The Media Association of T&T (MATT) has responded to the decision by local television station CNC3 to sever ties with Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne.

The decision was announced by the station in a press release on Thursday after several meetings with the television host.

MATT's response also follows a video published by Alleyne, in which he expressed gratitude to CNC3 and called on his viewers to continue supporting Guardian Media Limited.

Below is MATT's full release.

"Yesterday CNC3 became the third successive media house to sever business relations with the Crime Watch programme and its host/producer, Ian Alleyne.

The breakdown of this relationship illustrates again that without serious commitment to sound journalistic principles and conventions by media owners and individual producers, investigative programming and reporting content inevitably succumb under ethical, legal and public scrutiny.

After spending several days criticising his former bosses at CNC3, Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne has changed tactics, yesterday saying CNC3 had been "really good to him."

"Over the last few days I got emotional. Things were said that should never have been said," Alleyne said, adding that his conscience had guided him to speak out.

Below is the full video:

Video courtesy Ian Alleyne.

The August holidays are quickly coming to an end. 

Guardian journalist Kalifa Clyne swam with dolphins at Dolphin Discovery in Anguilla during her vacation.

Anguilla is just over an hour away by plane, through Sint Maarten and Caribbean Airlines has frequent flights to the destination, for those of you who want to do the same.

I wrote a letter to the general manager of CEPEP on August 9 appealing to him to organise a crew to clear the bush and grass on Majuba Cross Road, Petit Valley, and as of today, nothing has been done to clean up the street.

The letter stated that the pavements are over grown with bush so much so that at certain parts you have to walk in the road, which is very dangerous as Majuba Cross Road is a busy street.

The letter also stated that there is a lot of grass growing at the side of the road and really looks terrible. I would appreciate if the Diego Martin Corporation would show some concern and have all the streets, drains and the river cleaned up. Repair and patch the roads in Petit Valley and Diego Martin. We have some of the worst roads in the country, for example, Morne Coco Road, Diego Martin Main Road and the Western Main Road from Cumana all the way to the Hotel at the end of the road in Chaguaramas, it is no pleasure to drive on these roads. 

Gerard Duval 

Petit Valley

Something is definitely wrong in this country. Daily there are murders and robberies, and sadly many of these crimes are unsolved so the perpetrators continue to be at large. There are a lot of fires, children’s lives are been sacrificed and that is so sad with people wondering what is the cause of this situation and blight. Is there some evil omen existing in this country? 

Many families are suffering now when the only breadwinners are sent home, and taking care of the family becomes a great burden with limited funds to pay bills and feed the family while educating the child or children. 

Those in charge in the affairs of this country must show the capacity to solve the problems to show the people why the government is in power at this time. The Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are over, but our results are disappointing with only one athlete, Keshorn Walcott, receiving a bronze medal in the javelin throw which took us out of a total disgrace and disaster. 

Cleopatra Borel with Michele Lee Ahyee and Machel Cedenio tried to win medals, but only broke their own records.

The relay team had some problems too, and they did not qualify, but they seem to be on the wane with their chief runner Richard Thompson, who ran down Usain Bolt in Beijing, seeming not to be interested in that discipline again. We need better coaching with more techniques to equal the performance of the Jamacians. 

I do not know about the athletes Ato Boldon is responsible for, but I think for the love of this country he should widen his training sessions among the talented to find interested ones. 

The People Partnership government, knowing that sport is important, built the aquatic centre and the cycling velodrome, classing them as of great world class standard. This would augur will for promising athletes. 

We must hope now we would have great success in the Olympics in Japan in 2020. 

The athletes must train hard and only think of gold medals to make themselves and T&T proud.

Horace Desormeaux

Maraval

Birdsong Steelpan Academy, epitomises the phrase, “a king has no honour In his own land.” Pan Trinbago must take heed, because a blow to one is a blow to all. I tried looking at the unpleasant predicament of Birdsong with unbiased eyes and an open mind knowing full well that this was a private arrangement between the band and an independent land owner. 

In spite of that situation, a number of relevant issues keep clouding my thoughts. One is an article in the T&T Guardian of August 30, page A6. The line Minister of the CDA, was making reference to the Chaguaramas development where the Five Islands Water and Fun Park and the Chaguaramas Safari Adventure were in the process of some infrastructural development in an area, where according to law, it should not be. 

But, based on the amount of money spent, there was no way, they claimed that they could tell the amusement park people to break down their structure. 

That, to them, made no sense. This says clearly, one law for the rich, and another for the broke. When yuh big, yuh bad!

Birdsong Steelpan Academy has been a beacon in their community for over 28 years), and the result of their thrust into youth development is unparalleled. Their activities exemplify the statement of the late professor Lloyd Best, “School in Pan.” 

Notwithstanding the fact that most steelbands across Trinidad and Tobago are involved in like projects, Birdsong Steelpan Academy took it to a supreme level; I guess given its UWI origins. They have been producing highly -qualified students in music literacy and academics that this nation can be proud of. 

We are truly blessed as a nation to have so much talent and even be the producers of the only musical instrument invented in the 20th century, which we proclaimed to be our national Instrument, and which the world is embracing. Today, the steelpan flies our national colours high all over the world. For this, we should be very proud. 

We as a people should see it as a national disgrace, when days before we celebrated our 54th year of Independence from colonialism, an iconic steelband like Birdsong could be literally kicked out onto the streets. What message are we sending to these foreign landlords who have no care, knowledge or understanding of our alien culture?

While I write I am in Brooklyn, New York, where most steelbands are nomadic, moving from place to place, suffering from lack of rehearsal space. Should the landlords now say to them, you are an outcast in your homeland, what the heck you want me to do for you out here? 

Birdsong’s track record and the fact that the steelpan is our national instrument should warrant government protection. Where is the love and appreciation for what is ours? As a matter of fact, what is the national policy on our national instrument? I should not be asking that question, because the skeletal remains of what should be the headquarters of the steelpan fraternity in Trincity says volumes on policy. 

Birdsong’s predicament at this time of national celebration is as good an occasion as any for the government to sit down with Pan Trinbago and develop clear guidelines and policies to protect the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, starting from pre–school, letting our youths grow up understanding and appreciating all our national symbols, emblems, birds, anthem and all other images of national importance. 

What has become of the steelpan land regularisation programme and the steelbands infrastructure upgrade programme initiated by the previous regime? Are we to believe that once there is a change of regime, all programmes started by the previous administration automatically cease? Where is the developmental continuity? 

This type of political gerrymandering must be abolished if we are to move forward as one nation. Politicians must not be allowed to squander taxpayers’ dollars in such a scandalous manner. Laws must be passed to protect us from this type of abuse. 

To the membership of Birdsong Steelpan Academy and its community, I do hope that this unpleasant impasse is resolved swiftly and favourably, so you can continue your great work. And, may this be the very last time the steelpan fraternity is faced with such a dilemma in this our native land. 

I take this opportunity to wish the people of our nation, a bright and prosperous 54th birthday, as we strive to develop national pride on the road to securing nationhood. 

May God bless our nation! 

Michael L Joseph

Public Relations Officer, 

Pan Trinbago Inc

Complaining that the police are not doing their jobs properly is being unfair. 

Whilst I agree that we have many rogue policemen in the force, some at the senior level are considered corrupt and set bad examples which reflect the attitudes and morals of those in the lower ranks. 

We must bear in mind that there are many police officers who still are honest and are responsible in their approach to undertaking their duty with some pride.

The other important factor which we must bear in mind, is that where police officers fail to carry out their duties in a proper and effective manner, that this could in most cases be a lack of leadership, lack of proper training and the personal attitudes of their superiors. 

Another factor is the amount of crimes being committed on a daily basis causes acute stress on young and inexperienced officers.

Tarring all police officers with the same brush is wrong.

GA Marques

Seattle Sounders winger Joevin Jones scored a goal in each half as a very flat and lethargic Soca Warriors battled to a 2-2 draw with Guatemala in their penultimate 2018 Concacaf World Cup  Group C  Semifinal Round qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, last night to advance to the final round of six teams.

With USA hammering St Vincent and The Grenadines 6-0 in Arnos Vale  earlier yesterday to join  the  Stephen Hart-coached T&T at the top of the table with ten points, but from a match more, the Kenwyne Jones local squad backed by a sea of red clad supporters only needed a draw against the Central Americans to advance, while the visitors needed nothing less than victory.

However, apart from an early chance for Orlando City midfielder Kevin Molino, inside the first minute , T&T never got into stride against a slick passing Guatemala and created the more dangerous chances.

First T&T goalkeeper Marvin Phillip was forced to tip over a fierce left footed free-kick from Jean Marquez in the 13th minute after y36-year-old Carlos Ruiz won a free-kick and then in the 25th minute Phillip had to tip over a dipping long range effort from Marco Papa, after a weak headed clearance by captain Jones.

Guatemala continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges and after firing just wide of the mark from a free-kick, Ruiz turned up at the far post to slide in the go-ahead goal from a right sided cross by Papa.

T&T almost responded immediately by captain Jones header from a Cordell Cato right sided chip pass was directed straight at goalkeeper Jose Garcia.

However, on the stroke of half-time, Jones started a counter-attack and unleashed defender Daneil Cyrus, free down the right flank, who then centred for an onrushing Joevin Jones to slot home through the legs of the goalkeeper for a 1-1 half-time score.

On the resumption, T&T started much better with both Jones’ combining, before the out-of-sorts Sounders wingman put T&T ahead 2-1 with a gem of a strike with the outside of his favoured left boot into the far corner in the 62nd.

Austin Lewis, 73, known in the calypso world as King Austin, died Saturday morning at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Austin’s son, Marvin King, said his father had been battling with Alzheimers for many years and added: “I was taking care of him but then it became too difficult for me to do so so I put him in a home. He fell ill there and was warded at hospital.

Having sang Winsford “Joker” Devine’s Progress in 1980, King Austin was regarded as an icon in calypso and placed second to Relator in that year’s National Calypso Monarch final. A modest and unassuming man, in one interview King Austin said: "I love every human being very much. It doesn't matter where you are from. I love all the people.” He subsequently sang Who Guarding the Guards, a calypso which also enjoyed much critical acclaim.
King Austin actually began in the calypso arena in 1976, singing with the CDC calypso tent. He subsequently performed at other tents rubbing shoulders on the casts with bards like Mighty Sparrow, Lord Melody, Lord Nelson, Bro Superior and Chalkdust.

Highly acclaimed songwriter Winsford “Joker” Devine said he is further saddened by King Austin’s passing as he was unable to see him before he died. He said: “I have been meaning to pass and check and check Austin where he used to lime on the Promenade. I met Austin through Keith Smith from the Express. I had written Progress for Sparrow but he didn’t sing it. Keith Smith introduced me to Austin and, from the time Austin heard Progress he loved it. I sent him to Semp Recording Studio where it was recorded. From the start Progress was an instant hit, winning six encores the first night Austin sang it in the tent.

​

Music video sourced from Nicolas Elias Youtube page.

​National Calypso Monarch multiple title-holder Dr Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool said: “Blakie brought him (King Austin) to The Regal Tent and we accepted him. I remember King Austin to be a very humble, quiet and respectable human being. I remember him always smiling with his gold teeth shining. 

“King Austin really loved Laventille and always used used to boast about Laventille and its people. He was committed to Laventille and would let everyone know that he was from there. Austin had a unique voice, one that will be missed in calypso.”

After the popularity of Progress and Who Guarding the Guards, other calypsoes recorded by King Austin included The World Today is a Ball of Confusion, Special Loving, The World Today, Time is Not Easy in the City, Soca Taking Over, Changes of Man, You Can't Please The People and Keep It Coming. 

In a Trinidad Guardian feature three years ago, calypso composer/arranger Alvin Daniell hailed King Austin as a philosopher by stating: “King Austin’s 1980 calypso classic Progress (Austin Lewis) sang to man’s quest for development posing very philosophical arguments as to what constitutes development.”

In a survey published by  Kaisoca International in Toronto, Devine/Austin’s Progress was listed number one in the Top 100 Calypsoes of the 20th Century, ahead of Mighty Sniper’s Portrait of Trinidad and Slave, sung by Sparrow.

Of his father, King said: “My father was a born and bred son of Laventille. His mother was one of the oldest citizens of Laventille and died at the age of 104 years, about four months ago.

“Daddy’s only friend is Rawle “Pele” Thompson and he was in the process of doing a tribute to King Austin on September 17 to assist with his medical expenses. We are still going ahead with the tribute and it will be held at SWWTU Hall in Port-of-Spain.”
King said that funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.

The Independent Liberal Party (ILP) has proposed a list of measures to address crime to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, including enforcement of the Education Act to deal with truancy.
The proposal comes one day after Rowley led a team of government officials to engage Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her team in crime reduction talks.
In a release yesterday, ILP chairman Dominic Romain, said the party believed the issues of crime, national security and public safety were serious matters that should not be made the subject of political games and semantics but should lead to workable solutions to national problems.
The party, which was founded by a former government minister Jack Warner, is currently being led by attorney Rekha Ramjit.
The party said based on its observations, research and study, it had identified the  issues which need urgent attention.
Below are the ILP’s proposals.

1. Establish special courts for gun and drug offences and remand courts at the prisons to assist in clearing the backlog of cases that are awaiting trial. This will provide the added benefit of freeing up scarce financial resources that are spent on prison transport but which could be more productively and effectively applied, for example, in offender rehabilitation programmes and addressing other gaps in the social services system.

2. Addressing the problems that are hampering performance of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) must be another high priority. This includes the issue of “Acting” leadership of the TTPS, remuneration and benefits of officers in the protective services, overall lack of resources and the need for modern crime fighting technology.

3. The ILP also believes that legislation to protect Whistle Blowers is an important tool for combating white collar crime and institutionalized, systemic State corruption which facilitates other types of crimes and which simultaneously facilitate criminal activity such as the importation of guns, drugs and other contraband.

4. The full resources of the protective agencies should be immediately deployed to all known drug blocks and brothels. It is an insult to the concept of good governance that dens of iniquity can be identified and spoken about openly by everyone, and yet no action is taken.

5. The review, update and enforcement of Part III of the Education Act which contains provisions for dealing with truancy, offences arising from contributing to truancy and failure to ensure that children who are of compulsory education age (between six and 12 years) are in school when they are supposed to be.
Part III of the Education Act places the jurisdiction for enforcement of compulsory attendance in the hands of School Attendance Officers, and School Supervisors, in conjunction with School Principals. All effort must be made to ensure that this system is in place and functioning.
We further submit that a department should be established within the Ministry of Education to monitor student and teacher attendance and to “flag” incidents that require investigation, enforcement and follow up.

Wednesday will make it one year since the People’s National Movement (PNM) led by Dr Keith Rowley won the general election and took over the governing of the country from the People’s Partnership coalition. 

Here political analysts grade the Government’s performance in seven key areas and comment on how they have managed the country over the last 12 months.

Dr 

Maukesh Basdeo: 

In addition to setting up a joint border protection agency and strengthening the police service, better handling of the economy and crime would have assisted the Government’s performance. 

Adoption of an intelligence-led national security model and immediately developing a policy on prison management upon assuming power would have also made a difference. 

Engage criminal justice stakeholders to re-engineer the structure to provide an efficient and legitimate system as the foundation for crime prevention, law enforcement and protection of human rights is another area that could have improved the Government’s rating.

RATINGS

Crime/Security 4/10

Education 5/10

Health 4/10

Economy 5/10

Sports 5/10

Accountability 5/10

Transparency 5/10 

Professor John La Guerre:

The process of adjustment by the population will be the most challenging problem facing the Government in the future. People got accustomed to a particular method of governance over the years and will have to adjust to the changes of the current environment. One such expectation is free education which is very rare in the world. 

So far, there have been some reassuring statements and initiatives but I think we need a clearer vision of what kind of challenges we are expected to face in the coming years and how we are going to address them. It is important to have a clear economic policy in moving the country forward which is also crucial for investment. There has not been any clear statement on what the investment plans of the Government were but felt it was an area which government should try to clear the air as much as possible. 

RATINGS

Crime/Security 6/10

Education 7/10

Health 6/10

Economy 6/10

Sports No rating

Accountability 6/10

Transparency 7/10 

Dr Winford James:

No movement with crime. The old problems remain despite increased allocations to the Ministry of National Security. In fact, the levels of unchecked criminality seem to be rising.

In education there are no big ideas yet, though recently established committees seem to be preparing some. 

Focus on removing violence and violent students from schools, making schools ready, healthy and comfortable for students and teachers. 

In health the old problems of bed and drug shortage remain. Many persons are buying their own drugs and are looking to private institutions for relief and comfort.

Government was able to focus on managing falling revenue and income to mostly keep inherited levels of employment and sourcing loans for development. Caution and conservativeness are the names of the game.

Pretty good on accountability. The attitude is right and transparency is inspiring.

Holding more consultations with various communities on their plans and programmes and starting a high stakes demonstration development project would have made a difference on the Government’s scorecard. Govern with the people in their various communities constantly and hold regular consultations and accounting sessions.

RATINGS

Crime/Security 5/10

Education 6/10 

Healthcare 6/10

Economy 7/10

Accountability 9/10

Transparency 9/10

Rosemarie Sant

“It’s been a rough ride, but thankfully we on an even keel now,” says PNM chairman Franklin Khan of his party’s first year in government.

Khan, who holds the ministerial portfolios of Local Government and Rural Development did not want to rate the performance of the Keith Rowley administration. Instead he said they entered office facing the “major challenge” of balancing the fiscal account and attempting to “bring in line the obscene fiscal borrowing which the former Government undertook.” 

In his view, they have done a good job so far.

“The fact that there have been no major retrenchments or cutbacks is testimony to the measures adopted by the Minister of Finance who has performed extremely well,” he said.

According to Khan, the Government was “constrained by access to capital in the first half of the fiscal year.” 

He said: “We dealt with cost overruns of the PP Government, over invoicing, inflated invoicing. We have a lot of investigations on going into some of what we found. They almost brought the overdraft to the limit. There was a time when we had a cash flow of only three days.

He said the Government had “performed reasonably well” with good leadership from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Khan, who recently had the controversial Community Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (Cepep) placed under his ministry, has met chairman Trevor Lynch and the board but is “still being briefed” as he seek answers on why the programme has become “so unproductive.”

“Cepep has 265 contractors, runs a bill of $50 million and employs a grand total of 12,000 people but the country is still overrun with bush,” he said.

“It was not like that before. I plan to bring sanity back to the programme. We are not getting value for money. Cepep has lost its way and I intend to bring it back on track.”

The minister said he was not blaming contractors for problems with the programme. 

“Management failed to give the country value for money and this must be addressed,” he said.

However, he assured: “There will be no major retrenchment. I am reviewing the programme and I will put my own stamp on Cepep.”

On the issue of Local Government reform, Khan said 14 consultations were held and a draft policy paper is now before the Cabinet. He expects legislation to go before Parliament by the first quarter of 2017. The next local Government election will be held under the existing legislation.

Improving rural communities

Commenting on one of the PNM’s key manifesto promises, Khan said over the last year Government had been crafting the structure for rural development. He said he had requested an increase in his ministry’s budgetary allocation “to facilitate projects to improve rural development infrastructure.” 

He said there was no budgetary allocation for rural development in the 2015/2016 budget because when they came into office after the general election the budget template had already been set. 

However, development projects are in the pipeline, with tenders are out for the design of the Moruga Road Fishing Facility and Port, a “$250 million dollar project which will be awarded in October. Other contracts are for the “route alignment and preliminary design for the Valencia to Toco Road and the Toco Port to Scarborough. 

“These will cater for the development of east Trinidad,” Khan said.

The aim, he explained, was “not to urbanise rural communities but to keep the rural lifestyle and bring the communities up to the standard of the urban areas.” 

“If there has been any discrimination in this country it is urban versus rural. Rural people suffer because they don’t have the same services and facilities that urban people get. The devolution of authority through local government reform will also help in this regard.”

Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre describes her first year in government as “a mixture of challenges and exciting new developments with far reaching implications for the local industry.”

“My biggest challenge has been meeting the expectations of my constituents,” said Olivierre, the MP for La Brea.

In the past few months constituents have protested over lack of jobs and poor infrastructure. Olivierre admitted the constituency “has been neglected for so many years and there was a level of expectation where jobs and services are concerned.”

She also admitted that taking over the Energy Minister at a time of declining oil and gas production has been difficult because of the requirement to manage the gas supply to industries to ensure an equitable distribution of available volumes.

“There is the added concern about the integrity of the aging infrastructure and the significant investment that will be required to replace old assets,” she said

However, Olivierre is confident about the energy sector because of what she see as a major positive—continuation of exploration activity by BP and BHP.

She said, “Globally, oil companies are reducing exploration expenditure. However the continuation of activity shows the confidence of the multi-nationals in our energy sector.”

In January, T&T’s natural gas production was less than the required 4.2 billion cubic feet per day, while production last year averaged 3.8 billion cubic feet per day. The expection is that the Juniper project, scheduled to come on stream in 2017, will bring production capacity up to a maximum of 590 million cubic feet per day. 

Another major development is the Loran-Manatee cross-border field. For more than a decade, T&T and Venezuela have been in discussions on field which has an estimated 10.25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. More than 70 per cent belongs to Venezuela and the remaining 26 per cent to T&T. 

A unitization and unit operating agreement for the development and production of the Loran Manatee cross-border natural gas fields was signed in 2007, but it was only in May that a memorandum was signed which allows the two countries to direct operating companies on cross-border initiatives. Under the agreement, a consortium company has been established to operate the fields.

Oliviere said she is the two countries are moving closer to finalisation of agreements required for the fields to be produced.

“The operating companies have committed to submitting a unitisation and unit operating agreement by the end of September, which would be followed by a conceptual development plan by the end of November.”

Achievements in first year

Minister Olivierre said there were several achievements in the first year in office.

• MOU signed with Ghana for co-operation in energy.

• Commenced discussions with Guyana “towards execution of a MOU for co-operation in the development of their energy sector.”

• Issuance of the first retail marketing licence in more than five years.

• Completed drilling of the first deep water well.

• Start of construction of the CGCL methanol plant jointly owned by the Mitsuibishi Corporation and Neal and Massy in La Brea following the re-negotiation of key agreements.

• Completed phase five of the Melejo Forest survey for mineral reserves.

• Completed the national facilities audit of oil and gas infrastructure.

Tobago hoteliers say if Government is serious about developing tourism, the island’s aiport must be upgraded, airline agreements signed and there must be better marketing of the country.

They said so after Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism Vidiah Ramkhelawan announced implementation of a structured certification programme to build profitability in the sector.

Ramkhelawan, who spoke at a stakeholder forum at Cara Suites Hotel, Claxton Bay, said tourism has potential to become a major income generator for T&T and Government plans to focus on visitor safety and security, environmental conservation and assistance to small tourist operators. 

She added that tourism is being put on the front burner.

“We are under no illusions about the highly competitive nature of the local and international tourism market but we are convinced that T&T can become a major tourism player,” she said.

However, she warned: “If the quality of our service and infrastructure is not up to par with what is expected internationally, visitors will go internationally.” 

Several hoteliers agreed that more needed to be done to upgrade the local tourism industry.

Kenneth Patino, who owns Enchanted Waters in Tobago, said Government must first try to remove negative travel advisories. 

“The word has to get out that it is no longer negative to travel to Tobago as a destination,” he said. 

Patino added that Government must sign agreements with airlines for direct flights into Tobago.

“We are doing our best to market ourselves internationally on Tripadvisor, booking.com and Facebook but when people see us online, they cannot get here because there is no proper flight,” he said. 

Patino said there is need a good marketing strategy to bring more tourists to the islands. He said in years gone by, 85 per cent of his guests were foreigners but now he was getting 90 per cent locals. He added that Crown Point Airport is in a dire need of an upgrade.

Alcohol was prohibited during the World Cup qualifying football match between T&T and Guatemala on Friday night because the T&T Football Association (TTFA) felt it did not make any sense to pay $100,000 for a bar licence. So said acting general secretary of the TTFA, Azaad Khan.

Without a bar licence, no alcohol could be legally brought to the venue. Khan also apologised to patrons who had to endure the “torture” of trying to enter the Hasely Crawford stadium for the game.

The estimated crowd at the football match was around 17,000 and there were six people at the gates scanning tickets for the game. This left thousands of ticket holders still packed in a crowd outside of the gate while the game was already in progress.

“We have not sat down and looked at that yet but yes, there was a serious problem. I saw what happened I mean that was torture,” Khan said.

“I think we have to apologise for what happened and try to make sure that that does not happen again because if I was a fan out there...that was too much,” he said.

There were two assigned entrances for ticket holders. Those for uncovered stands had to enter through the St John’s Gate while ticket holders for the covered stands had to enter through the Lion’s Gate.

Security adviser to the TTFA Gary Griffith said someone decided to override the operational policy he had put in place for the last World Cup qualifying game at the Hasely Crawford Stadium against St Vincent and the Grenadines in March.

“It was inappropriate, it was ill-advised. You do not scan tickets at one entrance point. You cannot scan 20,000 tickets at one area. The plan will be at future games the ticket scanning will obviously take place at the 12 entrance points around the stadium so people will have the assurance that that will never take place again. 

“Whoever made that decision to override what I had done, it was inappropriate and unfortunate but it will not reoccur,” Griffith said.

There was a good turnout for the game with the stadium being packed with the majority of patrons wearing red.

Griffith said while the ban of alcohol at football events is not new he does not feel that this country requires such a stringent measure.

“My personal view of it as a security consultant for the TTFA is that based on our threat assessment for here there really is not a need for us to go to that extreme, it is not to say that we have spectators who are unruly,” he said.

“I believe this will not take place in the future and there will not be a situation like that so that alcohol would most likely will be sold in the future.”

The restrictions however did not stop some beers being sold illegally at the venue.

Contacted for comment, TTFA president David John Williams said he would have to look into the issue of the prohibition of alcohol at the game with the Local Organising Committee.

Austin Lewis, 73, known in the calypso world as King Austin, died yesterday morning at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Austin’s son, Marvin King, said his father had been battling with Alzheimers for many years.

“I was taking care of him but then it became too difficult for me to do so, so I put him in a home. He fell ill there and was warded at hospital.”

King Austin, who sang Winsford “Joker” Devine’s Progress in 1980, was regarded as an icon in calypso. He placed second to Relator in that year’s National Calypso Monarch final. 

A modest and unassuming man, in one interview King Austin said: “I love every human being very much. It doesn’t matter where you are from. I love all the people.” 

He subsequently sang Who Guarding the Guards, a calypso which also enjoyed much critical acclaim.

King Austin actually began in the calypso arena in 1976, singing with the CDC calypso tent. He subsequently performed at other tents rubbing shoulders on the casts with bards like Mighty Sparrow, Lord Melody, Lord Nelson, Bro Superior and Chalkdust.

Highly-acclaimed songwriter Winsford “Joker” Devine said he is saddened by King Austin’s passing as he was unable to see him before he died. 

“I had been meaning to pass and check and check Austin where he used to lime on the Promenade. I met Austin through Keith Smith from the Express. I had written Progress for Sparrow but he didn’t sing it. Keith Smith introduced me to Austin and, from the time Austin heard Progress he loved it. I sent him to Semp Recording Studio where it was recorded. From the start, Progress was an instant hit, winning six encores the first night Austin sang it in the tent.

National Calypso Monarch multiple title-holder Dr Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool said: “Blakie brought him (King Austin) to The Regal Tent and we accepted him. I remember King Austin to be a very humble, quiet and respectable human being. I remember him always smiling with his gold teeth shining. 

“King Austin really loved Laventille and always used to boast about Laventille and its people. He was committed to Laventille and would let everyone know that he was from there. Austin had a unique voice, one that will be missed in calypso.”

After the popularity of Progress and Who Guarding the Guards, other calypsoes recorded by King Austin included The World Today is a Ball of Confusion, Special Loving, The World Today, Time is Not Easy in the City, Soca Taking Over, Changes of Man, You Can’t Please The People and Keep It Coming. 

Of his father, King said: “My father was a born and bred son of Laventille. 

“His mother was one of the oldest citizens of Laventille and died at the age of 104 years, about four months ago.

“Daddy’s only friend is Rawle ‘Pele’ Thompson and he was in the process of doing a tribute to King Austin on September 17 to assist with his medical expenses. 

“We are still going ahead with the tribute and it will be held at SWWTU Hall in Port-of-Spain.”

King said funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.

Kevan Sinanan walked onto the set of Planting Seeds anxiously clenching an invention he had engineered in his garage, a gadget made to match keys to their respective locks faster. 

He stood in position, took a breath, and calmly made his pitch. Not only was he bravely sharing his vision with a panel of investors, but he also knew in the back of his mind that very soon the entire Caribbean region would be watching his pitch on television. 

Even so, fear of failure didn’t hold him back as he confidently explained his product and its functionalities. 

During Sinanan’s pitch, Joseph Rahael, director of Amera Caribbean Development Limited, sat on the Planting Seeds panel of investors, watching and listening intently. 

Given Rahael’s background in real estate and land development, the gadget did not instantly pique his interest. 

However, as Sinanan continued to speak, Rahael began thinking about the potential of the young engineer, and wondered to himself: “If he can create such a product, what else is he capable of?” 

After the pitch, the investors on the panel grilled Sinanan, and as each question was served, Sinanan was able to return a solid answer with ease and confidence, signalling to the investors that he knew exactly was he was talking about. 

Then it was crunch time, and Rahael, inspired by the young engineer’s passion and drive, made an offer. 

Sinanan was interested but wanted to wait and see if any other offers were on the table. 

However, being the shrewd businessman that he is, Rahael indicated that he was making a one-time offer only, warning Sinanan that if he went elsewhere there would be no deal. 

Sinanan took a minute to think, looked up, smiled, and said, “I accept.”

Right here in T&T, two people with two completely different backgrounds were able to cross paths and discover overlapping business interests—all thanks to the platform provided by the Planting Seeds TV programme.

Rahael’s enthusiasm for “passionate people” and Sinanan’s passion for inventing came together to create a new business partnership, with each person feeding on the other’s drive and potential. 

Was it by chance? Or was it fate that brought these two together? And what’s next for this newly- founded business relationship? 

Sinanan explained that after the show, he realised securing financing for his dream was not the most valuable thing he received from his experience on Planting Seeds. 

The UWI graduate said having Rahael as a mentor and business partner taught him more than he could ever imagine about business and strategy. 

“Learning happens everyday, everywhere and from everyone,” Sinanan said.

The two have moved full-speed ahead and are now finalising the prototype of Sinanan’s invention in order to mass-produce and export it to the US market. 

They are also looking into multiple applications for the product, so that the venture can diversify and evolve, as there are still a plethora of opportunities yet to be explored. Planting Seeds was made possible thanks to the collaborative effort of Planting Seeds producers Ernst & Young, and JD Sellier, as well as sponsors JMMB, Caribbeanjobs.com, Beacon Insurance, Blink l Bmobile, and Very Exciting Things. 

Be sure to tune in every Tuesday at 8 pm on CNC3, and watch as T&T’s very own up-and-coming entrepreneurs vie to turn their business dreams into reality.