Despite regional and local challenges, Seaboard Marine International remains committed to T&T’s market says president Edward Gonzalez.

“For us, it is primarily because we made the decision that we are committed to the T&T market and despite what is happing with the economy, when you look at cargo volumes, we decided it was a time to invest in this service and provide the fastest transit into T&T.

“That is why we are the premier carrier from South Florida into T&T.”

Gonzalez admitted there were serious challenges in the last six months like hurricanes, “the company has made it a point to be there and not turn its back on T&T.” He added that the company is committed to this country for the long term.

Two weeks ago, Seaboard celebrated its 16th anniversary in T&T with an event at Paprika Restaurant, St Clair.}

Speaks to guests at those celebrations, Stephen Bell, vice president, Seaboard Marine Caribbean International, said foreign exchange problem are not limited to T&T.

“If we are going to talk real, let’s talk about the Caribbean. The Caribbean continues to suffer from foreign exchange challenges and it is how we as the private sector in partnership with the different governments tackle this issue.}

“Once we continue to put a product out there that is wanted and a service that is demanded, we will succeed.”

Bell added: “One of the things that has always been the mantra of Seaboard is to provide good service but at good rates. We invest in our people.

“Our president has always indicated that if we educate, train and operate, we will always have the best service. It is now paying off, we have the ultimate CEO and that has paid dividends for us in this market.”

Seaboard Marine is an ocean transportation company that provides direct, regular service between the North America, the Caribbean Basin, Central and South America. With a fleet of more than thirty vessels serving over 35 ports, the company is a trade leader in the Western Hemisphere.

A market leader

CEO Trevor Chan Pak said: “There is always that niche to carve out for yourself, but it takes creativity and innovation for that to happen. You cannot do what you have been doing and expect change. So we created a new product and we got the result of what we did

“When you are into private sector business nothing is guaranteed year to year. It all depends on your staff, human resource and creativity because your competition is coming at you hard. It is not that you have this path that is only for you. Everybody is trying to get at you, so we are going to dig deep this year and see what you can do for next year. Standing still is really going backwards.”

Chan Pak said over its 16 years, the company has maintained a dedicated, hardworking team.

He also compared Seaboard’s speed and efficient service to Jamaican Olympic medalist, Usain Bolt.

“Seaboard is the Rolls Royce of the waters. It is no secret that we arrive here first and anything faster than Seaboard has to be an aircraft. We bring the customers first to the market.”

He attributed their success to Gonzalez changing their rotation which resulted in an extremely fast transit into T&T.

“I am happy to report that last year was our best year ever during hard times. It is stunning, probably over ten points over the second place person.”

Sagicor Life has donated a fully customised, mobile medical unit to the government of Dominica.

In a media release on the issue, the regional insurance company said it purchased the unit in collaboration with Doctors In Our Circle, Ray Asta, the Dominican Ministry of Health and Friends of Sagicor. The unit, the company said, will support and respond to the immediate needs of the people of Dominica post Hurricane Maria.

During a handing over ceremony last month, Dr Laura Espirit, director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, said: “Services that will be provided at the mobile medical clinic include comprehensive medical screening, cancer screening, specialist clinics, HIV and immunisation testing as well as general response to medical crises during disasters, disease outbreaks and other activities of national importance.”

Sagicor Financial Corporation chairman Stephen McNamara was on hand to deliver the clinic to Dominica Minister of Health Kenneth Darroux.

“This mobile medical unit was outfitted and branded in Ohio, driven down to the Miami port, moved onto a barge which first went to Jamaica, and, a few stops later, drove off the port of Roseau,” McNamara told the gathering.

The release said Sagicor supported the acquisition of the bus from a financial perspective donating US$100,000.

McNamara also revealed that Sagicor Life and Sagicor General, both regional companies present in Dominica since 1968, immediately mobilised their entire network of 4,172 employees across the various territories following the passage of Hurricane Maria.

He added: “The Sagicor Group also established a hurricane relief fund of over EC$500,000, from which support was provided with the regional airline LIAT to airlift persons to other Caribbean islands.

“Additionally, across the Sagicor network, we collected and shipped necessities ranging from food and water supplies to generators and made cash donations. The same was done by providing assistance through Antigua and St Kitts & Nevis to our other Caribbean brothers and sisters in Barbuda, Anguilla and St Martin where we operate as well.”

Darroux expressed gratitude to Sagicor, Doctors in Our Circle and the other donors for their generous assistance. He said the medical clinic will support the medical needs of the island, particularly as the country is currently conducting a review of the scope of works of the National Hospital prior to beginning construction later this year

Petrotrin has found itself in a difficult situation; high debt due in part to massive project failures, an outdated refinery that needs upgrading even now to satisfy export demands, low investment in its upstream and production unit and some say it is overstaffed with highly paid operatives.

In particular, however, the failure of Trintomar which was seen as being very important to the future of T&T, wherein an investment of some US$151.5 million was made that produced very little and was eventually sold to EOG for US$20million.

Still, the view exists that if we cannot develop the capacity to exploit our own oil and gas we would have lost the capacity to control our destiny and though exploration and production are high risk activities we would then have to depend on the Repsol, BP, Shell etc. to survive.

The restructuring plan for Petrotrin as decided by its current board is to split the company into two parts—upstream and refinery—and to seek the collaboration of the stakeholders to make these parts viable in the face of high debt, old plant and the need for further investment. This does not seem to be a strategy to get Petrotrin back on its feet.

The immediate question is: why has Petrotrin failed when others, both national and private sector petroleum companies, have done very well in other parts of the world?

If we were to look into Petrotrin’s history we will see that it is made from a series of acquisitions and mergers (some say to save jobs) from/with some of the major oil companies of the world, resulting eventually in a wholly owned national company spanning the upstream, exploration and production, to refining.

I have stressed that in our diversification thrust it is of fundamental importance that our competitive advantage, our survival, depends on acquiring the knowledge, its application and even innovation in the production of our export goods and services. This applies also to the conventional oil/gas companies even though the specialist work for these companies may be done by highly specialised contractors.

Though such work is done by contractors the oil/gas company has to be knowledgeable, be at the top of the technologies in its decision making, investing and project supervision. This may have prevented Petrotrin from making a bad business decision with respect to the World GTL on the gas to liquid plant, which is now virtually scrap.

Let us look at a few of the successful companies in the context of their knowledge, but moreso the systems they use to ensure this capability.

Consider the Brazilian national oil company Petrobras.

This company has a research and development institute which pioneered many deep sea technologies under its “pre-salt” programme. This R&D institute ensures that up to date and evolving technologies are available to the operating, managing and planning entities of Petrobras.

Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, runs a network of centres of excellence in exploration, production and petroleum engineering. Qatar is working together with Shell and Exxon Mobil in using and developing advanced technologies to help unlock new resources.

Norway via legislation demands that companies using natural resources in that country have to form R&D partnerships and joint development programmes with Norwegian companies engaging in local content and knowledge development. Hence Norwegian oil/gas companies develop leading state of the art technologies and as a result many of the international companies have located part of their R&D chain in Norway.

Petronas, the national petroleum company of Malaysia, with businesses in 35 countries, owns Petronas Research Sdn Bhd, which is responsible for its technology portfolio management, technology delivery and commercialisation.

Suriname’s national oil company, Staatsolie, holds sole rights to exploit oil/gas in that country. In the absence of in-country expertise Staatsolie uses instead production sharing contracts with the international companies. It depends exclusively on the expertise of these global companies which reduces its risks and receives in turn part of the income from the exploitation of the resource. The established global companies, Shell, BP, Exxon-Mobil etc all run R&D institutions across the world to ensure their operating companies are at the top of the technologies.

Petrotrin on the other hand has no institution that it owns and/or is dedicated to R&D in its areas of activity. So much so that some of its decisions on expansion etc are suspect with respect to choice of technologies, contractors, for example, in the failed upgrades of its refinery. Though there are two universities in Trinidad that profess to be offering courses in petroleum technology, neither of them is owned by Petrotrin in the sense that Petrobras or Aramco owns and directs their R&D institutions.

R&D at our local universities are at the whims and fancies of the staff. Petrotrin may have the expertise to operate its aging plants but is not at the top of the technology that drives the development of the company and hence its desired sustainability.

For example, Petrotrin even at this stage has found itself with a refinery that is unable to produce product to the standard that it is required by the market and even in its parlous financial state is being forced to upgrade its plant.

But this may not be a business culture restricted to Petrotrin. When the government of the day took the decision to build the Pt Lisas plants, Prof Percy Bruce of UWI unsuccessfully called for the parallel establishment of a petroleum Institute to provide the R&D in support of the petrochemical plants. This was ignored and we avoided the Petrotrin type of fiasco at Pt Lisas simply because we were forced to sell the plants in a recession.

Still, in the larger sphere, we have not understood the place of knowledge and its exploitation via innovation in our hoped for diversification—just look at government diversification plans.

Mary K King

RBC Royal Bank T&T recently launched its financial solutions centre at Atlantic Plaza in Point Lisas.

The new concept store, which first opened in May 2017, does not provide over-the-counter cash transactions. Instead, clients can access the bank’s multi-channel options—ATMs, online banking and mobile app—as well as sit with RBC team members for advice and assistance on more complex financial needs.

“We are willing to imagine what the future of banking will look like—and we are taking steps to define it,” Darryl White, managing director, RBC Royal Bank T&T, said in the keynote address as he explained how RBC is evolving its store (formerly branch) network to provide choice and flexibility to clients.

On hand for the official ribbon-cutting was: Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh, who was joined by head, Caribbean banking, Rob Johnston; regional operating officer, Gretchen Camacho-Mohammed; and area vice president, Simone Edwards.

During this season’s makeover episode of the Caribbean’s Next Top Model (CaribeNTM), the show’s host Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam decided that in order to bring out the best in one of the contestants, they needed to give her a drastic hair cut.

The contestant in question was 23-year-old Grenadian Usha Thomas who stands at 5 feet 11 inches and weighs 150 pounds.

This decision to cut off Thomas’ hair almost caused a “revolt” by the other judges and the show’s executive team.

“Usha came to the show with a long weave and hid behind her hair. Some women hide behind their hair under the trappings of what they think long hair means.

It didn’t make her stand out and it didn’t make her blossom and I picked that up immediately. She was trying to be somebody that she was not,” Fitzwilliam told the Sunday Guardian.

“In the makeover I needed to get rid of that hair and I needed to do something dramatic to make her stand out.”

Fitzwilliam said the haircut was meant to help Thomas in her career and in life.

“I don’t do makeovers for ratings. Redoing a look for a woman is traumatic enough. I don’t need to create a story by giving a young woman a look that only works for the show and then what happens to her after,” Fitzwilliam said.

“Usha’s hair, I chopped off all of it. She was traumatised but I saw in her Grace Jones, a very androgynous look, a very attractive black woman but not your stereotypical version of what beautiful is. So for her to stand out in the fashion and beauty world she has to stand out, she can’t come in as a mousy, cutie girl because she is not that,” Fitzwilliam said.

The night after the makeover Fitzwilliam was summoned to a meeting with the show’s otherexecutive producers, judges, and the entire beauty team questioning Usha’s dramatic change.|

Fitzwilliam stood by the decision saying that Thomas reminded her of Grace Jones.

The name Grace Jones has come to the forefront again recently as a result of the ongoing Black Panther movie where the female warriors—the Dora Milaje were likened to the popular singer.

“Usha’s personality has totally blossomed” following the haircut, Fitzwilliam said.

“We should be able to play with hair, we have always played with hair, there is nothing wrong with that, but it shouldn’t define you. You should not see an afro as less than long tresses.

Hair is an accessory,” she said.

The effect of Thomas blossoming is just one example of what Fitzwilliam hopes to achieve with CaribeNTM.

Fitzwilliam’s vision is to help the region’s models and our fashion industry achieve its full potential.

“My job is to make them the best version of themselves.

Yes they may get inspiration from me, there may be things about me they like, but you have to be the best you,” Fitzwilliam said.

Be happy with who you are; not that you are greater than anyone but you are no less than anyone else,” she said.

CaribeNTM is a reality television competition which is opened to contestants from throughout the Caribbean including Suriname and Curacao.

Panama has also participated for the first time this season.

The show’s fourth season began on February 14.

The first season was won by Treveen Stewart from the Cayman Islands, while Kittisha Doyle from Grenada won the second season.

Last season was won by Shamique Simms from Jamaica. All the winners have been embedded firmly in the New York fashion industry since their victories in the competition.

None of the contestants from Trinidad and Tobago has won as yet, but Fitzwilliam said we have a strong showing this year.

This season’s winner will receive a modelling contract with Mint Model Management out of New York, a cover photo with She Caribbean Magazine as well as a
cash prize.

Season four of CaribeNTM is being shot in Jamaica.

Fitzwilliam said the music, food, and beautiful natural scenery of Jamaica will be highlighted throughout the show.

CaribeNTM’s broadcast partner and main sponsor is Flow, which show new episodes every Wednesday at 9 pm on Flow 1. Missed episodes can be seen on Flow’s Video on Demand. Caribbean Airlines is the official carrier of CaribeNTM.

Remember when you left Trinidad to go to another country—whether for educational purposes, or you were just relocating due to a job offer or better living opportunities? But the day came when you decided to return home, and returning home can be extremely difficult.

As you drive from the airport, you look around only to realise that you have stepped into a time warp because nothing has changed. The road to your family’s home has the same amount or more potholes than when you left. The houses looked the same and there is a woman walking along the road with buckets of water in her hands. The sight of the woman takes you back to the days of when there was no water in the tap and electricity would go every other night.

After a couple of days home reacquainting yourself with family members who have changed dramatically, you realise that you had lost touch with your friends as you would have left the country before social media.

Some people experience feelings that can be difficult to come to terms with, but there are ways to help make the transition smoother.

Here are 8 ways to help avoid the initial shock of returning home.

1. Before returning, talk to family members about what life is like. Ask questions about things that have become a way of life in the foreign country ie, what is the water situation like? Are there good Internet and cable providers? What are food prices like? Is it easy to get organic foods? Price of transportation and what is the school system like?

2. Read the newspapers online to get a feel of what is going on in the country.

3. Writing in a journal is a great way to deal with one’s feelings and frustrations. Talking about one’s foreign experiences can alienate those around you and make you feel alone.

4. Eating foods that you have not had in years can cause weight gain, so it is important to exercise. Join a gym which is a great place to make new friends. Where possible, take regular walks as the power of exercise will help to boost your mood.

5. Join organisations that allow you to meet new people with the same interests as you. One such organisation is InterNations. You can connect with international people and locals. Build a network of global minds and get in touch with people who share your interests and experience. In the event you decide to move back overseas, there are lots of tips and information about everything you need to know about moving aboard, read about other expats experience and share your own.

6. Returning home can feel like a large step backwards especially if you had lead an exciting life filled with adventure. Staying busy is crucial to avoid boredom which can lead you into a depression. There are lots of activities that you can get involved with ie, hashing, hiking club, visit the turtles and the historical places in T&T etc. Do all the things that you dreamed of doing upon returning home. Rediscover your surroundings with fresh eyes.

7. Last but not least, make a goal to go back to the country that you lived in to re-establish yourself and enjoy your old surroundings.

8. Forms of ID are important. Renew passport, national ID and driver’s licence. You will need to have two forms of ID in order to open bank accounts and one form of ID to create utilities accounts. Proof of address is also critical in establishing the accounts mentioned.

Try not to slip back into old routines. Rediscover your surroundings and look for new experiences you can have and enjoy them.

Project manager of National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (Nidco) Earl Wilson says the inclement weather is to blame for the delay in the completion of Package 2A of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension to Point Fortin.

During a site visit on Saturday, Wilson said that once rain falls, the job has to shut down. He said the estimated finish time has shifted to the end of May.

Package 2A, which entails the widening of the South Trunk Road between Dumfries Road, La Romaine and the Mosquito Creek bridge, was expected to be completed last month.

While most of the work has been completed, contractor Junior Sammy Ltd were still constructing a roundabout at Dumfries Road, a retaining wall and fortifying drainage that were previously done by dismissed Brazilian contractor, Construtora OAS.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said the invitation for tender for the Mosquito Creek portion will be closed this week and a contractor will be selected soon.

CHRISTCHURCH—West Indies Women saved their worst performance for the final One-Day International, as they went under by 205 runs to suffer the ignominy of another whitewash on New Zealand soil yesterday.

Asked to chase an improbable target of 311 at Hagley Oval, the Caribbean side were rolled over without so much as a whimper for a paltry 105, to suffer their third straight defeat in the series.

Captain Stafanie Taylor top-scored with 26 but was the only one to pass 20 as her side’s batting declined badly to record their second lowest ODI total in two years.

On their last tour here four years ago, Windies Women were also swept 3-0 in a the one-day series, before going on to lose the five-match Twenty20 series 4-0.

Opting to field first, West Indies Women watched as the White Ferns piled up an imposing 310 for five off their 50 overs.

Suzie Bates extended her superb run of form with 89 to go past 4 000 runs in ODIs, Sophie Devine weighed in with 73 and Amy Satterthwaite, 69.

Windies struck early when Lauren Down was run out for three in the fifth over with the score on 16 but that was their last bright spot as the hosts batsmen dominated.

First, Bates and Satterthwaite came together to post 151 for the second wicket, a stand which put the advantage firmly in New Zealand’s favour.

Bates, with scores of 44 and 101 not out in the two previous ODIs, stroked six fours in a 97-ball innings while Satterthwaite faced 81 balls and also struck six fours.

Both fell in the space of 12 deliveries with just six runs added but Devine anchored a 58-run, fourth wicket stand with Katey Martin (24) before adding a further 63 with Anna Peterson (27 not out) in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership, to give the innings strong finish.

Devine counted six fours in a busy 58-ball stay at the crease.

West Indies Women’s run chase was in crisis from as early as the third over when Kycia Knight was run out without scoring, with eight runs on the board.

Hayley Matthews followed for 11 in the seventh over at 21 for two but the visitors took hope in two small partnerships anchored by Taylor and then Deandra Dottin (15).

Taylor, with half-centuries in her two previous innings, added 21 for the third wicket with Dottin, who in turn put on 23 for the fourth wicket with Kyshona Knight (12).

Dottin’s demise in the 18th over, however, saw the last seven wickets tumble spectacularly for 40 runs.

Devine completed a solid all-round outing with three for 24 while fellow seamer Holly Huddleston picked up two for 19.

West Indies face the hosts in the first T20 International of the five-match series starting Wednesday in Tauranga. (CMC)

SCOREBOARD

NEW ZEALAND
S Bates b Connell 89
L Down run out 3
A Satterthwaite run out 69
+K Martin b Dottin 24
S Devine not out 73
M Green b Dottin 3
A Peterson not out 27
Extras (b6, lb2, w11, nb3) 22
TOTAL (5 wkts, 50 overs) 310
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-167, 3-173, 4-231, 5-247.
Bowling: Connell 10-0-63-1, Dottin 10-0-58-2, Matthews 5-0-19-0, Mohammed 10-0-56-0, Fletcher 6-0-50-0, Taylor 4-0-31-0, Peters 5-0-25-0.
WEST INDIES WOMEN
H Matthews c wkp Martin b Huddleston 11
Kycia Knight run out 0
S Taylor c Peterson b Huddleston 26
D Dottin c Peterson b Kasperek 15
Kyshona Knight c Peterson b Rowe 12
+M Aguilleira c wkp Martin b Rowe 5
B Cooper lbw b Devine 17
A Fletcher b Ebrahim 3
A Peters c & b Devine 2
A Mohammed not out 4
S Connell c wkp Martin b Devine 7
Extras (lb1, w2) 3
TOTAL (all out, 34.5 overs) 105
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-21, 3-42, 4-65, 5-68, 6-79, 7-86, 8-94, 9-95, 10-105.
Bowling: Peterson 3-0-11-0, Rowe 8-1-31-2, Huddleston 7-0-19-2, Devine 5.5-0-24-3, Kasperek 7-1-12-1, Ebrahim 4-1-7-1.
Result: New Zealand Women won by 205 runs.
Series: New Zealand Women won three-match series 3-0.
Toss: West Indies Women.
Umpires: S Haig, A Gillies.

T&T boxer Sheldon Lawrence is hoping to avoid joining the list of disgruntled athletes clamouring for funding to execute in the sport of choice.

He is set to wing-out at the end of this month for either Puerto Rico or England to compete for the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) International title and yesterday his manager Boxu Potts said he is hoping to receive no hiccups when they submit his application for elite athletes funding or grant funding.

Lawrence jumped an amazing 15 spots up the WBC rankings earlier this month, from 40th to 24th following his impressive performance over Guyana’s Shawn Corbin, knocking the bulky Super Heavyweight Guyanese champion out cold in the seventh round in the defence of his WBC Fecarbox title.

He won the fecarbox title when he destroyed compatriot Nigel ‘Cow’ Edwards in Siparia in January last year.

Potts said despite toiling in the vineyard for years at the WBC Amateur and Youth Pro League programmes, the talented T&T boxer emerged the front runner at the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) region after 12 fights which led to a record of 11 wins and one loss.

Potts said: “In the last bout Sheldon was so impressive in knocking out former World rated Corbin, who held a win over former world champion Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite, that the WBC Rating’s Committee took a decision to move him up the ranks from No 40 to No 25 as of March 1.”

Potts called on Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Darryl Smith to put more emphasis on athletes than facilities, noting that for all the sporting facilities we have here in T&T, they are all under utilised.

“I think the time has come for the budget given to sports to be distributed differently. Instead of constructing more facilities which are fast becoming white elephants, I am urging minister Smith to be more athlete-centred, and invest the monies in them,” Potts said.

He said in boxing the T&T Boxing Board of Control has been everything but an assistant to the sport.

Lawrence is expected to resume preparation soon, having faced a mountain of challenges that ranged from him sustaining a broken nose which required significant funding to repair, expenses to conduct daily training, therapy expenses and paying coaches, among others.

WALTER ALIBEY
 

Is the business community doing enough to speak out against sexual harassment in the workplace? Are the necessary steps being taken to ensure that organisations are safe and comfortable for all genders?

These were the questions which were brought to the fore by president of Amcham T&T, Mitchell De Silva, during the Women’s Leadership Conference Agenda, themed #PressforProgress, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain, on Friday.

De Silva also questioned whether enough was being done to address violence against women, adding that some women feel safer at work than they do in their own homes.

“Their job is not only a source of financial independence but provides a temporary reprieve from the violence they face. What do we do when bruises turn into sick days and eventually reduced work performance?” De Silva asked at the end of a week in which they were several events marking International Women’s Day.

“Do we stick to our KPIs and the numbers that influence of company’s profit and loss? Or do we begin to re-evaluate the value we place on the lives, mental health and overall well-being of our workers?”

He also questioned whether the collective conscious of business was ready to ask the “hard questions” and take the necessary steps to press for progress.

“While I do not purport to have all of the answers, I do believe this is why this conference and others like it are so important. My hope is that this event not only empowers us, but emboldens us to create a new level of expectancy and accountability of ourselves and our leaders,” he said.

“I believe that in the same way I am my brother’s keeper, I am also my sister’s keeper, my mother’s keeper, my neighbour’s keeper and even my employee’s keeper. We must continue to come together, to support each other.”

Unfortunately, he said the celebration of the event, which was in its fifth year, was bittersweet, as the The World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report has highlighted it will take 213 years to achieve gender parity.

“If this remains true, then women today, their daughters and possibly granddaughters, will not have the opportunity to live in a world where true gender parity exists,” De Silva said.

He said as a leading business chamber in T&T, AMCHAM T&T firmly believes it must take the lead in discussing the power of women in business and the importance of gender parity in society.

“We believe that gender parity is an important achievement that has a major impact on how and whether economies and societies advance. Successfully engaging about half of the world’s talent pool, and harnessing their contributions will have a huge impact on the growth, competitiveness and economic transformation,” De Silva added.

The progress for the equality of women has been too slow and while there has been some advancement over 50 years, there are many women who still feel powerless.

This was the view of Roxanne De Freitas, chairperson of the Scotiabank Foundation, at the Women’s Leadership Conference at the Hyatt Recency Hotel, Port-of-Spain, on Friday. The event, in its fifth year, was held in celebration of International Women’s Day last Thursday.

“While a growing of legion of outspoken and powerful women are advocating for change, there are still many women who feel less powerful, less bold and are still questioning ‘is it worth it,” De Freitas said.

She said women in this country earned $15,000 less per annum than men doing the same job, but added that this difference was a lot wider some ten years ago.

De Freitas said this was not unique to T&T but was a global phenomena.

“Speak up, show up and never be afraid to ask questions and give your opinion,” she urged women.

De Freitas also applauded the men who valued pressing for women’s progress.

“Too often though, women buy into the misguided belief that they have to dial up their masculinity to get ahead in a man’s world,” she said.

“Women don’t need to be more like men and when we try to be, we negate the difference our difference makes.”

She said social media, which was fast taking over traditional media as the new press, provided a highly accessible and powerful platform from which to advocate important causes.

And instead of being each other’s enemy, De Freitas advised women to form a network or to join one.

“It is often said that women are each other’s worst enemy. Together we are stronger. Help your network feel heard. Point out their talents.

“Acknowledge their efforts, celebrate their wins and losses, because out of every loss comes learning,” De Freitas said.

Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste- Primus, who also spoke at the event, said in acknowledging the right of all women, focus must be placed on situations, issues, problems and opportunities from a macro perspective.

“Meaning that while the recognition of the virtues and vicissitudes of womanhood in pursuit of nation building must at all times be acknowledged, it is imperative that, as a leader, one’s approach must be dispassionate and objective,” Baptiste- Primus said.

“To be otherwise is to subject our women to seeing their inclusion merely as tokenism, when in reality it should be grounded on our intelligence, intellectualism and our cultural and spiritual attributes, which they are eminently empowered and equipped to bring to the table.”

BERLIN—Trinidad and Tobago has signed an agreement with DER Touristik Group, the third largest European travel group following initial discussions in November last year.

Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe, who is attending the ITB Berlin, billed as the world’s leading travel trade show, said the German- based group was “looking at bringing its campus to Trinidad and Tobago and we have been in discussion since October November last year…”

“We have signed on the dotted line today to say that yes it is on, we have finalised arrangements and we are really excited about this new initiative, exposing Trinidad and Tobago to the German market.”

She said the German group would be bringing over 200 tour agents to Trinidad and Tobago.

“Of course there are going to be pre-trips in different Caribbean islands, Tobago being one, Aruba, Martinique, Guadeloupe and a number of other islands,” Cudjoe said.

“Everything will come together …in Trinidad and that will expose our stakeholders to seeing how the German tour operators operate and expose these tour operators to all the wonderful things Trinidad and Tobago has to offer.

“So from the perspective of the government of Trinidad and Tobago…this is really good news and we are excited about it.”

She said during the ITB, her delegation had been holding talks with various airlines, including WestJet, in order to increase airlift to T&T. (CMC)

In our Sunday edition we published the views, from experts and members of the public, of the current government’s mid-term performance. It’s not positive.

It’s true that Dr Keith Rowley’s government came to power just as energy prices collapsed, making their task considerably harder and further exposing the previous government’s errors. (This is the sad point—both main political parties have little moral high ground to blame the opposition as far as each other’s track record is concerned.)

Despite this government’s many flaws, what the history books are more likely to judge it on is its fear of badly needed reforms and its lack of urgency despite the mess around us all.

Dr Rowley and his cabinet had a golden opportunity to fix a lot of what is structurally wrong in T&T from day one by making the necessary adjustments (some painful) as the hole we were in was plain for all to see. Instead, relatively little has been done.

As the next elections loom, Dr Rowley and his PNM team may be tempted to avoid taking radical measures. That would be a mistake. This newspaper urges the PM not to waste time anymore and tackle poor productivity, poor governance, corruption and lawlessness. Here and now.

Ad nauseam

Given the Judiciary’s love for Latin, we thought ‘ad nauseam’ a very appropriate term. The entire country is sick and tired of the drama surrounding the Chief Justice.

The latest issue—over his sabbatical request—must be dealt with decisiveness now that President Carmona is back in the country. If the sabbatical request is merely there to try and let the dust quietly settle, it will be a cop out citizens do not deserve. If there’s a genuine reason for Ivor Archie’s request, better air the arguments now or suspicion will reign.

Elusive visitors

Data showing a drop, not increase, of tourists visiting our islands in 2017 are worrying, especially as they precede the latest travel warnings and happened during a positive year for countries from where most our tourists come from.

It is not surprising, though. Crippling infrastructure, poor service at entry points and beyond, and a lack of a clear marketing strategy to sell the country in the crowded travel market will easily send the tourist away from T&T.

Class has always been an issue in the women’s movement. Crossing class divisions among women and empowering working class women to have the pick-up-the-phone power of wealthy businessmen, remain the challenge today.

This, despite organisations such as Women Working for Social Progress (Working Women) with an explicit politics of working class women’s empowerment since the 1980s.

Media wished us all “Happy International Women’s Day” on Thursday. I reflected on whether I’d prefer being wished a “powerful” or “fearless” IWD, instead of “happy”.

“Happy” doesn’t require acknowledging how much more people need to contribute to changes to our ecological and economic decision-making, corruption, social services, transportation options and gang violence, which is what women really want. Happy isn’t a statement of commitment or solidarity, it’s a celebration, which is cool, but it’s apolitical, which is not.

This day was born from garment women workers’ public and unapologetic protests for better wages and working conditions, and from socialist women’s struggles in relation to class inequities in the economy and politics, women’s unequal responsibility for care work, violence and more.

Radio hosts, particularly male ones who dominate the talk show terrain, discussed IWD, often combining progressive positions on consent, violence and women’s leadership with stereotypical and problematic block talk on women’s “natural” characteristics, lesbianism and abortion.

The slew of activities that filled last week spoke to a growing national will to see respect, honour and safety as part of women’s rights. This is a success that has taken 110 years of blood, sweat and tears globally.

In the present, many months go into planning activities so that women get direct access to political leadership or so that it’s the women from rural South and Cashew Gardens whose work is amplified or so that men are called on to be vocal and visible allies.

In addition, IWD cocktails and fashion shows, and sisterhood with Proseco events, pop up; some very last minute and some quite costly, as if IWD is trending or another all-inclusive or about etiquette or a day which women should pay to access.

Rather, IWD is built on long-term and even year-round commitment to transforming a world in which women do not yet have full human rights, choice and freedoms in conditions of their choosing.

While there is joy in gathering over food and drinks, there is a risk when the costs separate women rather than bringing them together. Finally, when events appear a week before on the calendar, as if it only just occurred to the organisers, it makes you wonder if they took the time to find out what the long term work, and collaboration with and support to that, could have helped accomplish instead of another separate event. 

Yet, so many events last week democratise a feminist dream in a way that makes sense to different women wherever they are. Amidst this, professional women and those of wealth and means should be aware of gathering to celebrate sisterhood, but without sisters lacking wealth, professional status and networks.

I thought about this while putting on a good jacket to talk to women leaders and managers about a private sector approach to addressing intimate partner violence.

I also thought about it while reflecting on my own political goals to provide ways for women of all classes to participate in IWD, whether by cutting out an IWD poster printed on March 8 in the newspaper and making sure its up in the store where they work or the office where they clean; or by freely sharing all the #speakyourtruth and #caribbeanmencan messages created for Facebook and Instagram; or by marching as a nation of women and girls gathering across differences of class, age, ethnicity, sexuality, geography and ability.

As commemoration of IWD expands, let’s remember its history is not just about celebration, but affirming how we can put our power to empowering women still needing and pursuing what others have achieved.

The history of the Todd’s Road Community Centre goes way back to 1958 when the Village Council was first formed and, back then, meetings were held at the Todd’s Road RC School. After the abolition of the Trinidad Government Railway, the Village Council of the day acquired the land on which the current centre rests. Construction of the original building began in November 1971 and was finally completed in 1976 and opened by then Community Development Minister C. Clarke-Allen.

From then to now, the original building temporarily housed the health centre, the Nesta Patrick Nursery School, which still exists today, and a computer literacy centre. Over the years, the community benefitted from this space through the various courses and training programmes conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, YTEPP and other agencies. Some of the skills imparted included tiling, cake making and decorating, grow box, draperies, chinese cooking, bread and pastries among others. To date, many persons have gone on to make a career in the different areas as a result of the training they received at the Community Centre.

Unfortunately, with little or no maintenance the building gradually deteriorated and by the year 1993 the structure was in such a deplorable condition that it was rendered unsafe for further use and the Village Council meetings made a full circle back to the Todd’s Road RC School. But the Todd’s Road community proved that there spirit was stronger than brick and mortar.

As avid participants in Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition, the community is embedded in a rich cultural history of music, drummology and drama. It is therefore not surprising that the Todd’s Road Community Centre re-opened its doors on Tuesday, March 6 to the rhythmic sounds of African drums. The Todd’s Road RC School, demonstrated that their community’s rich legacy was weaved into these young drummers who set the tone for the formal rededication of the Centre.

The community came out to celebrate the rededication of the building and in his remarks, Frank Matthews, president to the Village Council, said, “the executive and members of the Todd’s Road Village Council have recommitted ourselves to the care, use and maintenance of this building as we recognise the need for the continued development and enrichment of the residents of Todd’s Road and environs and by extension the entire country.”

Also present was Ryan Mohammed, Councillor for Longdenville/Talparo, Couva/Tabaquite, who represented the MP, Tim Gopeesingh. The occasion was very personal to him, being a home grown member of community, as expressed gratitude to the Ministry for not only doing the renovation works but for using a contractor from the community and completing it in a record time. Also coming in for high praise was the MP for La Horquetta/Talparo, Maxie Cuffie, who was influential not only for lobbying to get the refurbishment project done but also the upgrading of the Todd’s Road Recreation Ground.

During her address, the Community Development Minister, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said, “opening or rededicating a centre is a celebration for the Ministry, in light of all the challenges and finding the solutions around those challenges, we are in celebratory mood because everyone at the Ministry is happy and proud that we have gotten to this stage.” She went on further to state that “this building, once again forms part of the iconic landscape to the community of Todd’s Road; and speaks directly to the role the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts plays in creating an enabling environment, a space, a hub to ignite the community spirit.”

Four members of the community were also recognised for their contributions to community and culture.