Local singing sensation Raymond Ramnarine is considering the possibility of making his future Everybody Loves Raymond (ELR) concerts a pay-per-view event. Ramnarine spoke with T&T Guardian on Saturday during the interval of the 2018 ELR concert at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya. Ramnarine said this move would allow his global fans who may not be able to travel to T&T to at least witness the mega event.

Mega indeed was Saturday night’s production and Ramnarine was over the moon, which was actually full that night, with joy, especially with the large crowd turn out and his ever increasing fan base.

The show opened with Dil-e-Nadan band members Renuka Mahabir and Rennie Ramnarine performing Mujhko Rana/Ai Mere Den and Hawayyan/Tere Akon and Tujese Naraz respectively. Also hitting the stage were Amish and Arvind Ramnarine the sons of Richard Ramnarine. Arvind joined his uncle Rennie to perform the 1975 playback hit Di Kyar Kare that was originally performed by Kishore Kumar from the movie Julie.

Show-stopper Raymond Ramnarine entered from the western end of the stage dressed in a gold embossed jacket and was greeted with overwhelming applause as he dished out Humay aur Jene, Aja Aja and Gerua. He was then joined by Renuka Mahabir to sing the timeless classic Gapuchi Gapuchi Gam Gam from the movie Trishul which featured the voices of Nitin Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar on the original recording.

More young Ramnarines joined Raymond, this time his sons Vinesh and Varun who dished out a list of hits for adoring fans.

India’s newest emerging song star Amit Mishra and Bollywood singer/actress Avanie Joshi hit the stage to a much appreciative audience and rendered a torrent of contemporary songs. Joshi even won applause for a cover version of Adele’s Rolling in the deep. Mishra is currently riding high on the success of his film song, Bulleya from the epic film, Aye Dil Hai Mushkil.

It was way past midnight when the show reached its climax and nary a patron had departed, the majority of them seemingly willing to remain at the venue until the sun rose on Sunday.

PICTURES SHASTRI BOODAN

Tomorrow Fiesta Plaza at MovieTowne, Portof- Spain, will explode with sweet music as it welcomes the dynamic and incredibly versatile musicians of Caribbean Steelpan Connextion Ensemble (CSC).

Based in Belmont, CSC Ensemble is a registered conventional steelpan ensemble with PanTrinbago. The group was formed in 2017 and first represented T&T at the 2017 Astana Expo, Kazakhstan, establishing itself as the first T&T steelband to perform in this part of the world.

Led and co-managed by Desperadoes double second pan player Andre Robley, CSC originally consisted of four core players but has now expanded to seven. Other members are Kwesi Paul (tenor, co arranger); Carlon Morris (drums); Rawle Flemming (percussion); and, and Terry Guischard (bass). Recently added are Carissa Victor (double guitar) and Yesha George (tenor).

Amanda Israel, the ensemble’s media consultant, told Pulse this week: “We successfully hosted our inaugual Carnival Monday concert — The World on Steel (Part 1) — this year. This was done to create an alternative event for steelpan lovers outside of the competitive nature of Carnival and Panorama. We featured Andre White, Codrington Pan Family, Calypsociation (France) and Jai Sakamoto from Japan.” Israel continued: “Our primary intentions are to be independent, earning money as steelpan musicians and to continue to enjoy our passion.”

Still basking in the glow of the success of its Carnival Monday concert, CSC is again enthusiastic and driven about satisfying the general public’s longing for more alternative activities, which focus on the national instrument, apart from the traditional National Panorama season.

CSC’s repertoire tomorrow includes a mix of all the genres that represent the people of the Caribbean, inclusive of calypso/ soca, jazz, Latin and pop.

Some of the items its audience will enjoy will be the jazz classic Morning Dance, Merchant’s Caribbean Connection, Los Cubanos, Erphaan Alves’ 2018 hit Overdue and Kes’ Hello, as well as favourites from international chart toppers such as Bruno Mars and The Weekend.

Renowned Kaiso Jazz & Blues musician, and Panorama arranger of Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, Carlton “Zanda” Alexander, will also help to mesmerise attendees as a featured guest during CSC’s hour-long performance.

Showtime begins promptly at 8.30 pm. 

Ethnic Jazz Club says thanks On the last day of last month, Ethnic Jazz Club (EJC), piloted by multi-talented musician Chantal Esdelle, hosted at A Free Musical Treat at The EJC’s Jazz Studio, 51 Cornelio Street, Woodbrook. The evening was a delightful one, especially as many of our philanthropists of the arts turned up to contributem to a worthy cause.

In a thank-you message, Esdelle said: “Thank you for coming on Wednesday. The experience made it clear to us, the artists behind the studio, that you power us. You power us with your presence, your support, your appreciation and your money.”

The musicians that powered the evening included Douglas Redon, Earl Rodney, Felix Ruiz, Natasha Joseph, Glenford “Kevin” Sobers, Stacey Sobers Abraham, Ricardo Ruiz, Theron Shaw, Rellon Brown, Joshema McIntosh, Eugene Bass, Arthur Rodney, Michael Low Chew Tung, Vance and Anthony Woodroffe.

Effusive in thanks, Esdelle added: “Special thanks to Mr LeBlanc and Courts for highly subsidising the cost of our new unit and to our donors for covering the balance with your contributions.

“The unit sets us up for the audio and video projects we have carded and also sets you up for a comfortable studio performance experience.”

Donations in the sum of $3,000 were realised on the evening of February 28. Continued Esdelle: “Thank you for nurturing us. Your support continues to sustain our growth.

We look forward to seeing you at the studio for the rest of the season.”

HAREWOOD: CYNTHIA, aged 82 of La Reine Court, Flagstaff, died in Canada on 22nd February, 2018. Daughter of Sylvester and Nora Harewood. Sister of Esla Crawford, Ainsworth, Michael and Emlyn. Sister-in-law of Clyde Crawford (deceased), Joyce, Maxine and Eastlyn. Aunt of Brian, Dexter and Ar-lene Crawford, Kurt, Michele, Michael, Seun, Laomi, Mark, Stacey and Brian Harewood. Great aunt of 11. Cousin of Rupert Papin, Oswald, An-nette and Desmond Valdez, Wynette, Winthrop, Wilford, Yvonne, Myrtle, Vernon, Carl, Ethelbert and others, the Sherwoods, Sinclairs and Dominiques. A memorial Service will be held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Aber-cromby Street, Port- of- Spain on Saturday 10th March at 10:00am.

DUPPREY; KEnnEth Ainsley passed away on 3rd March, 2018. Husband of Deborah Savary-Duprey. Father of Dana Duprey. Brother of Ann Barbara, Margaret, Lawrence, Basil and others deceased. Relative of Bob Parks and others. Friend of many. Funeral at 10.00 a.m. on Friday 9th March, 2018 at Belgroves Fu-neral Home, Orange Grove Road, Trincity followed by cremation at 11.00 a.m. No flowers by request. For enquiries, call C&B 625-1170 or visit http;//www.clarkandbat-too.com

LAING: PERCIVAL MARK of St. Francis Village, Erin passed away on March 6th, 2018 at the age of 72. Son of the late Egbert and Mildred Laing. Father of Andrew, Christopher, Guitian and Emily. Brother of Gregory, Dave and Cyril Laing, Annette Gervais, June Williams and the late Alma Castillo. Grandfather of Jerome, Janelle, Christian, Chris-toph, Elianna and Amelia-Rose. Nephew of Irene Alexis. Uncle of Annmarie, Anthony, Therese, Maria, Tara, Dorcas, Jason, Jiselle, Damion, Daryl, Christa and fourteen (14) others. Great Uncle of twenty (20) Relative of the Duchaussee, Alexis, Thomas, de Gourville, Nurse, Minty, Ruiz and Worrell families Friend of Gregory Caballero, Flavin and many oth-ers The funeral service of the late PERCIVAL MARK LAING will take place on Saturday 10th March, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. the Palo Seco Open Bible Church, Palo Seco followed by burial at the Los Iros Public Cemetery. En-quires can be made to J. E. Guide Funeral Home & Crematorium Ltd., #120 Coffee Street, San Fernando (235-5049/652-4261 or 657-5465). Condolences can be sent to guidesfuneralhome.com

NICHOLAS REYNOLD GEORGE Passed away on March, 4th 2018Husband of: Laura (Cynthia)Son of: Shelia (dec) and GregoryFather of: Damian, Nichola, Jona-than, and JoshuaBrother of: Terrence, Charmaine, Christine, Cathy, and CecileFuneral service of the late Nicho-las George takes place Saturday, 10th March 2018,from 8 a.m. at St. Theresa’s RC Church at De Verteuil Street, Woodbrook.No flowers by request. Donations to St. Jude’s Home for Girls in lieu of flowers.For further information:Facebook: Nicholas George MemorialCall: R.M. de Souza 223-2007/ 637-2009.

BEHARRYLAL: RAMNARINE a.k.a “Ramanan” of #21 Naparima Mayaro Road, Cocoyea Village, San Fernando passed away on 05th March, 2018 at the age of 73. He was the husband of Lallita Stella Beharrylal Son of the late Beharrylal and Rosie of (Tarouba Road, Marabella) Father of An-drew “Andy”, Lisa, Rudy and Ravi Brother of Reynold, Vijav, Suresh, Savit, Boyan and Sham Father-in-law of Matthew Lee Jackson and Melissa Kamla both of (TEXAS) Brother-in-law of Robin, Darling, Ethel, Alswin, Morrison and Rajkcoomar Grandfather of Mark, Johnathan, Shinnel, Nikita, Athena, Angelia, Ariston and Kaden Great Grandfather of Matthew and Emmanuel Uncle of many The funeral service of the late RAMNARINE BEHARRYLAL will take place on Saturday 10th March, 2018 at the House of Mourning #21 Naparima Mayaro Road, Cocoyea Village, San Fer-nando at 9:30 a.m. followed by Cremation at the Shore of Peace, Mosquito Creek. Enquires can be made to J. E. Guide Funeral Home & Crematorium Ltd., #120 Coffee Street, San Fernando (235-5049/652-4261 or 657-5465). Condolences can be sent to guidesfuneralhome.com.

Acting President Christine Kangaloo’s call for Chief Justice Ivor Archie to delay his sabbatical leave, until substantive President Anthony Carmona can respond to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s queries on the issue, may be the calm before the storm.

Indeed, judging from Rowley’s body language in Parliament yesterday, it seems he may be close to making up his mind on the matter—whether it be invoking Section 137 of Constitution, or at the very least, rescinding the sabbatical leave, since it would appear it was granted on a premise which did not exist in judicial policy.

The PM had previously made it clear he would not interfere in the impasse between Archie and his charges, since guarding the independence of the judiciary was critical given the implication of the impeachment of someone in such high office.

However, even in the face of the fact that the allegations of misbehaviour levelled against the CJ are yet to be proven or discredited, one cannot help but feel it is only action through Section 137 that will assuage public concern about how it is being dealt with.

The judiciary’s concern about the public’s failing confidence in it over these matters are certainly not ill-placed and it could be that stepping down, should impeachment not be initiated, may be the only way to bring the situation back to some sort of normalcy.

Reality hits home again

News of the death of abuse victim Rachel Madoo yesterday brought home the stark reality of just how far we are from attaining the goal of the millions of women worldwide who were celebrating International Women’s Day this week. Shelter from the often relentless pursuit of abusers is but one of the issues which fall under the broad banner of safety, through legislation, for women going through such situations worldwide.

We have heard these stories all too often—victims in abusive situations who seek the sanctity of protection orders and other social mechanisms, only to find themselves still at the mercy of their abusers for varying reasons.

When will we finally be able to change the narrative on this matter?

Support Cedros fund-raiser

This newspaper lauds the T&T Under-20 team’s decision to host a two-match fund-raiser for victims of the recent coastal erosion phenomenon in Cedros. While some eight affected families have received housing assistance from Government, many of them had complained about the lack of response to their plight from the national community, since they lost the majority of their belongings during the event. We thus urge support for the Under-20’s endeavour.

They didn’t all look two and half years older. But some MPs have weathered the first half of the term better than others.

After assuming Government and Opposition roles on September 7, 2105—30 months ago at Wednesday’s mid-term mark, UNC MP Rudy Indarsingh in Parliament yesterday, was convinced the Opposition’s handled it better.

“Look at you—since September 7, 2015, you looking bruised and battered, tired, tired! Too much wuk?! Indarsingh probed PNM’s Randall Mitchell.

“Leave me alone nah boy—I looking tired?!” Mitchell replied energetically.

Prior to proceedings, however, Indarsingh was less jovial, complaining of an alleged tiff with Education Minister Anthony Garcia—and continuing rumbling throughout debate.

“Couva South!” cautioned new Minister Marlene McDonald who’d been heartily welcomed back by a clutch of backbench colleagues flocking around her.

Another clash occurred later when UNC’s Roodal Moonilal attempted to rechristen Prime Minister’s office spokesman Stuart Young.

Moonilal, called upon to withdraw the term “badjohn” and apologise, duly did—with the unamused Young also apologising to the public gallery for the “immaturity”, he said occurred.

With 29 odd months left of the term, both sides will be preparing—internally and externally—for upcoming two years of elections and possibly a Barataria by election.

For Government, holding steady with economic stability battling, certain setbacks and stumblings have dogged the term: delayed projects including flagship Sandals resort, ferry fiascos, murder rate spiralling—and other security issues compounded by the recent Carnival threat.

How much Wednesday’s meeting between Muslim representatives and the Prime Minister will improve relations remains to unfold. Particularly following tomorrow’s Muslim groups’ rally themed “National Stand against Oppression and Terrorism”.

PM’s outreach on Wednesday—among aspects on which his leadership may be judged—would have profiled to his National Security Council who’s who in the Muslim community, who’s for and against what and how best relations can be improved. Government and groups will be held to any assurances made since—especially following consolidation among Muslim sectors—mishandling on any side isn’t an option.

Security improvement’s one aspect of PNM’s general election manifesto yet to become full blown. Certain plans from each manifesto category have been worked into Budgets 2016-2018, but many others—including a code of conduct for MPs—remain pending along with legislative agenda pace (expected this year.)

A handful of Cabinet changes have occurred with McDonald’s, topping scores. Spotlight speakers have shifted from Finance’s Colm Imbert and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi–to OPM’s Young. Several “newbies” are yet to make their mark. Some like Tourism’s Shamfa Cudjoe—have been marked by untimely utterances.

While Government has counted among achievements an anti-corruption thrust, maintenance of public sector jobs and energy initiatives, administration unpopularity has also been acknowledged at certain levels, befuddled at continuing criticism and pushback on assorted positive developments.

That bewilderment confirms the distance between the administration and the “ground” and the fact that John Public—in recession—is more sensitive to bread and butter issues than latest corruption-busting.

How PNM handles the reconnection challenge remains ahead.

Certain PNMites bank on turnaround with Imbert’s mid-year review—by end of April—which will indicate economic status. And correspondingly yield political projections.

With the oil price around US$61—more than the 2018 Budget basis of US$52, hope is for a better cushioned political road for Government “...Because if we continue drifting, we’ll drift to defeat,” one adviser said.

Apart from increase of Opposition stocks—largely assisted by decrease of Government’s—the Opposition’s profile has been adjusted.

New faces—David Lee, Barry Padarath—are Parliamentary frontline chargers. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s solidified her leadership winning internal polls (not without controversy), and improved local government holdings in the East-West corridor.

UNC now also has marginal seat supervisors Jearlean John (La Horquetta), Gerald Ramdeen (St Joseph), chairman Peter Kanhai (Tunapuna).

From mid-term herein, the political rating war becomes much sharper. And the marks which count will come not from image-shapers at the top, but from John Public on the “ground”.

I set sail in the Galleons Passage which is expected to run aground at Port-of-Spain due to bad weather and rough seas. When I disembark, I must immediately visit the Hall of Justice. One High Court Judge recently sounded out that “all is not well on Knox Street.”

Before I batten down the hatches, I cite authorities/precedents where the Judiciary of England has welcomed and even encouraged criticism of its rulings and judges. Lord Denning in one of his books, What’s Next in the Law refers to historical facts when political heavyweight Michael Foot declared Denning is an ass.

He further recalls the English Press, The Observer had a headline, “Why Denning is an ass.” Not least was The Times which was less insulting on a personal basis but stated that: “The decision of the House of Lords in the Granada Television case is restrictive, reactionary, and clearly against the public interest.”

Most of the sport fans have been following in the press, the recent dispute between long-time table tennis players, Dexter St Louis and Rheann Chung versus the Trinidad and Tobago Table Tennis Association. St Louis and Chung challenged the Association’s decision to send two younger players to the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

In what can only be described as a queer and rare decision, the Court of Appeal (See all daily newspapers published 3/03/18) upheld an injunction which resulted in absolutely no Table Tennis player participating on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago at the Commonwealth Games.

Immediately, some sporting bodies around the country took the view that the court had gone overboard. In their view the court appeared to discredit itself by making unreasonable requirements and imposing undue burdens upon the very bodies which sought to promote a public interest amidst very trying circumstances.

Did the Court appreciate our local sport culture at all or even stop to think of the nature of the majority of sporting organisations in the country ie that they are non-profit bodies staffed purely by volunteers?

The fact is that they are perpetually in dire need of resources. Shouldn’t the court have been slow to impose requirements on these sporting bodies thereby preventing the precedent for anyone to now bring before the courts for review, honest deliberations and decisions? It is obvious that these bodies are unable to deliberate like Supreme Court judges do but that does not necessarily mean that their decisions are bad or wrong.

One can understand that maybe in instances of actual malice directed at a player that a court would be tempted or coerced to interfere but otherwise it is plainly usurping the function of a body far better fitted to judge than the courts.

My interest in all of this was the reported comments of the learned judges. They apparently spoke to maintaining transparency and fairness on the part of these bodies and a duty to give reasons. The latter is ironic when one considers that the very appeal they were asked to determine was premised on the fact that the first instance judge gave no reasons whatsoever for continuing an injunction stopping ALL players from going to the Games. The court appeared to have condemned the Association for lack of reasons for recommending its selected players when the court itself gave no reasons for arriving at its decision.

The “balance of justice,” according to the court was to send no players to the Games as opposed to sending players which were selected by a process perceived to be unfair. In other words, the sport of table tennis would be better off in ensuring that there was fairness and transparency in the selection process.

As a lay person, this is where I find the court to be indulging in double standards. You must practice what you preach. These said standards imposed upon the litigants must be imposed upon the judiciary itself. It would be far better for the administration of justice, that the public have trust and confidence in the selection process than to have judges appointed under a system which itself is perceived to lack transparency, and secretive at best.

Till this point, I have only set course and tested the waters, but next week it is all hands on deck as we consider inter alia the recent decision halting the Law Association from investigating the circumstances surrounding the Honourable Chief Justice.

In these harsh economic times where our government is urging citizens to tighten their belts, there are many areas in which I believe no value for money is being gained. The payment of very handsome salaries to our senators in Parliament is one such area which I think needs to be reviewed. Senators receive upwards of $20,000 per month on average and what do citizens benefit from this? They are completely disjointed from the people and operate almost in an ivory tower.

Why are we paying salaries for these individuals to baffle with nonsense for a few hours per month?

I am yet to hear a sensible contribution from any senator both in the Government and the opposition (whose bench is now at its weakest) yet my tax dollars have to pay them. They do not represent our interests as nobody voted for them.

Our elected representatives are still justified in their salaries as they serve people directly; but in these trying economic times where the cost of living is so high and the government is telling us that the treasury is, why are we paying these individuals such large sums of money in addition to giving them ludicrous tax exemptions on vehicles (costing the state large sums of money), telephone allowance, subsistence allowance, housing allowance in some cases among a host of other perks.

It is time we get value for our money in T&T and we certainly have nothing to look forward to from our current bunch of parliamentarians. Put them on minimum wage and see how quickly the country changes!

Lyndira P Hassanali,
Barataria

Artist Wendy Nanan is mounting an exhibition of recent work at Medulla Art Gallery, 37 Fitt Street, Woodbrook Thursday, March 22, at 7 pm.

It is said that drawing, and knowing how to draw the human figure, is one of the basic tenets of the artist’s craft. It teaches an understanding of perspective, proportion, light and shade, the use of line, and how to render mass and volume with a basic knowledge of human anatomy. Reference the master drawings of Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Goya and Degas.

In this age of preserved sharks, veils of obscuring snow, unmade beds and overblown metallic fabrications, is drawing really still essential? Some art institutions have stopped offering life drawing classes. But that is over there in the contemporary art world. Here in the Caribbean, viewers and buyers still respond to the literal figurative, to humans in a landscape, to the beauty of the body in its tropical surround. Bad drawing is immediately obvious, it just looks wrong. Continuous practice, artists have learnt, is the only way to master this skill.

Drawing is part of Nanan’s DNA and she has been drawing from the nude since her days in the Sixth Form art class at Bishop Anstey, under the tutelage of Judith Laird, who was seen as provocatively modern to introduce male nude models for Sixth Formers to draw. Nanan is still drawing, and drawing from life, continuing the training and practice, the discipline of looking and understanding; of engaging that part of the brain that transcribes what is seen on to the blank paper. It is a muscle that never forgets, but must be continually exercised until the intuitive takes over.

We are familiar with the brush and ink cricket drawings of Nanan. In our art world there is nothing quite like them. They are singular in their depiction of cricket, but not of cricket. Deft, calligraphic strokes of the brush, austere little black and white drawings, they are as if a Buddhist monk has sat in the Oval drawing cricket in play. There have been many imitations of their visual grammar but without understanding the meditative process in their making, they fall short as only decorative. Why there is no public repository of a collection of these cricket drawings, where they can be viewed by anyone, anytime, is beyond understanding.

This exhibition showcases some of the work done over the past three years at these sessions. No pose has lasted longer than 25 minutes, some as short as one. Here too, some of the drawings have been extended into narratives, suggested, perhaps, by the poses, the expressions, and the attitude of the models. We sense that Nanan is having a bit of fun, executing a bit of magic realism. Yet beneath it, the love of pure drawing is apparent, and of wanting to show us what she has seen.

Giving artists the opportunity to draw the life model, Medulla Art Gallery and The Trinidad Art Society have been staging life drawing sessions, once a month, for all interested persons, not only professionals, but students and amateurs alike. For a small fee, the sessions are two hours of quiet, intense concentration—where looking is more important than the finished product. It is in this atmosphere of serious communal effort where encouragement to dig deeper, to go further, is found. To look and look again. And, make decisions quickly.

Nanan’s exhibition runs until Saturday, April 14 and gallery hours are 10 am-6 pm (Monday-Friday); and, 11 am-2 pm (Saturday).

On Thursday, April 5, a panel discussion, moderated by Dr Marsha Pearce on the relevance of drawing in today’s art world, will be held at Medulla at 7 pm.

The Trinidad East Cluster Rotary Clubs recently held a joint meeting to commemorate the 113th Anniversary of the founding of Rotary at Phillip’s Gourmet Restaurant located in Centre of Excellence, Macoya.

In addition to the members of the five east cluster clubs which comprise: Rotary Clubs of St Augustine West, St Augustine, Piarco, Arima and Sangre Grande; Representatives from other Clubs attended, including:

Rotary Clubs of San Fernando, San Fernando South, Chaguanas, Felicity/Charlieville, Penal, Princes Town and the Rotaract Club of St Augustine.

Past District Governors, Roger Bose, Dr Stephen Ramroop and Joe Ramkissoon were also in attendance.

At 19:05 Chicago, USA time (21:05 local time), the group assembled in the car park to release a sky lantern as they toasted to Rotary International. This lantern launch was supervised by Past District Governor Dr Stephen Ramroop.

What traditions are we losing in our Carnival, how can we bring them back and what have we not yet explored? This was the main theme of mas band Vulgar Fraction’s Carnival post-mortem session, Independent Mas Speaks, held at Granderson Lab, Belmont. The panelists were political and social critic Rhoda Bharath, cultural researcher Arielle John and cultural activist Amanda T. McIntyre, and the panel moderated by Robert Young of the Cloth.

Bharath, who views Carnival through the lens of ancestor veneration, said she was shaken when two regional visitors said T&T’s Carnival was very commercialised and had no cultural elements, based on their observations. She said the ancestral mas and cultural mas felt like they were being subsumed by pretty mas, although these were all valid ways in which to experience mas, depending on the personality of the masquerader.

Bharath said Carnival comes out of yards, and it is essential for yards to take themselves to another level in educating people about mas. She said they should be continuing the work outside of the season and there is now no excuse for not recording, storing, archiving, representing and re-presenting themselves.

Bharath called on the National Carnival Commission (NCC) to put more effort into having a separate route for ancestral mas and traditional mas because there was an audience for them. She said she was not advocating for handouts but better organisation. Bharath said she didn’t believe that Carnival is dead or dying, but it can be floundering and directionless, and this could be remedied by thinking about the underpinning of the Festival.

John said in her research on the divine impulses that we celebrate within the mas, she has begun the establishment of a counter-Trinity in Carnival of the Mother, Maiden and Crone as evidenced by the Virgin Mary, the Orisha deity Oshun and the Hindu goddess Kali. She said the Virgin Mary represented the oppression wrought by European Christianity and the history of subjection and subjugation which came with it.

John said Oshun, who embodies sensuality and love, is the easiest entity to find in the Carnival. She is represented by women in their costumes, the flag women and the jammettes who were some of the earliest originators of the Carnival rebellion. She said Kali is the great destroyer, the goddess of death and rebirth, and she is evident in the stick-fighting rituals and the warring factions of the steel bands as they fought for recognition. John said while there is violence in Carnival, it is part of ritual and can be viewed in a positive light. She said we need to interrogate who the onlooker is who denounces it as barbaric.

Bharath said there are traditions in dance to be explored, especially as they relate to the various deities. She said more research and discussion need to take place on the traditions which both enslaved and bonded Africans would have brought to T&T.

McIntyre spoke about the Culture of Consent campaign and the uproar about the police warning against assault, linking it to Vulgar Fraction’s presentation Playing White in We Sh##hole Country. She said there was a sense of entitlement, or ‘playing white’, in how those with more power related to those with less, for example between rich people and poor people, men and women, and adults and children.

Bharath said we have lost sight of our culture, which has always had non-verbal cues for asking and giving consent. She said we are failing to teach young people the codes which used to exist in households, like the look which brought instant obedience. John questioned why men only respected women’s agency and right to say no when the law was watching them.

Chairman of the T&T Pro League Sam Phillip tendered his resignation on Thursday, citing an increase in the workload at his job.

Yesterday Phillip, whose resignation followed that of the League’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dexter Skeene last week, paid special tribute to the Sport Company of T&T for its assistance over the years.

However, he expressed concern by the reluctance of Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Darryl Smith to honour a promise he made with the Pro League last year.

“What the Pro League requested last year was for government to allow us the opportunity to use the community grounds in Morvant Laventille for Caledonia, the California ground in Couva for W Connection, the President’s Ground for St Ann’s Rangers, the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground for North East Stars and the ground in Point Fortin for Point Fortin Civic to take the sport to the communities.

This however, never materialised, although minister Smith made it public he would deliver on his promise,” Phillip said.

According to Phillip the idea was to take the sport to the communities where they would garner support and become self sustainable within a period of about three years.

“This is what we asked the minister for, and we were given the assurance it would be granted,” Phillip noted.

It was hoped that with the grant funding of $50,000 to eight out of the 10 clubs, and additional monies to manage the affairs of the sport, the League and clubs would soon be able to stand on its own, as hundreds of supporters flock to the community grounds on match days. “There is no doubt about this, we have proven it,” Phillip said.

Instead, the Board of the Pro League met with the sport company on Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain and was told it had to re-submit documents to be taken to the Cabinet for approval.

Phillip said the documents which were submitted last year were re-submitted yesterday morning for Minister Smith to take to Cabinet next week, as a last-ditch effort to secure funding ahead of the pro league start next month.

Attempts by the League to source funding from corporate T&T, to date, has had no positive response, but Phillip said they will not stop trying. In the meanwhile, the League intends to joggle with First Citizens and FLOW, the sponsors of two competitions in the League, to get the top flight football tournament off the ground. “And we are also hoping to receive positive responses from the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) and other corporate citizens soon,” Phillip explained.

Regardless of what happens the pro league will go on as planned Phillip assured, saying ‘With or without funding there will be football among the pro league teams.”

Phillip replaced Michael Larry Romany, who stepped down as chairman of the T&T Pro League on May 25th, 2017.

Romany, 60, a polymer chemist by profession, held the position for 14 years.

WALTER ALIBEY