We have plenty to be proud of when welcoming tourists to our islands. Stunning beaches, clear seas, dense and biodiverse green spaces, amazing natural landmarks, beautiful buildings and even unusual natural landscapes like a pitch lake and mud volcanoes.

We all know that tourism can mean big business when government and private enterprise work hard to attract visitors. And the figures can be impressive, too. In 2015, Barbados attracted around 1.2 million tourists spending at least one night in the country—about four times its own population size. Spain, one of the most successful tourist destinations in the world, attracted nearly 110 million people in 2015, over two times its own population (itself made of many visitors who went on to settle there). By comparison, using the same figures from the World Tourism Organisation, in 2015 we attracted just over 519,000 tourists spending at least one night with us—less than half of the total population.

Our relatively low number of visitors can and should go up by quite a long margin. After all, we have the beautiful locations and the rich culture that should make us one of the world’s tourism hotspots. Given what we have been reporting on the state of Maracas Beach’s facilities, though, it is a shame that we appear to be so careless when it comes to nurturing this incredible natural and man-made heritage for our own pleasure but also to earn badly needed income from tourism.

The poor experience does not start when the visitor reaches the bay. It starts along the road, as they will face potholes, unfinished road improvements and, depending on the weather, the odd fallen tree partly blocking the tarmac.

Then, when in Maracas, they will face a potholed car park, a number of unfinished new retail facilities and, if particularly unlucky, the stench of stagnant water. The ordeal will not stop there. If they need access to the paid toilet and shower facilities, they will need a helping hand to keep the toilet or changing room doors shut, as many of the locks are now missing due to rust or broken parts. Not much luck with the showers, either. Some are not usable as they do not have working taps; those in working conditions usually provide a trickle of water. That is if they are lucky enough to have water—it is not unusual for the pipes to be dry.

The story behind the poor state of the facilities is, sadly, all too familiar to us in Trinidad and Tobago. Endlessly late building works, bogged down by the state’s bureaucracy or questions over how or why contracts have been awarded. The end result is also, sadly, all too familiar to us: below par facilities and disregard for taxpayers and visitors alike by the authorities responsible for our tourist destinations.

The state of Maracas would be bad enough if it could be described as a unique case. In reality, and with varying degrees of decay or unreliable water supplies, at least the authorities are equitable when it comes to making sure we all have poor beach facilities. Even Tobago’s beautifully kept Pigeon Point is not immune to the odd water supply shortage or some other hiccups.

If we are serious about posing a real competition to our Caribbean neighbours when it comes to tourism, our authorities must be serious about offering visitors—foreign and locals alike—cleaner, better and nicer facilities

Some years ago I had the dubious honour of being appointed the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Special Education to the Ministry of Education. I was aware it would be a waste of time. Convince me, tell me why I should accept, I told the good gentleman who made the offer. You’ll have direct access to the Minister, he said. Might be able to impress her with your arguments.

So I accepted and for one year laboured under the impression that I was “contributing,” as the old fashioned socialists say, you know, giving of your training, experience, whatever little talent you might have, giving back to the country, trying to improve things a bit and finding out that it was all a waste of time and energy. Not that I did not have access to the Minister. In fact she was the only minister I have ever known who actually sat down with me to discuss my ideas and seemingly tried to implement some of them but ultimately was defeated by her technical advisers in the Ministry.

After a year and a half of quite intense work, the Committee, which included senior public servants from various ministries, as well as representatives from the Trinidad & Tobago Unified Teacher’s Association (TTUTA) and the Private Special Schools, finalised a plan to address the difficult question of Special Education and, as was my duty, I asked for and obtained an appointment with the then Chief Education Officer (CEO) of the Republic of T&T to present it formally. That the request took two weeks to be answered should have warned me off.

I duly presented myself one afternoon at 2 pm with the senior technical officer on Special Education at the office, was made to wait 45 minutes and then ushered into the august presence.

Have a seat. Now who are you, he said. This took me by surprise. He had signed my appointment papers 18 months before. The technical officer rushed to explain. Ah, yes, proceed. So I began.

Now it happened that it was the third day of a Test match at the Queens Park Oval. As I proceeded to lay out our case for dealing with what we all agreed was a priority for the educational system of the Republic of T&T to the Chief Educational Officer of said Republic, CEO as it were of a huge organisation receiving millions of dollars, eight-nine per cent of the national budget, I realised I was hearing commentary from the Oval. I stopped and looked up. The CEO was looking straight ahead, eyes closed, deep concentration as befitted a man with high responsibility. As I stopped talking, he turned his head to look at me and I saw the ear piece and wire attached to the small radio on his desk.

The good gentleman was listening to cricket with one ear and pretending to listen to me with the other.

A year and a half later, the Committee was dissolved and the last I heard of that particular officer was that he was planting peas in Tobago.

So it was no shock to read in the papers this week and to have it confirmed by my contacts that the Private Special Schools were about to close down since they had not been paid by the Ministry of Education for almost a year. According to the Express of February 1, the “fourteen private special schools are on the brink of closing as the new Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education—which ensures funding—has not been renewed.” In 2006 the then Minister of Education, the same one I mentioned above, sought to address the needs of the children with disabilities by providing partial funding to 14 approved schools. Partial funding means that teacher’s salaries are partially paid by the MoE.

All of these schools were started by ordinary citizens back in the 70’s and 80’s, most by parents of children with disabilities and who had despaired of waiting for various governments to act. They are funded by a combination of local and international grants and strenuous fund-raising by parents and teachers. All of the teachers in these schools are underpaid and over worked but retain a certain ethos of responsibility to “their children.” As a director of one of these schools, I confirm that there are months when they are either not paid or paid late because of the lack of funds. Even as they continue to raise funds on their own, the Special Schools cannot pay teacher’s salaries and cannot remain open for any length of time without this money.

On Tuesday September 6, 2016, according to the T&T Guardian, TTUTA’s president, Devanand Sinanan had issued a fresh call for the Government to do more for students with special needs. Mr Sinanan said that students with special needs “have always been treated as bastard children.” He went on to state that “all you have to do is go to these special education centres and see the appalling conditions under which our teachers have to function.”

In response, the Minister of Education then said, “Yes, I agree, our special schools have not been treated in the way they should have been treated and that was in the past.” He went on to declare, “Government has taken the decision that we are going to put our Special Schools on the front burner.”

So? What is the problem Minister? There is no Test cricket at the Oval. And surely your financial officers cannot all be planning on planting peas in Tobago?

Minister of Sports Darryl Smith is very eager to make T&T a main destination for international teams and clubs when it comes to sports tourism.

Smith made this disclosure, not for the first time as he used the launch of the Union Americana de Natacion ( UANA) Water Polo which serves as a FINA World Championship qualifier on Monday night, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, VIP Lounge, Mucurapo, to make the Ministry’s intention clear.

He said, “The Ministry of Sport was a part of the T&T Manufacturers’ Association Trade and Industry Convention last year and this indicated a step in the right direction in the monetizing of sport. Our thinking with the Sport Company of T&T as it relates to the new facilities is that we are now open for business of producing world class athletes in these factories, and with the current economic climate as it relates to oil and gas the timing for having these facilities opened was fantastic to assist with the diversification of the economy.”

Speaking at Monday’s welcome reception, Smith first welcomed the teams to T&T and spoke of the Ministry’s thrust in making sport tourism a viable industry in this country.

Along with host T&T, Canada, Brazil and Argentina will compete for two spots to the World Championship until Saturday February 11 at the National Aquatic Centre, Balmain, Couva with the aim of being one of the two teams to qualify to Budapest Hungary in July.

Also addressing the audience were Felix Calderon President of Central American and Caribbean Swimming Federation (CCCAN) and Dale Neuberger Vice-President of FINA and President UANA.

Calderon on this visit did an inspection of the facilities for CCCAN at the Aquatic Centre and Tobago for the Open Water competition and said he was extremely pleased with the competition venues and “was at a lost of words” when he viewed the magnitude of the facility.

Neuberger described the facility as the “most beautiful in the Americas” and commended the leadership in aquatics on the good work in aquatics.

President of the Amateur Swimming Association of T&T (ASAT&T) Wendell Lai Hing, echoed the sentiments of the Minister regarding the development of the sporting industry. In addition, he congratulated the local organising committee chaired by Ryan Smith on organising this major Water Polo tournament on such short notice.

Lai Hing also mentioned the upcoming CCCAN Championships which would feature the disciplines of water polo, swimming, synchronised swimming and open water. With over one thousand projected visitors over two weeks of competition, these tournaments are expected to generate significant long term and short term economic benefits to the country.

Among the guests at the event were Michael Phillips Chairman of Sportt, Adam Montserin, the chief executive officer at Sportt, Brian Lewis President of T&T Olympic Committee and Lindsay Gillette Vice President CCCAN.

Competition splashed off last night with Argentina facing Brazil followed by T&T versus Canada.

Right-armer Gabriel ripped the heart out of the Volcanoes run chase with a spell of five for 33, to send them crashing for a disappointing 182 in the 47th over, in pursuit of a modest 215 for victory at Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Sunil Ambris was excellent in a career-best unbeaten 75 off 82 balls but the rest of the batting faltered yet again as only Kavem Hodge with 27 and captain Liam Sebastien, 25, managed to make it past 20.

Red Force had earlier turned in an ordinary batting effort of their own to be dismissed for 214 with 13 balls remaining in the innings.

Opener Evin Lewis struck a typically flamboyant 75 off 69 balls while Nicholas Alexis chipped in with 46 but they were just two of four players in double figures, as Red Force collapsed from 180 for three–losing their last seven wickets for just 34 runs. Off-spinner Shane Shillingford (3-24), left-arm spinner Hodge (3-34) and seamer Kesrick Williams (3-47) finished with three wickets each.

The victory carried Red Force to 17 points, seven adrift of Group A leaders Leeward Islands Hurricanes, while Volcanoes remained fourth on eight points with little hope of advancing to the next round.

Sent in, Red Force got their best start of the tournament when Lewis dominated a 104-run stand with Kyle Hope who made a patient 26 off 92 balls.

Left-hander Lewis dazzled with 11 boundaries but once he drove a flighted delivery back to Hodge in the 25th over, Red Force quickly lost two more wickets to slide to 121 for three.

Captain Denesh Ramdin, who made a busy 22 from 31 balls, joined Alexis in a 59-run stand which allowed Red Force to stage a recovery.

Alexis faced 66 deliveries and counted four fours but with the run rate lagging, Ramdin chanced his arm against Williams and picked out Hodge on the mid-wicket boundary at the end of the 43rd over.

Any hopes Volcanoes had of a strong start were then scuppered when Gabriel produced a lethal two-wicket burst, to help send the innings slumping to 43 for four in the 15th over.

Not for the first time in the tournament, the right-handed Ambris came to his side’s rescue, anchoring two successive half-century stands to revive the run chase.

He struck eight fours in an 82-ball knock to notch his third straight half-century and his fifth in six outings in the tournament.

More significantly, he put on 58 for the fifth wicket with Hodge before adding a further 50 for the sixth wicket with Sebastien.

Hodge drove leg-spinner Imran Khan into Jason Mohammed’s safe hands at cover in the 33rd over and Sebastien was unlucky to be adjudged lbw in the 41st over when Gabriel returned for a new spell.

Sebastien’s dismissal ended the Volcanoes resistance as Gabriel and Rampaul combined to send the last five wickets tumbling for 31 runs in the space of 36 deliveries.

PowerGen batsman Cephas Cooper finally came good for his school Naparima College, scoring an unbeaten 125 in the third round of the PowerGen Secondary School Premier league yesterday.

Cooper who grabbed five wickets in Naps loss last week, held the batting together at Lewis Street against Shiva Boys. His 125 spurred his team on to 256 for eight. The next best contributor was Justin Gangoo who made 18.

Shiva Boys in reply was bowled out for 197 -losing the game by 59 runs and handing Naparima College their first win of the tournament. Tariq Abdul made 48 and the hard hitting Isaiah Gomez scored 42, as Clevon Kalawan 3/24 proved too much on the day.

At Tunapuna, Hillview was defeated by Carapichaima East Secondary in a very exciting game. Batting first, Hillview was bowled out for 159 with Leonardo Julien topscoring with 40 and Keagan Simmons the West Indies under-19 player scoring 33. Brandon Ali was the pick of the bowlers for Caps, in taking 4/23, while James Duncan grabbed 3/39.

In reply, Caps lost wickets at regular intervals but Travis Heera with 48 did enough to take them over the line at 160/7.

The T&T Football Association (TTFA) has sought to clear the air on the pending T&T Super League application for membership, saying it fully supports the move by Super League clubs to manage its own competition, but noted a number of steps must first be followed for this to become a reality.

In a release yesterday, the T&TFA headed by David John-Williams, announced the proposed TTSL must first become a duly constituted body governed by a constitution approved by the TTFA. Though a deadline of February 18th has been set for an Extraordinary General Meeting of the TTFA to approve the membership of the TTSL, the release stated that, “To be recognized as a duly constituted body governed by a constitution approved by the TTFA, the proposed TTSL needs to submit correspondence to the General Secretariat of the TTFA, enclosing a hard copy of the its proposed constitution and requesting that the same be ratified by the TTFA.”

It added, “Should the General Secretariat of the TTFA receive the proposed TTSL’s constitution, a request will be made to include an application for membership as an Agenda item on the next permissible statutory Board meeting. As an approved Agenda item, the proposed TTSL’s constitution will be reviewed and subsequently returned for ratification and adoption, including changes, if any, by the current clubs playing in the National Super League.”

“In consultation with the TTFA, the proposed TTSL will convene special meetings of the current clubs playing in the National Super League to adopt the proposed constitution and hold elections pursuant to same. Providing that the constitution is adopted and elections are called to fill all positions identified by its constitution, the proposed TTSL will then become a duly constituted body that can apply to the TTFA for membership.”

“As a duly constituted body submitting for furtherance on its application for membership, the General Secretariat of the TTFA will request that the said matter be included as an Agenda item on the next permissible statutory Board meeting for deliberation. As an approved Agenda item, the Board of the TTFA will consider the proposed TTSL’s application for membership in its entirety before a vote is taken. Should the vote be in support of the proposed TTSL application for membership, and pursuant with Article 9.1 of the TTFA’s constitution, an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) needs to be called, guided by Article 29.1 of the TTFA’s constitution, to facilitate deliberation by the TTFA’s General Meeting Delegates.

Conscious of the extensive nature of the process previously outlined, the Board of the TTFA committed a subcommittee, as well as the General Secretariat, to engage the proposed TTSL representatives in discourse and activities that will allow this membership application to be processed in the shortest possible time.”

The football association reminded the TTSL that at the time of its initial submission, the proposed TTSL’s interim committee prematurely applied for membership, since, the National Super League has been, and still is, a TTFA competition whose operations are outsourced.

It noted, “The representatives of the proposed TTSL have since positively responded to the advice relayed, specific to the application for membership process by submitting their constitution on January 26th, 2017, and have accepted the Board’s gesture to meet with the subcommittee designated by the Board. By all foreseeable projections, the subcommittee of the TTFA’s Board and the representatives of the proposed TTSL will meet prior to the next scheduled statutory meeting of the FA’s Board on February 15 2017.”

Sandy Shores wont be unfancied when contesting the Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over seven furlongs of Kempton polytrack tonight. Brian Meehan’s charge has twice shaped encouragingly, improving last time out when fifth to Blaze Of Glory in a fast-run mile race on Lingfield ‘poly’ which has proved solid form.

This drop in trip is all about getting Sandy Shores to race on an even keel, the Sixties Icon filly pulled in the early stages, lesser distances are obviously faster and we’re hoping Sandy Shores will benefit from being ‘chased’ into the bridle and can finish strongly.

Meehan is convinced of her ability and has booked stable apprentice, Jordan Uys, who claims 7lbs allowance. He knows Sandy Shores well from riding work.

Richard Hannnon-trained Pepita is rated 84 and we’re aware that four-year-old Tibibit is by no means a forlorn hope but this is an opportunity and with three places available a good-priced each-way punt is recommended on Sandy Shores.

Recently the Jockey Club announced Kempton Park is being sold off to offset a colossal debt and raise funds to build another all-weather track, at Newmarket.

Unbelievable whatever the financial implications and I’m aghast such an action could be contemplated, protestation is obviously ‘big business’ nowadays to justify ‘rent-a-mob’ existence.

This particular evening meeting is dire, typical and I’ll bet there are less than 100 paying spectators. What is the point of continually investing in failure?

Arrogate in bumper Dubai entry

Arrogate is one of 168 nominations for the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 25.

Winner of the inaugural Pegasus World Cup last month, Arrogate is one of two possibles for trainer Bob Baffert along with last year’s third, Hoppertunity.

The legendary American handler has won the World Cup twice with Silver Charm and Captain Steve.

Mubtaahij, Lani and Highland Reel are also in the World Cup mix.

Aidan O’Brien’s Highland Reel has also been nominated for the Sheema Classic on Turf, along with stablemate Seventh Heaven and Roger Varian’s Postponed. Limato is the star European name among the entries for the Al Quoz Sprint with Peniaphobia and Lucky Bubbles flying the Hong Kong flag.

Last year’s winner Real Steel could bid for a repeat in the Dubai Turf but 2015 hero Solow, who has been off the track since last March, has not even been entered.

Royal Ascot winner Tepin has been nominated but appears unlikely to run as she recently suffered a bout of colic.

Moon Racer on track for Supreme

David Pipe has given the Champion Bumper winner of 2015 an entry in the opening day highlight, but he is likely to stick to novice company. He has not been seen since November and while Pipe confirmed he was in rude health, Moon Racer is now likely to head to the Festival without the aid of another run.

“Social media is a wonderful way of keeping racing enthusiasts connected, but it can sometimes lead to Chinese whispers that are wholly inaccurate,” the trainer told www.davidpipe.com.

Moon Racer is Sky Bet’s 5/1 second-favourite for the race they sponsor, behind impressive maiden hurdle winner, Melon.

“It’s all over for us folks…there’s nothing more to say.” That was the expression of my learned friend, for whom I have the utmost respect, a Facebook post following the weekend news of the murder at MovieTowne.

Just before that I had been the recipient of a very vicious reminder about my mother’s privacies (bless her soul).

It seems to me that our roads are now proprietary and I have no deed, no license or permission, no need-for-speed vehicle; I am a hindrance to PH hustlers, maxi taxis et al.

I am a cautious and gracious driver, hardly one to commit an offence but I usually get cussed out for that very cautiousness.

Last Sunday’s abuse was because one driver allowed me to cross one lane and the other thought my egress into “his” lane was of some nuisance value.

He needed to either slow down or stop. Instead, he hits gas and shouted sundry obscenities about my mother. He looked no older than my son.

Not to cast aspersions on youth, let me remind you that I have had such a cussing from a man who could have been my dad, which left me crying in a tight bundle on the shoulder of the road.

That time I made an illegal turn unknowingly, following a driver who I assumed knew the route due mainly to the confidence with which he made the turn.

The hurt of the abuse on the weekend was still sharp in my mind when the news broke of the viciousness at MovieTowne. Somehow, in the former road-rage abuse I saw the metaphor for the later violence.

I lamented the disrespect we show each other.

I longed for the self-discipline that is a thing of the past for many. A time when we showed respect to adults and knew the consequences to not do so, consequences that altogether worked to keep a more sober society. We had respect. We had self-restraint. We were a disciplined society.

As I scrolled through my account there were many expressions about the MovieTowne incident.

And while I was following a thread, someone posted the bloodied body of the deceased right in the middle of the conversation.

That started another firestorm. Angry expressions went back and forth between those who felt it was another level of abuse to post the woman’s body, especially cruel to her relative and friends.

Others felt that people wanted/needed to see.

“NOT ON MY TIMELINE. ANYONE WHO CRAZY ENOUGH TO POST THAT WOMAN PICTURE ON MY TIMELINE WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY UNFRIENDED. TRY MIH!”

That was the screaming threat that came from one side of the debate. And you could feel the vehemence coming off the mobile phone’s screen with uncanny life.

I put down my phone and went through the evening trying to remember when last I felt safe. I wondered how much impact the real time of social media was having on me.

I tried to think what some people derive from posting the daily crime count (not the “rate” as we commonly say), from engaging in constant banter on national security, throwing words, calling names, condemning people, criticising inaction, cussing “intelligence”, and casting blame on this or that party.

It was/is disturbing. And in this world of “alternative facts,” I do not imagine that the landscape is going to improve for most of us who hold dearly to values and virtues. The incidence and prevalence of crime are cruel realities.

The manner in which the information is delivered and the desire to be first with the information, to my mind is producing another syndrome that can impact, invade even, the thoughts and action of those who use or overuse the media. So just how do we maintain positivity in view of our current scenario?

Christian D Larson wrote these resolves that have proven very useful (www.yourlifeyourway.net).

Larson is a renowned prolific writer of new-thought books who believed that people have tremendous latent powers, which could be harnessed for success with the proper attitude.

• Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

• To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

• To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

• To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

• To think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best.

• To be enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

• To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements of the future.

• To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

• To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticise others.

• To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Blessings.

Caroline C Ravello

Former Couva senior calypso monarch, Victoria Cooper-Rahim, singing under the regal sobriquet of Queen Victoria, made it clear that she will be a strong contender to regain the crown when she topped the preliminary round of the 2017 competition on January 28.

Cooper-Rahim, who took a break from the Couva calypso arena over the past few years, has thrown down the gauntlet this year with a well-crafted and timely social commentary, titled The Call To Prayer, which urges citizens to turn to prayer to rescue the country from its afflictions

She leads a line-up of 14 calypsonians who will come up against defending monarch, Georgia McIntyre, at the grand finals which take place on February 24, at Carnival Centre (Couva Car Park), a release said.

Caryn Mc Carthy, with her offering of Just Ah Name, placed first in the preliminary round of the Junior Calypso Monarch Competition.

She will join seven other contenders who will try to wrest the crown from the seemingly unshakeable hold of history-making N’Janela Duncan-Regis, who goes for her fifth successive title.

“We are in store for a truly spectacular show when the grand finals come around.

“In the senior category, we have former monarch Queen Victoria who will be making a return to Couva after concentrating her energies on the national stage. We welcome her back since she started with Couva calypso from the junior ranks.

“Another drawing card, of course, is whether any of the juniors can stop N’Janela in her tracks.

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” said Wilton ‘Flex’ Griffith, member of the Couva Carnival Committee (CCC) and coordinator of the calypso competitions.

Finalists for Couva Senior Calypso

Victoria ‘Queen Victoria’ Cooper-Rahim—The Call To Prayer

Natasha Edmund—

Youth Power

Malaike Ballantyne—

Calypso and Country

Trevor ‘Tulu’ Burnett—

Kitch Welcomes Jit

Jelanie Wells—Who Ban Dat?

Vernon ‘Big Fisherman’ Bereaux—Only One Piece

Tamico ‘Spicy’ Moore—Missing You

Rosemary “Young Rose’ Mitchell—Real Freedom

Cindy ‘Nspire’ Chandband—Chances

Nicholas ‘Nikko’ Ashby—

Ancestors Freedom Pray

Miguella Simon—Still Colonial

Francesca ‘Sweet Merle’ Lewis-Francois—Can We Rise

Kenson ‘Ninja’ Neptune—Take Yuh Place

Terry ‘D Masso’ Marcelle—Big Seven Nations Feed The World

Defending Monarch: Georgia Mc Intyre

Reserves: Carlton Louison—God Eh No Trini At All

Patricia ‘Dynamic Viva’ Smith—Mister Murderer.

Finalists for Couva

Junior Calypso

Monarch Competition:

Caryn Mc Carthy—

Just Ah Name

Jeremiah James—Oh Mama

Faith Haywood—Faith

Jason James—

Martin Luther King

Takiyah Nurse—Why?

Jahia Assoon—Short Fuh Spite

Jewel A Mitchell—All On My Own

Monique Mitchell—Trinbago is Mine

Defending

Monarch:

N’Janela Duncan-Regis

 Surprisingly it was the nor­mally pacific Valentino who launched the largest incendiary of the night at Kaiso House on Saturday, at what used to be the Globe Cine­ma on St Vincent Street.

His Change The Formula was as overtly political as you could get, except it was pointed at the calypso establishment, not the past government as seems to be the convention.

For anyone who has won­dered over the last decade or more about the sameness of all the Dimanche Gras “political” ca­lypsos, Valentino proposed an answer.

All you have to do to make the final (he sang) is “Say something ’bout Jack Warner / say something’ bout Kam­la / That is the formu­la / for the Savannah”.

And it’s not accidental, since “A certain cabal/who control the Carnival / Ent want to see/ people like me”.

That cabal apparently has a preference for cer­tain songs, or songwrit­ers: “Of the 12 contestant you see ten / Who song come from GB pen.” Over to the cabal.

This isn’t the first time the idea of a Carnival mafia has been float­ed—I recall Mr Shak saying something similar last year, about a small number of composers monopolis­ing the Dimanche Gras singers.

But I’m sure nothing further will be heard of this, till some brave soul drops a couple of lyrics in another tent, in another year.

But there was much more to Kaiso House than that. Valentino’s song evinced one of several themes which ran through variegated line-up.

There were the statutory doses of nostalgia, nation-building, and lamentations—the chil­dren, the environment, the economy, crime, even the last US election.

Overall, an acute sense of trauma at the state of the nation pervaded songs and singers, but the determined stance protecting the present government from blame was significantly ab­sent.

This only helped the evening as a whole; it made the songs and performances more au­thentic and artistically stronger.

A significant reason for this strength of the tent was the virtue displayed by the Kaiso House singers of “making it new.”

Many of them found interesting and moving ways to illustrate the much-repeated litany of woes afflicting the nation.

Even Karene Asche, who has a lot of penance to do to make up for the putrid Be Careful What You Wish For in 2011, delivered Caught in the Whirlwind with verve.

So did Marvelous Marva with A Strange Place and D Diamond with Bring it Back—which all said much the same thing, though in signifi­cantly different ways.

The singers who went in this mode were unanimous that Trini­dad was going down the tubes, and it was time to save it. Though how, no one seemed to know—prayer, build­ing self-esteem, familial responsibility. Nothing new, but, it can’t be said enough, wonderfully delivered.

Poser delivered the populist consensus on child marriage—apparently, calypsonians and much of the public agree it’s bad, and it’s Sat Maharaj and the IRO’s fault.

Even amidst all that sameness in the sub-genre, a couple of songs stood out, like the always-reliable, lyrically smooth Gypsy with Angry Land, whose title said it all.

But by far the most outstanding song in the crop was Spicy’s Missing You delivered in a very appealing hybrid gospelly R&B style.

You being the ideal Trinidad & Tobago which exists in many minds, but which has no re­al-world referent.

The song, though, was nostalgic in a way that actually moved you. No small feat. This one deserves a longer life than the season.

Intriguingly, a few calypsonians decided to go “meta” this year, turning eyes and questions to themselves and their establishment, and the world in general.

There were even a couple of Ars Poetica/ Calypso type offerings.

Valentino, as already discussed, threw down one of the more political songs of this type. Black Sage also made a turn in this direction but with a different mood, with his Humor for Spite.

Rather than singing “Kamla like to drink / and Moonilal mout stink”, Sage’s fans want “something a lil rude / but you do not have to be crude”

Workers from Yara Trinidad’s three-plant ammonia production facility staged an eighth day of protest yesterday following a breakdown of negotiations.

As early as 7am, over 70 workers gathered outside the company’s office at Southern Main Road, Savonnetta where they called on the management to deal fairly with their issues.

The Oilfields Trade Union branch president Keith Meils said after 15 sessions the company refused to offer more than two per cent for the negotiating period 2016-2019.

He also noted that the management wanted to change the pension plan to a contributory plan so that workers will no longer be entitled to a defined benefit where they are guaranteed two thirds of their final salaries.” Instead all you will get back is what you put in,” Meils said.

When negotiations started in September 2016, the OWTU requested a 30 per cent increase, but later decreased its demand to 14 per cent and then 10 per cent, Meils said.

“They are using retirees as consultants and paying them exorbitant sums of money rather than investing in the young engineers. There is also an issue of understaffing as we only have 180 workers when there should be a workforce of 250,” Meils added.

Following a breakdown in bilateral talks, Meils said the matter was referred to the Ministry of Labour. Both parties have 14 days to resolve the matter following which strike notice or lockout action could be t aken. President of Yara, Richard De La Bastide was not in office and was not available for comment.  

T&T’s Beach Soccer team will head out to Bridgetown, Barbados today to compete at the Barbados International Beach Soccer Showcase.

The outing will be part of their build up to the CONCACAF Beach Soccer World Cup qualifiers in the Bahamas later this month. The team, under head coach Benny Astorga completed an eight-day training camp at Turtle Beach, Tobago on Monday with assistance of some players from Barcelona FC’s Beach Soccer team including captain Ramiro Amarelle.

T&T will face Guyana in its opening game from 7 pm on Friday and will then come up against the home team on Saturday, before closing against the English Beach Soccer team Sunday.

Yesterday, Astorga said the outing will be a great opportunity for the team to get some warm-up before they head to Bahamas for the tournament.

“We’ve had a wonderful training camp in Tobago over the past few days. It was very intense and the guys learnt a lot and are now looking forward to the matches ahead after finalising the 15-man squad,” he added. He believes the experience of training with Amarelle was a huge benefit for the players. “It was great for our guys to be able to engage in such lengthy training sessions with those players from Europe. It showed them the level they need to be at in order to perform on a world level and with the best teams and players in the world. These guys showed us what it takes with intensity and hard work. Where we are at right now is good for the Caribbean but it needs to be better for us to compete on a higher level and we got a taste of that in this camp,” Astorga added.

Astorga, a former US beach soccer team player is optimistic of T&T’s chances of advancing to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, scheduled for Bahamas, April 27 to May 7. According to Astorga “We have what it takes to beat the teams in the Concacaf Championship. We will be carrying the fire that we had in the previous tournament into this one in the Bahamas. The experience now is greater than before. We have learned from our mistakes and we will focus on not allowing that to happen again in order to give us that edge which we need to get past the opponents this time around.”

From Barbados, the team will also visit Guadeloupe for another training camp before heading to Bahamas. T&T are in Group C for Concacaf Championship, with the United States, Antigua and Barbuda and US Virgin Islands. T&T faces Antigua/Barbuda in its opening match on February 20.

By virtue of hosting the tournament, the Bahamas will be the top seed in Group A. The champion and the runner-up will join Bahamas as the three CONCACAF representatives in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017.

Tournament host Bahamas, who was seeded into Group A will face Jamaica, Belize and Guyana. In Group B, defending CONCACAF Beach Soccer champion Mexico was joined by Guatemala, Canada and Guadeloupe. El Salvador will be in Group D with Costa Rica, Panama and Turks & Caicos Islands.

CONCACAF BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP BAHAMAS 2017 GROUPS

Group A

Bahamas

Jamaica

Belize

Guyana

Group B

Mexico

Guatemala

Canada

Guadeloupe

Group C

United States

Trinidad & Tobago

Antigua & Barbuda

US Virgin Islands

Group D

El Salvador

Costa Rica

Panama

Turks & Caicos Islands

T&T 15-MAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers; Zane Coker, Victor Thomas

Defensive Players; Ryan Augustine (c), Shallun Bobb, Lemuel Lyons, Jesse Bailey

Wingers; Chad Appoo, Hakeem King, Shane Hospedales, Kerwin Stafford, Kelvon Charles

Pivots; Kevon Woodley, David McDougall, Makan Hislop, Jared Bennett

Host T&T’s senior water polo men’s team was given a baptism of sorts, as a much more physical Canadian line-up coasted to a lopsided 35-1 triumph in its opening match of the four-team 2017 Union Americana de Natacion (UANA) Water Polo Cup, a World Championship Qualification Tournament on Tuesday night.

Playing in the second match of the opening night’s double-header at the National Aquatic Centre, Balmain, Couva, the inexperienced locals who have dominated at the Carifta and Caribbean and Central American Nations (CCCAN) level were on the receiving end of the visitors powerful attack and trailed 11-0 at the end of the first eighth-minute quarter.

There was a slight defensive improvement by the T&T players who under vocal coach Andrew Francis limited the Canadians to seven goals in the second quarter, but still found themselves behind 18-0 at the half-time interval.

The second-half was more of the same as Canada, which also began a new era following the retirement of a number of senior players and a new coach in Italian Pino Porzio, continued to dominate via their very tight and strong defense which helped develop a strong offensive attack based on counters attacks from turnovers.

Canada added eight goals in the third period, but the highlight of the period came when T&T’s Gregorio Felician found the back of the net to trail 20-1.

And in the final quarter, the North Americans continued to pile on the pressure and banged in nine more goals for a 35-1 scoreline with Jeremie Blanchard finishing with a day-high, seven goals.

Matthew Halajian got a handful of goals as well for the winners while team captain, Nicolas Constantine-Bicori and Aria Soleimanipak added four goals apiece.

The trio of Gaelan Patterson, Dusan Radojcic and Ronen Gros helped themselves to hat-tricks, while David Lapins and George Torakis netted two each, and Scott Patterson, and Devan Thumwood, the others.

Speaking after the loss, T&T manager Ryan Smith credited his team for playing their hearts out for four quarters which will helped them continue to improve day by day in this tournament.

Smith added, “We are the only team representing the CCCAN region and coming up against these stronger teams these results are expected.”

“We are more focussed on how we are able to compete at this level at this point in time, than looking at the scoreline, as we are using these matches to asses our growth and we look towards our target of qualification for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.”

Earlier in the first match of the tournament, a clash of South American powerhouses, Brazil dominated Argentina 9-3 led by a beaver-trick from Pedro Real.

The match was close for most of the time with Brazil holding a 1-0 lead at the end of the first quarter before going 2-1 up at the half-time interval.

However, in the third period, the Brazilians got some breathing space by outscoring their rivals 3-1 for a 5-2 advantage while in the four quarter they added four more goals, to Argentina’s one from an extra-man and from turnovers.

Gustavo Coutinho and Gustavo Guimaraes chipped in with two goals each for Brazil, and Anderson Cruz, one while Guido Martino (two) and German Yanez had Argentina replies.

Last night, T&T came up against Brazil while Canada battled Argentina and today, the final preliminary round of matches take place from 6.30pm with Brazil facing Canada followed by T&T and Argentina from 7.30pm

At the end of the round-robin stage of the tournament tomorrow, the semifinals will take place on Friday with first against fourth and second versus third, ahead of Saturday’s bronze medal and gold medal matches.

Both finalists will qualify to the FINA Water Polo World Championships carded for Budapest, Hungary later this year.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Venue: National Aquatic Centra, Balmain, Couva

Preliminary Round: Today

n Brazil vs Canada, 6pm

n T&T vs Argentina, 7.30pm

Tomorrow

Semifinals:

n 1st place vs 4th place, 6pm

n 2nd place vs 3rd placei, 7.30pm

Saturday February 11:

n Bronze medal match, 11am

Finals, 12.30pm

​If you ask soca sensation Nadia Batson what’s the most distinguishing feature about her, she will definitely boast about the “smile lines” that encircle her lips. “I love to laugh and find joy in everything that goes on around me; that’s just me, bubbly Nadia,” Batson (soon-to-be George) explained.

But this is nothing new with Batson since she describes herself as an open book. In fact almost everything Batson does, she shares it with her fans via social media, which her fans readily accept. “I share so much on my social media that I think this is what keeps my fans connected to me. I am very quirky and down-to-earth. Even if I am cooking or just taking a wine in the kitchen, my fans are allowed to see that.”

It is something her fans enjoy because it’s more than just the music she shares. “I always tell people the trick in this business is not to get people to like the music but for fans to get to know and love the individual, that way they stick by you,” explained Batson.

How did she first start singing? She says: “My first experience was singing in Arabic while I attended St Joseph TML (a Muslim school). When my teachers realised the potential I had, they encouraged me to sing. I was also involved in the arts with singing and dancing because I followed the lead of my mother Helen Williams Batson, who was also involved in the arts as an actress and writer”.

Batson continued her singing straight into secondary school, where she entered singing contests such as their calypso competitions.

Fast forward to the present day, and she is now one of T&T’s leading female soca acts. With riveting performances and despite negative comments from a few, Batson embraces her size, whether full figured or not, and takes pleasure in her look.

In fact, Batson believes that she represents “what a regular Trini girl would look like just in terms of my size; and I think that it basically allows any woman to look at me and realise that you do not have to be any particular size to look hot.”

This was also her greatest life lesson amongst her fan comments, as she had to learn how to understand and love herself.

Batson, who loves movies (comedy and romance) and cooking, is a brand ambassador for Orchard and also owns the all-female band SASS. This band has been around for five years and counting. Even though Batson believes the reviews of the band are still great, she comments: “SASS is more appreciated regionally and internationally than locally.”

She recognises that “the market is a bit saturated, the band is still new and we are still paying our dues.” Even thought the band may not be everywhere she is performing, fans can still see them at events such as Battle of the Sexes and Ladies Night Out.

Batson, with David Dewer, has also designed and launched a Monday Wear Line, HIMAYA, which has been in the making for many years. “I like fashion and I wanted to mix fashion with mas and I also wanted to put out a line that can cater for not only full-figured women but women who do not want to be too revealing on the road.”

She said responses were “so phenomenal” that she has received requests from individuals as far as Japan, Uganda and Australia who are coming to play mas. With the new craze of Monday Wear and dressing up, Batson’s designs are right up this alley. “And the best part about it is that this wear caters to anyone,” she says.

Batson is also about to hold her first children’s show, Carnival Adventure by Aunty Nadia, which will be held February 12 at Presentation Grounds, San Fernando from 2 pm – 7 pm.

“I felt there was a need to have a children’s show in San Fernando because there was a void and the response has been good so far; people are really glad that they have something in the southland,” Batson said.

“It’s a fun day for the kids, which will include plenty rides, slides, water entertainment, the inflatables, eats, drinks and much more. Some of the artistes to perform are Destra, MX Prime, Lyrikal, Sekon Sta, Terri Lyons and many others.”

So far, her most popular songs right now are Cyah Talk To We and her female empowerment song, Replace. “We telling the men for 2017 that we don’t chase; we replace,” she says. She also recently released a video for another release titled Ting To Talk.

As a result of expanding her brand, Nadia made a conscious decision not to partake in this year’s Soca Monarch, however, even though she has stepped down she stressed on the importance of the competition.

“I see a lot of value being in Soca Monarch and I always tell artiste especially those that are now coming into the business that this is the best stage and platform to get their name and brand out there. This is also one of the reasons I stepped down because if I don’t, I would not make room for others,” Batson said.

​More info

If you want to get to know more about Batson, SASS the band, her Monday Line or jump on the fan train, then you can follow her via her social media links:

Instagram @ Nadia Batson, Facebook Nadia Batson. For more info or bookings, contact Erikkson George at 378-5373.

Names of songs released for 2017

Replace, Ting to Talk, Geelay Feat Olatunji, Talk To We. All written by Nadia Batson and produced by Martian Music.

Sponsors for the Children’s Show

Orchard, Smalta, Chuck E Cheese’s, Bakery Treats, Yogurt Land, Maria’s Bakery, Flavorite, Caribbean Airlines, Nesquik, Phats International.

There is a vibrant debate among some anthropologists about the mastery of fire and the suggestion that the transition of early hominids to a more sophisticated lifeform, humans, resulted from the use of fire in cooking.

In many instances, fire for the preparation of food appeared to be an even more compelling necessity than its use in order to keep warm.

The history of food thus pretty much seems to be the history of mankind and vice versa.

Food historians follow from this by studying the impact of food on society and of society on the food consumed.

Enter Danielle Delon’s edition of A Handbook of Trinidad Cookery, 1907 to prove the point that food and the methods of preparation are intrinsic elements of human development and perhaps tell us more about the history of societies than other recorded antecedents.

This handsomely bound, beautifully illustrated compilation of early recipes is in fact much more than a cookbook, however much Delon modestly asserts in her preface that the publication “merely aims to share with you some of the recipes that we used in the island more than 100 years ago.” It is much more than that.

The foreword, written by the late Angelo Bissessarsingh, and the extensive introductory segment by Delon constitute an authoritative account of the historical and cultural conditions that gave rise to the culinary preferences of early 20th century Trinidad.

The amazing illustrations are by artist, Ingrid Newman and graphic design by Candice Lee Chow.

Originally compiled more than 100 years ago by Agnes EM Lickford, wife of a Sangre Grande based English civil servant, the selection of dishes spans a wide variety of styles and cultural influences.

Bissessarsingh reckons, for instance, that while the main contributors were largely white, Anglican women the actual preparation of the dishes described would have been at the hands of African and Indian cooks who contributed their own touch.

For example, Bissessarsingh surmises that Sarah Morton’s “Indian” recipes arose out of her experiences as the wife of Rev John Morton, the Canadian missionary who led the Presbyterian Church’s Canadian Mission to the Indians.

It was she, for example, who contributed Banni Singh’s recipe for Curry Powder.

Other important contributors to the original publication were Taafe O’Connor, mother of the late oil executive and history writer, PET O’Connor, and EL Bovell, wife of Edward Lycott Bovell who had moved to Trinidad from Barbados to take over management of the Cocal Estate in Manzanilla.

Delon was gifted a copy of A Handbook of Trinidad Cookery by Peggy Bovell who is the daughter-in-law of Edward Bovell and his second wife, Jessie Bovell nee Trestrail.

The EL Bovell connection, and her Manzanilla roots, explain the chip-chip soup which makes use of crushed tania while O’Connor contributes an oyster soup served with “croutons of bread fried in butter.” Reference to oysters, in this instance, is from the canned stuff and not the Manzanilla variety which is used in the technique later prescribed for Oysters Roasted in the Shell.

In 1907 it was also apparently not a problem to prepare a Turtle Soup with the stewed meat commingled in a brew that includes salt beef and pork, laced with a combination of herbs and spices.

This is a different recipe from Mrs Liddelow’s Morocoy (land turtle) Stew which calls for some salt pork but is heavy on the limes, pepper, garlic and vinegar.

There is a separate morocoy recipe which prescribes a detailed method for preparing the meat. “Should the morocoy be old and tough, it should be half cooked the day before.”

In the Meats and Entrées section, there are recipes for preparing beef, chicken and pork together with a variety of “wild meat” such as agouti, lappe and porcupine.

All of these can at other times be added to the brew in the preparation of Pepper-Pot, influenced largely by the Guyanese recipe that includes generous amounts of cassareep.

Bovell also has her version of the dish a bit heavier on the pork and also calling on the traditional method of adding cold cooked meat with fresh cassareep to the mix on a daily basis.

The recipe for “Pilau” (Pelau) seems to have endured over the years though it is proposed that “the fowl should be fat and not too young.”Readers are also advised on the preparedness of porcupines for roasting.

“A young porcupine,” the instructions say, “may be known by the whiteness of its claws; as if these are yellow, it is useless to cook it as nothing can make it palatable.”

But it’s not all meaty exotica. The Puddings and Sweet Dishes section offers up two versions of Banana Pudding and Morton’s Baked Bananas which calls for a sprinkling of sugar and a few sticks of cinnamon. The mango desserts include Mango Fool which uses stewed green mangoes and a Mango Stew by Morton who recommends “Peters” mango “or any other mild mango.”

A Handbook of Trinidad Cookery, 1907 is a difficult book to put down, except perhaps to stir the next pot. There are as many goodies for the foodies as there is material for the history buffs.

The historical photos and illustrations that occupy the first section of the publication are golden and Delon’s narrative betrays a deep knowledge of Trinidad and Caribbean history.

Households would perhaps be best advised to have two copies of this new edition of the country’s first published cookbook by the author of Bridges of Trinidad and Tobago and Ice Age Trinidad. One copy should be at hand in the kitchen, the other in the library as a reliable insight into life in Trinidad 110 years ago.

• A Handbook of Trinidad Cookery, 1907 will be launched on February 13 under the auspices of First Citizens at the bank’s Corporate Centre in Port-of-Spain.

This short guide is 12th in a series on various topics that police departments have to grapple with.

It gives an excellent overview of the causes and nature of bullying, along with remedies, although prey to ideological and politically correct biases.

Research on school bullying is relatively recent, having started only 40 years ago in Norway.

Unfortunately, most of the subsequent research has been done in developed nations which, being far less violent societies than our own, may not have remedies applicable to our schools.

Nonetheless, the basic findings are probably universal.

“Research from some countries has shown that, without intervention, bullies are more likely to develop a criminal record than their peers, and bullying victims suffer psychological harm long after the bullying stops,” says the guide.

It notes that bullies tend to be “aggressive and dominant and slightly below average intelligence.”

They also enjoy at least normal popularity among their school peers and have high self-esteem, contrary to popular belief.

Bullying includes acts ranging from assault to tripping to rumour-mongering to name-calling. The guide notes, however, that “Not all taunting, teasing and fighting among school-children constitutes bullying.

“Rather, bullying entails repeated acts by someone perceived as physically or psychologically more powerful,” the guide explains.

The guide also avoids a typical pc trap, noting that girls also bully, but usually through teasing, spreading rumours, and social isolation.

Boys, as everyone already knows, bully physically most of the time.

“Girls tend to bully girls, while boys bully both boys and girls,” Sampson says, but then gives in to pc by asserting that “studies indicate that boys are more likely to bully than girls.”

But the forms of bullying girls do, as listed by the guide itself, are inherently more difficult to detect.

The guide also cited an American study which found that black students were less likely to report being bullied than Hispanics and whites, but doesn’t explain if this is because African-American children are bullied less and just don’t report it.

The glaring omission here is that the racial group most targeted by bullies are East Asians and the most frequent perpetrators are black youths.

The guide notes that most students do not report incidents of bullying to adults, for reasons ranging from fear of retaliation to shame at not being able to stand up for themselves to not wanting to be a tattle-tale.

After this list, Sampson notes, “Similarly, many sexual assault and domestic violence victims keep their abuse secret from the police”, without noting the gender imbalance in this regard, since men are less likely to make such reports even though men are equally or more subject to domestic violence than women.

In respect to measures, the guide does not focus on police interventions, although the series is aimed at law enforcement officers.

Rather, the guide notes: “There is a strong belief that the degree of the school principal’s involvement helps determine the level of bullying.”

Although centred on societies quite unlike our own, this guide can still provide the broad outlines of an effective anti-bullying policy, which certainly hasn’t been developed in T&T yet.

Book info

​Bullying in Schools

by Rana Sampson.

Center for Problem Oriented Policing, 2012. ASIN: B005KOIK9O; 52 pages.

The days of massive Carnival fetes staged by the likes of Customs Boys, Winsure, Cosmos, Guardian, St John’s, Tears, Anyhowers and Choice of Colours are a thing of the past, replaced by fund-raising parties held by schools. This year, all the school fetes have been successes, including Trinity College’s Soka in Moka, Bishop Anstey’s Old Hilarians’ Cheers to 21, Presentation colleges in Chaguanas and San Fernando and last Saturday’s Fete with the Saints.

Fete with the Saints, staged by the St Mary’s College Past Students’ Union at the college’s St Clair grounds, was awesome and organisers succeeded in raising the bar as far as these fund-raisers are concerned. From the depths of recession, almost 4,000 fete-hungry folks assembled at the venue for a night to remember. The luscious, green football field was transformed into a fete arena by Ultimate Events, with prominent corporate branding and most firms offering gifts to patrons.

With live entertainment by Machel Montano and his band, Kes the Band, featuring Kernal Roberts and Nailah Blackman as guests, and MX Prime & Ultimate Rejects, Fete with the Saints was attended by several dignitaries. Among those seen were president Anthony Carmona, Sharon Rowley, AG Faris Al-Rawi, House Speaker Bridgette Annisette-George, ministers Anthony Garcia, Clarence Rambarath and Maxie Cuffie, Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez, Howard University president Dr Wayne Frederick and ESPN anchor Shaka Hislop.

Food and premium drink were in abundance with prime caterers Chaud Restaurant, Boomerang and Berment Caterers, Tandoori Hut (Rasam) and More Vino restaurants in the mix. Other culinary favourites on the night were Phillip Mendes with his special beef, chicken and lamb sliders, and Trini Melee with its caterers Debra Bath-Gift, Giselle George and Lisa Collins among others attracting several to their stall with their unique cuisine.

This weekend it is the turn of Queen’s Royal College Old Boys’ Association (QRC OBA), the QRC PTA and the management team of the college to impress as they host the fourth edition of Fete Royal on Saturday from 6 pm. Lovin’ Carnival is their theme for 2017, and the Fete Committee promises a great event with a wider array of food from their usual food providers, such as Tandoori Hut (Rasam), Rib House, Barrow’s Catering, Garden Kitchen, Passage to Asia, Food Starrs, and Atlantic Caterers, to name a few.

Always a culinary innovator at its fetes, this year the committee is introducing some new items such as Shrimp Avocado Cocktails; Turkey Wraps; Fish Chowder; a locally themed dumpling station, serving Crab stuffed dumplings; Buljol stuffed dumplings; and, Roasted Melongene dumplings to mention a few.

The bar options promise to be unique and creative in keeping with the fete’s theme, with premium brands being throughout the night, by main sponsor Massy Distribution. Two years ago, Fete Royal introduced Gentlemen Quarters and this year, it has teamed up with Havana Hut, where patrons can sit, relax and sip the finest whiskeys by Chivas Regal, Glenlivet Single Malt, Jameson and Royal Salute while enjoy a good Cuban cigar. In addition, there will be a professional barber to maintain that crisp, sharp handsome look, throughout the night. In addition they will be having Angostura, serving the 1919 and providing it’s Angostura Rum Cocktails serving the world renowned Angostura Swizzle! There will also be Carib Brewery serving all the offerings from the Carib Zone.

The décor will ensure that you feel the love of Valentine’s Day, and the Ladies lounge will be filled with a full bubbly bar serving Casine Prosseco and wines in a relaxed lounge, with lit mirrors, refreshing wipes, and hair styling compliments John Freida and in keeping with the love theme, Grab and Go pastries will also be served.

QRC OBA president Kenrick Harrinauth disclosed: “Our president’s platform will be beautifully decorated and branded by GM Mumm Champagne and serving other fine brands to pamper our special VIP guests. We will have our Absolut and Tequila cocktails and shots bars to ensure no one is left out of this Lovin’ Experience.”

QRC Fete Royal 2017 is said to be the only event where four of the best bands will be performing, starting off with KI the Band, Destra Garcia and Bakanal, Kes the Band and Roy Cape All Stars featuring Blaxx, Tizzy and Ricardo Drue. Also performing will be MX Prime and the Ultimate Rejects and while the live bands change over the patrons will be kept moving by Alicia D Duchess.

As usual, security will be top notch in and around the venue to ensure your personal safety, and that of your valued property. Secured parking will be available at Tatil Car Park on Maraval Road and around the venue. However, the planning committee is urging patrons to ensure that they park their vehicles in a responsible manner.

Harrinauth added: “Our patrons will also have the opportunity to win two airlines tickets to Miami courtesy Caribbean Airlines Limited and another patron will also receive a TSTT/bMobile Huawei P9 mobile handset.”

He continued: “As in the past all proceeds from the event go directly back to the institution, for the benefit of the students. Over the past six years, the QRC OBA has contributed over $700,000 to the wellbeing of our students, so they may enjoy the best possible educational experience at Queen’s Royal College.”

Harrinauth conveyed thanks to sponsors of this event for partnering to produce Lovin’ Carnival such as Massy Distribution, Angostura, NLCB, Carib, I95.5, Hott93.5, Courts and Blue Waters.

For more information call 472-4204, 387-2411 and 795-0050 or at feteroyaltickets@gmail.com

Though not a school, but contributing to needy causes through its annual Carnival fete is Yorke Inc. The outfit held its Happy People all-inclusive fete on Sunday at the University Inn & Conference Centre, UWI Circular Road, St Augustine.

Attracting one of the largest turnouts to attend this annual event, music was provided by Kes the Band, Roy Cape All Stars, Dil-e-Nadan, Blaxx, Ricardo Drue, Raymond Ramnarine, MX Prime and Ultimate Rejects, Voice, KI, Tizzy, JW & Blaze and Point Fortin Engine Room.

The party was scheduled to end at midnight but went until 12.45 am on Monday. Among those seen enjoying themselves were Bridgette Annisette George, Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste Primus, HDC chairman Neuman George, NUGFW President General James Lambert, NLCB executive director Ricardo Borde, Professor Clem Sankat, attorney Martin George and fashion designer Heather Jones.

With a fortnight left before the Carnival weekend a few schools also have their fund-raising parties planned in this period. Among them are Holy Cross College’s Soca on D Hill next Saturday; Arima Boys RC’s D Roll Call (February 17); Fatima College (February 18); St Anthony’s College’s Feting Tigers (February 19); St Crispin’s AC annual Tuesday evening reunion and lime (February 21); and, St James Secondary Alumni’s Backyard Cooler Lime, at How’zat Sports Lounge on Tragarete Road, Woodbrook (February 22).

Last December when Alta’s weekly column featured an article that called for the public’s assistance to sponsor an Alta student, the young men of Trimont College responded.

On January 27, the boys of Trimont College, Diego Martin, together with volunteer parents of the school’s PTA, hosted their first Alta Tuck Shop. One class from the junior school and another from the upper school collaborated and brought in their favourite snack items, which was donated to the PTA Tuck Shop. The sales on that day yielded approximately $1,200 which to the boys was equivalent to sponsoring two Alta students.

While the parents and teachers all recognise it is good to teach children corporate social responsibility in the Citizenship Class they attend, this practical exercise provides the boys with a valuable life lesson. For the boys of the junior school in particular the notion that there are adults amongst us who cannot do what they do so easily every day in their classrooms, that is; to read and write, was an eye-opening realisation for them.

Thus when the opportunity came to purchase snacks that they understood was going towards helping an adult to read and write they were happy to part with their allowances. PTA parents who volunteered their time at the Tuck Shop expressed their joy to see the boys come out of their comfort zone to spend extra even on their classmates. The teachers too joined in by purchasing snacks for the boys in their classes, all for a worthy cause.

This initiative will continue on the last Friday of each month during the school year with the classes from both the junior and upper school alternating to host the monthly Alta Tuck Shop. With such a positive and encouraging response from the first Alta Tuck Shop some parents of the other classes have conveyed they are patiently awaiting their son’s class turn to host their Alta Tuck Shop to join their sons in baking treats to donate for such a worthy cause.

For the young men of Trimont College this opportunity to help Alta sponsor-a-student project is going beyond fundraising for a good cause as it has garnered excitement, engagement and enjoyment among the boys, parents and teachers of Trimont College.

Alta is extremely grateful to the individuals, groups and companies who donate to our sponsor-a-student programme. Sponsoring a student helps Alta as it covers the cost of training and equipping the teacher, providing materials for the students, advertising so students know about the classes, record keeping and enabling guidance from Alta for the class teachers and administration.

You can opt to sponsor a specific student if you know anyone enrolled in the Alta programme, sponsor a student taking Alta classes in your community or let Alta pick a student for you. In October 2017, you will receive a progress report highlighting your student’s achievements and recommendations for further advancement. Should your student be unable to continue Alta classes, Alta will assign another student to you.

More info

If you’re interested in sponsoring an Alta student, give us a call at 624-2582 or send us a message on Facebook (Alta TT).

We’re open from 8 am – 5 pm, Monday to Thursday and 8 am – 4 pm on Fridays. Volunteer, Donate or Sponsor-a-student. Call 624-2582 or email Altapos.tt@gmail.com for more info. Keep up with Alta on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: ALTA TT