In the San Juan market, along the East-West corridor, there has been an overall increase in the price of produce as well. Some customers found that vendors along First and Second streets, just outside the market, were selling a few dollars cheaper that inside the market.

Shopper Liz Francis, who bought her supplies from vendor Zorina Chabrol who operates just outside the market, said "The vendors on Second Street have much cheaper prices than inside the market. I buy sweet peppers at $16 a pound, inside it's $20." She believes in shopping around for better prices and suggested that other people could do the same.

Chabrol, meanwhile, said everything was expensive—cabbage, tomatoes, celery. She said before the floods chive was being sold at three bundles for $10. She now sells it for $5 a bundle. Baigan is now $15 per pound compared to $6 or $8 previously, depending on the quality. Chabrol said once she got produce at cheaper prices, she passed on the savings to her customers.

Vendor Gerald Craig, who also sells on Second Street, found it hard to get his produce sold as a result of the higher prices brought on by the recent floods and the customers' fear of contracting leptospirosis. He emphasised that his ground provision came from St Vincent and Venezuela and some were from local suppliers in the North and not from the South, which was hard hit by the floods and where several people contracted leptospirosis.

He said tomatoes skyrocketed from $15 to $25 a pound, a huge jump from $8, $10 and $12 a pound in previous months. Tomatoes produced locally and affected by the flood was being sold at the same price as the those which were imported. Plantain was being sold at $8 from $4 and $5 per pound.

Dasheen, now being sold for $8, was previously $5 and $6, he said. Cassava was cheap—three pounds for $10, and eddoes and sweet potatoes were reduced from $10 to $8 per pound.

Craig's customer Naomi De Silva said she was aware that the high prices were as a result of the flooding, but added that it was an impetus for individuals to started their own back yard garden and save some money.

Emma Sayers Baird, a vendor who sells inside the San Juan market, said the vendors who sell on First and Second streets had an unfair advantage since they did not have to pay rent. She said last year a stall within the market was raised from $150 to $400 a month, it should be at least $250-$300 to give them a fighting chance to be competitive.

Baird said the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation banned street vending but the street vendors avoided this technicality by setting up their stalls on private lots on First and Second streets and paid the landowners a minimal fee.

IN SAN JUAN—Prices then and now

Sweet pepper—$8, now $16 and $2o

Chive—three bundles for $10, now $5 a bundle

Baigan—$6 to $8, now $15 per pound

Tomatoes—$8, $10, $12 per pound, now $15 to $25

Plantain—$4 to $5, now $8 per pound

Dasheen—$5 and $6, now$8

NAMDEVCO WHOLESALE PRICES

FRUITS
Paw paw—Kg 11.02
Banana Ripe—Kg 13.33
Watermelon—Kg NA
ROOT CROPS
Carrot—Kg 8.82
Cassava—Kg 5.56
Sweet potato (Local)—Kg 9.03
VEGETABLES
Tomato (M)—Kg 28.86
Pumpkin—Kg 6.61
Melongene (M)—Kg 22.05
Cabbage (Wh)—Kg 11.02
Cucumber—Kg 11.02
Lettuce(M)—Head 7.00
Sweet Pepper (M)—Kg 26.46
Chive (L) bundle—120.00

Two men were gunned down at the gas station opposite Maritime Plaza in Barataria, last night. The men were reportedly filling air in their tyres when the incident occurred. Sources said the men were ambused.

Up to late last night the men were hospitalised in critical condition, while police were at the scene conducting investigations.

The protest that occurred in the Beetham on Thursday was done by a minority and their actions are not representative of the majority of residents who are law-abiding, hard-working citizens that have been stereotyped and maligned. The residents want jobs instead of riots, they say.

A blocko was in full swing on Rum Street with youths partying “normal normal” yesterday.

Several youths gathered at Fifth Street to show their solidarity with residents that not everything that comes out of the Beetham is bad.

Resident Dave Harragin said “If some minister or someone could come and talk with these youths and create employment, these things wouldn't go on. It was published that they hold some gang member, but that's not why they protested.

“These fellas need jobs in the community. The Government is neglecting the people in the area. We have a representative down here and he doesn't even come through the area, which is (Laventille West MP) Fitzgerald Hinds.”

He said residents were calling for representation from Hinds a year ago when a 40-foot sinkhole opened up two streets away but he never came and also never showed up to address the flooding and clogged drains.

Harragin said he did not condone such actions as throwing debris to block the road, there were many different ways to protest but the residents felt they were not getting any attention and thought that was their only solution.

He said some of the comments on social media to wipe out the area were severe.

Harragin said there were good people living in the community that go to work on a daily basis and not everybody was a criminal. When asked about how the majority of the population felt about a minority from the Beetham could inconvenience and hold a nation to ransom, he said if the Government decided to help residents with work, these incidents don't have to go on.

Businessman Kevin King said he was seeing the community and nation deteriorating. He said grass roots places like the Beetham felt the heat more as a backlash with what was occurring in society and jobs were imperative for residents.

Protests by Beetham residents on Thursday had a deleterious effect on vendors' sales at the Central Market and also a ripple effect up the Caribbean chain of islands.

When the Sunday Guardian visited the market on Friday only the gate at the northern entrance was opened.

All the other gates were locked as a security precaution in the aftermath of Thursday morning's protest along the Beetham Highway and the Priority Bus Route (PBR) where debris was thrown and burned in the roadways, missiles thrown at motorists and some were attacked in traffic.

Many customers who used the Abattoir Road entrance from the Beetham Highway thought the market was closed.

Flora Holder, a provision vendor said “We came here 11.30 pm Thursday and we're still here and didn't get much sales because of that Beetham incident. Customers are afraid to come in the market and worry about their vehicles.

“I have to sleep in the market to watch my goods overnight. There are foot patrols but the lawless don't care about police, they will time the police when they pass and then rob you.”

She said crime cannot be stopped but the Beetham upheaval can be controlled if police patrol cars were strategically placed on the highway.

John Lock, another provision vendor said the violent disturbance in the Beetham affected sales dramatically as both local and foreign people were afraid to come to the market. He said Caricom vendors who usually came to do import and export trade did not come out to purchase their usual amount of produce.

Lock said to better regulate what occurred in the Beetham there must be more police highway patrols in the area and the bus route.

Deo Rodney, a clothes vendor said most of his customers came from the highway and did not know the market was open.

Give businessmen guns. Chairman of the Couva-Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce Ramchand Rajbal Maraj and retired Senior Superintendent of Police Johnny Abraham made this call yesterday during the funeral service for murdered doubles vendor Nishad Radhay.

Radhay, 25, was shot dead at his Cameron Street, Balmain home around 2 am on Wednesday, when two men stormed his home and shot him in the head before running off with cash and jewelry.

Abraham, who knew the Radhay family well, said the country was “getting from bad to worse”.

“I myself am under lockdown, I does hardly go anywhere, I ent fraid nobody you know that,” Abraham said.

“At the same time it have people out here who creating employment and when they go home in the night they can’t protect their wife, they can’t protect their children, because they haven’t gotten that firearm and they applying for firearm 20 and 30 years. They creating employment and can’t get a lawful firearm.”

Abraham said some police in the service are either afraid to do what they are supposed to do or don’t know what to do and may have given up on crime fighting. He cited the recent incident in the Beetham where law-abiding citizen going to work were beaten and robbed as an example of the police mishandling the situation

“I feel the police raise up their hand and surrender. That is my feeling.”

Rajbal Maraj said he expected crime to get worse in Couva unless the area gets more patrols and resources. He said the manpower in Central had not changed in the last 15 years even though the population had skyrocketed in the last decade.

Maraj said ‘lawlessness has really raised its ugly head now and it’s time the Ministry of National Security do something about crime. There is a great call for businessmen to be equipped with firearms to protect their families and business.”

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh told the gathering that the people in Couva may have just reached their breaking point as the people in Beetham.

Radhay’s cousin, Kavisha Manack, who delivered the eulogy said Radhay was a devotee of God and a good community worker.

The Beetham community has a recorded history of violence and protests. It is a community grappling with poverty and residents often complain of neglect. This week, following protest action, which saw motorists and commuters traumatised, the Sunday Guardian interviewed a young adult on the problems plaguing the community. He did not want to be named for fear of being victimised.

I’ve lived in Beetham Gardens all my life. Growing up here has been bittersweet. I grew up in abject poverty but I was raised rich in morals and values. My childhood memories are mostly filled with fun.

Beetham was always an area in which crime was a part of the culture. When I was younger, I can’t remember gang activity being the norm. Instead, I remember many people internally and externally that would engage in internal killings, robberies and theft against members of the community.

Today, there are rare cases of internal murders and minimal or probably no cases of “gang members” stealing or robbing members of the community. On the other hand, there has been a significant increase in the number of murders, robberies and thefts performed on citizens outside of the community.

Today, the entire community becomes a part of the “Rasta vs Muslim” war. When the “enemies” or gangs from the “Muslim City” comes to do a drive-by or walk-by or shoot up our taxi stand in Port-of-Spain, it’s only the innocent ones that feel it. This war has created borderlines and innocent members of the community can’t even go to neighbouring communities as they are killed either as an enemy upon going or as a traitor upon a safe return.

I’ve lost multiple family members and a lot of friends who I grew up with to gun violence. I’ve had three incidents of gun violence that I remember clearly.

Two of them resulted from the drive-bys from warring communities who simply just came to shoot up the place. The third was when I was almost killed due mistaken identity.

I feel safer when I am inside my house. The police create minimal safety. Many in the community feel safer depending on the gang members to deter or stop the warring communities from infiltrating and shooting or killing members of the community.

Gunfire never ceases

The most shocking thing I can remember is the killing of the five-year-old child and grandmother on New Year’s morning of 2016.

Literally, gunshots are the background music to life in this community. I hear it all the time. I don’t even jump or get surprised. If it sounds like the sound is near, you drop low or just run until it stops. There’s literally not one day you go without hearing the sounds until it just becomes normal. It really doesn’t even bother me any more.

I’m not very afraid while walking through the community. I just look out for the drive-bys.

These are the things I see as contributing to crime. The poverty mixed with poor parenting, the lack of mentorship in our hotspot schools and lack of positive role models, which sees children turn to the gang leaders as idols.
It also seems as though the Government finances the war by awarding contracts and then, on the other hand, they are trying to stop it. How does that make sense?

And then there are the low detection and conviction rates which make crime attractive. It leaves young men thinking that they can join the criminal field and there are little consequences to their actions, which makes it easy for them to join gangs.

There’s definitely a high illiteracy rate amongst many in our community. But year after year, we’re seeing that a great number of young people are determined to improve that significantly. On one hand, there are a high number of youths actually pushing for tertiary level education and making the best of this. On the other, the community has probably one of the highest percentages of school dropouts and youth delinquency. Any day you pass by you can see the number of young people just sitting on corners.

I also see a lot of single parent and sibling-led families. It comes down to just a matter of a household trying to survive by any means they deem necessary. Good moral and values are sometimes not even passed on.

Hope for the community

The last time I felt happy was when the Beetham Gardens Community Centre was completed and opened. We fought tirelessly for this as a community and 90 per cent of the labour and expertise came from the community of Beetham Gardens. I was happy when it was completed because it was proof that once young men and women get the opportunities they are ready, able and willing to make that positive change.

Every time I walk into the centre, I feel so proud of these members of the community.
I am proud of the growing amount of positive young people and other law-abiding citizens that are in the majority, who quietly go out and contribute significantly to society and its growth.

We have produced successful sportsmen and women, cultural ambassadors and outstanding academics and scholars. These images are barely captured and these people are hardly recognised by the media.

Recently, we saw a group of individuals behaving in the most disgusting and notorious way by attacking the public. This was an act that most members of the community were not in support of. The entire community was labelled and branded as rebels and all sorts of inhumane names for the actions of a few.

It made all the front pages. When we have success stories you can hardly even get mediocre coverage. At the end of the day, two wrongs can’t make a right. This is the 21st century—if the TTPS does something we deemed wrong there are civilised ways and means to deal with it. Hire a great attorney, go to the Police Complaints Authority, try a peaceful protest in front of the top cop’s office. This is not the way forward. TTPS and the Government should do all in its power to give justice to those innocent citizens that were affected Thursday. However, they must keep in mind that not every resident is a criminal or participated in such acts.

My hope is that social, physical and economic factors of my community could improve significantly. I hope the residents can change their mindsets. I hope that our national community would give the younger generation a fair chance to opportunities without the stigmatisation and discrimination caused by a few of our community.

WE ARE ALWAYS THERE TRYING TO HELP THEM—SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT

Told about comments made by the individual resident about the unwillingness of Beetham Gardens residents to trust the police, Port-of-Spain Senior Superintendent Floris Hodge-Griffith said police had done significant work in the community and other communities which faced similar challenges.

“We spend time, resources and energy to uplift and meet with the people in the Beetham community. Our officers go every day and whether it is the Police Youth Club, homework programmes or other programmes dealing with youth, we are there. It is disappointing that they would not feel as though the police is available to them.”

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel copped the 2017 T&T Cricket Board (TTCB), International Cricket of the Year title at the board’s 61st annual presentation at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba last evening.

The fast bowler who is currently in New Zealand with the West Indies team had an impressive year for the West Indies on the international scene. In his few appearances for the T&T Red Force he bowled well and this put him ahead of the other contenders.

Barbadian Roshon Primus was named National senior cricketer of the year for his great exploits with both bat and ball. The right hander making his debut for the T&T Red Force showed great quality and was rewarded with the top prize. He beat out fellow contenders Barbadian Kyle Hope, Imran Khan, Bryan Charles and Yannic Cariah.

On the youth scene the cricketer of the year was Naparima College batsman Cephas Cooper. The right hander who plays for PowerGen was only this week selected on the West Indies team for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. He got the better of West Indies Under-19 vice-captain Kirstan Kallicharan,Avinash Mahabirsingh, Crystian Thurton and Keagan Simmons. Cooper was alos named Secondary Schools cricketer of the year for his performances while leading Naparima College. Mahabirsingh who also played for Naps copped the Sonny Ramadhin youth spinner of the year award.

The club of the year honours went to Queen’s Park after they took the Premiership and the 50-overs title

Harold Chadee’s three-year-old filly Set Sail destroyed the field in the feature $120,000 purse event, the T&T Breeders Classic for Native Bred Horses over a distance of 1,800 metres out at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday.

Well supported in the betting market at 5/1 the Dave Chadee owned daughter of Gold Market/Luv Boat beat the well fancied John O’Brien trained Lord Silver into second position with She Izza Lady back in third with Cactus Treasure in fourth. Blind Date from the O’Brien barn was sent off as the 5-2 favourite to land the $72,000 first prize cheque on offer.

The race looked competitive until the far turn when seven horses seem to have a chance of winning, but once veteran rider Ricky Griffith pressed the accelerator button on Set Sail, and that he did, the race was over. The Filly drew three lengths clear of Lord Silver coming to the corner and then sailed home for an easy victory.

With every stride Set Sail went further and further clear to win by 13 ? lengths from Lord Silver with She Izza Lady staying for third ahead of the well backed Cactus Treasure.

Set Sail produced the time of 1:54.94 for the trip.

In the co-feature events –Stud Farm Association Breeders Stakes for Native Bred two-year olds over 1,200 metres, John O’brien struck yet again with his 8-1 shot Just Cruisin who did just that in the final 100 metres. In mid-pack early Just Cruzin who was having her first start in public, came with a well timed run to motor down the Harold Chadee trained Country Concert and Strategic Patience.

The race lost some value when the Harold Chadee trained favourite Fake News dislodged Ricky Jadoo just after the start.

At the corner in the event, Wilmer Galviz sent Country Concert into the lead and just as he seemed set to put away his nearest pursuer Strategic Patience, Ron Ali set Just Crusin alight and the chestnut filly raced away convincingly in the final 100 metres. The winner’s time was 1:17.16.

Riding honours for the day went to Ron Ali who landed a double with Just Cruizin and Goliath’s Boy.
Racing continues next week with the second day of The Christmas Fiesta of Local racing when the Steward’s Cup and The SFA National Stakes will be contested.

Having generated over $150 million in invested capital from team owners in over the past 14 years, T&T Pro League (T&TPL) Chief Executive Officer Dexter Skeene said, “nothing uplifts the country like football”.

“Football at the highest level promotes unity, excitement, pride, creativity, passion for excellence and success, values which many businesses relate to or associate with.”

He said although the various owners remained committed to the TTPL, it was time other players stepped up to the plate. It has to be viewed from an economic standpoint as a means of contributing to the diversification of the economy and positioned to take advantage of sport tourism opportunities.

Skeene said the goal is to transform the Pro League into a viable business model. An overhaul is being undertaken with a series of initiatives to change how people view football and the Pro league.

“It is a time for rationalisation and transition to a new way of thinking, creating a platform for businesses to use football and sports as a vehicle to market their goods and services.”

Expressing his belief that there is money to be made from Professional Football, Skeene said global models had demonstrated the need for investment and patience by relevant parties before profits could be realized drawing parallels to the Major League Soccer with pioneers, Lamar Hunt, Phillip Antschutz and Bob Kraft investing over US$100 million over ten years before earning television revenues.

“T&T is no different, we need to attract investors and build revenue streams by monetising the assets we own. Football friendly facilities need to be developed in communities where the teams and fans reside with the teams given the opportunity to manage the venues”.

Skeene said it was also about attracting investors and ensuring the infrastructure was in place to help develop athletes. It is about making the Pro League more accessible, working with the players, brands and media to get the message to an increased audience and add value for everyone.

PowerGen swept the top-two places in the Team competition when the San Fernando (South Zone) Zone Table-Tennis Tournament continued at Petrotrin Sports Club, Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre on Thursday night.

In the title match, PowerGen I overcame a first match loss by by Catherine Spicer o to beat PowerGen II, 3-1. Uzair Omardeen stunned Spicer 8-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 but that was the only bright spark for PowerGen II as Anson Lowkie stopped Anthony Laquis 11-5, 12-10, 6-11, 2-11, 11-4; Faizm Mohammed battled past Wesley Dookhoo 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 12-10 and Anson Lowkie defeated Omardeen 11-7, 11-6, 11-7.

And in the third placed playoff, Petrotrin I swept Petrotrin III, 3-0 with wins for Darion Phillip David Gopaul and Rahul Manerikar.

Phillip came-from-behind to beat Brian Demming 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8; Gopaul overcame Vinood Maharaj 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 and Manerikar humbled Ionaire Joseph 11-9, 12-10, 12-10. Earlier in the round-robin four-team group series, PowerGen I ended with a 3-0 record in Group One after blanking Petrotrin I, Petrotrin 4 and PowerGen 3 while Petrotrin ended second with a 2-1 record following wins against Petrotrin 4 and PowerGen, also by 3-0 margins.

And in Group Two, PowerGen also made light work of its rivals with 3-0 triumphs over Oxford, Petrotrin II and Petrotrin III respectively while Petrotrin III ended second by beating Oxford (walkover) and Petrotrin II, 3-2.

The tournament will continue on November 30 with the Open Singles semifinals and finals from 6.30pm as well as the Open Veterans Singles group matches. The on December 1, the competition will conclude with the Open Veterans final day of matches from 6.30p

Midfielder Keston George scored the match winner which helped North East Stars capture a second T&T Pro League crown, and its first since 2004, for 1-0 win over Police FC in the first match of a double-header at Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Friday night.

Starting the afternoon four points ahead of main challenger W Connection with two matches left in the 2017 season, the Derek King-coached outfit needed a win from one of its two remaining matches to claim the title.

And the 24-year-old George, who joined the Stars from dethroned three-time Pro League holders Central FC last August was the hero for his team with his 75th minute header, his first goal of the season, which in the end proved sufficient.

Prior to the goal, Police custodian Adrian Foncette was brilliant throughout, making a double-save early on, but he could not rescue his side when George headed substitute Kishun Seecharan’s right side cross back across the six yard area and into the far upper corner for the all-important goal.

Speaking after the match, an elated George said, “Words can’t express the feeling because before the game I was talking to a friend and he said to me ‘you’re going to score the game winner today’ and I responded, ‘I hope I do’.

“And to actually do it tonight was amazing; the best feeling in the world. From the time the ball hit the back of the net it was just exhilaration.”

The talented midfielder-turned-defender added, “Tonight it was win at all costs. Don’t give up anything, stick as a team don’t matter what happens. And we did that really well and [got the result].”

With the win the Darryl Mahabir-owned Stars improved their points tally to an unassailable 40 points, seven ahead of W Connection which fell 2-1 to third placed Defence Force in the second match at the same venue to extend the battle between both teams for second spot and a place in the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship, alongside the new league champions to the final round of matches on Tuesday.

However, all attention was focused on Stars and coach King who noted that the true celebration will take place on Tuesday with a party-like atmosphere when they host San Juan Jabloteh at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima from 6pm in their final match of 2017 before switching focus to next season’s CFU Club Championships, a qualifier to the Concacaf Champions League and Concacaf League competitions.

King, who, in 2009, led the now defunct Joe Public to the Pro League title and became the youngest coach to win the crown, heaped praise on his players, club owner Mahabir and staff for the club’s first league success since Guyanese coach James Mc Lean guided them to the title in 2004.

“We have players here for the first time, some younger ones who have never won a title and they stuck together as one and I think the togetherness and the Arima vibes really brought this team together, ” said

King, a former national defender and assistant coach

The 37-year-old King who only returned to top flight club coaching at the start of the season said it has been a tremendous joy in preparing a team daily for the rigors of a season.

Club owner, Mahabir, credited the players’ effort despite the financial struggles faced across the league saying it was tough season, but congrats to the guys.”

The Sangre Grande businessman, optimistic over the future of the club with new financial partnerships a possibility, appeared eager to see his side debut at next season’s CFU tournament.

Meanwhile veteran poacher and now six-time league winner Kerry Baptiste, the league’s all-time second leading scorer has set big goals for next season.

“We want to win CFU Club Championship, move on to Concacaf and win Champions League,” said the 35-year-old ex-T&T who stands as one of the many current Stars’ players with Caribbean and Concacaf ACAF club competition experience.

Baptiste who, perhaps, created history by becoming the first player to win the Pro League with four different clubs (San Juan Jabloteh, Joe Public, Central FC and North East Stars) said a lot of credit must go to Mahabir and King

He said, “They have put a lot of energy into the players despite financial struggles among other challenges and through all the struggle to cop the title, it’s a great feeling for us”.

“It was very difficult but at the end of the day experience beats all. This team has a lot of experience, a lot of senior guys like Yohance Marshall, Densill Theobald and Elton John and so on. These guys brought a lot of seniority to the table and that is what helped us through the season this year.

“It was tough but we held our own and continued to work hard don’t matter what struggle we had. Most important we stuck together as a team and at the end we reaped the benefit—Pro League champions

2017.”

“I grew up in Cunupia and was exposed to a community that had a tremendous influence on me.” The words of footballer, dramatist and scholar Justin Lee, as he spoke about the key to his all round success of academis, sports and culture.

Speaking to Guardian Media Sports, the Naparima College student said he was fortunate to be exposed to different environments and he took positives from where he went and was able to mould that into something solid which took him to success.

Lee was on the premiership football team from a couple seasons ago and was always involved in drama at the school as well. He also leads his school at the Regional Drama Festival this weekend in Antigua.

Under his leadership the school won the national drama festival with the popular play ‘The Inspector” and they will now represent T&T at the event.

Recently he was awarded an open scholarship as well after his success at the Cape Examinations and he intents to study public administration and politics at the higher level. Lee said that wise use of his time was the key to his success: “I was committed to everything I went out to do and I think this brought me success. I’m really happy to get the opportunity to play football, so I was focused on that. Then with the wise use of my time, I was able to fit in drama as well. I have a serious love for the arts and I worked hard at my drama.

“While doing all this I was also focused on what was going on in the classroom and I was able to do well there too. Of course none of this would have come to me without the sacrifices of my parents and grandparents. As I said earlier, I grew up in Cunupia and spent a lot of time with my grandparents who would have passed on words of wisdom to me, which I cherished.”

Lee’s advice to young persons who want to become great at holistic development is: “There is no substitute for hard work. You need to understand that there are a number of distractions out there and you need to know when to put those away and get down to work.”

Lee was recently featured as an inspiration to youth on the VibcCT 105.1 show called Moving Up T&T.

Cream liqueurs are no longer being viewed as “grandmotherly” drinks.

While the sweet, easy-to-sip stuff is not the kind of alcoholic-laced beverage a reasonably cultivated booze buff would buy, its popularity is steadily increasing.

This is according to Chief Executive Officer of Feeling Nice Beverages, Gregory McGuire who confirmed the presence of his Makay’s Rum Cream Liqueur which can be found at most of the local grocery-store chains.

Not to be confused with a “creme” liqueur, a cream liqueur includes dairy cream/milk and a general flavourful liquor among its ingredients.

Happening on to the business five years ago as he blended healthy home-brewed concoctions for visitors, the former Central Bank economist and senior energy sector executive said with all the talk about diversification and the thrust to grow the Small and Micro Enterprise (SME) sector: “I decided to put my money where my mouth
was.”

Investing in the small operation which he began out of his Tacarigua home in 2014, the 62-year-old father of two said:

“There are several rum creams on the market that people don’t know much about.”

Revealing how he decided on the name for the business, McGuire, who holds a master's degree in Petroleum Economics from the University of the West Indies said the Company Registry at the Ministry of Legal Affairs refused to accept the name Makay’s Rum Cream Liqueur on two separate occasions as they argued: “It could be someone else’s name.”

Regrouping as he called on his creative capacity, McGuire said it took him two years before he was able to register the business.

He said: “It was only one of several bureaucratic hurdles that causes people to shy away from registering businesses.”

McGuire later admitted the company’s name was a blessing in disguise as: “All of a sudden, I realised we are not going to stay Makay’s Rum Cream as it is our aim to become in time, a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks under the Makay’s brand.”

Makay’s Rum Cream is a blend
o f
Caribbean rum, pumpkin, soursop, milk, select vegetables and spices. McGuire said: “Our unique taste comes from our combination of spices and rums that we select, that is what gives us an advantage.”

The totally local product comes in two strengths—mellow and intense.

According to McGuire: “The secret to Makay’s taste is the blended spice mix which was passed from generation to generation for over 100 years.”

He added: “We ensure consistency and the highest quality by using only premium inputs and observing stringent world class manufacturing standards.”

“Makay’s Rum Cream is fully pasteurised and double-homogenised to ensure an incredibly smooth drink. It contains no preservatives, has a shelf life of one year and meets international standards.”

Turning his attention to the challenges he encountered in ensuring his product moved from kitchen to factory, McGuire said it was now being produced at the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) under a contract manufacturing arrangement.

It means, he said: “I go in with my supplies and labour, and come out with the finished product ready for distribution.”

Hoping to expand the operation into the export arena soon, McGuire said they were looking towards foreign markets in North America and London before moving further afield.

Pressed to talk about the challenges he’s had to overcome as a small businessman, McGuire said:

“Having walked through this experience myself, there are a host of challenges that we need to look at.”

He said although there were many micro-businesses existing and manufacturing unique products with huge export potential, “the move from kitchen to factory was a humongous step fraught with tremendous risk.”

“There is a need therefore, for an intermediary stage which allows for contract manufacturing.”

Referring to several government incentives for SMEs, McGuire said:

“Some people benefit from them, but there are lots of people who won’t benefit from it.”

He justified his claim as he explained: “They (SME’s) are not at the stage where they will make that leap into such a huge financial undertaking for plant and equipment, when they have not yet expanded their reach in the local market.

“I think what is critical in this stage of evolution as they move from small to medium, is that an intermediary is needed that can assist them to expand incrementally before making the bigger leap abroad.”

He said: “That was one of the major things I discovered immediately as a major constraint to growth, that challenge to move from kitchen to factory.”

McGuire said while his product can now be found on grocery shelves: “It has not been an easy journey.”
“ I h a v e heard a number of people complain about how new local products are treated at the supermarket. The local placement is on the bottom shelf and one has to duck to see it, while foreign products are at eye-level” he said.

Accepting it was up to the respective store to decide where products are placed, McGuire said: “That is a hurdle we have to overcome, the acceptance of the product at the main distribution level.”

Pointing to the tax-break initiative whereby SMEs receive a “hand up” if they employ a total of five persons on a permanent basis, Mc Guire stressed: “At this stage of the game where you require the assistance as a start-up, you don’t qualify for an incentive which has been put in place for which government is saying this is to help SMEs.”

He said it was likely the same for technologically-inclined entrepreneurs who typically function as a “one man operation.”

McGuire said: “One of the discoveries I have made is that there a number of government incentives that are meant to reach a particular sector they have declared as important in the industry, but the way the incentives are structured, people can’t access them.”

On the export front, McGuire said similar constraints relating to regulations in this sector had proven to be “inflexible.”

As a result, his desire to break into a regional market has now been pushed back by a couple of months as he can only be granted a Caricom Certificate of Origin when the product is actually being manufactured.

“It does not meet today’s way of doing business, it does not facilitate the small manufacturer and growing firm that does not have a factory space of their own but who does contract manufacturing.”

Predicting contract manufacturing was soon going to become the “way to go,” McGuire added, “You are disadvantaged as a local product as you compete with foreign brands.”

“When the rules are inflexible and you as the administrator is inflexible, there is great difficulty to get things done.”

McGuire admitted while it had been a very edifying journey thus far for Makay’s Rum Cream Liqueur:

“At this time, we need to change the conversation and our taste. We need to forget foreign and create a greater appreciation for quality local products made by us, for us.”

Whither democracy? It seems to have morphed into something that is deceptive and destabilising. Inherent to properly functioning democracies are engaged and informed citizens who elect their representatives and government in a system of free and fair elections, protects their rights, and paramount is their right to equality before the law.

However, is that the reality? If we were to reflect on those principles and the earliest progenitors of a very rudimentary system of democracy—hunter-gatherers who made decisions by consensus to satisfy their basic needs for food, shelter, and security—one thing becomes clear: Consensus by the majority of the electorate is a fundamental principle in decision making. While the system has evolved over the ages to satisfy the needs of modern humans, what passes for democracy today is like fake oil, a fake.

Some political scientist brand the system that has emerged neo or new-liberalism, the progenitor of a new-globalisation that integrates markets facilitated by deregulation and technology. The roots of globalisation hail back to the fifteenth century with the spread of colonialism when empires had managed commerce across their colonies through common laws, right up to the middle of the twentieth century. After independence, citizens got the full franchise to elect their governments.

The ubiquitous technology of today that makes borders porous, information instant, and interference in the elections process relatively easy, did not exist then. However, distortions in the process are nothing new, although not as insidious as today because of the

Naparima College, led by principal Dr Michael Dowlath, left yesterday for Antigua where they will represent T&T in the Regional Drama Festival which starts tomorrow. Naparima College were crowned national drama champions with their performance of The Inspectator.pervasiveness of technology and the growth of social media.

With new liberalism, deregulation has fed corporate greed and recklessness especially in financial markets and was culpable in the 2007 economic meltdown. It fuelled exportation of wealth, the growth of offshore havens and tax evasion. The Panama papers revealed the tip of worldwide fraud.

Similar to earlier eras, wealth remains in the hands of a few. Indeed, we should applaud entrepreneurs who risk their capital and make significant contributions to the economy. However, when they leverage their capital to support political campaigns and without transparency, the elections process becomes contaminated, and invariably, governance becomes corrupted because politicians are indebted to their financiers. Is the process free from stealthy influences, and fair?

In our name governments make decisions, but in whose interest it is when projects are awarded to a supplier alleged to be a member of a cartel? Cost aside, as a matter of principle; if a company accuses an employee of fraud, it will suspend the employee, even fire him or her because of loss of trust.

No wonder people are cynical and suspicious of the wealthy one per cent. They are wary of the means of wealth accumulation. The “fake oil” scandal, alleged cartel, and the bailout of financial institutions with no consequences to those who had failed in their duty of care to investors give traction to distrust.

As said earlier, the right to equality of treatment before the law is an essential aspect of a well-functioning democracy. When the law is applied selectively, the system is effectively undermined. The police wreck vendors’ stalls at the roadside, but no one is held culpable when public service workers break the industrial relations law, with impunity. Public services are essential services. A youth caught with marijuana is held to account but casinos that are operating illegally and owing to the treasury “$450 million in taxes” are free to make demands to reduce their taxes.

Millions of people live in poverty, made worse by natural disasters, horrible wars, ethnic cleansing, corporate greed and corrupt governments. Our country produces 10,000 children annually with developmental problems most of whom don’t have access to specialist help. This year alone, reportedly, 13,000 children have been abused. Would they get justice? Is there adequate safe-housing for children at risk? Where are the holistic systems conducive to the rehabilitation of delinquent youth? Indeed, justice is not only blind but deaf and dumb. Whither democracy?

Last Wednesday the Guardian editorial addressed the issue of more power for select committees. The editorial started as follows:

“It might be time to review the system of parliamentary select committees as it operates in this country. Under the Westminster system, these committees play a critical role, strengthening Parliament’s ability to hold the executive to account. However, the ability of these committees to enhance executive accountability will be limited unless they are accorded additional powers, such as making it mandatory to appear before them.”

This editorial was inspired by a report earlier last week that former EFCL chairman Arnold Piggott declined to appear before the Joint Select Committee on State Enterprises. Piggott’s refusal hurt the image of the Rowley administration. There is now word that he has had a change of heart and he will now appear.

The issue of strengthening the parliamentary committee system was addressed in the 1998-1999 parliamentary term. At that time, the proposal to amend the Constitution to introduce departmental select committees that would be given the power to scrutinize the service commissions, government ministries and departments was the topic du jour.

This was a fundamental change from previous practice where parliamentary committees were not as effective as they ought to be. The constitutional amendment was subsequently passed after much disquiet in various sectors of the society and became Act No 29 of 1999. The bill only required a simple majority in order to amend section 66 of the Constitution.

This was a reform of the parliamentary system that was designed to enhance its powers of scrutiny. It followed the scandal of 1985 when Plipdeco refused to appear before the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee and then Senator Lincoln Myers sat on the steps of the Hall of Justice for 40 days in a dawn-to-dusk fast.

The 1985 refusal of Plipdeco to appear had its mirror last week when Piggott also declined to appear before the Joint Select Committee on State Enterprises. This 1985 episode also helped to catapult the NAR to victory in 1986.

In 1985, there were some people in the society who described Myers’ fast as a “farce”. The struggle by people like Lincoln Myers in the development of parliamentary scrutiny should never be derided. The bill brought by the Panday administration in 1998-1999 was an organic continuation of that struggle insofar as the evolution of parliamentary scrutiny was concerned.

In the debate on the bill, Dr Keith Rowley, then an opposition MP, associated himself with the so-called “six wise men” who had come out in opposition to the creation of these committees. He concluded his contribution to the debate on February 24, 1999, by saying as follows:

“Mr Speaker, the note from the Chief Justice and his colleagues ends by saying that this action is a retrograde step and against the public interest. When the sitting Chief Justice of a country stands up and makes a statement like that, all you people in Trinidad and Tobago with ears to hear you must hear.” (Hansard, House of Representatives, February 24, 1999, p 574).

The then chief justice Michael de la Bastide as well as the other people who constituted the “six wise men”, namely former chief justices Sir Isaac Hyatali, Cecil Kelsick and Clinton Bernard, and former presidents Sir Ellis Clarke and Noor Hassanali were opposed to that constitutional amendment to create these departmental joint select committees. The fear at that time was that this was a threat to democracy.

Eighteen years later, the Guardian editorial is calling for more reforms to introduce mandatory appearances before these select committees when a summons is issued.

According to the editorial: “The intent, in making it an offence not to appear before a standing committee, is not to be punitive but to ensure accountability and transparency in affairs of the State.”

This is the Piggott effect.

I continue from last week, the rationale for historical justice to be achieved in the determination of how the lands of the Chaguaramas Peninsula are to be made use of, with a glance at the original sharing out of portions of Trinidad.

A pact between the Spanish rulers and the French occupiers granted lands to Roume de St Laurent and the French Creole planters from Grenada, Dominica, St Lucia and Haiti. The objective was to establish a plantation here; and this after the initial use of Trinidad by the Spaniards as a transshipment point to the fabled gold of El Dorado on Central America.

For their “reward” the enslaved black population was bequeath a life of brutality and servility on the plantation. When the British muscled in on the Caribbean plantation economy, the class of millionaire West Indian absentee landowners emerged in Britain.

When slavery was eventually abolished, the planters received compensation. The African, brutally disadvantaged through enslavement, was largely left to fend for himself; the education grants were unable to sustain human development programmes for the African.

It was necessary to have sketched something of the beginnings of land distribution in Trinidad to make the case for the need for “historical justice” to prevail to bring Chaguaramas into national development. The above can be substantiated by the historical accounts which abound.

I reiterate that when Premier Eric Williams and the People’s National Movement, the party founded essentially, if not exclusively, among the black middle and lower economic and social classes, confronted the Americans for the release and return of Chaguaramas from the 99-year lease, the other ethnic, social and commercial groups opposed Williams in their own interest.

Therefore, whereas other groups have benefited from large tracts of state lands granted by the Crown and by national governments, Afro-Trinis have been left on the sidelines. Moreover, hundreds of black families and those of mixed ethnicities were denied, through court rulings and government decisions, a return of their ancestral lands spread over the villages of Chaguaramas. Major among the governments which have done nothing with the returned lands have been those of “William the Conqueror”.

Undoubtedly, Premier Williams fought a successful and historic battle for the return of the lands belonging to all citizens. However, apart from Chaguaramas as the capital sight of the Federation, the venue for the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas and the stomping ground for PNM political conventions, little else was done with the area. This is not to disregard the army and coast guard’s occupation of the area, but that cannot be considered “developmental”.

A few short-lived efforts by Manning administrations to create “mega farms” in the area and to start a nursery for seed were the exceptions.

The UNC government sought to distribute Chaguaramas lands to selected and privileged groups, while undermining the long, occupational rights of the Chaguaramas farmers. I have questioned the developmental value to which those lands were to be put, but at least there was an attempt to have the Peninsula be part of the economy.

Chaguaramas and the offshore Five Islands have every potential and possibility to be part of the diversification of the non-energy economy. The economic reporting of the Central Bank has indicated the desperate need to spread the economy away from its historical and contemporary dependence on mining and the production of semi-finished goods in the energy sector.

My contention is that in the leasing of lands at Chaguaramas, given the history of the Peninsula and the attempt to make “sweetheart” land leases, there is the requirement for political, economic and social justice to prevail; to do otherwise would be to encourage negative consequences.

Next week, an approach to converting Chaguaramas into the economic and social hub that it has the potential to become and doing so through processes which will assure that historical justice is done.

BMW spent €400 million building a new factory near Leipzig. The 110-metre ‘i’ assembly line has 14 work stations because of a new parallel assembly process and the fewer parts used in the new carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) structure of their vehicles. There is no paint shop.

A traditional press shop is absent because the passenger section requires no steel or aluminium. In the body shop, there is no welding as robots silently glue the parts together. The result is 50 per cent less power and 70 per cent less water consumed to manufacture a car compared to the production average which, in 2011, was 2.43mWh per vehicle. In addition, all of the electricity needed is generated on-site using wind power from 2.5mW turbines. Generating around 26GWh per year, these turbines generate 2GWh more electricity than is required for production and the surplus power is diverted to other parts of the plant.

The German Confederation of Skilled Crafts set out to create in 2016 a national programme to prepare migrants for apprenticeships. The two-year, €20 million ($21,339,000 million) programme, provides vocational centres with the funds to enrol students into training in trades, language and cultural integration. The Chamber of Crafts in Cottbus south of Berlin inspired by the needs of both the refugees and the region of southern Brandenburg is fully on board. Chancellor Merkel hopes that asylum seekers from Eritrea, Syria and Afghanistan can remedy Germany’s labour shortage, resulting in fewer young people choosing vocational training.

In Germany, after the four-year primary school period, education pathways diverge into secondary modern schools (Hauptschule), secondary schools (Realschule), grammar schools (Gymnasium) and, in nearly all federal states, comprehensive schools (Gesamtschule). The full-time vocational schools (Berufsfachschule) have the largest intake. Vocational schools and firms have conjoint responsibility for vocational-skill development. The State oversees the regulatory framework in both locations.

‘Accredited occupations’ requiring formal training and federal regulations on examinations for further training are designed in co-operation with manufactures. The system seeks to impart structured knowledge and active competence in their proper context.

The different learning sites involved do not keep their tasks rigidly divided; school is not for theory, and in-company training exceeds praxis. In the final examinations, trainees must demonstrate mastery of the necessary skills, practical and theoretical knowledge from their company placement, as well as mastery of the course materials taught at the vocational school. The insignia “this company offers training” (Dieser Betrieb bildet aus) is a seal of quality that bolsters confidence in companies’ products.

Training allows a company to identify talent, temperament and skill set for permanent positions. In-house training nurtures the soft skills and personality traits needed for placement inside a firm. Training therefore becomes the crucible that sets the novitiate on a path.

In Trinidad and Tobago, significant modifications were made during the implementation period of the first education plan (1968-83) as a result of two proposals to the Cabinet: “The Prime Minister’s Proposal on Education,” September 1975, and “The Prime Minister’s Further Proposals to Cabinet on Education,” October 1975. One of the most notable guidelines adopted as a result of Cabinet’s approval of these two sets of proposals was that an integrated comprehensive programme embracing the traditional academic, pre-technical, commercial, general industrial and limited specialised craft training, utilising common facilities and with common management, should be adopted as the national model.

This proposal continues to keep the conversation open allowing TVET and the OJT project to converge into a hybrid model of skills training that will have direct entrepreneurial impact—producing a workforce with skills for accredited occupations and the prestige for tertiary matriculation into engineering, fashion, film, sound technology and programmes of study that will produce the capability to create and compete in the cultural and creative industries.

A Board of Industrial Training may co-ordinate strategic plans with the National Training Agency, CXC, and other stakeholders to give prestige to vocational skills training. CVQs at higher levels of competence can pave the way to university admissions. This will bestow prestige to learners holding Trinidad and Tobago National Vocational Qualifications (TTNVQs) and CVQs alongside CSEC and CAPE credentials as study pathways which diverge at 11+ re-converge at the university gates as in Germany.

Once, TVET focused on manpower planning for industrialisation, but now it has direct entrepreneurial impact in creative metalsmithing, robotics and App Design and the possibility of transforming manufacturing across the CSME.

The 2012 Shanghai Consensus supports flexible pathways and the accumulation, recognition and transfer of individual learning through transparent, well articulated outcome based qualifications systems and reliable measures for assessment, recognition and the validation of qualifications.

Dr Fazal Ali

The IMF Article 4 which came out on November 22 indicates that the T&T economy is still in a very precarious position.

The report provided a rich diagnostic assessment of the T&T economy, but little was said about ways to improve the current account balance in the short or the medium-term period and, indeed, the IMF figures shows that the current account balance will remain in persistent deficit for the next five years.

Policy makers should jump on this bandwagon and consider a devaluation of the currency to help reshape economic outcomes for the T&T economy. Of note is that the marginal devaluation of the T&T dollar so far has not been able to prompt an improvement of the current account balance. In fact, this marginal devaluation may have helped to prompt a worsening of the current account balance by increasing import prices without providing ample price disincentive to reduce consumption.

Nothing is really being said about the ETeCK parks. Are the ETeCK parks still on the radar? The ETeCK parks represent a sound basis through which the State can revamp the economy’s manufacturing sector or parts of the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing employment as it stands is currently down from the 58,000 where it stood about ten years ago to approximately 49,000 workers today.

To improve this will require a strong degree of political will and it will definitely require a reallocation of labour from some sectors into the manufacturing sector. As it is stands with the appreciated real effective exchange rate (88 per cent more overvalued in 2017 as compared to 1999), the incentive to import is strong and so the malls and shopping complexes will always have a flow of customers, and online shopping will not fall. 

Economic agents also need to be careful about the loud noises it is making about the economic growth rate which is set to return next year, according to both IMF and revised CSO estimates. This is not genuine hardcore economic growth, it is simply an increase in the above-the-ground value of GDP because of monetizing more gas in 2018 and 2019 than in 2017.

Policy makers need to be careful about taking this increase in wealth that would accumulate above the ground and merely redistributing it as we did for the last 17 years. This time we would need to take this wealth and follow good practice economic theory and use it to help strengthen the human capital fabric of the economy and the infrastructural capital base. It could also be placed in the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund. It definitely must not be used to paint stones or refine the art of grass cutting only.

Although the IMF report was limited on the labour force participation rate, this is something that local policy makers must take fully and aggressively on board to help strengthen the number of workers from the non-institutionalised population above 16 years that actually progress into the labour force. In a nano state with a nano labour market we need a higher labour force participation rate. In this regard, policy makers must look closely at increasing the retirement age in the public sector from 60 years to 65 years at the earliest possible opportunity.

Dr Roger Hosein

Cancer is no longer a death sentence, says Patricia Tikasingh, the founder of cancer support group, Smara. Tikasingh said with early detection, treatment, and advances in medicine, in many cases it is now a manageable condition. The patient counsellor/co-ordinator at the Southern Medical Oncology in San Fernando said cancer survivors can live longer, more meaningful lives and have fun.

And this is where the cancer support group Smara comes in to help ease the stress and provide support for people who needs it as they battle the disease.

She said the Smara NGO holds fun-filled events for its members. With the help of family, friends and good Samaritans, and through drives and sponsorships, they raise funds to provide free cancer screening for men and women.

Tikasingh said, “Cancer is no longer a death sentence. The approach to your treatment and a positive attitude are important. We’re not in the doldrums or about feeling sorry for ourselves, it’s about bringing messages of hope, doing things which will enhance our health and lives. Even though if you’re on chemo or not feeling so good today, you want to press on.”

Tikasingh said the Sanskrit word “smara” means rejuvenation or new life and is not an acronym for the cancer support group. She said the reason she chose the name was because it connotes love, new life and new beginnings which cancer survivors experience when they come out of treatment. Tikasingh said the perspectives cancer patients had prior to being diagnosed change, they see things in a different way and light, letting go of the old path.

She said the bigger picture was that they were alive, they were never out of the woods, but they do the best they can as cancer survivors.

She said at the time of her own diagnosis, there wasn’t a formal group or a level of support in the South to really reach out to patients. According to Tikasingh, a cancer survivor for 18 years, if a cancer patient had financial needs in the 90s that were not met such as insurance coverage, which she also did not have, he would have had a problem.

She said her involvement with cancer patients had increased in the last ten years, especially since she came to the oncology centre at Southern Medical Clinic.

Tikasingh said Smara has an amazing core group of 60-plus people which include Gail Dwarika, Carl Atherton, Vera Garcia, Jenny Rose-Dean, Gregory Paynter, O’Neil Friday, George Antoine and many others.
She said in the cancer calendar every month had significance for Smara—June was dedicated to survivorship and the group held its Survivors’ Tea Party soiree that month. In October, the group held its first cooler ship cruise from King’s Wharf to La Brea and also partnered with the T&T Cancer Society offering cervical and prostate screenings where they were able to detect five early cancers.

Tikasingh said the funds raised by Smara went towards offsetting the cost of cancer survivors’ CT scans, screening tests, blood tests and medications.

She said activities continued to the end of the year and include certified yoga and pilates instructor Indra Narinesingh working with the group on Thursdays at the centre, a session on meditation and mindfulness by a member of an American NGO on November 23, and a Christmas luncheon in Penal on December 16.