It was a close race to the finish in the first PEPS International 5K on Easter Sunday (April 1) but Nicholas Romany had enough in him to hold off Shurlun Williams to claim the men's title.

Romany sped across the line in 18 minutes and 28 seconds to win the inaugural title ahead of Williams, who finished runner-up in a time of 18.33 in a race, which started 7 am at Dades Trace Community Centre, Rio Claro. A far off third was Cy Sargeant in 21.24.

In the women's category, April Francis was the clear winner, crossing first in 25.17. The race for second place was much closer but it was Shantel Figaro (28.14) finishing ahead of Christine Regis in 29.04.

The top three men's and women's participants were awarded cash prizes of $1,000, $750 and $500, respectively in a race that had some 100 entrants, whose ages ranged from six to 68 years. The course was an undulating one and finishers were rewarded with customised medals while many other door prizes were randomly distributed.

Runners and villagers met, socialised and ate delicious, tantalising foods which were served after the race.

The story of the day today was the scintillating play of Zico Correia who campaigned in the 11-13 boys division and shot the only subpar round of the tournament, a brilliant 70 for a total of 220, which helped bring the curtain down on the Ninth Republic Bank Caribbean Junior Open at the beautiful St Andrews Golf Course in Moka, Maraval, yesterday.

Correira's performance saw him overhaul the overnight leader Chris Richards Jnr (75) who finished on 223. In third place was Theo Jean-Noel (76) of Guadeloupe on 239 from a field of 112 juniors who showed that they had a great time.

Serena Mackenzie behind scores of (80, 82, 82) for a total of 244 as the defending Champion in the girls 16-17 age group defended her title with aplomb winning by 17 strokes from Sarah Ramphal (255), Karina Marabadal finished third on (267).

In the boys 14 to 15 age group overnight leader Demar James (79) of Antigua extended his lead to win by nine shots with a total of 248 from Nathan Regalan (80) of Guadeloupe. T&T's Dravid Bhim (85) finished third on 263 (it must be noted that this division played from the longer Blue tees)

The girl's 14-15 age group Yeji Lee lost her title to Barbadian Emily Odwin who had three scores in the 70's (79,79,78) to total 236. Yeji had three scores of 82 to total 246. Ashley Michel of the Bahamas finished in third place with 266.

In the girls 13 and under competition, Barbadian Eryn Blakely(91, 82, 82) continued to dominate shooting a total score of 255. She beat fellow Bahamian Kyndal Campbell who finished on a total of 289. T&T's Chloe Ajodha finished third on 307.

Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre hosted its annual Easter Sunday Brunch and Kids’ Easter Egg Hunt on April 1.

The event was held at the hotel’s Pool Terrace Restaurant.

The restaurant, which overlooks Hilton’s newly redesigned pool and deck, was filled with both local and foreign families.

A wide variety of tasty gourmet dishes, along with an assortment of pastries, were enjoyed by guests, many of whom make Hilton’s Easter Sunday Brunch part of their annual family tradition.

Children enjoying themselves with the Easter bunny and egg hunt brought an extra level of excitement as the activities even spilled out onto the pool deck.

The Visual Arts Unit of UWI’s Department of Creative and Festival Arts took the work of its degree students to the National Museum last Wednesday and new life found accommodating space amidst the fossils and ancient artefacts.

Up the steep, unfriendly staircase and through the doorway Sade O’Brien’s black, leaky plastic bags had at first missed their respective marks—coloured Kool-Aid in three glass cases. ‘Daddy’, is what she calls it. The dripping water, his strength and vibrancy leaving. The Kool-Aid and Tang, the fluids of his body fusing and overflowing and losing their character as the water drips.

This provocative piece relates the artist’s lingering remorse upon the death of her father as a result of “multiple health complications” on December 17, 2016.

Turn left on entering and there is also Sharon Vidale’s ‘Centibus Parasitica Inacessabilis Delecti’ plastic and ink on a standing mirror. Looks like dried mucous mounted with Scotch Tape on a bedroom mirror. The piece achieves the impact of discomfort and revulsion.

“This project,” says Vidale, “began with thoughts on what conditions cause human beings to exhibit characteristics of parasites—parasitica inacessabilis delicti.”

Then there’s Aimee Forbes’s ‘Resurrection’—not apparently themed for seasonal consumption, but as a reflection on conflicted faith and unmet expectation. The work comprises four wooden frames, fabric, twine and canvas that evolve from a splash of red on canvas to a virtually empty frame.

Forbes says her relationship with God “is the driving force behind my art.” Yet, there are more questions than resolved tensions. The frames disintegrate, rather than grow into something new. “I dismantled, tore and folded, but found it difficult to shape or re-gather into a presentable form.”

Alicia Greene wrestles with some of the same thoughts. ‘Release’ is created from twisted palm leaves, twine and canvas thread. “This sculpture,” she says, is my attempt to liberate myself from the trauma I experienced as a child.”

In the end, she concedes that interpretation of the piece ought to be left to the viewer. There are several layers though, and you would have to read her explanation to begin the process. Very interesting.

Then comes Anthony Jaboolal’s black and white photography which, he explains, grew out of an interest in quite different media—graphite, acrylic paints and ink. Then came an interest in henna and the use of the human body as a canvass, eventually captured through the lens of a camera.

Cass’Mosha Amoroso-Centeno’s Untitled piece done with red sand, wood glue, acrylic paint and wood is not easy to get straight away, such is the intentional inconsonance of shapes and symmetry. This, the artist suggests, carries a somewhat revolutionary social message that contests the rigidity and order of authority.

“There is a different response when the viewer confronts straight lines or geometric shapes as opposed to freeform shapes,” he says. “We tend to give more esteem to these structural forms and dis-credit the intent of organic forms.” Message received, young artist.

Cheryl Wight’s ‘Redemption’ (12x63 feet) fills a disproportionate space in the room in red fabric and thread. “It creates a search for an avenue to escape, yet to look up with outstretched arms,” she says.

Curtis Thomas’s ‘Undone’ also induces space as a medium on its own to unite seemingly disparate elements. Done in dark resin and lace, Thomas hopes the work is capable of creating “optical tension” while depicting a “reclining female figure, made entirely of lace and resin.”

“In creating the work, my goal is to shine a light on the issue of depression,” he explains.

Back downstairs, Xala Ramesar’s ‘Parallaxis’ seeks to “create spaces that use materials or technologies as lenses through which alternate, subjective realities can be viewed.” Her chosen media—nylon fabric, a projector and a virtual reality headset.

The colourful projected image seems like a solitary house on a hill. Splashes of bright colours against soft, moving light. Don the headset at your peril.

“The distortion of certain elements of space is used to disorient the viewer in a way that is parallel to the unsettling feeling or derealisation,” she explains.

It is art not meant for explanation. It is art meant to be experienced.

Other outstanding works came from Fine Art students Ariel Francis, Curtis Thomas, Kimoi Hamid, Onella Augustine, Robert Gooindo, Sade O’Brien and Sarah Josanne Katwaroo. There were also striking exhibits from Design students Brent Bristol, Colleen Kewley, Ishtika Bharat, Jessica Francis, Kadine Antoine, Rafeeyah Shah, Ruqayyah Mohammed, Safiyyah Shah and Tevin Charles.

The DCFA Visual Arts Unit has assembled some of the best emerging young artists of our time and space for this year’s exhibition which runs until April 13. Theirs is a quite revolutionary voice. A worthwhile experience for those with an interest in witnessing some inconvenient truths.

Composer Carl Orff’s masterwork, Carmina Burana is one of the world’s most popular choral and orchestral works. The Department of Creative and Festival Arts (DFCA), UWI, St Augustine, will perform the work tomorrow, April 8, at the Lord Kitchener Auditorium, National Academy for the Performing Arts (Napa), Port-of-Spain.

DCFA Head and Senior Lecturer Jessel Murray, who will conduct the work, said the performance is dedicated to the memory of Dr Anne Osborne, the seminal lecturer and coordinator of the Music Unit of the DCFA.

“She was one of the earliest lecturers in Creative and Festival Arts,” said Murray, “when it was just started and the founding lecturer and long time Head of the music unit. I would hazard a guess that 80 to 90 per cent of the music teachers within Trinidad and Tobago have passed through her hands, she’s been tremendously influential.”

Four entities will come together to perform this masterwork—WI Arts Chorale, UWI Arts Percussion, UWI Arts Steel and UWI Arts Dance Ensemble — along with vocal soloists Krisson Joseph, Kyle Richardson, Marlon de Bique and Natalia Dopwell. The UWI Arts Percussion will also perform separate percussion pieces, conducted by Dr Jeannine Remy, while the UWI Arts Steel will be led by Khion De Las.

Murray said the production was chosen because of its widespread appeal to audiences, as well as due to the level of challenge it would present to the students who are participating. He said: “I believe our Chorale and Steel should be doing the best of literature that is available for tertiary level ensembles and you don’t get much better than the Carmina Burana. The older audiences will get the sophistication of the work in terms of its text, orchestration, quality and the type and array of singing. Young audiences will like it because the music is instantly accessible with a rhythmic drive to it, and the opening chords are one of the world’s most popular sets of music, you hear it in all sorts of things.”

The text of the work, a mixture of Latin, German and a tiny bit of French, is a series of 24 poems which celebrates life and love and provides a satirical and sometimes bawdy look at the follies of humankind.

The original setting of the work is for chorus, soloists and traditional orchestra but the composer himself authorised a reduced setting for two pianos plus percussion. This version features the entire work with the addition of steel ensemble adapted by Dr Remy.

Murray added that Orff designed Carmina Burana as a scenic cantata, and it is sometimes performed as a ballet. He said: “We decided we’re going to choreograph at least six or seven of the movements, which will be done by Dr Sally Crawford-Shepherd, Lecturer in Dance at the DCFA.

Because the work is so rich in imagery, we thought it would be lovely to enhance what we were doing with the choreography. Of course we have a quite well emerging dance unit at the department and I thought this was a splendid opportunity to marry the music and the dance.”

More info 

Tickets are $150 and are available at the Department of Creative and Festival Arts (DCFA) at Cheesman Avenue, members of participating ensembles and at the NAPA box office.
For more information, call 272-DCFA (3232), email uwi.arts.chorale@gmail.com or uwi.arts.steel@gmail.com and find the Carmina Burana event page on Facebook.

Deron Attzs is a trusted name in the local fashion industry. So it’s not strange that his annual San Fernando Fashion Week has grown over the last 14 years since the designer put the vision to work.

This year he brings together once again the creative minds of fashion, music and art at the Kaiso Blues Café, Wooford Street, and Port-of-Spain.

The event themed ‘The Power of Black Evolve is carded for tomorrow, April 8, and will welcome designers like Mek Designs, The Cloth and of course Deron Attzs Design Label (DADL).

But Attzs tells the T&T Guardian, San Fernando Fashion Week is not just about fashion, but the message sent through the fashion. He says this year the runway hopes to appeal to patrons, the need for social consciousness in T&T.

The designer and founder of the San Fernando Fashion Week shared with the T&T Guardian his plans for and about fashion on the local circuit and more on San Fernando Fashion Week.

Share with us the genesis of San Fernando Fashion Week. How and why it was started?

On a trip to New York many years ago, I had the opportunity to be a part of the New York Fashion Week. The memory of what it felt like to witness a festivity for fashion completely blew me away. It was amazing, the importance they placed on this fashion event. Seeing firsthand the business community gelling with the creative community and the wave of support by the patrons coming into New York was a different kind of experience and really inspired me. When I returned home, I was simply driven to begin something in the city of San Fernando and by extension Trinidad and Tobago.

What’s the story of this year’s theme?

I chose this theme coming out of my observations of the denigration of our society and the need for our young people to be positively influenced and guided. The job of the songwriters is to write positive songs about change and empowerment. Our medium is fashion and we are using it to empower and signal to a positive direction.

This year we chose to help change the way society looks at black and tends to associate it with darkness and death and destruction. There is a power to black and our theme is in celebration of that. We want to see black evolved so we are speaking to its historical aspects and the powerful aspects of our culture. The evolution is in recognising the collection of ethnicities and races and finding the positive messages that that conversation has to offer a forward thinking people seeking positive change.

Can you say if the creative sector and the wider public are fully understanding of the intention of San Fernando Fashion Week?

After 14 years and through our consistency, we have been able to develop an anticipation, an expectation and an understanding of the equitable brand that is San Fernando Fashion Week. We have continued to expose, to inspire and to present designers and other creatives into a creative consumer market so that they can further develop. San Fernando Fashion Week is an alternative platform for showcasing products to the consumers. We provide a sensory opportunity for our audience to see themselves represented in the selection of our models and to engage with the products in a manner that makes them ready to buy.

Our audience is always full of anticipation for the main reason that we have been very particular over the years to exhibit fashion that is accessible, in colours and designs that are as appealing as they are functional and at a price they can afford.

How is the event funded?
For the past four years or so we have made the effort to steer away from external, especially government funding and gradually shift toward having our designers take financial stake in the event since they are the direct benefactors of products sales and marketing thrusts. We want to move away from the culture of dependence on government assistance and strengthen the bonds of our value chain. We have gotten better at managing our expenditure and practicing a more minimalist approach as opposed to the typical fluff usually found in fashion exhibitions. We have reconceptualised the show into a clean and clear cut presentation of content. The parallel benefit to our audience is a more focused and engaging brand experience.

What’s in store for the event’s programme this time around?

We have restructured our San Fernando Fashion Week programme and it is now split into two highlight events, the first of which is our show on Sunday, April 8, at the Kaiso Blues Cafe in Woodbrook and the second will take place later in the year. The launch will feature pieces suited for Easter, jazz, graduation and summer events; whereas our later showcase will feature designs for the Christmas into carnival seasons.

What have been the achievements over the years?

Over the years we have been consistently sustainable. We have always been able to create a production that would generate business for our designers and opportunities for local, regional and foreign designers to engage each other in collaborations and product exchanges.

We now have the San Fernando Fashion Week store which provides access to designs off the runway within two weeks, once pre-ordered.

Our store facilitates designers with good products, a space for their completed work to be displayed and purchased. We are aiming to expand to other locations. We are gradually developing into a hub for creatively constructed, locally produced garments not only for individuals but retail boutiques and wholesalers who are more frequently coming to us for supplies.

Our brand is now visible internationally on the tourism catalogues and on itineraries. We have had local fashion icons such as Meiling, Peter Elias, Heather Jones as well as regional designers from Guadeloupe, Antigua and international designers from as far as Paris grace our stages.

Our cultural exchanges even extends to our models who get to travel and gain work.

Has the event been affected at all by the current economy?

In the past, we would have had the event spanning a few days. The state of the economy being what it is forced us to focus on the main attraction to San Fernando Fashion Week and we had to make the decision to cut away everything that was an accessory to that core focus. Our duty is presenting on our platform products the audience would be inspired by, appreciate, want to wear and be ready and able to purchase.

Long plan?

After 16 years, 14 of those as a production, the vision remains the same.

We plan to remain a platform for emerging and established designers to showcase their products and grow into a source for entrepreneurs and business investors to find a consistent supply of quality local design. We intend to keep expanding the store within the region and even franchising our model to the other islands where there may be young producers with the same desires and interests to network around our Caribbean culture and creativity to attract international markets.

What are your thoughts on the local fashion industry?

I believe what we have is a fashion sector and not a fashion industry. I have observed that we have a degree of division that keeps us from understanding that we are all together in the business of inspiring a consumer to purchase. The fashion sector is a fluid exchange market and consumers should not and do not belong to any particular group of us exclusively. We need to realise that now more than ever and find more mediums to come together and put out good products, quality products. We need to create spaces that people see the mixing of the brands outside of when they do it themselves. Why not have spaces where you can find a Heather Jones pants paired with a Meiling top as opposed to having to visit two stores?

Why Kaiso Blues Café for the showcase?

At first there was a toss-up between two venues. The deciding factor came down to the historical significance of Kaiso Blues Cafe as a home of calypso and storytelling and how it continues to situate our Trinidad and Tobago culture with emerging talent.

The feeling of the space, the atmosphere and rustic environment lends to the vision we have for the event evening. What better venue for The Power of Black Evolve collection than one already established as a space known for the coming together of creatives to express, expose, share, connect, integrate! Kaiso Blues Cafe celebrates creativity and talent in an intimate setting. With their collective understanding and passion, Carl and Carol Jacobs evoke our culture even through this space.

Swimmer Dylan Carter yesterday restored pride and joy to T&T.

Under bright lights and with the world watching, Carter wrote his name in the record books, becoming the first swimmer from this country to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.

He copped the silver in the Men’s 50 metres Butterfly in 23.67 seconds at the Optus Aquatic Centre in Gold Coast, Australia.

“That is huge, given that this country has had so many talented swimmers such as George (Bovell), I am just so proud of that,” said the 22-year-old, who was pleasantly surprised by the news.

It was quite clear the mood of the opposition: “Get Carter, before Carter gets you”. Only one swimmer could and that was four-time world champion South African Chad Le Clos, who won gold in a time of 23.37.

His countryman Ryan Coetzee bagged bronze in 23.79.

Carter was in lane six and was off to a better start than in his semi-final on Thursday, which augured well but then found him involved in a four-way battle for more than 30 metres with Le Clos in lane four, Australia’s Grant Irvine (lane five) and Coetzee (lane three).

In the last 20 metres, it was clear, that the winner would be either Le Clos or Carter, with the 25-year-old South African, a four-time Olympic medallist, edging out the young T&T swimmer at the end of a jaw-wrenching race.

“Last night (Thursday), I was off, but as soon as I got in and hit that dive, I knew that I was going into to be in the mix, as soon as I hit that wall, I knew I would be in the top three, but second was great,” said Carter.

If you know the Carter family, father Everard and mother Tracy, one can understand what strong family support means.

“I love them to death for all of their support, no matter what, in fact they were probably more nervous than me and I just hope that dad retrieves the TV from the pool after this,” a sincere Carter told Guardian Media.

But Carter was most of all happy for everyone in T&T.

“After so much support coming from everyone after the preliminaries and the semi-finals, I am very happy and wish to thank all of those who supported me and continue to support the team in Australia. My mum put up a message on Facebook and it got so many likes,” he said.

Carter was to dive back into action in the Men’s 100m freestyle last night and once he makes it out of that round, he will race the semi-finals from 7 am (TT time) this morning.

“I have one medal but I want to keep going, to get into another race, take things one at a time. I am coming back for the preliminaries 100m tomorrow and then my focus is to get to the next race, the semi-final, then to the final and then I will think about a medal so the strategy is one swim at a time,” declared a buoyant Carter.

“The good news is that I can sleep tonight, the pressure is off and also it is great for us to get a medal so early, normally it is the last session and especially in swimming because normally it is track.”

Carter, ever the thinker, reflected: “I felt I had a 23.3 coming into the games, coming into this final, the time is right there, just off my personal best, that kind of sticks you, but in these events it is about top three and who gets their hands on the wall.”

A philosophical Carter confessed he has a dream but unlike others, it is a dream with purpose and reasoning.

“My dream is to fulfil my potential, whether it be a Commonwealth medal, an Olympic medal, but to continue to strive to improve, and to just at the end when I look back on my career, know that I achieved all I could,” he said.The former Fatima College student is pleased that he has been able over the years, learn from all his experiences at the youth level in international events.

His message on the night was clear.

“My favourite event is the 50m Butterfly, it is a fun one, and I enjoyed tonight (yesterday) and I have to also thank all my friends, all the boys who give me support back home, Joshua, Mark, Blain and so much others I cannot call out all their names.

“We will have a good lime when I come back home, ‘buss’ up some doubles and maybe go Barbados for some holidays,” said Carter, as he left all of T&T smiling yet again from sports.

T&T men bow out of table tennis competition
In table tennis, T&T’s Men’s team bowed out of the competition when it lost its second match in a row, suffering at the hands of Northern Ireland, 3-1.

Veteran Dexter St Louis was the only one to win a match, defeating Ashley Robinson 5-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-6.

However, Paul McCrery defeated Yuvraaj Dookram in the singles, Owen Cathcart and Mc Creery won their doubles contest against Aaron Wilson and Dookram in the doubles, before Cathcart returned to defeat St Louis.

This means that T&T was eliminated from the team competition, after two straight losses also, following a 3-0 defeat on Thursday to India.

In squash, both Mandela Patrick (1-3) and Charlotte Knaggs (0-3) failed to win in their Individual Plate’s matches while Kale Wilson progressed via a walkover over Peter Creed.

In cycling, Kwesi Brown was third in heat one, Nicholas Paul was fifth in heat three, Njisane Phillip was sixth in heat four in the Men’s Keirin event. The local trio were eliminated and got a chance to try again to reach the final in the Repecharges. Each one of the three were respectively second in their repecharges, so they did not advance to the last 12 as only the winner moved on.

Next up for the cyclists will be today in the Match Sprint, with a lot expected of Phillip.

In Women’s beach volleyball, T&T pair of Abby Blackman and Rheeza Grant fought bravely but lost 2-0 (21-16, 21-12) to England.

Today, T&T Men’s beach volleyball team of Daynte Stewart and Daneil Williams will get their turn as they battle St Kitts and Nevis.

MUMBAI, INDIA—Kolkata Knight Riders believe beleaguered West Indies spin wizard, Sunil Narine, will be ready for the start of their campaign in the Indian Premier League, after returning home recently to undertake remedial work on his action.

The 29-year-old T&T player was reported for an illegal action during the recent Pakistan Super League, putting in doubt his stint in the lucrarive Twenty20 showpiece which bowls off today.

However, KKR assistant coach Simon Katich said Narine had worked hard on correcting the necessary flaws in order to ensure his availability.

“Obviously there were some issues recently in the PSL where he was playing for Lahore [Qalandars], but he’s since gone back to T&T and spent a lot of time with Carl Crowe, working on his action,” Katich told a media conference

“Carl’s his coach, last few years he’s been working with him since he first got reported. He’s done a lot of hard work there. We’re pretty confident with where he’s at with the action at the moment, so hopefully we’ll see him back out there on Sunday.”

Off-spinner Narine’s career has been plagued by question marks over his action and he was slapped with a banned 2-1/2 years ago after being reported following a One-Day International between West Indies and Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

He was cleared by the International Cricket Council to resume bowling just prior to the start of the 2016 edition of the IPL.

Narine has been a key member of KKR’s attack in his six seasons at the franchise, grabbing 95 wickets at an average of 21 and an economy rate of six.

However, after taking 67 wickets in the first three seasons, Narine’s returns have waned in the last three with just a yield of 28 wickets.

His value as an all-rounder has risen in the last two seasons, gathering over 200 runs in each of the last two seasons at the top of the order.

Katich said Narine’s importance in the batting line-up was still key even though it had not yet been decided exactly what role he would play.

“Last year, initially, he didn’t open – we had Gautam Gambhir and Chris Lynn that opened, but then after game two, when Chris Lynn hurt his shoulder, we had to rejig the team balance-wise,” Katich explained.

“We felt that Sunny (Narine) opening was going to give us an advantage with the balance of our team and also free him up to play a role at the top of the order, which he did a very, very good job of.

“He’s primarily one of our main spinners, if not our number one spinner, but given the balance of our team, you never know where he’s going to bat, so it all depends on what we feel the best combination is.”

KKR open their campaign on Sunday against Royal Challengers Bangalore. (CMC)

Staff at the University of T&T (UTT) are anxious about the future of the institution as they prepare for what is believed to be a “final” meeting at the Education Ministry’s headquarters in Port-of-Spain with UTT’s Board of Governors and the representing union, the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) tomorrow.

The UTT Branch published a two-page "Plain Talk" document on Friday titled “Sustainability and Viability of UTT as at April 2018.”

In that document to UTT staffers, it disclosed a response given to the union, a letter dated March 12 from the university’s president Sarim Al-Zubaidy in relation to the union’s proposals that were made on January 31 to cost reduction and the UTT restructuring.

“This proposal was brought to the attention of the Board at its February meeting. After deliberations, however, such proposal was not agreed to. However, the Board noted that the severance proposals of the university submitted on January 11 did include more than 60 per cent of the counter proposals of the union related to management-level staff as presented to the minister on January 31,” the statement read.

The university’s proposed restructuring plan included the retrenchment of 287 workers in the first instance that would realise an estimated cost savings of $41 million. Most of the workers proposed to be retrenched are junior–level workers, in that a particular department that was left with mostly managerial staff and others that were left with no junior–level workers on some campuses to provide a service to the students.

The union proposed the cost reductions that would only affect approximately 60 managerial-level positions and the removal and/or reduction of housing and travelling allowances that would see annual cost savings of more than the $41 million proposed by the university.

The union’s proposal included a recommendation for the reorganising of the hierarchy of the university.

Prior to 2010 the university’s management structure did not include most of the 80 new managerial-level positions that were added within the past few years.

Although the university also proposed the removal of some managerial–level positions they also added new managerial–level positions but no new junior–level positions were added.

On March 26, the central executive of the OWTU along with the local UTT Branch officers met with UTT’s management at the Ministry of Education for a follow-up meeting on the continued discussions of the financial situation at the university which marked one year since the initial meeting was held on April 24 2017 between the Union and UTT on this same matter.

It was revealed that salaries for the union members in the bargaining unit which is approximately 700 workers is $10 million monthly, while salaries for senior management at UTT, which is less than 100 workers, is $9.2 million monthly.

“The ratio is clear to see 287 workers equals 60 managerial positions,” the OWTU said.

The Sunday Guardian understands that the request the union made for the Rationalisation of Campuses has not yet been completed by UTT.

A union representative yesterday claimed that this was the last meeting involving the Ministry of Education. "The Board of Governors of UTT wants to end the process this month, April. What happens after Monday is anyone's guess."

Prof Imbert: The monies have run out

When contacted yesterday for comment, UTT's deputy chairman, Prof Clement Imbert said because the university ran out of money the staff has drawn the conclusion regarding tomorrow's meeting at the ministry.

Imbert added that the financial situation remains the same just as everything else, "we have been scraping here and there and now the monies have run out."

He reiterated that the university's proposed restructuring plan including the retrenchment of 287 workers remains the same.

About UTT:

On November 1, 2017, UTT’s Chairman of the Board of Governors Prof Kenneth Julien announced that UTT will not be able to continue operations beyond January 2018.

He also noted that effective November 10, there was expected to be significant job cuts at the managerial and academic levels.

Julien said this was a result of severe financial constraints over the past year.

On December 12, 2017, UTT’s Al-Zubaidy informed UTT’s student body that there will be no new intake of students at the university in the new academic year 2018/2019 in three of the university's major programmes. Those were identified as Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Science and Management, Bioscience and Agriculture and Health Sciences.

UTT recorded a deficit of $33 million in November 2017 while its reserves currently stand at $2 million.

CHARLES KONG SOO

What was believed to be wreckage from an aircraft that washed ashore in Mayaro yesterday has been identified instead as parts of a stage rocket. Retired director general of the T&T Civil Aviation Authority Ramesh Lutchmedial positively identified the debris as parts from a rocket that was launched by the Arianespace Company, a commercial launch service provider, in French Guiana.

Lutchmedial, who now practice as an aviation safety and security consultant,

said “For years rocket parts have washed ashore in T&T as the Arianespace company often launches rockets from the Spaceport in Kourou. They normally wash up on the Southeastern coast such as Mayaro and Manzanilla.

“A rocket is made of different stages; as it goes up into orbit it will jettison its various stages as the fuel is exhausted, when they fall to Earth, ocean currents bring them all the way to T&T.”

He said they were not aircraft wreckage as there were no reports of missing aircraft or black boxes.

Nirmala Singh, a local amateur astronomer, said the debris with Russian script was most likely from a Russian Soyuz 2 rocket booster that would have originated from the Guiana Space Centre.

On Arianespace's website listed the launch of the Russian rocket Soyuz Flight VS 18 on March 9, 2018.

When Alina Trimbovetchi, a Russian national was contacted to translate the Russian writing, she said the name “Ballona” was written on it, followed by “restricted or prohibited area.”

SASCHA WILSON

If the United National Congress campaign team did use personal information from public agencies to influence potential voters for the 2015 general election, they did not break the law under the Data Protection Act. This is because Section 37 of the Data Protection Act of 2011 which speaks to that issue was not proclaimed by then president George Maxwell Richards. This was confirmed on the Parliament website and by Southern Assembly of Lawyers president Ramesh Deena.

Section 37 states: "Personal information under the custody of control of a public body shall not, without the consent of the individual to whom it relates, be used by the authority except for the purpose for which the information was obtained or compiled by the public body, or for a use consistent with that purpose."

Guardian carried a story on Saturday based on a copy of minutes, dated June 2014, of a meeting convened by UNC Campaign Team and National Executive Coordination, where "tapping into state agencies to build a voter file using existing data capture initiatives," was one of the items discussed.

According to the document which identifies members of the campaign were tasked with the responsibility of sourcing information from bodies such as TSTT, T&TEC, WASA, TTPOST and Gate. However, UNC's secretary general Dave Tancoo, one of the people listed on the document, said the minutes were fake and no such meeting took place.

When contacted to comment on that story, UNC's chairman David Lee neither confirmed nor denied that the meeting took place. "I was not around at that time," said Lee. However, he said Section 37 of the Date Protection Act was has never been proclaimed. "

Meanwhile, Deena said "When I looked at the President George Maxwell Richards at the time in January 2012 only proclaimed certain sections, the rest were unproclaimed and never made law."

Asked if the UNC broke the law if they did in fact source people's confidential information, he said "What would have existed partly under the Freedom of Information, other than that there is no other law except the Constitution which guarantees persons rights, but there is nothing specific under the Constitution as to that, as to how the Data Protection Bill is. So technically, in a sense, they did nothing wrong per say."

Attempts to contact UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar were unsuccessful.

BOXThe Proclamation:

WHEREAS it is provided by section 1(2) of the Data Protection Act, 2011 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) that the act shall come into operation on such day as is fixed by the President by Proclamation:

And whereas it is expedient that Part I and sections 7 to 18, 22, 23, 25(1), 26 and 28 of Part II of the act come into operation: Now, therefore, I, GEORGE MAXWELL RICHARDS, President as aforesaid, do hereby fix the 6th day of January, 2012 as the date on which Part I and sections 7 to 18, 22, 23, 25(1), 26 and 28 of Part II of the Act shall come into operation. Given under my Hand and the Seal of

the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, at the Office of the President, St Ann’s, this 5th day of January, 2012.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan has ordered an internal audit into the recent dry-docking of the T&T Spirit since the passenger vessel still remains unable to return to the domestic seabridge despite being out of service for a lengthy period.

The T&T Spirit was taken out of service on June 06, 2017, and after having all major works completed was expected to return to operation on the sea-bridge in time for the Easter weekend.

However, defective parts, including a cooling water pump and radar system, have delayed the vessel's return.

Sinanan questioned how parts that should have been replaced during the dry docking period are still needed to be replaced now.

He ordered the Port Authority chairman to launch the audit.

"At the end of the day, a full report will be handed in I have also requested a full audit on the dry-docking of the vessel and once someone has to be held accountable they will be, if it is the minister then so be it, if it management of the port what has to happen will happen," Sinanan said.

Sinanan said while he was "very disappointed" with the Port Authority, he "cannot afford to lose faith" in it.

He made the statement yesterday as he said that "someone has to be held accountable" for the situation on the sea-bridge as he announced a full audit on the dry docking of the T&T Spirit has been ordered.

Because of information provided by the Port Authority, Sinanan said he has given incorrect dates on when the T&T Spirit would return.

"The last information that I have heard is that they went on sea trial and there is something that still needs to be corrected and they are expecting to go on sea trial again," Sinanan said.

"Again, I am not going to make statement as to when the boat will be back on because I have been wrong on several occasions based on the information given to me by the Port Authority and I will only make a statement when I see the boat in the water with the certificates in hand," he said.

Sinanan said he has been disappointed several times by the Port Authority.

Asked if he was frustrated by what has been taking place, Sinanan said "The thing about it is I am very disappointed but I do have a responsibility as the minister so I cannot afford to lose faith. I mean we are all disappointed with what is happening at the port and someone will be held accountable at the end of the day."

Sinanan made the statements during a tour of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway extension in Cumuto yesterday to show that the buffer zone established had not been breached.

The National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (Nidco) yesterday "categorically refuted" allegations that the Ministry of Works and Transport has breached the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) received for the construction of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway to Manzanilla.

"As the agency responsible for this highway construction project, Nidco reiterates that it will unequivocally maintain the 100-metre buffer zone between the Aripo Savannahs, the environmentally-sensitive area, and the right-of-way of the highway, as stipulated by the CEC," it stated.

"Throughout the implementation of this project, Nidco will ensure that the construction activities do not exceed the allowed tolerance levels which may negatively impact the Aripo Savannahs. Any statements by individuals and organisations made to the contrary are, therefore, inaccurate."

Shastri Boodan

Government is dragging its feet when it comes to the establishment of a permanent police station at Enterprise, says Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim and Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan. They were both attending an annual community outreach programme and peace walk hosted by the Ryu Dan Dojo Empowerment Centre at Railway Road, Enterprise, yesterday.

Karim said a police station at Enterprise would go a long way in the fight against crime in the community. Boodhan said three sites have been identified for a police station.

Karim said he also plans to deliver a letter to Education Minister Anthony Garcia to open an ECCE centre at Dass Trace and the Oasis Government Primary School. He said these facilities have been abandoned and are being vandalized. Marva John-Logan, spokesman for the organizing community, said the event was designed to bring back a sense of hope, kindness, and a level of community spiritedness to Enterprise and show members of the community that there are alternatives to crime.

Nigel Paul, the super heavyweight boxer from T&T will be seeking some redemption when the boxing programme continues tomorrow.

Tomorrow will make it some 21 months since Paul experienced a quick knock-out in his first Olympic Games, Rio 2016, when a very experienced Nigerian boxer Ele Ajagba floored him with a powerful right hand less than 10 seconds into their 91Kg contest in Rio, Brazil.

Speaking to Guardain Media Sports yesterday, Paul said, “I will always have memories of that, when you lose a fight and get knock-out like that it's there, but I know it is time to move on from that. I've learned from the experience and not make the same mistakes again.”

He said, “But now is the time to move forward, a lot of people have heaped pressure on me following that defeat, but likewise I know that I have put the most pressure on myself. Now it is about this fight, staying focus, and shutting down all the voices when the bell rings and handle my business.”

Paul a resident of Chaguanas, admits that he got things wrong at the Rio Olympics, "I did not listen to my coach (Floyd Trumpet), I thought I could do it on my own, and I let myself, the team and most importantly my country down, so that experience I have taken to heart, and will follow to a “T” my coach instructions.”

Paul will fight India’s Satish Kumar, who is a former Bronze medallist at the 2014 Asian Games and he stands at six-feet, two inches.

“We have spend time discussing the fight, watching videos, looking at his style and we believe that we have an idea of his style and we are therefore working together to dealing with him. He appears not to be a power puncher, and he keeps coming at you, so if it comes down to endurance, then I have to be ready for that as well. I believe that I can match that," said the Paul.

However, Paul 28, reveals, "The team around me, my family, the coaches, the manager, everyone, the T&T Olympic Committee, they have all been very supportive of me, so I have to reflect on that and go out there and take it one step at a time. I cannot afford to get ahead of myself.

Paul is aware that victory in this quarterfinal will guarantee him a medal as he advances to the semi- finals,” Yes, that is also important, but my goal is just to keep calm, enjoy the occasion. (See page 32)

It is a fact that football generally can open doors and reach out to people who need help most. So does the sport, moreso, the T&T Pro League have a responsibility to use this power in a positive way? And what is already being done to harness this unique appeal? These were the chief discussions held over three days last week as the TTFA hosted a Strategic Workshop with top officials from UEFA including the organisation’s head of international relations Eva Pesquier.

Sport can help get you out of miserable conditions too and let’s be honest, many complain these days about the miserable conditions in the country today, the world at large. As a child you don’t think about whether you are rich or poor, you just wanted to play. The T&T Pro League from senior football to the youth leagues allows an avenue for playing and aspiring to play at the highest level. You are on a level ground when you play football as a child – it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, if you’re good, you play.

One of the points agreed by all during the workshop that football clubs should formally recognise their social role and adopt it as one of their core purposes, honestly examine how well they are meeting that aim, and strive continually to improve their relationships with supporters, local authorities, residents and businesses.

Research done in England conducted via interviews with chief executives of 10 clubs, ranging from a Premier League club to much smaller, mutually-owned clubs in semi-professional football, and in-depth case studies all with agreed anonymity found a unanimous view that football clubs are institutions of social value.

Conducting a bit of my own limited research here, a view of some Supporters' was most striking. When I asked supporters what they would value about their team, it was not so much about their success on the field, or whether it was in profit or not, but their importance within their family, social and community life is what stood out. This is an area the Pro League definitely needs to tap into big time.

Given this popularity, footballers play a significant role in shaping society and the clubs can use this to their benefit. . It is proven that social projects undertaken by clubs and players can have a major positive impact on the lives of children, reducing the high risk of school drop out, criminality, drug addiction, and social exclusion.

The ingredients of the league and local football on a whole are excellent instruments for balancing education and development of personal values and skills at any age. As a team sport and a competitive activity,it also promotes teamwork habits and techniques, a culture of hard work, respect for opponents, management of success and failure, etc. This can consistently produce better citizens in society because with ten clubs at let’s say a thirty-player roster plus minimum ten staff, you are looking at four hundred plus individuals being affected. We haven’t counted the Super League clubs. Add to that close family members or friends who can benefit from the experience and humanity skills gained by their breadwinners and by now surely the numbers in society are impressive enough to have significant impact.

But with the demands combined with expectations, UEFA stressed that whether it be Government or Corporate support extended, there will be a level of accountability and value expected in return.

Resilient social change requires sincerity in understanding local needs and appreciation for what already exists and thrives in a community, and working within this framework towards locally owned solutions and results. The Pro League by all accounts, has indicated it is fully aware of this. There are a range of ways in which clubs might commit to having a positive impact in their communities – and some of them are already practicing, but need to sustain them. The time for one offs is gone. do some of them already. They include developing local transport plans, supporter volunteering schemes with potential rewards or benefits, opening club facilities to disadvantaged groups, operating preferential local employment and taking the game to the fans who in turn can show at the venue and get more than 90 minutes of football. Make it something that will leave 'em wanting more. Time to get the ball rolling!

Editor's Note

Shaun Fuentes is a media trainer, coaching athletes how to present themselves before cameras and how to handle the microphone. He was a FIFA Media Officer at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and has travelled to over 75 countries to serve in sport as media operations manager.

The MV Cabo Star is expected to resume its regular sailing schedule today, following a one-day removal from the route yesterday.

In a release on Friday, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, T&T Inter-Island Transportation Co Vilma Lewis-Cockburn said the Cabo Star did not usually sail on Saturdays "as routine maintenance is carried out on this day."

Lewis-Cockburn assured that the 28 passengers who purchased ferry tickets to sail yesterday, that they would be accommodated on today's sailing.

She advised that vehicle check-in begins at 9 am for the 12 noon sailing from Port-of-Spain.

Lewis-Cockburn said the vehicles of passengers with confirmed tickets on the T&T Express/T&T Spirit will be accommodated on the daily sailing of the Cabo Star, and that all ticket holders would be shuttled via PTSC to the Piarco International Airport and the ANR International Airport accordingly, at no additional cost. The Cabo Star is expected to depart Tobago at 11 pm.

Galleons Passage on its way to Mexico

Meanwhile, checks confirmed the Galleons Passage left Yokohama, Japan on March 16—one day after its scheduled departure for Honolulu, Hawaii.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert said Galleons Passage was scheduled to arrive in T&T by the end of April.

Checks on the tracking site Fleetmon yesterday showed the vessel on its way to Mexico. The estimated time of arrival in Acapulco, Mexico, is April 17, en route to Port-of-Spain.

Anna-Lisa Paul

Postal workers in this country are agitated and the public is being warned that they may soon be embarking on widespread industrial action if those in authority continue to ignore their calls for improved terms and conditions.

Addressing the concerns of the workers who turned out at the OWTU Hall, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, General Secretary of the Postal Workers Union David Forbes accused the Government of undermining the operations of TTPost as they build a case "to move ahead with the privatization of the organisation."

Criticising the business proposal which he claimed would negatively impact all workers, Forbes said they only learnt of the restructuring exercise after an advertisement was placed in the daily newspapers inviting qualified people to apply for positions as they move ahead with the transformation process.

He said, "We regard this as a disrespect because we are the recognized majority union."

Referring to the 2016/2017 business plan in which attrition had been discussed, Forbes said "What they have done is revised that proposed business plan and have begun to introduce various aspects of it incrementally, hence this critical meeting."

Forbes said the meeting had been urgently convened in order to allow workers an opportunity to highlight their concerns regarding job security, lack of equipment, horizontal loading of various jobs, poor management systems, improved remuneration, and lack of a structured pension plan.

Asked if the public would soon have to deal with the fall-out from the workers engaging in industrial action, Forbes said "The expressions of the workers here is that there are many issues which have not been attended to which the union has been articulating with the management and we will certainly be taking this to the doorstep of the Prime Minister and Minister Robert Le Hunte."

Forbes warned that effective transformation would never take place if the workers were not included in the process.

Joining Forbes as a show of support was leader of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget, who reinforced earlier sentiments that the transformation exercise would not be successful if the workers' representative was not involved.

Roget said, "If anybody knows it best, it is the workers.These State-owned entities have been run for far too long with poor management which results in a number of deficiencies in the operations of these enterprises."

Roget said if the Government was allowed to have its way, it would ultimately result in a reduction of the workforce.

He indicated, "We are not about that."

Revealing that JTUM had embarked on a national campaign to mobilise workers, Roget said yesterday's meeting was an attempt to bring workers to "A level of consciousness and awareness to know that all is not right in T&T and there is no safe haven."

Roget said nothing was working in T&T today. "The Government wants you to be believe they are pious and sanctimonious and that corruption went out when the UNC and the PP went out of office. There is nothing further from the truth with this PNM Government right now and we are about exposing that."