radhica.sookraj

@guardian.co.tt

Caterers, restaurant owners and event organisers are already feeling the squeeze of the recession and some have opted to attract customers by lowering their prices and slashing marketing and advertising costs.

Newly-established companies such as Sriracha Caterers, based in Couva, say they are totally dependant on social media to market their menus to save costs. Well-established companies such as Boomerang Caterers are, however, continuing to offer packages with a range of prices from economical to lavish.

In an interview, owner of Sriracha Caterers, Nalini Singh-Basdeo said she experienced a 30 per cent drop in bookings.

“I target my customers with the quality of the food. We use high-end products which are more expensive to keep up our quality standards so most times the cutbacks are on my end in terms of profit.

We push social media marketing and that has been really effective,” Singh-Basdeo said.

Owner of Superb Caterers Wayne Ali said his company has experienced a 50 per cent decrease in bookings for Christmas.

“The whole economy in a mess. We have been offering lower prices for food but our bookings have decreased drastically,” he said.

An official of BK’s Catering Service made similar comments saying, “We also had a little under 50 per cent drop. We are trying to cut our price but people are looking at their money now more than ever.”

However, Jamie Hadeed, of Boomerang Caterer, said her bookings have remained steady.

Hadeed said she also has decided not to spend extra cash on advertising and marketing but the size of her bookings had been reduced.

Manager of Soong’s Great Wall Restaurant John Johnston also said business was not bad.

“Business is okay, we are not complaining but what we are seeing in San Fernando is a lot more competition and this has affected bookings more than the recession,” Johnston said.

President of the San Fernando Business Association Daphne Bartlett said even though business was very slow, better times were ahead.

“We are looking forward to the gas find in the Juniper field and at the end of next year, we should see better times,” Bartlett said.

She said there have been no excessive spending and even stores that usually sold curtains and draperies in abundance were reporting a decrease in sales.

President of the Penal/Debe Chamber of Industry Rampersad Sieuraj said while some caterers had increased their prices, others had “watered down” their menus to save costs. Sieuraj said the effects of the recession were hitting people hard.

“People are facing a bleak Christmas because they now have a lower disposable income given the higher prices and this has triggered a negative business environment,” Sieuraj said.

There is a view the criminals now believe they have the upper hand and are exploiting divisions in society following the failure to pass the Anti-Gang Bill in the House of Representatives.

Some stakeholders say the Government and Opposition should have discussed their differences behind closed doors but ultimately come to a unified position in the interest of the country. The legislation is viewed as a key component in the fight against criminal gangs

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath, defended the Opposition’s vote against the legislation, saying the Opposition was not prepared to give the Government “four years to experiment with legislation. He said they suggested two years with a sunset clause to “review the legislation, its limitations, successes and statistics.”

However, Pastor Clive Dottin, who works in communities where gang warfare is prevalent, said: “This was not the time to try to score cheap points.” The outspoken Seventh Day Adventist minister urged the two sides to meet and come up with a legislative package that would benefit the country

‘The bandits are laughing at us and exploiting the divisions in the society,” he said.

“It is a case of unite now or perish later. The gangs believe they are winning the battle.”

Even more tragic, Dottin said, is that citizens believe the protective services are losing the battle.

Manager and founder of the St James Police Youth Club Officer Derrick Sharbodie said it was unfortunate that the legislation was not passed.

“Sometimes you have to agree to disagree but you need to look at the greater good,” he said.

Sharbodie said the legislation was critical to send a message to gang leaders that the police and the security forces are being given the power to “destroy, dismember and ensure that gangs in the country do not blossom.” He said passage of the legislation would have sent a message to gang members that the country’s legislators mean business.

It would have also shown that they can come together in a collective effort to make a statement, he said.

“Unfortunately that statement was not made,” Sharbodie said.

Criminal defence attorney Israel Khan SC said the anti-gang laws are of extreme importance but requires the Opposition and Government working together.

Khan said by voting against the legislation the Opposition “inadvertently played into the hands of the Government.”

He warned that they could face a backlash. “If the Opposition was saying to change certain clauses they could have postponed the discussion in Parliament and get behind closed doors and agree to a common position,” he said.

Khan said the legislation by itself will not solve the crime problem as it relates to gang activity.

“There will continue to be criminal elements in the country because the basis of crime is that the wealth of the country is not being distributed for the common good of all,” he said.

“Even if the Opposition had supported the legislation, when you lock up one gang member another one will come. What you need to do is wean them away from crime and get some proper training and programmes for them to get them away from crime,” he said.

Former head of the National Operations Centre Garvin Heerah said the delay in passing the bill should not be viewed as a failure, but must be taken in “positive stride of optimism that must now challenge the strategists and the decision-makers to explore workable solutions and not lose focus of the end game.”

He said law enforcement will have to explore the laws that exist and “escalate a high visibility to ensure that all existing threats and challenges are brought under control.”Heerah said there is need to address weak points in socio-economic sectors, reach out to young people and work closely with international partners to foster relations that could be results-based and measured over time.

A recommendation contained in the 9th Actuarial Review of the National Insurance Board to increase the retirement age from 60 to 65 is not sitting well with the trade union movement with a suggestion that it be put to a national referendum.

President of the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) Watson Duke said the umbrella organisation represented thousands of employees and was of the view that “age movement is something for the collective agreement.” He made the comment before Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Finance and Legal Affairs last Friday.

Duke said in the Public Service “people want to retire at 55 with full benefits.” He said the suggestion contained in the 9th Actuarial Review will have to be put “before individual units in NATUC and because of the national effect of the issue we would want to suggest and place on record this may require a national referendum.”

Trevor Johnson, of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union and assistant general secretary of the Joint Trade Union Movement, said the body “would have a serious problem with movement from 60 to 65.”

He said he got the impression that “we have a financial issue with National Insurance so 65 will solve that. If you take it to the logical conclusion if the financial situation worsens what will you do put the retirement age to 71? It cannot be that you go to increase the retirement age because of financials,” he said.

Johnson said the union had collective agreements where workers retire at 60. “We cannot see that changing without significant consultation and with all employers through the collective agreement.”

While the report recommended that the change to 65 be done over a period of 36 years, ECA president Keston Nancoo felt it had to be “much faster.” He said Barbados had made the change in 12 years and St Lucia had changed its retirement age to 65 over 15 years.

Rhondor Dowlat

Special Reserve police officer Richard Babwah was killed last evening during an attempted robbery at a Chinese restaurant in Arouca.

Babwah, the father of two girls, was killed after he was fired upon by two bandits who stormed the restaurant shortly after 6 pm.

He was last night described as a hero by his colleagues, as they said “this just showed the extent of his dedication to his job…sad as it is.”

Babwah, 31, who was assigned to Region 2 Homicide, had reportedly just left work at the Arouca Police Station and was on his way home when he stopped at the Long Yuan Chinese Restaurant to purchase dinner to take home to his family.

According to preliminary reports, Babwah was in the restaurant when two men walked in and announced a robbery. Babwah attempted to draw his firearm but was fatally shot by one of the bandits. Police sources said the safety lock on Babwah’s firearm was on when he drew it and the delay allowed one of the bandits to shoot him. Police said the men then subsequently escaped in a waiting vehicle – a red Almera licensed PCM 1625.

Police officers who responded within minutes to the attack later spotted the getaway vehicle travelling east along the Eastern Main Road. A high-speed chase ensued and the police intercepted the vehicle near Pelican Lane in Maloney. Police said the men shot at the police as they attempted to escape, forcing the officers to return fire. One of the suspects was shot and another was immediately arrested. A third suspect, the driver, managed to escape but police held him hours later. The wounded suspect was up to late last night being treated for gunshot wounds at the Arima District Hospital.

At the scene, Babwah’s relatives arrived at about 7.30 pm where they viewed his body. They were inconsolable and were seen comforting each other outside the restaurant.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, one of Babwah’s colleagues described the incident as “very tragic.”

“He was a very hard working officer and everyone would always like to work alongside with him because he makes his job and others around him enjoyable,” Babwah’s colleague said.

T&T Police Service Social and Welfare Association president Michael Seales last night extended deepest condolences to Babwah’s family.

“The association is in shock at this time…our heart goes out to the family…this by itself tells you that with our job we can leave for work and never be sure to return home, especially around this time, Christmas time, where robberies are very prevalent,” Seales said.

Investigating officers were up to late last night still processing the scene.

Investigations are continuing.

The Housing Development Corporation says it cannot do anything more for former national heavyweight boxer Wendel Joseph and his wheelchair-bound wife Erica.

The HDC made the comment in a press release in response to the latest media reports which suggest the Josephs want to be relocated again, despite only recently been allocated an apartment at Charford Court, Port-of-Spain.

“The HDC is not prepared to go further at this time but is willing to work with any other state agency or NGO which wishes to offer assistance,” the HDC said, noting it had fulfilled its duties and responsibilities and even gone beyond its obligations in this regard.

The HDC also made it clear that on each occasion the couple complained to the HDC about their living conditions, a team from its Social and Community Services Unit was despatched to investigate the alleged claims. However, the HDC said on each occasion, the representatives were unable to substantiate the couple’s claims.

The HDC’s statement came even as officials from the Ministry of Social Development suggested the couple be psychologically assessed given their reported history. The officials, who wished not to go on record, said based on media reports over the years, it seemed the couple should be evaluated. They noted they could “not force the couple to undergo any sort of evaluation,” but would be willing to work with any other authority once it was within legal boundaries.

The Josephs have been recipients of HDC (state-subsidised) accommodation on several occasions between 1998 and 2017.

Prior to the Charford Court relocation, the couple was provided with a single family unit in Tarodale, San Fernando, which was retro-fitted specifically for Erica’s wheelchair access to the tune of tens of thousands.

The couple left this unit in October 2016, after claiming they were “chased” from the unit and that they were surrounded by “wicked, violent neighbours.”

The unit has since been vandalised and according to HDC, it will cost thousands to refurbish in order to make the unit habitable for another deserving family.

Rhondor Dowlat

The T&T Police Service is now investigating one of its own, after a photo surfaced on social media over the weekend of a woman holding what appears to be a gun near the head of a baby also in her arms.

In a release yesterday, the TTPS confirmed the woman in the photo was a member of the service and that the acting Commissioner of Police had since ordered the Professional Standards Bureau to start an immediate investigation.

“The public will be updated on the outcome of said investigation when completed,” the release added.

The photo drew scathing criticism from some on social media, since the woman seemed to be holding it close to the child’s mouth. However, close friends of the woman seen posing in a picture yesterday came to her defence, saying they believe the photo was maliciously posted onto social media. One of the woman’s friends, who did not want to be identified, said the photo was taken about ten years ago before the woman was enrolled into the TTPS. She said she believed the image was posted in an attempt to discredit the woman’s actions and “destroy her character.”

Another close friend described her as an ambitious young lady.

“That’s my girl…some people could be so WICKED…But God is good! She’s one of the most ambitious young ladies I know. People just like to talk what they don’t know.”

The T&T Guardian understands a man the woman knew very well at the time took the photo. It is alleged the man is a also police officer and the gun belonged to him.

A manhunt is in progress for a prisoner who escaped from a cell at the Scarborough Police Station over the weekend.

The T&T Guardian understands that Samuel Maharaj, 25, of Mt. Zion, Whim, a repeat firearm and ammunition, robbery and house breaking offender was arrested and charged last Friday.

Maharaj, who is unemployed, was kept in jail over the weekend and was scheduled to appear in the Scarborough Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, but when checks were made around 9 am it was discovered he was missing. Police sources said there were signs of forced exit.

Maharaj is approximately five feet, five inches tall, weighs approximately 130 pounds, is light brown in complexion and has braided hair. He was last seen wearing a three quarter pants and a red t-shirt.

An all points bulletin was put out and ASP Sterling Roberts of Scarborough Police Station is continuing investigations.

Anyone with information should contact the nearest police station, 800-TIPS, 555 or the Scarborough Police Station at 639-2512 or 639-2515.

Former Education Facilities Company Ltd (EFCL) chairman Arnold Piggott has described the organisation which he inherited as one in which collusion, bid-rigging, favouritism, nepotism and political interference were rampart.

He also alleged interference from high-ranking officials in the current Cabinet and the Ministry of Education, while the Office of the Attorney General also got involved after the suspension of Louis Frederick.

“There was a meeting on August 16, the day after Mr (Louis) Frederick, the executive head was suspended ... There was a meeting summoned by the Attorney General. It appears that at least two people in the organisation had the ear of politicians and felt empowered to deal with matters within the EFCL based on that empowerment ... one was the HR manager Gillis Noel and one was Louis Frederick,” Piggott said during yesterday’s Joint Select Committee meeting in Parliament

Piggott said there was a written request to re-engage Frederick following his suspension while there were also political interventions by the Finance Minister during his tenure at the EFCL.

He also spoke of a contract “mill room” set up during the People’s Partnership’s term in office, which resulted in the urgent need for forensic auditor PriceWaterhouseCoopers. In this “mill room,” Piggott said State invoices were generated under the watch of senior executives, adding that there were some 160 cheques drawn in favour of contractors amounting to some $33 million.

“Records show in excess of 120 contracts to one contractor for some $40 million and another with some 42 contracts with some $825 million,” Piggott added.

He said the work of certain contractors was questioned after the EFCL board he chaired inherited 108 unfinished schools for which the contracts were awarded in excess of $2 million and which then required $1.5 million to complete.

Citing the Five Rivers Secondary School as one example where wrong doing occurred, Piggott said this was reflective in a $4.49 million contract which was awarded while at another school a contract was awarded but the contractor “mobilised even before the date of submission.”

Piggott, who was at the helm of the EFCL for some 17 months, said in the case of the Five Rivers Secondary there was an unsolicited bid for some $4 million. Saying there were clear breaches of the tender rules, Piggott reiterated that certain contractors were given preferential treatment.

“There were budget sums approved by the Education Ministry which were being leaked to contractors from inside the EFCL,” Piggott said.

He said there was also gross indiscipline within the human resources department and tampering by the information technology department.

“We had a situation where the HR manager was not responsive to discipline with respect to employees. That manager resigned but is still with the EFCL,” Piggott said.

He said there were people who did not have the nation’s children at heart working within the EFCL.

JSC chairman David Small said from what was revealed during the proceedings it showed malfeasance in public office in the company.

The EFCL board of directors now comprises deputy chairman Ricardo Vasquez and members Anthony Bisnath, Jeffery Francis, Indu Sharma, Christopher Brathwaite, Clyde Permell, Dean Burgen and Steven Samlalsingh.

Audit Committee probe almost done

Contacted yesterday on claims raise by former EFCL chairman Arnold Piggott at yesterday’s JSC hearing, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said the Central Audit Committee probe ordered by his office to decipher if there was wrongdoing under Piggott’s tenure was almost complete. He said following this the appropriate steps will then be taken.

The AG said the officers had already done all their field work and were in the process of writing up a report which was expected to be completed within the coming weeks.

However, he made it clear that he had an obligation to investigate allegations of wrongdoing under both the present administration and when the PP was in office.

On Frederick’s suspension from the EFCL, sources close to the team from within the AG’s Office investigating the EFCL described the move as unjust, saying Frederick had raised concern after being ordered to sign off on certain documents. They said he subsequently refused to sign off on the documents and was suspended.

Former Educational Facilities Company Ltd (EFCL) chairman Arnold Piggott has insisted he was not forced out from the organisation by the People’s National Movement (PNM) or by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley as publicly perceived, but rather left on his own volition.

“I was not asked to resign despite what has been out in the public domain. There was absolutely no pressure placed on me to resign,” Piggott said as he appeared before yesterday’s Joint Select Committee in Parliament, where he cleared the air surrounding his departure from the EFCL.

He denied he was forced to follow instructions from Balisier House when the issue was put to him by Senator Wade Mark, who asked whether he was influenced by the PNM to resign from his position. He said his resignation was a “combination of a number of things,” including questions regarding contracts for school repairs and gross mismanagement by company officials.

“We were asked to reinstate Mr Louis Frederick (executive manager) after he had walked off the job. Had he returned the board would be handicapped and he did return after being requested to re-engage him and perhaps that should have been my last call,” Piggott cited as one of the reasons which led to his resignation.

Piggott, who also said he attended yesterday’s JSC’s meeting on his own accord, was in November threatened with a summons from the JSC after failing to attend a previous committee hearing.

But he made it clear yesterday that Parliament does not posses that power to summon him.

“I am appearing before this Joint Select Committee today voluntarily, notwithstanding the advice by senior counsel that the Parliament does not have the authority to summon me,” Piggott said, adding that he ought to receive “courtesy and respect which he deserved.”

In May this year, Piggott tendered his resignation from the EFCL, saying he was doing so for the “protection of my reputation and family name” and protecting the PNM.

In his resignation letter dated May 27 to Education Minister Anthony Garcia and copied to Rowley and corporation sole, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Piggott said he had resigned “due to family commitments requiring greater attention at home and abroad.”

He cited that while he had the privilege to work closely with “a diligent, dedicated and professional team of board members,” they had gone through many challenges, including “reputational risks.”

—GEISHA ALONSZO

Hard questions need to be asked of everyone in the T&T sport system.

In these days of hard economic times, where money is hard to come by—value for money—is the key metric and with bureaucracy sucking up a large percentage of the funding that is available, there is a cause for unease.

Close examination of the numbers will show that a lot of money is going to prop up a structure that isn’t exposed to performance management and monitoring.

Performance monitoring is focused on the athletes and by extension their coaches. It’s all laid out to see, performance matters.

Yet, the bureaucracy that is getting the lion’s share isn’t exposed to the same deliberate transparency and accountability.

On the elite side of the equation, it can be argued that more money must go to athletes and be directed to providing the necessary expertise and support that is needed to compete at the elite and Olympic level.

The challenge is the argument that too much focus is placed on elite athletes and medals and that such an emphasis provided little to next to nothing tangible returns.

It is a delicate balance...it isn’t one or the other.

Social and recreational sport participation aimed at fostering a healthier, fitter and safer T&T is as important as elite and Olympic sport.

Who said that it’s one or the other? But in an environment where the bureaucracy requires funding and feeding it is in the best interest of those who eat from the table of bureaucracy to create, sustain and maintain the impression that choices have to be made.

If this division weren’t made then the bureaucracy will be exposed for what it really is, a citadel of waste and inefficiencies, draining resources that could be reinvested in funding those who need it most.

In these difficult economic times, “bang for buck” and value for money should reflect just that. The waste, inefficiencies and ineffective allocation of funding is a luxury.

It would be naive to not face the reality that there are often other considerations that have absolutely nothing to do with sport or sporting rationale.

When such a scenario presents itself, we should be candid enough to acknowledge when sport and the best interest of sport isn’t the main attraction.

When millions, make that billions, have gone into investing in facilities and the bureaucracy what is the output and the outcome? What has changed? What has improved?

The sport pyramid as it currently applies must be flipped over.

It hasn’t worked, it hasn’t delivered and it hasn’t created an environment that drives sustainable benefit to high performance elite sport or delivering a healthier, fitter and safer T&T.

n EDITOR’S NOTE: Brian Lewis is the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee and T&T Commonwealth Games Association. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC and TTCGA.

As a new dawn is about to arrive in United States cricket, the immediate target is to build a keen rivalry against the neighbouring West Indies.

This was the comment made by International Cricket Council (ICC) USA Project officer Eric Parthen during a town hall meeting in Fort Lauderdale earlier this month. According to Parthen :”We need to put United States cricket on the right footing so that we can fight the bigger countries in the sport and draw attention to the game here. It would be wonderful to develop a keen rivalry against the West Indies, who are neighbouring to us. Imagine having a battle between these two teams and the amount of attention that would create here amongst the people.”

Parthen was hired by the ICC to bring all the warring factions in US cricket together and he has done a great job in pointing the way forward. With the suspension of USACA by the ICC, Parthen and staff has been doing a care-taking job with US cricket and he revealed that earlier next year there will be an election of a new executive to take care of cricket affairs in the US. That body will be called USA Cricket and the target is to have them in place by June next year.

“We have been able to see the way forward and we are happy to report that early in the new year a 10-member executive will be in place to look after the affairs of USA cricket. On this executive we will have representatives from different areas in the country, as well as athletes. We want to have everyone’s experience tapped into, as we look to position America’s cricket in such a way that the future will be bright.

“We all know the potential the game has in this country because when you look at the data, there is interest in the game. During the last ICC World Cup, the figures show that America was second in terms of hits on the ICC website looking for information on the tournament. This is significant for us in working towards making the game a household affair here and we are optimistic.”

USA Cricket will be based in Colorado Spings, where US Olympics is also based and Parthen said that this would prove to be a boost for the sport in terms of having the US national team train at the facilities that are there for the US Olympic athletes.

National Under-20 Women’s coach Jamaal Shabazz will welcome a cadre of overseas-based players at a live-in camp by Friday, as the team continues to prepare for the 2018 Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship at the Home of Football in Couva from January 18-28.

Shabazz saw his team go under 2-0 to the T&T Senior Women in a training match on Friday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in the opening game of a double header.

Despite the loss, Shabazz believes his players showed some positive signs. “For us we saw some good things with the Under 20s. They showed a good attitude towards bringing the ball out of the back and building the attack. We did not get a lot of penetration and this we could do better. I felt there were situations where on the sides of the field the wingers could have tried to go back the wing backs. They lacked a bit of bravery there,” Shabazz said.

“But generally we saw a couple good things from them and it was the kind of practice game that we wanted leading up to this tournament in January.”

“Three weeks ago we had a camp mainly for the foreign-based players and some local-based. The foreign-based will come back in from December 15 and then we will have our full contingent. The local-based players currently competing for a place in the final squad got a chance on Friday to show themselves. They will train for one week again, this week and then we will select the best group to go into camp alongside incoming foreign-based players who we have called back. And then from then we will be in a better position to compare apples with apples,” Shabazz stated,

He added that efforts are being made to arrange practice matches with a couple South American opponents for later in December.

T&T are in Group A and will face off with Haiti in the second game of a double header on the opening day of the championship on January 18. Costa Rica faces Canada in the opening match. Group B comprises United States, Nicaragua, Jamaica and Mexico.

Erin FC captured its second title of the 2017 Southern Football Association season when it blanked Giants FC 3-0 in a virtual winner-take-all Premier Division Big-Six final round clash on Sunday at St Margarets.

The trio of Darren Alexis, Jason Gross and Natinni Jones got a goal each for Erin FC to end with 13 points from five matches to add to its recent League Cup finals win over Giants as well.

With the final round loss, Giants, which began ahead on the six-team table on goal-difference from Erin FC, slipped to third as Barrackpore FC United edged #9 United 3-2 at Palo Seco to end with ten points as well, and ahead of Giants on goal-difference, plus-seven to plus-six.

Last year’s Premier Division winner Pitchmen ended the campaign with a default victory over Serial Strikers.

Tomorrow, Giants will have a chance at redemption when it faces Barrackpore in the feature match of the Executive Cup semifinal at Morne Diablo, Ground from 8pm.

Two hours earlier in

RESULTS

SFA PREMIER DIVISION
BIG SIX RESULTS:
Sunday December 10:
Erin FC 3 (Darren Alexis, Jason Gross,
Natinni Jones) vs Giants FC 0
Barrackpore United 3 (J. Neptune, D.
Matthews, S. Cooper) vs #9 United 2
Pitchmen 3 vs Serial Strikers 0 - by default
FINAL SFA BIG SIX STANDINGS:
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Erin FC 5 4 1 0 13 2 13
Barrackpore Utd 5 3 1 1 14 7 10
Giants FC 5 3 1 1 12 6 10
Pitchmen FC 5 2 1 2 13 10 7
#9 United FC 5 1 0 4 6 15 3
Serial Strikers 5 0 0 5 1 19 0

The community of Guayaguayare, known popularly as a fishing village in south-east Trinidad, has just broadened its scope as a feeder for national footballers, courtesy Hydro Tech Limited, the premier supplier of integrated solution services within the upstream oil and gas industry, and football coach Ron La Forest.

The combination of the two has led to the success of the Guaya United Football Club, the community’s main sporting organization which out-did itself by claiming the Caribbean Football Trust League (CFTL) League Cup and League One titles in the T&T Super League.

On Sunday at its home base at the Guayaguayare Recreation Ground, the team led by inspirational striker Carlon ‘Judgement’ Hughes hammered Defence Force 6-1 to take the coveted League title, which had been threatened only by FC Santa Rosa, needing victory against the University of T&T at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar Arima, to win it.

The Green Army, as Guaya are affectionately called, got the opening goal from Hughes in the 8th minute before Kevon Blackman equalized in the 15th. Hughes later put the game out of reach for the Army with goals in the 40th, 50th and 55th, while Russell Alfred and Jody Allsop added two insurance goals in the 37th and 74th minutes.

The title was only confirmed however when UTT defeated Santa Rosa’s Big Cannons 1-0 courtesy of Cornell Glen’s 68th minute item.

After the match La Forest said victory was always theirs. “When God says it’s for you, no one can take it away. Our only concern was to win our game against the Army and let God do the rest. We led from the start and it was only when we became complacent that we surrendered the lead, against teams that we should have beaten” La Forest, who is called ‘the professor’ said. He believes the victory has now opened up the eyes of national selectors to players in the Guaya community. “We have totally transformed the community to one that can be identified by football. We are providing an avenue for many young players to have something to look forward to, so no longer will fishing be the only form of income in the community.”

Guaya’s achievements for the season include the League and League Cup titles, as well as its quarter-final finish in the T&T Football Association’s National FA Cup Tournament where it was beaten by W Connection 1-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium last month. La Forest, one of the few remaining players from the Golden era of football in T&T, remembers taking charge of the team last year when it was at 11th in the standings to finish at 4th. Guaya will be presented with its trophy and medals today at its home base at 5pm.

Meanwhile Sunday’s final round of matches also saw victories for WASA, Bethel FC and 1976 Phoenix which had no effect on the winning team.

RESULTS

Guaya United- 6 (Carlon Hughes 8th, 40th, 50th, 55th, Russell Alfred 37th, Jody Allsop 74th) vs Defence Force- 1 (Kevon Blackman 15th)
Bethel FC- 3 vs Club Sando Moruga- 0 (win by default)
Cunupia FC- 3 (Keron Edwards 9th, Zavion Navarro 36th, Andel Bishop 90th) vs QPCC- 3 (Kieran Martin 11th, Ajani Clarence 19th, 24th)
1976 Phoenix- 3 vs Siparia Spurs- 0 (win by default)
UTT- 1 (Cornell Glen 68th) vs FC Santa Rosa- 0
WASA FC- 3 (Gary Glasgow 42nd, Glen Walker 49th, 73rd) vs Police-2 (Kenwin Matthew 44th, Jason Boodram 77th)

STANDINGS

CLUB GP W L D GF GA GD PTS
1 GUAYA UNITED 22 16 2 4 67 25 42 52
2 FC SANTA ROSA 22 16 4 2 52 16 36 50
3 CUNUPIA FC 22 13 5 4 48 32 16 43 4 1976 PHOENIX FC 22 11 7 4 43 33 10 37 5 UTT 22 11 8 3 41 37 4 36
6 QPCC 22 9 8 5 36 35 1 32
7 DEFENCE FORCE FC 22 9 9 4 43 41 2 31
8 WASA FC 22 8 8 6 36 39 -3 30
9 POLICE FC 22 5 12 5 27 46 -19 20
10 CLUB SANDO MORUGA 22 5 13 4 43 53 -10 19
11 BETHEL UNITED FC 22 3 15 4 22 58 -36 13
12 SIPARIA SPURS 22 2 17 3 20 63 -43 9

WALTER ALIBEY
 

Creativity abounded at the Caribbean Dance Music (CDM) Conference 2017 as producers, songwriters, artistes and audience members came together to produce a CDM track live. Another highlight of the conference was the launch of On Lock Records by partners CDMC organiser Karilee Fifi and Kitwana “Kit” Israel of AdvoKit Productions.

The resulting track, produced by Keshav Singh of Jus Now and voiced by Kees Dieffenthaller and Aaron “Voice” St Louis, will be released on the new label, which is affiliated with Sony Records and will have access to The Orchard, Sony’s distribution service.

Jose Abreu, senior director for Digital Business in the Latin and Iberian Regions, said the practitioners present were part of the same community and needed to come together to figure out a way to move forward. “We at Sony are about supporting all music. If we don’t give it a platform, people won’t be able to make a living off of it.

We can help with connections. Let’s work together, instead of as individuals and build a brand.”

The conference also involved an Industry Talks panel, which included Abreu and industry names such as Stef Kalloo, Michael “Tano” Montano, Jimmy October and Mark Hardy, and facilitated by Carl “Beaver” Henderson.

Henderson said the practitioners needed to unite against people outside the industry who use their infighting against them. He said this is the first time in the history of T&T’s music industry that the country is on an equal footing with the rest of the world because of technology, so they should seize this opportunity to promote themselves, especially in the age of digital distribution, instead of waiting on radio play.

He also said if practitioners develop their craft, the money will follow, but they must be willing to put in the work first.

He said practitioners should start demanding their space in life and be more forceful, rather than being influenced by persons who want to tell them how to sound and what to sing.

Hardy said he began his career by singing soca, and producer Ken Bhola showed him how soca could be done differently.

Meeting Young Rudd, inventing trapso and collaborating with Bad Royale influenced his music.

He said there’s a whole world outside of T&T and practitioners need to stop living here mentally, begin exploring local markets and keep an open mind.

Tano said when he took his recent release — No One — with Kalpee to local studios, he was advised to wait for the soca season to start before releasing it, but because the song was so good, it was signed with Sony Middle East. He said this made him realise that songs should be put out when they feel right,without waiting on a season.

October’s take was that practitioners were not certain what the industry was supposed to look like. “I think you can do whatever type of music you like, it’s how you do it, and you need to know what it should look like.” He said what has worked for him thus far is having good music which is recognisable as his, having a social media presence and developing his brand. He said it is important to use all available platforms, know the business side, understand they’re creating and selling content and focus on building a fan base that will be loyal.

The panelists agreed that networking is critically important in order for songwriters to get their songs listened to, voiced and produced. They said often practitioners did not want to take constructive criticism.

They advocated for the formation of teams to work on projects, with the caveat that different teams can be formed for different endeavours. It was stated that contracts played an important part in building an industry and entertainment lawyers should always be engaged.

Audience members said owning a website is crucial, and all methods of marketing should be directed to the website, while grassroots guerilla marketing is also important.

Presentations were made by representatives of Radial, an online streaming app devoted to Caribbean music, as well as X-Originals, who spoke about the pairing of dance artists with dance music.

Joshua Moreno, one half of duo Benny Shadow, whose song Massive was recently released on On Lock Records, said it’s upsetting when foreign acts feature Caribbean talent on their productions, but don’t invest in the talent. “We should create opportunities for them to feature on our music. We want to make sure that the Caribbean is sold, not bought, we want to make it our own,” he said.

Years ago, the majority of holiday gift-giving in T&T consisted of creative originals—music, art, food and drink. In light of the current economic recession, Holistic Music School will continue this tradition and develop the creative, intellectual, social, spiritual, emotional and physical skills of primary school pupils (five to 12 years) and secondary school students (12+ to 18 years) through Atelier (Arts Workshop) scheduled for December 18-22.

Continuing with this year’s theme of Holistic Jazz, participants will explore jazzy arrangements of Christmas Music, Art and Cuisine. Students will also have an opportunity to hone their performance skills for the upcoming T&T Music Festival.

Atelier (the French word for workshop) was established by Dr Patricia Dardaine-Ragguet in 1997 as a means by which to engage students in positive, holistic and character building exercises in the context of creativity and artistic development. Age appropriate concepts are introduced in a relaxed and interdisciplinary workshop setting. “Holistic Music School will continue to explore the ABRSM Jazz Syllabus (launched in1999) alongside improvisation/ jazz in Christmas music, art and photography,” said Dardaine-Ragguet.

Dardaine-Ragguet, an administrator, holistic educator and musician, has designed the 2017 Atelier curriculum to excite and inspire current/future jazz musicians in local primary and secondary schools. A cadre of T&T jazz educators, musicians and artists including Rellon Brown (trumpet), Joshua Pasqual (trombone), Daniel Ryan (saxophone), Everald “Redman” Watson (percussion), Seth Escalante (guitar), Khaffi Beckles (Visual Art) and Desmond Clarke (photography).

Activities will be scheduled from 8.30 am to 3 pm daily at Holistic Primary School – supervision will be provided at no extra cost from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm. The cost of the workshop is $600 per week and registration fee $75.

Students will be enrolled on a first come, first served basis. Atelier Early Bird Special—$500 by Tuesday, December 12. Registration waived for Holistic Primary School students. Enrolment is limited.

Info

For Holistic Christmas Jazz Atelier 2017 registration: e-mail atelier.holistic.edu@gmail.com or phone Holistic Music School at 621-0428/ 1659.