The Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) is challenging a recently introduced system of stringent background checks for new pundits seeking licences to conduct marriages.

In an eight-page letter sent to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi yesterday afternoon, SDMS lawyer Stefan Ramkissoon questioned the lengthy questionnaire, which officers of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) Special Branch introduced for first-time applicants last year.

The information pundits are now being required to provide includes details of the organisation they are aligned to (names of officials and organisational structure), bank statements and the deeds for their places of worship.

“The imposition of these demands upon young pundits of satisfying the above requirements is not justified by nor consistent with any statutory requirement under law. Insistence on the information sought, directly and immediately violate the constitutional liberties of the SDMS’ pundits and Sanatanist Hindus under our Constitution,” Ramkissoon wrote.

He pointed out that the requirement of a licence to conduct marriages was introduced by Hindu Marriage Act. The legislation states that individuals who fail to obtain a licence are liable upon conviction to three years in prison.

Ramkissoon claimed that before last year, police doing background checks on applicants recommended by the SDMS merely verified whether they had criminal records.

“However, Special Branch officers are now, for the first time, seeking information which is inappropriate and/or unnecessary and/or disproportionate and/or discriminatory with the resulting effect of delaying and frustrating the entire process of licensing marriage officers,” he said.

He claimed the questionnaire provided by the police appeared to also target other faiths, as it sought information on an applicant’s date of baptism and ordination.

Ramkissoon also questioned the need for providing extensive details of the organisation that applicants are affiliated with, noting the SDMS is recognised under the Hindu Marriage Act.

Referring to the requirement to provide personal financial information and that of their religious organisation, Ramkissoon said: “These matters sought are clearly an unnecessary invasion of one’s privacy as well as the privacy of the internal information of the SDMS. Furthermore, the questions are oppressive and/or irrelevant.”

Ramkissoon called upon Al-Rawi to clarify the issue, as his ministry is tasked with the responsibility of issuing the licences, once clearance is given by the police.

“If allowed to continue, their actions could result in or mean that the SDMS and its pundits are now required to submit to the authority, control and approval of the State in the conduct of their programme of religious affairs and could result in active involvement by the State in religious activity, constituting an excessive entanglement of the State in religious affairs and imposing a comprehensive, discriminating and continuing State surveillance on a pervasively religious activity,” Ramkissoon said.

The SDMS was embroiled in controversy regarding marriage licenses last year after its outspoken Secretary General Sat Maharaj challenged moves by Parliament to increase the legal age for marriages to 18. Colonial legislation previously allowed Hindus and Muslims to perform marriages of teenagers, provided that their parents consented. The legislation was eventually unanimously passed and was proclaimed in September, last year.

The SDMS is also being represented in the current matter by Jagdeo Singh, Dinesh Rambally and Kiel Taklalsingh.

Former National Security Minister Gary Griffith has sent a pre-action protocol letter to Bliss Seepersad, the new chair of the Police Service Commission (PSC), arguing that the PSC under former chairman Maria Gomes was in breach of several legal notices used in the process to select Deodat Dulalchan as Commissioner of Police.

He is arguing that because the process used was flawed, the recommendation is null and void and he wants the commission to rescind the list by June 22, 2018.

The pre-action protocol letter, sent to Seepersad by Griffith’s attorney Christian Chandler, noted that the attempt by attorneys of Dulalchan to justify their client being appointed as Commissioner of Police was totally inaccurate, since the controversy, according to Griffith, was far more “than allegations about a land probe” but had more to do with the PSC breaching several legal notices.

The breaches, according to the pre-action protocol, include what was deemed “the wrongful and biased criteria” used by PSC for the merit list.

Griffith said the PSC admitted it used three main factors in their personal assessment, Command and Control, Police Experience and Security Vetting. But the letter accused Gomes of drafting criteria “to provide points for candidates based on Policing Experience and not Law Enforcement Experience” which, according to Griffith, “shows that she and the PSC’s final interview had blatantly showed a high degree of bias and operated in total contrast to the stipulation for candidates eligible to apply for the post as in law.”

Griffith also accused the Gomes-led PSC of showing “blatant disregard for the law and showing bias against anyone outside of the Police Service who applied for the post.”

He said it was “this attempt used by the PSC to have my points altered from 81.94 per cent, after I was graded by experts in the firm, using law enforcement experience as stipulated in law, to then have the PSC conduct their own biased process and drop me over 23 per cent, using a system that they wanted to get their own result, and not what was mandated by our legal notice.”

Griffith said the PSC had “no right to have conducted their own assessments and grading,” since the legal notice was clear—that the task of the PSC in the process was to accumulate the points of each candidate, submitted by the firm (KPMG) based on the assessments, and then accumulate it to then provide a merit list for onward transmission to the President.

Had this been done, Griffith said his name “should have been submitted to the President, as I acquired the most points for those who applied for the post of Commissioner of Police.”

By law, he said a firm was to be appointed to conduct a stringent evaluation of candidates and this was done using “international best practices used to appoint persons in similar posts in other countries, and with the assistance of international experts in the assessments.”

Based on the comprehensive assessments, Griffith said he placed first among all who applied for the post, with the second place applicant being current acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams.

He said Dulalchan, who did not apply for the substantive post of CoP, was first among those who applied for Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Griffith’s letter details the comprehensive systems and assessment done by KPMG to acquire points for each candidate, which included their resume, a comprehensive medical test, security and financial vetting and background checks, an interview, psychometric testing and submission of a detailed National Security Operational report in preparation for a major event.

He noted that any altering of the merit list after this would have been done solely for the final interview by PSC and nothing else, as no other process for assessment took place, which should then mean that the results should not be vastly different.

He said the one point he agreed with from Dulalchan attorneys is that a commissioner should be appointed and that the current process not be scrapped.

But he said to appoint a commissioner based on wrongful and illegal procedures by the PSC would do “more harm than good, as someone appointed under such a cloud would never be able to acquire the respect and trust both by the public and the many officers under his command, and without this, he would fail before he starts.”

The election bell has been rung for the electoral districts of Barataria in the San Juan Laventille Regional Corporation and Belmont East in the Port-of-Spain City Corporation.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday advised President Paula Mae Weekes that both by-elections will be held on July 16.

Nomination day is June 25 and Rowley has requested that the President issue the Writs of Elections in accordance with the provisions of Section 29 of the Municipal Corporations Act Chapter 25:04.

The seats became vacant following the deaths of Councillor Pernell Bruno on July 8, 2017 and Councillor Darryl Rajpaul on November 18, 2017.

The ruling People’s National Movement has already screened and named Nicole Young as the candidate for Belmont East and Kimberly Rae-Ann Small for Barataria, but the Opposition United National Congress is yet to screen candidates.

UNC PRO UNC Anita Haynes told the T&T Guardian that the party has received “a significant number of nominations” and she expects screening of candidates will begin soon.

Haynes said the party was concerned with the length of time the PM had taken to call the by-elections, which in the case of Barataria is being held more than a year after the councillor’s death. She said the communities had been left without representation in the interim.

But Haynes said although the party is yet to screen candidates it has “had people on the ground in both communities.” She said there are coordinators in every area headed by Local Government councillors from surrounding areas.

In early April, Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, addressing a Monday night forum, accused Rowley of breaking the law by not holding the by-elections and threatened to take him to court over the issue.

According to Section 29 of the Municipal Corporations Act, there is no specific time-frame by which a by-election is to be held.

However, Persad-Bissessar told the meeting the UNC had served Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi with two pre-action protocol letters instructing him to take action to have President Weekes issue a writ of election for the electoral districts.

Two days later on April 11, the ruling PNM announced that its screening committee had met on April 4 and 10 people were screened, five for each district and the committee had selected Young and Small.

Contacted yesterday, Elections and Boundaries Commission communications manager Dominic Hinds confirmed that the commission was putting things in place and will be ready for the July 16 by-elections. He said the EBC will announce a date for the commencement of electoral registration in both areas shortly.

Hinds said currently there are a total of 13,454 electors registered to vote in both electoral districts of Barataria and Belmont East. Of that number, 10,217 people are registered to vote in Barataria and 3,237 in Belmont East.

PERNELL BRUNO

Local government elections were held on November 28, 2016.

In that election, Bruno, 52, won the Barataria electoral district for the PNM with 1898 votes, beating the UNC candidate by only 392 votes according to the official EBC results.

In the 2013 local government election, Bruno got 2,130 votes while the UNC’s Vijay Mahabir and the Independent Liberal Party’s (ILP) Lawrence Mark got a combined total of 2,177.

The UNC’s Harrylal Persad had previously been the electoral district’s councillor when he won in 2010, capturing 2,570 votes to the PNM’s Farid Hinds, who got 1,562 votes.

Bruno represented T&T at the CARIFTA and CAC games in athletics and earned an athletic scholarship to attend Farleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

Bruno died on July 08, 2017 from cancer. His seat was declared vacant on July 26.

DARRYL RAJPAUL

Rajpaul won the Belmont East electoral district in the November 28, 2016 election, capturing 724 votes to the UNC’s 49 votes. He was in his third term as a Local Government councillor having first been elected in 2010.

Rajpaul, 51, died suddenly while playing a football match in November 2017.

In 2012, Rajpaul and the then mayor Louis Lee Sing launched the corporation’s small goal Champions League in an effort to draw the young people in the area away from crime.

Leah “DEZii” Forrest’s concert, Life, Love and Liberty, on May 29 was an ode to determination and perseverance. It was heartening to witness the power of artistes coming together to help one of their own.

The concert was divided into three segments—Life, Love and Liberty—with the songs within a particular segment related to the theme. Her repertoire consisted of a mixture of genres including rap, hip-hop, soul and calypso.

All about Life The Life segment featured the voices of Spoken Word poet Zakiya Gill, Amrika “Amrika” Mutroo, John John Francis, Chinaka “Chinaka” Pierre and DEZii. Amrika’s song, Woman, was an acknowledgment of the stages of life of a woman. The strong vibrant performance was dedicated to DEZii and the steps she’d taken in her journey through life thus far.

The dramatic voice of John John Francis reminded the audience that it’s often the Small Tings which fracture a relationship.

Chinaka’s breathtaking voice let the audience know she wouldn’t let her voice whisper about the state of her relationship.

DEZii had the audience enthralled from the minute she took the stage, beginning with You’ll Never Know and I Stayed, about women in abusive relationships. The performances were powerful and passionate, evoking the pain of the characters. A Song for Mummy, accompanied by a dance piece by Marielle Dos Santos, explored her feelings about the loss of her mother. DEZii also wowed the audience with her covers of I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing and Skyfall.

Making music for Love In the Love segment, Chinaka sang about her Ex’s Gift to her, followed by a duet with DEZii on Salt. Both songs spoke to the pain and the pleasure which can be experienced in relationships.

Yung Rudd’s song I Just Want to Ask a Question asked the woman he was interested in if it was OK to be with her. John John’s sultry sexy song, Let’s Make Music, elicited screams of excitement from the audience.

Liberty wins women empowerment The Liberty segment featured songs about women’s empowerment and liberation to do what they want, emotionally, physically and sexually. Keoné Osbourne’s Sza was about a woman willing to share a man with another woman and Come Thru encouraged men not to be shy about approaching a woman.

Marcus “Braveboy” Hardy sang Rude Boy Like Me, a modern day love story about warning a woman not to fall in love with an entertainer, and then collaborated with Yung Rudd on Sunday Lunch, complimenting the beauty of Trinidadian women. Rheon Elbourne sang his hit Pam Pam.

The final call DEZii’s final set included In Common, a duet with Elbourne asking him to Stay the night, the original song Set this Place on Fire, Uninvited and Power.

She had the audience singing and dancing along during her performance.

The performers were backed by the Wanderer’s band, an accomplished aggregation which at times threatened to steal the show from the artistes they were backing. They included Franklin Lambert (bass); Chris St Louis (drums and keyboards); Denzil Tidd (drums); Leigh Tang Wing (keyboards); Kwami Morrison (electric guitar); Darion Dennis (violin); Joshua Salcedo (drums and keyboards); and, Mikhail Salcedo (pan); with Louise Clarke and Jessica Arnold as background vocalists. The concert was part of DEZii’s

Wanderer fund-raiser series, in aid of travel expenses for her debut performance in Winnipeg, Canada as part of the Canadian- Caribbean Soul Exchange Forum and also to assist with the completion of her album, Wanderer.

DEZii continued wooing audiences when she performed last night at Fiesta Plaza’s Wednesday night concert at MovieTowne.

For further information on DEZii or bookings, call 799-7056, e-mail engage@powermediahub.com and follow DEZii at dezii.world on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

While the national instrument seems to be mired in controversy in its homeland, there are pan ambassadors worldwide bringing pride to the instrument.

One of these is Branches Steel Orchestra, founded in 1978 by a group of Trinidadians who migrated to Boston, Massachusetts.

Come Sunday, Branches will a host a gala to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the band and its introduction of pan to Boston.

Some of the earliest pioneers of Branches were Lawrence Liverpool, Roy Belfast, Winston Evelyn, Ansel Niles, Leonard Frank, Lester Ross, the Tillet family and Carl Smith.

Throughout the years Branches has prided itself as a unique non-profit community-based organisation that has been instrumental in giving back to the local community.

Said Smith this week: “Not only do we educate the youths on the history and uniqueness of this modern day musical invention but, for the past 40 years, we have also taught them the art of playing the steel drums.

“Our hard work and dedication is evident every year when the children, under the artistic guidance of Justin Petty, musical director and arranger, perform at various events around Massachusetts, most notably the ICA, Martin Luther King celebrations, Newton Memorial and Everett Day parades, Needham’s July 4 Parade and the Caribbean American Festival.”

Branches has gained a reputation for outstanding artistic excellence; its programme suited for beginners with little or no music experience to experienced musicians. Branches is a well known name within the Boston community commanding respect for its artistic achievements and values that it represents and instils in our students.

The Branches Steel Orchestra programme motivates and guides young people towards lifelong goals by challenging their minds and getting them involved in music and activities that require them to learn skills needed in life such as commitment, punctuality, patience, how to be a team player, and most of all respect for self and others.

Branches Steel Orchestra is located at Smith’s residence in Boston and today comprises of approximately 60 members ranging from age seven to adult.

Ninety per cent of its members are under the age of 18. These dedicated young musicians rehearse nine hours each week.

However, during the summer period members rehearse 18 or more hours weekly.

Eighty-five per cent of the youths in Branches have gone on to graduate with degrees, some got Phd’s, Masters etc.

So, while Pan Trinbago Inc and some of its member bands continue to try to sort out their affairs, in the US there are steelbands flying the flag of T&T with pride, placing our national instrument on the global pedestal it deserves to be on.

(Reporting by Peter Ray Blood — peter.blood@guardian.co.tt)

Wit, humour and double entendre are still vital elements of good calypso and Trinidadian humour.

The St James Community Improvement Committee (CIC) is offering patrons an opportunity to enjoy these elements when it stages Kaiso Komedy, as part of the WeBeat St James Live18 programme, at the St James Amphitheatre, Western Main Road tomorrow night, starting at 8 pm.

Headlining the cast is reigning Humourous Calypso Monarch Myron B (Myron Bruce). Other members are Trinidad Rio (Daniel Brown), Funny (Donric Williamson), Brown Boy (Knolly Brown), Kid Kalalloo (Julien Hunte), Oscar B (Oscar Benjamin), David Bereaux, and Spicy (Tammico Moore). Producer is Carl “Beaver” Henderson.

“Humour in Trinidad is a way of life. It is no joke,” said CIC committee member Angela Fox. “We are offering people a chance to ease the tension. Come out and free up a bit, even for a short while, from the stresses of daily life.”

Musical accompaniment will be provided by the aggregation Kelly Green & Harmony, while show host duty will be performed by Nikki Crosby.

Patrons are asked to walk with their drinks, as only chasers, non-alcoholic beverages, and finger foods will be on sale.

Admission is $150 per person, and tickets will be available at the door.

However, before tomorrow’s kaiso show, tonight, at eight, the CIC is hosting its PanJazz/Honoree’s Night, at the Amphitheatre. Tonight’s honoree is long-standing St James steel orchestra, T&TEC Power Stars. Patrons will also be treated to live performances from the National Steel Symphony Orchestra, The Codrington Pan Family, reigning National Panorama (Small) champion steelband Golden Hands Steel and Moore’s Music.

As is traditional, and welcome highlight of WeBeat St James Live, the week’s of activity will have its tumultuous climax on Saturday night with 4 am J’Ouvert celebrations and steelband and traditional mas parade in the evening, from 7 pm. (David Cuffy)

A high calibre performance is the only way to describe the one-hour performance by Keishea “Ms Glamorous” Stewart, backed by her band Calibre, for guests at Saturday Nights Live, held at Fiesta Plaza, MovieTowne, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday evening.

Calibre is a cross-over of R&B Soul and Soca band and consists of some of the finest musicians in the land, including Joey Rivers (guitar); Oslin Pompee (bass); Godwin Bowen (keyboards), and drummer Andrew Augustine. These seasoned and accomplished musicians have played with successful musical aggregations like Xtatik and Atlantik, and at the Kaiso House calypso tent, just to name a few.

The band’s debut performance to a full courtyard of patrons was a resounding success. Patrons were entertained and fully engaged, dancing, singing, laughing and flag waving during performances from their repertoire which ranged from songs like Roaring Lion’s Papa Chunks, Nadia Lafond’s Wanna Make Love To You and Camila Cabello’s Havana, but with a cross-over soca twist.|

Aimed at entertaining all ages, Calibre is available for bookings at calibrebookings@gmail.com.

In celebration of Alta’s 25th anniversary, Alta students around the country were asked to write about the impact the organisation has had on their lives. Since 1992, Alta has provided classes around the country for thousands of Trinidadians who struggle with reading and writing. Alta students enrol in the programme at many different levels of literacy and leave when they have accomplished their literacy goals.

While it is difficult to manage work and family life alongside Alta classes, students continue to persevere and in all cases see changes in their lives after attending Alta classes. In the coming weeks, Alta will share their experiences through this column. This week, two students from the Chaguanas Public Library venue share how Alta has impacted their lives.

Pamela

My name is Pam. I’m in level two. I came to Alta to better myself and my family. I expected to meet a lot of people willing to help each other. It was not the way I expected but it was better. Alta has changed things in my life because I am reading lots of books now and helping my kids with their homework. I do feel better about myself. I always wanted to spell big words.

When I was younger I didn’t have help. I thought I was managing well until reading got a little harder. I never liked the way I have to hide and make excuses when I had to read. When my children come home from school I can help them in their homework. I felt I could never take part in loud speaking or storytelling. I appreciate Alta class so much. Since I started the class I have improved a lot. As a parent I feel so proud of myself being able to help my children in their homework. I was surprised when I read my first book all by myself. I always felt that I couldn’t read but I surprised myself. At work I am being asked to write information from clients. Sometimes I can’t spell every word so attending Alta was the best thing I have ever done.

Kesha Sancho

When I was younger I always wanted to read an entire book. I would start but when I would get to the difficult words I would just give up. At school and also at meetings you would see persons taking notes. I always wish I was able to do that. Then one day I heard about Alta so I wanted to attend but was ashamed to. I wondered what people would say about this “big woman” and that she can’t read. That feeling made me sick. When someone would ask me to read I would get nervous even with little words like “where” and “there.” I was not able to pronounce them.

Now at the age of 31, I put all my fears behind me and started Alta. I am now in Level two and so proud of myself that I started. One thing I wish that I should have started years ago. In my class, there are four lovely patient and encouraging tutors who make this journey fun and simpler for me. My goal at the end of this journey is to read a book to its entirety also be able to write and pass CXC English.

• Volunteer, donate or sponsor-a-student. Call 621-5708 or email altapos.tt@gmail.com for more info. Keep up to date with ALTA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: ALTA

The Just Because Foundation (JBF) hosted a fund-raising concert last Saturday at the Central Bank Auditorium, Port-of-Spain.

The evening’s performances included song, dance and skits by young cancer patients, cancer survivors and the relatives of children with cancer.

The nurses of the JBF Ward at the Wendy Fitzwilliam Paediatric Hospital also kept the crowd entertained with a funny skit titled, Fun E News. JBF co-founder Chevaughn Joseph performed a very moving interpretive dance piece with her troupe to bring the show to an end.

JBF is a non-profit, paediatric cancer support organisation which was founded by Noel and Chevaughn Joseph in 2007. The Josephs started the foundation after the loss of their five-year-old son Jabez to a rare form of childhood cancer.

The organisation provides free temporary accommodation for families who travel from remote locations throughout T&T and other Caribbean countries with their child for cancer treatment in Trinidad. They also provide free transport to and from these facilities.

Police are investigating the alleged abduction of a student from the University of the West Indies who was blindfolded and taken to a location for several hours before he was returned unharmed.

Alex Gopaul, 18, of Bonasse Village, Cedros, told police he was abducted by two men who blindfolded, gagged and tied him up. 

He said he was kept inside a van for two hours before he was finally released.

In a statement to police, Gopaul said around 10 am on Wednesday he left home to drop off a book for a friend in Syfoo Trace, Cedros. He was driving his silver B-15. 

After dropping off the book, Gopaul said he drove into a cemetery road to turn.

However, he was blocked by a brown van which was parked close by. 

Two men with bandannas over their faces jumped out of the van and walked behind Gopaul's car. 

They pointed a gun at him, blindfolded him and tied up his hands with rope. 

They then put him in the back seat of the brown van. 

Gopaul said a short while later the van stopped and he was left in the van for two hours. He made no attempt to run.

Afterward, the men removed his blindfold and he realized he was in Austin Road, South. 

After some time passed, the men replaced the blindfold and dropped him back to his car. He was not harmed. 

He drove straight to the Cedros Police Station where he lodged a report.  

PC Boodhai is continuing investigations.

The John O’Brien trained threeyear- old Pauseforacoors is my nap selection to win today’s feature event for horses rated 90-70 over 1,100 metres on the main track at Santa Rosa Park in Arima.

Last week’s top jockey Brian Boodramsing will have the leg-up and could prove very difficult to catch.

Pauseforacoors has shown tremendous speed in her races and with 51 kilos looks shoed in to win today.

Shaffick Khan has Holy Man in good nick and the old man could go close in this event for Kerron Khelawan but getting to my selection looks beyond him at the weights. He could get the runner- up spot.

Magical Victory goes on both the main track and the turf but will have two kilos taken off his allotment by apprentice Andrew Poon. He could surprise them all.

Desert Dancer and Trini Aviator will be around but should not bother my selection.

The in-form Santa Cruz Lady comes out again seeking a hattrick of wins.

I think she is capable of winning three on the trot for trainer O’Brien and Boodramsingh.

Her main danger could come from stablemate Shangri La.

Post time is 1.30 pm.

The T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) continues its focus on athlete development with the staging of its Transitional Development

Programme tomorrow at Olympic House on Abercromby Street from 9 am - 3.30pm.

The one-day workshop will cater to around 30 national athletes, drawn from among potential Team TTO representatives for the upcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, across various sporting disciplines. Rheeza Grant, TTOC Project Officer – Athlete Services & Programmes says five crucial areas will be covered: anti-doping, sports psychology, nutrition, branding and financial management.

“We met with each presenter and went through some of the challenges that not only we at the TTOC observed but it was the feedback we got from some national athletes as to the areas they struggle with. 

Coming closer to major games, some athletes struggle with mental toughness, so this will be a main part of the programme, but all of the areas go hand in hand,” said Grant. The workshop is just the latest in a stream of athlete-centred initiatives by the TTOC, geared towards supporting and educating Team TTO athletes in a variety of areas.

“We can’t stress how important nutrition is, especially if you are a working athlete; or an athlete that struggles with eating in general.

There are certain things you can do to help maintain your fitness levels. This kind of information is important,” said the national beach volleyball player.

A follow-up workshop is also planned for July 7 ahead of the CAC Games which runs from July 19 - August 3 in Colombia.

Guaya United, the T&T Super League champions will begin the defence of their titles (League and CFTL League Cup) on Sunday against Petit Valley Diego Martin United.

The new-look Guaya outfit will be without its sponsor Hydro Tech and influential coach Ron La Forrest, both parting ways with the club due to differences in the direction it ought to go. La Forrest’s position has been taken by understudy coach Calvin Hughes, while four other key players have moved on to other T&T Pro League teams.

Guaya won the Caribbean Football Trust Limited (CFTL) League Cup and League titles after losing just twice for the entire season, but this time they may lack the fire power it had last year.

Guaya faces a Diego Martin team that won League Two of the TTSL last year and squeezed into this year’s tournament after being among a list of teams to have received provisional bans for being non-compliant.

Sunday’s encounter will be played at the St Anthony’s College Ground, Westmoorings from 4 pm and will be crucial for both teams sending a warning to their opponents.

The 14-team competition gets going tomorrow with last year’s runner-up in the League FC Santa Rosa hosting Tobagonians Bethel FC at the Arima Velodrome from 6 pm. New Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe is expected to be on hand to support the Tobagonians, while Arima Mayor Lisa Morris Julian is set to don the yellow and blue shirt of the Big Cannons.

Keith Look Loy, the FC Santa Rosa president has said to expect an entertaining atmosphere with performances from soca artistes Olatunji, Rome as well as other rhythm sections, that will add to an expectedly high-quality match by the teams. The game will also be televised live by the T&T Entertainment Network.

Saturday’s opening day will also comprise a match-up between newcomers Matura ReUnited FC and Queen’s Park at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar Arima from 4 pm, while UTT will be up against another debutant club RSSR FA, the Northern Football Association (NFA) campaigners from 7 pm at the O’Meara Campus Ground in Arima.

Another newcomer to the league, Metal X Erin FC will take the field on Sunday in a match-up against Club Sando at its Erin Recreation Ground from 6 pm. Metal X, an engineering company from central Trinidad, agreed to sponsor the team for the season to the tune of $51,000.

The team’s triumph at the Southern FA has brought much fame to its community and has led to the support of Member of Parliament for the La Brea area Nicole Olivierre, as well as LNG, TGU and R Lalla & Company.

Team president and owner Jason Gordon said his charges are excited to play their first match in the super league after eight years of trying to qualify. For the match, there will be live entertainment as well as food and drinks on sale.

Matches 

Tomorrow:
FC Santa Rosa vs Bethel United,Arima Velodrome, 6 pm
Matura ReUnited FC vs QPCC, Larry Gomes Stadium, 4 pm
UTT vs RSSR FA UTT, O’Meara Campus 7 pm
San Fernando Giants vs Cunupia FC, St Margaret’s Recreation Grd, 4 pm
Sunday:
Prisons FC vs Police FC, YTC, Arouca, 3.30 pm
Petit Valley/Diego Martin Utd vs Guaya United, St Anthony’s College, 4 pm
Erin FC vs Club Sando, Erin Recreation Ground, 6 pm

WALTER ALIBEY

Akim Bushe and captain Ryan Stewart combined for 22 points to lead T&T a 25-12, 27-25, 26-24 defeat of Costa Rica in 88 minutes for their first win in the NORCECA Men’s Challenger Cup at the November 19 Pavilion in Pinar del Rio, Cuba on Wednesday night.

Following straight sets loss to Puerto Rico on Tuesday’s first day of the five-team competition, the Sean Morrison-coached T&T men, the reigning Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association back-to-back champions and three-time champions overall, were eager to get among the win column and keep alive their hope of the lone ticket towards the World Final qualifying to the FIVB 2019 League of Nations.

Speaking after his team’s victory, Morrison, in expressing his joy said his team was very professional in their reception, one element of their game which hurt them against Puerto Rico.

“Today (Wednesday), it improved a lot and we played more consistently, but in the second and third sets the boys got tired a little, and they allowed more points but they knew how to stay and get success,” Morrison said.

From the opening set, T&T showed better cohesion than they had against Puerto Rico and held an obvious physical superiority over the Central Americans, winning the first set with relative ease.

However, Stewart and his team-mates slowed down the pace in the last two sets allowing the young Costa Ricans to get near or even in the score in each set but in the end, T&T managed to close them out.

Bushe, formerly based in Finland, now back home at national champion BIG South East Port-of-Spain, top-scored for T&T with 12 points, comprised of seven spikes, four blocks and one ace, and Stewart added ten, laced with seven spikes and three aces.

Stewart said, “This match was much better for us as we were stronger with more integration, much more motivated and with a better teamwork. We improved the reception, all the defence and it was a great team formation.”

T&T also got solid contributions from Kwesi Daniel who chipped in with seven, and the duo of Marlon Phillip and Mikheil Hoyte, with six points each as they dominated their opponents on spikes, 28-21; blocks 10-5, and 6-4 on service aces. T&T also committed fewer errors to the Central Americans, 31-34.

Costa Rican, Gilberth Solano, was the only one who achieved double digits also with ten for his team while Japhet Reid got five, and the pair of Oscar Ramirez, and Cristopher Arias, three each.

Also on Wednesday, Puerto Rico swept past Guatemala 25-11, 25-15, 25-21 to improve to 2-0 and maximum ten points, five more than T&T and Cuba, the latter of which has played a match less.

Yesterday, Costa Rica faced Puerto Rico while T&T came up against host Cuba in the late match while today, T&T will enjoy a rest day before concluding round-robin play tomorrow against Guatemala from 3.30pm while Cuba battles Costa Rico three hours later.

Following the completion of the tournament, the T&T, CAZOVA winners in 2010, 2014 and 2017, men return home to prepare for the 23rd Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Barranquilla, Colombia (July 20 - August 3); followed by the 13th Pan American Cup in Veracruz, Mexico (August 12-20); and finally, the defence of their CAZOVA Men’s Championship in Suriname (August 4-11).

Pan educator Barry Mannette will be holding his second fund-raiser for the Mannette Academy of Music in St Ann’s this Sunday at 7 pm at Kaiso Blues Cafe, 85 Woodford Street, Newtown. The last one was last summer and it was a great success, selling out and there was standing room only by the time it started. He is hoping for a similar response this time as these fundraisers serve to help pay for needed instruments for the school. The show will feature a variety of guest artists including Tamica Mannette and Moricia Cagan as well as some of his UWI students; Josiah Didier and Raenelle- Lee Harris.

The Mannette Academy opened last September and later this month will complete its first school year with classes for under 13, 13 to 18 and adults. As Barry told Ted Goslin of Pan magazine: “The idea to form the Mannette Academy of Music came about with my love for teaching and my desire to create music literate pannists of all ages but starting from a young age.” He is quite pleased with how things are going after only the first year. His students passed their accreditation exams and participated in the Music Festival taking a second in the Open Steelpan Ensemble Category.

It is exciting for him to go out on his own to form the academy and thrilled it has already taken off with a strong first year.

Barry Mannette has been a pan educator at every level from primary to tertiary besides a wide range of experience not just playing pan, but managing and arranging. He is the son of Vernon “Birdie” Mannette and virtually grew up in Invaders yard and has gone on to play pan with almost every major steelband in Trinidad from Invaders to Renegades, Desperadoes, Phase II, Exodus, Silver Stars, Starlift, Valley Harps, Humming Bird Pan Groove, and Harmonites. He was the founder and music director for the Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra, and had been steelpan tutor for both the National Youth Steel Orchestra and the Music Literacy Trust.

Mannette got first a Certificate in music and then a BA in Musical Arts from UWI in 2010 and got his Masters in Music Performance at Northern Illinois University in 2013 under Liam Teague and Cliff Alexis.

Running and teaching at his own music Academy is just part of his current teaching schedule. He has been teaching in private primary schools but more recently was hired by the Ministry of Education as the Music Teacher at the at East Mucurapo Secondary in St James.

He has been an adjunct music instructor at UWI for the last five years both giving individual lessons and directing the UWI Arts Intermediate Steel Ensemble. “That experience has been quite rewarding. I see them excel and get better and better, ” he notes. 

For Dr Jeannine Remy, it has been an exciting time watching him blossom from first seeing him at Invaders under his father’s eye, as he matured and was first a student at UWI, then after his return from NIU to be part of the faulty there and doing so much more. Said Remy: “Although he is a Mannette, he has earned his own kudos on his own perseverance. We at UWI are very proud of his musical activities here and abroad.”

Mannette has also had the fascinating experience of arranging for South East Steelband in St Vincent and the Grenadines for their Panorama for four years, each year coming in second or third and seeing how different their Panorama is from Trinidad.

He said: “Vincy Panorama has fierce rivalries just like ours here and it was such a rewarding experience to work with a young band and taking them to such heights.”

Recently he was very involved with Exodus Steel Orchestra for three years as a member of the band and the stage side and music director of the Exodus music school. Their different and very disciplined way of proceeding he found eye opening, a fabulous experience at every level, especially getting to take Exocubs to Argentina in 2016 playing with hundreds of other young musicians, and he loved playing with  Exodus for Panorama the last few years. Only this year he played with Silver Stars where his professor Liam Teague arranged.

Feel free to contact Barry Mannette about the Academy’s activities at 868-678-0505 or mannetteacademyofmusic@ gmail.com especially any interested students and come out to hear great music for  a worthy cause at Kaiso Blues this coming Sunday.

It was a most enjoyable evening last Saturday when fans and members of Shell Invaders gathered at the Tragarete Road, Woodbrook panyard to enjoy the band’s Parents’ Appreciation Concert, under brilliant sunshine.

The event was held to recognise those members who fall into that category and other parents. Michael Dinchong, Managing Director of Shell Invaders Steel Orchestra, explained: “With both Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day being so close, we decided to highlight both on this special day.” He continued that the band and it’s management, together with sponsor Shell T&T, enjoy promoting these types of activities to keep the members united.

Said Dinchong: “As a matter of fact, this event was produced by our youth band, Shell Invaders Youth Steel Orchestra. It is an opportunity for them to show their skills while being guided by the band’s committee, giving them a certain degree of empowerment.”

The youth band serenaded their audience in both pan and song during the first half, with member, Rachel Noriega performing a solo act. Following the short intermission there was a performances by the senior band.

(David Wears)

From the producers that brought you the hilarious The Boy Toy, Man Callaloo, What My Best Friend Did To Me and Hotel 21 now comes the world premiere of their latest production Naughty Minister’s.

RS/RR Productions premieres their latest exciting and hilarious production on Father’s Day weekend, June 16-17, two nights only at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.

Naughty Minister’s looks at the fictional story of a Minister who has won his seat on the sanctity of marriage and family life. His wife leaves to attend a weekend retreat with the Prime Minister’s wife. What happens when the wife is away leads to a night of complete chaos. Mix in an Independent Senator, the personal assistant to the Minister, a Venezuelan visitor and a country girl from an agency and bedlam breaks loose especially when the wife returns unexpectedly. This is a story of fiction…kind of.

Naughty Minister’s features a stellar cast that includes, Richard Ragoobarsingh, Penelope Spencer, Nikki Crosby, Debra Boucaud Mason, Ria Ali, Leslie Ann Lavine and Bradley Logan. It is directed by Richard Ragoobarsingh and Mason.

Box Office at Queen’s Hall opens from Monday, June 11, from 10 am to 6 pm daily, and of course tickets are available now at the usual outlets.

For booking or info call 624 -1284 (ext1) or 338-6024/744-7581.

The largest youth organisation in T&T, ScoutsTT, is once again Scouting for Food. Its third annual national food drive launched on United Way’s National Day of Caring on May 20, when members of the First Naparima College Sea Scout Group collected food at JTA Supermarket, C3 Centre before delivering the donations to The Hope Centre in San Fernando.

Scouting for Food is aligned to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number two: “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”

As SDGs are now a part of the Scout Programme internationally, and incorporated into our local programme, a major goal of the project is to get our young people to understand the problem and how they can be part of the solution.

The project started two years ago after recognising that more than 20 per cent of the country’s population lives below the poverty line and eight to 11 per cent are undernourished. Scouting for Food aims to educate the public of this issue among so many and engender a commitment to community, volunteerism and helping each other.

Donations of dry goods and toiletries can be made at the bins set up at JTA, Xtra Foods and Massy Stores supermarkets, where scouts in uniform will be present on weekends to promote the drive and assist with the collection of donations. The food collected will be distributed to families identified by scout groups in their districts across the country and to homes by the national office.

Corporate T&T is also urged to get involved with this initiative by setting up collection bins at their work places.

To learn more about Scouting for Food, including how to get involved, contact Scout Headquarters at 624-7271 or check the Facebook event page Scouting for Food 2018.