KINGSTON—Renowned regional academic Professor Sir Hilary Beckles said it was critical cricket’s world governing body, the International Cricket Council, heeded the call of the Caribbean community, in helping to solve the governance crisis in West Indies cricket.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies said the Caribbean side had been a key player in the expansion of the global game, providing a “new performance culture” while also generating “a box office bonanza for five solid decades” and as such, had a role to play in ending the current impasse.

Caricom requested a meeting with the ICC during the Commonwealth Heads of Government in London this week to discuss the governance crisis only to be told their representatives would be busy preparing for their quarterly board meetings in Kolkata from April 21-26.

“Caricom has been respectful of the International Cricket Council in its request for a discourse,” said Sir Hilary, who has written several books on West Indies cricket.

“The ICC knows, and should be respectful of the fact, that West Indian cricketers rescued the dying Test game after the Second World War, and gave it a new performance culture that captured the global imagination.

“In the process, the celebrated West Indian brand was born and has generated a box office bonanza for five solid decades.”

Following the two-day Intersessional in Haiti last February, Caricom adopted legal advice which confirmed it could challenge CWI’s right, as a private entity, to manage the public good of West Indies cricket.

And the regional nation grouping said it would request a meeting with the ICC to convey what it termed the “desperate urgency” of reforming the governance structure in the Caribbean.

Labelling regional governments as a “major financial stakeholder”, Sir Hilary underscored the importance of ICC approaching Caricom’s requests with a level of “ gratitude and generosity.”

“The ICC sits on a mountain that is filled with West Indian gold. It should therefore be mindful of the need to hear the West Indian case from the people and their governments,” argued Sir Hilary, a former director of Cricket West Indies.

“Caricom is not asking for any special dispensation. It is insisting that as the major financial stakeholder, there has to be internal restructuring using best practices that have long been upheld by the ICC itself.

“This is a necessary beginning to end the standoff between cricket officials, community and governments. The present circumstance is not sustainable. Caricom has every right to expect from the ICC, a respectful level of gratitude and generosity.

“Through our governments it must hear the voice of reason and the cry of the community.”

Sir Hilary was also careful to reiterate that Caricom had no interest in personally taking charge of the running of West Indies cricket, only to resolve the governance issue.

“The depth of gratitude the ICC owes the West Indian people can be respected by an engagement in high level discussions with West Indian governments,” the former UWI Cave Hill principal stressed.

“Their objective is not to manage West Indies cricket, but to resolve a crippling governance crisis that has driven a wedge between the people and the game they love, and for a century, invested all of what they possessed.”

In a recent letter to Caricom, the ICC said it was willing to meet in November during the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean but insisted CWI president, Dave Cameron, needed to be present. (CMC)

As we celebrate the successes of national sports personalities Michelle-Lee Ahye and Jereem Richards at the Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast we reflect on the historic achievement of the T&T national netball team in 1979 World Netball Tournament, held in Port-of-Spain. Part 1 was published yesterday.

Former T&T national netball team captain Sherril Peters believes the leadership disposition and skills “were inside of me and I would love to say with the help of those persons who were around me, positive people and I tried to get as many of those people around me.}

“I played in the world championships in New Zealand four years before Port-of-Spain; we came fourth behind New Zealand, Australia and England. It was a lesson for me.

“At home in the 1979 World Championships, we were zoned and played Scotland, England and Jamaica. After the preliminaries the teams playing for the top berth were Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia, England and T&T. We beat England, and by the time we got to Australia we told ourselves that we had to win against them. Lystra Lewis said if we were to beat Australia we could come no lower than a tie for the top place.

“The Australia game was on a very rainy day. It worked out that we played that game in the evening. It was worth the wait; we won.”

“The final against NZ was a very, very difficult game. I don’t like to talk about that too much because it was difficult from all angles besides on the playing field,” says Peters. T&T came up against a Jamaican umpire and Jamaican players on the sidelines, who, incredibly were rooting for New Zealand.”

T&T were matching New Zealand in the first two quarters “but a number of calls by the umpires seemed to put the T&T team off their game momentarily. New Zealand seized the opportunity to move ahead 28-21,” wrote George Baptiste in the Trinidad Express. He noted too that the T&T crowd support also slacked during that crucial period.

“Well these things happen and it happened here. In this instance our Caribbean counterparts, family, probably thought that we could never have been where we were. New Zealand won that game against us (33-27) and so we shared the championships.

“The team was elated. It was the first time that we had got to number one. So from fourth we did in fact tie for first so that was a good jump. We were quite happy and we had T&T behind us,” says Peters.

“Lystra Lewis, a woman of substance, a woman who believed that she could, would, and must be successful and she encouraged people and brought out the best in us.

“On the team she was the chief cook and bottle washer for netball. She pushed people, she may have rubbed a few on the wrong side and sometimes you have to do that to get things done, but all for the good of netball of TT.

“She was a wonderful person, I came through the ranks with her and I have no regrets. When she went to seminars in England, she would come back with some of the plays that she saw. She was a player in her day; she knew the game and had the ties and was well respected all over the world.”

Lystra was reputed as not being an easy woman; if things had to be done she would get them done. Was that the Lystra Lewis you knew, I asked of Peters? “Yes, and that is the Lystra Lewis I was proud of.”

The team was awarded the Chaconia Gold medal; Jean Pierre received the Trinity Cross. “While Jean was the goal-shooting star, it was a team effort,” says captain Peters.

But from that point of glory, T&T netball declined steeply.

“Netball was a very amateur sport, besides if you look at the trend right now, the women do not get the recognition that they should. Team sport on-the-whole is very difficult; you have to be one-man show.

“Even if you look at how the awards are going in track and field and so too in football, can you say that we in netball were equally recognised and rewarded? I don’t think that the netball team thought so.

“It was not felt in the large national community at the time that we had done anything masterful or great. I think maybe that is one reason why netball is in the state that it is now, people did not see the benefits. I think there are some people today who are playing out in leagues in England and Australia where they play semi-professional.”

Peters says “it is never too late for full recognition of the achievement. A few of the players are still around, a few have passed on, and a few others would talk to me from time to time and feel that I could still make representation.”

Peters in her retirement coached for a very short period. She did in fact coach the T&T team that went to New Zealand, “and it was the first time that we ever won a game against New Zealand, so that was another proud moment for me, the pinnacle being when we won the joint world championships.”

In retirement, Peters had to share the time with her family, a daughter who did track, and a son playing football, not to forget being wife to national cyclist, Ronald Peters. Her professional work career was shared between BWIA/Caribbean Airlines.

“I certainly would walk the same road again. I had a wonderful period of doing things that I love. I worked very hard on my own; as a centre court player I had to be fit; check me on days at the sand track at midday. I would recommend same for all young players.”

Several distinguished persons across various disciplines accepted the call to serve on the Board of Directors of Queens Hall and were presented with their Letters of Appointment from the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts on April 12, at the Ministry’s head office at Nicholas Towers, Port-of-Spain.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Angela Edwards thanked the members for their willingness and enthusiasm to serve the cultural community, and assured them that the ministry stands ready to assist the team in executing their mandate.

The Board will be led by Chairman Dr Wilhemus Hidwig, who commended Queen’s Hall for its professionalism and ability to stand out as this country’s foremost cultural space.

Nisa Suepaul will serve as the Deputy Chairman, alongside Directors Zaida Rajnauth, Raymond Choo Kong, Victor Prescod, Brian Wood, Charlene Griffith, Karla Gonzales, and General Manager Yvonne Roberts-White.

Theatre has been used for and as advocacy for decades.

It is not unusual to employ the creative and performing arts to carry society’s deepest and often obscurest messages.

But visualising mental health issues in dance was a refreshing element for me when dance as social commentary and advocacy made me sit up last Thursday, at Queen’s Hall.

Metamorphosis Dance Company (MDC) premiered its 2018 production Inside Out that night.

On the prompting of friends, while masking my (current bout of ) social anxiety and very near disinterest in interacting with people in wide, open spaces, I stepped out.

When the show began with Song & Dance of the Islands, billed as “a contemporary Caribbean Ballet” and choreographed by artistic director of MDC, Nancy Herrera, in the coolness of the auditorium, I sunk into my seat hugging my tiredness and wrapped in the solace darkness presents these days. My ability to appreciate the work, after an already tiring day, was marred with the constant prattling of the three young ladies behind us.

I was at the edge of regret that I had left home and simmering with annoyance for their lack of good (playhouse) manners—a too-common occurrence in theatre here for my liking.

That trio talked through every act, scene, and movement in that accented diction that suggests superior rearing, but alas, not optimum deportment.

This was not going well. I am thinking they should have stayed home and read the review since I made so much effort to attend.

I so wanted to scold them, when suddenly, about 50 minutes into the chattering, dancers appeared onstage “acting out”—low lights, individual movements, over-pronounced actions—to only the sound of their body movements. It was fresh drama and antics!

Then the entry of another dancer with a penetrating statement: “Mental illness is a real serious problem,” which immediately contextualised the choreographed frenzy on the stage, confirming my interpretation.

Of course, the audience, mostly quiet throughout the previous three presentations, sniggered collectively…loud. I groaned and uncurled from the scarf embracing all my discomforts.

I had been taking notes from the start not intending to do anything with it, just in the usual journalistic Boy Scout mode.

Now, I am busy scribbling in the glimmer of stage lights as the dancers launched into full, brisk commentary.

The script, presented with germane movements, highlighted depression, bipolar disorder, addiction, social anxiety disorder, and suicide among other issues.

Nothing prepared me for this.

My breath was sucked in so hard by the end of the dancers’ pronouncements on mental health and other relevant statistics for T&T.

“12,000…” said one dancer.

“…Students suffer from mental illness,” said another, completing the November 2017 news headline.

“Four per cent of the national health budget goes to mental health services.”

And, to the chants of “We Jammin’ Still” and “wine and fling it up”, we were roused to issues of gun violence, greed as the most important characteristic of leaders, sexual harassment, buggery, murders, and the homicide rates for 2017 (494 murders) and to date (145) for 2018

Right after the “Split in the middle,” the social commentary on abuse of women took the finest turn of the night yet.

“It’s a woman’s responsibility to ensure she is not abused.”/

“I’m not in your bedroom.”

“A woman must be groomed like a golf course…” “We Jammin’ Still…” “T&T is the happiest country in the Caribbean.”

The choreographer’s note somewhere in the programme said: “The process between discussing an idea and bringing an idea to life through movement can be a tedious one.”

We Jammin’ Still was presented as brilliant thought, exceptional movement, sensitive treatment of social malaise, while entertaining and never losing sight of the solemnity of the issues highlighted.

Dyad, on violence againstwomen, was presented in the second half also as a PG-13 discussion— where the under aged were asked to leave the auditorium.

It was performed to a 2016 spoken word piece “For the Rapist Who Call Themselves Feminist” by US poet Blythe Baird.

After the show, two women, likely octogenarians, paused next to me in the lobby and I unashamedly eavesdropped as they conversed. “…but never have I seen that type of social commentary in dance in all my life.”

“Me either. But it’s just marvellous how they were able to treat it so sensibly. I was so surprised.”

Thank you MDC and especially Bridgette Wilson who conceptualised this piece.

We Jammin’ Still must be employed in this year’s continuing advocacy efforts to make mental health matter as we work to create better minds.

n CAROLINE C RAVELLO is a strategic communications and media professional and a public health practitioner. She holds an MA with Merit in Mass Communications (University of Leicester) and is a Master of Public Health with Distinction (The UWI). Write to: mindful.tt@gmail.com

Web developer Sherezz Grant has less than two weeks to raise over eight thousand euros (TT$69,000) to pursue the Full Stack Software Engineering Programme at Codeworks, an advanced web development course which will add to her core competencies. She is attempting to raise the funds through the scientific crowdfunding website FutureFunded.

The 29-year-old, who has ten years experience in music production and the music industry, said she began taking coding seriously in April 2017.

Said Grant: “Growing up I was very computer savvy, I started to use computers at around five years old. I was good with math, IT, Sciences and problem solving, and I always loved solving puzzles and being creative. I have always been able to adapt quickly when it comes to learning software, and while I’m not a graphic designer, I have an eye for design, so basically all these things combined into web development and that’s why I gravitated towards it.”

Grant said she’s been doing music production since she was 18, and feels that coding and web developed are another form of creativity. “Finding a way from the unknown to the known, like something that you thought was impossible before and then making it possible, I think all of that in itself is creativity.

“Coding for me blends a bit of art and creativity with science, because I feel like web design somewhat toes the line between graphic design and web development. However, I think it’s viewed as a more valid way of earning a living than say music or art, and it’s more in demand.”

Grant said she loves being able to share knowledge and help people, and this training programme will help her in doing that.

“I just feel with web development I want to make people’s lives easier and simpler. For example, I suffer from procrastination a lot and I would like to be able to develop an app that could really help with procrastination.

“I’m also passionate about the subject of relationships and I would love to develop an app as well in that area. So I think that’s one of the benefits of web development, that you can solve life problems and impact a lot of lives through a piece of code.”

Grant said she chose to study at Codeworks because she felt it would be the most intense and comprehensive JavaScript boot camp to supply her with the skills she needed to fulfill her career goals in web development.

“It’s going to mainly focus on JavaScript language and focus further on some of the frameworks that are built on JavaScript that our favorite apps like Facebook or Netflix use, so I think this would make me even more of a qualified web developer because these are some skills that are in demand by employers.

“It’s going to teach me basically what it’s like to be in that kind of environment working in a team, concepts in terms of how to come up with the most elegant code, how to make your code more efficient so that it doesn’t take so long to execute and much more.”

Grant said she was worried about getting the substantial total together in time for the funding deadline on April 27.

“I’m trying my best. I’ve reached out to friends and family,” she said. “I’m trying to reach out to companies to see if they’re willing to sponsor me, and maybe businesses as well, offering to build a website for them or optimise one of their existing websites.

“I’m really trying to pitch myself and see if I can make this money in this short space of time.”

For more information on Grant and to contribute towards her goal, go to https://futurefunded.co/project/sherezz/

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From the imagination of Carvalho Productions, a leader in children/family theatre production, comes a magical journey—The Spectacular Zico. The production continues daily at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s until Tuesday, April 24, at this venue. It travels to South Trinidad afterwards to be staged at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (Sapa) on April 26-27.

At Queen’s Hall, this family production will host daily school shows at 9.30 am and 1.30 pm, with weekend shows at 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm. For the Sapa run, school shows will be at 9 am and noon.

Carvalho Productions has entertained thousands of Trinbagonians over the years and its new production, conceptualised by veteran actor/producer Fareid Carvalho, introduces new dynamic talent of T&T, written and brought to the stage under the esteemed direction by multiple Cacique Award winner Penelope Spencer.

The production promises the usual Carvalho signature of fun filled learning, diversity of our local culture, importance of respecting our elders and also includes riveting acting performances, exciting dance numbers, theatrical makeup and breath-taking sets.

This localised tale as old as time opens in a market scene with a grand palace as the backdrop, where a young peasant girl runs into a young boy and there is a little spark as they smile and sing together. We will soon learn that this young peasant girl is actually Jewel (played by Rebecca Elias) the Princess of the Kingdom, and the boy we learn is Aldon (played by Fareid Carvalho) who goes through some difficult decisions that most children have in growing up. Thankfully he makes all the correct decisions with the help of his friends such as Wally, Cat, Monkey, Mat and the rest of the cast. He then gets his wish of marrying the princess.

For more information, call 684-8382, or visit our Facebook Page: “Carvalho Productions

Finance Minister Colm Imbert is seeing early signs of an economic recovery and plans to reveal more when he presents his mid-year budget review next month.

He told reporters at yesterday’s official launch of container scanners at the Port of Point Lisas that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast two per cent growth for the economy. That is in line with his ministry’s projections, he said.

In its World Economic Outlook for 2018, which was released on Tuesday, the IMF also forecast a two per cent growth rate for the T&T economy in 2019.

Imbert said the IMF is suggesting that T&T has turned the corner on the recession and the worst is behind us.

“I hope they right,” he added.

On December 4, 2015, after T&T suffered its fourth quarter of negative growth, then Central Bank Governor Jawala Rambarran announced that the country was in a recession. Speaking at a Monetary Policy Forum at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain, Rambarran said the recession was triggered by prolonged supply disruptions in the energy sector resulting in shortfalls in natural gas which in turn adversely affected output of LNG and petrochemicals.

Declines in oil prices resulted in reduced revenue for the country which led to cutbacks in Government expenditure.

Oil prices increased in trading on global markets yesterday, with Benchmark US increasing by US$1.95, or 2.9 per cent, to settle at US$68.47 a barrel.

Brent crude, used to price international oils, added US$1.90, or 2.7 per cent, to close at US$73.48 per barrel.

Commenting on concerns about a proposed $5,000 fine for failing to submit valuation return forms as part of the property tax regime, Imbert said: “There is no requirement at this point in time. That is for the future when that law is fully operational. Not now, no penalty.”

In the Senate, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Allyson West said Government expects objections to the upcoming valuation of land exercises and has proposed a tribunal to handle those issues.

At the time she was piloting amendments to the Land Valuation Bill which will operate in tandem with property tax amendments.

It was then that West announced that the fine for failing to submit valuation return forms will be increased from $500 to $5,000.

Economist Dr Terrence Farrell, who resigned as the chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) earlier this year, does not expect the non-energy sector to grow in 2018 and 2019. In fact, he expected it to contract.

“That is my forecast,” he said during a panel discussion at the T&T Chamber’s Annual Business Luncheon at the Trinidad Hilton and Conference Centre yesterday.

“By the way the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agrees with me. The energy sector is going to improve simply because our gas production is beginning to recover. As a result of that the energy sector will see some increases,” he said.

Farrell said that the temporary poor economic performance of the country is not the issue. What the country needs to do is establish strategies now to diversify the economy in the future.

“The issue is what investments we need to start now that will move us and prepare us for five years from now, ten years from now and fifteen years from now,” he said.

Chamber CEO Gabriel Faria, who chaired the panel discussion, noted the steep decline in revenue from the energy sector.

“For those who do not know, the energy revenue over the past three years has gone from 31 per cent of revenue to just under three per cent. We have a new environment that we are operating in. We cannot continue to do what we were doing previously,” he said.

Faria said companies are still calling the T&T Chamber to complain about the foreign exchange issue and other companies are trying to establish new paradigms.

He said: “There are two companies here, Lange Trinidad Limited and the Hadco Group who decided not to complain about the problem but to change the particular outcome. We have to understand that energy remains an important part of our economy but we have to step up the game.

“We also have to recognise that retail and distribution is a very substantial user of foreign exchange. In light of declining Government revenue, Government has to change its role to a facilitator allowing the private sector to take its role in developing the economy.”

Ronald Hinds, president of the T&T Chamber, told reports he is relieved that container scanners have finally been put into operation at the Point Lisas Port.

“There is the need for efficiencies of Government delivery of things that we know need to be done,” he said.

Overall market activity resulted from trading in ten securities of which none advanced, five declined and five traded firm.

Trading activity on the First Tier Market registered a volume of 338,327 shares crossing the floor of the Exchange valued at $11,805,368.31. Scotiabank T&T Limited was the volume leader with 148,531 shares changing hands for a value of $9,285,362.99, followed by Sagicor Financial Corporation Limited with a volume of 74,685 shares being traded for $575,174.50. Guardian Holdings Limited contributed 59,627 shares with a value of $894,405, while FirstCaribbean International Bank Limited added 33,030 shares valued at $293,967.

The West Indian Tobacco Company Limited registered the day’s largest decline, falling $3.28 to close at $85.23.

Clico Investment Fund was the only active security on the Mutual Fund Market, posting a volume of 12,785 shares valued at $257,745.60. It remained at $20.16.

In Wednesday’s trading session the following reflect the movement of the TTSE Indices:

• The Composite Index declined by 5.00 points (0.40 per cent) to close at 1,231.00.
• The All T&T Index declined by 9.87 points (0.58 per cent) to close at 1,687.52.
• The Cross Listed Index remained at 104.30.

Kirk Henry has been appointed CEO of the National Information and Communication Technology Company Ltd (iGovTT). He took up duties on April 3.

Henry is an accomplished ICT professional with more than 20 years’ experience leading and managing teams in support of ICT-enabled business initiatives at local and regional financial institutions.

He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies with Bachelor and Masters of Science degrees in Computer Science and is also a graduate of the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business where he earned a Master of Science degree in International Finance.

Henry is an ISACA certified IT governance professional and in 2016 was the recipient of their Worldwide Achievement (CISM) Award.

Henry’ takes charge as iGovTT prepares to develop its recently approved three-year strategic plan, in service of the National ICT Plan.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert has finally been able to smile a bit as he revealed with some caution that there are signs of an economic recovery, though modestly projected at two per cent.

This news, delivered to guests at the yesterday’s official launch of container scanners at the Port of Point Lisas, was supported by the International Monetary Fund’s projection.

The Finance Minister, who pegged his last budget on an oil price of US$52 a barrel, must be encouraged by the upward swing of current oil futures at US$70.

Since he took on one of the toughest of portfolios, he has had the most unwelcome of tasks to trim the Government expenditure sails in the face of strong indications that all was not well with the economy.

The news that the economy is showing signs of growth also indicates that some of the most stringent measures introduced, although in some cases painful to endure, are having the desired effect.

However, the kinds of cost controls that are required to correct the Government’s expenditures are likely to be further introduced by way of the minister’s midterm review.

Such a review has become a regular feature and serves to provide an even more detailed report on the performance of the economy ahead of a full budget exercise.

The reality is that the headwinds change regularly and thus require more immediate changes in tactics.

Resolve governance issue

The crippling governance crisis in West Indies cricket has been allowed to continue for too long.

The regional game is sinking deeper and deeper into the doldrums amidst a stand-off between the Dave Cameron-led West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and governments in the region.

Prof Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of UWI, has made the right call for help from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to solve this crisis.

Good governance alone is not sufficient for success but it is the best chance of achieving it, particularly in this region where players are drawn from 16 nations and territories.

Apology accepted

UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s apology for the treatment of members of the Windrush generation paves the way for complete resolution of this unfortunate matter. Citizens of Caribbean origin who had been threatened with deportation and suffered various forms of dislocation can now begin the process of rebuilding their lives in the country which they have a legitimate right to call home.

The countdown to the SEA (Secondary Entrance Exam) is on! Two more weeks! However, the effects of test anxiety on children in compulsory education is increasing in this country. Every year after the exam, without fail, there are reports of children who had experienced extreme distress during the exam: anxiety and panic attacks, cold sweating, trembling, crying, tense muscles, cognitive confusion and mental shutdown.

Children become seriously ill!

The pressure to perform and the fear of failing is a cocktail mix that explodes when children least expect it—during the SEA exam. A few years ago, one student who had peaked in his mock exams at 97 per cent overall, panicked during the exam and was unable to complete the various modules. In the clinical interview with him, he stated that he felt overwhelmed on the morning of the examination and had begun to feel nauseous and upset. He could not tell his parents as they would be worried.

All of his extended family expected him to pass for his first choice and that entire week, they were calling him and urging him to do his best. He knew that they meant well, but he became anxious and agitated, was unable to sleep well and his worst fears had erupted during the exam— he forgot everything that he had learned. Fortunately for him, his case was reviewed and he was allowed to do an alternative exam and did indeed pass for his first choice! But not every child’s story has such a happy ending.

In some of the pre-SEA exam talks that I have held with students, whilst there are concerns about their academic performance, their major worries are with their parents and teachers who, they report, become more demanding, quarrelsome and never-ending in their requests for them to revise their work, “study, study, study!”, no TV or any recourse to play, which is a necessary outlet and a de-stressor for many students.

The reality is that teachers are under pressure for pupils to perform well in their schools, and parents believe that exam results will influence their child’s future and want them to do well. So they unwittingly transmit this stress to their students and children. After listening to one of my talks on the issue, a colleague revealed that she now understood why her daughter had become rebellious in the months leading up to the SEA exam. She had become rude, disobedient and aggressive. Her mother failed to link the pressure of exams and test anxiety to these behaviours, and had become stricter in her interactions with her.

Ten years later, her daughter still experienced issues with self-esteem and performance anxiety, as a child’s earliest experiences of stress can have lasting effects on later life and adult health.

As parents and teachers, there are strategies that can be put in place at home and in the classroom, to stem the rising tides of anxiety, nervousness and stress.

Children who believe that they can succeed are better at overcoming test anxiety.

Reassure the child that the most important thing is that he/ she tries his/her best.

Create a reasonable balance between study and play.

Try not to introduce new foods or new routines at this time.

Ease up on the quarrelling and nit picking. If your child has not “gotten it” by now, he will hardly jump 10 percentages up.

Let them sleep! The brain needs opportunities to recharge and re-focus.

Be conscious of transmitting feelings of tension and stress.

Display tolerance of “new” disruptive behaviours at this time.

Understand where they may be coming from.

Limit the phone calls from every possible family member and friend. This can increase their anxiety.

Teach them a simple breathing technique. If they experience confusion and panic, let them close their eyes for a moment, breathe in slowly and exhale. It works!

This above all: Calm both the inner and outer storms for them.

Begin with you. This too shall pass.

Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor is a Clinical and Educational Psychologist

A report card for a successful T&T economic recovery should read like this: “Through ongoing fiscal consolidation and active debt management, the public debt to GDP ratio is on a firm downward path.

Macroeconomic stability is entrenched, inflation is well anchored, the current account deficit continues to reduce, foreign exchange reserves are being rebuilt and supply side reforms are improving the business environment. Because of the foregoing, the country is returning to a sustainable growth path”.

T&T’s report card is a long way from this. To achieve this outcome requires a series of steps collectively called a turnaround plan. First, is the diagnosis stage where the causes or underlying problem(s) are identified. The second is to take the emergency action required in the short run. The third stage is the crisis stabilisation phase when specific measures to bring the key variables under control are deployed. The fourth stage entails a wider set of policies, to embed the changes to achieve a sustainable result, in keeping with the longer-term goals. This process should have started in 2015.

Within each stage there are discrete steps, some of which will continue though all stages of the plan. Two such steps are, first, a risk assessment of what could go wrong. Secondly, the mitigation devices needed to reduce the impact of any measure which may have unpleasant consequences.

Since, all economic change affects people, the communication component is continuous as stakeholders need to understand how they will be affected. Any process requires their acquiescence, if not grudging support.

Nobody likes unpleasant surprises and we are sceptical of change. We understand that change is inevitable, but new realities especially those increasing cost or service reductions, require co-operation and forbearance, however lukewarm; honey always tastes better than vinegar.

It also requires trust, never easily given. But countries, like organisations, either change or become dysfunctional. The outcomes must be identified, explained and buy-in obtained (Petrotrin?). People need to understand what the results will mean to their lives.

Indeed, communication is the one element which must be consistently maintained throughout a turnaround process. All affected will want to know what has been achieved to date and the journey’s duration.

Leaders need to give more than hope and excuses; they need to provide evidence that the measures adopted are having the desired effect. And if they are not having the desired result, what else needs to be done.

Change involves people, processes and technology. One cannot keep doing the same things and expect a different result. Business must be done more efficiently and more productively. That means new ways of doing things to achieve better outcomes. In some cases, this will require new investment, as distinct from expenditure control/reduction. Some areas may require expenditure-control, that is, getting a bigger bang for the same buck.

To facilitate decisions that appear to be in conflict, priorities must be set and parameters which will allow comparisons and rankings to be assigned. Difficult decisions must be made, and the element of individual judgment or bias will be reduced if there is a framework. For example, mandating departments to simply cut expenses by seven per cent across the board will fail because it does not recognise nuances or priorities.

People with the relevant competencies to execute these arrangements must be recruited. One starts with the available people resources, but it requires a guiding or practised hand to spot and smooth the people blockages that will occur. In life nothing is static. Management (ministerial?) changes will be needed periodically if the northbound train is to be kept on track and at the right speed. You cannot claim success by avoiding tough decisions.

Above all, it will require a scorecard; objective measures by which the performance of the entities can be evaluated, not spin doctoring. The key to astute management is simple: if you cannot or do not measure, how will you know that the objectives are being achieved or that you are progressing?

For example, how do we know that the health care system is performing better than it used to, or performing at all? It is not to be measured by the size of the budget, or how many hospitals built, but by the number patients treated, backlogs reduced and at a sensible cost. Similarly, is our national security system improving? Is it made better because salaries are increased, or new equipment acquired? Is the education system on a successful path?

The UNC administration was bemused by the sharp drop in energy prices. But, they did address the gas shortages by agreeing fiscal incentives to facilitate new drilling activity. Any claim that the economy has since rebounded is cynical, due only to increased gas production resulting from these incentives and improved energy prices.

The deeper issues remain; the expenditure pattern is not sustainable; the tax framework needs to be recalibrated; the management of state enterprises and the provision of public goods must be brought into the 21st century; and productivity, the only sustainable source of wealth, improved. How are these matters being addressed?

This requires patient, disciplined, consistent effort and above all, leadership and management.

It is clear that Trinidad and Tobago could be facing an immigration threat due to an overwhelming increase of foreign nationals entering our country, overstaying and in some cases, coming in undetected.

The research-led analysis has continued to show a close linkage between the illegal immigration issues and organised crime. There have been numerous allegations that corrupt Immigration Officers have been facilitating services, at a cost, to illegal immigrants and persons seeking immigration services, in various ways or the other.

The question that arises, is what are the authorities doing to address this issue, and further probes of whether there is an identified authority in National Security to do same.

Which brings me to the point, that immigration in Trinidad and Tobago needs to be intelligence-led. It pains me to think that our decision makers to date, have not seen the significant role and integral part an intelligence-led immigration services can contribute to our national security grid.

Immigration reforms alone cannot address all the security threats facing the country. Much relies on defence, intelligence and law enforcement apparatuses. However, T&T needs to develop practical immigration and border changes that can improve upon the existing security measures while recognising other important national interests in economic security and meeting its humanitarian obligations.

The National Security Council needs to mandate the Ministry of National Security and by extension the immigration services to aim at becoming “fully intelligence-led”, based on the principles of our National Intelligence Model (NIM).

We need to explore the parameters of our NIM and to fully understand that it was created as an “intelligence-led” business model to be used by defence and law enforcement agencies, including our police service, to set their strategic direction, to prioritise and risk manage resourcing decisions, to formulate tactical plans, and to task and co-ordinate national security actions. A key factor in this directive is the amplified approach to border security and immigration.

What will be key to note, however, is whether our national security agencies are aware of the National Intelligence Model and adhering to the operability of its framework and structure.

We must realise that challenges to our immigration services will never be fully solved if the leadership fails to promote the intervention of a transformational approach that is intelligence led as the modernised concept for its business continuity.

GARVIN HEERAH
Former Head of the National Operations Centre

In last Saturday’s newspaper, the Prime Minister has reassured us citizens that the newly restored Stollmeyer’s Castle “is a piece of our legacy”, and that each and every one of us should know the significance and history attached to all historic buildings, and especially the Magnificent Seven buildings around the Queen’s Park Savannah.

As of now, when T&T is serious about diversifying our economy, tourism is being placed at the forefront and these building, when restored and opened to the public, can bring in well needed foreign currency.

The Tourist Board, through cruise ships, can advertise onboard, (for US$70) a visit to these historic buildings, which are so close to the Port that tourists can visit them before they go off to the Pitch Lake, Temple on the Sea, Maracas Bay etc.

Other parts of the world, including neighbouring Barbados, there are open house days. Francia Plantation House in St George, Barbados, where the original family still lives, allows tourists access to certain rooms, as is done in England also. This gives the visitors an opportunity to witness the charm of a past era and the stories attached to the owners who came to T&T from another country, and brought their families to live here.

In the garden, on these “Open House Days” of these Magnificent Seven Buildings, we can show case the best of T&T souvenirs with only well-made products, T-shirts, chocolate, tea, cocoa, soap, arts and craft, steelpans, post cards etc, for the tourists to take back home.

Refreshments like, a mauby, sour sop drinks, sorrel, tea and coffee along with our local rum cake and fare, can be served at a price of around US$25, for an afternoon tea or coffee morning, allowing us locals to bring our friends to visit also.

PATRICIA BLADES,
Bayside Towers, Cocorite

Some two-and- a half years after ArcelorMittal sent home its workforce, Tubecity IMS Trinidad Ltd has filed for voluntary liquidation.

And the future for some 257 workers appears bleak as they could lose benefits such as severance.

Tubecity IMS Trinidad Ltd is an international company which serves as a contractor to ArcelorMittal.

In 2016 ArcelorMittal was instructed by its corporate head in Luxembourg to shut down the plant and liquidate its assets as it was burdened by $1.3 billion in debt.

The company had said that despite efforts to avoid the closure, local and international challenges had put it under severe financial distress since the second half of 2015.

This led to the closure of downstream companies, Central Trinidad Steel Ltd (Centrin) and Tube City IMS.

Tube City IMS (Trinidad) Ltd (TCIMS) is a leading provider of on-site industrial mill services for steel makers worldwide.

Close to 70 employees of Tubecity IMS Trinidad Ltd attended a creditors meeting at Barataria yesterday. One employee, who has been with the company for the past seven years, accused management of acting in bad faith.

“I have two children in school and it looking like the same situation as ArcelorMittal. If I lose all my benefits how will I provide for my family?” the worker asked.

Another worker, who echoed similar sentiments, feared that his home would be seized as he may no longer be able meet monthly mortgage payments.

Chief labour relations officer of the Steel Workers Union of T&T Timothy Bailey again called on the Government to implement legislation to protect workers.

“The workers are very upset because we have been law-abiding citizens and trying to go through the process of using the court system because the matters are being processed in the court.

In 2016 Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, who had intervened in the ArcelorMittal situation, had said that “never again should an ArcelorMittal-type meltdown be allowed in this country.”

She also promised to bring to Parliament legislative changes to protect workers.

But Bailey said to date nothing has been done and all to the detriment of workers.

“We have been saying from day one that the legislation is too lax. I know this Government will come out of power and nothing will be put in place.

“This Government has no intention of protecting ordinary citizens. It has its own agenda and it is not a Government of the people and they continue to prove that,” Bailey claimed.

He said retrenched ArcelorMittal workers were still struggling to cope. “This is another batch of workers who are going to feel the brunt,” Bailey said.

Following yesterday’s meeting, Bailey said the company remained adamant that it would liquidate.

In 2016 ArcelorMittal was fined $24,000 by the Industrial Court for the procedure it used in laying off over 500 of its employees in December in 2015.

The union had filed the case against the company for failing to properly inform it of the proposal and for bypassing it by negotiating directly with its members.

The company was fined $20,000 for the former and $4,000 for the latter offence after being found guilty.

A doubles vendor who killed a man by setting him on fire has apologised to the relatives of his victim.

Nizam Mohammed, 45, expressed his remorse in a letter which formed part of a mitigation plea presented by his attorney, Israel Khan SC.

Mohammed, his wife Putitia Mohammed and their former worker Daniel Sammy, were all charged in 2008 with the murder of Stephen Joshua, also called Jumbo.

On March 28, following a trial in the San Fernando Third Criminal Court, a jury found Mohammed not guilty of murder, but guilty on the lesser count of manslaughter.

Mohammed’s wife and Sammy were acquitted after they were found not guilty.

In the letter which Khan read to Justice Maria Wilson, Mohammed “deeply “ apologised to Jumbo’s family, the court and his family for the pain and suffering he had caused.

“I never plan on killing Jumbo,” Mohammed stated in his letter. Asking for leniency, Khan said Mohammed was a man of impeccable character, peaceful and a model prisoner. He submitted 10 testimonials attesting to Mohammed’s good character.

“It is an aberration,” said Khan who submitted that his client had lost his self control because he was provoked.

He said Mohammed’s action was triggered by Jumbo invading his home, making death threats and attacking him first. He asked the court to grant the accused a one-third discount on his sentence which is usually done for a guilty plea. Khan said since 2016, they had written the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions asking them to accept a guilty plea for manslaughter, but the DPP refused.

“They wasted blood out of stone.”

He said Mohammed had immediately confessed to killing Jumbo and accepted responsibility for his action.

Accepting that it was a cold and brutal act, Khan said Mohammed has been punished enough since his wife was also locked up and their children were deprived of their parents for almost 10 years.

State attorney Trevor Jones admitted there were significant mitigation factors, but he also listed aggravating factors, including that Jumbo was tied up with wire and was in a drain when gas was poured on him and set alight.

Should the sentence be too lenient, Jones said, it might give the impression that if a person loses self control that “you can get a slap on the wrist.”

However, Khan said Mohammed should be allowed to return to his family.

The incident took place on May 3, 2008, at Mohammed home on Cipero Road, Friendship Village, where he and his family lived in the downstairs apartment.

Mohammed wanted to buy the house and struck an agreement with the owner to pay a down payment and the rest of the money in a year’s time.

He paid $110,000. The defence claimed the owner had hired Jumbo to evict the couple from the apartment, but the owner denied this during his evidence. The judge adjourned the matter to May 3 for sentencing.

The National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) have started the process for putting together a new Technical (Maintenance) Management Team for T&Ts ferry service, including the Water Taxis which services the Port-of-Spain/San Fernando sea bridge.

This was yesterday disclosed to the T&T Guardian by Minister of Works and Transport, Rohan Sinanan.

The minister said interviews were expected to be carried out yesterday by Nidco. He, however, did not divulge if its local or foreign entities.

“Nidco had sent out a tender recently and they have started to engage relevant companies or different providers for the technical management team,” Sinanan said.

“The team, once set up, will look at all government vessels to ensure that they are all working in the manner that they are respected to work,” he added.

The minister predicts that the process should take about one month and once the tender and evaluations are completed the necessary recommendations will be made.

Sinanan, in the recent domestic sea bridge impasse, noted that maintenance was poorly done over the years and thought it was best to have an entirely separate team to look after the technical and maintenance of all the sea vessels.

Even the chairman of the Port of Port-of-Spain, Lyle Alexander, admitted that maintenance was a serious challenge but assured that “the Port is working towards achieving maintenance and sustainable standards.”

Both Sinanan and Alexander attended Wednesday’s official launch of the Customs and Excise Container Scanner initiative held at the Port of Point Lisas.