appointed T20 skip-
per earlier this year.
“We’re a proud nation – a proud
cricketing nation – and for those
lenging team like England.”
Russell made an instant impact in
his first game back, snatching three
for 19 and then smashing a 14-ball
unbeaten 29 in a Man-of-the-Match
effort to fire West Indies to a four-
wicket win.
His performances dipped in the
next few games, however, especially
in the second T20 International
when he leaked 66 runs and then
things to be happening is a little
bit disappointing.” (CMC)
Didn’t get support
from Jamaica says
Tallawahs owner
Kris Persaud, the erstwhile owner
of Jamaica Tallawahs has said he
decided to move to Antigua be-
cause of a lack of support from the
Jamaican government. Having sur-
rendered his franchise to the Car-
ibbean Premier League (CPL), the
Guyana-born, Florida-based busi-
nessman has decided to launch a
team in Antigua, where cricket is
an intrinsic part of the island’s cul-
ture.
“I could not continue to operate
a franchise cricket team in a coun-
try where the government refuses
to provide any financial support
for the tremendous economic and
social benefits it receives from the
event held on their behalf in and
out of Jamaica,” Persaud, whose
original name is Krishna Prasad,
told Cricbuzz.
“We won the tournament in 2022
and received no acknowledgment/
PICTURE AP
in the following game in Grenada
when he conceded 24 runs in the
final over with England requiring 21
for victory.
Russell said he had faced some
challenges in making the transition
from playing in the Abu Dhabi T20
just before the England series.
“I was coming from Abu Dhabi
which was a big time difference and
flying back into Barbados, I tried to
England’s Adil Rashid watches West Indies’ captain Rovman Powell score
runs from his bowling during the fifth T20 cricket match at Brian Lara
Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando, on Thursday.
appreciation from anyone in the
government, and so we have de-
cided to cut our losses and leave
the situation to the CPL. (We’re)
looking forward to exciting times
in Antigua where cricket is an in-
trinsic part of the culture.”
The CPL was launched and Tal-
lawahs was taken over by Persaud
from businessman Manish Patel,
and since then he had been run-
ning the franchise before deciding
to close shop in Jamaica and start
a new team in Antigua. “I bought
100 percent ownership rights from
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt
stay up as late as possible to make
sure I got enough sleep so I could be
fresh for the game,” he explained.
“When I got to Grenada I just
couldn’t sleep. I started feeling
sleepy at 6 am which would be the
time I would sleep in Abu Dhabi.
“Fans wouldn’t know that but I
still get the pressure and backlash
and all of that, and it just makes me
stronger.
“I love my Caribbean fans and I
know they’re passionate about the
game, and when we’re messing up
they will be on our backs.”
Russell said his contribution to
the squad was not only in the field
but in the behind-the-scenes plan-
ning.
This proved valuable after Eng-
land plundered West Indies’ bowl-
ing in the third and fourth matches
with totals over 200, to claw them-
selves back into the series.
“After the last (fourth) game we
played, I stood up as a senior player
in the meeting and I said ‘Guys, we
have to come up with a plan. We
have to bowl a bit fuller, around
the wicket, change angles—do some
different like start with two fast
bowlers instead of Akeal (Hosein),’”
Russell said.
“Other players in the room ere
saying the same thing as well be-
cause having straight plans [meant
England] were expecting this and
could plan how they were going to
go about it.” (CMC)
PICTURE AP
Manish Patel in 2017 and he played
no part in any of my business ever.
I’m 100 percent owner of the new
Antiguan team,” Persaud asserted.
The CPL told this website that the
Tallawahs had to close operations
in Jamaica as the business there
was not sustainable. “The CPL has
bought the Jamaica Tallawahs fran-
chise from the current owners. The
owners were left with no option but
to sell the Tallawahs back to CPL as
they could not find a way to oper-
ate the team sustainably,” a spokes-
man for the league said. (Cricbuzz)
Sunday, December 24, 2023
guardian.co.tt 63
Sport Sunday, December 24, 2023

RUSSELL MOTIVATED West Indies cricket team will tour

Australia from January to February
2024 to play two Test, three ODIs
and three T20I matches.

FOR WORLD CUP RUN

PAGE 62
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

T&T’s AYANNA MC CLEAN of

Ventures Hockey Club was voted
the FIH Women’s Umpire of the
Ball fight Year 2023 by the FIH Umpiring
Committee on Tuesday. Mc
Clean of Belmont, has been
Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, left, is umpiring at the highest level
challenged by Liverpool’s Wataru Endo for the past 16 years and has
during an English Premier League already officiated in more than
football match at Anfield Stadium in 230 international matches,
Liverpool, England, yesterday. The match including at the Olympic Games
ended 1-1. See page 54. PICTURE AP
in Tokyo and at the 2022 FIH
Hockey Women’s World Cup.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“When the English batters

batted, we realised that it
wasn’t a wicket that offered
a lot of shots, so if we have
somebody in our middle who
can graft, get to 40 off 35 balls,
that would serve us as a batting
group well.” —West Indies
captain ROVMAN POWELL
after Thursday’s victory and
Series win.

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UWI TODAY is printed and nd dis
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2 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

CELEBRATION AND GRATITUDE
In the foreword of the Pelican Annual 1966, one of The
UWI’s original student publications, Campus Principal Sir
Dudley Huggins described the experience of establishing
and developing The UWI St Augustine campus as an
“exciting adventure”. It was a sentiment that could apply
to the entire university.
It’s been seven decades and five years since the
creation of The University of the West Indies, enough
time to establish a legacy, but still a brief moment in the
ocean of human history. We are a young institution in a
young region, and as we look at all that has been achieved
by these Caribbean people in their Caribbean university,
it can be easy to forget the tiny ember from which The
UWI sprung, and the painstaking labours required to
stoke that flame.
In 1966, my predecessor, Sir Dudley, wrote of many
difficulties, just as The UWI faces many difficulties today.
Yet, he said, “the old and the young, the teacher and the
taught, need to look for hope rather than despair, for
resolve rather than doubt”. And in motivating the fledgling
campus community, he called on them to draw on their
greatest power: unity.
“Our university – three campuses but one university
– derives strength from that unity. We have cause to
take pride in that circumstance in that The UWI is the
outstanding example of unity…,” he wrote.
It is a necessary reminder in this final month of 2023,
in this year of commemoration of this university’s 75 years
as one of the Caribbean’s greatest institutions and assets.
Today, we can look back with pride at the labours of the
founders in tending that flame, a flame that has become,
as declared, a light rising in the West.
In that spirit, I wish my final message of 2023 to be
one of gratitude – not only for the work of the university’s
founders but for the incredible work taking place at
UWI St Augustine today. This year has been challenging,
however, through the collective efforts of this campus
community, St Augustine achieved many objectives and,
on balance, made 2023 a success.
This year, the campus held several activities to
commemorate the 75th anniversary, including the hosting
of the Principal’s Research Awards and Festival that is
covered in this issue of UWI TODAY. These events allowed
us to celebrate our researchers, expose society to their
work, highlight the campus and university’s tradition of
research, and encourage even more faculty members and
students to continue that research tradition.
We come out
to DANCE
Debra Paponette (right) and Antonia
Williams, students from the Certificate in
Dance and Dance Education programme
at UWI St Augustine’s Department of
Creative and Festival Arts (DCFA) and
members of The UWI Arts Festival Dance
Ensemble perform on December 3 at Our
Lady of Fatima RC Church in Curepe.
They were taking part in “MISSA”, a
presentation of UWI Arts Chorale and
UWI Arts Steel. The event was part of
DCFA’s Season of the Arts series.
PHOTO: ULTIMATE MEDIA TT
SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 3
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
A YEAR OF
The awards and festival are also a reminder of the
value The UWI brings. More than ever, as an institution,
we must not only continue to provide ever greater value,
we must also proclaim that value to the sectors we
partner with and the public we serve.
This year, UWI St Augustine worked on building
our relationships with the government and private sector
with the aim of creating or deepening partnerships.
We intensified our labours in the innovation and
entrepreneurship space for the development of campus-
grown products and services. We also reached out to
engage society through outreach activities, as well as
invited the public to the campus for events of national
and international importance.
In 2023 as well, our campus community members,
both past and present, represented UWI St Augustine
well, receiving numerous recognitions for their work,
speaking with authority on the most urgent topics, and
ascending to prominent positions in a host of fields.
And of course, the campus community successfully
carried out the core operations for which they are best
known – providing higher education and information
services. At all levels, they continued to fulfill the
purpose for which this university was established many
years ago. I am extremely grateful for their efforts.
Now, the campus looks forward to 2024, another
year in our “exciting adventure”. We will, undoubtedly,
face many challenges, but as a campus and a university,
we will marshall our strengths and continue the legacy
that was created for Caribbean people 75 years ago. It is
my deep desire that seven decades and five years from
This year has been now, when the leaders of The UWI of tomorrow face their
own struggles, they will find comfort in messages such
challenging, however, as this, and take comfort that the adventure continues.
through the collective To all staff, students, alumni, retirees, and members
of society that have worked with UWI St Augustine in
efforts of this campus 2023, thank you. I hope the New Year brings you health
and happiness.
community, St Augustine
achieved many objectives
and, on balance, made
2023 a success.
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine
Campus Principal
EDITORIAL TEAM
CAMPUS PRINCIPAL
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
AND COMMUNICATIONS
Wynell Gregorio
AG. EDITOR
Joel Henry
Email: joel.henry@sta.uwi.edu
CONTACT US
The UWI Marketing and
Communications Office
Tel: (868) 662-2002, exts. 82013 / 83997
or Email: uwitoday@sta.uwi.edu
4 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023
OUR PEOPLE
On Thursday October 26, United Nations Secretary-
General António Guterres formally launched a High-
Level Multistakeholder Advisory Body on Artificial
Intelligence. The body’s goal is to foster a globally
inclusive approach to ensuring that AI technologies
are harnessed responsibly, maximising their potential
to supercharge efforts to achieve a more sustainable
world, while minimising potential associated risks and
inequalities.
Amidst a fiercely competitive selection process,
drawing over 2,000 candidates from 128 countries, UWI
St Augustine’s very own Dr Craig Ramlal secured his
place among the elite group of 38 AI experts.
At 35, Dr Ramlal boasts an impressive academic and
research résumé. On the St Augustine campus alone,
he is a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering’s (FENG)
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
(DECE), the Head of the Control Systems Group at
DECE, the Coordinator for the Postgraduate Studies and
Research at the department and the Principal Investigator
of the Intelligent Systems Lab – a research lab which
focuses on developing machine learning, intelligent
control algorithms, and AI-enabled software.
On being appointed to the Secretary General’s
advisory body, Dr Ramlal couldn’t hide his elation.
“I’m very honoured, very humbled and very happy to
participate in this forum where everyone is at the cutting
edge of their field. When any member or the body speaks,
every sentence is weighted by years of experience,” he
says, speaking of his early interactions with other AI
luminaries on the advisory body.
Dr Ramlal’s happiness with his selection is, however,
not limited to his pride in his personal accomplishment.
He is also pleased about the opportunity to represent the
Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC),
contemporarily known as the Global Southwest, during
the panel’s deliberations. For Dr Ramlal, diversity of ideas
and inputs is an imperative stipulation for building better
AI systems which can serve the global good, as opposed
to only limited corporate interests in more developed
countries.
Reducing the disparities in developing AI systems
At the top of his wish list of accomplishments
for the UN advisory body is to make governance
recommendations which can “reduce the disparities
between those who can create and use AI and those who
don’t have the economic capacity to do so”. He says the
challenge lies in the fact that, because of disparities in
funding, many developing countries are “currently not
able to create AI systems that would benefit their own
countries”, while developed nations are simultaneously
“moving very quickly to develop better and better
systems”.
This is a complex problem when considering large
language models (LLM). LLM – a type of AI algorithm
that uses deep learning techniques and enormously large
data sets to interpret, summarise, generate and predict
new content – are one form of generative AI that are
specifically designed to generate text-based content. As
he explains, large corporations who are at the forefront
of developing the most powerful AI systems have used
LLMs which, they admit, are flawed because they contain
cultural biases due to the homogenous datasets they are
derived from.
On the other hand, while Dr Ramlal believes that
there is a genuine desire to obtain more diverse data sets
to reduce bias, despite the Caribbean’s diversity, “our data
sets are extremely minimal. It’s difficult to create, and
David Riley is a communications and digital marketing specialist with a passion for human rights advocacy and international affairs.
there is a lack of incentives to create datasets within the
Caribbean.”
Notwithstanding this challenge, he sees tremendous
worth in governments, and industry and academic
players in the Global Southwest investing heavily in the
development of safe AI technologies.
A Caribbean approach to AI
Dr Ramlal also believes that there is no need for
Caribbean nations to attempt to compete with the
OpenAIs of this world. “Our focus should really be
strengthening our own niche industries with these AI
systems,” he argues. There is scope for AI technologies
to power the improvements in the agricultural sector in
a way that can positively affect climate change, as well
as in other industries such as tourism, oil and gas, and
medicine. In order to effect these changes, Dr Ramlal
sees three approaches as key:
1. Education and investment – “We need to educate
people on what the potential benefits are to
“developing/curating ethically sound data sets, and
we need to invest in AI research and development.
We also need to increase the talent pool of people
who can create AI systems that move quickly into
benefitting our niche industries.”
2. The development of proper digital infrastructure,
especially cyber security – “If you are going to use
people’s data, you must have proper cyber security
systems to protect it.”
3. Collaboration between public, private and academic
institutions – “This collaboration will help create the
necessary human capital, policies, insight on data
Global AI and requisite hardware and software tools necessary
to develop the local and regional AI industries.”
LOCAL
For his part, Dr Ramlal is already at the forefront of
his own AI revolution which he heads off in his role as
lecturer, researcher and coordinator at UWI St Augustine.
He jovially, but perhaps accurately, describes himself as
VISION
“probably the biggest person in the Global Southwest to
push students to study AI!”
A driving force in AI education at St Augustine
Additionally, as a major proponent of up-skilling the
Dr Craig Ramlal regional population, Dr Ramlal has been a driving force
behind several Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Appointed to courses which are now being offered at the St Augustine
campus. They include ‘Introduction to AI’, ‘Statistics
UN AI Advisory Body in AI’, ‘Practical Machine and Deep Learning’ and ‘Pre
Processing for Machine Learning and Data Analysis’.
B Y D A V I D R I L E Y There are limited academic barriers to entry for pursuing
these courses, which are designed to empower everyday
people with general knowledge of artificial intelligence
technologies, as well as to introduce the populace to new
tools which can bolster their productivity.
In the 2024/2025 academic year, UWI St Augustine
will launch its Master of Applied Science in Artificial
Intelligence and PhD in Artificial Intelligence degree
programmes.
The UN’s High-Level Multistakeholder Advisory
Body on Artificial Intelligence will move swiftly to
present its first preliminary recommendations to the
Secretary-General by the end of this year. Dr Ramlal’s
appointment not only recognises his exceptional
expertise in the field, but it also positions him at the
forefront of a global movement to harness AI responsibly
and inclusively, shaping a better future for humanity – a
movement which he has steadily been working to ensure
that his compatriots from the Caribbean and Global
Southwest benefit from.

CAMPUS NEWS
Department of Management Studies students
WIN AWARDS AT ALBUS RESEARCH CONFERENCE
Five students from the Department of Management
Studies have represented UWI St Augustine at the Academy
of Latin American Business and Sustainability Studies
(ALBUS) conference and come home with awards.
This is the hybrid (held both in-person and online)
conference’s first year. Created to promote Latin American
research, it is organised by researchers from diverse
countries to share knowledge and research findings, and
to formulate networks and strategies.
Satesh Sookhai, PhD student and winner of the
best student paper award; Denise Julien, PhD student
and winner of the best presentation award; and MSc
students Daniel Floyd and Kalitri Dwarika presented
their research at the conference in the Dominican
Republic. Jenna-Leigh Metivier presented online. “We
see that the depth of the quality of the work spans
our MSc programme to our PhD programme,” notes
Dr Shellyanne Wilson, Head of the Department of
Management Studies (DMS).
Julien’s research explores the use of service quality
factors to identify strategies for improving customer
satisfaction for generational segments.
“It’s very relevant to what’s happening in the
financial industry,” said Dr Meena Rambocas, Senior
Lecturer in the DMS. “It’s ensuring that there is a level
of customer satisfaction, level of customer service
orientation.” She added, “[Julien] also had samples from
different generational cohorts, which really added a new
dimension to the discussions of customer satisfaction.”
Satesh Sookhai’s award winning paper focuses on the
relationship between rewards and employee motivation
in small business.
D r R amb o c a s e x pl ai n e d, “He’s t a k i ng t h e
conversation of rewards and motivation to a next level.”
Dr Rambocas and Dr Wilson praised the students’
work which impressed the ALBUS committees.
“What really stood out for us is the kind of
scientific rigour that our students exercised in
their research,” said Dr Rambocas, noting that they
addressed problems currently faced by business.
B Y D I X I E - A N N
From left: Denise Julien, Satesh Sookhai, Dr Meena Rambocas, Kalitri Dwarika, and
Daniel Floyd at the ALBUS conference in the Dominican Republic in November
2023. Not shown is Jenna-Leigh Metivier, who presented her paper online.
“They came up with contributions that really
promoted the academic discourse in the area,” she added.
Julien expressed satisfaction with the opportunity
to collaborate with her Latin American peers. “One of
the key takeaways for me is to be open to discussing
and receiving feedback on research from other peers,”
she commented.
Sookhai said he feels his achievement fired his
curiosity and motivation for research.
SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 5
B E L L E
“I’ve learned never to [have] self-doubt,” he said. “I
strongly recommend attending international conferences
to observe and learn from other researchers.”
Dr Wilson commended Dr Rambocas as an excellent
mentor and as the driving force behind attending the
conference. They both worked closely with the students,
coaching them and evaluating research designs.
“The department really wants to keep cultivating
academic culture, research culture, and having the
students exposed to that,” said Dr Wilson. She stressed,
“It’s so important for a university to keep building and
growing and fostering that culture of academic rigour,
and discovery and research.”
Dixie-Ann Belle is a freelance writer,
editor and proof-reader.
DMLL
Research Notes
UWI St Augustine’s Department
of Modern Languages and
Linguistics (DMLL) is sharing
the research work of their staff
and students in DMLL Research Notes, a special
publication from the department.
Each issue focuses on their publications and
conferences, features an interview or profile of a
member of staff, and details abstracts of MPhil
and PhD theses, as well as abstracts of final year
undergraduate projects. DMLL Research Notes also
highlights academic programmes and co-curricular
student events.
For more information, visit DMLL at
https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dmll/dmll-research-notes
6 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

UWI graduates are everywhere – politics, business, the arts, and as public
OUR GRADUATES intellectuals. In the coming months, UWI TODAY will profile some of our high
achieving alumni who have made or are making a positive impact on society.

When globally renowned actuary John Robinson was just seven

years old, he was asked to lead a group activity for his school’s cub
scouts.
While it may be a trivial moment to some, Robinson credits it as ‘It was the year after George
his first leadership experience which ignited a passion for leadership.
Several decades later, Robinson reflected on that moment as he was Floyd’s death, and I live in
elected by members of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) to serve as the
society’s 74th president and chair.
Minnesota. His murder
With a focus on promoting actuarial education and research, occurred less than 20
the SOA has over 32,000 members, making it the world’s largest
actuarial organisation. Robinson’s presidency was also historic miles from my home. I
because he was the first person of colour to lead the organisation. nominated myself for
During a seminar at the UWI St Augustine campus on
November 28, Robinson spoke about his goal of raising awareness President of the SOA,
for the profession and opening doors for others like him.
Robinson shared, “Coming into 2021, my plan was to retire, and
because if it was any
I wanted to return to the Caribbean to teach A-Level Mathematics.” year my candidacy
But, 2021 was a powerful year.
“It was the year after George Floyd’s death, and I live in was important, it
Minnesota. His murder occurred less than 20 miles from my home. was 2021.’
I nominated myself for President of the SOA, because if it was any
year my candidacy was important, it was 2021.”
As president, Robinson chaired the SOA Board and Leadership
Team, and travelled the world as an ambassador of the SOA to help

JOHN ROBINSON
elevate its profile and build wider networks.
Born in England and raised in Jamaica, Robinson graduated
from the UWI Mona Campus in 1976 with a special degree in
Mathematics.
After a brief three-year stint teaching Mathematics at Excelsior
High School in Kingston and deCarteret College in Mandeville, he
decided to do a Masters in Statistics at the University of Delaware, From UWI grad to leader of the world’s largest actuarial society
and later went on to complete a second Masters in Statistics at
Florida State University. B Y T Y R E L L G I T T E N S
He recalled, “I knew being an actuary was going to be a
worthwhile career. It was the idea of a challenge that I wanted to take

CARIBBEAN ACTUARIES
on, and I knew that, if I met the challenge, there was a significant
chance of having a good, secure job, with a good income.”
While he became an SOA associate in 1984, it took Robinson
ten years to complete the rigorous exams to become a Fellow of the
Society of Actuaries. However, he has no regrets about the time it
making their mark around the globe
took as he reflected on his ultimate leadership roles in the SOA.
These also included a tenure on the association’s board of directors
before his presidency.
Robinson also credits his work experience as an important part
of his development as an actuary and subsequent leadership of the
SOA.
His résumé includes stints with the Jamaica-based company
R Watsons and Sons; and the US-based companies Nationwide
Financial, F&G Life, Loyal American Life Insurance Company, and
Hartford Life Insurance Company; and Capital Region BOCES. In
his last job prior to retirement, he served as a life insurance regulator
for the State of Minnesota.
Today, Robinson is a retiree, but he volunteers and still does
consultancy work. He continues to serve as immediate past president
of the SOA until October 2024, and is focused on inspiring the next
generation of actuaries.
“People who do actuarial science degrees do get a skillset
which is valuable in fields other than insurance and pensions,
the traditional domains of actuaries,” he said. “I would encourage
students to continue to excel in their actuarial programme because it Mr John Robinson (second from left) with (from left) Dr Robin Antoine, retired Senior Lecturer in Statistics and former Head of
will bring them rewards.” the Department of Mathematics and Statistics (DMS), Campus Principal Antoine, and Mr Stokeley Smart, Senior Lecturer/Subject
Leader in Actuarial Science at DMS, on a courtesy visit to the Office of the Campus Principal.
A past president of the International Association of Black
Actuaries, he also wants to continue opening doors for black While visiting Trinidad and Tobago for the 2023 students, and a global viewership via livestream.
actuaries around the world. Caribbean Actuarial Association (CAA) Conference Today, Caribbean actuaries can be found practising
He explained: “One of the things that you will find in all of (held on Nov 29 to Dec 1 at the Hyatt Regency around the world, and like Robinson, are members
the actuarial organisations that I know is they have embraced the Trinidad), Immediate Past President of the Society of prestigious actuarial societies, especially in North
of Actuaries (SOA) John Robinson spoke at a seminar America and Europe. UWI St Augustine actuarial science
concept of diversity, equity and inclusion. Therefore, they do want for aspiring actuaries at UWI St Augustine’s Noor lecturers Stokely Smart and Asad Mohammed are both
to have diversity in their memberships, and they seek to ensure that Hassanali Auditorium on November 28. members of the SOA, with Smart being a Fellow of the
everyone in our profession feels welcome.” Actuaries are commonly defined as Society, and Mohammed an Associate.
mathematicians who use statistics to calculate “I would like to see a very strong Caribbean
premiums, dividends, or pension, insurance, and Actuarial Association,” Smart said. “As I meet the current
annuity rates for insurance companies. actuaries, they are all individually very strong and
Tyrell Gittens is a conservationist, environmentalist and Hosted by the UWI St Augustine Actuarial know what they are doing, which I hope translates to
geographer dedicated to the sustainable development of Science Club, the event attracted a broad audience continuing to build a strong Caribbean Association.”
T&T and the advancement of environmental education. which included campus students, secondary school Tyrell Gittens
 SEVEN DECADES, FIVE YEARS
A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF MEMBERS OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY ON THE ST AUGUSTINE GREENS. PHOTO: KC MEDIA
The sun will soon set on our year-long celebrations
to commemorate this remarkable achievement of
our university — 75 years of academic excellence,
nation-building, and t he s o cio-economic
transformation of our region. The University of
the West Indies has come a long way since the
recommendation by the Irvine Committee in 1945
and the enrolment of the first medical students at
the campus in 1948. As we approach the end of this
milestone, it is only fitting to revisit the journey
that led us here, celebrate our achievements, and
reflect on our legacy through our theme: UWI at
75 — Rooted. Ready. Rising.
ROOTED
As a university with its foundation in
the region, The UWI has been steadfast in its
commitment to national and regional development.
Our objective has always been to serve the needs
of our people, communities, and the wider region
while preparing our students and citizens for the
rapidly changing global environment. At The UWI,
education and research remain the core of what we
do. They are the driving forces behind our success
and that of our nation and region.
READY
We are witnessing numerous technological
advances, the rise of artificial intelligence among
them. At the same time, we face several pressing
challenges – social, geopolitical, economic, health,
and climate-related. However, The UWI is an asset
of the region to confront these challenges and find
new solutions, both through its own work and in
collaboration with partners beyond the campus
walls. The university is generating crucial research
in a host of areas such as diplomacy, education,
climate change, culture, gender, health policy,
economic policy, crime, food security, and many
many others.
RISING
We have accomplished much as a university
over the last 75 years, producing world-class
scholars, researchers, and leaders. Since its inception, The
UWI has graduated over 240,000 students, including 25
heads of government and 2 Nobel Laureates. Our campus
has been recognised as a global leader in research and
advocacy. Looking forward, our goal is to further elevate
the reputation of the university and this campus through
new commercialisation efforts to not only help finance
the university, but also contribute to society’s betterment.
We will also intensify our outreach work, and engage
communities on a deeper level to provide assistance where
it is most needed.
We encourage all stakeholders – governments, the
private sector, NGOs, schools, cultural groups, institutions
of higher education, individuals, and others – to partner
with us in this mission.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the
readers and friends of The UWI for their contributions to
the growth of our university.
PROFESSOR ROSE-MARIE BELLE ANTOINE
Campus Principal
8 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

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Let us Recommit What a

ourselves to the Proud Legacy
Ideals that Shaped we have Built
The UWI PROFESSOR
SIR HILARY BECKLES
DR THE HONOURABLE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF
NYAN GADSBY-DOLLY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
Over the years, I’ve maintained that universities are not built to serve
themselves. They are built and resourced to serve their communities and
Seventy-five years ago, the founders of this institution envisioned a space where
nations. This unequivocal truism has been the guiding philosophy on which
knowledge would thrive, grounded by a steadfast commitment to the region.
our beloved UWI has based all that we do to serve the people of the Caribbean.
Throughout the years, the role of universities has proven to be more than just a mere
What a proud legacy we have built in just 75 years, having evolved into
repository of knowledge. Far from being ivory towers isolated from the world around
an internationally respected, top ranked, global academy that has been at the
them, instead, they are formidable institutions designed and equipped to serve a purpose
heart of the economic and social development of the region.
greater than themselves – to serve their communities and nations.
Eight years ago, when I was first appointed Vice-Chancellor, I thought it
In meeting challenges head-on, The University of the West Indies represents the
critical to have a transformational strategic plan that would move The UWI to
resilience and innovation we need to adapt to an ever-evolving world. It is my firm
the highest level. Therein was the origin of our Triple A Strategy, built in two
belief that our education system must champion the holistic development of 21st century
phases. Phase I focused on fixing the university’s reputation – which was in
skills, attitudes, values, and behaviours. This requires a cultural transformation that is
need of repair; and Phase II is focused on translating that positive global brand
so needed today to mold our young people into that of the ideal Trinidad and Tobago
reputation into revenue.
citizen.
I believe this is my greatest contribution to The UWI at this time. I have
This transformation requires all of us to reassess and rethink our paradigms, all
invested all of my experience as an academic, higher education administrator,
the while avoiding a short-change in quality. Such a trajectory is poised to propel us
and Caribbean economic historian to build this plan that is our Triple A
consistently upward, mirroring the calibre of capable individuals this institution has
Strategy.
nurtured across diverse sectors of society.
And why did we build this strategy upon the three pillars—Access,
As we look to the future, let us recommit ourselves to the ideals that have shaped
Alignment and Agility? Well, the focus on Access is because we recognise
The UWI over the past 75 years. The challenges we face today – be they social, economic,
the Caribbean currently has the lowest enrolment in higher education in the
or environmental – require a new generation of leaders who are not only academically
entire hemisphere. The Alignment focus is an imperative to foster much closer
adept, but also compassionate and globally aware. The UWI must continue to be a
organic relations with all of our key stakeholders. Against the backdrop of our
driving force in nurturing such leaders.
vision to be an excellent global university rooted in the Caribbean, Agility is
As we commemorate this diamond anniversary, let us look to the future with
essential to our thrust of global activism and advocacy.
optimism, knowing that The UWI will continue to be a guiding “light rising from the
Phase I of our Triple A Strategy was a success, as proven by our global
West”.
ranking positions, and has set us on a positive path to Phase II’s success.
Thank you, and may The University of the West Indies continue to shine bright.
As we move forward in the second phase of the Triple A Strategy,
2022–2027, our emphasis is on the Revenue Revolution. The university’s
financial health is our top priority, and we are aggressively pursuing this
by taking greater responsibility for financing the university for ourselves.
We acknowledge that without the firm and sustainable contributions of our
people and our governments in the financing of this enterprise, we would
not be here today. We anticipate their continued support, but are fully
seized of the need to diversify our sources of income to reduce dependency
on government subventions, and move towards improved budgets for our
future sustainability.
We are activists in pursuing income generation for our university.
Each campus is embracing an entrepreneurial UWI ethos, and projects
are already in train. One of the most game-changing initiatives is
the transformation and rebranding of the Open Campus into the
Global Campus, and the establishment of the International School for
Development Justice (ISDJ), putting us upon a solid footing of earning
income and also addressing national, regional, and global needs. We have
astutely recognised the financial difficulty of the region and our funding
governments, and we are aggressively pursuing “self-help” strategies for the
future. I am confident that we will achieve our objectives.
Transformational leadership requires building strong teams and having
the confidence in those teams. I have invested in building a strong team
of principals, pro vice-chancellors, and senior leaders, and have won the
support of our student leadership. I have successfully leveraged the University
Finance and General Purposes Committee effectively as the Parliament of the
University, and it has proven to be a wonderful institutional tool grounded in
a democratic context within which to mobilise everyone. This is the source of
my energy – the ability to win support for transformational development.
Indeed, we are full of Pelican pride in our hard-earned status as a symbol
of regional unity, of transformation and activism. As we look towards our
centenary, The UWI re-commits itself to bold visioning of a future for the
Caribbean beyond 2030.
 SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 9

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Meeting the
challenges of our time
In 2017, Mr Robert Bermudez, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading figures in the
world of business, was appointed the sixth Chancellor of The University of the West
Indies. Since then, he has been a constant figure, presiding over the university’s
councils and ceremonies, and representing The UWI at forums of the highest level.
Ms Vaneisa Baksh sat down with Chancellor Bermudez to discuss Caribbean
society and the university, now in its 75th year, which was established to serve it.

VB: What do you think are the
biggest challenges facing West
Indian societies currently?
RB: Climate change is probably the most worrisome
threat in the sense that you have more severe storms,
hurricanes and sea level rise for these small-island
states, with very material consequences for people
who live there.
How climate change is going to affect food
supplies is something that is always on the forefront
of my mind because we are small economies and
small land masses. By and large, we do not produce
the food we consume. We import significant
quantities of commodities; things like wheat, corn and
grain used to rear chickens, and produce bread and
pasta, all the things we take for granted in our diet.
If you look at the bigger picture, what we are
seeing develop is a breakdown of the global order
which was set up after the Second World War. I
think the Bretton Woods Agreement [1944, set up a
collective international currency exchange framework
that lasted until the 1970s, and originated the IMF
and the World Bank] created the environment that
led consequently to the independent states that we
today call CARICOM. This global order is changing and
morphing into something that is quite different and
one has to think about what impact the elephants
dancing will have upon our small-island states. We
could find ourselves in very difficult situations, having
to make critical choices as a consequence of the
realignment of the powers and the realignment of
values, as the world seems to be lurching towards the
political right, and how that is going to affect us as
small, dependent states.
To me, those are big challenges that we face
collectively as CARICOM.
There is concern about the growing violence
and criminal activity in all our societies and much of
that is driven by our location, so close to Central and
South America. A lot of our countries have become
transshipment places for drugs and other illicit
activities. That will take a huge effort to get under
control.
Also connected to the crime issue is the lack
of opportunity. We have many young people, and
there is inadequate opportunity for all of them, and
that leads to them making lifestyle choices, of which
crime and criminal activity is one of the options.
We have increased crime on one hand, and on the
other increased immigration, people going off to the
developed countries to seek opportunity, but that is
not anything new. West Indians have always travelled
abroad to seek their fortunes, but that diminishes our
pool of talent, which is unfortunate.
VB: How do you think those can
be approached?
RB: I don’t have the answers, but I have thoughts on
these issues. We have to start by looking at ourselves
and asking where we want to be. The reality is there is
very little we can actually do because we are not the
ones emitting the gases, with the exception of Trinidad.
The rest of the islands don’t produce any significant
amount of greenhouse gases. At some point, that
matter will have to be addressed, but I don’t believe the
world has come to terms with the fact that decisions
have to be taken and changes have to be made.
We are very vulnerable as a region, but we don’t
have the tools to fix it. There are discussions about
making funds available to small-island states, countries
that require support, but it is early days yet, and in
many cases, even if the funds are made available, these
fixes will take a while because they will require people
moving from at-risk areas, will require an assessment
of what the housing need is from islands that are in the
hurricane alley (the area where almost consistently you
have hurricanes). So, this risk will be with us for some
time before we get funds. They are real and frightening
risks in my mind.
We need to consider more educational
opportunities, better access to primary, secondary and
tertiary education. That is probably the only solution
to crime, and it is also the only solution to creating
opportunity, because people have to create their own
opportunities. We can’t go looking to ask other people
to come and create opportunities in our societies. We
have to create them ourselves, and to do that, we have
to create a better-educated cadre of citizens, and the
more that the young people are given the opportunity
to have access to technology and modern tools, the
greater the chance that they will be successful and be
able to create a better and more prosperous society.
Something I feel strongly about is that technology
is going to allow us to be part of a greater society. It
will allow us to jump over national borders, and work
digitally and develop our skills, and also sell our skills
on a global basis, which is an opportunity that people
my age and people before me did not have. You either
had to take a ship or a plane to go to a first-world
country. The idea that we can now do that without
leaving our homes in the Caribbean is an enormous
advantage, and there are many people doing it already.
We need to provide greater skills so more can
do it because we have basically talented people. We
have the advantage that we are English-speaking, and
we are in the same time zone as the United States of
America. I believe that we need to use technology to
create greater opportunity for the young so that they
are able to have options that do not involve crime, and
see crime as an undesirable lifestyle.
VB: How do you feel the growing presence
of AI will affect livelihoods and lifestyles?
RB: I personally feel that AI presents a huge opportunity. The
key is for us to embrace it in these islands, and I go back to the
point that I made earlier, that is to give our young people the
necessary skills to try and focus on computer sciences, because
opportunities are going to be available, and you’re not going to
need to be physically there. This allows us to live in the digital
world, and these islands are particularly suited to that. A West
Indian can have the best of two worlds: work for US dollars while
living at home in their natural environment, where they want to
be. It’s a huge opportunity, but we have to focus on the young
people getting the right tools.
There’s a lot of discussion about whether AI will do away
with jobs. I have an optimist’s view. First of all, AI machines
are not going to take over the world. We have a great ability
to survive. Self-preservation is a human trait. I am confident
that humans will manage the risks. Yes, there will be job losses.
Technology always brings job losses. But in total, it creates
employment. Jobs that are of a particular nature are replaced, but
then these technologies create jobs and opportunities that were
never there before.
VB: You think it will balance it off?
RB: No, it will be on the positive side. It will create employment: a
net employment creator, but very different jobs, and that is why
we need to focus on getting the best possible access to skills,
particularly these skills around technology.
In my view, technology is going to create access, and it is
going to create opportunity, but the reality is opportunity for
those who have skills. So, this is where you have to get yourself
a toolkit that allows you to live in the new world. Because there’s
no point complaining about artificial intelligence. It’s coming. So,
you need to focus on what is the tool kit that the young people
need in order to prosper in that environment. I am certain and
confident that the young people have the aptitude.
VB: What can The UWI do to truly integrate
itself into Caribbean development?
RB: The UWI really and truly has an important role to play in all of
this. It plays a critical role in developing talent which is going to
be the greatest competitive advantage that the region can have.
So, The UWI needs to be at the forefront of AI, understanding
it, understanding what are the skillsets that young people are
going to need in order to exist and prosper. We don’t want
young people to just exist, we want them to prosper in this new
environment. The UWI, at 75, has to tailor itself to be a tertiary
educational institution that is at the cutting edge of developing
the tools and the skillsets that are necessary for our young people
to prosper. I feel confident that they should be able to do that.
Vaneisa Baksh is an editor and writer.
10 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

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From colonial to post-colonial:

UWI, A UNIFYING FORCE
FOR THE CARIBBEAN
B Y Z A H R A G O R D O N

What began as a colonial project

in October 1948 as the University
College of the West Indies (UCWI)
took only 14 years to morph into
the post-colonial, paradigm shift
we know today as The University of
the West Indies (UWI). With five
campuses in Antigua, Barbados,
Jamaica, Trinidad and a satellite
campus, after 75 years in existence,
The UWI has a long history of
BEGINNINGS: The very first class of students at the University College of the West Indies Sciences, pose for a photo. They were 33 medical students hailing from
uniting the Caribbean. Antigua, Barbados, British Guiana, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, and Turks & Caicos. Classes began on October 4, 1948.
PHOTOS: COURTESY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES MUSEUM.

“It has become a cliché, but some clichés are true.
The University has been a tremendous unifying force in
the region,” noted Emerita Professor of History Bridget
Brereton.
“The Federation collapsed in 1952. CARICOM hasn’t
on the whole lived up to all the great expectations for it,
but UWI has always been a huge unifying force, and you
see that on so many levels. For example, when heads of
government get together, it’s amazing how many of them
are UWI graduates, and may have known each other. The
example would equally be the thousands of friendships,
marriages, and cross-island families created as a result of
UWI.”
Irvine Committee and Establishment
In 1945, at the end of World War II, the government
of the United Kingdom convened the Commission on
Higher Education in the Colonies. The Commission’s
West Indian arm was the Irvine Committee, led by Sir
James Irvine of St Andrews University in Scotland,
whose mission was to consider how tertiary education
in the Caribbean should be guided, and to facilitate
collaboration with established British institutions. Their
Pictured are the first graduates of UCWI in January 1953. They were 15 students from the
Faculty of Natural Science.
organisations and groups of people who we could loosely
describe as progressive nationalist — that is they were
interested in ending colonialism. They were interested in
an orderly movement of the different colonies towards
self-government, and eventually, independence.
“These people were around for a long time, but
became a significant force in the Colonial Caribbean in
the 1930s during World War II and particularly in the
immediate post-war period. One of their goals was to
encourage the development of secondary and tertiary
education in the Caribbean in order to help produce
an educated, trained, professional cadre of people who
The very first graduation ceremony at UWI St Augustine in 1964. The ceremony could take each colony towards self-government and
took place outside the Main Administration Building. independence.”
recommendation was for a single, regional campus She continued:
in Jamaica, open to both men and women, amidst “The second factor is external, and it has to do with
the growing debates around and drive towards trade the British colonial authorities. By the time that World
unionism, nationalism, and adult suffrage. War II began, and above all, by the time World War II
According to Prof Brereton, there were two factors was ending, in 1944-45, I think it was abundantly clear
leading to the founding of UCWI: to any far-seeing Brit that Britain would not be able
“The first factor was internal to the British colonial to hold onto the colonial empire post war. India and
Caribbean and this was the rise of nationalism. All Pakistan got Independence in 1947. Sri Lanka and Burma
over the Anglophone Caribbean, the emergence of got independence in 1948. So, we’re looking at the late
colonial period and particularly during the government
of the Labour Party, which was in power in Britain from
1945-1951. During that period, the people who were
UCWI opened its doors in making policy for the British colonies were anxious to
October 1948 in Mona, leave a decent legacy. One way they realised they could do
that was by encouraging and permitting the establishment
Jamaica with a cohort of 33 of tertiary institutions in colonies that didn’t have it.”
medical students – 23 men, 10 UCWI opened its doors in October 1948 in Mona,
women from nine countries – Jamaica with a cohort of 33 medical students – 23 men,
Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, 10 women from nine countries – Antigua, Barbados,
Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts, St Lucia, Trinidad
Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts, St & Tobago, and Turks & Caicos. UCWI was enrolled in
Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, and an apprenticeship period with the University of London,
Turks & Caicos. meaning that all degrees awarded were considered
“external London” degrees. Soon after the Faculty of

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF T H E W E S T I N D I E S AT 7 5
Elsa Goveia, the first Professor of West Indian
History, as well as the first woman to be
appointed professor, at the UCWI. Prof Goveia,
who was from Guyana, was “one of the
university’s most influential scholars and had a Sir Hugh Wooding, the first West Indian-born
lasting legacy in her field”. Chancellor of The UWI.
Medicine was created, other faculties were added,
including the Faculty of Natural Sciences, from which 15
students formed the first graduating class in 1953.
Student Activism and Democratisation
While The UWI may today boast a diverse
alumni, its first students and faculty were not as wide-
ranging.
“At the beginning,” said Professor Brereton, “I
think it’s fair to say that the goals of UCWI were elitist
— that is they envisaged a small number of people who
would get access to UCWI and who, on graduation,
would become part of a new ruling class – professional
people, highly educated people, who would be able
to take the British Caribbean to self-government and
independence. So, you could describe it as elitist,
or more charitably, as an attempt to create a new
meritocracy because, unlike the old elites — who got
there because they were of European descent or they
were wealthy, their families owned land, etc — the new
meritocracy who would be trained at UCWI were there
through merit.”
When UCWI became The University of the West
Indies in 1962, it was an independent, fully degree-
granting institution. This new configuration was the
first step in the university’s progression. According
to Prof Brereton, the university’s evolution has been
constant, allowing for much expansion and greater
access to tertiary education.
By allowing non-residential and part-time
students, adding more faculties and postgraduate
education, increasing the number of campuses (St
Augustine in 1960 and Cave Hill in 1970), as well
as implementing distance and online education,
The UWI has created multiple entryways to higher
education in the region. These changes were also
supported by government programmes such as
GATE in T&T, and the availability of bursaries, loans
and scholarships.
“There has been a steady movement from
1962/1963 onwards to hugely expand the number
of people who could get access to UWI to move
towards a far more egalitarian and democratic kind
of university,” said Prof Brereton.
With the doors of the university wide open,
however, the ethos of the students and the
administration did not always mesh.
“The emergence of vibrant student movements,
some political and some socio-cultural, helped to
make UWI a more open and democratic university,
and the converse is also true. By which I mean, it
was because of the [administrative changes] in the
1960s, many more students were able to come to
SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY
Emerita Professor Elsa Leo-Rhynie, the first
woman to hold posts as both Deputy Principal
and Principal at a UWI campus. She was
appointed, respectively, in 1996 and then 2006
at UWI Mona. Prior to this, Prof Bridget Brereton
acted as Campus Principal at UWI St Augustine.
The UWI’s first West Indian Principal and the very first Vice-Chancellor of The UWI,
Sir Arthur Lewis. The renowned economist oversaw a major period of growth at
The UWI, including the establishment of the St Augustine campus in 1962.
A protest against Apartheid South Africa during the Queen Elizabeth II visit to the St
Augustine campus in 1985. PHOTO: COURTESY THE WEST INDIANA AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
DIVISION, ALMA JORDAN LIBRARY
11
UWI. Of course there was a downside, and that
was, in many places – certainly in Jamaica, certainly
in T&T – the governments of the day were not happy
to see the campuses which they helped to fund with
strong movements developing which were hostile to
the government,” Prof Brereton explained.
“UWI,” she said, “might find itself in trouble from
time to time with the local government, but the upside
was that student movements really did vitalise and
invigorate campus culture and had all kinds of positive
spin-offs for the university”.
When speaking of student activism, many think
of the student demonstrations in support of UCWI
alumni and lecturer Dr Walter Rodney in Jamaica
in 1968, or the Black Power movement in Trinidad
in 1970, of which many UWI students were thought
leaders. However, the first documented student
protests were by a group of female students from Mary
Secole Hall (Mona) in 1960.
Achieving its Goals
One of the early goals of the UCWI had very
practical applications.
“UCWI was designed to create skilled and trained
professionals who were desperately needed in the
post-war Caribbean. The very first cohort was medical
students, and this was no coincidence. There was a
desperate shortage of medically trained people, and
it was extremely expensive to send people to British
universities to train. So, there was a strong practical
goal in the creation of UCWI and then UWI,” noted
Prof Brereton.
What did these practical goals mean for the future
of The UWI? According to Prof Brereton, it has been
no small feat that The UWI has developed into a top
research-oriented university sustained in the Global
South.
“The university has been able to create significant
scholarship in many different disciplines and branches
— scholarship which was not likely to have been
created by Caribbean academics working abroad
because they wouldn’t have had the same incentives
and networks and so on. Over the decades the
thousands and thousands of people graduating from
UWI have provided the backbone of professional,
educated, trained people without which a modern
society simply cannot function. I don’t think there can
be any question that the university has been central to
the development of the Anglophone Caribbean over
the last many decades,” she said.
For more on the history of The UWI and a complete timeline,
visit the UWI 75th anniversary site at https://uwi.edu/75/history.html
Zahra Gordon is a poet, freelance writer
and communications lecturer.
When speaking of student
activism, many think of the student
demonstrations in support of UCWI
alumni and lecturer Dr Walter
Rodney in Jamaica in 1968, or the
Black Power movement in Trinidad
in 1970, of which many UWI
students were thought leaders.
However, the first documented
student protests were by a group
of female students from Mary
Secole Hall (Mona) in 1960.
12 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

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ST AUGUSTINE SHINES
at 75th anniversary Eric Williams
inter-campus talent contest a determined fighter for a
British West Indies university and
B Y T Y R E L L G I T T E N S
The UWI’s first and only
Pro Chancellor

Shimiah Lewis, a spoken word performer, took second place with her piece on the
conversations around gender.

2023 We Rise champion and jump rope

master Isaiah Stokes. Joel Phillips took third place.

On November 8, representatives of The UWI St Augustine campus took the top three prizes at
the finale of the 2023 UWI We Rise Talent Showcase. We Rise featured 15 performers representing
all five UWI campuses – Cave Hill (Barbados), Five Islands (Antigua and Barbuda), Global
(region wide), Mona (Jamaica), and St Augustine.
Held in commemoration of the UWI’s 75th Anniversary, the virtual cross-campus event Williams receiving his honorary degree, Doctor of Letters, from Princess Alice in 1966.
PHOTO: COURTESY THE ERIC WILLIAMS MEMORIAL COLLECTION
welcomed dancers, musicians, vocalists, and performance art pieces including spoken word and
drama. Participants also represented a mix of the UWI’s staff, students, alumni, and retirees.
Walking away with the top prize was jump rope performer Isaiah Stokes. Spoken word artists, “Eric Eustace Williams, eminent historian and head of the
Shimiah Lewis and Joel Phillips, placed second and third respectively. government of Trinidad and Tobago for a quarter of a century until
The finale’s judges included Dr Josephine Torrel-Brown (Head Judge), Anderson “Mr Blood” his death in 1981, was both dogged and undaunted in his efforts to
Armstrong, Michael Holgate, Carla W Springer Hunte, and Nadean Rawlins. establish what eventually became The University of the West Indies,”
A Trinidad and Tobago national jump rope athlete, Stokes told UWI TODAY that his says his daughter and Director of the Eric Williams Memorial
performance incorporated a variety of techniques including footwork, the multiple-unders, Collection Ms Erica Williams Connell.
advanced rope manipulation, and power skills. Read her analysis of his tenacious efforts, beginning in May 1944,
He explained, “I was ecstatic when I won the competition because I want to start a new in the UWI TODAY online at https://sta.uwi.edu/uwitoday/
university club to get people involved in jump rope. By entering the competition, I know the wider
UWI community will be looking on, so they can see what jump rope is all about and get involved
in the sport.”
He added, “Jump rope can take you all over the world, and help with your fitness.”
To date, Stokes has participated in jump rope tournaments in the US, UK, France, and Japan.
Reflecting on her performance, Lewis said she focused on the extreme concepts which may
sometimes be included in discussions about gender equality:
“My piece looked at the current conversations going on around if women need men. It’s socially
accepted now that women don’t need men. But my piece wanted to open the conversation about
why we need each other for survival.”
She continued, “The power struggle between the sexes is something that is constantly pulling
us down instead of everyone realising we all have strengths and weaknesses which is why we
should work together.”
Having graduated from the UWI in 2020 with a BSc in Sociology, Lewis said it was a nostalgic
experience for her to re-engage with the university through the competition.
Other finalists representing the St Augustine campus included Sherisse Bideshi (aerial Pro Chancellor and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Eric Williams (right) with UCWI Chancellor
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, and Vice-Chancellor Philip Sherlock. Williams was appointed
performance), Suzette Edwards (theatre arts), and Jerod Griffith (vocals). Pro Chancellor in 1962 and held the post until 1971. He was the first and only person to hold the
position. PHOTO: COURTESY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES MUSEUM
For more information on the 2023 UWI We Rise Talent Showcase,
visit their site at https://global.uwi.edu/we-rise-talent-showcase/75
12 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF T H E W E S T I N D I E S AT 7 5

ST AUGUSTINE SHINES
at 75th anniversary Eric Williams
inter-campus talent contest a determined fighter for a
British West Indies university and
B Y T Y R E L L G I T T E N S
The UWI’s first and only
Pro Chancellor

Shimiah Lewis, a spoken word performer, took second place with her piece on the
conversations around gender.

2023 We Rise champion and jump rope

master Isaiah Stokes. Joel Phillips took third place.

On November 8, representatives of The UWI St Augustine campus took the top three prizes at
the finale of the 2023 UWI We Rise Talent Showcase. We Rise featured 15 performers representing
all five UWI campuses – Cave Hill (Barbados), Five Islands (Antigua and Barbuda), Global
(region wide), Mona (Jamaica), and St Augustine.
Held in commemoration of the UWI’s 75th Anniversary, the virtual cross-campus event Williams receiving his honorary degree, Doctor of Letters, from Princess Alice in 1966.
PHOTO: COURTESY THE ERIC WILLIAMS MEMORIAL COLLECTION
welcomed dancers, musicians, vocalists, and performance art pieces including spoken word and
drama. Participants also represented a mix of the UWI’s staff, students, alumni, and retirees.
Walking away with the top prize was jump rope performer Isaiah Stokes. Spoken word artists, “Eric Eustace Williams, eminent historian and head of the
Shimiah Lewis and Joel Phillips, placed second and third respectively. government of Trinidad and Tobago for a quarter of a century until
The finale’s judges included Dr Josephine Torrel-Brown (Head Judge), Anderson “Mr Blood” his death in 1981, was both dogged and undaunted in his efforts to
Armstrong, Michael Holgate, Carla W Springer Hunte, and Nadean Rawlins. establish what eventually became The University of the West Indies,”
A Trinidad and Tobago national jump rope athlete, Stokes told UWI TODAY that his says his daughter and Director of the Eric Williams Memorial
performance incorporated a variety of techniques including footwork, the multiple-unders, Collection Ms Erica Williams Connell.
advanced rope manipulation, and power skills. Read her analysis of his tenacious efforts, beginning in May 1944,
He explained, “I was ecstatic when I won the competition because I want to start a new in the UWI TODAY online at https://sta.uwi.edu/uwitoday/
university club to get people involved in jump rope. By entering the competition, I know the wider
UWI community will be looking on, so they can see what jump rope is all about and get involved
in the sport.”
He added, “Jump rope can take you all over the world, and help with your fitness.”
To date, Stokes has participated in jump rope tournaments in the US, UK, France, and Japan.
Reflecting on her performance, Lewis said she focused on the extreme concepts which may
sometimes be included in discussions about gender equality:
“My piece looked at the current conversations going on around if women need men. It’s socially
accepted now that women don’t need men. But my piece wanted to open the conversation about
why we need each other for survival.”
She continued, “The power struggle between the sexes is something that is constantly pulling
us down instead of everyone realising we all have strengths and weaknesses which is why we
should work together.”
Having graduated from the UWI in 2020 with a BSc in Sociology, Lewis said it was a nostalgic
experience for her to re-engage with the university through the competition.
Other finalists representing the St Augustine campus included Sherisse Bideshi (aerial Pro Chancellor and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Eric Williams (right) with UCWI Chancellor
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, and Vice-Chancellor Philip Sherlock. Williams was appointed
performance), Suzette Edwards (theatre arts), and Jerod Griffith (vocals). Pro Chancellor in 1962 and held the post until 1971. He was the first and only person to hold the
position. PHOTO: COURTESY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES MUSEUM
For more information on the 2023 UWI We Rise Talent Showcase,
visit their site at https://global.uwi.edu/we-rise-talent-showcase/75
 SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 13

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF T H E W E S T I N D I E S AT 7 5

A LEGACY OF INQUIRY B Y J O E L H E N R Y

Research, the Oxford Dictionary states, is “a careful study
of a subject, especially in order to discover new facts or
information about it.”
It is also one of the key factors in human progress.
There is almost no way to overstate the contribution that
research has made to our species. And one of the chief
agents for supporting and implementing this “careful
study” is the university. In the Caribbean, that role is filled
primarily by The University of the West Indies.
In its 75 years of existence, The UWI has been the home
of a staggering amount of research, some of which whose
findings have reverberated through academia worldwide,
influenced policy, improved practices across numerous
sectors, developed technologies, addressed and helped solve
urgent crises, and given us a better understanding of our
history, norms, art, and culture.
As early as 1954, a mere six years after the establishment
of The UWI as the University College of the West Indies,
the institution was already being recognised for its work.
The UWI’s historical records state that in that year, “a
Visiting Committee chaired by Dame Lillian Penson,
former Vice-Chancellor of the University of London,
termed the work of the first six years ‘a most remarkable
beginning’ and gave special kudos to ‘the excellence
of research in the humanities, in pure, and applied
science and in medicine which is being undertaken at
the college’ as well as to the work of the Extra-Mural
Department.”
UWI St Augustine’s research roots extend even
further back. Before becoming part of The UWI in
1960, the campus was the headquarters for the Imperial
College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA). Founded in
1921 (originally as the West Indies Agricultural College),
ICTA was the British Empire’s centre for postgraduate
education as well as research in tropical agriculture.
ICTA’s research was an asset to the agricultural
sector, and its legacy lives on through its “descendant”
entities at UWI St Augustine such as the Faculty of Food
and Agriculture and the Department of Life Sciences in
the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Today, The UWI has an extensive and well-
articulated research culture, consisting not only of
the work being carried out in its faculties, but also in
several units and centres. The UWI’s many researchers
have contributed to numerous peer-reviewed, reputable
academic journals, and the university itself publishes
several research publications.
At UWI St Augustine, the The UWI Trinidad and Tobago
Research and Development Impact (RDI) Fund
has provided funding support for over 47 projects going back to
2012. These projects can be viewed at the RDI Fund website,
https://sta.uwi.edu/rdifund/
For a comprehensive listing of UWI researchers and their
work, visit the university’s online repository, UWI Scholar at
https://uwischolar.sta.uwi.edu/
For more information on research at UWI St Augustine
and opportunities and tools for researchers, go to the School of
Graduate Studies and Research at https://sta.uwi.edu/research/

In its 75 years of
existence, The UWI
has been the home of
a staggering amount
of research, some of
which whose findings
have reverberated
through academia
worldwide
14 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF T H E W E S T I N D I E S AT 7 5

A stronger university, government, business relationship

BUILT ON RESEARCH
Partner with us for purposeful research. That was the call made by UWI
St Augustine Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine at
the opening ceremony of the Principal’s Research Awards and Research
Festival. Professor Antoine invited the government and the private sector
to collaborate with the university through funding or other mechanisms to
improve society.
The Campus Principal told attendees at the event held on November 22
at the St Augustine campus’s Daaga Auditorium that she hopes “Government,
leaders of industry, our international development partners and civil society
take special note of all of the nominees and their work, as well as the research
on display at the festival”.
Hosted with the theme “75 Years of relevance, responsiveness, and
research innovation for a better life, environment, and sustainability”, the
research awards and festival were held by UWI St Augustine to share the
work of the campus’s researchers with the wider society. The aim was to
show the value that the university brings to the region through its work in
a host of critical areas like climate change, health, gender and equality, food
security, manufacturing, crime, and many others.
There were 76 applications for the research awards. The festival, which
ran on November 22 and 23 at the JFK Quadrangle, included 169 abstracts
from campus researchers. This was the first campus-wide research festival
in over a decade. FROM LEFT: Dr Angelique Nixon (Senior Lecturer at IGDS), Rae Alibey, and Renelle White receiving the Principal’s Award for Most Impactful
“Research,” said Principal Antoine, “remains the core of what we do at Community Research from Professor Antoine. PHOTOS: LIFE VIDEO PRODUCTIONS.
The UWI, and is the key to our sustainability and success, and by extension,
the development of our region.”
She said she was extending “an invitation to all stakeholders to partner
with us, whether through much-needed funding or creating an enabling
environment to conduct purposeful research that will help change our
country, region, and the world for the better”.
She added, “As we navigate the many rapidly changing global issues that
confront us, our aim is to build a stronger relationship between academia,
government, and industry, and take the lead on national development issues.”
Although The UWI has a long record of successful research, both
applied (focusing on developing solutions to real-world problems) and
pure (aimed at improving scientific theories for better understanding and
prediction of the world), much of its past accomplishments and present
work remains relatively unknown by society.
The university is engaged in a long-term effort to increase awareness
because of the need for both solutions to some of the world’s most persistent
and threatening challenges, and more funding for operations and research.
This is particularly important now as traditional funding mechanisms such
as government subventions have been reduced over the years.
However, the Research Awards and Research Festival were not just Professor Antoine (front row, centre) celebrates the awardees with Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago Ivor Archie (left) and Senator Allyson West,
Minister of Public Administration (right) at the Principal’s Research Awards.
created to expose the wider society to the work taking place at UWI St
Augustine. As Prof Antoine pointed out, they also help familiarise the
campus community with that research, which can lead to collaborative
projects.
“The Research Festival, I hope, will create a space for deeper academic
engagement and lead to even more multi-disciplinary collaborations. I
remain firm in my belief that interdisciplinary research is the way forward,”
she said.
The St Augustine campus plans to hold the Principal’s Research Awards
every year.

The work of researchers that was

displayed at the JFK Quadrangle and
in poster presentations at the JFK
Auditorium have been compiled in a
Research Digest which is available
for viewing and download at
https://sta.uwi.edu/researchawards
Dr Sreedhara Rao Gunakala, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, is given the award for Most
Outstanding Faculty Researcher in the Faculty of Science and Technology by Mr Suresh Sookbir, Programme Coordinator at the Food and
Agriculture Organisation.

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF T H E W E S T I N D I E S AT 7 5
Prof Christine Carrington (sixth from left), winner of the Principal’s
Award for Best Researcher, along with some members of her team,
winners of the Best Team Research and Most Outstanding Regional/
International Research Project awards. Pictured are Mr Soren
Nichols, Prof Christopher Oura (winner of the Most Outstanding
Faculty Researcher Award for the Faculty of Medical Sciences), Dr
Arianne Brown-Jordan, Ms SueMin Nathaniel-Girdharrie, Mr Vernie
Ramkissoon, Dr Avery Hinds, Mr Nicholas Mohammed, Dr Nikita
Sahadeo, and Ms Anushka Ramjag.
Prof Carrington’s team, which also includes individuals from
universities in the UK, the Ministry of Health, CARPHA, and UWI St
Dr Freddy James (right), a lecturer of Educational Leadership at the School of Education, receives her Outstanding Faculty Researcher award
from Ms Karen Nieves, Manager of New Product Development and Technical Services at National Flour Mills.
CEO of UNIPET Mr Dexter Riley shares a hearty laugh with Dr Jacqueline Bridge, Head of the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing
Engineering, as he gives her the plaque for Most Productive Research Department.
Augustine’s faculty of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Science
and Technology, won for the project “COVID-19: Infectious
disease molecular epidemiology for pathogen control and
tracking (COVID-19 IMPACT)”.
However, Prof Carrington says: “besides continuing to monitor
and further investigate COVID-19, the core team at UWI (in my
lab) are applying the whole genome sequencing and genomic
surveillance capacity built through this project to other diseases
of public health interest, and to support a broad range of
research projects in other areas. We also continue to provide
technical support and training for others.”
SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 15
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Faculty of Engineering – Prof Kit Fai Pun
Faculty of Food and Agriculture – Prof Mark Wuddivira
Faculty of Humanities and Education – Dr Freddy James
Faculty of Law – Dr Emma Perot
Faculty of Medical Sciences – Prof Chris Oura
Faculty of Science and Technology – Dr Sreedhara Rao Gunakala
Faculty of Social Sciences – Dr Talia Esnard
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Graduate Researcher - Dr Stephanie Mohammed
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Prof Christine Carrington & Team
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epidemiology for Pathogen Control & Tracking (COVID-19 IMPACT)”
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Prof Christine Carrington & Team
For the regional project on “COVID-19: Infectious disease Molecular
epidemiology for Pathogen Control & Tracking (COVID-19 IMPACT)”
Team: Dr Nikita Sahadeo and Dr Arianne Brown-Jordan; lab
technicians Messrs. Vernie Ramkissoon and Nicholas Mohamed;
and research assistants Anushka Ramjag and Soren Nicholls.
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Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
Head of the Department - Dr Jacqueline Bridge
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Director- Prof Pathmanathan Umaharan
Team: Dr Lambert Motilal,
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Dr Angelique Nixon
- Institute for Gender and Development Studies
Lead Researcher for the project “A Sexual Culture of Justice:
Strengthening LGBTQI and GBV Partnerships, Capacity and
Efficacy to Promote and Protect Rights in Trinidad and Tobago”
Receiving the award with her were
Team: Jeremy Stephan Edwards, Executive Director, The Silver
Lining Foundation and Rae Alibey, Director, Transgender Coalition.
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Mr Nizamudeen Mohammed and Dr Lebert Grierson for the
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Prof Christine Carrington – Faculty of Medical Sciences
16 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023
T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF T H E W E S T I N D I E S AT 7 5
Continuing to build on an eminent
RESEARCH HERITAGE An interview with Professor Duraisamy Saravanakumar,
Director of the School for Graduate Studies and Research
The end of the year is a good time to reflect on past
accomplishments, and this was no doubt at the forefront of
the mind of Professor Duraisamy Saravanakumar, Director
of the School for Graduate Studies and Research during
the campus’s recent 75th anniversary Research Festival
and Principal’s Research Awards event. While outlining
the legacy of some of UWI’s most exciting and influential
research projects over the years, he was hard pressed to
summarise the vast number of diverse offerings which have
emerged from the various faculties.
To continue this impressive progress, Prof
Saravanakumar believes that there should be a continued
focus on six thematic areas. He identifies agri-food
technologies for food and nutrition security; climate change
mitigation and adaptation, and disaster management;
regional health issues and advances; science, technology,
and engineering solutions for sustainability; social,
educational and cultural issues, policies, justice and
practices for improved life and a sustainable environment;
and communication and digital technologies, including AI
and its applications and impacts.
“These are all the areas I think The UWI should
influence and The UWI should focus on,” he says.
Impactful work in many areas
Yet already, the contributions and potential impact of
UWI’s research are wide. Sustainability and climate change
are being addressed in many areas, such as solar panels
under the Faculty of Engineering. This is also apparent in the
FAO funded project at the Faculty of Food and Agriculture,
where black soldier flies are being bred to make pellets which
can be used in aquaculture and to feed poultry and livestock.
Prof Saravanakumar also highlights the SOILCARE
project led by Dr Gaius Eudoxie at the Faculty of Food and
Agriculture – a Caribbean Small Island Developing States
initiative working toward landscape restoration and climate
resilient food systems.
“UWI is leading in climate change,” Prof Saravanakumar
says as he also describes the work of Professor John Agard
who has served on several global working groups, and in
2020, was appointed to a committee by the UN Secretary-
General to draft the 2023 Global Sustainable Development
Report.
UWI’s research projects have the potential to
transform the region and, eventually, the globe. Prof
Saravanakumar mentions the work he and his team have
done with biopesticides which can help with the sustainable
management of plant diseases and improve crop yield. At
the community level, there are people like Dr Angelique
Nixon, Lecturer and Graduate Studies Coordinator at the
Institute for Gender and Development Studies, who has
been leading the Sexual Culture of Justice Project which
works toward solutions to end gender-based violence and
LGBTQI discrimination.
There is also research towards the creation of
commercialisation opportunities, such as the work being
done with asphalt sealants, coatings, and grease lubricants
by Nizamudeen Mohammed and Lebert Grierson of the
Department of Chemistry.
B Y D I X I E - A N N B E L L E
Prof Saravanakumar (right) in a file photo from a farm visit for his work in
developing non-hazardous biological agents to treat local crops.
“This has been the outcome of 20 years of research,”
explains Prof Saravanakumar. He notes the products’ wide
range of uses in boating, building, and equipment lubrication
processes. There is huge potential for commercialisation
regionally and globally.
Opportunities for commercialisation
A highly anticipated chocolate factory will be a highlight
of UWI’s revenue revolution. “We have this international
cocoa gene bank, and it is one of the most diverse gene banks
with over 2000 germplasm,” says Prof Saravanakumar. “Our
cocoa germplasm have been characterised through genome
Dixie-Ann Belle is a freelance writer, editor and proof-reader.
sequencing to identify their leading qualities for chocolate
as well as for their pest and disease resistance and for the
high yield.”
Among all of these significant projects, Prof
Saravanakumar identifies the work of Dr Wendy-Ann Isaac
of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture as some of the most
exciting. She leads the seed bank project which is sharing
and preserving local seeds. The university has developed
UWI7 sweet corn and the ICTA farm corn, which needs
large production to supply farmers, to feed the population,
break the grip of multinational providers, and fortify the
nation’s food sovereignty.
“That is one of the most important things that I see
based on what we have done and what we have to do,”
declares Prof Saravanakumar.
He also highlighted the impactful, decade-long
research of Professor Adesh Ramsubhag and his team
on antimicrobial resistance and value addition of natural
resources for sustainable environment.
Over the years, many researchers have drawn the public
eye. Some of the most recent include Professor Judith Gobin,
the professor of Marine Biology who made headlines when
a species of tubeworm was named after her. She is now
immortalised through the Lamellibrachia judigobini because
of her substantial efforts to reveal and protect the marine
life of the Caribbean and beyond. She is the first woman to
hold this prestigious position in the Faculty of Science and
Technology.
Research with life-saving potential
Professor Christine Carrington has become well
known for her life-saving work with her team, in
conjunction with the Pan American Health Organisation,
the Caribbean Public Health Agency, and the World
Health Organisation, during the height of the COVID-19
pandemic. They worked on detecting COVID-19 variants
in Trinidad and Tobago, and did genome sequencing for
the region. Professor Carrington was recognised at the
Principal’s Research Awards with the Best Researcher
Award and the Best Team Research Award. They were
also honoured with the award for Most Outstanding
Regional/International Research Project.
Prof Saravanakumar was highly impressed, he
says, with the leadership shown by Campus Principal
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine in highlighting the
campus’s research. Echoing her words, he states, “No
good research will go unnoticed,” adding, “Recognition
will be there, and it will be continuous, and we will be
encouraging multidisciplinary team research, regional
and international collaborations, impactful community
research and innovative research findings suitable for
commercialisation.”
He lo oks for ward to emerging res e archers
maintaining the standard of the university and to UWI
rising still higher in the global ranking.
He predicts The UWI will continue to build an
eminent research heritage that will impact countries
beyond our shores, as it has been doing for the last 75
years.

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF T H E W E S T I N D I E S AT 7 5
“UWI is like home to me. UWI gave me a lot of
opportunities, and just like your own family is there to
support you, UWI has supported me,” says Ms Mariella
Pilgrim, librarian at the Alma Jordan Library (AJL).
She has spent the better part of her adult life in service
to the university.
Beginning her career at UWI St Augustine in
November 1979, right after A-Levels through a
recommendation from a family friend, Ms Pilgrim
embarked on what would be a life-changing period.
“It wasn’t as if I was interested in being a librarian
or anything of the sort. I came as a temporary
Administrative, Technical, and Support (ATS) member
of staff to work,” she recalls.
As a longstanding employee at the AJL, Ms Pilgrim
helped shape the soul of the library, and in turn was
shaped by it. Fuelled by the spirit and dedication to do
good work, she ultimately rose to success through the
ranks from an ATS library assistant to librarian. While
she had no initial interest in becoming a librarian, Ms
Pilgrim states that “I can safely say that I have enjoyed
all the years I have worked there”.
No opportunity to idle
As an ATS staff member, she worked hard and
never denied herself any opportunities that came
across her path. Starting off on a temporary contract,
she was eventually given a contracted position in 1980
due to her performance.
Reminiscing about her time spent under Campus
Librarian Dr Alma Jordan, she recalls a directive Dr
Jordan often told the staff: “[At] 8:30 in the morning,
you must have your pen poised to work, and do not
put your pen down until 4:30!” There should be
no opportunity to be idle. While to many this may
seem harsh and rigid, Ms Pilgrim and her colleagues
understood their roles as library staff, and enjoyed their
time and the lessons bestowed by Dr Jordan.
Looking back at her library career, she speaks
fondly of how The UWI has helped her. Motivated by
librarians Lutishoor Salisbury and Bertriana (Kim)
Gransaull, who took every opportunity to encourage
her in her day-to-day work, as well as the other staff
members who continuously encouraged her to pursue
a career as a librarian, she took up a NALIS scholarship.
Ms Pilgrim was able to pursue her master’s degree in
Information Studies (MISt) in Library and Information
Sciences at the University of Toronto from 2003-
2004. This led her to working for two years in service
to NALIS and, afterwards, she was able to take up a
librarian post at the Main Library in 2006.
Throughout the years, Ms Pilgrim has served in
every section of the library except the specialist sections,
like Accounts, IT, and the Bindery. While many of
her colleagues were hesitant to move around to other
sections, her motto from early on became “every move
is an opportunity to learn something different”.
Purpose through service
But what, if anything, brought meaning to Ms
Pilgrim’s 40-plus year career at the AJL? One might
question how spending eight hours a day in an
Ms Pilgrim did note that many of the students she witnessed now held prominent positions
locally and regionally. UWI was, and remains, a place to foster thinking and innovation.
SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 17
academic library can be fulfilling, but Ms Pilgrim
found her purpose through service to others. For
her, it was not simply the books, or the evolution of
technology that she saw on campus and within the
library that made coming to work each day worth it.
It was more about the people. Her colleagues were like
family to her, and she fondly remembers the student
body.
Now, just seven months shy of her official
retirement, Ms Pilgrim looks back at the high points
of her career and what she will miss the most.
When asked this question, she answered without
hesitation, “I will miss the interaction with the
students.”
One major highlight of her time that she
remembers fondly was her Library Liaison venture,
The Librarian Is In booth. With the approval of the
Faculty of Engineering, Ms Pilgrim set up her booth,
similar to a lemonade stand, at the undercroft of the
faculty. She waited with a laptop and pen poised, ready
to assist any student who needed her guidance.
At first, the booth was simply met with curiosity,
with many students passing by to declare, “I just came
to see what this is about”, but once word spread about
the one-on-one assistance, the lines grew. Students
were able to gain guidance for their theses, learn how
to cite works correctly, and even find that resource they
Mariella
were having trouble locating.
When she saw how this venture was accepted, she
knew she had found what she loved the most: the one-
on-one interaction with students. Sadly, it could not
be continued due to additional responsibilities. The
Pilgrim
Campus Libraries Thesis Boot camp for postgraduate
students was another venture which she is passionate
about as another opportunity for students to seek out
their librarian for research assistance.
Debates on the library steps
When it came to the evolution of the university
and how it has influenced the country and region
Long service and a at large, a point must be made to both the physical
structures and the expansion of the student body that
life-changing journey was witnessed by Ms Pilgrim. One notable change was
the fact that there were no longer heated debates held
B Y O M E G A F R A N C I S on the library steps as the population grew.
“The place to have discussions was the library
steps. You would hear the students having all manner
of debates there, even the nuts man participated!” she
recalls.
While those days are gone and those heated
debates are held elsewhere, Ms Pilgrim did note
that many of the students she witnessed now held
prominent positions locally and regionally. UWI was,
and remains, a place to foster thinking and innovation.
However, with the expansion of the university, and the
many opportunities provided, Ms Pilgrim cautions that
society at large must recognise the value of The UWI
and not short-change the system.
She states, “UWI provides the space for Trinidad
and Tobago citizens to become educated in areas
needed to improve our country.”
Ms Pilgrim assisting a student at the first Thesis Bootcamp.
Omega Francis is a writer, editor and blogger.
18 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

OUR PEOPLE
“People wonder why Geomatics Engineering
is part of the Engineering Faculty, which is the very
different place that I come from,” he says. “Geomatics
engineering was perceived by some to not belong
with the rest of engineering. But it is very significant in
terms of what we do. The whole genesis of geomatics
comes from the perspective of effectively managing
land resources. Geomatics is the big picture side of
engineering.”
‘Geomatics is the big picture
side of engineering’
Professor Ramlal holds the position of Professor
of Geospatial Engineering and officially assumed the
role of Dean of the Faculty of Engineering on October
1. His research focuses on advancing spatial data
infrastructures and integrating geospatial technologies
into society. He has also served in several high-level
capacities at the university, and governmental and
regional bodies. His particular interest is in applying
principles and knowledge of geospatial engineering to
change how things are done.
“Almost everything that pertains to human
endeavour is about space and what happens in that
space. Geomatics engineering can be applied to all
the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
One needs to understand the overall context of why
and what you’re doing before the other aspects of
engineering are engaged. These decisions all have
domino effects.”
This bird’s eye approach to the work of geomatics
engineers is needed now more than ever, according
to the dean. The university is engaged, through the
Engineering faculty, in numerous facets of research and
development aimed at solving significant challenges
in the Caribbean, chief among them is the need for a
sustainable energy supply for the region.
Facing the challenge of producing
renewable energy in the Caribbean
The current challenge in the Caribbean is to
produce renewable energy that can be transported
and stored in ways that are good for the environment.
Batteries, for instance, represent a major environmental
problem. Prof Ramlal explained that the university is
currently engaged in various streams with stakeholders
to address this issue and recently focused on green
hydrogen.
Kieran Andrew Khan is a freelance writer and digital marketing consultant.
SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY
EEngineering Solutions for a
Sustainable
Caribbean
Prof Bheshem Ramlal, Dean of the
P
Pr
FFaculty of Engineering, takes aim at the SDGs
Fa
B Y K I E R A N A N D R E W
As Professor Bheshem Ramlal, the new Dean of the Faculty of
Engineering, settles into his role at the St Augustine campus, he
emphasises the importance of humility and understanding that
you have to “know that you don’t know” – an approach he has long
taken in other roles in his career. He also enters the position from
a different perspective than the more well-known engineering
streams, but sees this as a strength and opportunity.
“If we can take wind and solar and convert it to
hydrogen, that’s green hydrogen. That’s better for us
all. In T&T, a recent study suggested that we use 20
percent more energy than we ought to, especially in
the industrial sector. If we can improve the energy
efficiency across the country and use the surplus to
generate hydrogen, then we are consuming the same
amount of fossil fuels to create an additional energy
source without increased impacts.”
The Faculty of Engineering is supporting the
Department of Physics at the Faculty of Science and
Technology to conduct a wind resource assessment
with private sector support. Additional effort is being
made to conduct research on electric vehicles. The
National Energy Corporation and the National Gas
Company also installed an EV charging station on the
southern side of the Engineering faculty. The station
uses solar panels to generate all the electricity for this
purpose.
The professor notes that we need to escape the
thinking that a hero is coming in to solve Caribbean
challenges and save us. He also highlighted the
recent appointment by UN Secretary-General António
Guterres of Dr Craig Ramlal (no relation), Lecturer
in Electrical and Computer Engineering, to the UN
Multistakeholder High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial
Intelligence as another way in which the faculty was
actively seeking to solve challenges that benefit the
broader population of the wider Caribbean region.
The faculty also recently signed an MOU with the
Government of Mexico for the development of the
Geospatial Observation Centre to process satellite
imagery for the Caribbean. This centre will generate
geospatial information to support the monitoring of
19
K H A N
coastal erosion, Sargassum seaweed tracking, forest
degradation, flooding and more, and will form part of
a global network in the Americas, Africa, and Australia
doing the same in those regions.
Educating and empowering staff
The Engineering faculty is one of the larger ones
on the St Augustine campus. It has 13 different blocks,
which are the remit of the dean and departments to
maintain and upkeep – and this includes a services
section with machine, welding, and carpentry shops to
support the five departments. These departments are
Geomatics, Mechanical and Manufacturing, Civil and
Environmental, Electrical and Computer, and Chemical
and Process Engineering. Despite this significant
administrative aspect of the role, he puts human
resources at the centre of his work.
“We have over 230 members of staff in the faculty,
and having been an educator my entire life, I believe
that it is most important of all to educate and empower
people. When they are happy and comfortable, and
when they are valued, they translate that into real value
for the institution,” he says.
The new dean’s vision is also to continue to grow
a network of talent, including alumni worldwide, to
create a critical mass of people and knowledge that can
benefit the country and the region.
He says, “We need to invest in more bankable data
and to leverage the human resources we have access
to here on the campus, but also those with ties to the
university globally too.”
With over 20,000 graduates from the faculty since
1975, the possibilities are numerous and, more than
ever, needed.
20 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

CAMPUS NEWS

CARICOM TURNS 50
‘In Unity there is Strength’
B Y S E R A H A C H A M

LEADERS COMMEMORATING A CARIBBEAN MOMENT: The region’s heads of state in 1983 at the ceremony for the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Caribbean Community in Chaguaramas, Trinidad.
Standing from left are Prime Minister (PM) of Grenada Maurice Bishop, PM of Belize George Price, (then) Deputy PM of Antigua and Barbuda Lester Bird, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Milton Cato, PM of Barbados JG “Tom” Adams,
PM of the Bahamas Lynden Pindling, PM of St Kitts and Nevis Kennedy Simmonds, and the PM of Saint Lucia John Compton. Seated, from left are PM of Dominica Eugenia Charles, President of Guyana Forbes Burnham, PM of Trinidad and Tobago
George Chambers, Secretary-General of CARICOM Dr Kurleigh King, PM of Jamaica Edward Seaga, and Chief Minister of Montserrat John Osbourne. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE CARICOM SECRETARIAT

This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of CARICOM Wanting to strengthen the
– the intergovernmental body established to unify the
Caribbean region of the 1960s and 70s. For the then newly region, as well as create a
independent territories and those seeking independence common market, the Caribbean’s
– underdeveloped, small and lacking resources – joining
forces was a strategy of survival.
Commonwealth leaders, Prime
CARICOM came into being as a replacement for the Ministers Errol Barrow, Forbes
Caribbean Free Trade Agreement (CARIFTA), which existed Burnham, Michael Manley, and
from 1968 to 1972, and whose role was to promote trade
among the region’s English-speaking territories. Wanting to Dr Eric Williams, gathered at the
strengthen the region, as well as create a common market, Seventh Heads of Government
the Caribbean’s Commonwealth leaders, Prime Ministers
Errol Barrow, Forbes Burnham, Michael Manley, and Dr
Conference in 1972, and voted
Eric Williams, gathered at the Seventh Heads of Government to transform CARIFTA into
Conference in 1972, and voted to transform CARIFTA into CARICOM’s initial incarnation
CARICOM’s initial incarnation – the Caribbean Community
and Common Market. CARICOM was officially established – the Caribbean Community and
with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas on August Common Market.
1, 1973, and had four member states – Barbados, Guyana, Prime Minister of Jamaica PJ Patterson (right) receives the CARICOM 30th anniversary
Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. torch from (then) young sprint sensation Usain Bolt in 2003.
 SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 21

CAMPUS NEWS

An underdeveloped region facing

structural challenge
Dr Jaqueline Laguardia Martinez, Senior Lecturer
at The UWI’s Institute of International Relations (IIR),
explains that the Caribbean of the 1960s and 70s was not
only underdeveloped, but faced a structural challenge.

Small territories with many constraints

The small sizes of the Caribbean territories meant that
they faced many constraints. “Because if you have a limited
size, you will have limitations related to the condition of
small states”, from natural resources to economic resources
which both affect possibilities for infrastructure, as well as
the nation’s capacity to diversify its economy.
With “open economies’ integration” at its root,
CARICOM was created to surpass the limitations
experienced by the region’s newly independent nations. Not
only did the body promote intra-regional trade, it aimed to
forge tighter economic linkages by expanding the market
and building economies of scale.
The individual nations’ small populations meant their
businesses had limited markets so it was very difficult
for them to survive, Dr Laguardia Martinez explains.
The establishment of CARICOM would lead to a market
increase - a larger population to which produce could be
sold, a better environment for investments and manufacture
throughout the region, as well as easier job creation and
access to resources.
Other pillars under CARICOM’s action plans for its
member states – which grew to include 10 more territories
as the region developed – were the promotion of “functional
cooperation” within the region, as well as “coordination in
foreign affairs”. The idea, Dr Laguardia Martinez says, was
that “in unity there could be major strength”, because a very
small country could easily be overlooked “in multilateral
fora”, but an entity with 14 votes “can actually make a
difference”.
From four to 15 member states
In 2002, Haiti joined CARICOM, making the
organisation 15 member states strong, a number which still
stands today. Dr Laguardia Martinez adds that CARICOM
also includes five associate member states which, “are not
independent nations and, therefore, do not have the capacity
of designing treaties as fully constituted independent
nations.” Rather, they are associated with the body and so
“are also involved to a certain extent and participate in some
of the CARICOM activities”. Montserrat, she says, is the only
exception in that, though it is a dependent territory, it is a
CARICOM member.
Part of CARICOM’s purpose, says Dr Laguardia
Martinez, is to achieve regional consensus in foreign policy
“and try to advance a single Caribbean position that can
give [our individual countries] a better opportunity to be a
voice…be involved, and have an influence on international
affairs”.
Yet another pillar under the CARICOM mandate
is security, both in terms of disaster management - how
we “keep people safe when we are facing an extreme
meteorological event” - and crime.
Crime, Dr Laguardia Martinez says, is “a major issue”,
particularly because of our location in “a very vulnerable
space” for activity like the illicit trade of drugs, arms and
people. And, she notes, “islands have very porous borders”,
so coordination and continuous conversation are essential
for securing the region.
CARICOM’s mandates are seen by some as heavy and
complicated. Yet, strides have been made for the region.
“CARICOM can show major achievements in terms of the
coordination of foreign policy and functional cooperation,”
Dr Laguardia Martinez asserts.
Some members of the 11-man group of CARICOM member governments’ experts mandated by the 16th Caribbean Community Common Market Council of Ministers to
prepare a strategy for the Caribbean integration movement during the 1980s. Shown are Chairman of the group (and first Secretary-General of CARICOM) William Demas
(second left), along with (from left), Sir Arthur Lewis, Barbados Ambassador to the US and Permanent Representative to the OAS Charles Skeete, and Commonwealth of
Nations Secretary General (and former Chancellor of The UWI) Sir Shridath Ramphal.
A plaque for a time capsule buried during the 50th anniversary commemoration
event of the establishment of the Caribbean Community in July, 2023.
Regional conversation, regional norms
To her, the body’s biggest impact comes from its
network of regional agencies, each of which has its own
area of expertise, for example, disaster management,
cooperation, health and education. These agencies, she says,
“allow not only regional conversation, but regional norms”.
She shares one of CARICOM’s more recent successes – its
efforts to establish regional protocols during the COVID-19
pandemic.
She shared another example: “We have CARICOM
engaging in conversations with the United States [and]
the European Union, [so] it is not about a single country
relying on the bilateral diplomatic relation. They also have
a regional [presence]...as a group, and have more leverage
when trying to advance certain positions.”
When we look at education, she says, CARICOM is
heavily involved in the region’s “unified education policy”,
including the exams, and of course, The University of the
West Indies.
In fact, “UWI is one of CARICOM’s major achievements,”
says Dr Laguardia Martinez, education being indispensable
in producing the level of knowledge excellence, innovation,
and productivity required to push the Caribbean forward,
and drive the integration that would help the region not
only to survive, but thrive in a complex world.
The UWI shares 2023 as a milestone year with
CARICOM, is The UWI, turning 75 this year and who
With “open economies’ integration”
at its root, CARICOM was created to
surpass the limitations experienced
by the region’s newly independent
nations. Not only did the body
promote intra-regional trade, it
aimed to forge tighter economic
linkages by expanding the market
and building economies of scale.
investigated the feasibility of the idea of Caribbean
integration when it first took hold within the region
in 1965. UWI has since been a platform from which
CARICOM’s efforts within the region have been hailed
and interrogated.
Challenges of integration
However, CARICOM is not without its challenges,
among which are the economic integration of the region and
the full adoption of the Caribbean Single Market Economy,
established in 2006.
“This is quite contradictory,” Dr Laguardia Martinez
says, “because CARICOM was created to achieve economic
integration.”
She acknowledges, however, that there are many
barriers to this, “most of them related to the removal of
goods, services, capital and, especially, workers”. Other
challenges include the body’s “capacity to connect with
Caribbean people”, she says, because “A lot of people in the
Caribbean are totally unaware of CARICOM. They have no
idea what their regional institution is doing and its service
to the region.”
This celebration of CARICOM’s 50th anniversary, she
says, is essential, both to mark such a momentous occasion
and to raise public awareness and understanding of the
institution which still holds so much potential for the
development and prosperity of the region.

Serah Acham is a writer and editor currently pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at UWI St Augustine.
22 UWI TODAY – SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023
SPORT
A FIRST FOR SPORT AT ST AUGUSTINE
SAAS celebrates inaugural cohort of graduates from its degree programme
From left: Deputy Principal Prof Indar Ramnarine congratulates awardees Vinaya Boodram, Nand Sookhan, Kirsten St Omer, Clayton Knott, and Britanny Mahabir, along with
Dr Akshai Mansingh Dean of the Faculty of Sport, at the St Augustine Academy of Sport Awards. PHOTO: KC MEDIA
“For a small twin-island, we have so much potential in
sport,” says Ms Ria Cromwell. “We want that to be more
prevalent.”
The “we” she is referring to is the St Augustine
Academy of Sport (SAAS), the local campus branch of
the multi-campus Faculty of Sport, where she works as an
administrative assistant.
With sporting greats from Sir Rodney Wilkes to
Keshorn Walcott to Brian Lara, Trinidad and Tobago is
no stranger to what it takes to achieve sporting greatness.
Even so, the local sporting industry is still a baby when
compared to giants like the United States of America and
our Caribbean counterpart, Jamaica. Through the Faculty
of Sport, UWI is seeking to develop sport and the sport
industry throughout the region.
A St Augustine milestone
Although the faculty was officially launched at The
UWI Mona Campus in 2017, St Augustine had a milestone
of its own this past October. The SAAS produced its first
degree graduates at the 2023 graduation ceremonies. They
completed the Bachelor of Science in Sports Kinetics.
“The BSc [Sports Kinetics] is like the base of a tree, and
there are many branches to explore after you complete it,”
Clayton Knott, a member of the first cohort of five graduates,
says about the programme which encompasses strength and
conditioning, sport psychology, sport nutrition, and a host
of other areas.
Joined by his fellow graduate Nand Sookhan, whose
love for the preparation that goes into playing sport has
shaped his life, the former students have gained a base of
knowledge that has readied them to head into the industry.
As one of the most recent areas of study to be added
to the campus, the sport programmes are bolstered by the
vigour of the staff.
“You have renewed motivation and enthusiasm, and
you think anything is possible,” notes Ms Cromwell when
Kanisha Vincent is equal parts sport scientist, storyteller, poet and freelance writer.
B Y K A N I S H A V I N C E N T
Clayton Knott (centre, white shirt), in action on the rugby field.
asked about her experience as a member of the new faculty.
“Looking forward we can visualise all the things we want to
achieve so there’s a lot of intellectual excitement.”
Drawing from the experience of the sporting academies
at the Mona and Cave Hill campuses, SAAS seeks to both
create a foundation and distinguish itself in alignment with
the sporting culture of Trinidad and Tobago. Tapping into
the innovative teaching modalities proposed by the Centre
for Teaching and Learning (CETL) to provide interactive
and engaging delivery, and partnering with other sporting
organisations, SAAS reflects the collaboration of sport.
Choosing SAAS an alignment of the stars
Choosing SAAS was described by Knott as “an
alignment of stars,” with the programme being introduced
at the right time. For Sookhan, who previously completed
the Certificate in the Art and Science of Coaching, it was
the interaction with course instructors Dr Jason Pilgrim
and Mr Kenny Kitsingh that sold him on taking on the BSc.
Both Knott and Sookhan credit the practicum sessions,
where they brought together theory and practice, as the
highlight of the programme. Their plans for the future are
also a testament to the breadth of the programme and its
possible impact.
For Knott, a rugby enthusiast, an increase in physical
and professional infrastructure is paramount. He seeks to
increase the number of available institutions and services
that an athlete can readily access with an added focus on
a more even distribution across the sporting disciplines.
Sookhan, already a personal trainer, seeks to contribute to
a happier, healthier population by educating the public on
nutrition, strength, and conditioning.
“Having just graduated,” he said, “you understand that
there’s so much out there.” He plans to continue his work as
a personal trainer, which provided valuable experience for
the course and a general sense of fulfilment.
SAAS recently collaborated with the Sports Company
of Trinidad and Tobago’s Elite Athlete Wellbeing Unit. The
unit provides sport science services to elite and developing
national athletes. Head Tobias Ottley delivered inspiring
remarks to the 2023 Graduating Class of the Certificate in
the Art and Science of Coaching on November 20.
Cromwell noted, “We want to be able to develop and
deliver the programmes that will contribute to world leaders
in sport.”
However, as mentioned, the sporting industry is still
young in T&T.
“Being in an area that is not yet fully developed in
Trinidad and Tobago, there’s no clear cut path for you to
follow,” says Sookhan.
Sport may be young, but the establishment of an
academy of sport at the St Augustine campus augurs well
for its development. With plans to create youth academies
in ten sporting disciplines, do more research, help athletes
achieve their goals, and introduce master’s programmes to
the campus, Cromwell is looking forward to more students
and, eventually, more sporting professionals for T&T.

SPORT
RETURN OF THE RACE B Y J O E L H E N R Y
There’s an interesting contradiction
when you take part in a long distance
race. You are both challenging others
and yourself. Yet you feel like part of a
community, and you are communing with
yourself. It’s the best of both worlds, and
in the world of St Augustine and environs,
those mutual feelings of competition and
“cooperation” were on dramatic display
at the 17th UWI SPEC International Half-
Marathon and 5K Race.
Nicholas Romany
SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023 – UWI TODAY 23
PHOTOS: FREDERIC DUBRAY AND KC MEDIA
Over 1,800 participants from 21 countries came out on the morning of
November 19 to take part in the first race since 2019. And while there were
some challenges as the event warmed up from its three-year hiatus, the
energy and enthusiasm was as powerful as ever.
T&T national Nicholas Romany came first in the half-marathon and
French runner Cécilia Mobuchon was the women’s winner. George Smith
won the 5K race. But in their own way, every participant was a winner.
Everyone who pushed themselves against their physical and mental
limitations was a medallist. It was also a victory for The St Augustine
Academy of Sport and The UWI SPEC, who successfully brought back this
beloved regional sporting event.
For the full half-marathon photo gallery, visit The UWI Flickr page at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/theuwi/albums/
Cécilia Mobuchon