State owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has improved its passenger revenues, cost management and network efficiency. The carrier’s unaudited half-year results show significant improvements in revenues and earnings over the corresponding period in 2017 even with a 32 per cent hike in fuel costs.

Revenue increased year on year by $210 million or 19 per cent, while Earnings Before Interest and Taxation (EBIT) improved over the same period in 2017 by $120 million or 77 per cent.

CAL CEO Garvin Medera said: “I am delighted the team at Caribbean Airlines has seen the results of its hard work with another improved quarter, demonstrating we are making clear and sustained progress on our path to profitability.

“This is being driven by our focus on a better experience for customers, combined with ever more efficient use of our resources and our route network.”

Other highlights for the six-month period are:

• Line Cargo and Freighter operations Revenue and Operating Profit improvement

• Increased passenger numbers and load factors regionally and internationally

• Increased Airbridge capacity and efficiencies to service peak travel

Medera added: “At the same time as improving our financial performance, we are also rapidly innovating in technology and services to improve the customer experience. Our latest addition, Caribbean View, provides enhanced in-flight entertainment direct to passengers’ personal devices at no extra charge to them.”

Several new products, features and services were announced during the first half of the year:

• Caribbean View, which will be officially launched on August 1. With this product passengers can get greater content including movies, games and music on their personal devices free of charge via a dedicated app

• Caribbean Upgrade, where economy class ticket holders can bid for available business class seats on all eligible routes

• Caribbean Plus—a new option offering additional comfort with extra seat space and boarding benefits on economy fares

• Caribbean Explorer—which gives travellers the ability to go to several islands using one affordable fare

• Online miles redemption

• Introduction of Webchat and WhatsApp for Business to enable a personalized digital option for our customers to chat with a call centre agent

• Implementation of new routes to Havana, Cuba and non-stop service between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and JFK, New York

Xtra Foods celebrated its 53rd anniversary with activities at its four locations across the country on Saturday.

Helen Parks, general manager at the Endeavour branch, said the occasion was made possible due to the efforts of staff reinforced by reliable and loyal customers and suppliers.

“Today is a special day for Xtra Foods and we celebrate with customers and employees, which goes hand in hand for the success of any business,” she added.

Group Marketing manager Daniel Austin said the supermarket chain wanted to express appreciation to customers and employees with giveaways, reduced prices on certain items and hampers for lucky shoppers.

During the celebrations at the Endeavour branch, anniversary cakes were cut by Austin, right and Park and distributed to customers with drinks of champagne. Children were treated to face painting, ice cream and cake.

In addition, employees were presented with certificates of merit in appreciation for their services and contribution to the success of Xtra Foods.

RALPH BANWARIE
 

Former employees of the National Entrepreneurship Development Company Limited (Nedco), who accepted Voluntary Separation of Employment (VSEP) and Voluntary Early Employee Retirement (VEERP) Programmes, have received outstanding monies. The payout was made on Friday.

The employees accepted the company’s offer of VSEP following the announcement of a rebranding and restructuring exercise by chairman Clarry Benn in January of this year.

Benn it was necessary to restructure to ensure that Nedco remains “strategically poised to discharge its mandate in an environment which called for acute sensitivity and responsiveness to prevailing social and economic conditions while steadfastly adhering to international industry benchmarks.”

The payment brings to a close the VSEP process, which also included provision of additional support services such as outplacement services, re-training, emotional and financial counselling for the affected employees.

T&T Chamber CEO Gabriel Faria has appealed to stakeholders involved in returning state-owned Petrotrin to financial health to work together for the good of the energy company and the country as a whole.

“At a time when everyone should recognise how critical it is that an organisation like Petrotrin have all parties working together to come to a solution, we again find ourselves in confrontation rather than working together with a congruence of goals to deal with the significant challenge that Petrotrin is facing in terms of its continued financial performance,” he said.

His comments followed a warning from Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union’s (OWTU) president-general Ancel Roget that the union would pull out of the National Tripartite Advisory Council because of Government’s failure to honour its agreement.

Roget made the threat at the union’s 79th Annual Conference of Delegates on Friday, citing the planned retrenchment of 2,000 Petrotrin workers and the performance of the company’s chairman Wilfred Espinet as points of contention.

However, Faria said the labour movement should be more progressive in how it handles its input in Petrotrin’s restructuring.

“At a time like this when so many of our citizens and businesses are making sacrifices we all need to work together for us to get the economy on a positive path to recovery,” he said.

Faria said he recently spoke to Caribbean Airline’s CEO Garvin Madera told him the airline’s performance had turned around because it was made to operate as a commercial entity.

“By having a much stronger commercial focus, the airline for the first half of the year has shown reasonable improvement in its financial performance, even with the increased cost of energy. I am happy to see that bringing in strong private sector competence into an organisation like CAL is able to see positive impact in its operating results,” he said.

Faria said this an example for Petrotrin to follow.

“The only sustainable solution to any organisation is to be run from a commercial perspective where it creates value for its customers and rewards its employees based on delivering that value. The era of jobs for the boys and salary payments that are not in keeping with what is commercially viable cannot be sustained in the current economic environment,” he said.

Overall market activity resulted from trading in 13 securities of which four advanced, five declined and four traded firm.

Trading activity on the First Tier Market registered a volume of 71,286 shares crossing the floor of the Exchange valued at $3,249,089.60. Ansa McAL Limited was the volume leader with 50,000 shares changing hands for a value of $2,900,000, followed by Guardian Holdings Limited with a volume of 7,200 shares being traded for $119,520. Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Limited contributed 4,534 shares with a value of $16,775.80, while T&T NGL Limited added 3,722 shares valued at 110,056.76.

National Flour Mills Limited registered the day’s largest gain, increasing $0.05 to end the day at $1.80. Conversely, Calypso Macro Index Fund registered the day’s largest decline, falling $1.06 to close at $16.34.

On the Mutual Fund Market 10,050 shares changed hands for a value of $197,759.50. Clico Investment Fund was the most active security, with a volume of 8,450 shares valued at $171,610. It declined by $0.05 to end at $20.31.

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

• The Composite Index advanced by 0.11 points (0.01 per cent) to close at 1,226.57.

• The All T&T Index advanced by 0.16 points (0.01 per cent) to close at 1,719.98.

• The Cross Listed Index advanced by 0.01 points (0.01 per cent) to close at 98.47.

Here we go again with another threat from a trade union leader to withdraw from the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC).

This time it is Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) president general Ancel Roget, who said in his address at the union’s 79th Annual Conference of Delegates on Friday that the union is considering dropping out of NTAC because the Government is not honouring its promises. He cited, among other concerns, the planned retrenchment of 2,000 Petrotrin workers.

His position is similar to the one adopted by Communications Workers’ Union secretary general Joseph Remy, who suspended that union’s participation in NTAC in March last year to protest the closure of the Tourism Development Company. In quick time, other trade union representatives followed Remy’s lead.

Labour participation in the body only resumed following an agreement by the Government for a threemonth moratorium on retrenchments in the public sector.

Now it seems like it’s back to square one, with the unions again threatening to pull the plug on tripartite dialogue, possibly as a bargaining chip and an attempt to force the Government’s hand on the sensitive issue of job loss.

It would be a pity if, once again, the labour movement loses this opportunity for the type of tripartite engagement that could yield positives for all sides in terms of the development of the country.

While their concerns about the job security of their members are legitimate, there are already systems in place for addressing these concerns more directly with the companies and agencies involved. However, an opportunity for regular, face-to-face engagement for dialogue and consultation and consensus building is hardly an issue to be treated lightly. There are larger objectives here and an opportunity for labour’s input in shaping policies and programme for T&T’s development.

Mr Roget and his colleagues in the other trade unions and labour bodies represented on NTAC should seriously reconsider this latest threat to withdraw.

Historic CAC medals

Once again our sporting heroes are doing us proud, flying the T&T flag high at the CAC Games currently taking place in Barranquilla, Colombia. Gold medal performances have already been registered by the cycling trio of Nicholas Paul, Njisane Phillip and Kwesi Browne in the team sprint event and swimmer Dylan Carter.

In addition, Felice Chow secured T&T’s first ever women’s medal in rowing when she won silver in the single scull event.

Our athletes are off to a good start and should bring in more medals for this country by the time the games end on August 3.

Another tragedy of intimate, in-home violence, is the effect on children under the age of five. It affects their growth and development. Growth is the increase in size, whether in weight or length (or height), that is easy to see in children. They grow. If they do not grow, they become thin and apathetic (marasmie) or abnormally short (stunted).

Sometimes if their food quality is poor, drinking too much milk and juice and eating cheap flour and KFC, they become overweight, just as unhealthy.

Development is the increase in skills that is rather easy to notice eg when the child first smiles responsively (social development) or when the child first stands or takes a step (motor development) or when the first word is said (language development). Children grow and develop along a certain pathway and a certain speed and they do this holistically, one landmark following, embracing, intertwining and building on top of another until adulthood is attained.

In addition, growth affects development and vice versa.

Children’s growth and development are affected by multiple factors linked to complex psychosocial relationships. Nutrition is one. If children are not fed properly, their growth and development are easily affected.

Undernourished children also develop poorly. Maternal depression is another factor associated with adverse child growth and poor developmental outcomes.

Women who are abused at home, whether physically, by being beaten or sexually, by being raped, or even psychologically, have a tendency (another jokey word, “she have a tendency to injure sheself, oui!”)…. to become depressed. Women are nothing if not infinitely adaptable and often manage to disguise their feeling of sadness, anxiety and depression from everyone. Despite our malicious, macocious culture, we are so insensitive and they are so good at hiding their feelings that we seldom notice they are depressed.

Not so their children. Parents cannot hide from their kids. The kids always know when something is wrong. Apart from dogs, who learned to live with us some fifteen thousand years ago and have since thrived by understanding our every look and gesture, children are the best readers of body language around. You can fool your partner, you can fool your mother, you can fool your employer, you can’t fool your child.

And children react to their mother’s sadness. They stop growing and they stop developing or to be more exact they slow down their growth and development.

Even mild depressive symptoms in mothers, unnoticed by anyone including the mother, are associated with slower motor skills and delayed communication skills, social and language.

Sad moms also mean their children grow stunted if the sadness continues long enough.

Depression may affect the quality of life of the mother and her children directly or through things like unemployment, overwork, poor stimulation and neglect.

Poverty, whether from depression or historical cycles, may result in poor nutrition for mothers and children, either from lack of food or from poor quality food.

Fat-looking mothers who have little energy spend less time with their children, which affects their nutrition even further, as well as their development. Depressed mothers who have to go out and work and travel may return home even more depressed and exhausted, leaving them little time to spend with their children, especially if there is a demanding male around.

Consider also the effect a depressed teacher can have on the children she teaches. Or a depressed doctor or nurse or someone in a daycare centre.

Severe depression can lead to child maltreatment or neglect, which again places children at a higher risk of repeated infection and poor nutritional status.

Finally, since next week is Breastfeeding Week, it’s worth mentioning that, compared to mothers without depression, mothers with depression are more likely to stop breastfeeding early. That limits their infants’ access to a rich resource of nutrition, immunity and adequate bonding, which easily contributes to adverse outcomes. Sad mothers, sad children, we live in a sad country.

T&T cyclist Kwesi Browne won his second medal in as many days when the 23rd Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games continued in Barranquilla, Colombia, yesterday.

Browne, who on Sunday night combined with Nicholas Paul and Njisane Phillip for the men’s Match Sprint Team gold medal in a new games record time of 43.873 seconds got bronze yesterday in the keirin, contested over six laps at the Velodromo Alcides Nieto Patina.

However, he was only awarded the medal after fellow T&T cyclists Nicholas Paul was relegated to sixth for an infringement after he originally ended in third spot, one ahead of Browne.

Colombian Fabian Puerta took gold and Venezuelan Hersony Canelon got silver, while the fourth spot went to Guatemalan, Brandon Pineda followed by Suriname’s Jair Tjon.

Earlier in the morning session, the 19-year-old Paul and Browne, 24 were one-two finishers in the second of three keirin heats.

Puerta won heat one ahead of countryman Kevin Quintero while Canelon and Mexico’s Edgar Verdugo were the top two in heat three.

And in Round Two, Puerta won heat one ahead of Browne and Pineda while Tjon won heat two followed by Paul and Canelon.

Akil Campbell lined up in the men’s Scratch Race (15,000m) and was in medal contention most of the way before he eventually ended in the eighth spot in the 11-man field.

Today, Paul and Phillip will compete in the men’s Sprint Qualifiers while Teneil Campbell, buoyed by her bronze medal on Sunday returns to the cycling track for the women’s Omnium.

The pair of Adam Alexander and Jovian Gomez will also line up in the men’s Individual Pursuit.

Overall, T&T has now won seven medals in Colombia, three gold, one silver and three bronze.

Late on Sunday night, USA-based swimmer, Dylan Carter swam to his second gold medal in record time as well when he won the men’s 50m butterfly in 23.11 seconds followed by Guatemala’s Luis Carlos Martinez (23.26) and T&T’s Joshua Romany (24.05).

In the morning heats, the 22-year-old Carter who won the men’s 100m freestyle in a new record of 48.95 seconds on Friday night, was in record-breaking form when he won heat five of the 50m butterfly in 23.50 seconds, to erase Martinez’s time of 23.53, set the heat before.

Romany, also 22, won the first heat in 23.73 to have the third fastest time ahead of the gold medal swim.

The T&T swimmers are expected to be in action again today with Carter, Romany, Jabari Baptiste Kael Yorke and David Mc Leod all to face starters.

Lewis misses out on medal

Olympian Andrew Lewis had a solid day with placings of eighth and third in races eight and nine respectively of the men’s Laser Radial for 30 net points and the fourth spot ahead of the medal race. Guatemalan Ignacio Maegli (8) won gold in dominating fashion, which each race in the series, opting out of the last race, which was won by Mexican Yanic Gentry (20), who copped silver. Andrey Quintero just edged out Lewis for the third spot with 27 net points.

Kelly-Ann Arrindell was eighth and seventh in her fourth and sixth races, respectively, to be ninth overall with 38 points.

Barbados stuns Calypso Stickmen 2-1

This country’s senior men’s hockey team fell to a shock 2-1 loss to Barbados in men’s Pool A action at the Unidad Deportivo Pibe Valderrama.

Winners over Cuba, 2-1 on Saturday to start pool play, the T&T men took an early lead against the Barbadians through Tariq Marcano in the sixth minute.

However, the stubborn Bajans, who edged Jamaica 1-0 in their opener replied through Che Warner in the 25th and seven minutes later Akeem Rudder got the winner.

The defeat left, T&T which has a goal-difference of plus-one needing to beat winless Jamaica in its final match tomorrow from 1 pm to have a chance to advance to the semifinals while Cuba (plus-four) and table leaders Barbados (six points) meet in the late match from 5 pm. The Cubans crushed Jamaica 5-0 in the other Pool A match yesterday.

Today the Anthony Marcano-coached women’s team with maximum six points after two matches, face Jamaica (three points) from 3 pm, with a win securing a semifinal spot.

Barbados is also on three points and meets winless Guatemala in its final match from 11 am.

Chung, Spicer make last-32 exit

T&T women’s table tennis players, France-based Rheann Chung and Catherine Spicer were beaten in the round-of-32 Women’s Singles match at the Centro Eventos Puerta de Oro.

Chung, a five-time Caribbean singles champion was ousted by Cuban, Idalys Lovet, 7-11, 6-11, 6-11, 6-11 while Spicer, the recent national women’s championship winner, went under to Venezuelan, Neridee Nino, 8-11, 5-11, 6-11, 6-11.

Today, the national men and women squash teams will start round-robin pool play.

Nicaragua deny Women Warriors

Second-half substitute Yessinia Flores scored twice as Nicaragua rallied from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with T&T senior women footballers on Sunday night.

Beaten 5-1 by Mexico in their opener on Friday, the T&T women went into the match needing a win to boost their semifinal hopes and looked well set to do so, after a Martha Silva own-goal on the stroke of half-time was followed by a Karyn Forbes strike in the 47th.

However, Flores who was a half-time introduction earned the Central Americans a share of the points with goals in the 69th and 75th minutes.

Today, the T&T women will meet winless Haiti from 5 pm in a must-win match while Mexico (six points) faces Nicaragua (four points).

The T&T Under-20 men’s football team will also be in action today versus Colombia from 8 pm.

The President of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) has until today to respond to a letter sent to him by attorneys representing Darren Ganga demanding for yet another time that he demits office to facilitate the conduct of an independent forensic audit into issues raised in an audit conducted by the Cricket Board by the National Gas Company (NGC) and that while the audit is conducted that a committee be appointed to run the affairs of cricket.

In a six-page letter sent to Bassarath dated July 22nd from attorney Priya Ramsahai acting on behalf of Ganga, the TTCB President was accused of chastising Ganga for the publishing of the NGC audit report which made “very damning findings against the TTCB.”

But Ganga said it is “incontrovertible that the breach of a sponsorship agreement with a major sponsor such as NGC is a far more serious matter than publicising of same.”

The NGC audit found that the Bassarath led TTCB did not spend sponsorship money according to the stipulation. The audit revealed between 2014 and 2016, $2,983,000 was spent without approval by the TTCB and not in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding.

The NGC signed an MOU with the TTCB for three years in December 2013 for $13.35 million. In 2016, the total sponsorship was reduced by NGC to $12.46 million.

Ganga said it was “disconcerting” that Bassarath had insisted that the “allegations of financial mismanagement and impropriety,” unearthed in the NGC audit report be dealt with internally within the confines of a boardroom, “cloistered from public scrutiny.”

Through his attorney stated, “perhaps you are unaware,’ that the sport of cricket and the “sanctity of its administration are matters for national concern,” for which each and every citizen has a proper stake and interest.

He reminded Bassarath that the TTCB is “not a private company for which you and any of its members can lawfully demand that allegations of financial mismanagement and impropriety be kept confidential.”

Ramsahai noted that the TTCB is a public institution incorporated by an act of Parliament to serve the national interest and is, therefore “duty bound to be transparent and accountable to the public in its affairs.”

It was therefore “untenable,” she wrote that in the face of findings of financial anomalies such as the over-stating and under-stating of TTCB accounts under Bassarath’s stewardship, “you have demonstrated a palpable obsession with excluding these matters from the public sphere.”

Although Bassarath held a news conference after publication of the NGC audit, Ganga through his attorney noted “in convening a press conference to protest your executive’s innocence, one would have thought that you would have facilitated the requested independent audit in order to vindicate your position,” but his refusal to do so “is indicative of an unwillingness to subject the expenditure of funds by the TTCB to both professional and then ultimate public scrutiny.”

Having consulted with “numerous cricket clubs,” on matters raised in the NGC audit Ganga said he had received a petition signed by approximately fifty of the clubs calling on Bassarath and the TTCB executive to step aside in order to facilitate the requested audit. The petition he said also requested as a “matter of urgency and good governance,” the implementation of the recommendations in the report f the Independent Review Committee.”

He is also raising questions as to why the Justice Kokaram report cannot be placed before the Board. Failure to do so he said was “irrational, unreasonable and an act of bad faith.” by both the executive of the TTCB and Bassarath.

The TTCB’s refusal to agree to an independent audit he said was “unreasonable, irrational and constitutes an abuse of power,” by Bassarth as President of the TTCB.

Ganga through his attorney is demanding an “unequivocal response” from Bassarath as to whether he is agreeable to an independent audit into the issues Raised in the NGC audit.

As to Bassarath’s threat of disciplinary action against Ganga, his attorney said: “it seems that your threat of disciplinary action is rooted in bad faith and motivated by malice towards our client.”

Among Ganga’s demands are that Bassarath provide all of the documentation and or materials and or correspondence exchanged between the TTCB and NGC in relation to the audit report, the conduct of an independent forensic audit, and upon conclusion of the audit that the Board convene to consider whether or not disciplinary action should be instituted against Bassarath or his executive .
If Bassarath decides against the audit or placing the Kokaram report before the Board Ganga wants “sufficient reasons and a substantiate basis,” for his decision.

The TTCB has scheduled a board meeting for this Saturday, July 28th, but the notice for the meeting does not contain any reference to the NGC audit.

Ramsahai said Ganga “reserved the right to make further representations on the appropriateness of the circulated agenda.”

The letter placed Bassarath on notice that further legal correspondence is currently underway and his prompt response is required within 48 hours of receipt.

Kevaughn John and Keston George netted three minutes apart in the second half to lead Queen’s Park Cricket Club to a come-from-behind 2-1 defeat of Cunupia FC in their top-of-the-table T&T Super League clash on Sunday.

The Parkites went into the encounter against their fellow unbeaten opponents with a two points lead at the top of the 14- team table at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair and were eager to get a win to solidify their spot at the table top.

However, after 45 minutes both teams were still locked together at 0-0.

Eleven minutes into the second- half, Keron Clarke broke the deadlock for Cunupia, but within two minutes John got the Parkites back on level terms, and three minutes later, George got the eventual match-winner.

The win lifted the unbeaten Parkites to 19 points from seven matches, five more than Cunupia FC while Matura ReUnited is third with 13 points followed by FC Santa Rosa and defending champions Guaya United.

Playing at home in another match on Sunday, Guaya left it late to earn a 3-1 win over Police.

Justin Fournellier opened the scoring for the host at the Guaya Recreation Ground, only for the talisman, Jason Boodram to reply for the Lawmen in the 24th.

The match looked headed for a draw until Police conceded an own goal in the 87th, while Leroy Jones added, a third item for the hosts, three minutes into time added on.

However, the match of the day took place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, where RSSR FC and Bethel United battled to a 3-3 draw, with Densyl James scoring a hat-trick for the latter.

CURRENT T&T SUPER LEAGUE STANDINGS

Teams P W D L F A Pts
1. QPCC 7 6 1 0 18 7 19
2. Cunupia FC 7 4 2 1 16 7 14
3. Matura ReUnited 7 4 1 2 12 14 13
4. FC Santa Rosa 7 4 0 3 15 7 12
5. Guaya Utd 7 3 3 1 14 7 12
6. Prisons Service 7 2 4 1 9 9 10
7. RSSR FC 7 2 3 2 10 9 9
8. Police FC 7 2 3 2 6 9 9
9. UTT 7 2 2 3 8 11 8
10. Erin FC 7 1 3 3 9 10 6
11. Club Sando Cultural 7 1 2 4 5 10 5
12. San F’do Giants 7 0 5 2 5 12 5
13. Bethel Utd 7 0 4 3 7 15 4
14. P.V.D.M Utd 7 0 3 4 3 10 3

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Guaya United 3 (Justin Fournellier 7th, own goal 87th, Leroy Jones 93rd) vs Police FC 1 (Jason Boodram 24th)

RSSR FC 3 (Jovon Vincent 10th, Hakim Gulston 31st, Nathan Cadore 52nd) vs Bethel United 3 (Densyl James 25th, 57th, 93rd)

QPCC 2 (Kevaughn John 58th, Keston George 61st) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Keron Clarke 56th)

ON SATURDAY

Club Sando 1 (Jamal Burke 45th) vs San Fernando Giants 1 (Keston Grant 45th)

FC Santa Rosa 5 (Ryan Stewart 24th, 56th, Kevon Cornwall 9th, Kheelon Mitchell 47th, Giovanni Abraham 92nd) vs Matura ReUnited 0

Prison Service 3 (Andre Mohammed 61st, 63rd, Nathan Julien 40th) vs UTT 2 (Cyrano Glenn 47th, Shaquille Nesbitt 85th pen)

Petit Valley Diego Martin Utd 0 vs Erin FC 0

UPCOMING FIXTURES

On Saturday

Erin FC vs Guaya United, Erin Rec. Ground, 6pm

UTT vs FC Santa Rosa, UTT O’Meara Road, Campus, 7pm

San Fernando Giants vs Matura ReUnited, St Margaret’s Rec. Ground, 4pm

Cunupia FC vs Club Sando Cultural Roots Utd, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 4pm

On Sunday

Prison Service vs Petit Valley/Diego Martin Utd, YTC Ground, Arouca, 3.30pm

Police FC vs RSSR FC, St James Police Barracks, 4pm

Bethel United vs QPCC, Mt Gomery Rec. Ground, 6pm

T&T’s badminton team of Will Lee and Avril Plaza-Marcelle will leave tomorrow to complete T&T’s contingent at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games currently taking place in Barranquilla, Colombia. Both players have not had the type of preparation required for the tournament but coach Ronald Clark, who is also the team manager believes the players can medal once they perform to their true potential.

For the past month or so the duo, who secured their spots on the team by virtue of winning the planned National play-off at the Chinese Association in St Ann’s, was forced to use the Mucurapo East Secondary School, Valencia High School, the Eastern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Tacarigua and the Southern Indoor Sports Arena in Pleasantville to prepare for the Games, after being unable to secure the National Racquet Centre (NRC) in Tacarigua for use. The NRC would have been ideal for preparation because of its surface which is similar to international facilities, Clark said.

However, the veteran badminton ace who claimed the Men’s Singles Masters title at the National Championship at the Chinese Association about two weeks ago, told Guardian Media Sports they have had to make do with what they had.

The players he said are in super fit condition, as they have worked hard at training.

Yesterday he promised his players will not just be going to the Games to make up numbers, saying the country’s CAC team has been doing well in Colombia to date and badminton wants to make its mark by adding to the achievements.

Despite not getting the use of the NCC, training was beefed up with the players having a session with Cuban Solange Guzman, an experienced player to the sport internationally which should help them, Clark said.

Both players also have experience at international tournaments, particularly Plaza- Marcelle who has represented almost every national team that left local shores.

Clark believes their main challenge will be to execute on what they have worked on in training, saying: “Practice is one thing but it will come down to who can hold their own minds and execute at the tournament.”

The T&T team will plunge into action on July 31 with both Lee and Plaza-Marcelle contesting the Men’s and Women’s Singles respectively.

They will then combine forces to compete in the Mixed Doubles afterwards.

WALTER ALIBEY
 

All-rounder Felicia Walters slammed an unbeaten half-century to help LCB Contractors Central Sharks pull off a major upset over leader TECU Southern Titans in the Courts Women T20 Grand Slam Tournament on Sunday night.

Bottom-of-the-table Sharks sealed an eight-wicket victory in their fourth round match at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva to stay alive in the four-team competition.

Titans won the toss and decided to bat and posted 136 for six off their 20 overs thanks to the key fourth-wicket partnership of batters Britney Cooper and Deandra Dottin after opening batsmen Sheneta Grimmond and Shania Abdool lost their wickets early.

Grimmond was out first bowled by Walters for one. In came Cooper, who tried to steady the Titans innings with Abdool, but the latter departed soon after for just nine, caught leg-before-wicket (lbw) off the bowling of Leandra Ramdeen.

Shenelle Lord was in next but she didn’t’ last long, she too caught lbw, by Kamara Ragoobar though for nought. Ragoobar 3turned in the best bowling figures of 2-18.

Dottin entered the crease and combined with Cooper to build a 68-run partnership but Dottin lost her wicket for 30 caught by Akaze Thompson off the bowling of Ragoobar, who ended with figures of 2-25. Cooper was on 37 at that point.

Cooper batted for 72 minutes, lifting three sixes and eight fours to top score with 74 before she was caught by Walters off the bowling of Samantha Bissoon.

The other three batsmen - Shakera Selman (10), Renelle Dookie (6), Patrina Walcott (2), accounted for only 18 runs to help Titans to a what they would have taught was defendable score having only the night before, defended a smaller total (127/8) for a two-wicket win over UDECOTT North Starblazers.

In reply, Sharks lost only two wickets in getting to the winning score of 137 in 18.3 overs and its first win of the competition, thanks to Walters, who was later named the player of the match, scoring 60 not out off 61 balls which included seven fours.

Her teammate Shemaine Campbelle was also impressive in the batting crease also hitting seven fours for her 48 runs off 32 balls.

Sharks which is in the last place on three points must get wins from the final two rounds of matches, today and before Friday’s eliminator where third place will tackle second place for a chance to play the final on Saturday at 7 pm at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

In the other match played on Sunday evening at BLCA, second-placed Trident Sports Phoenix claimed a six-wicket win over UDECOTT North Starblazers, which sits in the third spot.

Standings
Place Team P W L NR NRR PTS
1 Titans 4 2 1 1 0.966 5
2 Phoenix 4 2 2 0 -0.118 4
3 Starblazers 4 2 2 0 -0.203 4
4 Sharks 4 1 2 1 -0.580 3

SUMMARISED SCORES

Sunday
At NCC
Titans 136/6 (20 overs) (Britney Cooper 74, Deandra Dottin 30; Kamara Ragoobar 2-18, Leandra Ramdeen 2-25) vs Central Sharks 137/2 (18.3 overs) (Felicia Walters 60 no, Shemaine Campbelle 48; D Dottin 1-29). Central Sharks won By 8 wickets.
Man of the Match: Felicia Walters
At Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Starblazers 104/7 (20 overs) (Rachael Vincent 35, Kirbyina Alexander no; Allison Collins 2-17, Stephanie Ragoonath 1-14, Karishma Ramharack 1-22) vs Phoenix 106/4 (15.1 overs) (Kycia Knight 55 no, Rosalie Dolabaille 19 no; K Alexander 2-16, Hiba Shamsad 1-14). Phoenix won by six wickets.
Man of the Match: Kycia Knight
Saturday
At Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Starblazers 126 (19.3 overs) (R Vincenet 72, N McClean 23; D Dottin 4-23, S Selman 2-33) vs Titans 127/8 (19 overs) (S Abdool 27, S Grimmond 24, B Cooper 21; J Morgan 3-14, K Alexander 2-33). Titans won by two wickets.
Man of the Match: Deandra Dottin
At NCC
Central Sharks 131/3 (S Campbelle 38, A Thompson 26 no) vs Phoenix 135/0 (17.1 overs) (R Boyce 73 no, K Knight 52 no). Phoenix won by 10 wickets.
Man of the Match: Reniece Boyce
Today’s matches
TECU Southern Titans vs Trident Sports Phoenix NCC, 7 pm
UDECOTT North Starblazers vs LCB Contractors Central Sharks, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, 7 pm

Today makes it 24 months to the day to the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Approximately 11,000 athletes will participate in 339 events in 33 sports (50 disciplines). The motto of the games is Discover Tomorrow.|

It’s a motto with tremendous profundity. It’s a theme that over the next 24 months the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) will be exploring. Tokyo 2020 is firmly on the radar and as much as the TTOC must focus on the moment in time that is today. The balance to be struck is keeping both eyes on the present while at the same time holding 2020 in the cross hairs.

In this respect, the investment in sending probably the largest ever delegation to a Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games is an important seed that has been planted.

That the first few days of the 23rd CAC Games has occasioned a “Gold Rush” as one daily newspaper called it, has seen a positive light of congratulations bathing Team T&T (#TeamTTO).

It’s always interesting to see individuals who would have expressed in their private or workspace the view that sending such a large team to Barranquilla, Colombia is a waste of money. Also throwing in for good measure that #10golds24 is a dream that is so unrealistic that it ought not to be given any credence. That, some of the individuals making such declarations occupy space in supposedly essential positions within the sports ecosystem, would surprise those who may want to assume that everyone has the confidence that there are the talent and potential.

It should not surprise anyone that there are people who are averse to uplifting the athletes of T&T. It’s as if there is the perverse pleasure in being able to proclaim” “I told you so!”

It should not surprise anyone that within the safety of their comfort zone our athletes making strides and earning medals is an opportunity to join the parade and not be exposed as the impediment to the full bloom of our athletes that they are.

They take great joy and pride in celebrating our athletes’ success as well as their failures only difference one is displayed publicly while the other is done within the inner sanctum of their offices and social safety zones.

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat is neither here nor there but simply an opportunity to seek to prove their point, whatever that may be.

Our athletes aspire to be great that they fall short at times have more to do with those who act as if our athletes are a means to an end.

But T&T is fortunate that many of our athletes choose to channel their frustration, anger and resent into the positive fire rather than negative.

And as such the nation is given opportunities to feel good and celebrate and discover if they so choose a brighter tomorrow.

Editor’s Note: Brian Lewis is the president of the T&T Olympic Committee (T&TOC) and the views expressed by him are not necessarily those of the organisation.

Sapphire Productions, under young, accomplished dramatist Gabrielle Scott, has managed to bring together some of the country’s finest emerging stage talent for its Free Form “open mic” series which continues in Santa Cruz on July 27.

Sapphire’s July 13 session at Idlewood in Port-of-Spain assembled more than a dozen creative young people capable of delivering high-quality spoken word performances, poetry, visual art, music and song to a cozy, enthusiastic audience.

Scott explained to Guardian Media that the series was designed “to encourage artists to not only share their work but to experiment with their work.”

She added: “As the name suggests, the forum of Free Form is to incite creativity that is beyond form, that is free of the restrictions of the rules of music, poetry, dance, song and even visual art.”

The July 13 event delivered on all of the above. Kelline Theophille opened with an original poetic piece that set the stage for thought-provoking content throughout the evening. The north-south water taxi was, for Theophille, “the slave ship” bound for “the plantation of Port-of-Spain.”

Then the multi-talented Chanel Glasgow (“resident vocalist and assistant-producer”) impeccably delivered two songs accompanied on the guitar by “resident musician” Mikhail Gibbings.

Glasgow is an outstanding young vocal talent, matched on the evening only by dramatist/singer Syntyche Bishop (last seen as Anita on West Side Story) and the fascinating composer/guitarist/singer Iantha Hicks whose original two-piece set became the evening’s earworm for some.

“I prefer when I see you cry, it makes me smile, yeah it makes me smile. As it were, it makes me feel bad for a little bitty while, but then I just smile …” hmm.

Emmanuel Scott, Thaddy Boom, Kerissa Joseph (singing a cover of her late father Mighty Penguin’s song, Women Doh Like Soft Man) and Sheynnene Hazell who performed with Dr Shenilee George (a dentist by profession) were no slouches themselves.

Dion Carrington and Tyler Phillip delivered artful original, poetic compositions and painter Yejide Cordner was part of another of the evening’s high-points – the Free Form Collab.

“The Free Form Collab is where different artists perform a freestyle piece organically made in that moment inspired by a word given by the audience. It is true communion in the space between performer and audience,” Scott explained. In this instance, the audience agreed on the word “flood.”

Accompanied by Gibbings on the guitar with song and spoken word contributions from co-host/dramatist Idrees Jali Saleem, Glasgow and co-host Tafar Chia Lewis, Cordner went to work on a splendid water-colour painting on the flood theme. It was an amazing display.

Another creative high-point was an Extempo Jam featuring Chia Lewis, Saleem, Glasgow and the wonderfully cantankerous comedian/spoken word exponent Thaddy Boom who also showed he can deliver highly-competent vocals when he is ready.

Saleem and Chia Lewis, accomplished dramatists in their own right, are an outstanding pair who kept the programme flowing flawlessly and in good humour.

Proceeds from the series go toward financing the next stage of academic work by Scott, a UWI Theatre Arts graduate, who is due to further her studies in theatre at the American Academy of Dramatic Art in New York.

“By assisting in providing a space for artists to express themselves I’m also helping myself achieve my own goals,” Scott said. “It’s a win-win.”

More info

Free Form is Free Form: the Patio Sessions is set for July 27 at 30 B, Jennings Avenue, La Pastora, Santa Cruz, and cannot and must not be missed. Showtime is 7 pm.
For more information check @sapphireprods on Instagram or send an email to: muchadotrini@gmail.com.

Six years after her son was fatally shot near their Mon Repos home, a mother of nine lost another child, Reon Massey, 34, under similar tragic circumstances on Monday night.

No longer feeling safe in the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) apartment in San Fernando where she called home for decades, Janice Massey is appealing to HDC to be relocated to another community.

Even though the HDC apartment buildings are adjacent to the Mon Repos Police Station, she said her two sons Reon and Dillon were still murdered.

Massey said she did not know whether Reon, a CEPEP worker, was threatened or had any problem with anyone.

According to a police report, the murder took place around 8.45 pm at a washing shed to the back of one of the buildings.

Investigators have identified a person of interest who was known to Reon and lives in the area.

Massey said, “I was at home when I heard the shots. I knew it was gun shots because we get that now and again. They come and tell me Reon get shot. When I went outside I saw the police taking him.”

When she got to the San Fernando General Hospital she was informed that he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Lamenting the crime situation, she said, “Too many people are trigger happy. I don’t know where they getting the guns.

The Ministry of Health is urging the public that during the rainy season to avoid the health risks associated with flooding.

Flood waters may carry silt, raw sewage and bacteria that can contaminate food and water and make it unsafe.

The ministry said the risk of the infectious disease Leptospirosis is especially high in flood situations, such as after a hurricane or heavy seasonal rains.

Leptospirosis is spread by bacteria and, once diagnosed early, it can be treated. Leptospirosis is spread through the urine of infected animals (usually rodents, dogs, farm animals and horses).

Animals and humans become infected by direct contact, by drinking or inhaling the infected urine, or water contaminated by urine.

The time between a person’s exposure to a contaminated source and becoming sick is 2 days to 4 weeks. Illness usually begins abruptly with fever and other symptoms.

If you believe that you may have Leptospirosis please visit your nearest health centre or your doctor immediately.

To reduce the risk of Leptospirosis, members of the public are advised to:

• Avoid contact with animal urine, especially if you have cuts or abrasions of the skin.

• Avoid contact with potentially contaminated water (e.g. streams, rivers and ponds)

• If working in areas that may be prone to contamination, wear protective clothing such as boots, aprons, eye protection, or face masks.

• Consume only clean drinking water

• Inspect food carefully to determine if it may have come into contact with flood water. Discard open containers, packages and foods contained in bags, paper, cloth, fiber or cardboard boxes e.g. flour, cereal, rice even if the packages were sealed.

• Throw away fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and meat that may have come into contact with flood waters.

Members of the public in need of assistance in this regard should contact their County Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) office.

SYMPTOMS

In humans, Leptospirosis can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:
• High fever
• Headache
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Vomiting
• Jaundice
(yellow skin and eyes)
• Red eyes
• abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Rash

A man was gunned down yesterday in Diego Martin.

He was identified as Shaquille “Max” Samuel originally from Richplain.

According to a police report, at about 1.30 pm Samuel was walking along a track from his home which runs parallel to Mercer Road when he was approached by a lone gunman who shot him several times.

Samuel attempted to run away but fell and died.

Police said he was well known to them, as he was a suspect in several gang-related activities.

Samuel’s murder has been recorded as 316 for the year so far.

Investigations are continuing.

The Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) has received $1.8 million from the State for its 2018 celebrations.

This figure is $200,000 less compared to what the ESC was given by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Arts in 2017.

Confirmation came yesterday from chairman of the ESC Khafra Kambon who said they received funding a few days ago from the ministry. He said the organisation was thankful and appreciative of what was offered to them which would go a long way.

“The figure is $1.8 million. It’s a reduction from what we received in the past. It (allocation) has been going down every year. Last year we collected $2 million.”

Asked if the sum was sufficient for the annual celebrations, Kambon opted not to comment.

“What worries me about that, is that it loses sight of what is happening. It always says that Kambon complaining about money and begging for money. That is how the headlines in the newspapers go all the time.

I don’t want to deal with the financial question. We will deal with the money question in time, in an organised systematic way.”

Pressed if they were facing any challenges with planning the celebrations, Kambon said erecting the village which consists of booths was very costly.

“It’s a hard environment where that is concerned. We will always use our will to overcome it. We are fighting the challenges. If you go to the Emancipation Village you would wonder how we even construct that.”

Kambon said this year’s celebrations will kick off on Saturday at 10 am with the opening of the Emancipation Village at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.

The village will showcase concerts, African drumology, calypso, dance, theatre, drama, storytelling and steelpan, as well as local foods, a business symposium and creative learning workshops for the young participants until August 1.

Among those who will tour the village will be deputy chairman of the African Union Commission Kwesi Quartey, while a small delegation from Nigeria will also be present.

On August 1, Kambon said there would be a street parade starting at 8 am in front of the Treasury Building, downtown Port-of-Spain, which will end at the Queen’s Park Savannah where there will be a packed programme of cultural activities and speeches for guests and local and foreign dignitaries in attendance.

Kambon said an invitation has been extended to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to take part in the emancipation parade.

“Yes, we have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister. I don’t know what his schedule will be this year. Since Dr Rowley assumed office in 2015, he has attended our function every year. Every year at the parade, you see the Prime Minister and his ministers. This has become customary. We don’t expect this year to be any different,” Kambon said.