XAVIER, ANTHERO died 14th May, 2015. Son of Theresa and Manuel Xavier (deceased). Father of Alana. Brother of Joan Serrao, Anthony Xavier, Vivienne Patience, Martin Xavier, Mary Comach, Phillip Xavier, Peter Xavier (deceased) and Jude Xavier.

A Christian Service at 6PM Wednesday 20th May, 2015 and a Roman Catholic Service at 9AM on Thursday 21st May, 2015 both at Clark and Battoo Funeral Chapel, 11 Tragarete Road, Port of Spain, thence to PRIVATE Cremation. For enquiries; call C&B: 625-1170

MAINGOT: GODFREY ANTHONY passed away peacefully on Tuesday 19th May, 2015. Son of the late Henri and Sheila Maingot. Husband of June (née Coussement). Father of Brian and David. Father-in-law of Pia and Wendy.

Grandfather of Angelique, Madison and Andrew. Brother of Desmond, Russell (both deceased), Gordon, Bernard and Keith. Brother-in-law of Helen, Ann (deceased), Helen, Marina and Ann. Funeral mass for the late Godfrey Maingot takes place at St. Finbar's R.C. Church, Diego Martin, on Monday 25th May, 2015 at 10:30a.m., thence to the St. James Crematorium.

In lieu of flowers, a collection will be taken up for Living Waters Community. For enquiries, please contact R. M. de Souza Memorial Chapel Limited, 223-2007/637-2009.

MOORE: JOHN MICHAEL passed away peacefully on May 18th 2015 at the age of 77 at the Credit Valley Hospital in Canada. John was born July 21, 1937 to Louis and Evelyn Moore in the island of Trinidad and Tobago and was the husband of Doreen Moore (nee Munro dec).

John is survived by siblings Leonard (Grace), Mervyn (Zena), Karl (Jemma), Margaret Fermin (Leroy), Marilyn and Gerard (Sherma). He was the loving father of Michael (Regina), Suzanne (Michael), Roger (Natasha), Andrew (Lesley), Stephen (Tina) and Rachael (Vince).

Proud grandfather of Nicholas, Luke, Jamie, Aleksandar, Milian, Luka, Oliver, Hailie, Damon and Mya and cherished and dear friend of Odette Sookram. A memorial service is tobe announced. Funeral mass on saturday 23rd may, 2015 at 1pm at the St John of the Cross Parish 6890 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2E4

RAMDIN ANTHONY AINSWORTH known as Tony, son of the late Lindsay Ramdin and Phyllis Ramdin (both deceased) departed this life on Monday 18th May 2015. Husband of Indera Ramdin and father of Matthew Ramdin.

Son in law of John Kattick (deceased) and Sylvia John. Nephew of Claudius Mohammed (Duffy). Brother of Kirwin, Rodney, Terrance, Claudia, Melvin, Horace (deceased), Selwyn, Ronald and Clayton. Brother in law of Maureen, Laura, Lystra, Heidi, Joanne, Seeta, Grace, Clyde, Strudy, Ramesh, Isabell and Stephanie. Uncle of Candice, Rachel, Sheneil, Emelio, Vinny, Celine, Melissa, Wendell, Kendell, Crystal, Melody and Troy.

Cousin of the Ramdin, Mohammed, Poliah, Premdas, Boodoo, Jadoo and Mohip families. Funeral of the late Anthony Ramdin takes place on Friday 22nd May 2015 at 2:00pm at the Susamachar Presbyterian Church, Coffee Street, San Fernando and interment at Roodal Cemetery. Wreaths can be sent to Clark & Battoo, 31-33 Royal Road , San Fernando up to 12:30pm.

What do the following activities have in common: a nurse moving a patient, a postal worker carrying parcels or letters, a homemaker cleaning, a shopper pushing a cart or an individual exercising in a gym? The answer is manual handling—a task which is commonly performed in day-to-day operations associated with work and leisure.

In accordance to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 of the UK, manual handling is defined as the transporting or supporting of a load by hand or bodily force. It usually involves lifting, lowering, carrying, moving, pushing or pulling and holding of loads. 

These loads are often inanimate, such as objects, or animate, involving people and animals. However, the type of manual handling can vary in accordance to the specific activities being performed.

There are the possibilities of negative health effects associated with manual handling. The two most common groupings are musculoskeletal disorders and incidental injuries. Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common of these groupings. 

It affects the musculoskeletal system of the body and is inclusive of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints, blood vessels and nerves. Injuries to the lower back region resulting in pain and discomfort are the most common of these musculoskeletal disorders. On the other hand, incidental injuries, which are commonly caused by manual handling, include cuts, bruises and fractures.

The fundamental essentials of manual handling, which can be the precursor of these negative health effects, are as follows:

The load 

Back injuries can significantly increase during lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling if the load is too heavy. In addition, uneven muscle loading and fatigue can occur if awkward, unstable or too large a load is handled. If the loads are difficult to reach, then a greater muscular force is required, as it may often involve the outstretching of the arms, bending or twisting of the trunk. 

If sharp edges or dangerous materials are present within loads, then such should be handled with care as injuries can result in case of collisions. It is always therefore a good practice to keep the load as close to the body when lifting and carrying.

The environment

If the environment is not conducive to performing any manual handling activities, then the possibility of injuries occurring are significant. Physical conditions such as slippery, uneven or unstable surfaces can result in incidents and ultimately back injuries. If the working spaces are limited or cramped, then maneuvering of the body is required and this can affect both posture and balance. Climatic factors such as temperature extremes, humidity and ventilation can result in the onset of fatigue, thereby affecting the ability to handle loads. In addition, inadequate or poor lighting can severely impair visibility, thereby increasing the chances of trips, falls and bumping into objects during manual handling.

The task 

The risk of back injuries can significantly increase if the task is too strenuous, demanding or involves repetitive handling. Other contributing factors to back injuries which can result from performing of a task may involve awkward positioning, overreaching, stretching or twisting.

The individual 

Back injuries can also be linked to individual factors. One such factor is the age of the individual, coupled with the physical and mental state of well-being. Personal lifestyle can also increase the risk of injuries. 

This can include smokers and those who consume excessive amounts of alcohol or illicit substances. Having a prior history of back injury can also increase one’s susceptibility depending on the task. In addition, the probability of injuries can also increase from a lack of familiarisation, training and experience concerning manual handling.

Measures to aid reduction or elimination of negative effects from manual handling are: 

Redesigning of the task or activity

Can manual handling be completely avoided or at least restricted? This is the first question to be asked in the redesigning of the task or activity. If it cannot be completely avoided, then automation or mechanisation through the use of lifting and transporting equipment can be used, such as barrows, trolleys and lift trucks. Special attention must however be paid such that new hazards are not created by using these automated or mechanised means.

Administrative measures

Administrative measures are the next best option if elimination of manual handling is not possible and the use of mechanical aids is not effective. This can include the splitting of loads into smaller ones, or using several people for heavy or frequent manual handling. In addition, frequent breaks should be taken during manual handling tasks or by alternating with other tasks so that the muscles will not become easily fatigued.

Information and training

If manual handling is performed on a daily basis, then it is important that all necessary information about the negative health effects are well communicated. In addition, training should be administered on the correct use of equipment, and most importantly, the correct manual handling techniques.

Manual handling can be a necessity to everyday living. However, there can be serious consequences and restrictions due to injuries. The ability to undertake work and leisure activities can be impaired, therefore, awareness and prevention are vital.

The Caribbean Institute for Security and Public Safety offers a wide range of training programmes to organisations and individuals in many areas of law enforcement, security supervision and management, and occupational safety and health. Contact us at 223-6999, email: info@caribbeansecurityinstitute.com or www.caribbeansecurityinstitute.com to strengthen your human resource skill set!

Recently I went to FCB, One Woodbrook Place, to withdraw US$1,524 from my US savings account.

After lining up for 25 minutes, the teller told me I could only get US$500. I explained to her that it was to pay premiums for a US health policy and I needed the entire amount or the policy would lapse. She was rather uncommunicative so I asked her to call her supervisor—a Mr Richard Rowley—who took another 20 minutes to see me! And he also said I could only have $500!

I again explained what I needed the money for, and that I was not asking to buy US dollars, I only wanted to withdraw my own US money.

He insisted that $500 was all I could get because he had to keep some US currency for those customers who may still come to the bank that afternoon!

I called RBC the next morning (that was another nightmare to get to speak to a human on their operator-less system!). However, I told them that I understood US dollars were short but needed to get $1,524 from my account?

And their answer was: “Certainly, which branch do you want to collect it from?”

I immediately wrote Mr Rowley, telling him what I thought about his service and asked him to prepare a draft for the entire amount left in my US account as I planned to move it to RBC.

As a supervisor, he needed to: (1) know his customer, and if he didn’t, he could pull up all my accounts to see if I was a valuable customer or not, and (2) to not give the impression that he didn’t care if the medical plan was cancelled due to the non-payment of premiums!!

Dianne Grell

Cascade

Two weeks ago, our children sat the Secondary Entrance Exam, deciding, in three hours, whether they enter one of our few “prestige”—ie, “acceptable”—schools, or if they’re sentenced to five years in one of our daytime holding cells, the preparation for longer stays in greater confinement with more bars on the windows; and without a bara man at the gate. In sympathy with these frighteningly young people, whose whole lives may have been firetrucked before their first kiss, I began the SEA myself last Friday (though, as I confessed then, with my 57th birthday looming, it’s more of a Senility Entrance Exam for me).

Last week, I struggled with maths. Next week, I’ll do the essay. 

Today, I’ll try what used to be “English” but is now “Language Arts”—even if the Caribbean Examinations Council itself is not sufficiently artful in English or any language to know that Bristol board is spelled with a capital B. It was misspelled ‘bristol board’ three times in the actual 2010 SEA paper, which I got—sorry, obtained—from the Ministry of Education. 

Let’s plunge into Language Artform—which is what I just know slack local dialect, applied without its own grammatical rules, will be called whenever “it replace de lang-widge of de oppressor as de oh-fish-ul lang-widge of eddy-kay-shun in-struck-shun.” For space reasons, I’ll do only one question from each underlined sub-division; the SEA has more sections than Tribe on Carnival Tuesday.

Section 1. Grammar Skills. 

A. Underline ONE abstract noun. Q2. The child’s mother expressed concern over the seriousness of his injury? A trick question: the real mistake is that “child-mother” should either be hyphenated or replaced with “The Madam.” 

B. Change the nouns in brackets to plural form. Q3. The old (seaman) told exciting sea stories? The old sailor and them tell exciting sea story about selling stolen diesel cheap and eating ah food. 

C. Write a suitable pronoun in EACH space. Q7. Mr Brown’s old shop, _____ has become an eyesore, will be demolished. The pronoun is “which,” but the question is still wrong because, in Trinidad, only buildings of immense historical, architectural and cultural importance, like the Greyfriars church and the MacLeod house, are demolished; abandoned derelict buildings are not torn down: they become prime spranger real estate until they collapse of their own accord. 

D. Write the correct form of the verb in brackets. Q8 Not one of my friends seems (like) classical music? 

And why should they, when the only thing playing the violin will get you is to be called a bullerman, when singing about jump-and-wave or burying your nana in your nanny hole could win you two million “dullers, sulid-liquid cyash” from the state? 

E. Rewrite the sentences using indirect speech. Q12. “Teacher,” the children asked, “Can we play outside?” The children asked if they could play outside and the teacher replied, “Not a firetruck of that. It have two spranger from Mr Brown’ eyesore shop loitering, looking to thief all-you corn curls.”

F. Underline ONE adjective in EACH sentence. Q 14. My mother baked a chocolate cake for the class party. Ah-whoa! Look trouble for Trinidadian children; how could chocolate, a noun, be an adjective? Unless it’s “class;” hmmmm. This could mean vocational school for me. 

G. Underline ONE adverb. Q 18. Ravindra has already spoken to Dario about the poetry competition? Ravindra? Dario? What happened to Boysie and Carla, the traditional occupants of primary school textbooks? They passed the SEA at last and went big school? 

H. Underline ONE preposition. Q 21. The teacher warned us repeatedly not to talk during the examination? What a horrible trick to play on SEA candidates: is this a question they’re meant to answer, or instructions they’re meant to follow; I can just imagine the future trade school students looking all over the paper for the box to tick, “Yes.” 

Section II.  Vocabulary/Spelling/Punctuation. A. Write a word opposite in meaning to the underlined word. Q 23. Eating is prohibited in the classroom when there is a Parents’ Meeting? Yet another example of the CXC failing its own Language Arts: why, pray firetrucking tell, is Parents’ Meeting capitalised? If it were a PTA or Cabinet meeting, they might have a Leg to Stand On but nothing shows Ignorance like Arbitrary Capitals and the CXC is revealing itself. 

B. Write the APPROPRIATE form of the word in CAPITAL LETTERS. Q 25. BEAUTY There are plans to______ the school’s surroundings? Beautify; no doubt by demolishing Mr Brown’s old eyesore shop. 

C. Underline and correct the incorrectly spelt word. Q29. Ruby, my mischeivous puppy, chewed my sandals? Ah, the old, “I before E except after C” rule; I wonder if the CXC knows it goes on, “or when sounded like “ay,” as in “neighbour” or “weigh?” The 2010 SEA was made extra hard—mischievously?—with “mischievous“ being the word misspelled: there’s an “H” intervening between the C and the I and E, complicating application of the rule; what happened to the old, reliable “receive?” Plenty children who might have made it to Convent ended up in rehab because of that. 

D. Insert TWO missing punctuation marks. Q 31. “That’s a wonderful idea” responded Ashas Mum excitedly? More important, why is Mum capitalised? Would they have written, “Ashas Mother?” Q 34. Did you see the film Slum Dog Millionaire? Sheesh. If you’re going to include a film title, get it right: “Slumdog Millionaire;” this is like saying “The God Father” or “For Rest Gump” or “Ava Tar;” and how come the CXC followed its spell-check for that and not for Bristol board? That’s enough un-artful language.

BC Pires is glad the CXC at least knows it’s parents’ meeting and not parent’s meeting. Email your capital cities to him at bc@winetonline.com

The report states that just 47 per cent of the overpayments have been recovered. This shows that in two multimillion-dollar incidents of fiscal carelessness by the state, there was a recovery rate of roughly half of the money. 

In a matter of days, the nation has been advised of two incidents, neither recent, in which significant sums of taxpayers’ money were stolen, either in brazen crimes or staggering acts of carelessness. 

In September 2011, a man walked into First Citizens Bank, said he was an agent of the National Energy Company, and on that basis TT$60 million worth of illegal wire transfers were effected. 

Anyone who has tried to get US currency out of a local bank would be utterly amazed that on a single person’s say-so, three wire transfers moved that money in US currency to banks in Abu Dhabi, the United States and Antigua. 

Four years later, the NEC would send a press release announcing that after extensive work through diplomatic channels, 58 per cent of the money was repatriated from banks in Boston and Antigua while the remaining 42 per cent has been frozen in an account at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. 

According to that document, the wire transfers were, “fraudulently prepared outside National Energy’s Internal processing system and processed using a procedure which was not standard for the confirmation and validation of our wire transfers.” 

A week ago, Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine promised that the remaining $25 million is being recovered through diplomatic channels. 

A lower grade but no less audacious theft was reported on Sunday, when the 2014 Report into the Public Accounts of T&T, prepared by Auditor General Majeed Ali, revealed that 74 blank cheques had simply disappeared from the Ministry of Tourism, along with another 12 cheques totalling $844,492.15. 

In other findings in the report, it was noted that between 2011 and 2014, overpayments totalling $97 million were made by various ministries, with close to $24 million of those sums happening in 2014 alone, when 3,975 cases of overpayments, each in excess of $100,000, were made.

The report states that just 47 per cent of the overpayments have been recovered. 

This shows that in two multimillion-dollar incidents of fiscal carelessness by the State, there was a recovery rate of roughly half of the money. 

That these incidents have occurred in arms of the State which deal with foreign agencies and would be expected to conform to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and to have implemented systems which enable them to offer the highest levels of accountability for public money. 

Such processes make accounting procedures slower, particularly when they are enabled by software systems that demand multi-tiered releases of approved spending, which ensure that there is a clear trail of accountability throughout the financial process. 

These systems significantly lubricate and automate payment procedures, dramatically reducing the need for cheques for all but the most minor of purchases and ensuring that the transfer of significant funds is accompanied by a clear trail of responsibilities. 

Modern financial controls would not allow 86 cheques to simply vanish with no accountability for their management. 

There is certainly no way that a person could instigate a multimillion-dollar wire transfer in a GAAP-enabled state agency without triggering alarms and leaving behind a readily followed spoor of signatories in its wake. 

In the 21st century, these are unforgivable and shameful lapses that demand not just investigation and palliative reassurances that “new processes will ensure it does not happen again.” 

A nation managing a budget in the billions cannot afford systems that leak such staggering sums of money.

The head of the non-profit group that oversees all Internet addresses will step down in March 2016.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) president and CEO Fadi Chehadé sent notice to the board on May 21, telling them he would leave after an annual meeting to be held in Morocco in March.

Hours after the news broke, Chehadé addressed representatives of the regional Internet community gathered in Lima for an annual conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (Lacnic). He said during the remaining ten months of his tenure, Icann will redouble efforts to give greater power to the global, multi-stakeholder Internet community of governments, businesses, organisations and users, so that no single entity would have the authority to determine the future of the Internet.

Chehadé has been overseeing Icann’s transition from this longstanding arrangement away from US-centred control toward a more global oversight of Icann’s core responsibility for the Internet.

Chehadé had earlier commended Icann staff for moving the organisation from a predominantly US-based operation to a global institution with offices and relationships spread around the world.

At stake in the transition process is the control of a vital stake in the rapidly growing global digital economy, which could exceed US$4.2 trillion by 2016, according to a Boston Consulting Group study.

“As the digital economy grows, the pressure to take control of things will grow as well, and it is incumbent upon us to show that we are prepared and mature and ready,” he said.

Chehadé's resignation will take effect shortly after the US government receives a plan to implement the transition of the IANA stewardship function to Icann and the global Internet community, including regional Internet registries such as Lacnic. 

The T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce will be leading its first trade mission to Cuba next month.

CEO Catherine Kumar confirmed that the mission would take place June 11 and 12. She said Cuba is an attractive market for T&T, especially as an economic partnership agreement is in place between the two nations.

Kumar said the time has come for T&T businesses to capitalise on the Cuban market. Following a seminar on Cuba hosted by the Chamber earlier this week, Kumar said a new foreign investment act would stimulate investment on the island. 

“Businesses will be able to take advantage of some of the incentives. 

“A very attractive one is the reduction in corporation tax on profits,” she said.

Kumar said market access was important, so talks on air transportation had started with Caribbean Airlines.

She said: “Right now to go to Cuba, the most feasible way is to use Copa Airlines via Panama then to Cuba. It takes a while. If we can get a direct flight to Cuba it will help with some of the logistics, make life a lot easier and make flying time a lot easier as far as getting there and returning.”

Kumar said a combination of several factors was making Cuba a more attractive market for T&T business. 

“Even though the US has removed some of the restrictions, eventually removing the embargo would be a great incentive to open up Cuba. What made it difficult to do business with Cuba is the restriction. If you are doing business with the US you cannot do business with Cuba,” she said.

Chairman of the Interbank Anti-Fraud Committee of the Bankers Association of T&T (Batt), Antonio Ventour, says fraud is on the rise in T&T and the latest illegal activity involves deportees who are selling credit-card data online. 

Ventour, who spoke at a seminar hosted by the Energy Chamber of T&T, at Cara Suites in Claxton Bay,  yesterday, said citizens can safeguard against fraud by adhering to certain policies and standard procedures. He also urged businesses to educate their employees about fraud.

He said credit-card skimming, which involves a small device that can easily be hidden and used on unsuspecting customers, is becoming more prevalent.

“When they skim the cards they send the information to the Internet and sell it to the highest bidder. We believe the skimming device was first brought into T&T by deportees,” Ventour said.

With the increase of online banking, he said, highly-intelligent malware are now being used to reroute funds from one account to the other.

“In 2013 McAfee detected 14 million banking malware which are now used to scam unsuspecting people of millions of dollars in cash,” Ventour revealed. He advised business owners to be wary of suspicious cardholder behaviour.

“Look for someone who shops willy-nilly with a card and that would be your first red flag. It is also important to compare the signature on the ID and the one on the receipt. Monitor the payment area or workstation for skimmers and lost cards.

“Let employees know you have a fraud policy and once you present that to employees, it acts as an immediate deterrent,” Ventour said. 

He said it was not wise to rely only on a police certificate of good character when hiring staff—background checks are necessary.

“Letters of recommendations and references are always complimentary. Background investigations reveal what police certificates of character do not. Exercise caution when dealing with new clients and always know your customers.”

Ventour also recommended that people use only one device for financial transactions. He said a 2015 survey found that the greatest threats to businesses are cyber-related.

Ivawood looks a gilt-edged each-way ‘special’ in the group one Irish 2000 Guineas over a mile of ‘good to soft’ Curragh today; trainer Richard Hannon and brother-in-law, champion jockey, Richard Hughes, are confident about reversing placings with 2/5 favourite, Gleneagles.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge improved tremendously when landing the English equivalent on the Rowley Mile earlier this month, storming clear to beat French-trained Territories and Ivawood, three lengths off the impressive winner.

‘Hughesy’ rode Ivawood to come home that day, not believing 100 per cent this Zebedee colt would stay the furthest distance he’d tackled; had they not raced down the centre, away from the principals, it might have been a different story.

We share their enthusiasm but respect that Roger Varian is also confident about ‘Dewhurst’ winner Belardo a total flop in the ‘Greenham’ but back to his very best, according to Newmarket gallop reports.

Belardo was officially the best two-year-old of 2014; we disagreed but he can’t be discounted. On a ‘process of elimination’ this exceptionally well-bred Irish colt is one of only three able to win and that’s why Ivawood represents a ‘thieving’ bet with three places available. It should be fascinating, watch Hughes, throughout.

Consistency can be relied upon to produce reward and with this in mind First Bombardment is napped (again!) in the Maiden Stakes over five furlongs of ‘good to firm’ Catterick, one of seven meetings on this overwhelming ‘super-Saturday!’

It’s crazy but by sticking to the daily patent we are winning handsomely; what a cracking 23/1 double that was on Thursday.

Thrice-raced First Bombardment keeps bumping into useful types but this is an outstanding opportunity which I’ll bet he takes with both hands.

An each-way treble will be on my agenda with the DP and, hopefully, Russian Radiance will conclude it successfully in the Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over six furlongs of ‘good to firm’ Salisbury.

Don’t forget to click onto www.dailyearner.co.uk because we have another jumping ‘special’ at Ffos Las. 

Davindra Krishna and Totaram Rampersad led Orange Field to an eight-wicket win over BSF (Brasso) in the Ramsingh Sports Central Zone T20 final at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva on Thursday night.

Man-of-the-Match Krishna ensured his captain and brother Navindra hoisted the winner’s trophy and collected the gold medals with an aggressive undefeated knock of 77 as Orange Field successfully chased 131 for victory, finishing on 134/2 in just 14.5 overs. Earlier BFL was sent in to bat after a short sharp shower and struggled against the testing Orange Field attack with Rampersad grabbing 3/10 in four overs which won him the best bowling award. 

The Brasso side was eventually dismissed for 130 runs with two balls remaining.

The day-night final was witnessed by a large crowd and deemed a great success by Manohar Ramsaran, chairman of the interim committee running the affairs of the Central Zone of the T&T Cricket Board.

He congratulated Orange Field for their historic victory which he said proved that cricket talent exists in every nook and cranny of T&T but can only be brought to the forefront with competitions like the Central Zone Twenty20. Ramsaran also commended Nal Ramsingh, the tournament sponsor for continuing to support the game in central Trinidad with his generous contributions over the years to its development in the communities and villages. 

Also present for the final was Azim Bassarath, president of the T&TCB who met the teams before the match and congratulated them for reaching the final through a series of tough qualifying matches.

Bassarath, serving his third consecutive term of office, expressed his appreciation to the Central Zone committee including Ramsaran, Richard Ramkissoon, Rajin Poorai and Fareed Mohammed for organising an excellent tournament.

Scores

At National Cricket Centre: BFL (Brasso) 130 (19.4 Overs) (Winston Forrester 44, Totaram Rampersad 3/10) vs Orange Field 134/2 (14.5 Overs) (Davindra Krishna 77 not out) Orange Field won by eight wickets

COLOMBO—After clinching the One-Day International series convincingly, West Indies Women have now set their sights on sweeping the three-match Twenty20 series which bowls off at the R Premadasa Stadium in Sri Lanka yesterday.

The touring side suffered just one defeat en route to taking the four-match ODI series, 3-1, and captain Merissa Aguilleira said they had resolved to play unbeaten for the remainder of the tour.

“The place is very humid down here but after all, we know what we came to do even though we came to win all of our matches,” she said.

“We fell short in one so … we’ve said to ourselves that we’re not going to lose any more matches. We’re going into the T20s with full fire and hopefully we can bring it home for the people of the Caribbean.”

All three matches have been scheduled for the R Premadasa Stadium, with the second game carded for Monday and the final one on Tuesday.

Despite playing inconsistently, West Indies Women still managed to outplay the Sri Lankans in the ODIs and will now take that momentum into the T20 series.

They opened the series with a five-wicket victory, slumped to a six-wicket loss in the second game before rebounding to win the last two encounters.

In the last game, they managed just 156 but defended it superbly to come away with an important 31-run verdict.

“I felt really good to know that we have actually crossed that hurdle because after going out there and scoring 156 we knew that we had to step up to the plate,” Aguilleira explained.

“It was really a team effort, we went out there as a team and organised ourselves in a way where we just had to stay focussed and maintain our focus, and I think that’s exactly what we did. I think it was a really tremendous job and well done to the team.”

The last three games of the ODI series counted as ICC Championship games, and Aguilleira pointed out that winning two of these matches had been vital.

“Winning was important because we really wanted to get the six points but we fell short in the first [championship] game but we’re really thankful to God that we got the last four points,” she said. “Hopefully going [forward] in the championship we can get more points.”

The ICC Women’s Championship is a multi-year, bilateral competition between the top eight sides, which earns points towards qualification for the 2017 Women’s World Cup. CMC

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) needs to bring back the WICB Regional T20 cricket series to the people of the Caribbean.

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 team is fantastic and has brought the crowds out but this number could double if they bring back the Regional T20 tournament.

This would not be duplication because one has to understand that the CPL is “franchise” cricket. What I have noticed whilst travelling around covering West Indies cricket and CPL cricket, is that the people of the Caribbean is finding it very hard to come to terms with “franchise” cricket. 

The rivalry between territories in the Caribbean that has been built up over years remains and fans want more of that. 

They want to see Sunil Narine playing for T&T and not Guyana, they want Keiron Pollard to play as part of the Red Force. T&T fans have felt the most disappointment because they lost the most players to other teams in the Caribbean. 

When the CPL was conceptualised in an effort to make the tournament competitive, they had to dismantle the powerful Red Force. 

The team who had seen four out of the first five Champions League, was scattered around the Caribbean and two of their players were actually made captains of other teams. Pollard went to the Barbados Tridents, while Denesh Ramdin went to Guyana to be their captain.

I am aware of the fact that under the present arrangement between the WICB and CPL, the former would have to seek permission from the latter to host T20 matches involving more than two teams in the Caribbean.

So I can’t see CPL giving permission for the WICB to host a Regional T20 tournament. However, it is worth a try because it could bring serious interest back to cricket and I think the advertising dollar would come in. 

Let’s hope that this idea can be toyed with in the not too distant future. I want to make it clear that I am not calling for the demise of the CPL, what I am saying is that there is a place for both tournaments. The Regional T20 tournament can be played in January over two weeks and the CPL can remain in their window which is June and July.

Meanwhile, shifting the topic a bit, I would like to ask the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) to take a look at the timing of their domestic T20 tournament.  

I am looking at what is happening in Barbados and I totally agree with their thinking. They started their domestic T20 cricket last weekend and it is being played just before the CPL. 

There local players are getting a chance to play T20 cricket before going to CPL and the fans are getting a taste of what is to come. What they are doing is building up the hype for T20 cricket at this point in time and this would auger well when matches come to Barbados.

In Trinidad, our T20 tournament is done and dusted and the league is currently being played. 

We are playing league cricket going into the CPL and this cannot be the best preparation. I know that the president of the TTCB, Azim Bassarath has stated the structure and timing of domestic cricket is very fluid and the board is looking for ways to better the league. This is good news and this is why I decided to throw in my two cents.

Finally on the column today, I would like to continue my call for people with selfish agendas to keep away from the administration of cricket. 

I have seen enough to know that there are people moving around local cricket, trying to get on board and they are hurting the game in the process. Please! Please! Please! keep away cricket does not need you.

Rachel Yankey, Arsenal Ladies stand-out and record holder of England national team appearances, along with former Bolton Wanderers and England youth team midfielder Fabrice Muamba kicked off the Flow Legends Community Outreach Programme, last weekend, making separate visits to T&T where they visited various schools and communities. 

The programme is part of the BA Legends Tobago Football Challenge, an event which will feature some 64 legendary former players from around the Caribbean and England’s Premier League. 

The six-a-side tournament will run from June 20-21 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium. Many of the players will offer clinics to young local footballers and visit communities.

During Muamba and Yakey’s visits to the two islands, they held football sessions and gave inspiring talks at a number of schools.

Muamba, whose career was cut short in 2012 when he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch while playing for Bolton offered strong advice to aspiring footballers, urging them to pursue a proper education, whether or not they become professional athletes.

Last weekend clinics were held at Carnbee/Mt Pleasant with St Clair Coaching School at Scarborough Secondary School and at Canaan/Bon Accord with 1975 Phoenix, a Tobago club that competes in the National Super League.

They also spent time with students of the St Augustine Secondary School and Flow staff at the company’s Cunupia Operations Centre, on Monday.

Coaches who attended the sessions were grateful for the pointers provided by the experienced players and were excited, particularly for the support of Yankey who shared a special time with the female footballers present.

Yankey said: “We’re happy to spend some time with the kids of T&T and share our experiences with them. We know and we’re inspired by Dwight Yorke in particular so it’s exciting to come and see where he lived and developed his talent and passion.”

Over the three-day period, the programme touched approximately 130 kids mostly in Tobago but also in Trinidad.

The Flow Legends Community Legacy Outreach Programme will continue next weekend in Tobago with local coaches visiting other communities paired with the Legends teams. 

The programme will culminate from June 16-17 when all 64 legends arrive in Tobago and visit the communities for extended clinics.

The teams, which bear names of the Premier League clubs and two all-star teams, are paired with towns in Tobago. They are: Manchester United (Canaan/Bon Accord); Aston Villa (Buccoo/Mt Pleasant/Bethel/Carnbee); Liverpool (Les Coteaux/Plymouth/Black Rock); Tottenham Hotspur (Patience Hill/Signal Hill/Lambeau); Caribbean All Stars (Mason Hall/Moriah/Castara); Arsenal (Roxborough/Argyle/Goodwood); Chelsea (Charlotteville/Speyside/Delaford); and PFA All Stars (Whim/Mt Grace/Calderhall).

Tickets are available in Trinidad at Cleve’s One Stop Music Shop, Crosby’s in St James and at Flow Payment Centres in Port of Spain, Tacarigua, Arima, Chaguanas and San Fernando. In Tobago tickets are available at Penny Savers Supermarket, and Milford 24 Gas Station.

Orlando City midfielder and senior national player Kevin Molino, 24, has been named the men’s senior International Player of the Year at the T&T Football Association (TTFA) hosted its awards ceremony for 2014/2015 at the VIP Lounge at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Woodbrook on Thursday night. He was bestowed with the T&T men’s football Goal of the Year, too.

Molino, who was unable to attend the ceremony as he was recovering from surgery he underwent due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, received 56 per cent of the votes cast by coaches, fans and media.

Fans saluted him with the Goal of the Year awards for the memorable goal against Curacao at the 2014 Caribbean Cup Finals with 59 per cent of the votes.

 The International Player of the Year Award was Molino’s first honour on the night. During the season under review, the talented footballer was called up for  national duty in the Caribbean Cup at which the team emerged runner-up. He also appeared in international friendly against Argentina and Iran prior to the 2014 World Cup finals. Molino was also outstanding for his club Orlando City in the United States Soccer League. 

Meanwhile, Arin King was named the women’s International Player of the Year, with 87 per cent of the votes. She played in all of this country’s World Cup qualifying matches in 2014, delivering performances which have been described as outstanding.

 North East Stars centre-midfielder and national U-20 player Neveal Hackshaw, 19, was adjudged Male Youth International Player of the Year, while Amaya Ellis emerged as the Female Youth International Player of the Year. Ellis who played for FFC Frankfurt in Germany represented the national U-15, U-17 and U-20 Women’s team with distinction in 2014. 

The Senior Women’s Team was named International Team of the Year, while Randy Waldrum emerged as Coach of the Year.

 Lauryn Hutchinson, meanwhile, was bestowed with the award with the Goal of the Year–Women. The goal that put her in the spotlight was an equaliser during the fixture against Costa Rica during the Concacaf Women’s Final Round of World Cup qualification last year. She received 40 per cent of the votes, while Kennya Cordner’s first half goal against Guatemala came in second with 33 per cent of the votes. 

Super League honour saw Club Sando goalkeeper Alexi Julian named as the season’s Most Valuable Player, while his team lifted the league trophy and took home the Club Sando TT $200,000 cash prize.

Keeping score in poker couldn't be any more straightforward: You are either winning money or losing it.

The people who play tournament and cash games at the highest limits get the most attention, for obvious reason. When a single pot holds enough cash to purchase a home or cover a year's salary, people notice. But reaching the highest limits is both unreasonable and ill-advised, because most people aren't hard-wired to handle the swings.

Your goals should be easier to manage. Here are five ways to be happy with your place in the vast poker universe:

Keep losses small: OK, your read was off and you lost the pot. The chips are going in the other direction, but let's look at the good news: You didn't pour gas on the fire and lose your entire stack. Since money not lost spends every bit as good as money won, by keeping your losses minimal, the saved money can produce serious long-term results. 

Lay it down: I don't have math to back this up, but I can speak with authority here in the same way that I can tell you that the sun is hot, even though I have no intention of ever going near it. The player who has the ability to fold in difficult situations is going to be light years ahead of the person who attempts too many "hero" calls.

Avoid the syndrome: Fancy-play syndrome is the poker equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters' brand of basketball. It's entertaining and the table will get a real kick out of it when you show your opponent the 7-2 after a winning double-barrel bluff. The reaction when the play is a loser is considerably different.

Perfect game: There are days at the poker table when you can look back and say to yourself, "You know, I don't think I made any mistakes today." You maximized the value in your betting lines. You were smart and had a handle on the three elements I already mentioned. You exploited the weak players, and had the smarts to stay away from the better ones.

When you can walk away with this assessment on a consistent basis (few are capable of honestly pulling this off any better than 3 out of 10), the results will speak for themselves in the long term. 

Slow and steady: Every kid, at one point, has been told the story of "The Tortoise and the Hare," but the tale is incredibly applicable to poker. If you can routinely find games at limits you can consistently beat, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

Banking a $200 win isn't going to get anybody's attention, but if you are keeping accurate bankroll records and watching the profit accumulate over time, it's much more impressive than a big-win player flatlining his or her bankroll because he or she did something stupid.

Got a poker question or have a comment? Email Chuck at cblount@express-news.net.