Client Situation
Peter, a single 29-year-old banker, has been trying to save for the past five years but has met with little success. Every month he aggressively sets aside sizeable amounts of money from his salary into various accounts but, at the end of each year, everything is close to empty including the cash surrender values on his life insurance polices.

The only thing that is increasing is his annuity fund value, to which he is considering topping up contributions. Peter lives at home with his parents and pays the water and electric bills.

What makes his situation interesting is that he has also accumulated several small debts ranging from $5,000 to $8,000 and he refinances every so often when short on cash. Peter has been meticulously tracking his asset balances every year on spreadsheets to measure his performance but the results are always the same: a roller coaster pattern. 

The following deductions are taken out of his account each month: 
sou sou: $1,000 
higher interest savings account: $200 
money market fund: $300
stock-based mutual fund: $350
credit union shares $250
two life insurance policies: $635
annuity: $1,500
debt payments $850 
tithes $900

Peter completely understands how each of his investments works but, for the life of him, he cannot figure out why he is not accumulating wealth.

Nick’s Assessment & Advice
Wealth accumulation is not measured by the number and complexity of accounts and has little to do with how many standing orders he puts in place. Wealth accumulation is simple arithmetic: it is the difference between money that goes out and the money that comes in, multiplied by some investment rate of return over time. If the amount of money that goes out is greater than what comes in, quite naturally wealth is being destroyed and or debt accumulates.  

Further, with every debt that is incurred, less money is available for saving and investing each month. In Peter’s case: the root cause of his problem is not so much his attitude toward savings but rather the management of his financial resources. The following are some of the possible reasons for Peter’s dilemma:
• Lack of goals
• Insufficient funds
• Incorrect tracking
• Heavy long-term investing

Lack of goals:
While Peter has a range of instruments from a simple sou sou to the more complicated stock mutual fund, he has to this point, not clearly identified what each investment is supposed to accomplish. While a saving habit in the absence of a plan can be beneficial, it can also get confusing if he has is no way to determine if he is ahead or behind. 

Without something to focus on, he is unable to take corrective action with his everyday financial decisions. Not having any goals, Peter would also not have definitive timelines and time gives structure to his plans. Failing this, he will, by default, give himself permission to make withdrawals that compromise his future wealth and not see its impact until the end of the year.

Peter’s best approach would be to:
1. Make a list of all the things he wants to accomplish
2. Think about the reasons why they are important to him
3. Determine a dollar value for each goal
4. Identify which instruments are best suited to each goal
5. Set a “due by” date
6. Calculate the monthly savings needed to fill the gaps

Insufficient funds:
Table 1 is a list of all of Peter’s monthly deductions. If we were to assume that based on his tithes of $900 (10 per cent) his monthly salary is $9,000. If we were to subtract his deductions, Peter is left with $3,015 ($9,000 - $5,985) to take care of utilities, transport, food, clothing, entertainment, mobile calls, gifts, holidays, health and grooming.  

These expenses are necessary for everyday living and when a bill comes up he has to pay it. If he doesn’t have the money in his salary account he will naturally tap into his savings. Peter’s challenge is not so much what his expenses are but how much he spends on them. If there are no limits, he will simply spend as much as he believes he deserves especially if he feels a sense of deprivation or a need for rewarding himself for his aggressive saving sacrifices.

Peter should draft up a realistic budget and integrate these expenses with his various saving objectives. By determining what is an acceptable standard of living for himself and knowing what goals he wants to achieve, he can strike a healthy balance between spending today and saving for tomorrow. 
In doing so, he would have fewer reasons to go into his investments and, eventually, bring the roller coaster to a halt.

Incorrect tracking:
Peter has been putting too much emphasis on monitoring his balances rather than what causes them to change. Instead of focusing on the result of his spending, he should track the actual expenses every month. Doing so would identify where his money is going, provide information for his budget, in general, and help him to make adjustments which redounds to positive asset balances.

Heavy long-term investing:
Because Peter has not properly identified his short-term needs for cash, he runs the risk of locking into inaccessible investments which could create a cash crunch, forcing him to turn to debt or cancelling plans altogether. Early withdrawals from certain accounts can lead to penalties, charges or loss of value and defeat the whole purpose behind long-term investing. 

Further, if these long-term commitments increase, the likelihood of debt also increases and the gains earned on investments could be offset by the cost of borrowing. Therefore if Peter decides to increase his contributions to the annuity it may do more harm than good. What he should consider is temporarily diverting some of these long-term contributions to clear his debt and free up disposable income, which will accelerate his saving.

Finally, regarding Peter’s life insurance policies, whilst they are excellent for the future, he is single with no dependents and, as such, his plans should reflect his current needs: not for life insurance but for disability and critical illness protection.

We recommended that if anyone is in a similar position as Peter they should seek professional financial advice before making any decision regarding their portfolio.

If you have any further questions or need advice on today’s subject please email me at: NickAdvice@gmail.com or web me at: www.FinancialCoachingCentre.com

Time is running out for both People’s Partnership government (PP) and People’s National Movement opposition (PNM) to get their supporters back to reading from a political book which must include the same page and party line. The PP appears far more “persuasive” at encouraging malcontents to just plain shut up or walk away.  

Why do some of the so-called PNM party faithful in Arima feel themselves justified in holding on to a candidate that is popular in their eyes only? This is the 99th hour of the 99th day for the calling of general elections 2015. This election will unequivocally define the saying in local parlance, “all who vex lorse.”

A Trini to the bone, renowned educator, Dr Carl Leroy Stewart, ex-Presentation College, ex-Howard University graduate (Phi Beta Capa) who preferred to die in his homeland, put it to me this way, “Trinidad nice, it could be paradise but sometimes some people just enjoy getting on stupid.” 

When Penny appeared, on occasion, in the local newspapers, appearing to allegedly be consorting with the most influential people of the PP for what now seems dubious political mileage, he gave the biggest and longest Trini style “steups” that I can recall.

There can be no “Mama one child” politics in either the PNM or the PP in 2015. The political race will be to the swiftest. The PNM so-called “Penny till we dead” supporters in Arima cannot be encouraged in conniving to trip up the rest of the party. If ex-Prime Minister Patrick Manning can bravely put the effective representation of his beloved constituents of San Fernando East first, who exactly is Penny?

The very brave choice of one-man, one-vote politics of the PNM internal elections resoundingly gave Dr Keith Christopher Rowley the mandate to head the PNM into 2015. Take note that the San Fernando people of many ethnicities will show the rest of T&T that the name of the general elections will be “Bazodee 2015.” The Kallicharran family will go down in local history. PNM will continue to espouse “all ah we is one family” and as Dr Stewart said, Trinbago is still the best place to live and die.

Sometimes, for the sake of the bigger picture, friends must realistically part ways. Arima people must understand that in the PNM quest for winning in 2015, love has absolutely and positively, nothing to do with it.

Lynette Joseph,
via e-mail

A top all-round effort from Tion Webster yesterday handed Queen's Park an easy eight-wicket win over Victoria in round two of the T&T Cricket Board 50-over Sunday League at the Barrackpore West Secondary School Ground.

Medium pacer Webster grabbed 3/18 to help reduce Victoria to a modest 172 all out in 49.1 overs. Also causing damage with the ball were Barbadian Javon Searles (3/47) and national player Kevon Cooper (2/24). Standing tall for Victoria was former national cricketer Lincoln Roberts with 64, while Garey Mathurin contributed 50.

In reply, an unbroken 83-run third wicket partnership between Webster and Marlon Barclay took the Parkites home, getting to 174/2 in 31.2 overs. Webster made 52 and Barclay cracked 68.

SCORES:

At Barrackpore West Secondary: Victoria 172 (49.1 overs) (Lincoln Roberts 64, Garey Mathurin 50, Tion Webster 3/18, Javon Searles 3/47, Kevon Cooper 2/24) vs Queen's Park 174/2 (31.2 overs) (Marlon Barclay 68 not out, Webster 52 not out) Queen's Park won by eight wickets

At California: Caldrac 200 (49.2 overs) (Ewart Nicholson 62, Bryan Charles 3/38, Christopher Ramsaran 3/44) vs Preysal 116 (39.3 overs) (Saiba Batoosingh 25, Ramsaran 19, Christopher Vincent 3/21, Jon-Russ Jagessar 3/25) Caldrac won by 84 runs

At Diego Martin: Powergen 169 (48.4 overs) (Gregory Mahabir 35, Jeron Maniram 32, Sherwin Ganga 29, Ricky Jaipaul 4/30, Aneil Kanhai 3/30) vs Merry Boys 152 (48.4 overs) (Ryan Hinds 48, Rishard Harris 23, Kavesh Kantasingh 3/21, Ganga 2/28) Powergen won by 17 runs

At Pierre Road: Comets 212 (Adrian Ali 81, Stephen Wharwood 53, Faaiq Mohammed 33 not out, Andre Brown 3/42) vs Jenexcon Tableland 170 (Elijah St Clair 54, Kissoondath Magram 4/36, Selvin Jacobs 3/33) Comets won by 42 runs

At Wilson Road: Esmeralda 179 (49.3 overs) (Akim Mitchell 44, Uthman Mohammed 38, Bryan Boodram 30) vs Clarke Road 180/5 (Mark Deyal 114 not out) Clarke Road won by five wickets

Victory over Pakistan has left a buzz in the West Indies dressing room, and the members of the team are excited and confident about tonight's third match against Zimbabwe in a Pool B of the 2015 World Cup at Canberra from 11.30pm (TT time). 

"The mood is very good in the dressing room," said Andre Russell, Man-of-the -Match in the West Indies emphatic 150-run win over Pakistan on Saturday.

"We needed this win after that defeat against Ireland, everyone is laughing and we're happy with the way we performed. It's just always a fun dressing room, and I think from the last game things didn't go well for us, and we just turned up today and wanted to show the world that we are not just a pushover."

Russell said the players will be looking to continue that momentum against the Zimbabweans. "We have great talent in this team and it is just about putting it all together and coming out and giving our all. We can go all the way in this tournament I think. Every game we go into now we are looking to bring our A game."

The West Indies players drove over from Sydney to Canberra by bus, a 3 1/2 -hour drive, and yesterday some of the players played golf at the Royal Canberra Golf Course before heading to practice at 2 pm at the beautiful Manuka Oval.

The West Indies have been forced make one change from the team which hammered Pakistan. Injured Darren Bravo will be replaced by Barbadian Jonathan Carter. His inclusion will give the West Indies the added option of another slow bowler. 

The West Indies openers have been struggling despite the fact that the team has registered scores of 304/7 against Ireland and 310/6 against Pakistan. However, the last time West Indies played here, Chris Gayle who has struggled on this tour so far, struck 100 against the Prime Minister's XI and West Indies will be hoping he can emulate that performance.

However, Russell said Gayle's presence in the squad is having a great impact on team morale.

The left-handed opener has just 43 runs from four innings—including three single digit scores with his latest failure against Pakistan when he scratched around for 14 deliveries over four runs. 

"From the warm-up games Chris has been struggling and we're still scoring 300 runs and he's not giving us those big performances, even Marlon Samuels who is one of our main batters as well," Russell pointed out.

"So, I just think when these guys peak at the right time, West Indies has the ability to score over 350. They have been good in the dressing room...the way they keep motivating the team and the team spirit is very good.

"Chris is not moody. Chris is just an amazing guy that you share the changing room with. Even now he's not scoring and he's not miserable, he's not grumpy. He's happy, he's laughing, and he's cheering everyone on the field, and that's what we want from a big guy like him, so it's very good."

The capacity of this ground is 13,550 and the match has been sold out. There were fans trying to get last minute tickets here yesterday but they were not available.

Teams: West Indies: Jason Holder (capt), Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor and Nikita Miller. Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (capt), Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Solomon Mire, Rawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya and Sean Williams.

By the time, West Indies take to the pitch against Zimbabwe tonight, a critical review of their performance against Pakistan should have been done. The way the players bounced back from their loss to Ireland was pleasing. 

But every member of that team ought to know that Pakistan, much to the delight of most Caribbean fans, simply did not show up on Sunday. All West Indian fans wanted the volatile Pakistan team with the tendency to self destruct to turn up, and they got it. It is unlikely that India and South Africa or even Zimbabwe, will be as fragile or self destructing and if only for that reason, we needed to assess our performance and seek ways to improve on it.

For one thing, our batters must understand that they have to perform in line with their talent. Half centuries are one thing but you need your best batsmen to go on and lead the way with big scores. 

It's good to know that West Indies won without meaningful contributions from Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, our two most experienced batters. Chris will soon come good but Samuels' approach was confusing. I wonder what is his role in that critical number four position? His shot selection was baffling for someone with his talent and experience. He needs to be reminded he is playing for a team.

It really is disappointing that Darren Bravo is injured. I hope he will not be absent for too long since his presence is crucial, and he looked like he was warming up to bat through the innings. Ramdin and Simmons are intelligent players and the latter's century against Ireland has certainly boosted his confidence, and he looks assurred. Another century or two is not beyond him.

Clive Lloyd's assessment of Andre Russell is sound. Russell has grown into one of my favourite cricketers. He can be as good with the bat or ball, and is a dynamic fieldsman. I love his spirit. Before this tournament is over, we are going to see something spectacular from him. I hope it comes against India or South Africa.

I was still a member of the team when Jerome Taylor first played, which was some time ago. He possesses a good cricketing brain and when on song, he is a handful. Injury has kept him in and out of the team, but he has the ability to move the ball around with good pace, and on these bouncy wickets, West Indies will need him to consistency bowl as well as he did against Pakistan. It's good to see how the experienced players have rallied around young captain Jason Holder. He must feel good to have won his first World Cup match, and to his credit, his bowling has been excellent.

As young as he is, he and his management team will not want to go into tonight's match thinking that Zimbabwe are pushovers. They certainly will not be, and if West Indies are complacent, they have a group of accomplished players who will capitalise on it. The Zimbabweans have created some of the biggest upsets in this tournament over the years, and they are quite capable of holding their own. They took some pressure in their opener against the UAE but came away with two points.

For the West Indies to beat Pakistan after losing to Ireland was commendable. Victory tonight will keep the momentum going for Friday's big test against South Africa. For this to be achieved, however, West Indies must apply the lessons learnt from their first two matches.

The recent racist comments by ex-Italy and AC Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi and abusive racist behaviour of a group of Chelsea fans are both appalling and reprehensible. 

According to Sachi "Italy now has no dignity or pride, because we have too many foreigners playing in the Primavere [the under-20 league],"(La Gazzetta dello Sport). The essence of his objection with Italian youth football is that "in our youth sectors there are too many blacks."

Sacchi has attempted to shrug off any racist label claiming he had signed Netherlands international Frank Riijkaard during his coaching period at Milan. Former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling also claimed he was not a racist after remarking to a female friend V. Stiviano, "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people", and, "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want", but "the little I ask you is ... not to bring them to my games".

Chelsea fans translated the evilness of racial prejudice and bias into action in two separated situations. On Tuesday night (February 17th) they prevented a black man from entering a train in Paris while subjecting him to racial slurs. On Wednesday, some of the club fans were heard chanting racist comments at a London train station.

The Paris commuter Souleymane S, expressed shocked that the colour of his skin prevented him from using the train. According to him "I was a little bit hurt physically but in terms of morale I was hurt a lot. It has really affected my life. I can't go back into the Métro: it makes me really afraid. I don't think you should be denied the right to take the Métro because you're black. That's what they wanted" (The Guardian, UK).

Racism is manifested in chants which may include fans making monkey noises directed at black players, name calling, anti-Semitism (hatred of Jews) and showing of patriotism (Swastika). 

Although racism is common in European leagues, there are evidence of racism outside of Europe such as Brazil, Argentina, Africa, Israel, Mexico, USA, and Australia. In some countries basis of the racism may ethnic differences. For instance, right- wing Israeli supporters hurl anti-Arab sentiments toward Arab players in the Israeli league.

As much as there are no manifested cases of racism in sport in the contemporary T&T, racism should be of concern. It should be of concern because T&T footballers ply their trade in some of the leagues where racism is a growing problem. Our players fit the description (being black according to Sacchi) too be labelled and targeted by some naïve minded prejudicial minority of football supporters. 

Additionally, players from other Caribbean countries, Brazil and even Canada are plying their trade in T&T and as such all players should be guided by an appropriate code of conduct.

The1993 the Campaign for Racial Equality (CRE) and the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) launch the Let's Kick Racism Out of Football campaign is a good 10 point guide for our local clubs:

1. Issue a statement saying that the club will not tolerate racism, and will take action against supporters who engage in racist abuse, racist chanting or intimidation.

2. Make public announcements condemning any racist chanting at matches, and warning supporters that the club will not hesitate to take action.

3. Make it a condition for season ticket holders that they do not take part in racist abuse, racist chanting or any other offensive behaviour.

4. Prevent the sale or distribution of racist literature in and around the ground on match-days.

5. Take disciplinary action against players who make racially abusive remarks at players, officials or supporters before, during or after matches.

6. Contact other clubs to make sure they understand the club's policy on racism.

7. Make sure stewards and the police understand the problem and the club's policy, and have a common strategy for removing or dealing with supporters who are abusive and breaking the law on football offences.

8. Remove all racist graffiti from the ground as a matter of urgency.

9. Adopt an equal opportunities policy to cover employment and service provision.

10. Work with other groups and agencies - such as the police, the local authority, the PFA, the supporters, schools, etc. - to develop initiatives to raise awareness of the campaign and eliminate racist abuse and discrimination. (Marsh, P et al., 1996, Football violence and hooliganism in Europe).

Fortunately at the moment, racism does not manifest itself in sport in terms of public outcry from administrators, players and or spectators. Open racial aspersions are limited to politics and that 'fortunately' takes place every five years. Be as it may every effort must be put in place to ensure that racism is never allowed to find a foundation in T&T sport. The respective the Ministry of Sport and sporting bodies in this case the TTFA must lead the way in publicly denouncing such distasteful acts whenever they emerge.

Kamel Ali made everyone stop and stare, and every photographer took his photograph when he paraded on the streets of Port-of-Spain on Carnival Tuesday dressed as King Xerxes from the American fantasy war film 300: Rise of an Empire. The six-foot, three inches tall Arouca native, bears a striking resemblance to that of Brazillian-born American actor Rodrigo Santoro who played the character in the actual film. 

His portrayal was a highlight for the band YUMA of which he has been a member from inception. But what made Ali choose to play such a character?

In a telephone interview with the new celebrity, he revealed the idea formed after he received several compliments from random masqueraders on the road last year.

"These two guys came up to me and asked me if I was actually the guy from 300. 'One word—300. How many times have you heard this before?' This was what one of them asked me," explained Ali.

After that flattery, Ali decided he should portray the character during some festival. It so worked out that YUMA decided for its 2015 presentation to be named: Reign which would showcase empires, dynasties and kingdoms. Talk about fitting for Ali. He quickly signed up for the section Shahenshah, which in Greek means Persian King. The costumes for this section were designed by mas man team, David Dewer and Justin Scott. But Ali's costume, an individual portrayal had to stand out, so he called on long time friend and fashion jewelry designer Josanne Mark to help him steal the show.

"I thought a jeweler would have been the best to execute the costume. I have known Josanne for quite some time now and I have seen the quality of her work. So she was indeed an appropriate selection to get the job done," said Ali.

Once the costume was completed, the 37-year-old former model, spent hours getting ready for the road. While some might have been taking their beauty nap for a fresh face on the road. Ali spent the wee hours of Carnival Tuesday morning with body artist, James Paul, applying a full body work of bronze on him to give that shimmery golden effect as was seen on Xerxes in the movie. Then it was on to face make up. In all, it took five hours for Ali to fully get into the costume. But it was all worth it once he hit the streets and became the talk of the town.

"I spent most the day posing for shots," he jokes.

Ali also revealed that his portrayal has landed him a few interviews and photo shoots well.

"I must say, I knew the costume was going to be beautiful, but the response was truly overwhelming."

He spoke highly of Mark, saying it was her eye for detail that created such an awesome imitation of the great Persian king.

The woman behind 

Trini Xerxes

In an earlier interview with Mark, who was still elated and overwhelmed by the amount of positive feedback she received from her interpretation of the character, she told the T&T Guardian she jumped to the opportunity when asked by Ali to create the costume.

"Kamel approached me with the idea. He called me and said he wanted to be Xerxes for YUMA. I was excited to do it immediately," expressed Mark.

The jeweler of nine years began seeking material for her task ahead as early as September last year. She started the costume in the second week of January and it was completed on Carnival Monday night 2015.

Mark said because the costume was very detailed piece, it required a lot of focus and time to complete it.

"We did not want it to look exactly like the original but as close enough as possible. And of course we wanted to add a little local touch to it."

Most of the material included metal work. The cape and belt worn by Ali was made and embellished by both Ali and Cheryl-Ann Francique and the sandals were a design by local leather designer Amde.

The stunning costume created such a buzz, that Mark has since been flooded with calls for work. 

She is no mas woman, but cutting her teeth in Carnival this year has surely sparked an interest. The 33-year-old from Fyzabad, who studied fashion design jewelery at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), in Manhattan, said she is actually considering designing for Carnival again.

"To get involve in Carnival would be a welcomed challenge for me, because it would give me the opportunity to explore pieces that will not involve feathers. I have a lot of ideas, especially for large costumes she says.

Her Jo Fine Jewelery collection can be found at Stechers gift stores at Trincity Mall, Gulf City Mall, Piarco Airport, and at The Gallery Long Circular Mall, St James.

For more information on Mark or to view the costume and pieces from her collection, visit www.josannemark.com or her Facebook page at: Jo Fine Handicrafted Jewelery.

DUNEDIN—Afghanistan threatened to produce a shock victory over Sri Lanka at the Cricket World Cup yesterday before the favourites dug themselves out of deep trouble in the run chase and pulled off a four-wicket win.

The Afghans made a respectable 232 after being sent in to bat, and fiercely defended that total.

The bowlers were performing jubilant cartwheels as Sri Lanka lurched from 2-2 to 18-3 and 51-4. A Mahela Jayawardene 100 and 44 from captain Angelo Mathews salvaged the situation, but Sri Lanka was still a shaky 178-6 in the 42nd over.

However Thisara Perera's unbeaten 47 off 32 balls guided his team to victory, denying the Afghans a first World Cup victory but not denying them any admirers after coming so close to beating the former champions.

Sri Lanka lost Lahiru Thirimanne to the opening ball of the innings, and when experienced duo Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) and Kumar Sangakkara (7) departed in quick succession, the favourites were under genuine pressure.

When Hamid Hassan bowled Sangakkara with a superb delivery at 18-3 in the sixth over, his reaction was unrestrained: he threw himself into a wild cartwheel which left him sprawling on the pitch.

But the 126-run stand between Jayawardene and Mathews set Sri Lanka on its way to victory at the University Oval.

"We probably dodged a bullet today," Jayawardene said. "All credit to Afghanistan. They batted very well in tough conditions and then bowled beautifully, bowled up to the batsman with a bit of movement and put us under a lot of pressure."

Hamid bowled round the wicket to Sri Lanka's left-handers and was almost unplayable with the new ball when he hit the right length. The delivery that dismissed Sangakkara angled in through the air but then nipped back further from the seam and seared past a tentative defensive stroke.

Hamid beat the bat on several occasions and the Sri Lanka batsman attempted a number of panicked singles which almost led to run outs as the pressure mounted. In the 12th over, Hamid bowled a ball that seamed away from Dimuth Karunaratne who tried to steer it to third man but succeeded only in edging it to Nawroz Mangal at slip. Sri Lanka was 51-4 and Hamid's joy was unrestrained.

Jayawardene made a nervous beginning, reflective of his recent lack of form, but showed his class in building a match-winning 118-ball innings. He made his 19th century in one-day internationals and fourth in World Cups.

He and Mathews gave Sri Lanka the firm upper hand, but there was another twist when Mathews was run out and Jayawardene fell one run later, caught at third man to give Hamid Hassan his third 

wicket.

Perera, controversially recalled for this match, made 47 of the 58-run stand with Jeevan Mendis that guided Sri Lanka home. The win put Sri Lanka's campaign back on track after its 98-run loss to New Zealand in its opener. (AP)

Score

​Afghanistan Inns

JJ Ahmadi c Herath b R.A.S. Lakmal 24

NK Mangal c Thirimanne b Mathews 10

A Stanikzai c Jeevan b Herath 54

S Shenwari c Mathews b Perera 38

M Nabi b Malinga 21

N. Zadran c Perera b R.A.S. Lakmal 10

A.K. Zazai c Herath b Malinga 19

M Ashraf c R.A.S. Lakmal b Malinga 28

D. Zadran b Mathews 4 

H Hassan c Jeevan b Mathews 0

S Zadran not out 1

Extras (1nb, 16w, 0b, 6lb) 23 

TOTAL (49.4 Ov) 232

FoW: 34, 40, 128, 157, 169, 175, 221, 227, 227, 232 

Bowling: S L Malinga 9.4-1-41-3, R.A.S. Lakmal 10-1-36-2, A D Mathews 7-0-41-3, N L T C Perera 10-0-54-1, H M R K B Herath 10-0-41-1, B.M.A.J. Mendis 3-0-13-0

Sri Lanka 1st Inns

H D R L Thirimanne lbw b D. Zadran 0

T Dilshan c A.K. Zazai b Zadran 0

K C Sangakkara b Hassan 7

F.D.M. Karunaratne c N.K. Mangal b Hassan 23

Jayawardene c N.K. Mangal b Hassan 100

A Mathews run out 44

B.M.A.J. Mendis not out 9

N L T C Perera not out 47

Extras: (1nb, 3w, 0b, 2lb) 6 

TOTAL (for 6 wkts) 236 

FoW: 0, 2, 18, 51, 177, 178

Bowling: D. Zadran 9-0-44-1, S Zadran 10-1-48-1, H Hassan 9-0-45-3, M Ashraf 8.1-0-31-0, M Nabi 5.2-0-28-0, A Stanikzai-.5-0-6 -0, S Shenwari 6-0-32-0

MELBOURNE—India exuded supreme confidence as it claimed its first World Cup win over South Africa in decisive fashion yesterday with a 130-run victory in their Pool B match.

Player of the Match Shikhar Dhawan crafted a stylish century to set the platform for a big total of 307-7, ably assisted by a half century from Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli's 46. 

India then dominated South Africa's batsmen with tight bowling and sharp fielding.

"Getting 300 runs was fantastic. It was definitely a par-plus score for this wicket," India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. "And when we turned up with the ball I think we bowled in the right areas and made it tough for the opposition to score."

India is now undefeated in two pool matches at the World Cup after a 76-run win over archrival Pakistan last week.

"Having back-to-back wins, especially the kind of wins we've had in the last two games, is tough to get," Dhoni added.

The Indian bowlers never allowed South Africa to settle into its innings, claiming wickets with a regularity that denied the batsmen the chance to establish worthwhile partnerships.

Offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin had India's best figures of 3-41, while Mohammed Shami (2-30) and Mohit Sharma (2-31) took two wickets each in an assured bowling display.

The game was a home match for India, as more than 86,000—mainly Indian—fans turned the Melbourne Cricket Ground into a sea of the team's blue, punctuated only by Indian flags waving around the stadium. Quinton de Kock looked unsettled and made just seven before he was caught by Kohli off Shami in the fourth over. His opening partner Hashim Amla made 22 before top edging a short-pitched Sharma ball to Shami at long leg.

De Villiers, who was responsible for two Indian run outs, was himself caught out of his crease thanks to a sharp Mohit return over the wickets. The South Africa captain made 30 in his brief, but confident knock off 38 balls.

Francois Du Plessis top scored for South Africa with 55. He brought up his half century shortly before being caught by Dhawan at mid-off from the bowling of Sharma. JP Duminy was then out for six attempting a reverse sweep, caught by Raina in slips off Ashwin.

David Miller (22) became the fourth run out of the match thanks to an excellent return throw from Umesh, and Vernon Philander was out for a duck two balls later in the same over, trapped lbw.

From then on, South Africa added just 24 runs for its last three wickets to finish on 177 all out.

Earlier, Dhawan treated South Africa's much-vaunted bowling attack with disdain as he placed his shots around the MCG at will to reach 137—the highest individual World Cup score against South Africa.

De Villiers gave South Africa a promising start after India won the toss and elected to bat, scoring a direct hit on the stumps after a diving stop, catching Rohit Sharma well out of his crease and yet to score in the third over. (AP)

Scoreboard

India 1st Inns

R Sharma run out 0 

S Dhawan c Amla b Parnell 137 

V. Kohli c du Plessis b M I T Tahir 46 

A M Rahane lbw b Steyn 79 

SK Raina c sub b M Morkel 6 

MS Dhoni c de Kock b M Morkel 18 

RA Jadeja run out 2 

R Ashwin not out 5 

MS Ahmed not out 4 

Extras (2nb, 6w, 0b, 2lb) 10 

TOTAL (for 7 wkts) 307 

FoW: 9, 136, 261, 269, 278, 284, 302 Dhoni

Bowling: D W Steyn 10-1-55-1, V D Philander 4-1-19-0, J P Duminy 7-0-39 -0, M Morkel 10-0 -59-2, M I T Tahir 10-0-48-1, W D Parnell 9-0-85-1

South Africa 1st Inns

H M Amla c Ahmed b M.M. Sharma 22 

Q de Kock c Kohli b Ahmed 7 

F du Plessis c Dhawan b M.M. Sharma 55 

A B de Villiers run out 30 

D.A. Miller run out 22 

J P Duminy c Raina b Ashwin 6 

W D Parnell not out 17 

V D Philander lbw b Ashwin 0 

D W Steyn c Dhawan b Ahmed 1 

M Morkel b Ashwin 2 

M I T Tahir lbw b Jadeja 8 

Extras: 0nb, 6w, 0b, 1lb 7 

TOTAL: 177 

FoW: 12, 40, 108, 133, 147, 153, 153, 158, 161, 177 

Bowling: U Yadav 6-0-34-0, MS Ahmed 8-1-30-2, M.M. Sharma 7-0-31-2, RA Jadeja 8.2-0-37-1, R Ashwin 10-0-41-3, SK Raina 1-0-3-0

Leaders Fatima College will aim to continue their top form against defending champions Vishnu Boys Hindu College, which is hoping to put its season back on track in round six of the Powergen Secondary Schools 50-over Premiership League today.

Fatima, which leads the standings with 90 points with four rounds left will welcome Vishnu to Fatima Ground on Mucurapo Road, Port-of-Spain. 

Fatima is coming off a comprehensive win, when it defeated bottom placed Princes Town West by 241 runs. 

A brilliant 253-run second wicket partnership between West Indies Under-19 player Amir Jangoo and Jonathan Hirst help set up the massive win. Jangoo slammed 112 and Hirst top scored with 134 to guide Fatima to 358/4 batting first, the highest score of the season. 

Princes Town was skittled out for 117 as Fatima’s Sean Persaud finished with 3/11.

On the other hand, Vishnu is hoping to rebound after an embarassing defeat against Barrackpore West. Vishnu was bundled out for 57 in 19.1 overs, before Barrackpore breezed to 58/3 in 11.3 overs. 

Vishnu will need to win to keep its chances alive of defending the title, as it currently lies in fourth position with 58 points. 

In another match today, Princes Town West and ASJA Boys, San Fernando will both aim for their first win of the competition when the teams face off at the former’s school ground. 

ASJA is in ninth place with 23 points, while Princes Town is last on 16 points.

ROUND SIX FIXTURES

Princes Town West vs ASJA Boys, San F’Do at Princes Town West 

Barrackpore West Secondary vs Carapichaima East Secondary at Barrackpore West

Naparima Boys College vs St. Mary’s College at Naparima 

Fatima College vs Vishnu Boys’ at Fatima 

Hillview vs Presentation, Chaguanas at Honeymoon Park

STANDINGS

Team Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 R5 Total Pts

Fatima 15 17 19 19 20 90

Naparima 7 19 18 19 17 80

B’Pore West 16 14 17 4 17 68

Vishnu 5 19 17 17 0 58

Pres, Chag 17 17 1 4 19 58

St Mary’s 4 10 18 17 5 54

Hillview 18 5 3 9 18 53

Carapichaima East 19 1 4 14 5 43

ASJA 10 2 5 2 4 23

P’Town West 0 4 5 5 2 16

Just about one month ago I embarked upon and successfully completed the 26.2 mile journey that constituted the Trinidad and Tobago International Marathon from Freeport to Port of Spain. 

The marathon walk had no other motive than to raise awareness, attention and funding for the 10 or more Olympic Gold medals by the year 2024 athlete welfare and preparation. 

I accept that there are individuals inside and outside sport who don’t share the view that the concern I am trying to highlight has merit or substance. For reasons best known to themselves they refuse to acknowledge, admit or accept that there is need to provide more meaningful financial support to the young talented and dedicated sons and daughters of our soil.

The marathon walk enjoyed its moment in the sun but like everything else the major risk is that the objectives and goals will be subsumed by the nine day wonder syndrome.

It’s a syndrome that saps the spirit as well-intentioned efforts become an exercise in futility—quickly sinking into an ocean of insincerity and hypocrisy ending up on the sea bed of frustration, meaninglessness and cynicism.

If I have to walk a marathon every single day I will however remain dedicated to the cause of our talented sons and daughters who aspire to become Olympic champions.

This is a time for choosing if we want to be a part of creating a great society.

As we go about our daily lives there is a need for us to give a full day’s work for a day’s pay.

It applies not only to those earning a salary in the private and public sector. It doesn’t matter if you are a volunteer sport administrator, an athlete or a coach. Its more than just a monetary value — it’s about the effort you give and the purpose with which you live your life.

When we give a full day’s work for a day’s pay we remain eternally vigilant and pay forward to the next generation and the generation to come. We see ourselves as custodians and stewards of the totality of the space called La Trinity—Trinidad and Tobago.

When we give a full day’s work for a full day’s work for a day’s pay we honour the notion of national pride and civic duty that builds a nation.

Great leaders such as Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi have shown that a nation is first founded on the stories that it tells — and silences — to justify its existence.

Their messages and example have taught organisation and the importance of attacking the issues of the day and era. They didn’t talk around issues; they attacked them head on in the battleground of social awareness.

Those of us born and bred in the space called T&T carry in our bosoms a duty to not allow our secret frustrations to keep us from being a champion of hope to the young people of this nation. You can’t think negative thoughts and live a positive life. We can all do something of significance and life a live of purpose. The grass isn’t greener somewhere else. We have to say to the youth and young people of this nation don’t quit on yourself, your job, your life, your dream or your country. Don’t throw in the towel and walk away. Don’t just go through the motions.

Brian Lewis is the President of the T&T Olympic Committee. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the National Olympic Committee.

Support #10golds24 Athlete welfare and preparation fund. Make your donations to any branch of Scotia Bank Acc# 171188

Zimbabwe batsman Hamilton Masakadza says the West Indies is his favourite cricket team and it will be great playing them in the World Cup.

The West Indies and Zimbabwe played each other last night. “I enjoy playing against them. I grew up looking at them on television; looked at their cricket a lot and they were always my favourite team. So I like having the opportunity to play against them now,” said Masakadza.

He sees Chris Gayle as the regional team’s most destructive player: “Despite the fact that he has not gotten runs so far we still think that he is the dangerman. If he comes off, he can steal the game away from you, so we have a plan for him, as we do the rest of the batters. He can be so dangerous that a lot of focus will be centred around him going into this clash.”

The last time West Indies played at this ground against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI, Gayle smoked 140 off just 89 balls. The ground here has pretty short square boundaries as it is also used for rugby, so the batsmen will be looking to take advantage.

Masakadza thinks the West Indies top order is the key: “They have had a bit of a mixed World Cup so far but we are planning for them, as if they are at the top of their game. We will be looking to get wickets early to push them back, so it is important to start well. There top order is very dangerous, so we are focussing a lot on that. Also, their bowling attack, early in the innings could be vital, so we need to ensure that we secure our wickets and don’t end up in position like Pakistan, where they lost four wickets for one run. When you are in a position like that, you cannot come back easily.” (VM)

Newly appointed caretaker of the Central Zone of the T&T Cricket Board (T&TCB), Manohar Ramsaran, has hit the ground running in seeking to fulfill his mandate to turn around the fortunes of the game which has recently fallen into the doldrums.

Ramsaran, who served a stint as manager of the very successful national senior cricket team which recently captured the regional Nagico Super50 limited overs competition, is expressing confidence that the 2015 season will re-establish Central Zone as a force in local cricket.

He said the first task at hand will be preparation for the upcoming BGTT tournament, slated to start in early March, which has been the traditional incubator of young talented cricketers who usually go on to represent T&T and the West Indies.

With the strong backing of T&T and the unanimous support of the clubs in the zone, Ramsaran has already charted a course which he believes will reap rich dividends starting with their age group teams. He has announced that screening sessions for three specific age groups (Under-19, U-17, U-15) will commence on March 2 from 4 pm at four venues; Gilbert Park, California; Presentation College, Chaguanas; Monroe Road Recreation Ground; and the Caroni Conquerors Ground.

Ramsaran, a former highly successful sports minister and active club cricketer said that present at the screening sessions will be qualified coaches and national selectors who will be on the lookout for cricketers seeking to represent the zone and T&T.

“We have to start with the youngsters if we are to build a cadre of cricketers to take the level of cricket higher. If we put in correct foundation we will have no problems later on,” said Ramsaran.

He said he expects a favourable response from all young cricketers in the zone who are willing to make the sacrifice to develop into the best that they can be and gave the assurance that they will be given the full support of the Central Zone and the national cricket organisation in fulfilling their dreams and aspirations in the game.

For 2015, the team behind the Socadrome, supported by Tribe, Bliss and Yuma and publicly fronted by Tribe bandleader Dean Ackin and communications professional Danielle Jones-Hunte, reported a doubling of attendance at the event. 

That didn’t come close to filling seats at the Jean Pierre Complex, but it’s a positive indicator for the event in just its second year. 

The Socadrome was originally designed as a non-competitive party venue for the large bands that pooled their resources to pay for the venue and the amenities. A big change in focus for 2015 was a greater effort at staging a show for the audience that did turn up and from the start of the event, at around 8.45 am, there was a non-stop flow of Carnival until 1 pm. 

First on the stage was Lionel Jaggessar’s Red Indian band, followed by the children’s band Spoiled Rotten Kids and a remarkable showing by Rosalind Gabriel’s band, which had almost doubled in size with the addition of adult players intent on putting on a performance appropriate to the sailor traditions that the bandleader saluted this year. 

Just minutes after Gabriel’s band left, the first of the big bands, Yuma appeared with their presentation, Reign, followed by Bliss with Blue, and Tribe, with its presentation, Wings of Desire. 

Tribe alone would cross the stage for almost an hour and a half, challenging the capacity of the band’s internal security to maintain control. 

I left after that, but photographer Peter Lim Choy stayed on for another three hours. 

He reports a 40-minute halt in proceedings between Tribe’s departure and the performance of the Junior Calypso Monarch Aaron Duncan, then things picked up again with a surprise appearance by the band D’Krewe, a small group of traditional Carnival characters, then a very well received extempo performance between National Extempo Monarch Lingo accompanied by Black Sage. 

Brimblers steelband would perform after that along with a performance by Fareid Carvalho in his King of Carnival costume, followed by Roy Cape All Stars. Lim Choy would leave the venue at 3 pm, during that band’s performance. 

According to Mrs Hunte, Brimblers, Lingo, Duncan and Cape’s All Stars were all paid performers for the event, which increased costs. 

“What’s needed is a look at how participation can be increased without negatively impacting on any of the stakeholders involved,” explained Hunte. 

“D’Krewe and Rosalind came on board and we anticipate growth and interest to increase for 2016 once we have approval and can plan earlier.

“We had more participation than last year and expect it to grow should we do the Socadrome again.” 

Balance at the Socadrome is one of the pressing points that plagues the project. 

Accused of being an exclusive private enterprise, the organisers of the Socadrome dropped the admission price to $10, an unheard of price point for a major Carnival event in this century, and put out even more money for non-costumed acts while inviting more bands to participate. 

In the face of open official hostility toward photographers and videographers at official NCBA events, expressed in oppressive rights demands, the Socadrome threw open its doors to otherwise disenfranchised image makers. 

That avalanche of photographers, added to a high-definition online video stream managed by Carnival TV, met most of the requirements of masqueraders keen to play their mas on a big stage. 

But, there are still those players who miss the mystique of the Grandstand, even as attendance there diminished to less than a third of the available capacity and the less said about the quality of the video stream from that venue the better. 

That isn’t to say that the Socadrome is an unblemished haven for Carnival coverage. 

“I am not really fond of Jean Pierre as a venue,” said Lim Choy. “The sun is brutal and there is not much shade to be found.” 

He also lamented the transplanting of poor stage management from the Grandstand, another matter of balance that the Socadrome management must wrestle with. 

If the organisers want video and photographic coverage that impresses future players and online observers, they will face the challenge of changing modern masquerader expectations of meeting a phalanx of cameras onstage ready to capture demonstrations of their “worst behaviour.” 

“I think more policing of media on stage needs to be done,” Lim Choy said. “Perhaps a media line that they can’t cross so that masqueraders can at least get on stage before they get rushed by photographers.

“I’d also like to see something like a media centre where we could set up laptops and have access to the internet to post stuff, but all in good time, I guess.” 

Into the considerable gaps in interest and engagement being engineered by the NCBA on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, the resurgence of Carnival downtown and the incremental growth and pervasive media presence of the Socadrome point to a changing idea of a parade route and the possible expiration of the idea of judging points in favour of entertainment hot spots and centres. 

“We have to do a full review but feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Hunte. 

“Spectators really liked the fast moving show that featured various elements of mas and masqueraders enjoyed the flow of the bands through the Socadrome with no congestion affecting their Carnival experience. 

“We hope that the regulations will change to allow other bands and individuals (competing costumes, kings and queens) to participate without fear of being penalised. 

“The Socadrome has immense potential and we believe the public is warming to it.” 

It’s a position that photographer Peter Lim Choy endorses. 

“I consider it an opportunity to help create a space that includes photographers,” he explained. 

“The organisers are interested in dialogue on how things can improve going forward. I support the idea of the Socadrome.”. 

That phone app keeping track of your exercise and meals might keep you out of the hospital one day.

Why give your doctors permission to incorporate data from fitness trackers and health apps into electronic patient records? Well, they might spot signs of an ailment sooner and suggest behavioral changes or medication before you land in the emergency room. They also might be able to monitor how you’re healing from surgery or whether you’re following a treatment regimen.

“Right now we only see our patients for about a 15-minute visit in the office, and it’s a very constricted view,” said Dr Lauren Koniaris, a specialist in pulmonary critical care at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.

“This really globalises the view of their health status, so that we’re really in contact with them on a much more daily if not hour-to-hour basis. It’s almost like a virtual house call.”

At Hackensack, a handful of patients at risk for heart failure are asked to use a fitness tracker to count steps walked and flights climbed. They are also asked to record what they eat—by photographing the product’s bar code, for instance—using a phone app that has a database containing nutrition information on thousands of food items. Using Apple’s new HealthKit technology, data from the various trackers and apps gets automatically transferred to the Epic MyChart app on the iPhone. From there, the information goes to the hospital’s records system, which also comes from Epic.

Hackensack wants to expand to more patients and start tracking blood pressure and amount of sleep, too. But the hospital first needs to ensure that teams are in place to review the glut of data coming in. More broadly, there’s also a question of whether these trackers and app really improve patient care, and consumer privacy and security issues to address. The University of California, San Francisco, is studying which gadgets are reliable and whether that reliability extends to patients with extreme conditions. Then they have to figure out which data are really meaningful—not just noise. 

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, uses Fitbit trackers to monitor hip-replacement patients for a month after surgery. Health workers get data on daily steps and can tell when patients have trouble walking—a hundred or more miles away. The Ochsner Health System in New Orleans is turning to wireless scales and blood-pressure devices to help reduce readmissions for chronic diseases such as heart failure. 

Noticing a small weight gain, for instance, might reveal fluid buildup resulting from the heart failing to pump normally. Not only can doctors intervene sooner, they can use the data to show how exercise can help lower blood pressure.

“If we’re going to succeed in improving health, we have to get patients more engaged in their care,” said Dr Richard Milani, a cardiologist at Ochsner.

Heart-attack patients have long been asked to weigh themselves, while those with diabetes have had to check glucose levels. Smartphone technology makes all that easier and gets measurements to doctors more regularly and reliably. 

There’s no forgetting to record a number or transposing digits.

With Apple’s HealthKit tools, disparate gadgets and records systems can work together more easily. Think of HealthKit as a common language, eliminating the need for translators. (AP)

On Friday night, at the end of last week, Columbus International’s consumer facing digital cable and broadband business, Flow, introduced an upgrade to its cable services.

Existing customers must upgrade new cable box, but the new services and a healthy sprinkling of high-definition channels throughout all of the packages are likely to make switching to the new platform a pleasant proposition.

Indeed, I’ve been pretty much beating off a Flow customer service rep with a snarky stick ever since they called threatening to arrive on Ash Wednesday to install the new service.

That won’t happen until later this week, but the service is already being made available to customers, so it hardly qualifies as special treatment anymore.

By March 15, all of Flow’s customers will be eligible for the service.

I did give the rep a moment’s pause when I confided, rather proudly, that they would have to install their new HD service on a very old school big-box TV, but in a rallying, if rather diminished voice, the rep noted that they have ways of connecting to such devices. 

My television viewing actually happens on two screens, a very low-resolution old-school tube and a very HD computer screen, which surpasses all except for the most recent UDHD screens in resolving power.

There’s nothing quite like seeing an SD television signal on that screen to really understand all the details we’ve been missing in our video signal.

Flow has great incentives to upgrade their dominant offerings in the market.

According to Brian Collins, the company’s Managing Director for the Southern Caribbean, in a market with ten pay TV service providers connecting to 210,000 households, “Flow is the market leader in cable TV with more than 140,000 households who get to choose from 250 channels on our basic package, more than any other pay TV provider in the country.”

In support of a much larger range of HD channels, Flow is upgrading its broadband infrastructure throughout Trinidad and has completed work in West Trinidad. It’s currently working on lines in Tacarigua to support its customers in the east.

The company also has plans to improve its presence in the deep south, expanding from its foothold in Point Fortin with new plant and infrastructure.

New to the company’s offerings is a cloud-based digital video recording service, which allows customers to set shows for recording, either by time or by series, for later playback at their convenience, without adding a dedicated hardware set-top box to their television.

The system also buffers shows in progress, allowing someone coming late to a show to view the episode from the beginning.

It would, probably, be churlish to note that while Flow was announcing this service, my own system was running at my office, buffering the night’s news.

Of course, the device I use (the EyeTV, roughly the size of a big flash drive) requires a computer and is currently set to buffer nine hours of video to disk, but it also allows me to record anything in the buffer file, an advantage the Flow service doesn’t offer.

For most Flow users, particularly those with no taste for homebrewed tech, the upgrade will not only be a no-brainer, it will ultimately be necessary.

But a switch to an all IP based signal and the addition of 12 HD channels in even the basic package, there’s quite a lure to customers to switch out older boxes in favour of the newer, more capable offering.

But Flow also faces some growing challenges in the local market. Tastes have been steadily shifting from accepting someone else’s programming to creating personal playlists of video using devices from Roku, Apple and others.

Flow’s new Advanced Video Services are a step in the direction of those initiatives, but still fall some distance from the kind of initiative I’ve seen in people who are willing to pay for TV and go through digital hoops to get it, but only for the entertainment they want to see.

The company has begun to respond to the challenges of modern video consumption, but will need to tap the deep pockets of its new owner to fully engage the interest of a surprising number of customers who no longer see cable television as a menu of options and want their television series and movies a la carte and surprisingly often, take-away too.

After painfully and painstakingly sitting through the Dimanche Gras show on Sunday, I want to recommend that someone should pull the plug on calypso, thereby taking it out of its misery.

Calypso is suffering badly, but nobody seems to know the cause of the ailment. Personally, I believe it is dying of “natural causes,” though some brave soul has placed it on life support. Natural causes can be a difficult term to define; in fact, it is quite an oxymoron. 

Doctors tend to use the term particularly for older people, say, an old woman in her eighties who has a weak heart, a compromised respiratory system, and potentially cancerous growths. So, when the tired hag finally dies, and the doctors are uncertain about which organ actually failed first, they use the term “natural causes.” 

That’s a privilege doctors have, and I want to invoke that same privilege in describing what calypso is going through. Like that tired old woman, calypso is suffering from a weak heart, a compromised respiratory system, and benign (potentially cancerous) growths. Sad to say, it is dying of natural causes. 

Calypso’s weak heart is its uninspiring lyrics. Good lyrics are the heart of an everlasting calypso, and being creatively topical is the key to longevity. When most of the calypsonians in the Dimanche Gras show sing on the same topic, and with elusive melody I might add, then it becomes a little boring. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that this is an election year in T&T, and the calypsonian is the mouthpiece of the people and all that stuff. But, give me a break, please. Perhaps using a few metaphorical innuendos a la The Ganges and the Nile, or Wait, Dorothy wait might convey the same message but do it in a more palatable and creative manner. 

I don’t recall the last time someone called me to say “Oh boy, yuh hear lyrics” in reference to a really thought-provoking song. Calypso’s compromised respiratory system is the dearth of creative new talent. The primary function of a respiratory system is first to move fresh air into the body, and secondly, to get waste gases out of the system. When our lungs can no longer perform that function, we choke and die. 

Calypso is on the verge of collapse, just like a person with sick lungs. It brings in new air into its system every year, but I’m not so sure the new air can be classified as “fresh.” In fact, the younger calypsonians have failed to emotionalise their own generation, so that even an injection of young blood still attracts the older patrons. 

What will happen, pray tell, when the older patrons move on? As for the other function of the lungs—getting the waste out—the calypso business is notorious for keeping bums around too long, way past their youthful (and useful) years. Calypso’s respiratory system is failing, and pretty soon it will choke and die. Calypso’s benign growth is the emergence and popularity of Soca. 

Although cancers are caused by the growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body, sometimes even benign growths must be extracted and examined to ensure that they are not cancerous. Soca has become calypso’s benign growth, and it is unwittingly sucking the blood out of calypso. Admittedly, this is a very slow process, because Soca has been around for decades and many even proclaimed that it would bring international fame to T&T similar to what Reggae did for Jamaica. 

I still think that Soca has the potential for global acceptance, but it has a long way to go. In the meantime, it has another function: help calypso die a natural death.

So, where do we go from here? First we need to determine who has the plug in his hand…who can pull the plug on calypso and let it die peacefully. 

The plug is in the collective hands of the 55+ generation...yes, you and me. We are the ones who are keeping calypso on life support. We go to the tents; we go to Dimanche Gras; we follow them on ctntworld.com and carnivaltv.net; and we buy their DVDs wherever possible. Let it go, folks! Pull the plug! Then leave the critical analysis up to the cultural anthropologists and social scientists, who, in a few years, will be debating WHAT killed calypso: the heart, the lungs, or a cancer. 

We will mourn its demise for a year or two, but our system will acclimatise to the pulsating beat of soca. Soca still needs a little work but it is capable of galvanizing party lovers everywhere with its rhythmic and infectious beat. Soon, we will all be jumping up and down, left and right, to “Go Granny, go.” 

Let’s accept this reality: Calypso is brain dead.

Dave Phillips

It was disgusting and embarrassing; a sad reflection of our people I thought. The vivid memories still linger like scratch marks left across the surface of my mind, leaving me compelled to address this issue here.

At first, my bare feet sensed the terrain beneath me, grounding me and connecting me to the earth. The primal sensations of the moist fallen leaves, mud, and slippery rocks under me pulled me into the moment, triggering the type of aesthetic scrutiny that can only come from the true appreciation of nature’s beauty. 

We had barely began to proceed up the path to the popular Three Pools Waterfall near Blanchisseuse before we encountered the abuse. There, like an alien artifact, completely out of place amongst the thriving lush undergrowth of the tropical rainforest, lay a discarded plastic water bottle. It was upsetting to say the least. I resolved to pick it up on my way out.

As we continued, so did the proliferation of litter. Landmines and booby traps in the dystopian forms of plastic water bottles, smashed shards of glass, plastic bags and wrappers lay in wait for us around every corner of the winding path.

Naturally we attempted to comprehend the kind of consciousness or lack thereof that could be responsible for purposely destroying the very reason for visiting this beautiful place. As futurist Alvin Toffler had predicted; “consumers increasingly would evolve into a ‘throw-away society,’ buying disposable products designed to meet temporary needs, driven by fads that were consciously created to stimulate buying.” 

Now it was proving to be true. Not only were people discarding their single-serving disposable items, but in doing so, we were also regrettably turning the Three Pools Waterfall into a single-serving disposable experience.

On our late afternoon trek we came across returning pilgrims clad in smiles, towels and swimsuits. “How was it up there?” I asked in a friendly, non-threatening manner.

“Wonderful, so fresh and cold,” a middle aged woman replied.

I smiled in anticipation.

Further along, the trail finally gave us closure as the teasing sound of flowing water became the anticipated visage of a sunlit, deep, cool, clear, gently flowing stream bordered on both sides by steep rock faces interspersed with dense green jungle. From afar, it was an incredibly beautiful sight. However, upon closer inspection, the thrill of exploration was robbed from us by the ever present scattered reminders of previous uncivilised hikers and river limes. 

Opening my eyes under the cool water, I could make out the dark shapes of fish scurrying away beneath me, as I proceeded to swim up the stream and around the corner towards the loud roar of gushing water and playful laughter. There, liming ahead of me on the river bank, was a group of six young men. They seemed surprised to see me as I emerged from the swift flowing stream onto their bank.

The liming party was obviously having a great time. There was KFC, and judging from the big glass bottles at their feet, I assumed the white styrofoam cups they held were filled with liquid courage. 

They cheered and encouraged a timid friend up on a rock ledge to take the plunge and jump off. I said hello and then dove into the next pool continuing to swim upstream, driven by an innate desire to know what other natural beauty and surprises lay waiting just around the corner.

Finally, after much difficulty we climbed up above the falls and swam ever further up the river until there were no longer any traces of human contamination. We had finally found the pristine Eden that I had promised my visiting foreign guests. It was only after paying the higher price with our intrepidity that we were able to find it. 

The setting of the sun behind the mountain called us sadly back to the path, the road, the car and to the world. It was getting late as we made our way back down with the current to the falls. Jumping into the pools, we once again returned to the bank that was previously occupied by the limers. 

The young men had vanished, but to our horror, in their place they’d left their scattered styrofoam cups, their empty bottles of alcohol, food boxes, a bag of potato chips and a crumpled cigarette box. My heart broke from the sadness left behind by the modern disposable single-serving experience. 

I just couldn’t let it go. It upset me. These people who we must share this island with, who made the effort to trek all the way to this location for its natural beauty, then destroyed it, not only for me but for themselves and future visitors. Why?

My rage subsided as I remembered the old mindful maxim: “We must not attribute to malice what can be attributed to ignorance”—and in this case, laziness as well.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he intends to replicate President Anthony Carmona's newest initiative by inviting students to attend functions during visits by foreign heads of states.

He made the promise yesterday as he addressed a small group of students and teachers who had been specially invited to witness his visit with Carmona at President’s House, St Ann’s, which was the first stop on his whirlwind visit to T&T.

With tears in his eyes as he hugged visually-impaired student Shamika Henry, Maduro commended the top-performing student for her ability to persevere in the face of adversity.

Henry, a student of the Holy Faith Convent, Couva, was among a group of nine students selected from schools, including Palo Seco Secondary; Naparima Girls’ High School and St Stephen's College, Princes Town, to attend the visit.

During the 45-minute visit, Maduro recalled fond memories of previous visits to T&T, the most outstanding being one in 2009 when he accompanied former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on an official visit.

Referring to that as “an extraordinary meeting, “Maduro, who spoke through an interpreter in some cases, told the students a new era had commenced for the people of Latin America and the Caribbean and that they needed to be prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

He urged them to seize the opportunity to create their own destiny but cautioned them on the importance of remaining young in their thinking and approach to life.

Adding that the magical formula for eternal youth was to always have a pure soul and to renew that soul with love every day, Maduro said each person needed to cultivate a love for the motherland, family, community, justice, equality and fellow humans beings.

During the courtesy call, which ended around 1.20 pm, Maduro also chatted with the students and their teachers about politics, the economy and lighter topics, such as his childhood days, his likes and dislikes.

The students included Affia Collins and Enrique Boodoo with teacher Mary Lambert; Anikah Tuitt and Pooran Dhanraj with teacher Michelle Baney; Rochella Providence, Kavita Hosein and Henry with teacher Reah Warner-Mayers; and Varsha Maharaj and Gabrielle Samuel with teacher Sharon Sahadeo.

Reminding those present that the geographic location between T&T and Venezuela cemented its neighbourly connection, Maduro said that was another reason why both countries had to work together in various areas to improve their respective economies. 

He said besides the oil and gas sector, there were other areas where collaboration could be explored, including fishing, transport, security, tourism, production in agri business, culture and language.

Tight security

​Maduro, accompanied by his wife, Cilia Flores, along with their entourage, which included more than 50 people, arrived at the President's House at 12.15 pm.

The 90-member contingent, consisting mainly of security and media personnel, arrived at the south terminal, Piarco International Airport, just after 11 am.

Their itinerary included a visit with Carmona, followed by a meeting at the Diplomatic Centre with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine and other officials.

Heightened security measures were introduced ahead of Maduro's arrival, with heavily armed soldiers and police taking up strategic posts in and around the residence.

Three representatives of Maduro's presidential press corp arrived an hour before him at President's House. 

The two cameramen and female reporter, through an interpreter, noted the names and designations of the local media present as they explained it would help them present a report when they returned home.

Escorted by several outriders and other security officials, Maduro and his wife arrived in separate SUVs.

They were greeted by Aide-de-Camp Major Dwayne Edwards, who saluted Maduro and led them inside to the official office.

Although cameramen and photographers were allowed to witness the meeting, local reporters were not allowed in, while Maduro's entire media delegation was accommodated in the cramped quarters.

This public meeting lasted close to 45-minutes, followed by a more private exchange with Carmona, lasting approximately 15 minutes.

Maduro's delegation was then escorted out of the entrance closer to Queen's Hall and along to the Diplomatic Centre, where outside on the pavement Venezuelan nationals resident in T&T staged a noisy protest to highlight their displeasure of Maduro's handling of the Venezuelan economy. 

They called for him to be removed, saying their country was suffering for even the basic necessities, including food and medical care, under his rule. 

They also questioned why Persad-Bissessar would host Maduro at a point in time when his country was on the verge of collapse and had nothing to offer T&T.