The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper

The 25th anniversary of the CariFin 2016 Games culminated with the Ms CariFin Fitness Pageant, bringing down the curtain on the competitive activities at the Family Day and Cross Country Races held this month at Sevilla Golf Course, Couva.

An excited section of the crowd greeted the announcement that Ms Republic Bank Christine Villafana won the Ms CariFin Fitness Pageant 2016 with great applause, jubilation and appreciation. The Fitness Pageant mesmerised members of the financial services sector who gathered for the final day of action and competition—the entire competition spanning seven days of competition spread over a two-month period.

From the word go, the Ms CariFin contestants showed a high level of fitness, endurance, intelligence and aerobics skills as it was a tough call. The Fitness Pageant, which started with a three-minute dance routine, had the audience’s attention. This showed the level of competitiveness that was to be expected, with teams showing that they were well rehearsed and ready to for their three minutes of glory.

First-timer ANSA Financial Services fit in nicely with the little time they had available to prepare for this event, whilst four-time champions Central Bank returned with a bang including a good mix of calisthenics, strength and dance movements in their routine.

First Citizens stepped up the ante this year with a quartet which had everyone glued to their performance. Three-time champions Guardian Group also came on with great expectation and kept the level of interest to the end. Republic Bank’s seven-member, all-girl team created a lot of buzz and frenzy with their energetic dance moves. JMMB was well represented by Sade Jones, who did a solo act and gave a good account of herself, whilst her team members beamed with pride.

At the end, Central Bank won the Ms CariFin Dance Routine by just two points. Ms Central Bank contestant Karyn Stewart noted: “Initially, I was hesitant to participate in the Ms CariFin competition because I am not really the ‘pageant type’, however I am very glad I decided to step out of my comfort zone to represent the Central Bank. The support I received, and the overall camaraderie, truly made it an enjoyable experience.”

Fitness level and endurance are main criteria used to judge the Ms CariFin aerobics competition and the contestants showed a high level of fitness, aerobics skills and endurance as they moved together in unison with instructions from Neil Diaz of Fitness Centre Ltd. It was a great treat for the eyes to see them move in sync with the music.

Ms First Citizens Trudy Louison shared her experience by saying, “I was asked how has CariFin changed my life and to my surprise and delight the audience applauded my answer to be the best. The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering excitedly as the countdown to the top three neared its conclusion. Finally my name and First Citizens were announced as ‘second runner-up.’ My face beamed with a sense of accomplishment as we posed for pictures with the Central Bank’s Governor Dr Alvin Hilaire.”

Charm, poise, confidence and the interviews were also some of the criteria used for judging the Ms CariFin Pageant where Republic Bank’s Christine Villafana was able to garner the most points overall to top the judges score sheet, emerging winner of Ms CariFin Fitness Pageant 2016. Central Bank’s representative, Karyn Stewart, was judged first runner-up followed by Trudy Louison of First Citizens.

“The feeling was a mixture of relief, excitement and humility,” reflected Villafana.

“I felt relief because all the girls were wonderful and there was definitely competition, excited because I emerged victorious and it meant the beginning of great things ahead, and humble at the same time because I could not have done it without God’s will, the support of my RBL team, friends and relatives.” she added.

Villafana works at the Republic Bank Ltd High Street branch in San Fernando. Her hobbies are art, dancing and going to the gym.

“I was introduced to dance at the age of six at my primary school where my dance instructor discovered my talent for the art,” she added.

Villafana then went on to dance at the Best Village and the Soca Monarch competition as part of the cultural group, Reminiscences. She also played netball for the San Fernando Netball League with Les Enfants.

She has also been able to land herself in the EMA’s youth ambassador’s volunteer programme, where she was responsible for educating the public on various environmental topics through art. Her completed work was displayed and published in EMA’s yearly calendar.

With 182 days left for 2016, plus a little over two months to Carnival Monday 2017, bands are already prepared to launch their mas presentations for next year.

First out of the chute is Paparazzi Carnival with its production of Sky Gazers. Led by Tracey Andre, this Woodbrook mas band will unveil its presentation on July 2, with a cooler fete at Pier 1, Chaguaramas, from 10 pm. Following closely in the wake of Paparazzi are Harts, Tribe and Bliss.

To deal with the recent past and present though, the Father’s Day/Labour Day holiday weekend was filled with some entertaining events, the premiere item being Sunday evening’s King David Rudder Live at Kaiso Blues Cafe, 85 Woodford Street, Newtown.

The venue was completely sold-out and featured Jacobs Island, starring Carol Jacobs and her daughter Caryl, aka Trini Jacobs, Llettesha Sylvester, Dean Williams Quartet, Wayne Bruno & Friends and Rudder, the star of the show. All of the performances were outstanding and there was spontaneous applause for every artiste.

Staying at Kaiso Blues Cafe, for one night only, two of the country’s premiere guitarists will perform on Sunday evening. Kysofusion pioneer Michael Boothman collaborates with eclectic jazz guitarist and composer Dean Williams for a night of music, magic and memories at 6.30 pm.

Continuing tonight through Sunday, The Ethnic Jazz Club is hosting two shows per evening of Mayeya 2016, showcasing the music of Ella Andall, at The Jazz Studio, 51 Cornelio Street, Woodbrook. To be featured on this gig are Earl Rodney, Chantal Esdelle & Moyenne, and Stacey Sobers.

Last Saturday, the Rotary Club of Port-of-Spain hosted its Top of the Ave production at Princess Elizabeth Greens, on Ariapita Avenue (West), Woodbrook, featuring Phase II Pan Groove and other artistes.

Not to be outdone, the Rotary Club St Augustine West also staged Jazz Reggae Soca & After Party—in honour of Winston “Shadow” Bailey and Ulric “Buggy” Haynes—at The Anchorage Beach Club in Chaguaramas. Among the stars to shine at this event were Vaughnette Bigford, Prophet Benjamin, Karen Smith, Shurwayne Winchester, Isasha and Shadow’s son Sharlan Bailey.

Be warned, today, there is to be absolutely no parking along Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, from the Queen’s Park Savannah to Independence Square, between 6 am and noon. This also applies to Abercromby Street, from Independence Square to Duke Street. This is to facilitate Port-of-Spain Corporation City Day Military Parade, scheduled to commence at 10 am.

In addition, from 6 pm, the Corporation’s City Day Pan Down Frederick Street parade will be held from Pan Trinbago Headquarters, Victoria Square North, Park Street, to Desperadoes panyard on Frederick Street.

The parade will include First Citizens Supernovas, Hadco Phase II Pan Groove, Republic Exodus, PCS Silver Stars, RBC Redemption Sound Setters, MTHL Starlift, bpTT Renegades and NLCB Fonclaire. A number of steelbands will also be stationary at Desperadoes panyard.

This weekend’s entertainment agenda also includes theatre, with two plays premiering this evening. They are Raymond Choo Kong Productions’ What Happens in Toco, Stays in Toco at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, and The Talented Mr Dickly being staged by HaHaHa Productions, Funny Farm Productions and Abeo Jackson Productions at Queen’s Hall.

The weekend theatre roster also includes the three-night finale of Dr Lester Efebo Wilkinson’s Bitter Cassava, staged by The B-V Theatre Project at Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook, tonight to Sunday.

One of this weekend’s highly recommended shows to attend is tonight’s Seriously Funny...a tribute to Funny, staged by David Bereaux & Friends and The Sparrow Committee, at Lions Cultural Centre, Port-of-Spain, at 8 pm. The show’s cast includes Funny, Chuck Gordon, Crazy, Black Sage, Trinidad Rio, Swami, Doppy, Temples, Kid Kallaloo, Tuffy and Honey.

Tomorrow evening at 6 o’clock, Port-of-Spain Corporation City Day activities continue with the staging of the Mayor’s Pan Jazz Experience at Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook. Headlining this event will be Desperadoes, Massy Trinidad All Stars, CAL Invaders, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, Ray Holman, Vaughnette Bigford, Ken “Professor” Philmore and others.

St Mary’s College Past Students’ Union is also holding another of its annual Dining with the Saints tomorrow, at 7 pm, at the college on Pembroke Street. This elaborate eat out will also feature performances by Eddie Cumberbatch, Blaxx, Phase II Pan Groove and Len “Boogsie” Sharpe.

Sunday is relatively quiet but much action is expected aboard the Black Jack when the Guardian’s editorial crew holds its Naughty or Nice All White Boat Ride & Cooler Fete. Boarding at the Marina Pier, just after Crews Inn, Chaguaramas, is at 2 pm.

Cruise for a cause
On the topic of boat cruises, one was recently held aboard the Treasure Queen 2 to assist emerging recording artiste Marq Pierre. The Provocative cruise was held by Yorke Inc & Ylixia Promotions.

Pierre was introduced to the local public last year via his reggae/R&B single Main Squeeze, produced by StadicMusic. Pierre is a former Junior Calypso and Soca Monarch of 2013 and 2011, respectively.

On the boat, entertainment was provided by Orlando Octave, The Voice and DJs Howie T and Darryl.

Devon is a champion
Last week I erroneously wrote that Roderick Chuck Gordon is the reigning National Monarch. Devon Seale is the 2016 national monarch and Chuck Gordon won the title in 2014 and 2015.

Reprised after 37 years at Little Carib Theatre in Woodbrook, Lester Efebo Wilkinson’s Bitter Cassava is just as relevant today as it was in 1979 when premiered by Mausica Folk Theatre. Opened on June 9, the play will have its finale on Sunday.

Staged by The B-V Theatre Project, Bitter Cassava, whose cast includes Muhammad Muwakil (Samuel William Blondell); Tishanna Williams (Justina); Ruby Parris (Betty Lou); Darin Gibson (Pa Cefus); Mavis John (Mother Lucy); Wendell Etienne (Merchant); Tafar Chia Lewis; Gervon Abraham; and, Kurtis Gross as Papa Iban, successfully covers all bases required for a complete theatrical production. Casting, acting, lighting, wardrobe, music and direction are all spot on in the staging of this iconic play.

Williams, a BA Theatre Arts degree holder, is rivetting as Justina, a woman scorned by Sam after living with him in a common-law relationship and bearing him three children. She marinates well in multiple roles; as abused woman, spirit and avenger.

Renowned as a spoken word artiste, Muwakil shows his acting ability as “the village ram,” and the sweet man in the rural, close knit community in which he resides. The character is central to the plot and the audience is taken through a gamut of emotions as Muwakil’s character weaves a tragic path which negatively affects not only him but his relationships, children and neighbours, especially Pa Cefus, the narrator who relates the village tragedy to investigating policeman Abraham.

Having discarded Justina in a violent and abusive manner, Sam connects with Betty Lou, “a pretty, red woman from town,” who, after a short time of happiness, also becomes the victim of the abusive Sam. If I could have found one minor chink in the plot of Bitter Cassava it would be Betty Lou bearing six children for Blondell. With one of the children being central to the plot, beautifully played by Anna-Lisa Wickham, there is no need to incorporate the other five who are inconsequential to the script and who are neither seen or heard through the entire play.

Endearing themselves to the audience are Robinson and Lewis, especially the latter, as the village’s busy bodies. Without meaning to reveal too much of the plot, Justina, murders the three children she has for Sam, places a curse on him the day he marries Betty Lou and commits suicide. In the end things don’t turn out any better for Betty Lou and Sam either. Go see the play and see first hand how the plot unfolds.

Wilkinson is outstanding as the play’s director, as well as veteran Best Village dancer Gregor Breedy for its choreography, chorale director Lois Lewis and costume designer Carlyne Perreira-Lacaille. Also deserving of kudos is the music ensemble of Marva Newtown (guitar); Alisford Phillips (bass); Girma Daniel (flute); and, two drummers.

The play’s music is beautiful, especially its patois numbers (Allez Mwe-ka-Allez and Bwe Wom), pieces which serve as an enhancement to date the play as well as add variety to its music.

Apart from the traditional music and originals by Wilkinson, Bitter Cassava also includes snippets of works by Mighty Sparrow and late Merchant (Dennis Franklyn).

Bitter Cassava is being held under the patronage of Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, with considerable support from corporate entities and lovers of theatre.

The Queen’s Hall Auditorium in St Ann’s will once more be filled to the brim with the lush, dramatic sounds of opera as the Classical Music Development Foundation of T&T (CMDFTT) hosts its second annual T&T Opera Festival from July 1-10.

The festival will feature several opportunities for the people of T&T to engage, interact, hear and be introduced to the wonderful world of costume, drama, music and, of course, soaring opera singing.

As a special landmark occasion in 2016, the CMDFTT will be relaunched with the more inclusive and distinctive title of Picoplat Music Development Foundation—a rebranding effort to widen the foundation’s scope to the development of musical education within all genres.

The picoplat, one of the Caribbean’s distinctive avian citizens, was chosen for its prized virtuosic bird call and golden beak— a symbol of the innate talent and beauty of our nation’s musical abilities. The grand launch of the Picoplat Music Development Foundation will take place at the Opera Festival Gala on July 1.

The main highlight of the T&T Opera Festival will be the rising opera stars of The Young Artist Collective, formed under the CMDFTT, who will thrill audiences in a unique production of Offenbach’s vividly engaging opera Tales of Hoffmann. The opera will be directed by noted dramaturge Helmer Hilwig with musical direction by June Nathaniel.

The Tales of Hoffmann, an opera by Jacques Offenbach, is a worldwide favourite with opera goers who follow the triumphs and losses of the artiste Hoffmann as he recounts the three great loves of his life in all their beauty and tragedy.

Highlights of this opera include the vocal pyrotechnics of the Doll Song and the duet Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour, considered to contain one of the world’s most popular melodies.

The opera opens and closes with scenes of Hoffmann’s obsession with Stella, an opera singer. In between are visions of his passions for three other women of his past and all the delicious stories that unfold. Hoffmann will be played by Raguel Gabriel, a T&T tenor who will be returning to Trinidad from his studies at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City, USA.

T&T Opera Festival 2016 will also feature the launch of 12 Songs of the Islands—a newly commissioned Caribbean song collection by Trinidadian composer Dominique LeGendre. Following in the well-established tradition of setting traditional folk songs and African-American spirituals for classical solo performance, the CMDFTT has undertaken to commission a collection of Caribbean songs and poems newly arranged for piano and voice by a talented home grown composer.

Also happening during the festival will be vocal masterclasses for semi-professional singers, and the Fourth Annual Music Competition where our nation’s best young singers will perform two songs each for an international panel of judges, in a bid to win a $30,000 grand prize for continuing study in voice and vocal studies.

The T&T Opera Festival is a nationwide event. This year, new opportunities have been created to make the festival more accessible to everyone, including several events, which will be free to the public. A signature Opera Lime promotion (hashtag: #OperaLime) will allow the social-media savvy of the youth population a chance to win a pair of four general admission tickets to the #OperaLime evening, specifically placed in the programme for locals who will be attending the opera for the first time and for any young or young-at-heart opera-loving enthusiasts.

The T&T Opera Festival along with other developmental outreach events, is presented with the generous support of the National Gas Company of T&T, the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts and under the esteemed patronage of Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.

For more information on the T&T Opera Festival 2016 visit: http://www.ttoperafest.com/, email: ttoperafest@gmail.com, or call: 632-2548

The T&T Opera Festival Highlights
• Gala Red Carpet Opening Night—July 1
• Fourth Annual Music Competition—July 2
• Matinee Performance, Tales of Hoffmann—July 3
• Eid ul fitr Matinee Kids Special, Tales of Hoffmann—July 6
• One Child Free per Adult Ticket
• #OperaLime Special Event, Tales of Hoffmann—July 8
• Debut: Twelve Songs of the Islands, by Dominique LeGendre —July 9
• Closing Night Matinee Performance, Tales of Hoffmann
—July 10

TALES OF HOFFMAN, CAST HIGHLIGHTS
• Hoffmann—Raguel Gabriel, tenor,
Stella Adler Studio of Acting NYC
• Lindorf—Justin Welsh, baritone,
Winner Kurt Weill Competition NYC
• Antonia—Cara Adams, soprano,
Pacific Opera Victoria Young Artist
• Niklaus—Maegan Pollonais, mezzo-soprano, Post Graduate Student Ball State University
• Frantz—Rory Wallace, tenor,
Post Graduate Student Ball State University
• Giulietta—Stephanie Nahous, soprano,
Alumnus Boston University (vocal minor)
• Olympia—Natalia Dopwell, soprano,
Alumnus Manhattan School of Music

Rosanna Ramlal has spent most of her life fighting for survival. Ramlal, having suffered with polio from birth, is still struggling in her twilight years as life has taken a turn for the worst.

Her troubles started when her home at Betsy Street, La Romaine, burnt down mysteriously in a fire just two days before Christmas in 2007.

Ramlal and her husband, Ajim Mowlah, were married for 15 years, but they never had children. Shortly after the fire, he died from a stroke and since then, Ramlal, 62, has been living in a one-room shack with no proper door, no window and a gaping roof. Her bed and chair fits tightly in the crudely built shack, which was constructed by her neighbours the day after the fire.

There is no room inside the shack for a stove or anything else. Her few pieces of clothes hang in racks upon the plyboard wall. Every time it rains, everything gets soaked. Pointing to the roof where the galvanize had parted, Ramlal said she was fed up of living in squalor.

“When I was born, I had polio and I was 19 years old when I started to walk. I lived by my mother for all of my life at Pond Street before I met my husband and he brought me here to live,” Ramlal said.

The land is owned by a real estate company and Ramlal pays $200 in rent per month. Her sole source of income is the $1,300 disability grant she receives from the Government. Ramlal said the money is barely enough to live. Most times by the middle of the month she is forced to beg for food.

“I try to make ends meet. I have good neighbours. I also go to the grocery out at Potato Trace and they give me a little credit. I take bread and sardines and maybe a Coke from them and when I get money I pay them a little,” Ramlal added. Ramlal’s home has no toilet.

“I have to do it in a bucket. I get water from the neighbour to bathe. I like to stay clean,” Ramlal added. Even though her home has no running water or electricity, Ramlal said she wanted to stay in the spot where she shared a paradise life with her husband.

“This is where I married and this is where my husband put me. I want to stay here until I die,” Ramlal said in a choked voice. She said the only happiness she ever shared was with Mowlah. “He was a short man but he was very good looking,” she laughed. She said Mowlah suffered from heart disease because he was “big.” She said when he underwent an operation at the San Fernando General Hospital she stayed with him day and night.

It was while they were at the hospital that their home was destroyed by the fire. No one was ever arrested but arson was suspected, Ramlal said. She explained that the land was the source of contention among family. Despite the conflict, Ramlal said she was hoping that she could find some peace and comfort before she died.

“I hope that someone could help me rebuild my house and I could have a proper bedroom, a toilet and a bathroom. It is hard living like this every day but I have no other choice,” Ramlal said. She added that several people have visited her shack and expressed horror at the way she was living.

“People have promised to help me but so far nothing has happened. I am losing hope,” Ramlal added. Mavis Hosein, who lives next to Ramlal, said she was sympathetic to her plight.

“We will chip in financially if people start to help her. If someone could help rebuild the house we will give electricity and water. She needs a proper house,” Hosein added.

Anyone willing to assist Ramlal can contact her at 336-7180.

Imam Ansar Badri has described himself as a “Roving Imam” because he delivers the Khutbah (sermon) at different masjids. He recently delivered the obligatory midday Friday prayers at the St James Mosque on Western Main Road.

Q: When and how did you become a Muslim and an Imam…your calling?
A: I studied Islamic theology at the Darul Uloom Trinidad under the first principal at evening classes. Then I took up studies at Guyana Islamic Institute and did 13 subjects there. On my return, I attended the Haji Ruknudeen Islamic Institute where I studied under scholars like Maulana Nasir, Maulana Waffie to name a couple. Finally, I did some Saturday courses at the Darul Uloom. With this Islamic education I was exposed to various scholars, local and foreign.

As a student I was mandated to give lectures and khutbas (Friday sermons). I started off in my home town Sangre Grande. People invited me to their functions at their residence and by then, the word spread to various jamaats example Las Lomas, Cumuto, Biche, Arima, etc.
Eventually, the ASJA executive assigned me as the imam at the Sangre Grande mosque for a period of time, subsequent to which I continued to facilitate functions and sermons upon request by the will of Allah.

What is the first bit of information you would like to give to T&T and our readers in this the most holy month in the Islamic calendar for Muslims?
Education about Islam essentially. Firstly the word is “Muslim” and NOT “Muzlim.” Secondly, the word is “Islam” and NOT “Izlam.” Also, “Muslim” is not the name of the religion, Islam is. Muslims are those who follow the teachings of Islam. Please explain to our readers what is Ramadhan and its significance.

Let me begin with this customary preamble: We praise Allah The Most High who is the first, there is none who is before Him. We praise Allah who is the last, there is none after Him. He is from the beginning with any ending and He is from the ending without any beginning. We send peace and blessings upon the Prince of both worlds, Muhammad, sallaho alaihe wa salaam.

As Muslims we are thankful that the month of Ramadhan is here, the most exalted on months in the Islamic calendar. The question is how do we use it as opposed to misuse it?

What is Ramadhan all about? Allah the exalted makes mention in the Qur’an that “fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that perhaps you may learn self-restraint.”

A guy goes to a doctor with two things, complaints and money. Now the money will go away faster than the complaints. The doctor writes the prescription: take the white pill after breakfast, the yellow one after lunch, and the green after dinner, then tells him not to eat pepper or drink alcohol. Should this guy not follow through with the doctor’s advice obviously he will not be cured. He has not used it, the cure, the way he should. And so it is with the month of Ramadhan.

My dear brothers and sisters, for 11 months we were sick and did not even know about it. Here Allah the exalted is telling us fasting is the prescription for sins, sins of the eyes, sins of the ears, sins of limbs, sinful thoughts. The remedy is to stay away from what was once permissible from dusk til dawn, the food, the drink, the thoughts and marital relations.

The objective of fasting, my dear respected brothers and sisters, is to be always consciousness of your Lord who is ever watchful. It is a critical element of our preparation for the life hereafter and that we should never lose sight of or put out of our minds and hearts.

Two guys get confrontational, one says to the other “better not take God out your thoughts.” What is the message here? The message is that this will be a level of restraint by one party.

Ramadhan is like a friend, not just a friend, the best friend who was your neighbour, who you grew up with for your entire life, went to school together, sat at the same desk, shared lunch together, played with marbles, go fishing, Allah is the greatest, and after graduation you two went on separate paths; he went to England and you remained in your homeland.

Then one day he calls you up and says, oh my friend, I am coming for a visit. Ramadhan start and you already asking when is Eid, glory be to Allah. When he comes he brings gifts—chocolates, clothing, perfume, bowls etc. Wait, there is more, the devil is chained. There is the gift of the mercy of Allah the exalted within the first ten days, the second ten days brings the forgiveness of Allah. The last ten days brings the deliverance from hell.

That person who fasts, his or her reward is a surprise. Only when he stands before Allah the exalted will receive their reward. Fasting is to put that person on high alert that his Creator is always looking at him or her. Fasting is a shield from doing evil, thinking it; fasting is a shield from your desire; to take control of your desires.

You can’t wear two pairs of shoes yet you have a dozen pairs. Fasting helps you to show more care for the poor and the needy. Allah the exalted says, oh son of Adam, spend for me and I will spend on you. It is about getting in the habit of feeding the poor and hungry. Man gets and he forgets.

Ramadhan is derived from the word ramada which means to scorch or burn, the burning of ones sins. It is to control your desire. Psychologists say if you want to change a bad habit into a good habit, then do that habit regularly, it takes 21 consecutive days.

These actions of fasting, extra prayer, reading Q’uran, remembrance of your Lord, the feeding of the poor, giving charity is NOT and should not be isolated in Ramadhan but it should be done when Ramadhan comes to an end…ongoing.

Ramadhan brings with it gifts 70 times reward for one fardh salaah (obligatory prayer) for the sunnah salaah (traditional prayer) and for the nafl prayer (optional prayer). The fishes in the ocean prays for that fasting person. For every fardh salaah the reward is multiplied 70 times, for every sunnah salaah its reward is that of a fardh salaah, and for every nafl salaah, the reward is that of a sunnah salaah.

May Allah accept all our fasts, reading of Q’uran, standing at night for taraweeh (nightly prayer), charity and sacrifices.

Most people will not know what life as a religious leader is like, what would you say to them?
It is a very huge responsibility. A true Imaan foregoes his self and his family, sometimes giving up his rights for betterment of the jammah (community).

Tell us about your inspiration to become an Imam or someone so religious for want of better terminology?
To enhance the lives of all of our fellow citizens, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Islam is perceived by some (given the many acts of violence especially around the world) as a religion with an increasing number of fanatics and terrorists...what are you doing to counter these perceptions?
The only way is through education.

Why does mankind continually act inhumanely towards one another and why is there so much suffering generally? Is this God’s plan to allow this?
In the words of Maulana Mawdudi (a scholar): “Although man has learned how to swim in the ocean like the fishes and fly in the air like the birds he has forgotten to live as human beings.” There is so much suffering because man is very disobedient.

What are the biggest challenges facing Islam?
There are so many but just to name one; Islam is the most misunderstood religion in the world.

What advice would you give to a young person who is wondering about becoming a religious leader in your religion?
Do it for the pleasure of your Lord and not for the fame of power and be very humble, you are not better than anyone.

What would you say is your greatest virtue?
Humility.

What do you feel is the most significant accomplishment thus far?
That’s a work in progress.

Who were the people who have influenced you the most?
There are many religious people like Maulana Abdus Salaam, Mufti Mazharudeen, Mufti Menk, Maulana Khatanj, Shaikh Ahmad Ali and the list goes on.

Where did you grow up and what area do you now consider home?
I grew up in Sangre Grande and it is my home.

Where did you attain your primary, secondary and other education?
Primary School was fragmented, St Ann’s RC, Barataria Boys’ RC, and Sangre Grande Government. As for Secondary, Sangre Grande Junior Secondary then Arima Comprehensive.

If you had to solve the ills that prevail in T&T what would you do?
Suggest that we all adopt the laws of the Q’uran.

What goals do you still have?
Too many to mention here, but to make Hajj with my wife accompanying me and increase my effort to please God by assisting to avail poverty.

Describe yourself in two words, one beginning with A, the other with B, your initials?
Ambitious and Blessed.

Contact information?
ansar.badri.31.ab@gmail.com

When Pantone released its colour of the year for 2016, there was worldwide surprise since it debuted not one but a pairing of colours—rose quartz and serenity.

Rose quartz, as the name implies, is a soft, pale pink and serenity is a serene, light-blue colour, almost like a hue from the sky. Pantone’s reasoning behind these choices was an attempt to promote wellness and inner peace with their selection. This was a major deviation from the bolder Pantone colours such as turquoise, tangerine, marsala, and honeysuckle which were chosen in recent years.

If you’ve been toying with colour combinations, here’s a guide to selecting a colour scheme:

1. The location of your wedding could be a beginning point. For example, if it will be held in a rustic setting or outdoors, you may choose more earthy colours to complement it. However, if it is in a hotel ballroom, you can select colours that would match with the existing décor in the room or play it safe with neutrals.

2. The theme of your wedding can also guide you about colour selection. For instance, if you have chosen a "nautical" theme, you can go with navy blues, crisp whites and bright reds, or if you have selected a "tropical" theme, you can choose oranges, pinks and yellows.

3. When selecting a colour, always consider the mood you would like to create or as we say locally, the "vibe" of your wedding. This is where you get to determine the mindset you would like—for example, would it be ethereal and romantic? Or trendy and modern?
Remember that selecting more vivid colours will exude a more upbeat and dramatic mood. Colours like reds, purples, oranges and yellows are usually seen as fun and exciting. If you select more muted or metallic colours, these will lend themselves to a more elegant or sophisticated ambience.

4. Start an inspiration board—use a virtual inspiration board such as Pinterst or even a paper folder and save magazine clippings or photos that inspire your wedding colour choices. Visit your local fabric stores or hardware stores and watch the paint chart to see what colours or prints catch your eye. Then ask for swatches, so that you can add them to your inspiration board to help with your decision-making.
Another idea is to show your inspiration board to your invitation specialist, florist, cake artist and decorator. This will help them get a better sense of how you envision your wedding’s décor.

5. Choose a main colour and one or two secondary colours. It may not be a good idea to select more than three colours because it can make your wedding palette look confused.

6. Be open to more unusual colour combinations such as:
· Blush pink and gray
· Black, white and yellow
· Gray, yellow, navy blue
· Fuchsia, black and turquoise
· Plum, chocolate brown and yellow
· Aqua, teal and yellow
· Coral, mint green and ivory

And lastly, when selecting your colours, don’t be afraid to break with tradition. Your guests will be delighted by a wedding that’s not the “same old.”

Today marks the culmination the celebration of the 102nd anniversary of the city of Port-of-Spain. For the first time, a visual arts exhibition was included among the commemorative events. MARSHA PEARCE reviews the show for the Sunday Arts Section.

Where one might see lack, others see promise. In his 1992 Nobel lecture, Derek Walcott gave voice to his vision of the city of Port-of-Spain, seeing it as a creative wellspring. “On a heat-stoned afternoon in Port-of-Spain, some alley white with glare, with love vine spilling over a fence, palms and a hazed mountain appear around a corner,” he writes. Yet for Walcott, there is more beyond a surface reading of that scene.

“It is hard for me to see such emptiness as desolation. It is that patience that is the width of Antillean life,” he adds. The “patience” to which Walcott refers is the tenacity or staying power of the Caribbean—a power that permeates its cities and crannies.

It is a power celebrated in this year’s 102nd anniversary of the city of Portof- Spain and acknowledged with a display of artworks. Under the theme A City in Positive Transition, the Old Fire Station adjacent to the National Library, corner of Hart and Abercromby Streets, was transformed into a gallery space with an array of two and threedimensional pieces.

How to present the evolution of a place? How to describe its passages, rituals and personalities without giving a cloying narrative?

The inclusion of Christopher Cozier’s Fragment was a relevant, robust choice. The work is a piece of clay found at the site of one of the buildings destroyed during the attempted coup of 1990. On one side of the fragment, Cozier paints the surrender of coup leader Yasin Abu Bakr. On the other side, he gives a portrait of Dr Eric Williams, T&T’s first prime minister. The disturbing work offers two key figures bound up in the rule and direction of the city and wider nation.

Cozier’s Fragment was suitably located so that it stood in dialogue with Joshua Lue Chee Kong’s new work The Red House Has Landed and Carlisle Chang’s Untitled oil on canvas piece dated 1965. Lue Chee Kong’s seat-ofparliamentcum- spaceship triggered thoughts of a colonial history and the notion of self-governance as an alien idea (does the government come in peace?).

Its futuristic aesthetic also prompted audiences to think about a Port-of-Spain of tomorrow. In contrast, Chang’s work steeped thoughts in the past. Chang had a great impact on art and the city, having done several public murals, including those at the Port-of-Spain City Hall, the Central Bank, and Hilton Trinidad.

Another notable link in the show was the display of Peter Minshall’s sketches for a children’s Carnival band dated 1986, the wire-bending technique seen in Susan Dayal’s Third Eye Flowering and Wendy Nanan’s papier mâché baby Krishna carrying a doubles in one hand and an enamel cup with a drop of oil in the other. These pieces put a spotlight on the street theatre that possesses the city each year and some of the materials and methods of costume fabrication.

The work of Dayal and Nanan also offered reflection on an intangible dimension of city life, with Dayal’s third eye emphasising consciousness or perception beyond ordinary sight —a seeing of potential—and Nanan’s Krishna with cherub wings highlighting a spirit of unity or syncretism.

The curatorial choice of incorporating Carnival was to be expected. What was missing, however, was the injection of the Indo-Caribbean festival of Hosay (Isaiah James Boodhoo’s art comes to mind), which is also a significant part of the city’s identity.

Like Cozier’s Fragment, the presence of Richard Mark Rawlin’s Chinese Worker piece also kept the exhibition from being over-sentimental. His art was a reminder of the immigrants who allegedly worked under poor conditions to revitalise the city, including projects such as the construction of the National Academy for the Performing Arts (Napa)—a building thoughtfully included in the exhibit by way of Donald “Jackie” Hinkson’s painting titled All Inclusive.

Other fitting selections were Abigail Hadeed’s photograph of a pan yard and Shouter Baptist woman, Nanan’s sketches of cricket at the Queen’s Park Oval, Reah Lee Sing’s painting of the Queen’s Park Savannah North (Lee Sing is the wife of a former city mayor), Dean Arlen’s Five Men Discussing Trans Politics and Nikolai Noel’s Mercury image created for the NGC Bocas Lit Fest (a literary festival held annually in the city since 2011).

Edward Bowen’s Bird and Lizard underscored our fauna as a requisite feature of the city’s ecosystem. Sarah Knight’s Two Face showed consideration of the tensions of existence for women living in society. In her mixed media piece, a young woman wears a demure dress decorated with repeating images of a female figure clutching her crotch with legs spread. The images also extend to the woman’s hands.

Marlon Darbeau’s peera, a reinterpretation of a home-made wooden bench traditionally used for cooking and other daily activities, was a symbolic bridging of time and a strong element of metamorphosis, which connected to the show’s focus on the idea of transition.

Rodell Warner’s fractal patterns in his piece Flotsam also powerfully spoke to the notion of flux, while Esther Griffith’s painting of an upturned face not only radiated with an air of optimism but also reinforced a sense of shifts and motion with its energetic brushstrokes.

The exhibition provided access to the idea of transition on multiple, intertwined levels: human, ecological, political and infrastructural—in both figurative and abstract approaches. This attention to development and change matters to how Port-of-Spain is considered and envisioned.

In Walcott’s lecture he makes a claim about Caribbean cities. “Ours are not cities in the accepted sense, but no one wants them to be. They dictate their own proportions,” he says. Is Walcott’s statement true today? What exactly is meant by a positive transition?

Are Port-of-Spain’s proportions taking shape in the image and likeness of other cities or in its own way? Hinkson’s All Inclusive painting gave audiences pause. In it he juxtaposes the steel and glass of Napa with the Renaissance style of the Royal Victoria Institute, the building that houses the National Museum.

A bmobile billboard stands in the landscape as the new greenery blocking a portion of the foliage in the background. Given the layout of the show, it is the last piece audiences would see, stirring much questions while the city hummed and whirled outside the Old Fire Station walls.

The strength of this brief show was founded on its ability to commemorate without being giddy; to encourage inquiry rather than blind acceptance.

It is a pity the City Day art exhibition only ran for a few hours, giving little opportunity for more public engagement. The display was held on the evening of June 8, and was curated by Martin Mouttet and Geoffrey MacLean of Medulla Art Gallery.

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 coincided with the birth of the oil age in Fyzabad. The production coming out of the new wells at Forest Reserve exceeded all expectations. One particular well produced over 138,000 barrels between 1914 and 1917.

Christened “Helena” after the wife of the manager of Trinidad Leaseholds Ltd (TLL), Mr H Korrhaus, it still produces small quantities over a century after it was first drilled.

The heavy labour of clearing the dense forests and then preparing the drill sites exceeded the capacity of the local labour force which seemed to lack both the brawn and the numbers to successfully meet the needs of the oil companies. This was even more evident after 1919 when Apex Oilfields came on the scene with its formidable manager, Colonel Horace C B Hickling.

Hundreds of hardy workmen from Grenada and St Vincent settled in the Fyzabad district to remedy the labour problem. Capable of performing monumental feats of strength and endurance, they soon had progress underway.

Forests and cocoa trees gave way to huge camps of pre-fabricated bungalows which were meant to accommodate white expatriate staff. Apex and TLL employed a number of South Africans, ostensibly for their “experience in dealing with coloured labour.”

Fyzabad became a town of segregation with the working class living in appalling conditions—crowded and unsanitary—around the village itself, while the expatriate staff dwelt in relative comfort on the camps, having electricity, hospital services and other amenities. There were even chapels for the Roman Catholic and Anglican faiths so that the expatriates need not journey into Fyzabad to worship among the coloured folk.

In World War I was the first mechanised conflict in global history and it became apparent to the stakeholders in the oil industry that it had an important role to play in the matter as far as the supply of fuel went. In 1920, a major accident occurred at one of the wells near Fyzabad which blew out under pressure and ignited, sending streams of burning oil along the canals and waterways, causing much damage to property although it is not known if the incident resulted in fatalities.

The rapid expansion in oil exploration saw the formation of many small companies with “roughneck” operations. One of these was Dome Oilfields, established in the mid 1920s by Bunsee Partap and a syndicate of San Fernando businessmen to exploit a rich plot of oil land on Guapo Road.

Managed by a young local white driller named Robert Wade and cobbled together using outdated, used equipment, Dome Oilfields struck it big from the start and it promised enormous wealth to its owners.

On December 8, 1928, Dome Well number three was completed, capped with rusty valves and left unattended while Wade went to celebrate and his bosses did as well. By the time leaks were discovered in the capping, things were already beginning to get out of hand. Wade returned along with Partap, San Fernando merchant Ralph Sammy, and several others including Sammy’s wife and daughter.

While starting his Ford Model T to focus its lights on the well, Wade triggered an explosion by igniting the natural gas escaping from the well. In the resulting holocaust, 16 people were incinerated on the spot. The fire burned for several days, and just like in the 1920 explosion, a river of burning oil flowed from the site and set the land around aflame. The Dome Oilfield tragedy did not end here but has an interesting sequel which will be documented in another column by itself.

The oil wealth of Fyzabad did much to change the face of the village. Aside from the crowded huts occupied by the immigrant labourers and their families, the main business thoroughfare was transformed. Shops, bars and dancehalls sprang up almost overnight as Fyzabad became a boom town. There were two cinemas as well, one catering mainly to the working class and the other to the oilfield staff.

The Trinidad Government Railway had reached Siparia , just a couple miles away, in 1914 and large weekend excursion parties arrived in Fyzabad to take advantage of the good times. Not a few of the weekend visitors were women of dubious reputation from Port-of-Spain and environs who were coming down to meet their “keepers”—that is to say, oilfield workers who kept them flush with cash.

Nevertheless, wages remained relatively low for the labourers on the oilfield, which combined with the obvious discrepancy in living/working conditions between white and coloured employees, brought one firebrand Grenadian immigrant to the forefront.

When we say something is seriously funny, we are talking levity, not gravity. It’s nothing serious, just something that’s superlatively clever.

The audience gathered in the Lion’s Civic Centre in Woodbrook, last Friday night for the concert Seriously Funny: Humour in Calypso, was there to celebrate the work of veteran calypsonian Master Funny (Donric Williamson), a gifted songwriter whose creativity has enabled him to consistently produce superlatively clever songs for the past 50 years.

Hosted by the Sparrow: A Special Someone Committee, the programme featured performances of Funny’s songs, and humorous calypsoes of other bards, by David Bereaux, Swami (Randolph Galt), Temples (Nigel Galt), Kid Kallaloo (Julien Hunte), Black Sage (Phillip Murray), The G Man (Graham Gellizeau), Tuffy (Roger Murray), Roderick Chuck Gordon (Roderick Gordon), and Trinidad Rio (Daniel Browne).

Bereaux opened the playbill doing Funny’s Check Up (1970) and the late Cypher’s (Dillary Scott) funny, but complex, composition titled Papers.

Swami was up next to render two of Funny’s compositions—the amazing Time Really Flies with the classic chorus: “Day before yesterday was yesterday, yesterday. Yesterday was today, yesterday. Today was tomorrow yesterday. Tomorrow today go be yesterday. Day after tomorrow, tomorrow, will be yesterday.”

The other was Accident Policy composed in 1976.

Temples opted for Bomber’s (Clifton Ryan) Proverbs, and was well-appreciated for being able to recreate the several extempo encore verses Bomber delivered when he premiered the work in 2001. Kid Kallalloo offered his witty composition She Tell Meh, which he sang at the Kaiso Karavan in 2013, and was loudly cheered for the clever word-play contained within.

Black Sage enhanced Funny’s A Soul Man, updating the song with some new crowd-pleasing verses of his own. The G Man offered the unrecorded Bang It, and Tuffy showcased Bam See from 1975.

Two-time national calypso monarch Chuck Gordon went for non-Funny selections. His humorous choices were former road march winner and calypso monarch the late Penguin’s (Seadley Joseph) creative composition The Slipper, and Zandolie’s (Sylvester Anthony) highly popular Man Family.
Trinidad Rio sang two of his outstanding compositions—Back to Basic and For Cup—winning solid audience approval for the masterful use of language with which the selections are crafted.

Funny appeared after the interval, and established early rapport with audience members. He chatted, gave jokes, shared some life experiences as a performing artiste, and delivered a delightful, unique-styled repertoire, that included Funny Win, Screwcoo Cheek, Time Travel, Bacchanal in Hell, Hokey Pokey, Farmer Brown and, with the entire cast supporting him on stage, closed with the memorable, patriotic, Sweet Sweet Trinidad, the first calypso he sang in a tent as a cast member of the CDC Calypso Theatre in 1966.

Providing harmonious chorus work throughout were Sasha George, Carla Sayers and Rennee Guerra.

Musical accompaniment was provided by the David Bereaux and Friends Vintage Kaiso Ensemble comprising Steve Neaves (guitar), Patrick Johnson (keyboards), Russell Durity (bass), Sylvan Sylvester (saxophone), Alan Nelson (trumpet), Earl Edwards (percussion), and Richard Joseph (drums).

Bereaux performed duties of show host.

More info
The Sparrow: A Special Someone Committee was established in September 2014 to pay tribute to the legends of calypso.
The committee has already honoured Sparrow (Slinger Francisco), Mighty Bomber (Clifton Ryan) and Winsford “Joker” Devine.

It recently became necessary for me to codify how I handle photographs on a smartphone, and it turns out it’s not quite as easy as snap, filter and Instagram. I admit to being a bit of a purist when it comes to even casual photography using these pervasive mobile devices.

The Instagram era coincided with the last vestiges of crappy phone cameras, and software and the filters that will now be indelibly part of a largely unwise mass filtration of millions of photographs are going to look more than a little embarrassing and dated pretty soon.

Today’s mobile devices sport far better imaging sensors, desktop class central processors, GPU hardware and a blessedly expanding collection of software that’s designed to do something other than tint the world with rose (and acid green) coloured glasses.

While I’ve come to appreciate the capacity to simply take a photo wherever I am, there’s a fussy completist in me that’s also determined to take the best possible photo and take it all the way through to a final form that represents my perspective on it.

Modern digital photography normally proceeds through a process of capture, using capable cameras, then computer based post-processing. Smartphone photography is all about compromises and alternative methods, particularly if you decide to skip using a computer entirely.

The camera in a modern smartphone is orders of magnitude better than anything that was available in its ancestors as recently as five years ago. Lenses, made by major brands like Schneider and Leica, are better machined and capture more light.

Sensors, while still tiny, are dramatically improving through techniques like back-illumination, which creates more space on the capture plane of the tiny chips which improves their sensitivity and dynamic range.

Still there are compromises. The traditional axis of manual control, available on most phones released in the last nine months, substitutes exposure value compensation for adjustable aperture, since cameras on mobile devices ship with a fixed lens opening. There simply isn’t room in the sleek profile of a mobile phone for more complex lens designs.

Those lenses, wide-angle optics in the 27-30mm equivalent range of focal lengths, have been getting much wider in recent times, topping out at an f1.7 lens on the new Samsung S7 devices.

Huawei took the lead in introducing some lightfield technology in its new P9 device, raising the game in computational photography options (panoramics, HDR, skin softening) that are now baseline features in mobile devices.

The biggest compromise of all in a smartphone is its shape; it simply isn’t designed to take photographs. It’s first purpose is to be a mobile phone, with all the critical ergonomic decisions pledged to that primary use.

My normal workflow is to capture in RAW+JPEG format and move the images to a computer to finish them using a flashdrive shuttle (http://ow.ly/kV3A301DvnS). These are commonly available devices with one end offering a traditional USB male plug and the other a Micro-USB or USB-C connector (you can find them with Lightning connectors for iOS as well).

Between the two sits intermediary storage in a size you choose. RAW shooting demands either a large primary storage space or a sizeable Micro-SD card on the device.

Working on the phone itself will call for a little investment in software. To manage a photo collection, I like the free Photos (preinstalled) on iOS and QuickPic (http://ow.ly/IOxJ 301Dv9e) for Android. Both include basic photo editing functions. To do something more than that, a good place to start is with Google’s Snapseed (http://ow.ly/jgL5301Dv6y, Android, iOS, free).

Ignore the fancy filters but do make use of the powerful adjustment tools.

Pixelmator on iOS (http://ow.ly/8J1C301Dv3y) is an excellent Photoshop replacement as is Photo Editor on Android (http://ow.ly/1hJz301Dvjo), but look for the version created by dev.macgyver, since there are several apps with the same name. You’ll pay US$3 to remove the ads, but it’s worth it.

I really liked Photoshop Touch, but Adobe has stopped development and sales for the product. If you must edit using a tool with photoshop in the name, try Photoshop Express (http://ow.ly/9lgI301DvdF, iOS, Android). I find it far less capable than Touch and the constant prompting to use their Creative Cloud is particularly annoying.

All of these picture editing tools can share images directly to services like DropBox and Instagram, replacing a computer entirely.

“I not getting true 2 right my resume and I need 2 work with you all please.”

This was the message posted by a jobseeker on a local company’s Facebook page. Someone at the company was clearly not impressed and responded with, “Do you mean ‘getting through to write’?” This was widely shared and ridiculed by people who lamented what they felt was shoddy and inappropriate communication.

Companies constantly deal with communication challenges, especially when recruiting new and younger workers. The evolution of society’s norms, speech and forms of writing together with the introduction of acronyms and shorthand has interfered with the standard way of writing, especially when applying for jobs, developing resumes and constructing cover letters.

With the constant use of phones and instant messaging, people can get tied up with the appropriateness of the language in interactions with an employee, boss, or recruiter.

Text lingo, commonly used when people get online, is widely understood and accepted, however, only credited in the appropriate circumstances. Younger candidates are at a disadvantage when applying online for jobs because of the informal language used through technology.

According to Job Hunt’s website, “Since email messages generally tend to be conversational and quickly written, many people aren’t used to drafting carefully written email cover letters.”

Eve Anderson Recruitment Limited, one of the few businesses that allow online submission of applications, resumes and cover letters, are victims of this challenge. Eve Anderson deals with recruiting new employees for clients through a screening process where interviews are held with applicants before they’re sent off to further interviews.

This screening interview, based on the answers, will determine if the candidate is suitable for the job which they applied.

“The older applicants tend to be more professional,” says Kelly Edghill from Eve Anderson.

The recruitment organisation also makes it their duty to not send any candidate to a client without the screening interview.

Regency Recruitment and Resources Limited also encounters this absence of proper business communication skills with new candidates in their resumes and cover letters. They have found that acronyms and shorthand texts used in job applications are used mainly by “technical people.”
Many emails they receive tend to be very informal and too casual, with candidates even writing, “Hey there, my resume is attached, tell me what you think.”

A more formal approach would have addressed a specific individual in a more appropriate manner.

“People need to recognise that cover letters, especially via email is a form of business communication and needs to be constructed as such,” says Lara Quentrall-Thomas, CEO at Regency Recruitment and Resources.

The Job Hunt web site says, “Online cover letters are (usually) poorly written throwaways of fewer than three lines whose only purpose is to say, ‘I am applying, this is my resume, have a nice day’.”

Although completing a resume or cover letter online may be quicker and simpler, it’s important to put the time and effort as if it was hand written. Language communication speaks volume and constant professionalism is advised especially when wanting to be hired.

Charmaine Daisley

Christine Souffrant is a young, social enterprise proponent. A relatively new and revolutionary way of doing business, social enterprise means using business tenets and goals to help solve society’s most distressing problems. The social enterprise business is set up to provide a solution for an issue that exists in countries with crises such as lack of potable water, lack of energy sources for poor households, underdeveloped business and trade, absence of sanitary living conditions in the home, poor agricultural systems, and limited access to proper healthcare and education.

In short, social enterprises are built on the foundation of wanting to improve the lives of the poor and underprivileged of the world. And that’s exactly what Souffrant does.

At 26 years old, Souffrant, a social entrepreneur, is the founder of Vendedy, which has successfully developed the world’s only digital platform for marketing the work of street artisan vendors living in third world markets. In building her enterprise, she has gained insight to the stories and struggles of street vendors in 30 countries while travelling as a student on a Bill Gates scholarship.

“Vendedy is a social enterprise start-up that is digitising the street vending industry via mobile technology,” Souffrant explains.

“For the first time, street vendors can upload photos of their products online via mobile so that a travelling consumer can search, purchase, and pay for an item via SMS. Local agents deliver the product to the consumer’s hotel during their stay,” she said.

The mobile network was in beta in Haiti. The startup aims to launch the first phase of the network in the Caribbean this summer.

She added that “as the Vendedy network expands, it aims to help travelling consumers access remote artisan designs that come with a story from over 150+ countries in real time.”

Vendedy’s platform of commerce is the hugely popular global mobile SMS service. This affordable and reliable platform is used to streamline the entire sale, purchase, and payment transaction for the street artisan and the travelling consumer, and inherently minimises the artisan’s cost of getting his products to market.

This social enterprise not only provides a cohesive marketplace for street artisan vendors, it goes further to offer the humble street artist an instant global consumer base, plus professional representation and marketing around the world—all for a small commission; most profits go to the rightful owners, the street artisans who produced what was sold.

In further highlighting the impact Vendedy is making in revolutionising the street vending industry, and improving the lives of thousands around the world, Souffrant explains that approximately two billion people around the globe survive on less than US$2 a day and many earn their daily existence by selling handmade crafts and art on the street. Sadly, these micro-business owners lack representation and are often exploited by wholesalers who purchase their products at a very low cost and resell them in Western markets at a significant markup. This, ultimately, creates a vicious cycle of poverty among street artisans. The good news is that Vendedy is now on the scene to offer fair trade to these vendors.

“During the beta launch of the mobile network, street vendors who used Vendedy earned nine to 14 times their annual income in weeks because they are paid a fair price for their goods’ market value, as opposed to local undervalued prices, Souffrant explains.

“On the other hand, 66 per cent of global consumers want to purchase unique items that create a social impact, but can only access them via fragmented channels like NGOs, boutique websites and sporadic craft fairs. Furthermore, many of the 1.1 billion people who travel the world annually search for products that symbolise their experience abroad. But they buy items at airports, hotels and malls despite the fact that most authentic products are located in street markets. We want to leverage mobile technology to revamp this global supply chain and connect street markets to global consumers.”

Christine’s passion for the support of street artisans stems from her own experience of knowing the struggles of family members who were street vendors in Haiti and the streets of New York.

Niall Ferguson,

Odyssey Editions, 2013,

ASIN: B00CEFF88S; 34 pages.

Review by Kevin Baldeosingh

Although an extended essay rather than a book proper, economic historian Niall Fergurson’s defence of the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who died in 2013, is an especially useful corrective in the wake of the Brexit vote which has had the chattering classes chatting so much in the past few days. Additionally, there are hints here as to how T&T might tackle its present economic malaise.

“Above all, however, Margaret Thatcher was right about Europe,” Ferguson writes, asserting that she was correct to back the Single European Act of 1986, which facilitated free trade on the continent, but equally right in opposing the single European currency.

Thatcherism is now a metaphor for bad governance, yet it is a metaphor which owes more to ideology than to either historical or economic facts. Ferguson notes that in the late 1970s Britain was in a dire state. “Nothing worked, The trains were always late. The payphones were always broken...The inflation rate...was 27 per cent,” he recalls. The fault, as with Venezuela now, was socialist policies.

“As early as 1975 she had come with a wonderful line about the Labour Party: ‘They’ve got the usual Socialist disease—they’ve run out of other people’s money’,” writes Ferguson.

He argues that Thatcherism was “a painful but necessary change of policy regime” needed to tackle chronic inflation, industrial unrest, and unemployment. And it worked.

“The gap between the UK and its European and North American peers had been enormous in the post-war decades. It was in the 1980s that the gap disappeared.”

Why it is, then, that three years after her death and a quarter-century after her Prime Ministership ended with her forced resignation, Thatcher, who during her premiership was called “The Iron Lady,” continues to be perceived negatively. Ferguson hints at a likely factor when he notes that, “most intellectuals detested Margaret Thatcher,” so it is those voices which dominate the discourse.

Perhaps more importantly, though, he argues that, “naive economists look at the wrong indicators when trying to assess the Thatcher achievement. They fail to see that the project to restore British capitalism should be measured by capitalist, not socialist standards.”

But what about Thatcher’s alleged racist policies in respect to apartheid and immigration? Ferguson provides a more nuanced take, arguing that Thatcher was a political realist which is why she didn’t support sanctions against South Africa, but, “at her meetings with PW Botha and his successor FW de Klerk, she urged them to free Nelson Mandela.”

And, Ferguson adds, “When she finally met with Mandela himself, she urged him in turn not to go down the road of nationalisation of the economy.” The lesson of Zimbabwe should be clear here, but isn’t to many people.

Ferguson also notes that, although her administration made it harder for would-be immigrants to marry their way in or secure work permits and ended the claim to UK citizenship of former colonial subjects, the tide of migration turned on Thatcher’s watch because her economic policies made Britain attractive to immigrants once again.

Thatcher’s reputation, then, disproves the old saw that you can’t argue with success.

For more than 20 years, the Adult Literacy Tutors Association (Alta) has continued to thrive thanks to the work of our committed volunteers, and the passion of Alta’s founder and CEO, Paula Lucie-Smith.

This was clearly evident at Alta’s annual tutors meeting, held on June 25, where over 100 active and newly trained volunteers came together to chart the way forward into another successful academic year. Present amidst the volunteers was Alta’s patron Zalayhar Hassanali and Professor Ian Robertson who gave a presentation on Creole English and the Adult Literacy Student.

Professor Robertson is well known in academia for his research in the field of linguistics.

Guyanese by birth, Robertson is the former Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the UWI St Augustine Campus, and a former lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics.

He gave a lengthy but incredibly interesting presentation, which looked at the value of teaching adult learners in Creole English versus Standard English. He also looked at the intricacies of Creole English and gave many entertaining examples of both phonetic and grammar rules, which tutors should keep in mind when teaching Trinidadian adults to read and write.

He left the audience thinking about the importance of understanding the nature of language—both the language which is being taught, as well as any languages students bring into the classroom—in order to teach effectively.

We also took the opportunity to discuss our recently launched anti-stigma campaign and student recruitment efforts leading up to student registration on September 6 and September 7, at 12 libraries around the country.

To this end tutors were separated into regions and guided by their regional co-ordinators. Our tutors were also able to interact with and meet newly trained volunteers.

It was extremely inspiring and promising for Alta’s future to see so many long standing and new tutors attend a meeting on a Saturday morning—many coming from as far as Point Fortin.

The feedback we received during our student recruitment and anti-stigma campaign meeting is also testament to the unwavering commitment which our volunteer tutors have to the Association. Undoubtedly, without this dedication Alta would not be where it is today and so we take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all our volunteers—both past and present.

Have you considered becoming a volunteer or know someone who may be interested in joining an Alta class?

• Call 624-2582/653-4656 for more information. You can volunteer, donate or sponsor-a-student.

Professor Robertson is well known in academia for his research in the field of linguistics.

Guyanese by birth, Robertson is the former Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the UWI St Augustine Campus, and a former lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics.

To this end tutors were separated into regions and guided by their regional co-ordinators. Our tutors were also able to interact with and meet newly trained volunteers.

It was extremely inspiring and promising for Alta’s future to see so many long standing and new tutors attend a meeting on a Saturday morning—many coming from as far as Point Fortin.

Have you considered becoming a volunteer or know someone who may be interested in joining an Alta class?

• Call 624-2582/653-4656 for more information. You can volunteer, donate or sponsor-a-student.

The July/August vacation is fast approaching and children will soon put away their schoolbooks. They will all go to camps that offer fun activities ranging from sports, craft, cooking and field trips.

Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) provides nature escapes and one-day tours for camps catering to all age groups.

Nestled in the hills of the Northern Range, our nature centre has catered to local and international naturalists for over 40 years. The AWNC was established by a group of naturalists to “protect part of the Arima Valley in a natural state and to create a conservation and study area for the protection of wildlife, and for the enjoyment of all.”

AWNC’s property, a former cocoa, coffee and citrus estate, will be retained under forest cover, to preserve habitats and the important Arima Valley watershed, part of the Northern Range. The Northern Range watersheds are the most significant contributors to Trinidad’s freshwater supply.

A visit to the Asa Wright Nature Centre offers the opportunity for one to enjoy and learn more about our natural heritage. Take a guided tour along our discovery trail, and enjoy the beauty of Trinidad’s forest. On the verandah of the main house—a structure that is more than 100 years old—take in the magnificent view of the Arima Valley.

Observe the brilliantly coloured hummingbirds, tanagers and honeycreepers that visit our feeding stations. To add to this, camps can also get involved in other activities for the day.

Learn about recycling in one of the craft sessions. Use the interactive poster board to test your knowledge on T&T animals. Visit our museum—skulls and bones, butterflies and bats, are just a few of the artifacts on display.

Camps also get free posters on local animals or plants. These posters were published with the help of The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme. Whatever the age group, Asa Wright has something for the campers.

A visit to Asa Wright this vacation can also be a lovely outing for families and other groups. Take a weekend getaway by booking a stay in one of our cottage rooms.

On Sundays, the centre serves a grand brunch, with roast bake and omelette selections from the resident cooks. Have you tasted their “sweet han” yet? You have to book your table in advance.

For more information or to make a booking please call Johanne Ryan at 667-4655 or 667-4961. To find out more about the camp activities, call or e-mail asawrightconsedu@gmail.com.

AWNC can accommodate groups of 40 to 50 children daily. The entrance fee is $15 for children under 12 years and $30 for children 12 years and over.

• Visit the AWNC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AsaWrightNatureCentre, and its website at www.asawright.org

Devon Seale, the reigning National Calypso Monarch, is pushing the borders of calypso even further internationally as he embarks on a concert tour of Costa Rica on Monday.

Seale is one of the chosen headline acts for the Fourth International Calypso Festival in Cahuita, Costa Rica. The festival is taking place on July 8-10, but Seale leaves early to conduct a workshop for the children involved.

“It’s all about going to new markets and trying something new,” Seale said this week. “On Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, there are alot of West Indian immigrants who maintained their Afro Caribbean culture. As such, the Costa Rican Government recognised the importance of this type of music to the country’s cultural and historical identity and officially declared calypso a national patrimony in 2012.

Speaking about his life since winning calypso’s most prestigious prize, Seale said: “Devon Seale is still the cool and humble guy everyone is accustomed to. But as the national calypso monarch more opportunities in terms of performing are coming my way. I meet a number of people who are truly elated that I was successful this year and then you recognise the amount of persons who were following your career from the beginning.

With 20 years in the senior category , I think calypso lovers deserve to see Devon in concert—‘Seale(D) with thanks’.”

Born in Tunapuna, Seale grew up in Bon Air Gardens, and attended Tunapuna Anglican Primary School, Arima Government Secondary and El Dorado Secondary Comprehensive. Additionally, he lived in Brasil for four years where he pursued a BSc in Computer Science and in 2014 graduated with distinction honors at the Arthur Lok Jack GSB.

About his young life, Seale disclosed: “I started singing calypso at the age of 11. In fact, my aunt Singing Sonia wrote my first calypso. Eventually, I started singing compositions by George Martin which took me to approximately six finals as a junior calypsonian.

“As a younger man I played three musical instruments (piano, violin, pan). In the younger days it was always calypso and classical music. I started singing classical music at first, tutored by Esther Batson, taking part in competitions like the T&T Musical Festival and 12 and Under.”

The local bards to influence Seale most are Black Stalin, Explainer and Bro Valentino but he added: “After being exposed to Brazilian music, I love to see Gilberto Gil and Ivette Sangalo perform.”

Three songwriters are responsible for the material Seale sings. They are Gregory Ballantyne, Marlon Rondon and Christophe Grant.

Seale thinks that local music and singers are on par with any other in the world. He said: “I think we produce great music locally and we have very talented artistes, however we have

limited venues where local musicians can showcase and develop their talents.

With the younger generation in calypso emerging, I don’t think it is a dying art form. As calypsonians we just have to find more creative ways of getting the message out there to the younger generation. It’s all about utilising the technology.”

Seale, who describes himself as a “focussed and committed calypsonian,” said: “I’d really like to see the day when we can have a calypso museum, to showcase the works of our icons.”

With his sights set on holding on to the national title in 2017, he added with a chuckle: “Seven months away from Carnival 2017 is a bit too early but I can warn my challengers that with the material I already have, it’s not going to be easy to dethrone me. This year I had four songs and any two could have worked. Next year, look for new things from Devon Seale.”

Marabella gets ready for Pan In De Countryside

Following last weekend’s explosion of beautiful pan music in the North, the action goes south this weekend to the Marabella Recreation Grounds, Battoo Avenue, the preferred venue for the July edition of Pan in De Countryside.

The popular steelband activity which is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Community Development, Culture & The Arts and Pan Trinbago Inc takes place tomorrow from 4 pm.

Six steel orchestras—Arima Golden Symphony, Pan Elders, Fusion Steel, bpTT Renegades, Marsicans and Southern Marines Foundation—have been selected to perform at this event. The Red Hill D’Abadie Parks Foundation Limbo dance troupe and a popular DJ will complete the list of performers.

Patrons will be able to purchase local foods, art and craft from members of the community at the venue. Limited Maxi Taxi seating at $150 per head (return) is available upon request.

Interested people can contact Pan Trinbago’s Head Office, Park Street, Port-of-Spain, or call 625 3556, for further information.

Next month’s Pan in de Countryside is the 25th in the on-going series of outdoor steelpan concerts.

This evening, at 7.30 pm, the Northern Region of Pan Trinbago Inc will stage another edition of its Pan on de Foodcourt, at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. Bands performing are Flabej, which departs on July 6 for the 2016 World Performing Arts Convention in Los Angeles, and Roadblock which visits three African states this month.

The Northern region, chaired by Gerard Mendez, is also having an After World Lime on Friday, July 15 at the bpTT Renegades Pan Theatre on Charlotte Street, from 7 pm. This is a double-barreled affair as it will showcase pan and calypso with Relator launching his newest CD as well as live performances by Renegades and T&T Defence Force Steel Orchestra.

(PHOTOS: courtesy Pan Trinbago Inc)

Light….Do you remember?

Do you remember when we were just one? When nobody was aggressive; and if you bounced somebody in a party you would end up dancing with them? When we made friends going to a fete and up to now we don’t know their names?

QLife Productions has pulled together the Knights of the Round Table to bring back light to the national landscape on July 9 at the Cascade Hotel, St Ann’s.

Coming in from New York to play in Trinidad for the first time in more than a decade, DJ Teddy Mohammed will lead an impressive cast of men who were household names in the 70’s and 80’s in T&T. Brian Regis, DJs Mario, Darryl and Scobie, bringing back the good old days of Heritage ‘67, Palavar Place, Rolls Royce International, Impact Disco, Atlantis and Leo Toro.

What will these knights bring to the round table? Nothing short of that good feeling when there were no divisions in the party: no VIP, one price, one venue and one love. This is not just an event, we are teaching you the history; let’s teach you to party.

New York-based Mohammed is elated for the opportunity to return home for the first time in more than a decade to spread the light. “I love Trinidad and wish all the youths know what they have and love it,” he said.

Born and bred in John John, Mohammed, who won the first Master Mix competition introduced by DJ Rennie Bishop in the 70’s, is anxious to join the Knights to recreate the Round Table: “It was one of the best times ever, we cherish it and want to bring it back,” he said.

DJs Brian Regis, Mario Darryl and Scobie have expressed their eagerness to be performing together and recreating the great vibes once again

QLIfe Productions will honour many people at the event on July 9, at the Cascadia Ballroom, for the music which brought joy to so many lives. Among them will be TMC, Amitaf, Ubiquity, The Professionals, Kams, Roxanne Browne and Hurricane George for their contribution to the entertainment industry

Tickets cost $200 and are available at Cleve’s, Port Rock, Linda’s nationwide, Crosby’s and all Committee Members (320 7028).

Trinis can still be part of Spice Mas Grenada

While the IMG Entertainment and Flavour de Mas will not be offering the immensely popular “fast ferry initiative,” the group, spearheaded by Anton Alleyne and Charlene Clarke, will be very much part of the ‘pure vibez experience’ with the excitement and relaxation associated with their brand.

“It hurts to inform you that this year unfortunately, we will not be offering our annual fast ferry to and from Grenada as an option within our 2016 packages due to circumstances beyond our control,” says Clarke.

“However, for SpiceMas 2016 we do have available more high profile parties and events. We have Hotel and Parties, J’Ouvert and Monday Night Mas, Bikini Cruise, Sunny Side Up Pool Party, Silent Morning Boat Cruise tickets and packages.

“We also have a brand new eCommerce Website with easy part payment plan....Layaway plan like mama use to do by logging on www.imgpromotions.com

“Pay as you have it, hold your tickets, rooms and mas costumes, pay on your all NEW Pure Chocolate J’ouvert Band or choose from: The Grenadian by Rex Resort Platinum or Gold Hotel and Party Packages...add days or friends... pay with PayPal Credit or debit cards from the comfort of your own home or office...”

Grenada Spice Mas is a true celebration of a Caribbean Carnival with J’Ouvert described as “the best in the world,” the Monday Night Mas, with its uniqueness and neon lights culminating with the Parade of Bands on Carnival Tuesday. This year’s events take place from July 30 through August 9 with similar events as TnT’s Carnival inclusive of Groovy Soca Monarch (August 5), Panorama (August 6), Dimanche Gras (August 7), and Parade of Bands (August 8-9).

Said Clarke: “Pure Vibez has been part of the Spice Mas initiative for the past five years and was born out of the The Chartered Fast Ferry Initiative, initiated out of challenges encountered from local and regional airline carriers five years ago.”

For further information, contact Anton Alleyne, IMG Entertainment Co Ltd (374 6802) or Charlene Clarke, Flavour de Mas (781 0017).

The Awakening of Olatunji

Fox Fuse has announced that Olatunji Yearwood sees the international release of his highly-anticipated debut album Awakening, available worldwide from all major digital retailers today, July 1,with pre-order available now, from Fox Fuse. Boasting 17 sizzlers that include long-time favourites and new hits, this collection of classics epitomises the rebirth and awakening of Olatunji’s musical journey.

“Awakening is monumental not only because it stands for my name, but it also signifies a pivotal point in my journey, as my music is now packaged in an album and presented to the international audience, for the first time,” Olatunji told Fox Fuse.

Olatunji exploded globally in 2015 with his AfroSoca hybrid smash Ola, after winning the 2015 International Groovy Soca Monarch Competition and remains the very last International Groovy Soca Monarch champion, as the competition has since changed its format.

He delivered another AfroSoca earworm for the 2016 Trinidad Carnival season with Oh Yay, which became the most popular soca track of 2016 - on radio, at fetes and festivals. Fox Fuse states that it is also the most-viewed soca video on YouTube for the 2016 season, racking up over three million views and counting (even as an audio-only video), since its release on the global platform.

“It is important for a nation, in creating an identity, to celebrate our unique heritage, and not be limited in scope,” said Natalia Dopwell.

A coloratura soprano and creative director of the Classical Music Development Foundation (CMDFTT), Dopwell said it is for this reason the foundation has commissioned Songs of the Islands. It is a new songbook derived from music and poetry of the Caribbean and reinterpreted for classical performers. The music is arranged for piano and voice, and will be premiered on July 9 during the T&T Opera Festival 2016.

UK-based composer Dominique Le Gendre arranged the pieces; she also composed music for the pieces that were originally poems.

Dopwell said the idea for the collection came from her personal experience as a Trinidadian studying in New York and missing out on opportunities to perform because there was no suitable music from her home country.

“Although we have a lot of music in this country, not very much of it was written down in a way where you could hand sheet music to a pianist and perform it. We have two collections of folk songs, one by Edwin Carter and the other by La Petite Musicale, that were written down, which are actually quite difficult to get your hands on.

“However, the folk songs were never intended to be performed by solo performers in a concert setting, they're more meant for large groups and choirs with a lot of movement and repeats and drums to make it interesting. For a solo performer, they don't do anything vocally challenging and they tend to fall very flat so that's why you don't hear solo performers performing them very often.

“I just kept thinking it shouldn't be so hard for [T&T] singers to get their hands on music from our own country to perform in this way.”

Dopwell said she had heard of Dominique Le Gendre, a UK-based, T&T-born composer, while performing in a web-cast concert. Le Gendre had composed a full-length opera called Bird of Night, based on the Caribbean legend of the soucouyant, for the Royal Opera House (ROH2), Covent Garden, in 2004.

They began corresponding via email and Le Gendre asked Dopwell—along with rapso group 3Canal and singer Nickolai Salcedo—to sing in the workshop performance of Jab Molassie, a musical theatre work adapted from Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat. The work was commissioned by Calabash Foundation for the Arts, and staged in 2014.

Based on this relationship, the CMDFTT commissioned Le Gendre to compose the new songbook using sources from T&T and the Caribbean. Dopwell said the three main sources are traditional spirituals, folk songs and poems from Caribbean poets like Claude McKay and Derek Walcott.

“The folk songs are very light and fun to perform, and then she's got some that are more like ballads and then you've got these spirituals that are more contemplative. There's everything from spirituals to patois to folk songs to Call of the Rosebud which is a Jamaican patois poem, then some contemporary Caribbean writers. It's all written for solo or duet voice and piano.”

The performers will include Dopwell, Eddie Cumberbatch, Danielle Williams, Leandra Head, Jude Balthazar, Rory Wallace and visiting Canadian husband and wife pair Justin Welsh, baritone, and Cara Adams, soprano. Pianists Jeffrey Middleton and Byron Burford flew in from New York for the Opera Festival.

Dopwell said all but two of the songs had never been performed before “with the exception of two from Derek Walcott that were debuted last year in three places: they were sung at the Bocas Lit Fest in Trinidad, and I also sang them in both Poland and London last year.”

Dopwell said one of the performers was blown away to hear about the collection because “he could finally say, maybe at the next recital he performs at, alongside Mozart and some spirituals, he could perform something from his own country in a concert hall and really stand up there and say, ‘This is from my country’.”

She is happy that the collection has been created. “It was very difficult for me to have those opportunities be missed just because no-one had ever taken the opportunity to invest in this genre. It's important for me because I know there are many other talented singers coming behind me that are going to face the same problem. I'm just happy to have had the opportunity to create something new for classical singers from the Caribbean region, of which there are many.

“We have a long history of Caribbean classical singers that goes largely unnoticed and that history is important.”

The CMDFTT’s Songs of the Islands will have its stage debut at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, on July 9, at 8 pm. After the performance sheet music from the collection will be available online at the CMDFTT web site.

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