Boogsie and Etienne in Pan • Brass • Soca: JAM DOWN

Apart from this evening’s A Noble Cause at Queen’s Hall, the weekend’s other mega event is tomorrow evening’s Pan • Brass • Soca: JAM DOWN being produced by Hadco Phase II Pan Groove at its Hamilton Street pan amphitheatre in Woodbrook.

This all-inclusive affair promises to be the sweet spot of Saturday night from 7 pm to 1 am and will feature the music of main stage performers Phase II Pan Groove, featuring “Mozart of Pan” Len “Boogsie” Sharpe; Etienne & Friends, featuring local trumpet extraordinaire Etienne Charles; poetically powerful rapso group 3Canal; and soca singer-songwriter and Grammy winner Angela Hunte.

Also in attendance, connecting the dots, will be DJ Nick Pena.

Patrons will be welcomed by National Panorama (Single Pan) champion Angostura Newtown Playboys Steel Symphony, before showtime, scheduled for promptly 8 pm sharp.

Patrons can take advantage of the included secured park and ride options, at Fatima College Grounds, on Mucurapo Road, and Princess Elizabeth on Ariapita Avenue, with shuttle services available from 6:45 pm.

Tickets cost $600 and, of course, also include a night of all you can eat, premium food and drink options with Yellow Tail wines and Bubbles flowing all night long.

Chairperson of Pan

• Brass • Soca: JAM DOWN Danielle Espinet told Pulse this week: “This event sets out to be a new and different type of allinclusive event; from hosting, in a Cinderella-type-transformed panyard, to bringing back a touch of old school with brass and pan, mixed with just the right amount of rapso rhythm and sultry sounds.

“The entertainment concept was designed to be the perfect recipe for any music lover’s, to enjoy the best elements of Trinidadian music and simply jam down.”

Espinet added: “Treating the crowd to a mix of some of Boogsie’s masterpieces, guests can also look forward to a mix of old time medley of calypsoes and contemporary songs on pan.

“Etienne & Friends, a ten-piece band featuring Roger George, Lima Calbio and Keith Prescott on vocals, are here to jam. But, look for a cross over at some point with the ever rhythmic 3Canal, and the trio of Wendell Manwarren, Roger Roberts and Stanton Kewley intend to create a fluid vibe for the night.

“And, of course, there will also be the special highlight of a collaboration between singer songwriter Angela Hunte and our own maestro Boogsie.”

“The benefits of Pan • Brass • Soca: Jam Down are both worthy and noble, and Espinet revealed that, “this production is a fund-raiser being held to assist Phase II Pan Groove in the implementation of a Youth arm of the band. It is supported by some amazing corporate sponsors including bmobile; Beacon Insurance, and Seaboard Marine.

“Sponsors for the food and drinks include brands like Yellow Tail wines, Magnum Ice cream, Grace, and McCains, Carib, Angostura and Pepsi all of whom will be featured in the multitude of delicious food and drink options that will be available.”

Tickets for the All-Inclusive Pan • Brass • Soca: JAM DOWN are available at Peppercorns mall locations at Ellerslie Plaza and West Mall; Lighthouse Ltd, San Fernando; and, at all Häagen- Dazs’ Shops.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 675-7628 0r 473-5040.

Super Hero Mom

Guardian Media Ltd (GML) played its part to ensure that a special mother had a memorable Mother’s Day. Today, Pulse extends congratulations to the Spann family who won the 95.1 REMIX Super Hero Mom promotion at South Park, San Fernando, on the eve of Mother’s Day, Saturday, May 12.

The family competed in four fun obstacletype challenges against four other families and came out as the victors just in time for Mothers Day. The victorious Spann family, shown at left, won two tickets to Panama, courtesy Suriname Airways, plus lots of other prizes for the entire family to enjoy.

On Mother’s Day, Weston “Cro Cro” Rawlins held his annual Mother’s Day Show at Ambassador Hotel, St James.

Acts included Wendell Mc Boney, who covered contemporary popular R&B and Blues songs and melodies, Patricia “Dynamic Diva” Smith, and Leydon “The Organiser” Joseph.

The latter, a former Kitchener Calypso Revue star performer, performed past hits including Bandit and Trinbago Yankee.

Host Roland Prince kept the audience in peals of laughter during his monologue skit.

Cro Cro, a four-time National Calypso Monarch, closed the show with a lengthy performance which kept the crowd engaged; singing and dancing throughout his set. His repertoire included Hello, Oh Grenada, Corruption Common Entrance and Chop Off Dey Hand.

Many patrons on leaving the show were overheard saying that they are already planning to attend Cro Cro’s 2019 edition of a most enjoyable show.

A Noble Cause on a weekend of fun

From this evening, the weekend gets going on an upbeat mood.

Aside from the comPANions 2018 Steelband Festival eliminations continuing at Curepe Scherzando panyard, on Evans Street, tonight’s mega event is A Noble Cause Gala Concert, at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, at 7 pm. 3Canal, Relator and Lilliput Children’s Theatre are just the three of the top-billed acts on the cast.

This evening, St Ann’s RC Church is also holding its Oneness Pork-A-Thon, at the churchyard in St Ann’s, from 6.45 pm.

In theatre, RS&RR Productions premieres What My Best Friend Did to Me, at Central Bank Auditorium, Lower St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, at 8.30 pm, and actress/singer Karla Gonzalves stars in Sanctuary Productions’ premiere of She: The Stories of Women, at Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook.

Tomorrow, the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts continues the elimination competition of the 2018 Best Village Preliminaries (Community Festivals featuring Folk Presentations & La Reine Rive Preliminaries), at Preysal Secondary School, Couva, at 9 am.

Tomorrow morning, at 10 am, Tuco will also hold its AGM, at the VIP Lounge, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.

ParentingTT stages Water.Earth.Wind.Fire.Aether Family Fair is on from 10 am tomorrow as well, at WASA Grounds, Farm Road, St Joseph. In the evening, from 5.30 pm, Lilliput Children’s Theatre will stage Juliet and Romeo – A Tobago Love Story, at Queen’s Hall.

Kalypso Revue director Skatie is holding his 50th Birthday Show & Dance, tomorrow night, at Spots Entertainment Centre, Malabar, Arima. Billed for this gig are Pink Panther, Anslem Douglas, Cardinal, M’ba, Francis Prime, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Dane Gulston, Joey Rivers Band, Myron B, Lady Africa, The Saint, plus DJs Marlon, Mr Music and Sensational Sammy, and of course Skatie.

Having celebrated her birthday yesterday, calypsonian SpiceY will headline 2Gather tomorrow, at Kaiso Blues Cafe, 85 Woodford Street, Newtown, from 9 pm. Also on the cast will be Sharlan Bailey, Mistah Shak, and Ajibola.

Saturday night action hits a high when St James Secondary Alumni holds its Red Flames Cooler Fete, at How’zat Sports Bar & Pub, Tragarete Road, Woodbrook, at 9 pm.

Things tend to cool off on Sunday, but there will be tempo from 9 am when elimination competition for the 2018 Best Village Preliminaries (Community Festivals featuring Folk Presentations & La Reine Rive Preliminaries) continues at the Barataria South Secondary School.

The National Drama Association of T&T (NDATT) is also holding an Extraordinary Meeting on Sunday at 10.30 am, at the Trinidad Theatre Workshop, 6 Newbold Street, St Clair. In the evening, Shell Invaders panyard, on Tragarete Road, Woodbrook, is expected to pulsate with the All Fours & Karaoke eliminations for the comPANions 2018 Steelband Festival.

That evening, the Gallery at Fine Art San Fernando will host Martin Superville’s Beauty & The Beholder, at The Gallery at Fine Arts, San Fernando, at 5 pm and, at 8 pm, Mary-Ana Baker & Band will host It’s A Love Thing 2 at Kaiso Blues Cafe.

Overall market activity resulted from trading in 12 securities of which six advanced, three declined and three traded firm.

Trading activity on the First Tier Market registered a volume of 201,738 shares crossing the floor of the Exchange valued at $2,632,143.89. Guardian Holdings Limited was the volume leader with 83,904 shares changing hands for a value of $1,382,861.58, followed by Sagicor Financial Corporation Limited with a volume of 55,672 shares being traded for $439,808.80. NCB Financial Group Limited contributed 51,783 shares with a value of $273,848.25, while First Citizens Bank Limited added 3,000 shares valued at $104,986.96.

Guardian Holdings Limited registered the day’s largest gain, increasing $0.48 to end the day at $16.48. Conversely, Unilever Caribbean Limited registered the day’s largest decline, falling $0.24 to close at $32.50.

Clico Investment Fund was the only active security on the Mutual Fund Market, posting a volume of 18,407 shares valued at $371,230.70. It declined by $0.07 to end at $20.17.

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

• The Composite Index advanced by 2.65 points (0.21 per cent) to close at 1,237.64.

• The All T&T Index advanced by 3.04 points (0.18 per cent) to close at 1,725.32.

• The Cross Listed Index advanced by 0.31 points (0.31 per cent) to close at 100.81.

GEORGETOWN—Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states, Guyana and Suriname have agreed to join the region’s Less Developed Countries (LDCs) in agreeing to add paints to the list of products benefiting from Article 164 protection.

This was announced during a news conference at the end of a meeting of the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED) conference, attended by regional trade and economic affairs ministers.

Paint, is one of three items, the others being flour and certain cereals and animal feeds, beer and brewery products that have been so far agreed to pending further consultations by the More Developed Countries (MDCs)—T&T, Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana, which have been given extra time before June 13, to complete their consultations on a raft of items.

Article 164 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas is designed to promote the development of industries in the LDC’s of Caricom, including Belize and Haiti. These countries are allowed to deny certain products originating in Caricom and extra regional countries from preferential entry into their markets.

According to Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to Caricom Dr Clarence Henry, the outcome of the COTED meeting “is a signal of maturity and recognition of the critical importance of this provision of the Treaty which focussed attention of the sensitive industries within the LDCs under Chapter 7 of the Revised Treaty.

“Certainly, the decision today offers new hope for the spirit and application of the provisions of the Revised Caricom Treaty. This COTED, can be described as successful (but) there is still work to be done.”

During the news conference, the council also lamented the apparent influx of extra regional imports of flour and cement from Turkey, as well as the repackaging of goods from extra regional sources that seems to be in violation or breach of the Treaty.

The COTED agreed to a recommendation for a stakeholder consultation June 8—9 on the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) in Guyana, with the aim of addressing insufficient information on the regional project and to give ordinary citizens an opportunity to pose questions or concerns.

The Ministry of Education would do well to expedite investigations into the latest allegation of corporal punishment being meted out to a pupil by a primary school teacher in south Trinidad. This is because not only is the reason behind the act strange, it is also purportedly a case in which the teacher is a part time member of one arm of the country’s national security services.

The female pupil is alleged to have been beaten in front the class for not seeking the teacher’s permission to use the toilet, despite the fact that he was not in class at the time she left to relieve herself. While not stating the obvious, we find this behaviour, if true, to be completely unacceptable.

Corporal punishment has been outlawed in schools for almost two decades now, a direct spin-off of T&T being a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Although there has been constant debate on the merits and demerits of this decision, it remains illegal in the school system.

This latest incident is one of several within recent times in which teachers have been accused of acting irresponsibly towards their pupils. Perhaps it is time for the Ministry of Education and Teaching Service Commission to revisit the teaching code of conduct and become a little more serious on teacher discipline.

Stay calm PanTrinbago

There was more uproar within the pan fraternity on Thursday, after a lawyer representing PanTrinbago executives blocked a planned special convention seeking to plot the way forward in light of a court challenge to a recent meeting at which steelbands sought to oust the Keith Diaz-led hierarchy.

Tempers flared and beer flew as the attorney read out the injunction blocking the meeting, but he took it in good stride and eventually it would seem better sense prevailed and some sort of restructured session was still held. There is undoubtedly a lot of tension within the financially-strapped body and it is perhaps understandable that some steelbands, seeing the current executive as part of the problem, would seek to remove them.However, with an AGM scheduled for later this year anyway, it may not worth it for the fraternity to sink to such depths now.

Congratulations Ahye

We take this opportunity to congratulate sprinter Michelle Lee Ahye on her plan to launch her project, T&T’s Next Top Athlete. While full details have not been released, seeks to give young athletes across the country the exposure and support they need to go to the next level. For this we commend her.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert and UNC Senator Wade Mark were at it again yesterday.

Early in the Senate sitting, both were trading grumbled remarks after Imbert declared mistrust of Mark’s arithmetic.

“You all let me know when you’re ready for me to start formal proceedings,” Senate President Christine Kangaloo reminded both.

But half hour later, as Imbert lavishly praised Opposition and Independent senators for Insurance Bill deliberations, he conceded on Mark’ determination that the bill had 282 clauses.

“I trust his arithmetic in that case,” Imbert grinned.

Agreement on the voluminous Insurance Bill, though Mark still had certain suggestions, was one of the few times both political sides have stood together on something. Certainly, none of that occurred with Government’s recent economic uptick announcement.

At Tuesday’s Senate, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Allyson West was still saying “(UNC) Senator (Taharqa) Obika, please stop saying the economy has crashed!”

Government, however, can expect scepticism if facts of the economic movement are limited to Parliament presentation and PNM chest-thumping.

With PNM’s most significant political challenge to the Opposition to date, its widely touted economic achievement, the UNC on Tuesday strengthened profile slightly with deputy leader Jearlean John debuting as a temporary Senator.

While John’s among UNC’s political weaponry, particularly in the East-West corridor, and PNM MP Maxie Cuffie’s constituency which she’s “working”, it remains ahead how much pushback UNC’s moves will impact on Government’s economic positives.

Cuffie’s relatives said Cuffie, following recent successful neurosurgery, was discharged from hospital on Thursday, “is much improved” and back at his Washington apartment. They expect he’ll remain under observation in the US another few weeks.

The Opposition had banked heavily on negative Government image resulting from the economic downturn’s impact on J Public. And Government’s well aware of UNC’s political predicament in a positive economic landscape.

Imbert in debate, after Opposition down-cry of the economic uptick, queried how the UNC would cope with the 2019 Budget and if Panadol and Limacol would be conscripted to handle their (political) headaches.

More immediate buzz for UNC though, is tomorrow’s (Sun) meeting by supporters of former UNC leader Basdeo Panday and daughter Mickela to discuss T&T’s political climate.

Whether the meeting decides if Panday, 85 next Friday, enters a new political phase or his daughter does, remains ahead.

How concerned UNC’s leadership is about the development can be gauged by yesterday’s sudden Opposition release, on the eve of Panday’s meeting, signalling UNC’s leadership is “taking in front” on the matter. Literally.

UNC announced that party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be honoured at today’s Indian Arrival Day celebrations by the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), where she’ll speak, at a Chaguanas venue similar to Panday’s meeting tomorrow.

Persad-Bissessar’s address will likely target UNC faithful, seeking to steady party foundation against possible Panday “putsch”.

Precautionary indeed. UNC Chaguanas West MP Ganga Singh, recently shifted to last on the Opposition backbench, confirmed “active consideration” to attend Panday’s meeting.

Singh added yesterday: “As a student of T&T political history it’s an interesting development: the first time in political history a former PM, founder of the UNC, is contemplating forming an alternative political party. We’re living in interesting times.”

Some from Panday’s heyday were invited to the open forum. Ex-sidekick Jack Warner, an invitee said, “I have a prior engagement. I wish them the best and will monitor developments.”

Also invited, senior counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj said, “I’ll be overseas, but I wish the meeting well.”

Former Naparima MP Nizam Baksh confirmed invitation from Mickela, but says Ramadan fasting’s started. Ex-MP Chandresh Sharma said Wednesday he was at a funeral and didn’t say “yea” or “nay.” UNC’s Fazal Karim said he wasn’t invited.

If not for Government’s economic uptick, UNC officials may not have been watching to see if the Pandays’ future path may cross UNC’s in traditional strongholds.

However, Roodal Moonilal, whom Panday mentored, said, “People are free to meet the public. But T&T’s always been a two-party system, I don’t see that changing.”

Last week I ended by characterising the East Indian way of life as one being filled with devotion to country. This devotion is akin to the love and affection that one would have for his/her own mother.

On that note, Hindu East Indians who first arrived in Trinidad on 30th May 1845 aboard the SS Fatal Razack and ships that followed, also brought with them an entrenched penchant to worship the Supreme Lord as the Divine Mother. The famous “Gayatri” mantra is testimony of early Vedic hymns in the worship of “Shakti” or the female aspect of God.

East Indian Hindu traditions include daily offerings of “Jal” or water to the sun at sunrise. Of all the natural wonders we revere, the most striking is the exact moment when the sun comes over the horizon.

Hindus believe that this period of dawn is the blessing of the Divine Mother herself, where the light rays shower the earth and mankind with “Prana” or positive spiritual energy.

The belief in this significant physical display of the Divine Mother is analogised in Hindu scriptures where “Shakti”, in the various forms of ‘Goddess Saraswati’, ‘Goddess Durga’, ‘Goddess Lakshmi’, ‘Goddess Kali’ and many other Goddesses are enshrined and revered even above the male form of Godhood.

In East Indian culture, the system is not totally patriarchal. For example, we speak of our Motherland (not Fatherland), we refer in our conversations to ‘matribhasha’, our mother language not ‘pitribhasha’ our father language.

Again, in Hindu scriptures sons were addressed by their mother’s name and belonged to the mother, not the father. Lord Krishna was called ‘Yashodananda’ (son of Yashoda) after his mother’s name Yashoda.

In the Mahabharata, the famed archer Arjuna was called Kaunteya, meaning ‘son of ‘Kunti’, his mother’s name.

The Great poet Tulsidas, in his composition of the Hanuman Chalisa, refers to the Great Lord Hanuman as “Anjani putra” or son of Anjani.

In Hindu scriptures, the women had an important role in society and included all fields of life, whether warfare, governance, literature and even spiritual quest. In the Brihadaranaka Upanishad (Hindu religious text), reference is made to ‘Gargya’, a great female sage (rishi).

The ‘Ramayan’ (Hindu scripture) referred to in my last article speaks of Lord Ram performing Navaratri worship of the Devi (female) before going to war. In the Mahabharata, Arjuna invokes the Divine Mother before entering the battlefield. In this present period of time, called ‘Kali-Yuga’, Adi Gura Shankaracharya (one of our great Sages) worshipped the Devi or Devi Mother with the famous Sanskrit composition, ‘Soundarya Lahari’.

Our ancestors/forefathers from India used the highest title of “Devi” when addressing mothers and women.

Nowadays, we use ‘Devi’ in referring to our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives. The East Indian way of life is to regard them as Goddesses. The festivals which East Indian Hindus traditionally upkeep such as ‘Nau Ratam’ or ‘Navaratri’ have as their central theme, the worship of the female form. East Indian marriages actually promote the Hindu ideal that a bride is the personification of Goddess Lakshmi.

For all those critics who continue to bash the East Indian way of life, it is an undeniable fact that the East Indians have maintained as part of their inherent nature, an appreciation for the women in our society.

Everyday teachings in Maha Sabha schools include the daily obligation to honour mothers by bowing at their feet. Whenever a religious ceremony is performed, there is circumambulation of our mothers with light (Aarti), the highest form of worship in Hindu rites.

The East Indian way of life is not to drink rum and beat women, as is portrayed by certain local media streams and entertainers, but to literally honour our women in society! Hindus’ normal mode of worship mandates that this type of honour is accorded to mothers, wives and girls. Last Sunday, we celebrated Mother’s Day, a highly westernised concept of honouring mothers. The East Indians have been doing this on a daily basis since time began.

It is unfortunate that our society is deteriorating from the point of view that there is a substantial rise in crimes against women. This cannot and should not continue as it would spell the inevitable destruction of all moral and religious values. In celebration of Indian Arrival Day, it is suggested that a special effort be made by all to recommit to respecting and honouring our women in society.

Happy Indian Arrival month!

On March 21 this year, 44 African heads of state and government officials signed the agreement to establish the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which was initiated by the African Union.

The signing took place in Kigali, Rwanda.

Since 2012, the AU had begun to develop the AfCFTA. The free trade area will be one of the world’s largest in terms of the number of countries, covering more than 1.2 billion people and over $4 trillion in combined consumer and business spending if all 55 countries join.

Calestous Juma of Harvard Kennedy School and Francis Mangeni from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, in Zambia, wrote: “The TFTA is a key landmark in Africa’s economic history. It ranks in significance with the independence of Ghana in 1957, the creation of the Organisation for African Unity in 1963, and its reinvention as the African Union in 2002.

To paraphrase Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, the best way to learn to be a continental free trade area is to be a continental free trade area” (June 11, 2015)

There are some optimistic expressions about its future.

Matthew Davies, Al Jazeera’s Africa Business Report editor, stated, “Generally speaking, it’s the first stage of closer economic co-operation with a view to possible integration. The next stage would be a customs union, where each country would have the same tariffs with the outside world and low or no tariffs between each other.

“Then comes a common market, where goods, services and labour move tariff and quota-free between the countries and the bloc has a common trade relationship with the rest of the globe. Further integration involves political union and a unifying single currency.”

Landry Signé writing in The Washington Post stated: “The AU and its member countries hope the AfCFTA will accelerate continental integration and address the overlapping membership of the continent’s regional economic communities (RECs).

Many African countries belong to multiple RECs, which tends to limit the efficiency and effectiveness of these organizations.”

While the rest of world is looking at this African development, the current Government of T&T, as well as a significant section of our African elite (not necessarily the same thing!), have shown no enthusiasm for African affairs. Both have conveniently bypassed the UN declaration of the current International Decade for the People of African Descent.

The National Joint Action Committee and the Emancipation Support Committee are the main organisations keeping IDPAD prominent. Both organisations observe the annual African Liberation Day on May 25th which commemorates the founding of the OAU/AU. The Government and the African elite are indifferent to the 2003 declaration that the African Diaspora is the Sixth Region of the AU.

Any integration process is a laborious and contentious matter. For example, Nigeria, one of the key negotiators for the Kigali agreement, has not signed on as yet because President Buhari said he needed more time to consult with unions and businesses to assess the effect that AfCFTA would pose to his country’s manufacturing and small-business sector.

Burundi, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and Benin have not yet signed.

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, a staunch advocate for a more united Africa, stated his frustration with Nigeria and the other countries’ failure to take part. He said that he had long advertised all African countries to participate.

The European Union took more than 50 years to accomplish what exists today. And it still has to contend with Brexit.

Caricom, described as “the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world”, was inaugurated in July 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas, later revised in 2002. Caricom still seeks an elusive single market and economy.

Information about the African Continental Free Trade Area demands greater exposure in the Caribbean. An economically (and politically) united Africa means a lot for the self-esteem of Africans in our region.

Aiyegoro Ome

Much of the blame for the crime problem that we are facing today can be placed on the feet of religion.

Religion, as an important social institution, has not and cannot deliver on its promise.

It’s supposed to assist in the prevention and deterrence of crime by bringing the fear of God into persons who are considering committing or committed a crime.

Too many of us today see crime as a viable option and have no issue engaging in this behaviour. In fact, to many, it’s justified.

Religion is preaching to the already converted. To what extent does religion really go down in the trenches and deal with potential and existing criminals? Very little. Has religion lost its moral compass and missionary purpose?

Also, to what extent does religion assist victims of crime? Or, does religion say that criminals, like law-abiding persons, have free choice to commit crime?

Does a victim have free choice to be a victim too? Why does God “intervene” sometimes and not all times? Is it that criminals have no fear of God? Has religion lost its purpose in today’s society?

Then what shall replace religion in dealing with crime? Would promoting moral values make any difference? Who has the moral authority to do so—the politician, the education system, the family, the community, the media?

The question now is: Where do we start this new battle against crime as religion has failed us? We cannot pray ourselves to safety and security!

Kevin Ram,
via email

T&T’s women footballers will begin their quest for Fifa World Cup qualification today when they clash with the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) in the feature match of a double-header from 6.30 pm at the Home of Football, Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

The Group C match will follow an earlier encounter at 4 pm in which St Kitts/Nevis will take on Dominica.

The T&T women will be attempting to replicate their performance at the 2015 qualifiers that saw them finish fourth in the Concacaf Championship, before being edged out 1-0 by Ecuador in the Inter-Continental play-off, to narrowly miss out on a spot at the Fifa World Cup in Germany.

Yesterday Mariah Shade, one of the most experienced players in the team, stressed the importance of starting on a winning note. “We are very much excited about this World Cup campaign. We have been training really hard and we are focused on the task at hand. We are committed to the goal which is to qualify for the World Cup,” Shade said.

“The mindset for us is to dominate. We know at this level we usually put in a lot of goals. We don’t just want to win but we want to dominate the matches as well. It is just to put in the work and hopefully, with the blessing of God, we can achieve this.

“We need to go in there with a mindset in spite of the score, we need to finish off the games strongly.”

USVI coach Izler Browne, who is a former national player and coach, said her team will not be intimidated by the hosts. “I had to go in and put things in place for consistency in the Women’s game in the USVI,” Browne said, following her appointment as coach.

“At the senior team level, we are at a transitional stage. It’s a relatively young team with a couple older players. We are trying to ensure the younger players all get a taste of international football in this tournament.

“We understand the magnitude of the team we are playing against. We want to be able to give a credible performance. We understand that for us we may not play the game in the way we want or the result may not be what we want but it is important for us to ensure that this is something we can build on,” Browne said.

Another T&T coach Rajesh Latchoo, who is at the helm of the Dominica team said he is anticipating a decent showing from his troop.

BRIDGETOWN—West Indies legend Joel Garner has added his voice to those supporting the massive goodwill effort to rebuild stadia affected by the passage of deadly Hurricanes Irma and Maria last September.

West Indies clash with an ICC World XI on May 31 at Lord’s in a fund-raising Twenty20 International and Garner noted that cricket was again showing it was a unifying force for good.

“Our players have always been willing to be involved in any kind of charitable working going back to my playing days and even before,” said the former Windies team manager.

“It is great to see the youngsters have again joined that rich tradition and are happy to participate an give back to the community and those in need.”

The great former fast bowler was Windies team manager last year during the one-day tour of England when several Caribbean islands were devastated by the tropical cyclones.

He joined the outreach then by volunteering to collect funds and this year will be involved as part of the delegation to Lord’s for the high profile match.

“Last year, we had a good day at the Oval where we interacted with the spectators in an effort to raise funds,” he explained.

“This year will be no different. I think over 6,000 tickets have been sold so far and the match is still two weeks away. Based on these sales, it seems we will have a great crowd at Lords for the upcoming game.”

He continued: “Cricket is again showing it can be a ‘force for good’ and it can help to bring people together. We have a situation here where cricket has stepped forward to help those in need. We have to say a huge thanks to the players who will participate.

“All around the world sports helps to bring a smile to people’s faces and sportsmen are hailed as heroes, so it’s always great to see when those players give back in a meaningful way.”

The Windies will be led by T20 World Cup hero Carlos Brathwaite and includes two-time world champions Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Samuel Badree.

The match will also mark a return to international cricket for Andre Russell following his recent year-long ban.

England white-ball captain Eion Morgan will skipper the World XI which will feature exciting Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, Pakistan batting star Shoaib Malik, Bangladesh stroke-maker Tamim Iqbal as well as Sandeep Lamichhane, the sensational 17-year-old wrist spinner from Nepal.

The match will be played under lights starting at 6 pm (1 pm Eastern Caribbean time). (CMC)

Fashion and jewelry designer Cheryl Ryan-Mohammed is proudly flying the T&T flag high in the Middle East with the recent establishment a store at the famous Taj Mall in Amman, Jordan, showcasing her C-Designs collection.

“To be in a location with some of the most famous designers in world is really a privilege. Thank God I got the opportunity. I’m into my second collection at Taj Mall which has my entire line including cashmere pieces blended with crystals,” she said.

It was about 12 years ago that Ryan-Mohammed began her journey into the world of jewelry, designing earring, rings, chains, pendants and full sets using silver and gold-plated material as well as precious and semi-precious stones.

A lover of nature, especially the ocean, Mohammed-Ryan draws on that inspiration for much of her work.

“I have been in fashion for a number of years and what inspires me is our beaches, oceans, rivers. I am also inspired by women. I believe every woman is unique and every woman is beautiful and sophisticated.

“We are a cosmopolitan society where there are various races…all that I draw inspiration from,” she said.

Her designs are also influenced by her love of Middle-Eastern culture and some of the pieces are crafted in collaboration with international designers.

“I am deeply involved with the Middle East. That’s where my attraction is in term of how I think because my stuff has a lot of bling and a lot of working on it and that region appreciates that kind of work in terms of design of jewelry,” Ryan-Mohammed explained.

Crafting jewelry isn’t her only talent.

Ryan-Mohammed also designs beach and Islamic wear which are increasingly in demand internationally. Her hijabs and abayas are elegant and intricately woven, yet fashionable.

“Abayas are the main stay of the Middle East. I love modest wear and in my research the women of the Middle East, they hunger for fashion even though they are covered. They are very sophisticated in covering and it speaks to me. I can easily look at someone and capture an image in my mind of what to sketch and what will appeal to them. “

Having linkages in the Middle East made it easier for Ryan-Mohammed to penetrate that market and this is her second successful year there.

“Before going into it I did my research regarding the market aspect of the Middle East. Also, I have friends there, so when I went in I was well received. I shouldn’t say surprisingly so because we of the Caribbean, we are exciting people and we love colour and they in the Middle East want colour and want to embrace it. 

“When I went into the market they wanted pieces showing that colour. The women of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are into lots of blacks but they also want colour,” she said.

Ryan-Mohammed has just returned from Jordan where she is collaborating with agents in those territories to design coloured Islamic wear.

“There is a segment of women out there who want some excitement in colour. Of course they must cover and I appreciate that as well but especially the young demographic, they want colour. There’s no movement away from the blacks because that tradition is very strong. It will always remain but there is a movement to include colour depending on the occasion,” she said.

C-Designs is set to expand even further as Ryan-Mohammed has just entered the sporting arena and is producing uniforms for one of the largest football clubs in Amman.

“We have two other clubs waiting for us to do designs. They saw my designs and wanted this translated into sport, a shirt specifically,” she explained.

Ryan-Mohammed said her design style is classic. She does not go for fads.

“If I go with a piece I will want my client to wear the piece ten years from now. It has not aged,” she explained.

“Everywhere I go I look for fabric, trimmings. These are the things that excite me and that is where I also draw my inspiration. If I go to an environment and I’m having tea or coffee by the ocean I will rush to get my pen and paper because something triggered me,” she said.

Her love the ocean inspired one of her clothing lines, It’s Ah Wrap, Beach Concepts.

“C-Designs is inspired by the beaches of T&T. I love to be by the beach or the pool with my lipstick and make-up and my jewelry but I must look classy.

“I could not find anything to buy anywhere. What I saw was too mundane. I decided to do it myself and my friends also loved it. The more I travel, the more I got more ideas and the more my brain expanded,” Ryan-Mohammed said.

Apart from markets in Tobago, parts of the Caribbean and the Middle East, Ryan-Mohammed is also expanding to Ghana where there is an agent marketing her pieces.

Although she faces some challenges, including difficulties in obtaining foreign exchange, Ryan does not allow anything to deter her from building on the success of her business. She said the key is to be creative and stay within one’s means.

“If things happen the way it ought to foreign exchange will be coming into Trinidad but, in the meantime, you simply work with what’s available.

“Think big but start small. Take it step by step. That’s what I have been doing. My thinking is wide but in terms of climbing, it’s incremental because as you go along, try to perfect the craft. Don’t take a big junk that you can’t handle.”

Higher energy prices and increased gas production are indicators that the economic climate in the country is improving but Arun Seenath, partner at Deloitte, is adopting a wait-and-see posture on whether T&T is fully in recovery mode.

He wants to see trends over the next two quarters of 2018 before making a definitive statement on the matter.

As he gave his assessment on the mid-year review of the 2018 Budget delivered by Finance Minister Colm Imbert earlier this month, he said: “Unless the minister can give some projection—when they start paying their corporation tax, their petroleum profits tax—that’s when you would see the true impact of revenue coming back from oil and gas.”

In an interview at Deloitte’s Ariapita Avenue headquarters, Seenath said increased gas production could have a trickle-down effect to create employment and trigger increased spending. In fact, at Deloitte, which provides auditing, tax and advisory services to a large local clientele, they have started seeing some signs of growth in sectors of the economy.

“There could be some level of turnaround, but it difficult to say in which sector that has happened,” he said.

“We are mindful that tax rates increased in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The first quarter of 2018 would have been March 2018, you would have seen the impact of the increased taxation rate on the banks which went from 35 per cent.”

This increase might have caused a spike in revenue, he added.

Commenting on the projected reduction in the deficit, he said: “There is need to understand how much Government owes in terms of service providers, in terms of contractors, as well as VAT returns.

“There have been cases where VAT refunds have been paid some have not been paid.”

Millions in property tax lost

Seenath said property tax is a fair source of revenue but, for years, there has been a lot of evasion. He estimates that T&T lost about $300 million for each of the years property tax was not collected.

“Every dollar counts in terms of our deficit and where we are at,” he said.

“When politicians act in this way it is not simply because they are managing the finances, they are also managing their term as a government and those terms come to an end.”

While is hopeful that implementation of the Revenue Authority will lead to improvements in tax collection, Seenath warned that the same issues which hampered the Board of Inland Revenue—corruption, poor productivity, poor efficiency—could lead to leakages.

These inefficiencies must be eradicated of there is to be any real change in T&T’s system of tax and tax collection, he said.

Seenath said consumers have to adjust their spending patterns to accommodate property tax and the possibility of less disposable income. It can no longer he about impulse buying. Instead the focus should be on price versus preference.

He said it was prudent decision not to devalue the dollar since the price of basic items.

“A devaluation would result in a larger price for inputs. The revenue would go up obviously. The net effect would not be as significant, and that is just on the manufacturing side.”

He is of the strong view that those who can afford to pay taxes should be made to pay more, including more of the self employed, such as taxi drivers and doubles vendors.

He advised that the authorities look at ways to include more people in the tax net:

“If a doubles man must sell doubles, he needs to get a food badge. Instead, of a food badge costing $250 it should be $5,000.

“The taxes should be collected through the licences, through the permits.”

Seenath also suggested increasing the fees for taxi drivers to renew their permits.

He fully supports the idea of a National Investment Fund which he said could help to soak up liquidity. The strategy, he said, is to encourage savings by including individual investors.

While he see challenges in the area of foreign direct investment, Seenath is confident that improvements in the economy will attract more investment.

Part I

To become the next ‘hot’ investment opportunity, we need to offer the best incentives available anywhere.

1 Hotel investment fund

The Government needs to establish a hotel investment fund (HIF) of between US$1billion to US$5 billion of equity financing to be used to invest in new hotels on both islands.

It can start by transferring all its existing hotel investments into the fund making up the balance with cash. Raising equity capital for hotel projects is difficult at the best of times. Throughout the Caribbean, there are numerous projects that never get off the ground because prime real estate owners did not have access to equity funding.

These funds should have a fixed low rate of return and could be offered for the first ten years of the project.

The average equity investment from this source should be in the range of 25% of the equity requirement, but should not exceed 49%. This minority shareholding leaves the entrepreneur in control of his project.

Earnings from these investments are returned to the HIF for future investment in other new tourism projects. At the end of ten years, the owner would be required to purchase the government’s investment on very reasonable terms, thus freeing up capital for reinvestment back into the sector.

2 VAT exemption on all materials used in new projects

To attract outside investors to the islands, the cost to build a new plant must be on the same terms as exists in other Caribbean countries.

Failure to remove VAT from new construction means that it costs 12% more to build a new resort in T&T when compared to other Caribbean destinations where VAT does not exist.

Since hotels or land developers do not generate significant VAT invoices, they have no way of recovering the VAT.

3 No duty on FF&E (furniture fixtures and appliances)

All taxes should be removed from the purchase and importation for FF&E on all new and refurbished projects. This is a common practice in all Caribbean destinations.

Although it exists in T&T for hotel investments, it is not available to villas and condominium projects that form a significant part of current trend. The concession should be accessible every 3-5 years.

The key to access this benefit is that the unit must be in an approved rental pool for a minimum of three years.

4 Infrastructure rebate

If a developer is required to put infrastructure in place that would normally be the state’s responsibility, he should be entitled to a tax credit or grant, equal to 100% of the expenditure.

This benefit should also relate to the cost of conducting EIA studies, pre feasibility studies, as well as construction of sewers, roads, water, drains and electrical infrastructure, etc.

5 Tax credit of 25%

This amount, 25%, should be allotted to individuals or corporations on equity investments in new capital approved projects in the tourism sector. They should be deductible in the year that the investment is made.

This would attract equity investors who would normally place their funds elsewhere, perhaps in the stock market where the return is higher or on fixed deposits where the return is certain.

Since it is not expected that any equity investment in the hotel industry will pay dividends in the first 5 years of operation, this tax credit substitutes the lost return during the early days of the enterprise, making the investment competitive.

6 Five-year tax holiday on profits earned from new Investments in the service sector.

Many service institutions are key to the development of a vibrant hotel industry. These include: restaurants, dive shops, boutiques, etc. The tourism authorities will have to develop a list of targeted service companies that are necessary to drive the development of the sector. Concessions should be limited to a fixed number of startups in each sector.

7 Training grant

There should be a 50% matching funds (grant) on all training of workers for new projects.

One of the great challenges in getting projects off the ground is the lack of skilled workers in both the construction and service industries.

Companies need to be encouraged to invest in these areas. All great service companies have continuous training programs, the benefits of which are clearly visible when we interact with them.

Incentives to existing tourism facilities

To encourage growth and the re-vitalisation of existing hotel operations, it is necessary to carry over some of the incentives suggested for new projects. These incentives are additional to what is already offered.

1. TRAINING GRANTS as with new projects, existing hotels and service providers need the 50% matching training (grant) to keep their service outstanding. Perhaps the greatest challenge to the industry is the need to continuously train staff. T&T is not known for great service. To overcome this challenge, the country needs to encourage continuous investment in training. These programs should be approved by the tourism authorities, with the grants distributed on the attainment of the certified skills.

2—DUTY & VAT-FREE CONCESSIONS DUTY and VAT-free allowances on all approved upgrades to existing plant and equipment. This should be a benefit offered on a continuous basis and should be available to all approved industry service providers, accessed every 3 to 5 years depending on the item. This is particularly important to non hotel companies that service the tourism trade.

3. DUTY FREE ON CONSUMABLES. There is a new trend in the region to offer duty-free concessions on consumables for hotels, restaurants and bars which are all now being defined as export industries. This is particularly being requested by all inclusive hotels (such as Sandals) who are constantly looking at ways to improve profit margins. In granting this type of concession, one has to look at the total offering of tax incentives made available to the enterprise before deciding on eliminating the import tax on consumables.

4. TAX HOLIDAY ON REFURBISHMENT. All too often, incentives are directed at encouraging new development with little thought given to revitalising the existing stakeholders. Today, much of the tourism plant on both islands is tired and needs to be refreshed. A 10-year tax-free holiday on earnings should be offered for existing hotels that undertake major refurbishment. These costs can run as high as 25% of the original capital employed. This incentive will encourage owners to reinvest their profits back into their properties.

5. FOREIGN EXCHANGE FINANCE. Around 0.1% of all foreign exchange earned should go into a grant to be used to support the running cost of the islands hotel and tourism associations. These trade associations are the life blood of the industry. This benefit rewards productivity and helps build a sustained fund to grow the industry This incentive rewards performance of those who build the foreign exchange earnings of the country. It will also help reduce the leakage of foreign exchange.

6. PROMOTION AND MARKETING FUND. For the next three years, all of the hotel room tax earned by the state is placed in an advertising and promotion (A&P) fund and bumped up to a max spend of $100 million. It is to be jointly spent by the tourism authorities and the two main hotel associations. This fund will provide a level of stability in terms of sustainable promotion of the destination.

It places marketing funds in the hands of those who have the most to gain, and makes the industry responsible for its own performance. It also ensures that these funds are spent in the most productive way. At the end of the first three years, the guarantee should be removed leaving the room tax collected as the only source of marketing funds. No cap should be placed on this fund for the next ten years.

Whatever changes are agreed to, it is important that the process become dynamic. The new system of incentives must be easy to operate and easy to modify and update, because the industry is constantly evolving. Cutting-edge incentives today can become uncompetitive and obsolete overnight.

KEVIN KENNY
 

There have been suggestions as to the industries which should engage our attention as we seek to diversify the economy. These include marine (with a port to service the traffic of the expanded Panama Canal and, more generally, the blue economy), agriculture (including our fine cocoa to which we can add our prize winning honey), financial services ( given our population of well-trained accountants), energy services for export, expansion of the on-shore manufacturers, support of start-up SMEs via the innovation fund, business process outsourcing, even the manufacture of aluminium motor car wheels, improved tourism and the creative industries.

This is quite a varied list. However, the philosophy is that every drop earned in foreign exchange goes to filling the bucket. Some commentators point to the industrial mix of Germany, which shows that some 68 per cent of that country’s export activities, the Mittelstand, comes from its SMEs, as a justification for such a diverse basket of industries. Import substitution is another string to the diversification bow, particularly food.

Still, the economic history of our country, even of the region, is one of the plantation where capital and technology are imported and the output commodities exported to earn the foreign exchange that the local private sector uses to import/markup/sell goods and services to the population.

Hence, diversification would be a major paradigm shift, one which for the past 50 years is recognised as being desirable given the volatility of our petroleum-based economy.

Yet it has not been achieved. Is this because of the rigidity of the private sector, its inability to adapt from sourcing/selling imports to exporting? Whatever it is, there has to be a government driven initiative to construct this new economy.

Evidence for this kind of initiative is the economic transformations of Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, S Korea that all depended on strong, determined and enlightened leadership of the respective governments.

The question then arises whether government policy should simply be that of a facilitator, for example, providing funding for serendipitous industrial projects of the population at large, eg the “i2i” of the PP Government—a sort of bottom up approach to diversification- or simply encouraging foreign investment?

The basic specification for our diversification as a small open economy is that we have to export to earn the foreign exchange we require, at least to fund the imports that we cannot/do not produce ourselves. Hence, in these export activities we have to be globally competitive and this differentiation is today achieved/maintained via the use of knowledge, its creation and invention/innovation in the products/services we export.

Therefore, one wonders if building a transshipment port locally in competition with Jamaica, Bahamas, Port Houston—Texas, Dominican Republic, Cuba, all clustered in the larger Caribbean area and/or a dry docking facility with the Chinese, make economic sense.

Maybe the real immediate opportunity is in the near-sourcing that reduces transport costs and time, given the rising costs of manufacturing in China, Asia.

There are three ways in which we can achieve such competitiveness: exploiting local comparative advantages, business conceptual innovation and by creating structured advantages.

T&T’s natural/comparative advantages include tropical agriculture, tourism, some oil/gas, culture, an educated and trained labour force with moderate wage/salary demands and even its location.

Business innovation is about the deconstruction and reconstruction of existing business, the use of existing technologies to create new Internet based businesses.

Structured advantage is the use of the results of R&D with the IP protection offered by patents etc.

What is important to note is that simply having a natural/comparative advantage or being able to do something does not make the country globally competitive in the associated industry.

For example, we indeed have a very fine cocoa, Trinitario, but apart from selling the beans on the global market, it needs more if we are to compete with the likes of Cadbury or Toblerone. We need in-depth knowledge, novel products and global market development and marketing.

Still, we have been told by Richard Baldwin in his book, “The Great Convergence”, that instead of an emerging economy building the whole value chain of an industry locally or even initiating it, the globalisation of the value chains by the developed economies (splitting the production process into different modules that are performed in various countries) allows the developing nation to join international production arrangements to become competitive and then industrialise by getting more good jobs inside the international value chain.

Moreso, the highest rewards in the value chain also goes to branding, market development and marketing. This is a natural advantage of the T&T on-shore sector; however, its market focus is local.

Hence, this on-shore sector is a prime choice for business innovation, its deconstruction and reconstruction to focus its activity instead on the regional and global markets.

Indeed, attaching oneself to a link on the global market chain based on local comparative advantage is a quick way to diversify into the export market.

However, in order to move up the reward value chain the developing country in the longer term has to have built its own structured advantage by indigenous R&D, innovation or by branding, marketing and sales.

The playbook for our diversification then is first to identify the natural advantages we possess and their possible uses as leverage to join related global value chains. It is interesting to note that the growing trade model of China with the developing countries, particularly Africa, is not about distributing its product value chain among these countries but in selling cheap goods and procuring from the developing countries, commodities (see Chinese Imperialism in Africa).

Together with this, joining a product value chain, we must start our R&D activity, which should aim at creating knowledge towards innovation into novel products and services.

The immediate task now is a selection exercise, foresighting, since our limited human and capital resources do not allow many disparate areas of endeavour, especially as competitiveness is maintained by R&D/innovation. This approach may be more structured than the serendipitous path, but it does not inhibit the loner who may have a world beating idea, a potential SME.

Still, it is important to note that countries that use knowledge as a competitive advantage are richer/capita that those that use, say, cheap labour.

MARY K KING
St Augustine
 

The United States continues to explore opportunities to further trade relations with T&T. A trade delegation from that country recently visited to explore new prospects, create additional linkages and expand networks.

Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon told the eight-member delegation: “In the western hemisphere, T&T is ranked as the United States’ 59th trading partner and the largest importer of American goods in Caricom.

“The United States exported over $16 billion worth of products to T&T and imported approximately $19 billion worth of our products.

“Over the last decade, we have maintained a trade surplus with the United States which is in no small part due to the United States Government’s Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI).”

The CBI facilitates development of stable Caribbean economies through provision of duty-free access to the US market for select goods.

Gopee-Scoon said: “The current system of the preferences expires in 2020 and it is anticipated that the United States’ Government will seek a renewal of the waiver of its WTO obligations in order to continue to provide duty free treatment and access to products from Caricom member states including T&T into their market.

“The Government has also commenced work in this regard with the intent of maintaining the arrangement by engaging our regional and international counterparts.”

The United States delegation comprised marine; safety and safety equipment; road building infrastructure; beverage; information and communication technology and professional services firms.

Nirad Tewarie, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce of T&T (AmCham T&T) affirmed that this country “has a very sophisticated business environment and is the place to do business.”

He said the US trade relationship with T&T is of utmost importance to AmCham and the organisation is committed to working with the US Embassy to help US companies take advantage of trade and investment opportunities.

Dexter Payne, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy, said the trade mission signals US confidence in the economy.

“This mission is in keeping with our mission to increase US exports; support the diversification of the economy in T&T and build bilateral relationships between both countries,” he said.

His amazing ability to dramatise stories with a mixture of entertainment and messages of sound values is what makes Fareid Carvalho a household name in T&T’s children’s theatre industry.

Only two weeks ago, he returned to the adult theatre world exploring vital themes such as fatherhood.

In the business for some 17 years, Carvalho’s unique talent has resulted in his productions being sought after especially by secondary school students who study his work in great detail. Part of the School Based Assessments (SBAs) require students to study a live play.

Carvalho, who turns 37 on May 25, has had his plays sponsored and endorsed by the Education Ministry.

But how did his journey begin?

“At St Monica’s Preparatory School the junior school was not allowed in the choir. There was a fantastic acting coach, Sonia Moze. On my lunch hour instead of pitching marbles I would sneak into the hall. I used to watch her in awe directing the students and I couldn’t wait to become part of it all. I was in Standard Two and I could not wait to be in Standard Five,” Carvalho reminisced.

He then went on to St Anthony’s College where his love for theatre and singing intensified. He also became a member of the Love Movement at the junior and senior levels.

“At St Anthony’s I headed the drama department and everything just unfolded from Forms Two and Three,” Carvalho said.

His modelling career also took off at that time when he was discovered by famed fashion designer Meiling.

Coincidently, while at one of the shows, Raymond Choo Kong, a stalwart in the theatre industry, invited him to an audition.

From there, Carvalho’s talent drew much attention as he worked with Richard Young of The Cloth and became a key figure in Radical Designs.

A world of opportunities also presented itself to him, including numerous television commercials.

It’s all of these elements combined which has resulted in Carvalho’s many roles today including producer, writer, director, and now drama teacher.

“While modelling I had to act and while acting I had to model. Everything is intertwined. I never trained formerly. It’s a God-given gift and I decided I wanted to make a livelihood out of it. I didn’t want to work for anyone.

“Although I was hired as an actor I would go to the theatre three hours before to learn. I watched the lighting board, the make-up artist...I basically became a jack of all trades,” he said.

Carvalho, however, became bored of constantly being given the same roles and in 2007 he left for New York to broaden his horizons.

While in the Big Apple, he fell in love with the flagship store of Toys R Us, at Times Square, a place he described as pure magic and an oasis of inspiration.

“That’s the first time I actually saw a live pantomime and that inspired me to have something like that in T&T,” Carvalho said.

He returned to the country with renewed vigour and went into children’s theatre, a first of its kind.

But the road to success was initially bumpy as Carvalho faced heavy criticism.

His first production, the Wizard of Oz, while creatively amazing, was a bust.

“Then I did The Little Mermaid.

I remember my first two shows... not a sponsor came on board. I lost my first vehicle to the bank but I persevered,” Carvalho said.

His biggest inspiration of all, however, is his mother, Elizabeth, who is his rock. Being a single parent she worked several jobs at a time not only to make ends meet but to also ensure her son, her only child, was afford the best educational opportunities.

And today, Carvalho is a force to be reckoned with in the family theatre industry, sought after by students, schools, and even private businesses across the country.

At the start of the new school term in September he is expected to be a creative writing teacher at Mucurapo Girls’ RC, now called St Mary’s Mucurapo Girls’ RC.

What began as three classes at the school quickly turned into 16.

“The Standard Five teacher said they saw a vast improvement not only in the creative writing pieces but work ethic of the girls, like coming to school early. They have been attending my plays for the past ten years and they realised the kids were absorbing the messages via this medium.

“In my plays I try to incorporate some aspects of the syllabus like moral values and accepted social behaviour patterns. The teachers wanted this in an actual school setting and after 16 classes they wanted me as a permanent creative writing teacher. The country is so crazy with all the crime and violence and if I give some hope to one child I will be happy,” Carvalho added.

He will also be the feature speaker at the school’s graduation ceremony in June.

His advice to struggling drama students, “I paid my dues. I made coffee for the producer and faced negativity. It’s not going to be easy.

I got many closed doors in my face but never gave up. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way.”