Today I am honoured to share the fitness journey of one of our readers, a lady who battled illness, disease, and being overweight to become a symbol of the power of overcoming. Through difficulty to success Per Ardua ad Astra—is a motivating force for us all.

So today I will share with Fit and Fab readers my philosophy of weight loss which is accompanied by psychological, physiological obstacles and challenges.

Together we will shift our focus from losing weight to the more important objective of creating good health and optimal wellness.

Weight-losing methods are numerous.

However, excess weight is often the result of imbalance somewhere in our lives and we need to focus on creating that realignment if we are to discover ideal weight.

Obesity affects overall health in the form of hypertension, high LD and LDL cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, sleep apnea, breathing problems, clinical depression, anxiety, body pain, and others.

We have all fallen into the dieting trap but deprivation can be very frustrating and discouraging. Our commitment to change is something that fluctuates.

Therefore in any form of lifestyle adjustment we must take the bite-size approach.

Here are some lifestyle strategies for long-term weight loss. Our number one priority must be regular exercise and active living. Research has proven that physical activity is critical not only to lose weight but more importantly to keep it off.

The second strategy is healthy eating. We have to look after this incredible machine which is called the body. What we ingest has the same function as oil in a motor vehicle relating perhaps up to 80 per cent in terms of our physical wellness.

Eating poor quality food results in low energy levels and our overall health threshold.

In any lasting weight loss programme we need to look at our stress and eating connection.

For some of us when under stress eating tends to be a coping tool. We must therefore examine our stress management mechanisms to determine whether related to food and eating. To coin an old saying, “it’s not what you eat that matters most, it’s what’s eating you.”

In maintaining good health and well-being, personal fulfilment is an important factor. We have all experienced the feeling of guilt, regret and personal bashing. For example when we have eaten too much, not wanting or needing to.

Ask ourselves: “How can I get my personal pilot light going?

What are my passions? What are the relationships I have that support me? Have I set myself goals that are empowering?”

The journey of lasting weight loss is a change process. It is a step-bystep focus on a journey, a process of learning and discovery, two steps forward, one step back.

Perfection does not exist. Expect a bit of a roller coaster. The journey to good health should be a realigning of personal self in terms of wellness goals. “The journey of a million miles begins with a single step.”—Lao Tsu.

My name is Yvette Simone Alexander and I am a 52-year-old florist and decorator from Point Fortin. At age 24, I had a stroke. It was discovered that I was suffering from multiple adenomas of the pituitary, and a mitral valve prolapse. I suffered recurrent TIA attacks or small strokes. What followed was a colourful medical history with a series of physical problems.

In a nutshell, I broke my leg in three places, ankle and double spiral fracture of the tibia and fibia. I walked with a limp and I developed hip, knee, and back issues and was hospitalised for many months with various conditions.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, polycystic ovaries, kidney disease, and high cholesterol. In 2009, I was also diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer Stage I.

As a result, I had to undergo major surgery. At this point, I decided on a wellness journey that involved clean eating and herbs, but it was not until I lost my mom to diabetes in 2012 that I knew my life had to change.

I was in the room and witnessed them cutting off her leg. I could hear her screams. I can still hear her voice saying, “Baby, don’t get this disease.”

After that I got insane to train.

Cardio, weights, you name it! I began to understand the healing value of food. Much to my surprise, I also discovered that I needed some emotional healing to continue to build my self esteem. Buried deep inside me was the hurt I felt for the years of unspeakable abuse my mother suffered from her abuser. I am now so much my own motivation.

I started the gym at 225 pounds, went down to 167 pounds and back up to 175 pounds, leaner than before, but my medical conditions sometimes got in the way of my progress.

Today I have almost fully recovered. I believe I look better and feel better and I have become a spokesperson and a motivator to many.

My advice: Prevention is better than cure. Clean eating is better than medication, surgery and illness.

Put yourself first.

My favourite exercises are the battle ropes and stepper.

My encouragement: With each new day we are given the opportunity to make ourselves better. We can be granted more time with our loved ones.

Remember that your present outweighs your past.  Leave everything that holds you back behind. Forget the bad memories and just do it. Nothing is impossible.

In a previous article we covered how to safely and humanely introduce your dog to a collar and leash to avoid leash phobia.

Dogs should be walked using a body harness rather than a neck collar (which can still be used for identification purposes). The use of choke-chains or prong collars can damage the tissues and muscles in the neck and throat and cause pain. The harness gives you more control of the dogs’ shoulders, which is where the power to pull comes from.

The harness needs to be slowly introduced as we discussed with the collar and leash, and teamed with treats, attention, affection, and lots of praise. Refer to the last article to learn how to introduce the harness.

Once the harness is comfortably on, just attach the leash and leave it on while you are around to supervise the dog. Allow him to run around with it so that he becomes used to the weight and feel of the leash.

When he no longer pays too much attention to it trailing behind him, simply pick it up and stay still. This is so he becomes used to the restraint now caused by you. Let him struggle and pull against it and wait until he gives up and settles. When he does so, immediately let go of the leash and reward him. This is so he learns that if he fights against the leash nothing changes; but if he relaxes he immediately gets rewarded. We want him to learn to relax on the leash, not fight against it. Then you can start walking him with the leash, one step at a time.

If the dog freezes up on a walk; use an upbeat, excited tone of voice (you can pat your leg or clap your hands too) when you call him to entice him to come towards you. Stooping down to the dog’s level will encourage him to run to you. Do not pull him with the leash; let him take his time because he is learning. You can also use treats to make the reward of coming to you even greater.

If the dog pulls on the leash, there is a mimicking of natural scruffing action on the back of the neck with the harness, which inhibits unwanted behaviours. Remember to walk the dog at your side or behind you, and if he is pulling ahead of you, change direction, which will force him to turn also and follow you. You may be zigzagging on your walk, which may look funny to your neighbours but persevere and your dog will soon learn that the moment he pulls ahead of you, he is again made to follow. He will also start to focus on you to see which direction you’re now heading in. You can also stop suddenly so he comes back to see why you’ve stopped, at which point you start to walk again once he is back at your side. This teaches him that pulling ahead gets him nowhere, but when he stays at your side he gets to move.

The type of equipment used is not all that is needed however. The most obvious way in which we communicate with our dogs is in terms of energy. So, it is important that whenever potentially anxious situations arise; whoever is holding the leash tries to remain calm and confident at all times so that the dog also remains calm. If you feel yourself becoming frustrated because he is not responding quickly enough or not listening to you at that moment, it is best to take a break from the training and try again later rather than trying to force him.

Remember that a walk is supposed to be interesting and fun for the dog so also allow him the freedom to explore while you are out with him.

Copyright © Kristel-Marie Ramnath 2018

Diatonic Pan Institute presents Steel in Motion on Saturday, April 22 at 6 pm along the main streets of Siparia. This single pan competition is held in conjunction with the regional corporation and that weekend’s celebration of La Divina Pastora in Siparia. The bands start from the Diatonic panyard on Mary Street head up to High Street and through the centre of town.

A dozen Single Pan bands from all over the country are signed up. Each will perform two songs, one is a religious number of their choice and other is by the calypsonian being championed in this year’s competition. This year it is Johnny King.

Since Steel in Motion started in 2011, they have celebrated Ronnie Macintosh, Calypso Rose, Lord Nelson, Crazy, Baron, Iwer George and Black Stalin. There will be prizes for the best performance of each selection, best performer on the road and the best flag waver.

This year’s honouree Johnny King is an icon since the Eighties with classics like the Road March contender Wet Me Down and Nature’s Plan which brought him to second place for the National Calypso Monarch crown at Dimache Gras in 1984. King entered the calypso arena in 1980, the tents in 1983 and has been performing, recording and touring internationally ever since while working as a policeman. Now retired, he has recently been the manager of the Kaiso Karavan in La Joya, St Joseph, and continues to be an ambassador for a groovy soca style with lyrics that still hit at central issues. Nature’s Plan may be more relevant today than ever before. King has performed at the Diatonic panyard and is excited to be the focus of this year’s pan competition.

But the young members of the Diatonics Pan Institute themselves do not perform at Steel in Motion because instead they are the ones running the event. They are involved in every aspect of the event, from publicity to managing the flow of steelbands on the streets. For the event, the Diatonic Pan Institute also creates a yearly magazine that celebrates the city of Siparia, the chosen calypsonian, and the yearly activities of the steelband. Manager Keith Byer notes, “It’s a practical form of training for events management.”

Indeed, it is giving youth such skills besides developing musical abilities that is central to the vision of Byer, Diatonic’s founder. He sought to offer local youth a positive way forward in troubled times, teaching life skills through steelpan.

A retired oil company engineer, Byer played with Siparia Deltones in his younger days and later managed Deltones for a time. He went on to serve as chairman of the South/Central Region of Pan Trinbago, Vice President of Pan Trinbago, and General Secretary of the Caribbean Steelband Association. Byer also managed Silver Stars Steel Orchestra for three years and brought them to the winner’s circle but decided to focus on youth and what steelpan can do for them in creating the Diatonics Pan Institute.

Byer sought out two old friends from Deltones — Vernon Dimsoy and Janelle Paris — who agreed with his vision and were committed to translate it into action. They formed a non-profit corporation and got a long-term lease for a panyard in downtown Siparia, which has now become a safe place for children to learn, hang out and have fun. From the beginning, Byer’s vision was to teach more than just musical proficiency. He saw the possibility of the institute teaching important life skills such as leadership, band management, event management, broadcasting, magazine production, and more.

For a new youth steelband, they have an impressive history of performing internationally. Diatonic Pan Institute did a nine-day tour to Indiana in 2011, which saw the group help start two steelbands. In 2014, they attended the St Vincent and the Grenadines Independence celebrations as part of a programme called Pan Against Crime. The organisation also attended an international folk festival in North Carolina that year and were spotted by officials who invited them to Taiwan. Last summer they travelled to Taiwan for three weeks performing at the Yilan International Children’s Folklore and Folkgame Festival and held workshops teaching pan to kids at a local elementary school and leaving a starter set of steelpans.

Diatonic Pan Institute holds three weekly rehearsals, performs regular monthly gigs, offers both free music literacy classes to the community and a vacation steelpan camp during the summer.

Initially, Diatonic Pan Institute hired music instructors but now the most experienced DPI teen members are the teachers. Beyond its key outreach event (Steel in Motion), the Diatonic Pan Institute also hosts concerts in its panyard bringing in calypsonians from across Trinidad to perform and has recorded a double album of Christmas classics. They have received further national exposure by creating a syndicated television show a few years ago.

Created, starring, and produced by youth, the first season of a 14-episode TV series featured Diatonic members visiting and interviewing steelband leaders, arrangers and members from across the country.

More recently in Trinidad, they have launched a programme introducing their youth members to drama.

In only few short years, Diatonic Pan Institute has created much more than a steelband; they’ve fostered what Byer believe will be some of the future leaders of tomorrow.

This is the eighth year for Steel in Motion and Byer is very pleased at the growing turnout each year. “Steel in Motion is unique and tries to add something different and fun to the pan calendar,” said Byer. “We don’t announce who the calypsonian to be featured until after Carnival so we can generate excitement by the bands creating new arrangements. Also, the bands are pushing racks through the streets, so our audience is back to feeling close to the bands as they perform. Everybody has a great time!

“Come and see these youth run a free festival celebrating Johnny King and bringing new pan arrangements to the streets of Siparia.”

Ray Funk is a retired Alaskan judge and a Fulbright scholar who is passionately devoted to calypso, pan and mas.

A good crowd was on hand to witness the T&T Cricket Board T20 clash between PowerGen Sports and BFL Sports at Caldrac’s in California and got great entertainment.

BFL Sports going into the game as underdogs lifted their heads high and posted 167 for nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Leading the way for them was Guyanese Royston Crandon who got an aggressive 46 and Raj Nanan who scored an even half century. They had to face the likes of Windies player Samuel Badree who ended up with 2/25 in his four overs. Also bowling well was Teshawn Castro who nabbed two wickets for 22 runs.

In response, PowerGen motored to the target with eight balls to spare and their young batsmen played with flair. Akiel Cooper struck an unbeaten 32, while Mark Deyal made 30 and Red Force batsman Ewart

Nicholson 29. Crandon tried his best in collecting 2/29, while Nanan took 2/18 but it was too little as PowerGen ran away with a five-wicket win.
 

TTCB T20 SCORES

Group I
Merryboys 210 (20) (Amir Jangoo 77, Mario Belcon 49no, Adrian Daniel 2/35) vs Aranguez 156/7 (20) (Clevan Williams 67, Aneil Kanhai 2/20, Rishard Harris 2/17) - Merryboys won by 54 runs.
EYM 85 all out (19.4) (Yannic Carriah 4/6) vs QPCC 86/3 (Justin Guillen 31)| - QPCC won by 7 wkts.
Group II
Central Sports 170/9 (20) (Kamil Pooran 69, Adrian Ali 32, M Seupaul 5/26) vs QPCC II 170/7 (20) (Joshua Ramdoo 60) - match tied
Group III
Orangefield 130/6 (20) (Richard Kelly 43, Dejourn Charles 2/20, Yannick Ottley 2/22) vs Clarke Rd 132/3 (15.4) (Nicholas Sookdeosingh 62, Kerry Holness 45) - Clarke Rd won by 7 wkts.
Caldrac 87 all out (Vikash Mohan 3/24, Rayad Emrit 2/19, Justin Joseph 2/11) vs Comets 91/2 (15.3) (Imran Khan 31, Varendra Maharaj 30) - Comets won by 8 wkts.
Group IV
BFL Sports 167/9 (20) (Royston Crandon 46, Raj Nanan 50, Samuel Badree 2/25, Teshawn Castro 2/22) vs PowerGen 171/5 (18.4) (Akiel Cooper 32no, Mark Deyal 30, Ewart Nicholson 29, Royston Crandon 2/29, Raj Nanan 2/18) - PowerGen won by 5 wkts.
Tableland 111/9 (Jadon Bryce 30) vs Victoria 112/2 (Marcelle Jones 57) - Victoria won by 8 wkts.

President of the Republic of T&T Paula-Mae Weekes, in a warm congratulatory message, said that the country was once again “bathed in golden light” thanks to Richard’s victory.

Weekes said that it was the first time since 1966 that T&T athletes had won multiple gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. Richard’s gold came just three days after local sprint queen Michelle-Lee Ahye’s historic Women’s 100m Final gold medal. She also recognised Dylan Carter’s silver medal last week, T&T’s first ever medal for swimming at the games.

“Truly this has been an historic meet for T&T. Heartiest congratulations to all our winning athletes at the Commonwealth Games. Kudos also to our other athletes who did not medal but gave it their best. This is all your country can ask of you and I thank you for your effort and sacrifice. Keep shining. You serve as inspiration for those who would follow in your footsteps.”

Michelle-Lee Ahye historic win in the 100m in 11.14 seconds at the 2018 Commonwealth Games which concluded at the Gold Coast, Australia, yesterday, is testimony of the benefits of hard work, discipline and perseverance on her part and work of her coach and support staff. She deserves all the accolades that have been showered upon her and the financial rewards to be bestowed from TTOC and the Ministry of Sport through the new sport policy on rewarding excellence.

Celebrating from the podium is not new to Ahye as she have prevailed at several events:

World Championship

• Bronze medalist- 4x100m relay-2015
CAC Championship
• Bronze medalist- 4x100m- 2011
Pan American Junior Championship
• Gold medalist 100m- 2011
CARIFTA Games (Junior)
• Silver medalist- 100m- 2011
• Silver medalist- 4x100m relay- 2011
• Gold medalist- 100m- 2010
• Gold medalist- 4x100m relay- 2010
CARIFA Games (Youth)
• Gold medalist- 100m- 2008
• Gold medalist-100m- 2007
• Bronze medalist- 4x100 relay- 2006

She will go down in history as the country’s first ever female sprint gold medalist in any major track event. She has taken the baton from all those who have represented the country with distinction and crossed the finish line ahead of arch rivals including fellow Caribbean counterparts from Jamaica.

Ahye’s victory should be seen as a sparkle for up and coming athletes such as Khalifa St Fort to work toward achieving their own goals. In addition, to those runners who are on the fringe of grand success,

Ahye’s victory should serve as a motivator for sprinters who are in the early development stages of their career. Additionally, coaches, administrators, parents and others who are associated with the development of athletes now have a female gold medalist to seek to emulate.

Congratulations to Michelle-Lee Ahye, Jereem Richards, Dylan Carter and all other athletes at the 2018 Commonwealth Games you have not only done yourself proud but all Trinbagonians both at home and everywhere else they reside.

Anand Rampersad (PhD)
Pastiche6@gmail.com

With football in the air, I expect the Trinbigonians to latch on to the in-form John Williams today at Kelso.

John Williams has been in good form of late and he can land a third success of the season dropping back to what looks his optimum distance. The danger may come from Charlie Snow Angel who shaped well for much of the race last time. Halcyon Days represents an in-form stable so is worth considering along with Las Tunas, although he has appeared to be very one paced at the business end of his races.

This looks quite an open affair but STREETS OF PROMISE may gain just reward for some solid recent efforts and finally get his head back in front. Silver Tassie won’t be far away if on his game, and if he stays Looksnowtlikebrian has claims with the champion jockey on board. Newtown Lad cannot be dismissed either, but last year’s winner Scotswell needs to raise his game to defend his title.

Many of these holds claims of one form or another, but the one who appeals most is FAST AND HOT. This C&D winner goes well at this course and is much better than he showed when last of all (though not disgraced) on his reappearance at Kempton last time. He can come on for that run to strike again here, with Bombero to be partnered by De Sousa and Daily Trader likely to be the biggest threats.

Sevenna Star to shine in a seven- runner Novice Stakes over ten furlongs of ‘heavy’ Windsor today, stable-companion of Hinde Street, 25/1 John Gosden- trained winner at Lingfield, two days ago!

Always comforting to nominate time-handicap ‘best-in’ fancies from in-form yards and none is more formidable, and consistent, than Clarehaven stables in Newmarket where ‘Big John’ operates successfully on a massive scale.

Gosden never wastes a race and he’ll have scrutinised two winners, King’s Proctor and Morning Skye, before declaring twice-raced Sevenna Star, a Redoute’s Choice colt which was narrowly beaten when favourite in a ‘warm’ Nottingham maiden six months ago under Rav Havlin.

Given both previous winners are penalised 7lbs and should be ‘out with the washing’, if Sevenna’s Star hits anything like his marks, Havlin will surely be instructed to be positive and sort out the wheat from the chaff. Napped.

Mother Of Dragons is one of eight ‘decs’ for a 3-y-o handicap over five furlongs, could this be NINETEENTH TIME lucky for Phil McEntee’s charge?

On time-figures there can only be one winner; that has been stated several times but back to turf might just be the answer because Mother Of Dragon’s was indeed better on grass as a juvenile on group one venues, Ascot and Newbury.

Yet again ‘crack’ 5lbs apprentice Nicola Currie is booked and it will be ‘fingers crossed’ firmly; with three places available eachway looks guaranteed!

Mobsta is on a retrieving mission in an ‘aged’ sprint handicap over six furlongs, one of few Mick Channon failures in the first three weeks of this 2018 turf-flat season when a close fourth on a similar Doncaster surface three weeks back.

Silvestre de Souza is boooked again and our champion jockey wont be hanging about aboard Mobsta, unsuccessful last season when victim of his consistency as a four-year-old.

Thoroughbreds usually reach their physical zenith at six and  Mobsta should be worth following. Incidentally this Thames-side track drains quickly and I’m looking forward to computing race-times tomorrow when ‘soft’ Newmarket gets under way.

With football in the air, I expect the Trinbigonians to latch on to the in-form John Williams today at Kelso.

John Williams has been in good form of late and he can land a third success of the season dropping back to what looks his optimum distance. The danger may come from Charlie Snow Angel who shaped well for much of the race last time. Halcyon Days represents an in-form stable so is worth considering along with Las Tunas, although he has appeared to be very one paced at the business end of his races.

This looks quite an open affair but STREETS OF PROMISE may gain just reward for some solid recent efforts and finally get his head back in front. Silver Tassie won’t be far away if on his game, and if he stays Looksnowtlikebrian has claims with the champion jockey on board. Newtown Lad cannot be dismissed either, but last year’s winner Scotswell needs to raise his game to defend his title.

Many of these holds claims of one form or another, but the one who appeals most is FAST AND HOT. This C&D winner goes well at this course and is much better than he showed when last of all (though not disgraced) on his reappearance at Kempton last time. He can come on for that run to strike again here, with Bombero to be partnered by De Sousa and Daily Trader likely to be the biggest threats.

T&T’s top international women’s distance runner Tonya Nero finished a creditable 14th in the 26.2 miles Commonwealth Games women’s marathon event on the last day of competition out at the Gold Coast, Australia yesterday.

Nero clocked two hours, 55 minutes and 14 seconds (2.55.14) well outside her national record of (2:43) for the distance established in 2012 in Belgium.

The race which was won by Namibia’s Helalia Johannes in 2:32.40 took the field of 17 along Australia Gold Coast sea line in blazing sun. The women’s race started 55 minutes before the men’s run.

After the race, Nero told Guardian Sports Media, “It was a tough today, but it was an experience that made me stronger.”

When asked about the weather conditions she responded, “It was hot, but what really bothered me more was the pain I felt in my left leg a little after the 15-mile mark and that made me adjust my pace so that I could finish the race. I gave it all I had so I’m very happy.”

She added, “The experience reminded me how easy it is to keep going. The next thing for me is to give my body some rest since it has been going through a lot since the year started.”

T&T distance running coach Dexter Voisin said, “Certainly it was a commendable performance by Tonya today, going under three hours for a Caribbean woman in the marathon is creditable on any day. This morning the conditions were not ideal and the women’s race started at 7.25 am (5.25 pm Saturday night T&T time), the sun wasted no time in showing up and it was angry, making its present felt throughout the race.”

He explained that, “Tonya ran steady and was on her race pace before she felt a discomfort on one of her legs after the 25km mark, that coupled with the extreme sun set her back somewhat in the closing miles, but it was a commendable performance.”

Meanwhile, a dramatic late-race collapse by Callum Hawkins in the men’s equivalent handed a repeat victory in the to defending champion Michael Shelley. More than two minutes ahead at 39km, Hawkins started to stagger as he ran around a bend on the road taking the runners from Surfers Paradise to the finish at Southport. He fell to the ground once, but got up and continued running until collapsing again at the 40-kilometre point. Despite several attempts, he was unable to regain his feet.

Shelley went by to win in 2:16:46, more than five minutes slower than his winning time in Glasgow four years earlier and the slowest winning time since Thabiso Moqhali won for Lesotho in 2:19:15 at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games. It was also undoubtedly the hottest Commonwealth marathon since that year.

Women’s Marathon results

1. Helalia Johannes (Namibia) 2.32.40
2. Lisa Weightman (Australia) 2.33.23
3. Jessica Trengove (Australia) 2.34.09

Richards closes the show

Reigning 2018 Commonwealth Games 200 metres men’s champion Jereem Richards was given the honour to carry the national flag at the closing ceremony of the Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia, yesterday.

“We’re glad to have Jereem carry the national flag at the closing ceremony, there are about half of the team here and as some athletes have left already. We’ve a good mix from athletics, squash, tennis and badminton, they are all still here for the closing off,” said T&T’s Chef de Mission-Dianne Henderson.

T&T’s finished in overall 18th position on the medal table with its two gold medals and a silver out of the 42 nations that medal. A total of 71 countries and nations participated in the 12-day multi-sport games.

T&T’s placing is an improvement of four places from the 22nd position it occupied in 2014.

Meanwhile, Jamaica which did not win a sprint gold medal still manage to finish as the top Caribbean country with in 11th position with 29 medals (7 gold, 9 silver and 11 bronze) followed by T&T, the Bahamas (4 medals), Grenada (2) while Bermuda, Guyana, British Virgin Islands, and St Lucia got one each. Australia, England and India took the top three positions with 198, 136 and 66 medals respectively.

Henderson said, “Overall from the standings we have improved in terms of the colour of the medals from 2014 not necessary the numbers (we won three medals - 2 gold and a silver here, as compared to 2014 when we won eight - 3 silver and 5 bronze medals in 2014). In terms of performances, the time of the season has been very much part of the conversation, as well as coaches, not necessarily those outside, particularly not wanting to change their programmes for these games. That’s the real situation that needs more conversation, but when you look at the teams, they all gave it their best and that is all you can ask for.”

Asked about Michelle-Lee Ahye absence from the 4x100 metres relay team, Henderson said, “The decision was made before, so we went with the athletes that were available to us and each of them fought hard out there.”

None of the medal winners Ahye, Richards and swimmer Dylan Carter will be returning home since they have returned to their bases in the USA. The beach volleyballers returned over the weekend while the other athletes and technical staff members are expected today and tomorrow.

Placing among the top three positions in the Caribbean Netball Association (CNA) Jean Pierre Under-16 Netball Championships was the hope of coach Velma Hazelwood for T&T youth team but the youngsters fell just short of that goal, finishing fourth in the annual competition.

"The girls performed well," said Hazelwood."It was a very competitive tournament, no game was easy but they worked hard each game."

The Jean Pierre tournament, which took place last week at the Vigie Multi-purpose Sports Complex in Castries, St Lucia, featured six other teams including Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and the host.

Winning the youth title was powerhouse Jamaica playing unbeaten overall scoring 230 with 82 against, with St Lucia (192/125) and Barbados (169/126) in second and third places, respectively.

T&T (133/164) opened against Barbados and Hazelwood knew it would have been a challenge facing the former champion. The junior "Calypso Girls" fell to a 27-21 defeat.

"It was very good game against Barbados but we had 16 penalties in their circle. That broke the girls down a bit but they continued to play," said Hazelwood. "I felt they could have won that game."

The local team didn't stay down though and returned the following day to defeat Grenada, 30-25.

"As the competition progressed, they were able to correct some of their mistakes," said Hazelwood, who worked with Lystra Solomon-Simmons as her assistant coach.

St Lucia was the T&T netballers next opponent and they went under 32-19 but rebounded to beat SVG, 29-19 before taking on the "Reggae Girls" of Jamaica, which turned out to be their worst performance of the tournament, losing 38-7.

"When we met Jamaica, the girls were intimidated," said Hazelwood. "They capitalise on our mistakes and won but the next game, we were able to correct our mistakes and got the win against Dominica."

T&T closed with a 27-23 win over the Dominicans and picked up a host of awards in the closing ceremony that followed.

Kelelicia George was named the "Most Valuable Player" (MVP) of the T&T team, which was the "Best Uniformed" team and "Best Team on Parade" while SVG was the "Most Disciplined" team and St Lucia was also awarded the "Most improved" team trophy in the youth Championship, named after the late international T&T netballer Jean Pierre, which was first held in 1998 by the Caribbean Netball Association each year, except 2003, 2007 and 2013.

Earlier in the tournament, George partnered with Kayshanna Duncan and Kelaiah Stewart, to dominate the shooting competition, sealing the crown after combining to net 100 goals. Jamaica was second with 93 and Barbados was third with 92.

"It was a great experience, we stayed positive right through to the end," said Hazelwood, who has already started looking ahead to next year's Championship with the aim to finish among the top three positions as the national team has done in the past.

"We have started assessing the players as to who will be viable for next year's competition. We are developing a different strategy, looking to go into communities to scout players," said Hazelwood. "Some of the current group will be out of the age-group so will do some more scouting in zonal finals of the Secondary Schools Netball League."

The Galleons Passage will not arrive in Trinidad and Tobago until mid-May or thereabouts.

That’s the word from Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan as the vessel continues its journey en route to Acapulco, Mexico.

The Galleons Passage was initially due in Mexico on April 24, but checks yesterday on the Marine Traffic site put a new estimated time of arrival (ETA) of April 26.

Sinanan explained that because of “unforeseen delays” along the route “we expect the vessel to be here as we speak by the middle of May, if things go as they are going now. If things go different to that then it could vary.”

This contradicts information from Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who, in describing recent claims that the arrival of the vessel would have been delayed by a month as “speculative,” had given an arrival date of April 30.

Yesterday, however, Sinanan explained that when a vessel is travelling from “one end of the world to the next” it is subject to a number of vagaries, not least of which is “weather conditions and when you have the vessel going to several ports, when you enter some of these ports you have to wait in time.”

Sometimes a waiting period could be “three to four days but then for some reason or the other it might push back to six or seven days. You can’t anticipate that before,” he said.

The Galleons Passage is travelling at between 6.4 knots and 8 knots as it makes the more than 3,000 nautical mile journey from Honolulu to Mexico.

The vessel will next spend five days in Mexico for bunkering and for the crew to disembark in keeping with international regulations, which means it may not leave Mexico until May 1 or a day later.

From Mexico the Galleons Passage will head for the Panama Canal. There is also no telling how long the vessel will be in the Panama Canal before it begins the journey to Cuba.

Sinanan said, “You go to the Panama Canal and you say you have a seven-day pass through. Some people end up waiting 14 days because of the volume. But you can’t anticipate that in advance. These things do happen, but you have an approximate time and every day you assess the situation.”

The Cuba stopover is supposed to be for 10 days for a number of alterations to be done to the vessel, including the installation of a canopy over the sun deck, installation of canopies over exposed sections of the vehicle deck and installation of wash-room facilities on the sun deck.

Sinanan said while there has been “some unforeseen situations” affecting the vessel, which needed to get “permits to enter certain ports” and it will take “a little longer than we expect,” he was optimistic it will get to Trinidad and Tobago by mid-May.

Meantime, Sinanan said NIDCO has gone out for tender for a “technical maintenance management team” to ensure the Galleons Passage and the T&T Spirit are well maintained.

The T&T Spirit returned to the seabridge yesterday and made its first run from the Port of Scarborough in just under three hours. It left Scarborough at 6.38am and arrived at the Port of Port-of-Spain at 9.25 am.

Passengers who travelled on board the T&T Spirit yesterday praised its return to the seabridge after they arrived on board at the Port in Port-of-Spain, following what was a smooth return run.

The seabridge collapsed last month after the Port Authority of T&T was forced to take the T&T Express from the inter-island service on March 13 for an overdue dry-docking. The T&T Spirit had already been out of service for dry docking since June 6 last year, then experienced a series of issues with sea trials before finally getting the go-ahead to return to the route on Saturday.

Caribbean Airlines and cargo ferry the Cabo Star tried to pick up the slack, but there were still severe travel woes for passengers, especially during the recent Easter vacation.

In the interim, one of the other vessels used to try to alleviate the problem, the Trini Flash water taxi, stalled off Blanchisseuse after a fire on board while on the journey to Tobago on March 27. Some 63 passengers were on board the Trini Flash and the Cabo Star had to alter its journey to rescue them.

In a media release yesterday, T&T Inter-Island Transportation Company CEO Vilma Lewis-Cockburn said the T&T Spirit left the Port of Scarborough at 6.38 am with 308 passengers and 62 vehicles and arrived at 9.25 am in Port-of-Spain. In an interview at the PoS port after the vessel arrived, Appolonia Weekes, a Cocorite resident, said the service was very good.

“Let them try to get the boat in order. It was very good this morning,” she said.

Antonia Holder, a Morvant mother of two, said it was easy sailing yesterday morning.

“We boarded at five past six and waited until 6.30. It was nice, it was easy. We took the plane on Thursday but we took the boat to come back,” she said.

Holder said they decided to take the boat because her four-year-old son, Kymania, began to cry when they experienced some turbulence during the flight to Tobago.

“He didn’t like the plane when it dip and began to cry,” she said.

Her daughter, Starr Reid, said he liked travelling on the boat and didn’t have any problems.

Another passenger who refused to give her name said the boat was on time, it was clean and they didn’t have any problems getting tickets.

Reporting from UK

for Guardian Media

A growing outcry against threats of deportation from the UK facing many people of Commonwealth Caribbean background—thousands by some estimates—hit a crescendo here in the Parliament yesterday.

“It is inhumane and cruel for so many of that Windrush generation to have suffered so long in this condition,” Labour MP David Lammy, whose parents are from Guyana, told Parliamentary colleagues as he reflected on the extent of disquiet over the issue.

Over the past several weeks there have been an increasing number of mainstream and social media reports, plus numerous personal accounts, of the uncertainty being faced by those caught up in this dilemma.

Most of them were brought to the UK by their parents and came to be known as the Windrush generation. The MV Empire Windrush was the British passenger ship which brought waves of West Indians to the UK in the post-war period starting in 1948. But in 1971 the immigration laws under which they were invited to the UK changed, rendering many of them virtually stateless.

Life, however, continued for many in a form of normalcy and they were even recognised by the state and its various agencies. They also found work, in both the public and private sector, had bank accounts and even owned property.

But things were changing. There has been a gradual and continuous tweaking of the British immigration laws in the years since 1971, culminating in a series of draconian rules between 2014 and 2016. Those came at the height of the campaign leading up to the UK’s ‘Brexit’ referendum from the European Union (EU), in which immigration was a core issue.

But Commonwealth Caribbean nationals who have been ensnared in the changes have now become the most noticeable victims. In the past year or so, the tales of woe have been mounting in intensity as the reality of the changes began to bite. It means some Windrush generation British residents, who might never have applied for UK passports, have even reportedly been threatened with deportation, despite having been living in the UK for as long as 50 years because they cannot provide any documentation. An estimated 50,000 people from the Windrush generation are said to be affected.

The outcry has now caused a U-turn by British Prime Minister Theresa May, who has agreed to a meeting with a delegation of Caribbean leaders, coincidentally in London this week for the annual Commonwealth Heads of Government summit. A previous request a few days ago was rejected.

An all-party group of 140 parliamentarians wrote to her on the matter. It was May who, as Home Secretary, initiated the current draconian immigration requirements.

Amber Rudd, who succeeded May in the role, has blamed what is now her own ministry for “becoming too concerned with policy and strategy and sometimes lose sight of the individual.”

She announced that she has put a task force in place to review the rules and the processes.

One week after sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye captured this country’s first ever gold medal by a female athlete at the Commonwealth Games, a photograph of her and her partner in a compromising position has been leaked online as part of an apparent smear campaign.

The photograph was taken from the private Instagram account of Chelsea Renee Ahye. The username on that account is mrskinglee10.6.

Ahye goes by the username kinglee10.6 and her Instagram account is also set to private.

The photo with the couple appeared to be released online as part of ongoing tensions following a High Court ruling last week which ruled aspects of T&T’s buggery laws unconstitutional.

Last Thursday, High Court judge Devindra Rampersad ruled that Section 13 and 16 of this country’s Sexual Offences Act, which makes buggery and serious indecency between two consenting adults illegal, was unconstitutional.

Rampersad’s ruling was in response to a constitutional motion filed by Trinidad-born gay rights activist Jason Jones. Although Rampersad found that the laws were irrational and illegal, they remain on the statute books, pending a hearing in July.

Conservatives opposed to gay rights and LGBTQI activists clashed outside the Hall of Justice following the decision and there was some violence between religious groups and the activists.

The photograph with Ahye sparked an homophobic debate online, with some people fully supporting Ahye’s right to live her life as she saw fit and others decrying it.

The T&T Guardian contacted Ahye’s manager Afeisha Wright for a comment on the situation yesterday evening.

Wright said although Ahye is a very private person she has never really kept anything from the public.

“Michelle has always had her accounts Facebook, Instagram, she has never kept anything from the public, so it is only now that people who are now getting to know the household name Michelle-Lee Ahye are seeing who she is,” Wright said.

“She has also been a very private person, so even though that is the situation she would not have a comment based on what’s going on here in Trinidad right now,” Wright added.

Wright was asked if the photos were being released now maliciously.

“The minute you put things out in the media it is left for their (the public’s) interpretation, so that is why I know in this particular matter she prefers not to have any say or should not be targeted in that regard where that is concerned,” Wright said.

Wright said Ahye, who is currently in Texas after her Commonwealth success, is focused on her athletics with the prestigious Diamond League series scheduled to start soon.

The T&T Guardian also contacted Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO) executive director Colin Robinson for a comment on the issue. However, Robinson declined to comment saying as far as he is concerned it was a non-story.

The local LGBTQI community says it did not join international counterparts in signing a petition for Commonwealth Heads of Government leaders to discuss issues affecting the groups at their meeting this week, because “what we want them to do is not in the petition.”

The community is concerned some of its members/supporters are being discriminated against on the grounds of sexual orientation and believes this must be addressed with urgency.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday as Commonwealth leaders, including Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, gathered in London for the meeting, Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO) head Colin Robinson said, “The attention we would like Commonwealth leaders to pay to this issue is to put money behind it. Money, money, give the Trinidad and Tobago Government the money required to build the state infrastructure to address the needs of the LGBTQI community, that’s the kind of attention that would be valuable or useful, moralising is not, apologies from Teresa May are not!”

He said to his knowledge, the petition was signed mainly by “signatories from the United Kingdom.”

The petition urged Commonwealth heads to decriminalise same sex relations, prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, enforce laws against threats and violence to protect LGBTQI people from hate crimes and to consult and dialogue with LGBTQI organisations.

On the eviction of some LGBTQI members for their involvement in victory celebration after the buggery law ruling outside the High Court last week, Robinson said currently there is no law that “prevents housing in discrimination based on sexual orientation in Trinidad and Tobago unless it is the state discriminating, but in private settings where people are threatened with being thrown out from their apartments because of their beliefs, the Attorney General needs to address this and put sexual orientation in the Equal Opportunities Act to prevent this from happening.”

He also expressed concern at “the suggestion from the Attorney General that he will do nothing in terms of legislation while the appeal at the Privy Council is pending. We want to call on him again to add sexual orientation to the Equal Opportunities Act.”

At least five members of the LGBTQI community were reportedly asked to leave their places of abode after the court ruled in favour of the LGBTQI community last Thursday. Robinson said it is this type of discrimination which needs to be addressed.

“We have been lobbying for that for years not just for us, but for persons with HIV/AIDS and other conditions to also be protected under the Equal Opportunity Act.”

Social Worker with the group Friends for Life, Kurt Sinnette, said the affected persons preferred not to speak with the media but they had been relocated. He deemed it “psychological discrimination by persons. A couple of persons were put out by their families and some are facing eviction by the end of the month. They received notices after the ruling that they had to leave by the end of April.”

Sinnette believes he negative reaction against the affected persons came down to “tensions created” by religious leaders who were vocal in their condemnation of LGBTQI community after the court ruling.

“That is what I was trying to explain to the pastors to calm down, the law is going to pass, nothing is going to change, but you stirred tensions,” Sinnette said.

However, he said the group has been getting a lot of positive calls “from people who are offering room in their homes if people need somewhere to stay.” Help is also coming from persons in the diaspora who are seeing what is happening.

“So the offer is to send money to pay for a couple of weeks if there is need for a crisis response,” he said.

Sinnette said CAISO was due to meet last evening to “strategise because coming out of this if you get evicted you might need a lawyer, or you might want to make a police report.” From a personal standpoint, he said he is now fearful that “I may not get employment because of some kind of involvement in the demonstration and others may fear losing their jobs.”

Persons who claim to be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation have no recourse under the Equal Opportunity Act (EOA) Chapter 22:03. The current EOA prohibits discrimination against individuals on seven status grounds namely race, ethnicity, religion, sex, marital status, origin and disability, but sexual orientation is expressly excluded from protection.

Also contacted yesterday on the issue, Social Development Minister Cherrie Ann Critchlow-Cockburn said she is “not aware that people can evict people simply because of their sexual orientation.” She said she finds the claim “strange and highly unusual because I am not aware that a landlord will evict people based on sexual orientation. How will they even know what these people sexual orientation is?”

Assistant national coach Stuart-Charles Fevrier said he is confident the country's senior footballers will give a good account of themselves when they face Panama in an international friendly encounter tonight from 7:30pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva, known as the Home of Football.

Cordell Cato who plays for Charlotte Independence in the USL, Belgian based Nicholas Dillon and defender Daneil Cyrus who represents Juticalpa in the Honduran First Division, are the only international players in the team for the encounter.

At a pre-training interview yesterday Fevrier said the game will be used to assess the performances of the local players who will comprise schoolboy Judah Garcia from Shiva Boys Hindu College.

The W Connection coach said emphasis has been placed on goalscoring since the Soca Warriors have been fairly steady in the other aspects of the game. "Goalscoring will always be the most difficult thing in football since it's the most important. We are constantly working on goalscoring with the players everyday. Stern in particular goes through the paces with the guys at least half an hour after every session. He takes the time to work with them and I am sure that sooner or later it will pay dividends," Fevrier said.

He added, "I am confident that the players will rise to the occasion and improve in that area in coming games."

The hard work of the players during training sessions for the past month, has been satisfying for Fevrier and head coach Dennis Lawrence as they prepare to face a full-strength Panama team which got the edge of the United States to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Russia in June.

Fevrier said the Panamanians will provide a strong unit regardless of which players they use. But he assures however his players will be looking forward to the match, come tonight.

Goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, who will be one of the senior players on the team, said it will be a tough encounter as the Panamanians will be coming to prove to their coach that they are deserving of going to the World Cup. On the part of T&T, the Morvant Caledonia United custodian believes that with the Soca Warriors comprising so many young players, it will be a test for them to prove if they can cope at the international level.

Justin Sadoo, Taryk Sampson and Kathon St. Hillaire, all of whom represented the country at the 2017 Concacaf Under-20 Championship in Costa Rica have now joined the senior ranks with him.

Lawrence said with such an enticing line-up of youth and experience it will interesting to see the starting XI on match day, but he pointed out the aim will be clear, “A good team performance, will bring the result. That’s what I am looking for, a good all-round team performance. We have individuals with a lot of talent, even young Judah Garcia has been impressive in training but against an organised opponent like Panama, team is key” Lawrence said.

Gates open at 5:30pm and tickets will be sold at the venue at a cost of $40.00 adults and $20 for children.

T&T SQUAD:

Hashim Arcia, Cordell Cato, Daneil Cyrus, Nicholas Dillon, Adrian Foncette, Maurice Forde, Judah Garcia, Nathaniel Garcia, Rhondel Gibson, Kevon Goddard, Curtis Gonzales, Triston Hodge, Isaiah Hudson, Alvin Jones, Marcus Joseph, Jared London, Andre Marchan, Reon Moore, Jameel Neptune, Marvin Phillip, Akeem Roach, Justin Sadoo, Taryk Sampson, Kathon St Hillaire