STANISLAUS EUCLID Edward(better known as Santa oPinky) died on Decembe22nd, at the EWMSC. Former employee of Carib Glassworks. Husband of CheryKhan-Stanislaus. The son of O'Donald and GeraldineStanislaus ( both deceased) Father of Natalie Beckles and Garvin Stanislaus. Brother oGloria, Faithlyn, Lennard Rudolph, Rudolphus, JoeyJoy, Martin and Dave Stanislaus.

Grandfather of Jaelynand Tyler Whiting. Uncle oHelen, Ian, Junior, KerwinNicole, Gary, Rayon, Josephand many others. Brother-inLaw of Osmond, Pat and Hollis Khan and Jenny Francois Relatives of the Stanislausand Alexis families. Cousin oSalome, Christine, Avril Mickey and many othersGood Friend of Secky, Aldwyn, Ali, Jermaine, Wolf Oba, Hambone, Beverly andQuammie.

The funeral of thelate Euclid Edward Stanislaus(better known as Santa oPinky) Takes place on Friday30th December at 11:30 a.mat the St. Charles RC ChurchEastern Main Road, Tunapuna, thence to the TunapunaCemetery.

President General of the OWTU says that Wednesday morning the union will serve strike notice on state-owned Petrotrin.

He says workers must not pay for the fire rage that started under the last government and continued by this government for being represented by a union who stood up agaisnt against corruption

He says after strike begins the workers will not return to work unless Petrotrin has a new president.

This comes after negotiations between the unions and the company broke down at 5am today as Roget says the company is still offering zero-zero-zero.

Javelin bronze medallist at the Rio 2016 Olympics Keshorn Walcott copped the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) Sportsman of the Year crown, at the 19th annual awards ceremony on Thursday night at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain.

Walcott, 23, who grabbed gold at the London 2012 Olympics was this country’s only medalist at the Rio Olympics. The Sportswoman of the Year title went to Michelle Lee-Ahye, 24, who had a personal best of 22.25 seconds in the 200 metres event at the Rio Olympics.

The Sports Personality of the Year title went to para-olympian Akeem Stewart. Stewart, 24, who is from Tobago, broke his own world record twice en route to Rio 2016 Paralympic gold in the javelin event.

However, despite his performance at the People’s Choice Award which is determined by online voting went to swimmer Dylan Carter.

Cyclist Nicholas Paul copped the Junior Sportsman of the Year award after his gold medal performance in the match sprint event of the Junior Panam Cycling Championships earlier in the year. And sprinter Kalifa St Fort took away the Junior Sportswoman of the year honours.

Delivering the feature address at the gala affair was former Strike Squad goalkeeper, Shaka Hislop, who gave his impressions of what he experienced in Rio as an anchor for ESPN. He started of by saying that: “Football is my life but it does not define me!” Hislop had everyone glued to his delivery as he relayed how boxer Nigel Paul left the biggest impression on him after the event.

“Nigel Paul was a reluctant Olympian, he started off boxing to lose weight and ended up at the Olympics.” Paul was knocked out in the first minute of his event, but Hislop said he still respected him because of the fact that he went out there to represent his country, looking to bring glory to the people.

On that note Hislop said that too many people took the social media which is easy to go onto and bash the athletes. “I remembered when the president of the Olympic Association Brian Lewis said that there was an ambition to get 10 gold medals by 2024. He was ridiculed for his comment and I remember sending him a quote from an Indian businessman which stated that ‘when people laugh at your goal, it is too small’. I sat in an uber and was going through Twitter after the Olympics and looking on at the criticisms from people in T&T over the performance of our athletes and responded by saying let your level of criticism be in line with your level of contribution.”

Also giving the public a tongue lashing over their criticisms of the nation’s athletes was President of the Republic Anthony Carmona. Giving his address as Patron of the TTOC he said, “There is an insatiable appetite for success from the people of T&T. They must understand that sport is not only about winning and they must get of this attitude of luxuriating in the great times alone. They need to support the athletes even in bad times because sport is something that would show you the best and worst of times.

“To the athletes I must say to you that when you go out there to compete, remain focus and show that thirst for success and let no competitor get in the way of what you can achieve.”

Lewis in his address reiterated the fact that the ambition is 10 gold medals by 2024 and said that his movement has done a lot to develop athletes and put T&T on the map despite the fact that the medals have not been coming in large amounts.

He said that there was a lot being done by the TTOC to assist the athletes and they are even lobbying for HDC houses for them. He seemed to have taken a dig at the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) when he stated, “We at the TTOC are making sure that we take care of people’s children when they are put under our care and not allowing things like sexaul assaut to take place. As a responsible national body we are providing a safe environment for our youths which should be done by all national sporting bodies.”

KEVIN BALDEOSINGH

When my 19-month-old son Kyle tore the wrapping paper off his Christmas gift and saw a box of cars, a delighted smile spread on his face. Similarly, when my three-year-old daughter Jinaki opened her gift and saw a box of plastic cups and saucers, she immediately said, “I am going to make tea for you and Mommy, Daddy!”

This is what most parents do—buy the toys that they know their children will like. Kyle’s first word was “Car” and, many times, we don’t even have to put him to sleep at night—we just lie down and he will drive one of his small toy cars back and forth on the bed until he falls asleep. We didn’t choose cars to be his favourite toy—he did so in typical boy fashion. But, unlike his sister, he occasionally plays with stuffed toys.

Jinaki’s interest in tea sets is relatively recent, and she has never evinced any particular interest in playing with dolls, preferring random objects, from skipping ropes to clothes hangers, to invent games with.

However, when I recently pointed out to her that she doesn’t like dolls, she insisted that she did and, to prove me wrong, brought home one of the dolls from her Mama’s house (where all the dolls other people have given her are lined up unused on the back of a sofa). That very night, she dismembered all the doll’s limbs for some monster game she was playing. On the other hand, she has long been specific about the kind of clothes she wants to wear, and will even cry if she can’t get a dress with sleeves.

As a parent, I observe my children’s predilections and try to cater to them. But many parents in our society believe that children must conform to the adults’ beliefs and values, and exert their parental authority to ensure this happens. Thus, there are some parents who choose their children toys for ideological reasons—ie to try and force their children to conform to the parents’ ideas about how boys and girls should behave.

More specifically, such parents want their boys to be less like boys and their girls to be more like boys. So they will give the girls building blocks, and never give the boys any kind of toy weapon. But this kind of parenting, far from being enlightened, is merely a variation of the authoritarian mentality which undergirds more traditional parenting.

Now, in olden times, such parenting was probably the best method, simply because the world changed slowly, if at all. But, in this 21st century, forcing our children to be like us—even assuming that is possible—can make them ill-equipped for the new world they will face when they become adults. Even in a matter as fundamental as being male or female, progressive parenting requires us to observe our children closely and support their inclinations. And choosing toys that our child will like, rather than what we think they should like, indicates how we approach more important aspects of parenting.

Soon after Cemex announced its intention to make a takeover bid for TCL on December 5, 2016, I wrote letters in the print media strongly advising the TCL Board to engage the services of a reputable International Investment Banker to do an Independent Valuation of TCL, which would be communicated to shareholders who had been offered $4.50 per share by Cemex.

Having gone through the process in 2002, I learned first-hand the pressures that would be brought to bear on directors after making their recommendation either to accept or reject the Cemex offer. Such a recommendation is one of the most staggeringly important pronouncements to be made by directors, as thousands of shareholders are depending on the Board’s advice as to whether to sell at $4.50 or hold on in the expectation of a better price in the future.

TCL has over 6,000 individual shareholders including many credit unions and pension funds as well as important institutions such as the Unit Trust Corporation and the National Insurance Board.

In such circumstances the Board has a responsibility to mobilise the best available resources from anywhere in the world to bolster its recommendation and have it endorsed by a World Class Banker with specialised expertise in the building materials sector.

However, I was roundly chastised by TCL’s chairman who implied that “his Board” watches its pennies and would not waste money hiring an international investment banker to do an independent valuation.

He went on to say that his Board—a Gold Standard in Corporate Governance—would comply with the minimum requirement under the law (do you see the contradiction?) and commission only a “Fairness Opinion” about Cemex’s $4.50 per share offer rather than do a full valuation of TCL shares. The outcome of this Fairness Opinion was communicated via a Directors’ Circular on Friday, December 23, 2016, in which the TCL Directors stated that Cemex’s offer was unfair because it did not reflect “the full commercial value” of TCL but the directors refused to provide shareholders with the value from the Fairness Opinion which rendered Cemex’s Offer unfair.

Obviously this has resulted in an uproar among minority shareholders who are understandably peeved that the TCL Board refuses to share the current value of TCL’s shares as determined in Ernst & Young’s fairness assessment. So TCL’s directors are now caught with their proverbial pants down because while a “Fairness Opinion” will suffice if it had supported Cemex’s $4.50 offer, it is inadequate for a Board that recommends rejection of the offer. A sensible shareholder would want to know where Cemex’s Offer price is positioned relative to the Board’s valuation. For example if the Board believes that the “fair commercial value” of TCL is $5 per share, then a shareholder may be prepared to take a $0.50 loss and cash out by accepting Cemex’s Offer. However, if the fair value of TCL’s share is assessed at $10, then they would be reluctant to sell.

Section 99(1) of the Companies Act requires that Directors act: “honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interest of the company.” Directors are also required to “exercise care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances.”

In 2002, the TCL Board—comprising a group of prudent persons in comparable circumstances—exercised care, diligence, and skill by engaging the services of an International Investment Banker to value TCL shares so that shareholders could made a direct comparison between the value of their asset ($10 per share) and Cemex’s Offer Price ($7.15 per share).

The basis for the Board’s recommendation to reject Cemex’s Offer in 2002 was absolutely clear and shareholders could made their own decision about whether they would wait around for the realisation of the $10 value or sell to Cemex at $7.15.

Failing to equip shareholders with the best possible financial advice—which in this case was a credible World Class Valuation—during a major takeover, exposes TCL’s directors to allegations that they are in breach of their duty of faithfulness to the company, and by extension its shareholders. TCL’s directors know what TCL’s shares are worth; Cemex knows what TCL’s shares are worth but over 6,000 shareholders are left to guess, as they are about to make possibly one of the most important investment decisions in recent times.

However now that the Fairness Opinion has come out against Cemex’s Offer, the Board doesn’t have a thorough World Class Share Valuation, which can be shared with the public as the Bhajan- led Board had in 2002. With mere days to go before the Cemex Offer closes, it will be interesting to see how the Espinet led Board gets out of this pickle.

ROLLIN BERTRAND PHD,

TCL SHAREHOLDER

Playing at the Gabba yesterday, Badree claimed just one for 26 from his four overs as Hurricanes, sent in, posted 173 for nine off their allotted 20 overs.

Daniel Christian top-scored with 33 off 23 balls and Jonathan Wells chipped in with 28 off 25 balls but they were the only two to pass 20.

In reply, Heat raced to their target with 22 balls remaining, with Chris Lynn stroking an unbeaten 84 off 50 balls to follow up his 85 not out against Andre Russell’s Sydney Thunder three days ago.

Lynn, who represents Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League, struck four fours and seven sixes and posted 109 for the second wicket with New Zealander Brendon McCullum who blasted 72 off 35 deliveries.

Heat are unbeaten in their three outings this season while Hurricanes lie sixth in the eight-team league. (CMC)

We have had such an upsurge of abuse handed down to females over the past few years in T&T that it makes one wonder what has gone wrong that women can be treated with such brutality at times. It makes my heart bleed, as a young mother, when I read, see and hear what so many women suffer at the hands of some men who may not realise the vital roles women play in society.

Women are a direct gift from God. If we were to go back to the beginning, we would see after man was created God realised that it was not good for man to be alone so he chose the best soulmate for him—a precious woman. So, every time one disrespects, abuses or ill-treats a woman, you literally are saying to God, “You did not do well.” God gave his best as a helpmate for man.

Our very existence on earth is owed to a woman, our mothers. While scientists are trying to bring about childbirth in different ways, the natural method is through a woman. We carry and birth children as we go through the pain and all that go with child bearing that we have certainly earned the right to be respected by men.

Women are a helpmate to men. An example of such is that of being great financiers. Many men provide well for their home financially but they should collaborate with their spouses when budgeting as women can assist with prioritising, making sure that basic needs are met before considering luxury.

Being thorough decision makers, women are insightful and patient when making decisions, leading to the selection of a more appropriate option. For example, shopping. Many women take a long time to complete shopping because they want the best deal for their money. The opinions of women are valuable when making decisions. This is all part of building a balanced home life.

Taking all these into consideration, I am sure you would see the great role we women play in our nation. So many of us form the backbone in the family and the wider society, keeping things in motion yet doing it with grace and pleasure. We should therefore be respected and treated with dignity always as God expects it to be.

ROXANNE WHARTON,

TRINCITY

The sixteen member clubs of the new T&T Super League, formed at the end of the 2016 season, are moving ahead speedily to establish the organisation as a corporation - Trinidad and Tobago Super League Limited (T&TSL) to run the new league.

Following a meeting of the League’s Board of Directors which took place on Thursday evening at the Dinsley Government Primary School in Trincity, a meeting of the members will take place on Saturday, January 7 at the University of T&T (UTT) O’Meara campus from 10 am so that approval for several proposals from the interim board can be considered. The clubs appointed the directors to guide the establishment of the TTSL and to prepare the 2017 budget for the league’s operations.

Among the discussions up for approval is the registration fee which will be used to finance the operations of the 2017 season and make the league viable in the long run.

FC Santa Rosa president Keith Look Loy is president of the interim board of directors, which also includes, Lt Ryan Ottley (Defence Force FC), Kester Lendor (Real Maracas FC), George Joseph (Bethel FC) and Quincy Jones (Siparia Spurs FC).

The TTSL will kick off its inaugural season on Sunday, June 11, 2017.

Suffragette City smacks of a solid nap for the Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs of Lingfieldf polytrack this afternoon, when the New Year’s Eve fixture consists of a seven-race programme to see out 2016.

This Dragon Pulse filly is trained by the racing family Hannon, ridden by champion apprentice, Tom Marquand, and has sufficient experience, she was seventh in her ninth outing earlier this month, a career-best!

Significantly that effort was in a fiercely-competitive, fourteen-runner, Kempton nursery on a similar surface. Suffragette City was only beaten three lengths in a tremendous bunch finish won by Washington Blue with our nap, Quothquan, a short-head runner-up.

Following a smashing start to the winter all-weather season which saw this column top of the Racing Post Naps Table, for more than a week, we became de-railed. December has been dreadful but it’s a question of soldiering on and not panicking, stick to routine, based on decades of experience, and it should come right. Nuzha was a beaut at Southwell, Thursday.

There is no doubt once-raced Zilta could be a danger to Suffragette City because a close fourth to Sayem represents good form but none of eleven others look capable of getting anywhere near them.

Thirty-five minutes later, over the same course and didstance, Hannon also runs recent flop San Souci Bay in the seven-runner nursery, Sean Levey replacing an inexperienced apprentice.

It looks tight but recent course and distance winner, Reign On, is advantaged by the apprentice claim of experienced Hector Crouch and is drawn one; worth a win bet.

Passing Star needs only to achieve anything like his best TH Mark to gain a long-overdue success in the aged, £19000, handicap over a mile, his optimum distance.

Unfortunately it’s been a long time between drinks!

Charles Hills’ charge has endured physical problems since bursting on the scene at this venue in 2014, compromising prospects which would undoubtedly have seen Passing Star a genuine Saturday horse.

Recent home gallops have suggested Passing Star is really buzzing, Hills’ legendary father, Barry, seems sufficiently impressed and crack stable apprentice, Callum Shepherd, claims 3lbs allowance.

Shepherd began his apprenticeship with Hills, was sent on his way last year, buckled down and to his eternal credit, achieved impressive statistics with Brian Ellison; phase two of his burgeoning career is all about the way young Callum tackles a unique, gilt-edged opportunity. Best of luck to him.

Lingfield, 9.55 Suffragette City (nap-e.w)

10.30 Reign On

11.05 Passing Star (e.w).

“I’ll now have surgery and the rehabilitation to get me fit and playing at my best again,” Bravo said, according to the BBL site.

Bravo was stationed on the off-side boundary, and picked up the injury when he ran across and lowered himself to field a ball. He clutched at his hamstring as soon as he went down, and had to be taken off on a MediCab. This is Bravo’s fourth season with the Renegades. No replacement has been named as yet.

The injury puts Bravo in doubt for the Pakistan Super League, where he was retained by Lahore Qalandars. That T20 tournament begins from February 9.

The Renegades’ captain, Aaron Finch, said Bravo’s exit would have a big impact on his team: “It’s a huge blow, he’s one of the best allrounders in the world. It’s an unbelievably damaging blow for us, but also for him because we know how much he loves coming out here.”

The Adelaide Strikers also suffered an injury blow, with fast bowler Kane Richardson ruled out for up to a month with a back injury. Left-arm spinner Tom Andrews was called into the Strikers’ squad in his place.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Scarborough Secondary School (SSS) captured the Under-15 and Open titles in the Star Seekers Secondary Schools Invitational Basketball Two-day Tournament which took place at the Shaw  Park Basketball Court on December 14- 15.

Bishop’s High School (BHS) Michael Mc Millan prevented a clean sweep of the prizes by Scarborough Secondary  when he was voted the Open Most Valuable Player (MVP), while Scarborough Secondary Daniel Constance won the Under-15 version.

Signal Hill Secondary School (SHSS), Scarborough Secondary, Bishop’s High School and Mason Hall Government Secondary (MHSG) fielded teams in the Open category, while only Scarborough and Signal Hill Secondary schools competed in the Under 15 category.

The Open teams played a preliminary round robin format with the first place team playing the fourth place and second playing third to advance to the semis.

Scarborough which played unbeaten won its three preliminary round games, while Mason Hall which gave them a battle, was the surprised of the tournament. The Atiba De Leon-coached team had less talent than the champions and the favourites SHSS which played below their potential. Nevertheless, Mason Hall battled its opponents, and in addition to defeating Signal Hill in the preliminary round and semifinal the team gave SSS a scare in the final.

The executive of Star Seekers expressed thanks to Keon Warner who sponsored the tournament.

In his address the TTOC President Brian Lewis looks back, not just on 2016 but the history of the TTOC movement and its place in T&T sport.

Here's his full address.

"Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) continues to evolve as the role and responsibilities of National Olympic Committees have changed dramatically in recent years.

Rethink. Reimage. Reshape. Rebrand. Review. Reenergise. Revitalise. Reimagine a new sport organisation that is fit for purpose and relevant to the CLICK Generation- Fast, now, tech saavy, digitial and on demand. Transformation — finding the balance between stability and continuous improvement.

For 70 years the TTOC — non profit/non governmental — volunteer based has afforded tremendously talented sons and daughters of this wonderful and passionate twin island republic, AKA Trinidad and Tobago, to express that God-given talent on the world's biggest sporting stage- the Olympic Games.

In so doing Brand Trinidad and Tobago ,our national flag and national anthem are seen and heard in a most powerful and positive manner to a global audience.

Olympic House has sought to radically transform and evolve into a new and modern sport organisation that is athlete-centred, market-driven and service-based, with a relentless focus on transparency, accountability and good governance. We have had our failures and made mistakes. But we have learned and grown and have become better for it.

We have returned money to the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Rebranded Team TTO. We have courageously laid out an ambitious and aspirational goal of 10 or more Olympic Gold medals by 2024 — with a 10 Golds24 system excellence and high performance programme that includes an athlete welfare and preparation Fund.

Introduced financial medal bonuses. Good governance week. A Good Governance Code- SportIndustryTT with the forward thinking and solution focused objective of advocating for a billion dollar entrepreneurial oriented SportIndustryTT by the year 2030, athlete career development and brand ambassador programmes, long term athlete development and an athlete welfare and preparation fund .

Committed ourselves to living in the digital world — living in Beta. We have advocated for greater gender equity and respect for diversity and non discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. For expeditied HDC housing consideration for athletes who have given long and meritious service to Trinidad and Tobago. To date, we haven't succeeded and have made no progress with the expedited housing policy proposal but this is not a deterrent.

But through it all we have embraced the dialogue and listened intently. Social media is the new normal and we are empowered and motivated by the success of our deliberate strategy to deepen fan engagement and fan activation. In our efforts to make TeamTTO relevant to 2016 T&T society 2016 has been an awesome, fascinating and, at times, even frightening one for the TTOC. However, it has been one of significant learning.

As we continue on the Journey to Tokyo 2020 and beyond, 10 Golds2024 and SportIndustryTT2030 we must continue to disrupt and create new normals that meet and exceed the service expectations of our athletes, coaches, affiliates, corporate partners and TTOC stakeholders.

We must stand up and be counted in the fight to protect children from sexual predators, the nightmare unfolding in world sport must be faced. Denial and euphemisms must not be more important than the welfare and protection of vulnerable children from sexual predators. Parents and guardians must feel that they can trust the descion-makers in sport to protect their children.

We have a responsibility to contribute to creating a sustainable society and Trinidad and Tobago.

Talented children and youth who want to have hope, who want to believe that they are world class and can achieve greatness must be given the opportunity.

Being poor, underprivileged, unemployed and at-risk aren't insurmountable challenges. Nor should being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. On the issue of women and females in sport, the TTOC must be the arrowhead in creating a more empowering environment for women in sport.

The barrel of a gun, corruption and crime — be it white collar or otherwise — must not define us.

When we feel overwhelmed and as if we can't cope and the journey seems impossible to complete we must resist compassion fade.

Remember starfish! When the challenge before us seems overwhelming, break the big challenge down into smaller pieces and then take those one at a time – like one starfish at a time. And remember, too, to that one starfish, it can make a world of difference.

We can make a world of a difference one child, one athlete, one community, one medal, one day and one hour at a time. A journey of a thousand miles begin with one step. United we win, divide we lose.

Thank you.

Editor's Note

World Junior finalist Dwight St Hilaire and heptathlete Khemani Roberts won the boys’ and girls’ “Athlete of the Year” honours at the Kaizen Panthers Athletic Club’s inaugural awards at Coco Cafe, Crown Point, Tobago on December 11.

St Hilaire was a member of T&T’s men’s 4x400m team which finished sixth in the finals at the World Under-20 Track and Field Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland in July. The 19 year old ran the second leg and clocked a split of 46.9, the second fastest on the team. The Bishops High student qualified for the World 20 Championships after his fourth place finish in the boys U-20 400m finals at the National Junior Championships at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet clocking a personal best of 48.02. St Hilaire was also third in the 200m finals (21.58), another personal best.

Roberts took the top women’s award ahead of Carifta bronze medallist Anya Akili. Roberts won the girls U-20 high jump (1.70), long jump (5.44) and 400m (57.44) at the junior championships and also was third in the shot put (10.88). The Signal Hill Secondary graduate was outstanding in the girls U-20 heptathlon breaking the national record on three occasions.

Roberts first improved the national mark to 4539 points in winning the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor title for her school, Coppin State University. She later raised the score to 4790 in taking the IC4A/ECAC Conference crown. Her third record in the event came when she tallied 4957 in her second place at the National Senior Championships. Robert won gold for T&T in the girls U-20 heptathlon (4841) at the Pan American Combined Cup in Toronto, Canada.

St Hilaire and Roberts were also the top U-20 athletes for 2016.

Akili was the top U-18 performer in both track and field after copping bronze in the girls open heptathlon at the Carifta Games with a score of 4471 points and also was a quadruple winner at the National Secondary Schools and the National Junior Championships. At both meet the Bishops High School student won the the girls U-18 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, high jump and long jump events. Akili won the girls U-18 pentathlon title at the Pan American Combined Cup in a new national record of 4483 points.

Ako Hislop was the most outstanding U-18 boys in track and Franklyn Stanlislaus took the honours in the field. Hislop was fourth in the 110m hurdles and 4x100m relays at Carifta. The Bishops High School also secured four titles (100m/200m/100mH/400mH) at the Tobago Secondary School Championships. Stanisclaus was 10th in the Carifta boys U-18 high jump finals and captured the Tobago Schools’ title.

Safiya John secured the top girls U-16 track and field honour. The Scarborough student was double champion (high jump and long jump) at the National Secondary Schools Championshiups. She was also a double winner (long jump, javelin) junior championships and won four titles (long jump, high jump, 00m, 100mH) crowns at the Tobago Schools Championships.

The Kaizen Panthers was formed in December 2015 and in its one year of existence was the top club at the National Junior Championships winning 30 medals (14 gold, 5 silver and 11 bronze). Five members were selected on the T&T Carifta team (Akili, John, Hislop, Stanislaus and Kerlon Ashby). Akili, Roberts and Ashby competed at the Pan American Combined Events Cup with Akili and Roberts returning with gold while Ashby was seventh in the Junior men’s decathlon.

HONOUR ROLL
Athletes of the Year: Dwight St Hillaire (Boys); Khemani Roberts (Girls)
Most improved Juvenile: Micah Stafford (Boys)
Most improved:
U-16: Shaquille Benjamin & Darion Ottley (Boys); Shanika Belfon (Girls)
U-18: Darion-Phillips (Boys); Nkoni Morrison (Girls)
U-20: Jonathan Baker & Kerlon Ashby (Boys); Jamellia Potts (Girls)
Most Outstanding Juvenile Male: Jaabir Taylor (Track); Tyrique Dennis (Field)
Most Outstanding U-16
Boys: Justin Guy & Jy’ll Roberts (Track); Kelsey Daniel (Field)
Girls: Safiya John (Track and Field)
Most Outstanding U-18
Boys: Ako Hislop (Track); Franklyn Stanislaus (Field)
Girls: Anya Akili (Track and Field)
Most Outstanding U-20
Boys: Dwight St Hillaire (Track); Jonathan Hazelwood (Field)
Girls: Khemani Roberts (Track and Field)
Most Outstanding Open: Nicholas Douglas (Track)

Thankfully, I have been able to keep my focus upon the various aspects of our sporting disciplines, enjoying the success and competence of some, and abhorring the deterioration and failures of others.

As is my habit, I have studied the various issues which these disciplines have fallen short of the formulas needed to conduct the affairs of sport in our society.

By virtue of the pain and despair which the public may have endured throughout the year, I believe that emphasis should be placed upon some vital signs for the purpose of corrective methods which are urgently needed.

In order of priority, the business of Cricket has produced the expansive turmoil which exist throughout the region, starting from zonal, national and international misguidances.

Every country within the Caribbean must take blame for this despicable state of the previously wonderful image which had once demanded respect and admiration from every cricketing nation across the Caribbean and the universe by extension.

If the stakeholders are commanded to provide a repair service within their own countries, and create some corrected methods which will take away the dubious bureaucracy, replace it with an acceptable form of management and bring some sanity to the table instead any form of insularity.

Qualified management personnel must be researched and certified in order to give sound intellectual service towards the democratic principles which strengthen all successful organizations.

What next for football
Our second love, Football, is not far away from our cricketing administration, maybe even more destructive, but closer to corrective methods which all lay within the details of the association’s constitution.

While many exciting news have been announced by the hierarchy of the football fraternity, it is unbelievable that the level of fair play can be ignored when it comes to a finance pattern that show coaches, and other members of staff who dedicated themselves to their duties, even when they are either not paid for considerable periods and others not regularly.

Obviously, the present administrative structure has not been clear as far as rules and regulations are concerned, especially when it comes to the zonal associations most of whom are in shambles, but are making all efforts to regain some level of good management.

Time to re-set the community focus
My third wish for the new year is for the people and the government to restart organized activities among the communities in the country.

In my humble opinion, the development of sport in the communities, if well organized and financed, will reap the benefits which many of us eventually recognise as “elite Athletes”.

Did anyone ever ask themselves as to the immense value of community life where a sense of commitment towards the citizens who have grown up in these environment, whether it be football, cricket, athletics, basketball, boxing, cycling, and many other sporting disciplines, do they find themselves within that “ELITE ATHLETES”.

Sometimes without trained managers, coaches, administrators, and mushy fields to play when they are growing up, they still turn out to be the Hasely Crawfords, Brian Laras, The Bravos, Arthur Brown, Eddie Hart, Ken hodge, Sonny Pope, Philo Ferguson, Russell Tesheira, Reynold George, Ian Bishop, Sonny Ramadhin, Kishorn Walcott, and on, and on,…… and on.

This New Year is ideal for the powers that be to restart the ‘Village Olympics’ which were excellent and entertaining and which saw community rivalry at its best and most of all it helped developed community pride and discipline.

A more supportive TTOC
Finally, will the TTOC management extend its attention to ALL the national associations, not only by being the Judge as to who goes to the Olympics or not, but for the member associations which lack the administrative ability, the lack of funds, and most of all, to make every effort to improve the quality personnel which can compare to all the successful administrations not only in the Caribbean, but across the world.

My wish for this nation is one of love, and respect for all persons, with the hope that absolute respect and consideration be shared among each other, and those who are more intelligent and affluent may indulge in support to those who need it so badly. A peaceful and prosperous New Year to all.

T&T’s senior men, spurred on by three well executed goals from the veteran Cornell Glen Carlyle Mitchell and Aikim Andrews overcame Nicaragua 3-1 in the second contest of two-match international series at the National Football Stadium in Managua on Friday night.

As was the case in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat, T&T found themselves trailing in the first half of the friendly international as Daniel Cadena placed his shot past Adrian Foncette to put the hosts 1-0 ahead the 25th minute after some untidy work at the T&T back line. But the visitors didn’t let their opponents pull away this time as Tom Saintfiet’s men maintained good organisation and shape and created far better openings than in Tuesday’s performance.

Saintfiet introduced Glen, Tyrone Charles, Carlyle Mitchell and midfield workhorse Kevan George into his starting team and it paid dividends. Glen and Mitchell got on the scoresheet while Charles looked the part alongside George in the midfield, both putting in a solid shift on the artificial surface.

Defender Maurice Forde made his second straight appearance but couldn’t do much about the opening goal as Jaime Moreno left him on the surface before squaring for Cadena to slot past Foncette for the go ahead item.

Glen would trouble the Nicaraguan defence after, managing two back to back attempts at goal but goalkeeper Diedrich Tellez was up to the task both times.

But the former Columbus Crew striker would make it count soon after. Mitchell played on a diagonal ball on the right of the box for a lurking Glen and he kept his balance to volley into the turf and past Tellez for the equaliser in the 37th minute.

Six minutes after the interval, Glen won a free kick midway into the opponents half and Hector floated one in for Mitchell to clinically convert with a neat glancing header to put T&T 2-1 ahead.

T&T were not being troubled at this point, but Nicaragua still managed a couple looks on goal as the half progressed. The visitors would pull further away as Mitchell tussled with three defenders inside the area, going down in the process before the ball came out for Andrews who took one touch before striking a superb right footed volley into the far left corner to push T&T 3-1 ahead.

Substitutes Daneil Cyrus and Shahdon Winchester muffed further opportunities, but Saintfiet and his men would surely be leaving Managua for Port of Spain with some level of satisfaction and a record of 1-1.

After the game Saintfiet said, “As a coach you want to win every match and I was very disappointed after the first match that we lost 2-1. I felt the players deserve more for the effort. So it was very important I think in my mind and in the players mind to get a good result before we travel back. It was the last game of 2016 and if we could win this match we would be in a stronger psychological mood to start the competition against Suriname and Haiti. And I think it was a very clear good performance not only tactically, but also physically and mentally. We proved today that we could win this match and the result will help us naturally in the near future.”

He commended more than handful of players for their efforts. He said, “It’s always difficult to say because we also have to respect the players that played last Tuesday. They also played quite well last match. Today, the guys who came in like Kevan George, Carlyle Mitchell, Tyrone Charles and Cornell Glen did fantastic, but it’s not only them, it’s a whole team performance.”

He continued, “Even after the changes I have to think of players like Aikim Andrews and other players who performed well. I think we as a team don’t have one, two, three big players, but we have a team performance of 20-23 players who are playing on a high level. Sure, today some players showed that they deserved to be on the national team. I think some were a little bit out of selection for a long period and they wanted to prove something and I hope in the coming weeks they can continue that.”

When asked about the value and importance of the two-week training camp including the two friendlies in Managua he responded, “I think it’s very important and I am very happy that the Association could organise these matches in a short period of time. People sometimes people forget that I am only two and half, three weeks in Trinidad and that I saw only a few league matches and I had not a lot of time to select and to find the right players for the coming weeks. So this two-week training camp plus these two friendly matches helped me a lot to know which players are ready, which system is best and how we can be prepared for Suriname and Haiti. I am a very happy coach that we use these days between Christmas and New Years to prepare our team because we have made a lot of steps forward.”

T&T resumes preparations this evening ahead of its CFU Gold Cup play-off encounter against Suriname on Wednesday at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

Tickets for the upcoming Gold Cup play-off matches are now on sale at all Lotto Locations nationwide.There are three in one season tickets for the three matches costing $$100 for adults and $45 for children. Single match tickets cost $50 for Adults and $20 for children. TTFA Season Pass holders can access the games at no additional cost.

Those TTFA Season Passes which includes access to the World Cup qualifiers also, are available at First Citizen’s Banks nationwide.

FLETCHER: MARGARET néeMatthew, also known as Tanty age 91years died onSaturday 24th December 2016in Maryland, USA. Mother oMaureen Warner (néeMatthew) and Dr. Rose Campbell. Grandmother of Daryanand Daryll Warner. Mother-InLaw of Jack Austin WarnerGreat Grandmother of JustinJordan, Armani and SavannaWarner. Aunt of AgnesCharles (Unie), EslynMatthew, Joan Nottinghamand Roslyn Diaz. Great Aunof 9. Adopted Aunt (Tantyto many.

Funeral arrangements will be given in a subsequent announcement. Enquiries, Lee's Funeral Directors, St. Augustine, 663-1010.

RAMDEEN BALGOBIN age 91years of Maraval, died peacefully on 28 December, 2016 inhospital in London. Son of thelate Nanan and PhoolbassiaRamdeen of Sangre Chiquito Husband of the late Ruby Ramdeen (nee Manning); Father of Kamala, Anil (Speedy)Leela, Indra, Vishnu, Kaminand Sharma (deceased)Grandfather of 10 and greagrandfather of 17; Brother oSayce, Tara, Indar, and of 4others deceased. Relative othe Dials.

Funeral/ cremationwill take place in London Date and time to be confirmed. His ashes will bebrought back to Trinidad. Foenquiries contacleela_ramdeen@hotmail.com

CAMPBELL: Captain Andrew Ian Langford passed awaypeacefully on Monday 21sNovember, 2016. Loving husband of Helen. Father of Edward and Andrew. Father-inlaw of Shalini. Brother oHamish (deceased) andHeather Alcazar. Beloved Uncle and Friend to many. Retired Captain of BWIA and Author.

Memorial Service for the late Captain Andrew Ian Langford Campbell takes place a10:00 am on Wednesday 4thJanuary, 2017 at All Saints Anglican Church, Marli StreetNewtown. For enquiriesplease contact R. M. de SouzaMemorial Chapel Limited a223-2007 /637-2009.