I write this letter with a definite T&T bias (no apologies). Since the announcement of the CPL, I like most Trinbagonians have been struggling with this concept. And while I see the tremendous benefit to the region, I cannot help but feel T&T was the biggest loser. The 2013 CPL to my mind was a tremendous success. I am sure no one thought that it would have captivated the region and the rest of the world so quickly. The games were so infectious that I found myself planning my schedule around the games. 

We all enjoyed the games, especially with the semis and finals being held here at Queen’s Park Cricket Club. But, to be honest, as Trinis we felt somewhat betrayed when we had to give up our dominant “Red Force” brand of cricket for “Red Steel.” Most of us felt that it was a sinister plot (real or imagined) by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to destabilise the T&T team which on paper is unbeatable in the T20 format with all its players.

After all, which team in the world can beat this 11 (Lewis, Simmonds, Bravo, Bravo, Pollard, Ramdin, Pooran, Cooper, Narine, Badree, Rampaul). Plus another 11 subs that can walk into any other regional T20 team.

The pain was even worse to bear when the Red Steel team didn’t play well last year. Federation, Carifta, Caricom, whatever, cricket is the only thing that the West Indies has been able to do united. And even that is failing us now. Outsiders cannot understand the insularity amongst the islands and the tremendous national pride and competitiveness between them. The CPL’s Irishman and WICB’s new Englishman sadly do not get it. We will all play and support the West Indies.

We all know that franchise cricket is the future and the CPL and its changes are inevitable. As much as I personally believe T&T would benefit from the exposure, you just cannot call Red Steel “Trinidad and Tobago.” It is not a representative national team. But a fan base is needed for the CPL to be successful, especially one that is country-based. So Port-of-Spain Red Steel, Kingston Tallawahs, Bridgetown Tridents, Georgetown Amazon Warriors, etc, is the only way to go. But it must be for all the teams.

The CPL is poised to be the catalyst that revives West Indies cricket, but I fear that the organisers will take it down the same road as the failed Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean. The on-the-field cricket is certainly not the best in the world, so the world-wide attraction comes from the Caribbean vibe and this is not easily packaged.

So I have a few suggestions for the CPL powers that be. Most of these may be too late for this year’s edition, but certainly worth considering for the longevity of the tournament.
1. Rename all the teams after a city from the respective country, ie Port-of-Spain Red Steel. 
2. Each team should only constitute the best players from that country with a maximum of four guest players from other countries (international or regional). That way countries that have a surplus of players who are not picked can allow them to play for the weaker teams. Each team must also include a developing or youth player.
3. Revert to the games being played at times suitable to the locals. While we understand the financial benefits of airing the games to the foreign markets empty stadiums with no vibes do not make good viewing. Once the tournament is firmly established then you can have the games at any time and the crowds will come, but not yet.
4. Keep most of the games in the tried and true grounds that bring out the crowds. Imagine Trinidad getting only three games which would all be sold out and we are seeing games in empty stadiums. The bulk of the games should be in Guyana, Trinidad and Barbados.

Kurtis Rudd

via e-mail

T&T’s sevens rugby team continued its preparation for the Commonwealth Games with a series of warm-up matches at a camp in Strathallan boarding school, in Perth, Scotland.
The Calypso Warriors won two matches against Perthshire Rugby Club before sealing another pair of wins and one loss against Falkirk Rugby Club. “These games were crucial as they offered us the opportunity to test our attacking and defensive structures,” said national coach Larry Mendez. “We relished the opportunity to play unknown and skilful opposition, to test our own reaction and preparedness”. “We are very grateful to the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) for having the foresight to organise such a camp,” said team manager Curtis Nero. “It gave us the opportunity to not only acclimatise, but to train together and promote team bonding which is so vital in team sports”.

The team entered the Games Village on 13 July where the programme continued, with modifications for peaking, particularly in gym work. Pre-competition games included a scrimmage session against Papua New Guinea last Thursday. “A scrimmage is a semi-controlled game in which we agree to go live on scrums and lineouts, but only smother tackle in open field,” Mendez explained. “The controlled game is meant to minimise potential injury by reducing the incidence of contact”. In the two matches played against Papua New Guinea, T&T won the first 10 points to 5 (no conversions taken), while the other was drawn 15-15. T&T had another scrimmage against Uganda on Saturday in miserable rainy weather. Uganda won the first in 15-5, but T&T  stormed back to take the second 15-10. 

Two scrimmages  were played and lost against Canada, 15-10 and 15-5. “I am really pleased with our defensive structures displayed in the game against Canada,” said assistant coach Dale Trotman. “Despite the loss, there were some good points we can build on as well as things we need to fix. We need to press home our attacking advantages by reacting quicker after creating the gaps. Improved communication on the field will help.” “We are pleased with the leadership and high quality of play being shown by captain Joseph Quashie and Jesse Richards’ play so far has been tremendous and an inspiration to the team,” said Nero.” Individuals are beginning to step up now and we are seeing good team play. The challenge is to maintain that focus for the duration of the game. That is our challenge.”

BRIDGETOWN—Trinidad and Tobago’s combined Secondary Schools Cricket League has won the 28th Annual Sir Garry Sobers International Schools Cricket Tournament which ended in Barbados on Sunday. Trinidad combined secured the title after pulling off an easy 43 run win over Christchurch Foundation School of Barbados in the final at Three W’s Oval. Half-centuries from Shaquille McDavid (56) and Gabriel Blackwell (64) set up the victory as the T&T side piled up 186 for nine off their reduced 36 overs.

In reply, Foundation School then slipped to 25 for five in the first five overs before being dismissed for 143 in 28.5 overs. McDavid and Blackwell then put on 115 runs for the third wicket to carry their side well within sight of victory. McDavid had also scored a half century to help the young Trinidadians reach the finals with a two-wicket win over Combermere School in last week’s semi-final. (CMC)

Confusion reigned yesterday regarding the naming of the Red Steel franchise in the current Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament. While the players were busy getting themselves ready for their fourth round clash against the Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Queen’s Park Oval tomorrow, press releases were flying left, right and centre. Minister of Sport, Anil Roberts had called on officials of the CPL to drop the T&T name from the Red Steel two weeks ago, citing that it was a franchise and not representative of a national team. This caused some alarm and although Roberts revealed that CPL had agreed that they erred in the matter and would remove the name, there was still discontent in certain quarters. 

The minister provided strong arguments for the removal of T&T from the franchise but organisers were relentless and pursued the matter with government officials in T&T. Yesterday, the confusion started at 12.44 pm when Sandra Welch-Farrell & Company, acting on behalf of Digicel, issued a press release stating that T&T was restored to the team’s title. The release read: ”The management of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League is pleased that the matter regarding the naming of the Red Steel franchise has been resolved and that the team will once again proudly bear the name of T&T Red Steel. “We would particularly like to thank Minister Gary Griffith for his timely intervention in this matter and for his support in bringing it to a positive conclusion. We can now concentrate our efforts on ensuring that the remainder of the tournament is a resounding success and that cricket fans across the world enjoy it to the fullest.”

At a press conference at his offices on Abercromby Street to clear up matters concerning the controversial Life Sport programme minutes later, Roberts was asked about the realease. He responded: “As at this time, the name remains the Red Steel. I don’t know who Griffith has been speaking to and what right he has on the matter but the only one to make that decision is the cabinet of T&T. At this point in time, no one has told me otherwise and at last week’s cabinet meeting there was no decision on the matter. I don’t know how and why Griffith gets himself involved in this.” Another release was sent out by Digicel at 1.26 pm which quoted Limacol CPL CEO, Damien O’Donohoe, as follows: “On behalf of the entire CPL team, we would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of T&T, Kamla Persad Bissessar, and her Government for their ongoing support for CPL and in particular her help in restoring the T&T Red Steel name to the franchise.”

He continued: “We are absolutely thrilled that the Red Steel will once again proudly bear the name of T&T Red Steel, and, with three home games this week, we are in no doubt that this news will give captain Dwayne Bravo and his team an extra boost in their efforts to take home the title of CPL Champions 2014. We wish them all the best and would like to thank the fans in T&T for their fantastic support.” In response to the latest release, Roberts said that he could not make a comment because it did not come officially from the office of the Prime Minister, and as far as he was concerned the name was still Red Steel.

It was a cold damp morning. As I put on my pair of socks I was wondering what sort of day it would be. Here I was on my way to another part of the world, not for vacation, not for sight seeing, not for pleasure, but for work. So as with everything else, as the rain continued to pour down, inwardly I wondered whether or not I had already arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, rather than Piarco Airport in Trinidad.

Comfortingly a heroine of our great 1979 Netball World Championship team, Sheryl Peters, came to my rescue as I prepared to travel to London. Her kind influence easily made what was a cold miserable day into a bright blossoming future on this Scotland endeavour. It is a pity that Peters, captain of the 1979 team, does not have enough time to be more involved in netball. Her expertise would be greatly appreciated.

Interestingly enough, several member of the table tennis team for the Commonwealth Games were on the same flight. Everything was smooth, except perhaps the food. Some salt and pepper would have gone a long way. Although if you were to observe the T&T passengers and the time in which they finished eating, you get the sense they would give Usain Bolt a good run for his money.

There is a lot to be happy about in Glasgow, the people up here are friendly. Some are even pretty, others prettier, and some even more extravagant than that. But I should stop here, as there are people who would read this column and put the wrong intent into my words. The weather is quite hot and humid at the same time. Glasgowians are bawling from airport to hotel about the heat. I found several of them sitting on the grass in the sun eating their lunch and laughing. It is safe to say that Glasgow is ready for the Commonwealth Games.

There is widespread expectation of this being one of our best ever Commonwealth Games in terms of performances and results. Indeed, given the number of sporting discipline in which T&T will be participating, I am almost tempted to berate Brian Lewis, president of the T&T Olympic Committee about the lack of support administration staff for chef de mission, Dr Ian Hypolite. Clearly he and his team would need more than ten fingers and ten toes to deal with all of the activity expected at these games. Dr Hypolite said: “We are in good spirits and everyone is looking forward to contributing and giving their best. The team is determine to continue the successes of the past, and I have strong support all around. Everyone has settled in well and we are all looking forward to the first leg of competition on Thursday.”

Meanwhile, as I have done in the past, I continue to look for the most tasty, delightful, sumptuous meal I can find in Glasgow. Given the number of T&T citizens I have already seen in Glasgow, I may have competition finding a table on which to eat or worse yet food to eat. Over the next ten to 12 days, let’s hope there is something from the T&T team that will satisfy the appetite of all T&T.

Two new locally contracted cases of Chikungunya have been confirmed in T&T, the Ministry of Health has said.  This is the first time that mosquitoes in T&T have spread the virus.

Drag and zoom to move around the map. Hover over any marker to get more info.

This map is updated in real-time so keep checking back for updates as the situation develops.

Data compiled by Guardian Media Limited New Media Unit. Source: T&T Ministry of Health.

My mother was a human praying mantis. She was convinced that God had given her five children so she could allocate to each of her children one decade of the rosary when we knelt around our parents’ bed for night prayer. She was a firm believer that the family that prayed together, stayed together. Another thing I remember about my mother’s nightly prayer ritual was that she always urged us to pray for priests. 

She said because priests had dedicated their lives to doing God’s work, they were subject to a great deal of temptation from the evil one. I recall her saying that sometimes they do not speak for themselves, but the evil one speaks through them and when that happens, we must forgive them. I had cause to remember my deceased mother’s words at Sunday mass in St Vincent on Sunday, July 20.

There I was, listening to the sermon when I heard the priest talk of a prominent citizen who had been locked up in his car trunk. He wanted to know if Vincentians were imitating Trinidadians now. I was so shocked that I immediately retorted: “Excuse me.” Some members of the congregation looked at me. I thought what a different experience I had had at mass in Dominica when a priest had asked the congregation to stand and pray the Lord’s blessings on me for my work in child rights in the Caribbean.

At the end of the mass, when the commentator asked if there were any visitors, my colleague, an American jurist, and I stood up and were warmly welcomed to St Vincent. We were not asked what country we were from. I felt it incumbent on me to speak, so after all the other greetings, I stood up and thanked the congregation for the warm welcome. 

I revealed that I was from T&T, the country which they had been advised not to imitate, and that I wished to remind the congregation that T&T was also the country from which their Bishop Rivas had come. The congregation burst into applause. After mass, one parishioner reminded me that we had given St Vincent not one bishop, but two, as Bishop Gordon, the present Bishop, was also a Trinidadian. Another parishioner revealed that she was surprised that that priest had said what he did, because he was from Jamaica.

Hazel Thompson-Ahye,
via e-mail

Caribbean Airlines must really be treating Tobago badly for Orville London to call for an independent airline to service the air bridge In this regard, I wonder if Mr London has taken a short hop on Liat lately or, worse yet, paid for a ticket to go from Paramaribo to Georgetown or from Santo Domingo to Port-Au-Prince. Those two aforementioned 50-minute journeys cost in the region of US$165 one way, or US$250 return. I would estimate the commercial price for a return ticket to Tobago would be in the region of TT$900.

I suppose Mr London inhabits the dream world of transfers and subsidies where he is handed large amounts of money to employ 70 per cent of Tobago’s population to work for, on average, two and a half hours a day. This state of affairs cannot continue indefinitely and the Government will have to address this mess someday.

Speaking of disasters, I would like to see an opportunity cost analysis of 72 years of BWIA/ Caribbean Airlines losses. At the end of the exercise I guarantee that T&T would have been much better off without funding the financial sinkhole known as BWIA/Caribbean Airlines. Look at the Dominican Republic, they have more hotel rooms than the rest of the Caribbean multiplied by five; they have six functioning airports and guess what—no national airline.

Gregory Wight,
Maraval

Four days before the 24th anniversary of the 1990 attempted coup, leader of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen Yasin Abu Bakr sent out a warning to National Security Minister and the police commissioner following a raid at the Jamaat’s Carapo mosque.

The clip, which went viral on social networking site Facebook, was posted at 1 pm on Win Radio 101.1 FM Facebook page.

 It was used during a newscast on Win TV yesterday.

Abu Bakr was responding to arrest of 18 people at Carapo mosque on Tuesday evening, including Life Sport co-ordinator Rajaee Ali.

"Coming into the mosque in Ramadan and detaining people unlawfully, will not, and I repeat will not, be accepted.

“Big man Mr Alexander, if you think that you could do whatever you want and you not accountable to God, Mr Commissioner of Police, Mr Griffith, this is Abu Bakr. I am saying, if you continue this transgression and ill-will, we will respond appropriately. End of Talk!"

When contacted for comment, up to press time, acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams said he could not comment as he was yet to view the clip.  

He said he instructed his Public Affairs Officer Supt Joanne Archie to provide the information to him.

Bakr led 113 men in an attempt to overthrow the government on July 27, 1990.

In response, the Ministry of National Security said in a statement last night that while there is no evidence of any threat all usual systems remain in place that would deal with any or all threats to public safety and security. These measures are part of the nation's upgraded defence mechanisms that remain in place on an ongoing basis.

The Ministry of National Security sent the following statement on July 23:

The Ministry of National Security was informed that the T&T Police Service and Defence Force detained a number of suspects at the Carapo mosque after the raid was carried out [on July 22]. This is entirely within the jurisdiction of the T&T Police Service who will use whatever intelligence they have at their disposal to conduct such exercises. It is unfortunate that such action was deemed necessary by the T&T Police Service but one has to be assured that such measures were required in the public interest.

 
Regarding the public statements made by the leader of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen, Abu Bakr, the Ministry of National Security wishes to advise that while there is no evidence of any threat that all usual systems remain in place that would deal with any or all threats to public safety and security. These measures are part of the nation's upgraded defence mechanisms that remain in place on an on going basis.

Columnist Clarence Rambharat says he will deal with Community Development Minister Winston Peters, once nominated to represent constituents of Mayaro for the PNM.

He made the announcement on the PNM platform in St Augustine on Tuesday night. He said he expected criticism for his decision which comes less than a year from the 2015 general election.
He added: “I am my own boss. When Anand Ramlogan wrote in the Guardian and then decided to join the COP platform he didn’t ask my permission. “When Herbert Volney was screened when he was on the Bench and skid off the Bench and landed in the community of St Joseph nobody asked my permission.

“When nominations are called for I will accept your nomination and if the screening committee decides, I will deal with Gypsy in Mayaro. I believe the people of Mayaro are smart enough.”

Rambharat said the tipping point which prompted his return to a political platform related to the Life Sport programme and grass-cutting contracts.

A daily newspaper revealed earlier this month that several people, including a sports journalist at another daily newspaper, were receiving contracts worth $200,000 to cut grass as part of the programme.

He told the crowd: “I am very familiar with grass-cutting and you are very familiar with the UWI (University of the West Indies) building.

“That big grounds opposite UWI administration building cost $800 a month to cut.”

Rambharat said he was not anti-government, as he was called in the new pro-government newspaper, The Voice, but said he was anti-wastage and anti-nonsense.

“I believe the people of this country have reached their limit.

“I have written and used the keyboard but I could also talk and I am prepared to talk and talk and talk and there are people out there who are afraid to talk and I will tak for them because in politics, silence is consent,” he added.

Rambharat praised the PNM for its commitment to introduce whistle-blower legislation once the party returned to office.

“We need whistle-blowers legislation now,” Rambharat said as one of the audience members blew a whistle.

Rambharat spoke about corruption within state companies, telling the crowd he had been told by a whistle-blower that Caroni 1975 Limited had been sued by a high-ranking executive employee for $12 million.

Instead of being terminated, he said the employee retained his $40,000 a month salary and was moved to a newly-formed state enterprise, Caroni Green Ltd, with a $150,000 severance package.

He said those were examples of the corruption taking place within the People’s Partnership Government.

A few days after our interview at Alice Yard, where he has just appeared as the first Caiso-endorsed artist-in-residence, Ajamu e-mails some images of his work. They are black and white photographs with a sense of poignancy—perhaps the first time the word “poignant” has been used to describe a self-portrait of an artist dressed in fishnets, a leather gimp mask and high heels. 

Another self-portrait sees Ajamu made over as the Bearded Lady of the photograph’s title. Wearing a wig and sporting his trademark long beard, Ajamu gazes off wistfully into the distance, away from the camera lens. 

If the first image is provocatively humorous, the second is tinged with sadness. 

In the other pictures, his models are posed in various costumes (some overtly sexual, some nude, some more “traditional.”) 

They represent a timeline of his working life. 

Ajamu, the Huddersfield-born British son of black Jamaican immigrants, adopted his African name in 1991. 

“It was given to me by one of my mentors,” he says. He won’t reveal his former name. “That has no bearing,” he says, then laughs loudly, saying, “only to my family.” 

“A lot of black men and women were embracing a pan-African perspective in the 80s and 90s,” he explains, “getting rid of eurocentric names. Ajamu means He fights for what he believes.” 

One imagines that a gay black man growing up in the gritty and macho north of England in the 1980s might have had a fair few battles to fight, or struggles to overcome. But Ajamu says family life and social life in Huddersfield was quite normal. 

His grandparents arrived in England in 1958, the year that vicious race riots broke out in Notting Hill as white gangs of Teddy Boys, urged on by British Fascist politician Oswald Mosley, attacked Caribbean immigrants. His parents followed in 1962 and Ajamu was born a year later in 1963. 

He describes Huddersfield as “a small town where, during the 60s and 70s, a large black population, mainly Jamaican and Grenadian and a small number of Trinidadians and Asians formed a tight-knit community where everybody knew everybody.”

He came out to his parents, brothers and cousins as gay in his late teens. 

“They had no problems with it whatsoever. I wasn’t surprised by their reaction but I had built it up for months and months and then I came out and it was like, what was all that fear about? They know the work I do, they know my partner, he’s part of the family.” 

He says he had a fear of rejection prior to coming out. Put to him that Jamaicans have a terrible reputation for homophobia and that his family’s reaction was impressively progressive for the times, he says “I challenge that narrative of Jamaican homophobia because, actually, I don’t think it’s particularly in any specific culture. Homophobia for me exists in all families, all communities, all societies and it doesn’t serve anybody to say this country is more homophobic than another country. It just sets up these weird paradigms. It’s an illusion to think just because Western countries have rights everything is hunky dory. It’s a dangerous narrative to create that hierarchy.” 

He has been to Jamaica and says next time he goes he would be openly gay. 

“It’s not something I can turn on and off and, also, some people might not read me as being gay.” It’s a bold stance in a society where openly gay and transgender men are currently living in a drain in the capital, Kingston, shunned and rejected by society and liable to be attacked. 

He says he had a great time there with his family and grandparents in 1999. He even visited a gay bar but he thinks it might no longer exist, amidst the rise of anti-gay sentiments. Homophobia, he says, is on the rise all over the world. Even in the UK. 

Giving a voice to the black British gay community 

Part of his work is to represent black LGBT men and women—a section of British society he feels are often silent or marginalised. 

“We don’t hear the voices of LGBT people who are “out” in black families. We don’t hear the voices of our aunts and uncles and mothers and dads and grandmas who are perfectly happy with their sons and daughters being lesbians and gays. Those narratives are missing,” he says. 

He moved to London in 1988 in his mid 20s, after a four-year spell in Leeds. The move came after attending the first National Gay Black Men’s Conference at the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre in Camden in October, 1987. An event, he says, which has never been repeated. 

Until the conference he’d only ever met a handful of gay black people. One of whom was his first lover, from Huddersfield. 

“I met him at the bar at the Gemini club.” A quick Google search turns up references to this club on the Huddersfield Daily Examiner’s Web site under a list of “Great lost night clubs”. It is also referred to in a book called The Homosexual(ity) of Law by Leslie Moran in which the law professor describes how it was raided repeatedly by police in the early 80s who were attempting to gather detailed information about the gay community in Yorkshire, a county synonymous in the UK with being intolerant of anybody who appears to be different. 

“It was a small town, there was a whispering culture which was how you would find out about other gay people,” Ajamu says. 

But most people who are “different” in England inevitably leave for the big city sooner or later. 

He studied black history and then photography in Leeds. In 1985, with two other friends, he created a magazine called BLAC. The acronym stood for Black Liberation Activist Core. 

“That was some of the politics I was getting into at the time,” he explains. 

He needed to create an image for an article and describes himself as “falling” into photography that way. 

His career brought him all the way to Trinidad for a two-week residency at Alice Yard, an artistic space for nurturing talent. 

While here, he facilitated a two-day photography workshop. Ajamu led the participants in a dialogue about the socio-cultural biases—gender, race, class—a photographer can bring to the act of taking a photograph. 

The themes of his work he describes as “black imagery with a focus on sexuality, race, representation, identity, pleasure and desire.” 

There is a sexual nature to the images. The leather, the nudity, the taut muscles, pouting lips, seductive gazes and even graphic representations of the body (a 1993 close-up of an erect penis, called Cock and Glove, is startling in as much as it takes a second to work out what it is. Perhaps that’s the point.) 

I ask whether focusing on black physicality and identity in an predominantly white European society like the UK speaks to the politics of displacement and belonging. I put it to him that French photographer Frederique Bornier spent years in Paris documenting black immigrants from West Africa, North Africa and the Middle East because she felt their demeanours and facial expressions spoke of a deep unhappiness, tension or frustration. 

But his work has a much more positive attitude than that. 

“It’s about celebration and aspiration,” he says. “Growing up in the UK in the 1970s and early 80s, in mainstream popular culture, all the images of gay men were white. John Inman, Frankie Howerd, Kenneth Williams and so forth. Images of black men were always sports stars or in relation to confrontations with authority. So for me there were very few images I could relate to. So in a vague kind of way I created images that just weren’t there.” 

In the gentle and sensual approach to his work we also see a challenge to the stereotypical images of black masculinity which he describes as “fear, threat and fascination.” He talks about iconic images like the beating of Rodney King, the violence of Mike Tyson or the one-dimensional representations of black men in porn. 

“These ideas didn’t generally come from black men themselves. So my work is what I need to see, as a black gay man.” 

He says there’s a history of narrow stereotypes he is born into which he has to unpack. Particularly problematic for him is the application of stereotypes to all black men and thereby creating a dominant, unchallenged narrative. 

Near the end of the interview he’s asked about his self-described “sex activism.” He had mentioned it in his introductory speech at Alice Yard and it’s a phrase that sticks in your head. But what does it mean? 

“I run private sex parties for men who want to have sex with men. Since the late 90s, on and off,” he says bluntly. The candidness is refreshing. There’s none of the caginess which usually accompanies such statements. No tabloid style descriptions of murky sexual underworlds. 

“Part of my work is academic, another part is about how we actually experience our own desires and fantasies physically through the body. And also coming together to talk about our desires and playing them out.” 

How many men? “I can get about 30 people, 50 people. It depends on the location.” 

After probing further, for want of a better word, Ajamu admits that he is careful about what he says. It’s not just his life but other people’s privacy at stake. 

For him, however, the physical side is one aspect of the creative side, not too different in his eyes from a spoken word poetry slam. The expression of sexuality is part of his art. It’s what he does. 

• To see Ajamu’s photography visit the Web site ajamu-fineartphotography.co.uk/

It’s that time again when Pan Trinbago commemorates its annual Steelband Month with a plethora of events almost every day in the month of August, and beyond. However, even before the new month begins there is steelband activity this evening as the Northern Region of Pan Trinbago stages the 123 Plus Concert, at Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove Pan Theatre, Hamilton Street, Woodbrook, at 7 pm. 

Premiered last year, this event showcases the top three steel orchestras in the National Panorama final, with guest performers, at their respective panyards. Tonight’s programme features 2014 National Panorama winner Phase II and guests bpTT Renegades and Witco Desperadoes. 

Pan Trinbago’s Steelband Month will be celebrated in August with a host of events during the month and a few scheduled in September. The schedule of events dates from August 2 to September 1. Some of those listed are organised by the steelband parent body and its regions while others, like the Laventille Steelband Festival, Arima Fest and Pan on The Avenue, are supported by the association. 

Some of the premier events are Pan by the Seaside, Clifton Hill, Point Fortin (August 2); The Jit Samaroo Benefit Concert (August 8); Pan Trinbago Youth Boat Ride (August 13); Pan Exhibition (August 25 -29); South/Central Pan Chutney competition (August 30); culminating with an Independence Fiesta (September 1). 

As has been the norm, Pan Trinbago’s Interfaith Service on August 3 at the Massy Trinidad All Stars Pan Theatre, Duke Street, Port-of-Spain, is the official start of the month-long programme. High point of the service is the blessing of the steelbands’ flags.

Over the following days, activities include a visit to the Foundation Stone at the Multi-Purpose Complex, St Paul Street, East Dry River (August 7); a seminar themed Pan, Progress & Patent at Nalis, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain (August 5); Bad John Day, Defenders of the Pan at the bp Renegades Pan Theatre, Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain, (August 14); and, the Pan Trinbago Awards Function (August 12). 

The latter is a gala event, which for the first time since its inception, will be held in San Fernando, at the National Academy of the Performing Arts, South Campus, (Sapa). 

A number of contributors to the steelband movement will be honoured by their peers. 

Pan In De Countryside has been added to the programme and will take place on August 16 at Gilbert Park, Couva. 

Selected bands are Couva Joylanders, PSC Nitrogen Silver Stars, Skiffle, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps, Longdenville Claytones and Humming Bird Pan Groove. 

Independence Day brunches at various panyards/theatres also make up the August itinerary. Carded for Independence Day, August 31, these include Carib Woodbrook Playboyz, White Oak Starlift and CAL Invaders. 

Samaroo wins Panorama 

Amrit Samaroo won St Lucia Panorama championship last Friday night. The arranger for Trinidad’s Supernovas of Lopinot, this year’s National Panorama small bands champion, he arranged Dream Big, his own composition for Pan Times. Lyrics for the composition were penned by TC Brown. This is the second consecutive year that Pan Times has won the title. Last year the band won with Samaroo’s arrangement of It’s Pan Time, another original piece. 

Back at his Surrey Village home, Samaroo, son of legendary Renegades arranger Jit Samaroo, is up to his eyeballs in work in the Supernovas panyard preparing for busy month of August. 

Speaking to Pulse this week, Samaroo said: “It is a good feeling to win again. It’s been a long time I’ve been involved with pan in St Lucia, since 2005. I actually cut my teeth arranging for senior Panorama in St Lucia.” 

Supernovas, a relatively new steel orchestra, has been making waves in pan winning fans along the way. The band is managed by Anthony Samaroo and its vice captain is Caley Persad. 

Samaroo added: “I am doing some new music and preparing Supernovas for the hectic schedule ahead for Steelband Month. I didn’t actually leave for St Lucia as I was involved with the National Steel Symphony Orchestra for its Pan on the Higher Note concert on August 2-3 at Napa. 

“Beyond this, I am keen on retaining the small band championship title in 2015, as well as improve on the showings with my other two bands, Nostalgic and Melodians.”

Pan Trinbago Steelband Month agenda:

• August 3 (10 am) – Interfaith Service – Massy Trinidad All Stars Pan Theatre, Duke Street, Port-of-Spain; 

•August 3 (4 pm) - Laventille Steelband Festival – Eastern Main Road, Success Village, Laventille;

• August 5 (1 pm) – Seminar: Pan, Progress & Patent – Nalis, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain;

• August 7 (2 pm) – Visit to Foundation Stone – Multi-Purpose Complex, St Paul Street, Port-of-Spain;

• August 8 (8 pm) – Jit Samaroo Benefit Concert – Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain;

• August 9 (7 pm) – Arima Fest – Arima;

• August 12 (7 pm) – Pan Trinbago Awards –Southern Academy of the Performing Arts (Sapa), South Campus, cor Todd Street and Rienzi-Kirton Highway, San Fernando;

• August 13 (10 am) – Pan Trinbago Youth Boat Ride – Treasure Queen, Pier 2, Chaguaramas; 

• August 14 (7 pm) – Bad John Day (Defenders of the Pan) – bpTT Renegades Pan Theatre, Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain;

• August 15 (6 pm) – Northern Region Pan Lime – The Harvard, Serpentine Road, St James; 

• August 16 (5 pm) – Pan in the Countryside, feat Couva Joylanders, PSC Nitrogen Silver Stars, Skiffle, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps, Longdenville Claytones and Humming Bird Pan Groove – Gilbert Park, Couva;

• August 23 (8 am) – Pan on the Avenue;

• August 25-29 – Pan Exhibition – The Foyer, Central Bank, Independence Square, Port-of-Spain;

• August 30 (8 pm) – South/Central Region Chutney Competition – Petrotrin Sports Club, Pointe-a-Pierre;

• August 31 (7 am) – Independence Day Brunch – panyards of Carib Woodbrook Playboyz, CAL Invaders, White Oak Starlift; 

• September 1 (4 pm) – Independence Fiesta – Tragarete Road, Woodbrook.

New Fire In The Old Camp is an exciting new concert series which features the best of T&T’s non-mainstream and independent bands and musicians. 

On the first Thursday of every month, the stage at the De Nu Pub (formerly Mas Camp Pub) is set alight with live music. Orange Sky, Gillian Moor, West Indian Rhythm Konnection and Jointpop have already brought their brand of fire to the stage. 

A release from the organisers said New Fire At The Old Camp will present Hard Local, No Imports August 7, featuring Trinbagonian hip-hop artistes—Young Rudd, Da Face and Enginear, Mark Hardy, Frost Blaze, Mecasmiastic and St Ans. 

According to the release, there will be “No imported accents here, this is Trinbagonian hip hop and rap. Our stories, our rhythm, our flow—the continuation of our oral tradition.”

New Fire In The Old Camp is a series started by Gerry Anthony. His experience as a sound engineer and as a musician and his belief in the need for forums for artistes to have a space to communicate with a wider audience are some of the driving forces behind the series. 

The live interaction between audience and performer is a profound exchange and goes beyond simply experiencing the variety and depth of musical talent we have in Trinidad and Tobago. It is definite action to make our society better.

The New Fire series takes place on the first Thursday of the month at De Nu Pub, corner French Street and Ariapita Avenue, Port-of-Spain.

New Fire presents Hard Local on August 7

Show starts at 8 pm 

For more information, visit the Facebook page—New Fire.

For advance tickets, call 492-7516.
 

“Welcome aboard,” the sounds of passports being stamped and “please enjoy your stay” are some associations synonymous with travelling. With another busy travel period of the year is upon us the odds can be in favour of safe and incident-free travels, however the possibility can still arise where a traveller can be subjected to safety violations.  Travel safety and its importance can never be over-emphasised as it usually involves a sense of comfort while being in unfamiliar environments. Safety is next in line and becomes the dominant behaviour once our physical needs have been relatively satisfied, according to the late American psychologist Abraham Maslow. 

One of the most powerful yet ancient techniques a traveller can utilise is the foundation known as awareness and observation. Awareness simply means being observant of the present environment and its situations from time to time. It does not imply suspicion or paranoia to the point of cowering. This element basically entails that safety issues, threats and conditions do exist. Ignorance or denial of safety issues can make a person’s chances of quickly recognising and avoiding it highly unlikely. Bad things do happen. Denial, complacency and apathy can be very regrettable. Always remember awareness is an art which can be mastered over a period of time with a little practice and patience. Simply try this technique by filtering and zoning-in on one particular signal from a lot of noise on a busy tourist street, to increase observational skills.

Another element of awareness is in understanding the need to take responsibility for one’s own personal safety. This is most needed in tourist areas as these are the places where most of us want to be. These specially-designed areas allow us to feel welcome, relaxed and comfortable by offering popular sites, landmarks, restaurants and a cornucopia of fancy shops lining the sides of the streets. Feeling all relaxed can lead one almost to a point of complacency, and that is when the petty thieves like pickpockets will strike. Thieves do their research and are well aware that areas with high volume of travellers are associated with large sums of cash, mobile devices, cameras and other valuables. Of course, by no means should these areas be completely avoided. Simply heightening our vigilance metre up a couple of notches will assist in avoiding personal loss and pain.

Another important facet is learning to trust your gut or intuition. Many times a person’s subconscious can notice subtle signs of danger that the conscious mind has difficulty in quantifying or articulating. With every step you make you feel that you are being followed by someone who wants to deprive you of all your stuff. What is your plan of action if you think that you are being scoped-out or cased? Let your acting skills come into the spotlight, by immediately choosing a safe spot—move to the side as if you are checking the time on your wristwatch and not on your smart phone. In the absence of a wristwatch then contrive the motion of something else that you need to do—that familiar expression of “OMG, how could I forget to...” 

In this way, you can easily note the behaviour of the person out of the corner of your eyes. If the person changes his behavioural pattern and hangs around then immediately get yourself to safety—a shop, cafe, hotel or even a secured taxi to take you the rest of the way. Your gut instinct was likely spot on. Cheap as chips, one would say, is the cost of being certain in either situation. If travelling with a companion or group, agree beforehand on certain key phrases to be used which will be indicative of the course of actions to follow in such instances. Always remember on your next travel adventure to ask the question “What sort of dangers are likely present, and the harm which can be encountered?” With the information gained, conscientious decisions can then be made on the level of danger one is willing to face and how to prepare for it.

The very last thing one will expect while travelling is that of any undesirable outcomes which can have severe impact on your emotional, psychological, financial, physical and social well-being. The key is to keep safety in perspective and realise that through balance, it can be used as a lever for new engagements with stories to be told.

​Richard Smith,
Lecturer, CISPS 

Many live in denial, like the proverbial ostrich, electing to wish crises away! An article in the UK press informs: “Corruption is ultimately causing poverty. It’s poisoning our politics. It’s increasing the level of violence in our politics. It’s causing Kenya—despite all our growth, the shiny buildings, all the nice cars—to head towards failure.” This revelation just as easily applies to T&T. It provides much-needed impetus for continuing the war against this scourge, in defiance of the vultures, spin doctors and their political masters, who expect us to succumb, battle-fatigued. Any disposition to ignore “missteps” evaporates with the allegations enveloping the Life Sport Programme and similar misadventures, which instance the deep abyss into which we have stumbled. Clearly, neither complacency nor silence is the appropriate antidote for the viral plague infecting the land. 

Corruption is usually addressed by instituting legal/legislative measures that collectively affect the entire society. Undoubtedly, impending and proposed legislation and robust enforcement will impose checks on corruption; a necessary, but arguably, insufficient solution. Legislation serves as a deterrent to crime. But if people are lured into illegality either of their own volition or under compulsion, legislation alone is inadequate. Truth is, social ills are a function of the mindset of society. Accordingly, rampant corruption “…is a reflection of character deficit of the people…” 
Except perhaps for threats to survival, corruption mirrors personal character flaws in us, not corrected solely by strong anti-corruption law. Meaningful change also requires comprehensive reform of personal and societal character. Citizens need to recommit to ethics, morality and values in personal and public affairs! They must honestly and openly discuss ways of reviving application of the enduring, universal principles guiding personal conduct. Some are fairly simple, coming naturally to those who obey their conscience: do onto others as you would have them do onto you; as a mutually dependent member of society, you must think beyond self. These provide great insight: “… if you want yourself to benefit then you must do so through others.”

The country is withering under pervasive corruption, evidenced in damage to the social fabric, erosion of trust and shared values and deterioration of services. Critically too, our institutions are collapsing and being compromised. Moreover, worrying links are revealed as crime and corruption become deeply rooted: corruption sustains criminality which, in turn, protects the corrupt.  
Government, Opposition, private sector, media, CSOs and general public must coalesce in an alliance of the willing, to curb the blight of corruption and attendant criminality and violence wreaking havoc across the land.

Elements of a plan of action include: Government and Opposition collaborating on legislative reform to establish/strengthen legal and institutional frameworks and social sector interventions; private enterprise adopting a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, with measures covering gift-giving, whistle-blowing, promoting fair competition and advocacy for robust public anti-corruption infrastructure; media serving as checks and balances on actions of Government and business, providing public access to information and investigating acts of corruption; CSOs networking to promote public awareness and advocacy and build a national constituency for restoring and sustaining ethics, morality and values in personal and public affairs. But corruption is mitigated only when informed, vigilant citizens act. They must know how their government functions and the rules and regulations governing its decisions and actions. This openness will also bolster legitimacy. 

Winston R Rudder,
Petit Valley.

As a frequent traveller on the water taxi from San Fernando to Port-of-Spain, it is becoming a nuisance now that the air-conditioning of some of the vessels in operation are not functioning. What is Nidco doing about this? Could someone please tell me?

Sonia Rees,
San Fernando.