She was among the 11 students who graduated from the University of T&T’s Caribbean Academy of Fashion Design on June 22. Genieve Prescod is a young woman with a passion for fashion.
Over the past four years, Prescod and the other students pursued studies in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. At the graduation, each student was required to present a mini collection in which they unveiled six concepts before the large audience. The event was aptly titled Beyond Limits. Prescod’s collection was Tenebras Circum. She later spoke to Sunday Vibe and shared her passion, vision and mission for the local fashion industry.

Q: What or who made you study design?
A: I’ve always had an interest in artistic and creative fields of study. Of all the various creative fields, fashion design was the most appealing to me.

How would you describe your designs?
My designs are edgy and unique with a sophisticated touch, and attention to detail.

Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration in everything, but I am mainly inspired by the Victorian-era fashion and Japanese street fashion, such as the “visual kei” and “lolita” styles.

Do you have a style/fashion icon?
Although I do not really look to any particular person as a style/fashion icon that I would emulate or draw inspiration from, I do admire the personal style of Amy Lee of Evanescence.

Are there designers that influence your style?
Seth Aaron Henderson and Alexander.

What is your approach to a collection?
Inspiration! Research! Brainstorm! When I am inspired by something, I research it thoroughly, collecting information and reference pictures. Then, using what I have learned, I envision a fashion story based on that inspiration and brainstorm various designs until I come up with the design elements I think suit the story best. Once I have found the elements I like best for that story, I then work towards designing a cohesive collection based on those elements to portray the story of my inspiration.

What are your favourite colours, colour combinations and textiles?
I always get teased about patriotism for this, but my absolute favourite colour combination is red, black and white. My favourite individual colours would be black, red, pink and purple. As for fabrics, I have an intense love for leather or anything resembling leather. I also fall easily in love with anything that has a houndstooth print, pattern or texture.

How do you define your personal sense of style?
My personal sense of style is somewhat gothic, but also fun and flirty. My style reflects the various sides of my personality, and I often dress to reflect my mood.

New to the business, what motivates you?
I am mainly motivated by the ability to create. It’s an amazing feeling to envision something and watch it come to life before your eyes as you work toward creating something new that no one else has created. It’s an even more amazing feeling when those creations are acknowledged and appreciated by others.

To your mind, what are the most important elements to consider when it comes to designing?
Originality and wearability! When I design something, I’m always trying to find ways to make it different to what’s always available. In that pursuit, however, I tend to go overboard at times, so I always try to remember that even though I want the garments I’m creating to be original works of art, they are still meant to be worn and as such, they need to be functional garments, as well as art.

What is the next step for you?
My next step would be working to improve my skills while designing custom orders. I also intend on looking into a fashion internship either locally or abroad to do more hands-on learning within the fashion industry.

The idea for a National Philharmonic Orchestra was birthed seven years ago—then petered out in 2010 amidst controversy over foreign musicians being paid millions to join; expensive pianos finding their way into private homes; and criticism about its necessity. The Government quietly rebooted it a year ago on a test basis with 29 musicians who rehearsed for months and gave an invitation-only performance at the Little Carib Theatre in December. The orchestra gave its second performance on July 25, sharing the Napa stage with another invitation-only audience, leaving the main auditorium empty. Its first public performance is scheduled for August 26 at the same venue.

The 27 musicians—far fewer than what typically makes up a philharmonic orchestra, which may have about 100 members—played an adaptation of David Rudder’s 1990, sandwiched between Mozart and Beethoven. It was composed by the orchestra’s musical director/conductor Dr Roger Henry with the help of the musicians. He called it “an experiment” with “a lot of mistakes.” “The process that we started with is the musicians saying, ‘Roger, that really isn’t going to work. We need to do it this way’,” he explained to the audience at the end of the piece. “This is part of the process that making music is about.”

He exhorted the audience—made up of government officials and others who are involved in the arts—to join in a similar process to develop and grow the orchestra. Back in 2011, Henry, an assistant professor at UTT and assistant musical director with the Marionettes Chorale, responded (via letter to the editor) to pan icon Nestor Sullivan, who criticised the suggested orchestra in a letter of his own. Nestor decried the spending of large sums of taxpayers’ money on “colonial” music instead of our own—pan. “The honourable members of Cabinet should recognise that we are the masters of our own new instrument, the steelband, we are second to none... best in the world,” Sullivan wrote. 

In his energetic response, Henry wrote: “Trinidad music did not pop into existence with the discovery of the pan. This country is heir to an extensive, expansive heritage of music in the Western tradition… We own that tradition—we are part of it. “Our national anthem says, ‘Here every creed and race find an equal place.’ So let Western music have its place, and don't be a player hater. There is room for everybody,” he wrote. In an interview earlier this year with the Guardian, Henry once again made the argument that Western culture is also T&T culture. “The most important reason why a philharmonic orchestra is necessary is because we have musicians who want to play in one,” he said. “The violin has been around since before the pan. There are people in Japan who have made the pan their own,” he added. “There’s nothing wrong with us taking the violin and making it our own. These are our instruments. This is our culture.” At the July 25 performance director of culture Ingrid Ryan-Ruben said part of the purpose of the orchestra is to provide local musicians with opportunities and options.

Producing better music
“I want people to see the philharmonic, not from the point of view of a European thing that we putting together,” she said. “This is going to hone the skills of our musicians and help us to produce better music that will last a longer time. “When this becomes a part of the palette that is available, people have choices,” she added. “And we want our young people who are musicians to have choices.” Asked about concerns that the orchestra could follow the fate of Divine Echoes, the big-band ensemble established by Prime Minister Patrick Manning when the PNM was last in power and dismantled by the current People’s Partnership Government, she pointed to the seven-year-old National Steel Symphony Orchestra.

That orchestra has been able to survive, she said, partly through connection with audiences. “When people hear them, see them and experience them, we build the kind of credibility that causes the public to say, ‘No, you can’t end this. This is too important to us’,” she said. Francis Pau, a music teacher who plays French horn in the orchestra, said there’s a long way to go to before T&T has a full orchestra of international standard. “We need music in the schools—really starting at primary and secondary level,” he said. “Here we have the programmes at a tertiary level, but we don’t have the feeder programmes into it.” “There are not enough people who have gone into the music profession,” said Pau, because of the lack of regular employment for musicians. “It’s really been just gigs.” But Pau said a small start is enough. “You don’t need to have big orchestras,” he said. “The important thing is to be making music.” 

​Marcia Henville has become known for her gritty reporting from the nation’s crime hot spots, once even putting herself in the midst of a violent confrontation between police and residents of Picton, Laventille. Now Henville is helping to bring the true-to-life repercussions of crime to filmmaking. She’s co-producing a movie—currently being shot—about drug trafficking in T&T. Sean Hodgkinson—who made the well-received short film A Story About Wendy—is the writer and director of Trafficked. 

Henville was among the cast of A Story About Wendy and its sequel, which premiered recently at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. Trafficked tells the tale of three 20-something-year-old friends vacationing in the Caribbean who find themselves in trouble after being wooed into doing a favour for a local man they befriended. The film is based on real-life stories told on the popular radio programme Eye on Dependency.

Hodgkinson said Trafficked is two-thirds complete and is expected to be between 40-50 minutes long. He expects shooting to wrap up this month. The filmmakers—part of a company called Quirky Films—are going to try to get it into various international film festivals before premiering it in T&T next year, said Hodgkinson. He said funding has been one of the challenges in making the film. First Citizens Bank, the Ministry of Tourism and the National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme have so far stepped up to the plate. 

“Trafficked is a cautionary tale. We've all seen Locked Up Abroad. But what happens when the story is about our own people, who look like us and sound like us?” said Hodgkinson via e-mail. 
“So I hope that we can educate and inform Trinis about the dangers of narco-trafficking and I really hope that someone from Caribbean Airlines is reading this so they can put the film on one of their 12 empty channels!” he added.  

Trafficked is one of many local films that are in different stages of production this year. The Sunday Arts Section will be looking at some of them over the coming weeks.

A silver and two bronze medals, a nice haul for T&T on the final day of track and field at the Commonwealth Games at the Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow in Scotland. Keshorn Walcott came in second in the javelin event, while both men’s relay teams placed third in their respective finals. Walcott, known for coming good early, tossed the javelin 82.13 metres in his first attempt to take control after the first round.

He remained in the lead for the next round until Julius Kiplangat of Kenya heaved the spear 83.87 metres into the rainy skies, which eventually won him the gold on a wet and slippery track due to the rainy weather all day. “The conditions obviously weren’t the best so to get silver is pretty good for me, especially with last year. It’s been tough and to come back and win silver is great,” said the 2012 London Olympic champion. Walcott came close in his final attempt but it landed at a distance of 82.67. “I put a lot of pressure on myself with the last throw unfortunately I couldn’t reach him. “This is my second senior medal and obviously I always wanted better for this competition but I’m happy with the silver.” Back on the track, Jamaica dominated both the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays.

T&T team of Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Rondel Sorrillo and Marc Burns combined for a time of 38.10 seconds to finish third, behind a Usain Bolt led Jamaican team, who won in 37.58 in the feature race of the night. At the sound of “on your marks” from the starter, the packed house went silent and even the rain paused, awaiting the blast that sent off one of the quickest relay races in the Games 20-year history. After some neat exchanges from Jason Livermore to Kemar Bailey-Cole, to Nickel Ashmeade to Bolt, the Jamaicans set the pace of the relay and notched a Commonwealth record of 37.58. The old record (38.20) was set by England, 16 years ago at the Kuala Lumpur Games. T&T too had some precise interchanges with Bledman leading off the red, white and black, handing over to Burns then onto Sorrillo and finally to Thompson, who ran a brilliant fourth leg. Bolt had pulled ahead and it was T&T and England battling for the second place. It was the Englishmen though, finished just ahead of the local boys in second place in a time of 38.02 seconds.

“Underperforming in the 100m, I felt as though I owed T&T something. We could have won two medals there,” said a much happier Thompson, after the race. “We are still not fully satisfied with a bronze medal we felt that we could have done better but we give God thanks and praise for the medal.” “We hope we can build on this for world championship next year and Rio (Brazil Olympics) in 2016. We just have to keep pushing and hopefully we will get more medals in the future.” Bledman too, was heartbroken after failing to reach the 100m medal race. He said, “This medal is for my daughter. I felt like I disappointed her in 100m so this medal is for her.”

Earlier, Lalonde Gordon won his second medal of the Games, guiding the men’s 4x400m team that included Jarrin Solomon, Renny Quow and Zwede Hewitt to bronze also. “We came out wanting to get gold, but you can’t always win so we we’re happy with bronze,” said Solomon, who produced a great second leg, taking the lead on the straight to hand over to Quow. “The changeovers went okay. On the third to the fourth le we fell on the rail, which slowed us a little,” Quow held on to the lead into the third leg and after the final exchange to Hewitt, he slipped and fell onto the track. This hindered Hewitt somewhat but he stayed out front with both England’s Matthew Hudson-Smith and Chris Brown of the Bahamas on his heels. The duo chased him down and overtook Hewitt with under 200 metres to go.

Hudson-Smith went on to pilot England to the gold in 3:00.46 and Bahamas stayed on for the silver in 3:00.51. In the women’s 4x100 relays, T&T’s team of Deborah John, Reyare Thomas, Lisa Wickham and Kamaria Durant placed eighth in 44.78. Jamaica's team of Kerron Stewart, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Schillonie Calvert and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the gold medal bettering the Games’ record. Nigeria took silver (42.92) and England (43.10) the Bronze. Jamaica also dominated the women’s 4x400, copping gold in 3:23.82, another Games’ record. T&T’s quartet of Shawna Fermin, Domonique Williams, Janeil Bellille and Romona Modeste placed sixth in 3:33.50. Second was Nigeria in 3:24.71 and England was third in 3:27.24. T&T ends the Games with eight medals–three silver and five bronze–much of which came from track and field. Also winning medals were shot-putter Cleopatra Borel (silver), hurdler Jehue Gordon (silver), Ayanna Alexander (bronze) and boxer Michael Alexander (bronze).

Clinical! The only word that could have described the T&T Red Steel performance yesterday, as they romped to their sixth win of the 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament, against the St Lucia Zouks. Thousands left the picturesque Beausejour Cricket Stadium unhappy, as T&T Red Steel easily chased down 118 runs for victory, winning by eight wickets. There was an early stutter with the loss of the in-form Kevin O’Brien for nine but after that it was basically a walk in the park. Evin Lewis smacked 59 and Ross Taylor 35 not out to take the Red Steel to 12 points and keep them atop the standings.

The left-hander Lewis, playing his first season in the CPL, was as audacious as ever. He signalled his intentions early with a disdainful pull of Tino Best for six and then slapped Ray Jordan over point for another. He and Taylor batted under little or no pressure, as Zouks captain Darren Sammy could not attack too much with such a small target to defend. Lewis, in the meantime, took advantage to crack his third half century off 34 balls, with four sixes and two fours. Soon after he reached the landmark, he celebrated by landing the largest six (105m) of the tournament and in the process brought up the 100-run mark in 12 overs. He finally fell just before the victory was sealed for 59 runs off 39 balls with five sixes and three fours. Taylor played a very professional knock and got his runs from 39 balls with a six and two fours.

Bravo called correctly at the toss and decided to take first use of an excellent cricket pitch. With the pacy Shannon Gabriel in the mix for his first game, Bravo threw the white missile to him and left him to do his thing. He delivered on his fifth ball, having the dangerous Johnson Charles caught brilliantly by Ross Taylor at first slip. The Kiwi went airborne to pluck a one-handed catch without a run on the board. Gabriel would then follow up with another wicket in his following over, sending back South African Henry Davids for one, courtesy a catch by wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran. With the Zouks on the back foot, Bravo kept on his main man Samuel Badree and he completed four overs unnoticed for just ten runs. His efforts were reflected in the fact that when the Busta cart came on with the drinks at the ten-over halfway stage, only 42 runs were on the board for the loss of two wickets. 

Andre Fletcher, the man of the series for the West Indies in their recent T20 series against Bangladesh, was in and a lot depended on him. However, he just could not find his timing and struggled to 24 before Kevon Cooper ended his worries. He faced 36 balls and struck just three fours. Local hero Darren Sammy was next in and the crowd as they usually do here, started to shout their obscene chant, hoping to spur on their man. It did not work and soon Dwayne Bravo was doing the best El Dorado celebration you can get, as Sammy was snapped up by Taylor. International Roelof van der Merwe then played around one from Cooper and saw his timbers rearranged and at 65 for five the crowd was taken out of the game. They did, however, come to life for a short while after, when the Pakistani Sohail Tanvir was middling some but when Taylor pouched his fourth catch, to equal the world record for catches by an outfielder in T20 cricket, they went silent again. Tanvir smashed 18 off 14 balls and with him went the final hopes for the home team. Gabriel ended with 3/20, Dwayne Bravo 3/33 and Cooper 3/26.

Scoreboard
T&T Red Steel vs St. Lucia Zouks

Zouks inns
J Charles c Taylor b Gabriel    0
H Davids c Pooran b Gabriel    2
A Fletcher c Taylor b Cooper    24
K Lesporis c&b Gabriel    22
D Sammy c Taylor b Bravo    5
R van der Merwe  b Cooper    1
S Tanvir c Taylor b Bravo    18
M Mathew c O’Brien b Benn    7
L Sebastien no out    3
T Best c DM Bravo b DJ Bravo    11
R Jordan b Cooper    9
Extras b4, lb4, w7    15
Total all out (19.5ovs)    117
Fall of wkts: 0, 5, 49, 63, 65, 67, 88, 95, 108,    
Bowling: S Gabriel 4-0-20-3 (2w), S Badree 4-0-10-0, S Benn 4-0-20-1, DJ Bravo 4-0-33-3 (4w), K Cooper 3.5-0-26-3 (1w).

Red Steel inns
K O’Brien c Sammy b Jordan    9
E Lewis c Charles b Jordan    59
R Taylor not out    35
N Pooran not out    7
Extras w8, nb1    1
Total 2 wkts (14.5ovs)    119
Fall of wkts: 19, 108. 
Bowling: S Tanvir 2-0-11-0, T Best 2-0-20-0 (2w), R Jordan 3-0-25-2 (1nb, 2w), M Mathew 3.5-0-21-0 (2w), L Sebastien 3-0-30-0 (2w), R van der Merwe 1-0-12-0.

Result: T&T Red Steel won by 8 wkts.
Man of the match: Shannon Gabriel
 

The possibility of a T&T representative cricket team playing in Cuba for the first time may soon be a reality. This after T&T’s Ambassador to Cuba Jennifer Jones-Kernahan paid a recent courtesy call on president of the T&T Cricket Board Azim Bassarath at his office at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva. Ambassador Jones-Kernahan said that though the sport cannot match the popularity of baseball, cricket is immensely popular in Cuba and is supported by the government.

She said the town of Guantanamo, better known for the US military base on the island is also a focus of cricket activities ranging from school level to organised competitions which are continuing to attract more participants. More than eight months ago the T&T diplomatic representative said she formed the Ambassador’s Club comprising colleagues from the Caribbean and other countries where the game is popular like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Great Britain and also including non-resident ambassadors of Australia and New Zealand. She said the effort also involved and received great support from the Cuban institute of Sport who has recognised that cricket continues to live in the hearts of descendants of West Indians who travelled to Cuba to work and live. 

She said a measure of the importance that cricket is being treated in Cuba is the fact that a representative side from the Cuba Institute of Sport recently made a successful tour of St Vincent and the Grenadines. “Cricket in Cuba is on the upswing. Our objective is to support and promote the sport, to provide information, technical support and equipment and in this regard has solicited the help of the T&TCB,” said the ambassador. She said that during her conversation with T&TCB president Bassarath, she mentioned that cricket as a tool to create greater integration between Cuba and T&T was first initiated by wellknown economist Dr Lloyd Best, now deceased.

Ambassador Jones-Kernahan said in 1999 Dr Best had submitted a proposal for a cricket project to officials in Guantanamo and also provided support and assistance in the form of equipment, gear and information and is well-respected there because of this sport initiative. She said the process of social integration will continue when she returns to her posting in Havana when together with the Cuba institute of Sport, will host a national tournament on September 26, 27 and 28 involving at least nine teams competing in ten-over matches.

KINGSTON—Andre Russell blasted a huge six off the last ball of the game to crown an amazing half-century, as Jamaica Tallawahs snatched an exciting six-wicket victory over Guyana Amazon Warriors, in the Caribbean Premier League yesterday. In a rematch of last season’s final, the defending champions Tallawahs chased down 138 to pull off a win that seemed unlikely when they slipped to 62 for four in the 14th over, with the required run rate climbing to nearly 14 an over. Russell, however, changed the course of the game with an amazing, unbeaten 58 from just 24 balls, with three fours and six towering sixes. His most important blows came from the last two balls of the Sabina Park contest, with Tallawahs needing ten to wins, after seamer Jimmy Neesham had conceded just three runs from the first four deliveries of the final over.

Russell creamed the fifth ball, a full toss, over cover for four and with six needed from the final delivery, smote a length ball several rows back over long-on, to ignite frenzied celebrations among the packed house. The right-hander put an invaluable 76 for the fifth wicket with Owais Shah who struggled for his unbeaten 21 from 28 deliveries, including a six. Pakistani off-spinner Mohammed Hafeez bowled brilliantly, taking two for 13 from his four overs to strangle the Tallawahs top order and account for captain Chris Gayle for 22 from 23 balls and Jermaine Blackwood for six.

Opener Chadwick Walton had earlier skied a return catch to left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie to fall for five in the third over with the score on 15, and when Australian Adam Voges holed out in the deep off off-spinner Steven Jacobs for 12 in the 14th over, Amazon Warriors were fancying their chances. Entered Russell to transform the game. He cleared the ropes at mid-wicket with left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul for his first scoring shot and Shah joined him two balls later, whipping the bowler over long on for another six, as the over leaked 16 runs.

Russell then ripped apart fast bowler Ronsford Beaton in the 17th over that went for 19 runs, smashing sixes from the first two balls before clipping a stray one backward of square for four.
With 27 needed from the last two overs, Russell drove Santokie straight for four and then lifted his countryman over long-on for a massive six, before staging his heroics in the final over. Earlier, Amazon Warriors stuttered to 137 for nine off their 20 overs after they were sent in, with Neesham top-scoring with 35 and opener Lendl Simmons getting 34. Fast bowler Jerome Taylor was once again superb, taking thee for 14 from his four overs while seamer Rusty Theron finished with two for 38. Amazon Warriors failed to find partnerships, with a 40-run, sixth wicket stand between Neesham and Chris Barnwell (23), being their best. (CMC)

AMAZON WARRIORS 137 for nine off 20 overs (Jimmy Neesham 35, Lendl Simmons 34, Chris Barnwell 23; Jerome Taylor 3-14, Rusty Theron 2-38)

TALLAWAHS 138 for four off 20 overs (Andre Russell 58 not out, Chris Gayle 22, Owais Shah 21 not out; Mohammed Hafeez 2-13)

Already without the services of regular setter Renele Forde, T&T senior women volleyballers will have to make do with the unavailability of former captain, Romanian-based, Krystle Esdelle for the 15th Senior Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (Cazova) Championship. The left-handed opposite, who turned 30 on Emancipation Day (Friday last) and also played professionally in Germany and France decided to retire from the national team after almost nine years with the senior squad, paving the way for Afeisha Olton to be drafted into the 12-member squad for the premier Caribbean tournament which serves off tomorrow (Monday August 4) until Sunday August 10 at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo.

Contacted for comment, recently appointed head coach Nicholson Drakes hailed Esdelle’s impact over the years with the team and noted she would be a hard act to follow. Drakes, who has been part of the team as an assistant to former Cuban-born coach Francisco “Panchee” Cruz’ for eight years said the South-born Esdelle was already expected to miss the tournament as she was expected to undergo surgery for an injured left shoulder. The injury hampered her effectiveness greatly during the just concluded  FIVB Women’s World Championship Final Round qualifiers in which T&T fell to Mexico in the decider with a spot in Italy up for grabs at the University of the West Indies Sports and Physical Educational Centre, St Augustine.
Two years ago in St Croix, US Virgin Islands, Esdelle was voted as the Cazova Championship “Most Valuable Player” after she led T&T to its fifth overall crown and fourth straight, 25-16, 25-19, 25-12 over Barbados. 

With regards to the void left by Esdelle and the absence of Forde, who is still some two weeks away from returning to training from her injured leg, Drakes said: “There are one or two players who will have to step up and may be able to do a decent enough job as we know we will have to make a few adjustments. He added, “We have two youngsters in Marisha Herbert and Makila York who I know are eager to get a chance at this level to show their worth while we also have the versatile and experienced Darlene Ramdin as another option in Esdelle’s position. Asked the team’s state of mind after losing out to Mexico with a historic spot in Italy as stake, the T&T coach admitted that not all the players had gotten over the disappointment. “There are a few players who took the loss more than some, but at the same time Cazova is another tournament all by itself and as a team we all have to move forward. We cannot dwell on the past, said Drakes.

Drakes, who will be in charge of the team for the first time at Cazova level will also be eager to improve on T&T’s record of finishing second at home in 2002 after losing to Barbados in the final, and third in 1993 as well, with Barbados again the winners at the Jean Pierre Complex, The local women dubbed the “Calypso Spikers”, will enter the five-team tournament as the four-time defending champions and five-time winners overall, the first being in 1996 in St Croix under the leadership of deceased Maria Lera. The last four titles won by T&T were claimed under the guidance of Cruz, who resigned last month on the eve of the World qualifiers at UWI SPEC. Also in the mix will be six-time champion Barbados (1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000 & 2002), Bahamas, Jamaica and Suriname.

The five teams wil compete  in a round-robin series at the end of which the top two teams will contest the final while the third and four placed teams, battle for bronze. Missing out on the women’s tournament for various reasons are US Virgin Islands (USVI), the beaten finalist on home soil in 2012, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Haiti. Today, the local women’s team will holding a  training session from 6 am to 9 am at the tournament venue ahead of the start of its title defence against rivals Barbados tomorrow from 6 pm. The winner of the women’s competition will qualify to the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (Norceca) Continental Championships next year as well as Pan American Cup events. T&T senior women’s team: Jalicia Ross-Kydd, Channon Thompson, Kelly-Anne Billingy, Sinead Jack, Marisha Herbert, Darlene Ramdin, Rheeza Grant (libero), Courtnee-mae Clifford, Makila York, Aisha Sealy-Morrison, Abby Blackman, Afeisha Olton, 

DETAILS
Tournament groups:
Women: T&T, Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname

Today (Sunday August 3rd):
8 am - 11am: Preliminary Inquiry - Cascadia Hotel
6 pm - Welcome reception - Cascadia Hotel
8pm - Technical Meeting - Cascadia Hotel

Women’s Cazova fixtures:
Tomorrow (Monday August 4):
Women: Jamaica vs Suriname, 3 pm
Opening Ceremony, 5pm
Women: T&T vs Barbados, 6pm

Tuesday August 5:
Women: T&T vs Suriname, 8 pm

Wednesday August 6:
Women: Barbados vs Jamaica, 4 pm

Thursday August 7:
Women: Bahamas vs Barbados, 6pm
Women: T&T vs Jamaica, 8pm

Friday August 8:
Women: Barbados vs Jamaica, 2 pm
Women: T&T vs Bahamas, 8pm

Saturday August 9:
Women: Barbados vs Jamaica, 2 pm
Women: Bahamas vs Suriname, 4pm

Sunday August 10:
Women: Third place playoff, 12 noon
Women: Final, 6 pm

Just months after TSTT recorded a loss of more than $500 million for the financial year ended March 2014, acting CEO George Hill says is confident the company can earn profits of more than $100 million by the end of the financial year

Hill announced a recovery in the telecommunication company’s bottom line during a recent breakfast meeting with business and technology journalists at TSTT’s Edward Street office. He said at the end of the first quarter for the current financial year, the company was on target with its five-year strategic plan for financial and operational milestones. 

The strategic plan identified infrastructure, automation and organisation transformation as key pillars for moving the company towards strong profitability through targeted growth and operational efficiencies. “When we look at what we are trying to achieve based on our strategic plan, we took a decision to absorb the exceptional one-off costs in the first year which resulted in the loss, with the understanding that if we stayed on plan, we will begin to see tangible operational and financial improvements from year two of the plan,” Hill said.

He said unaudited results of TSTT’s first quarter performance show that revenue growth and cost reductions are in line with the plan. The acting CEO said an integral part of the company’s organisational transformation is the voluntary separation programme. “It was a necessary one-time cost which will streamline the company, resulting in greater efficiency and profits in the future,” said Hill, adding that the company treated the separation of its employees as more than just a matter of taking a cheque and leaving. 

“The separation of someone from an institution must be treated with dignity and respect. Some of the employees leaving have anywhere between 2- 40 years of service, so each month, we host a farewell reception for staff leaving in that month to thank them, because we recognise the importance of their service and the things they have done for the company.” 

He said TSTT has been able to follow through with its commitment to improving its network infrastructure which includes changing out parts of its copper plant to fibre optics  to maximise the utility of the company’s core IP network. Major fibre optic and wireless broadband projects have been put in motion. 

Underserved communities will be able to receive wireless broadband access using LTE (Long-Term Evolution) Technology. Wireless broadband in communities such as in Sangre Chiquito, Rancho Quemado, Cheeyou and Golden Lane allows the Company to better cater for the needs of customers now and in the future. Several projects are being rolled out as the year progresses and Hill explained that the plan includes raising $1.5 billion in financing. 

“The strength of the company’s balance sheet was evident from the number of companies that expressed serious interest in brokering this financing which we hope to conclude in August,” he said.

KINGSTON—In releasing unaudited Group results for the period ending June 30, GraceKennedy Group CEO, Don Wehby is reporting that for the first half of the year, the Group achieved revenues of $37.2 billion, a 13.9 per cent or $4.5 billion increase over the corresponding period of 2013. Net profit attributable to owners of the company increased by $286.3 million or 20.6 per cent compared to the corresponding period of 2013, increasing from $1,392.8 million to $1,679.1 million. 

GK Foods Division recorded strong revenue growth, driven particularly by international growth in the UK and US markets. The foundation for further growth in the US was laid on July 18, with the acquisition of the assets and the brands of La Fe Foods Inc. The acquisition was through GK’s wholly owned subsidiary, GraceKennedy Foods (USA) LLC. 

The Division also made another significant step toward further growth, exporting pepper mash produced at its Grace Agro processing Plant in Hounslow, St Elizabeth. The Financial Services Division recorded mixed results during the period. 

Overall market activity resulted from trading in 13 securities of which two advanced, seven declined and four traded firm. Trading activity on the first tier market registered a volume of 51,117 shares crossing the floor of the Exchange valued at $1,373,348.97. 

Sagicor Financial Corporation was the volume leader with 12,500 shares changing hands for a value of $83,075, followed by Guardian Holdings Ltd with a volume of 11,000 shares being traded for $157,300. National Flour Mills contributed 9,834 shares with a value of $10,325.70, while Republic Bank Ltd added 7,666 shares valued at $935,142.14.

National Flour Mills Ltd enjoyed the day’s largest gain, increasing $0.05 to end the day at $1.05. Conversely, Scotiabank T&T Ltd suffered the day’s greatest loss, falling $0.52 to close at $66.22. Clico Investment Fund was the only active security on the mutual fund market, posting a volume of 8,544 shares valued at $183,775.40. It declined by $0.19 to end at $21.51.

Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Margaret Chan says the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa is spreading faster than efforts to control it. The outbreak, which began in Guinea in March and has spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, is the most severe in recorded history in terms of the number of human cases and fatalities, with an estimated 1440 cases and 826 deaths as of July 30. 

Her concern is in sharp and disturbing contrast to the confidence expressed by Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan that T&T’s healthcare system is fully prepared to deal with an outbreak here with surveillance systems, including thermal cameras, already in place at ports of entry.

Like the Chikungunya virus which has spread to T&T and other countries of the Caribbean after several decades in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, there is great potential for the Ebola virus—which has a 90 per cent mortality rate—to spread to this part of the world.

http://www.guardian.co.tt/digital/new-members

“Am I smart because I breastfeed or do I breastfeed because I am smarter?” The evidence is there for all to see. Breastfeeding makes humans smarter. Adults who were breastfed as children consistently score two to five points higher on cognitive development indicators. Breastfeeding is also associated with higher educational achievement. College-educated mothers breastfeed their babies much more than less educated moms. Countries with a higher level of development have higher breastfeeding rates.  

Are those mothers and countries smarter because they breastfeed or do they breastfeed because they are smarter? In 2000, world leaders agreed to a plan to fight poverty and promote healthy and sustainable development at UN Headquarters in New York. To this end, eight goals, called the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs, were set up to determine progress. These goals were supposed to have been achieved by next year, 2015.

Fat chance.

Anyone who listens to BBC radio will know that although much progress has been made, there is much to be done. Poverty has decreased but one in eight children still go to bed hungry. In the USA, child poverty is actually on the rise and the official figure is that one in four kids are living in families below the poverty line.

In the last two decades global child mortality has decreased by 40 per cent but almost seven million children under five die each year from preventable diseases like gastro, pneumonia, polio and measles. While under-nutrition still affects about a quarter of all children, overweight/obesity is becoming more common.  

http://www.guardian.co.tt/digital/new-members

I am largely a hermit these days. I am, at age 40, happier in my bed than in a fete. Unfortunately this craving for solitude and quiet extends beyond fetes to pubs, wine bars, restaurants and house limes. Just about the only thing I like and can be counted on to do is go to church. 

It’s an inconvenient condition, this being a hermit. Take for instance the roti column, which as you would imagine can’t be written from my bed. (Well, it can be written from my bed, but not researched there.) I have to actually get out of the house and drive somewhere to buy roti. Having promised to go South or Central, I tried to badger myself into doing that. 

I heard about a promising roti shop close to the Piarco airport, which has superlatively fluffy paratha—or so its putative owner was allegedly overheard to boast at the Hyatt recently. (And before you ask, I wasn’t the one at the Hyatt.)

http://www.guardian.co.tt/digital/new-members

I heard the Minister of Health, Dr Fuad Khan, reassuring citizens of this twin-island state that our health care system is fully prepared to deal with an outbreak of the Ebola virus. I am not sure what to make of this gentleman’s statement; of how to respond. I thought in this land of comedy, where everything is a big joke, Dr Khan had to be joking. But why would he joke with something so serious? 

Then again, he never came across as someone with a great sense of humour. So this gentleman had to be serious. Our healthcare system is ready to deal with an outbreak of the Ebola virus? How ridiculous is one allowed to get before it borders on insult? 

Chills run up my spinal cord to think that this gentleman actually believes this. I am more than a bit confused. Is this the same healthcare system which is unable to properly diagnose a mosquito bite, and takes weeks to determine dengue; or deal with a scorpion sting?

Is this the same system which leaves an assortment of instruments/tools in patients after an operation, misdiagnoses patients, has people waiting for days for a bed, while sleeping on the floor, has patients living in the hospital for years, burning babies with hot water bottles, has corpses rotting in rooms; never having any medication—save for Panadol; has interns anxiously performing C-sections on everyone, while cutting into the head of the unborn?

Is this the same healthcare system where expensive pieces of equipment go walking out the door with no one ever being charged? Is this the same healthcare system whose record-keeping system the same minister agreed was in a mess as in the case with Amy Annamunthodo? Is this the one where nurses and hospital workers stay away from time to time because of the unsanitary and unsafe working conditions?

Is this the same health sector that Prof Courtenay Bartholomew speaks of from time to time in his articles?  The one where we have to import medical staff from Cuba, many of whom are unable to speak English fluently with the population which they serve? 

The Ebola virus, from my understanding, sir, has a 90 per cent fatality rate. No one wishes that to enter any country; least of all T&T. Like the rest of this nation, I am aware that our healthcare system is not ready for a jep sting, despite the billions having been spent there over the years.  

Dr Khan, sometimes some things are better left unsaid. You are not legally required to respond each time a microphone appears in your face. It is quite acceptable to say “no comment.” Such a response is quite safe and saves embarrassment—providing that one has some iota of shame. As a politician, with your party on the ropes, I know it is difficult to avoid publicity; but making irresponsible statements in pubic is unethical and unprofessional. 

Your political career is on the brink, from which you will need to pick yourself up and move on, as a medical professional. Do so with a sense of dignity! In the meanwhile, do not attempt to insult the intelligence of a nation.

Rudy Chato Paul Sr
D’Abadie

NEW YORK—Professional networking service LinkedIn has agreed to pay nearly US$6 million in unpaid wages and damages to 359 current and former employees, the Labour Department said . 

The US Department of Labour said an investigation found LinkedIn Corp  in violation of overtime and record-keeping rules that are part of the federal Fair Labour Standards Act. It said the violations occurred at company branches in California, Illinois, Nebraska and New York. Mountain View, California-based LinkedIn said in a statement that it was “eager to work closely with the (Labour Department) to quickly and equitably rectify this situation. This was a function of not having the right tools in place for a small subset of our sales force to track hours properly; prior to the (Labour Department) approaching us, we had already begun to remedy this.”

The company agreed to pay the back wages once it was notified of the violations and to take steps to prevent them from happening again. Federal law requires that hourly employees get paid 1.5 times their regular hourly rates for hours they work beyond 40 per week. (AP)

As the legal battle continues over Republic Bank’s attempt to take over HFC Bank Ghana, questions have been raised about the role of Ghana’s Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) in the matter. 

HFC Bank’s managing director Asare Akuffo has reportedly accused the SEC of bias in its handling of Republic Bank’s efforts to take over the bank. He claimed in a recent interview that the SEC gave Republic Bank the go ahead for a mandatory takeover without any reference to the Bank of Ghana, the primary regulator, contrary to the SEC’s own rules.

HFC Bank has filed a lawsuit in Ghana’s High Court accusing Republic Bank of insider trading among other serious claims. The T&T bank, which currently owns a 40 per cent stake in HFC Bank, has been trying to increase its ownership to 51 per cent to gain controlling powers over the Ghanaian bank. It has planned to finalise the takeover by December but recent legal action has stalled those efforts.

On May 23, HFC Bank sued Republic Bank and the SEC for what it alleged were breaches of the SEC Code on Takeovers & Mergers. It also applied for an interim injunction against Republic Bank and the SEC. Republic Bank countered by filing an application to strike out the court action altogether. However, the court dismissed the application and awarded costs against the T&T bank.

Republic Bank first purchased 8.79 per cent shares in HFC Bank Ghana for US$8 million in December 2012 after invitations from the commercial arm of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The bank bought the stake when HFC floated 112,420,246 ordinary shares under a private placement.

Republic Bank's stake further increased to 32.02 per cent after buying 23.23 per cent additional shares previously held by Aureos Africa Fund LLC. In June 2013 the bank acquired 68,854,703 ordinary shares at no par value from Aureos Africa Fund LLC. It further acquired 7.98 per cent additional shares from Union Bank of Nigeria, increasing its shareholding in the bank to the current 40 per cent.

Republic Bank has so far invested over US$40million in requiring shares in HFC Bank, and its future investment could be in the order of US$100million. 

In November of 2012, Republic Bank Limited and HFC Bank (Ghana) agreed to the framework for the investment by Republic Bank in HFC Bank. The agreement, provided that Republic Bank would not increase its shareholding in HFC Bank beyond 40 per cent for a period of one year without the prior approval of HFC’s board of directors. Akuffo has accused Republic Bank of breaching that agreement.

Akuffo, who owns 0.3 per cent stake in the bank, has expressed concern about how Republic Bank made mandatory offers to HFC Bank shareholders. 

HFC Bank was formed in 1990 and was listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange in 1995. It operated as an independent mortgage finance institution until 2003 when it was licensed as a commercial bank. HFC Bank currently operates 26 branches throughout Ghana, providing a range of banking services, including mortgages and real estate services, commercial banking, investment banking, microfinance, private equity and venture capital fund management.

It was instrumental in the development of the mortgage industry in Ghana and has an asset base of US$301 million and profit after tax of US$7.7 million based on its last published financials.

AM Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of Guardian Life of the Caribbean Limited (GLOC) and Guardian General Insurance Limited (GGIL). The rating agency has also affirmed the ICR of “bbb-” of Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL). AM Best said in a release: “The affirmation of the ratings of GLOC and GGIL reflect GHL’s fairly stable leverage position, consolidated balance sheet strength and premium growth over the past several years. 

The consistent profitability of GLOC and GGIL, which are core insurance subsidiaries of GHL, enhances the overall strength of GHL’s balance sheet and debt servicing capabilities.” The rating agency said GLOC was recognised for its strategic position within the GHL group, strong competitive position in the T&T market, consistently positive operating results from its life and pension and health insurance lines and its adequate level of risk-adjusted capitalisation. 

GGIL was acknowledged in its ratings as leading regional market presence, historically profitable operating performance and more than adequate risk-adjusted capitalisation. Additionally, GGIL’s strong return metrics and underwriting performance compare favorably with its property/casualty Caribbean peers.

Guardian Holdings CEO, Ravi Tewari said: “The consistency in our AM Best rating of both GLOC and GGIL is testimony to our unflinching focus on quality and efficiency in our operations across Guardian Group. “Our commitment is to core business, in core markets within the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean, with the best service available in our industry.”