For once the players will take a back seat today and all attention will be focussed on the fans, as the main interest will be to see how many show up at the Queen’s Park Oval to support the hurricane relief match between the T&T Red Force and the Caribbean All Star XI.

When the umpires call play at 7.30pm in the star-studded T20 clash, the best T20 players in the region will display their skill in front of the fans, all in an effort to raise money for their Caribbean brothers and sisters who have been devastated by the effects of Hurricane Maria.

Dominica and Barbuda are flattened and the money raised will be going towards an effort to bring the people there back to their feet.

The initiative of the T&T Cricket Board, the Sports Company of T&T and the Queen’s Park Cricket Club, will bring together some of the biggest names in the shortest format of the game when the Darren Sammy captained Caribbean XI faces the might of the Red Force led by hard-hitting all-rounder Kieron Pollard.

Pollard’s side includes mystery off-spinner Sunil Narine, brothers Darren and Dwayne Bravo, along with former WI Test captain Denesh Ramdin and attacking batsman Lendl Simmons.

Evin Lewis, the left-handed West Indies T20 and One-Day International opener, is also in the line-up along with the exciting wicket-keeper batsman Nicholas Pooran, and Windies limited overs player Jason Mohammed.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean XI will feature T20 batting star Dwayne Smith, former Windies speedster Fidel Edwards and limited overs off-spinner Ashley Nurse joined by Jamaican Olympic sprinter Yohan Blake.

Sukesh Maniam, treasurer of the TTCB and a member of the organising committee said that the tickets, affordably priced at $100, are not specific to any stand and patrons of the worthy cause should get into the venue early to secure the best seats.

To accommodate the favourable response of cricket fans, the gates at the Oval will be opened at 5 pm, which is two and a half hours before the scheduled start of the match. Children under 12 years of age will be admitted free but must be accompanied by a paying adult.

In order to maximise the relief effort, Maniam said collection bins would be placed throughout the Oval for donations of non-perishables goods which will then be handed over to relief agencies and sent to the stricken islands.

The TTCB official said that normal restrictions of certain items to the Oval will be in force and these include - No Glass Bottles, No Coolers, No weapons of any kind, No re-entry policy, No refund on tickets due to the charitable nature of the event.

Organisers have made a limited number of tickets available at the venue from 9:30am today.

Teams 

Red Force Squad— Kieron Pollard (captain), Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Dwayne Bravo, Nicholas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree, Ravi Rampaul, Kevon Cooper, Rayad Emrit, Jason Mohammed, Shannon Gabriel.

Caribbean All Star—Dwayne Smith (Barbados), Johnson Charles (St Lucia), Andre Fletcher (Grenada), Chadwick Walton (Jamaica), Andre Mc Carthy (Jamaica), Rovman Powell (Jamaica), Daren Sammy (St Lucia), Ashley Nurse (Barbados), Sulieman Benn (Barbados), Kesrick Williams (St Vincent & Grenadines), Fidel Edwards (Barbados), Jerome Taylor (Jamaica), Shane Shillingford (Dominica) and Yohan Blake (Jamaica).

Bruce Arena has stepped down as coach of the US men’s national team yesterday after they failed to qualify for next summer’s World Cup.

An insipid, and sometimes embarrassing, qualification campaign ended in a 2-1 defeat to Trinidad & Tobago on Tuesday night. That result meant the US missed out on the World Cup for the first time since 1986, and it was almost inevitable that Arena would leave his post.

“It is the greatest privilege for any coach to manage their country’s National Team, and as I leave that role today, I am honoured and grateful to have had that opportunity twice in my career,” said Arena, who also coached USA at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

The blame for the US’s failure cannot entirely be laid at Arena’s feet.

He took over from Jurgen Klinsmann last year after a string of poor results but yesterday he accepted responsibility for the team’s failings.

Arena said: “When I took the job last November, I knew there was a great challenge ahead, probably more than most people could appreciate.

Everyone involved in the program gave everything they had for the last 11 months and, in the end, we came up short.

No excuses. We didn’t get the job done, and I accept responsibility.”

Another figure who has come under criticism, US Soccer president Sunil Gulati, said on Friday that he also takes responsibility for the USMNT’s failings but does not plan on standing down.

He would not be drawn on whether he will seek re-election in February. “It’s not the proper day to talk about my personal future with the federation,” Gulati said.

Star Rider, back to her winning handicap mark, 90, justifies an each-way bet in the 35-runner Cesarewitch Handicap over two and a quarter miles of good ground at Newmarket today; it’s a brave shout but Hughie Morrison hasn’t booked ‘go to’ jockey, Richard Kingscote, without good reason.

Most bookmaking firms will offer at least four places, shop around!

Last week we were tempted to ‘spill the beans’ about top-rated Star Rider but decided not to without ‘guarantee of a run’ which would have been difficult to obtain.

Hughie is extremely shrewd and may not have welcomed intrusion; whereas other press ‘reps’ want to know the ‘ins and outs’ of everything I’m from an old school and prefer to be patient and respectful.

It’s not as everyone will be clamouring to back Star Rider but now is an exceptionally good period for mares and you can bet this Cape Cross five-year-old will be on her game; my selection will be noted and of interest given it is borne of reliable, respected, time-figures.

Pointless trolling through ‘the field’ writing inane comments; Star Rider, four lengths winner of a two-miler on the Rowley Mile course this time last year, is worth chancing, at huge odds.

For what it’s worth Withold is massively-fancied by handicap specialist, Roger Charlton, and justifies a ‘win only’ saver.

An incredible afternoon kicks off dramatically with THREE two-year-old races which include an attempt by twice-raced, unbeaten, Expert Eye to justify odds-on favouritism in the group one, £500000, Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs; trainer Sir Michael Stoute rates him exceptional.

Despite his monster time-handicap mark, achieved at ‘Glorious Goodwood’ more than two months ago, Expert Eye is worth opposing because they will bet 6/1 bar and offer ‘each-way’ punters an opportunity to ‘play the place’ seriously, and make more money than they would betting odds on.

Also an absence is always a concern!

Presentation College of San Fernando will hope to strengthen its hold on top spot in the 2017 Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League Boys’ Premier Division when they face defending champions Shiva Boys Hindu College at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, from 3.40 pm today.
Currently, Presentation leads the table with 25 points from ten matches, followed by Naparima College with 23, St Anthony’s College (21), Shiva Boys (20) and San Juan North Secondary, a further point behind.
With matches remaining against Fatima College, Trinity College East, St Anthony’s College and St Augustine Secondary after today’s southern duel, Presentation knows all too well that their quest for the crown will not be an easy one.
Shiva Boys, on the otherhand face St Mary’s College, St Benedict’s College, Signal Hill Secondary and Carapichaima East Secondary and a win today will no doubt give them hope of reclaiming their title.
In two other key matches, Naparima College will entertain San Juan North Secondary, the only team yet to taste defeat this season, at Lewis Street, San Fernando while St Anthony’s College welcomes Trinity College East to its Morne Coco Road, Westmoorings venue.
Down at the bottom end of the table, St Benedict’s, fifth from bottom with nine points host cellar-placed Queen’s Royal College with a victory vital to both team’s survival hopes while Signal Hill Secondary and Speyside High, fourth from bottom and second to last on the standings respectively face off at Signal Hill.

Matches

Today’s Shell/First Citizens SSFL Premier Division matches
NB: All matches kick off at 3.40 pm
• Signal Hill vs Speyside, Signal Hill
• St Anthony’s vs Trinity East, Morne Coco Road, Westmoorings
• Carapichaima East vs Fyzabad, Carapichaima
• St Augustine vs Fatima, Warren Street, St Augustine
• Presentation vs Shiva Boys, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Mareballa
• St Benedict’s vs QRC, Debe
• St Mary’s vs Trinity Moka, St Mary’s Grd, Serpentine Rd, St Clair
• Naparima vs San Juan North, Lewis Street, San F’do

Standings 

Current Shell/First Citizens SSFL Premier standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Presentation 10 8 1 1 25 10 25
Naparima 10 7 2 1 22 11 23
St Anthony’s 10 6 3 1 33 15 21
Shiva Boys 10 6 2 2 25 13 20
San Juan North 10 4 6 0 23 9 18
St Augustine 9 5 1 3 23 17 16
St Mary’s 9 4 2 3 22 17 14
Trinity East 9 4 2 3 15 10 13
Fatima 9 4 0 5 8 13 12
Carapichaima East 10 3 2 5 15 18 11
Fyzabad 9 3 1 5 10 16 10
St Benedict’s 10 2 3 5 14 19 9
Signal Hill 10 2 2 6 7 15 8
Trinity Moka 9 2 0 7 9 27 6
Speyside 10 2 0 8 5 33 6
QRC 10 1 2 7 11 24 5

1 How many years have you been in business?

Over 40 years! Time flies!

2 What has been your biggest success?

Success is relative at different stages in your life.

I was an aspiring accountant in the late 70’s and then became a Partner at PwC in the 80’s. Sixteen years ago, I branched out on my own and opened Aegis Business Solutions whic focuses on business outsourcing services that support businesses who just want to focus on selling their product and need someone else to do their back office functions. Perhaps this was big. Then I set up Aegis & Co, audit and assurance services to serve SME’s who require audits conducted. Where I saw a need, I try to meet it and it continued.

In 2012, I bought Eve Anderson Recruitment. Technical Recruitment is the future and so I acquired Caribbean Resourcing Solutions. Many would think success is here. But I never viewed myself as successful. I just continue to focus on what I enjoy.

What you view as a success changes as you live your life and pursue what you love. Just keep at it.

3 Have you ever failed at any endeavour?

Absolutely but failure is a great learning experience and one of my best learning experiences is that consultation is such a strength. I have failed at many projects and ideas but you just accept and move on to the next. Keep your head high.

4 What makes you decide whether you want to enter a new venture?

The venture must be something you are interested in getting involved with and has to have an impact in the community in which you are operating. It must be meaningful to you and you have to decide if you are passionate enough to follow through when things get tough.

5 Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

My mom gave the best piece of advice—Don’t keep up with the Joneses. In addition, my father always said “Always do your best.” Do your best in every way at home and at work and with everyone.

6 Have you ever felt like you could lose it all.

Yes but then in a cool head you have to have faith that you will survive.

7 What drives you?

Wanting to do the best that I can and how can I help the other person.

8 When did you recognise that you’d “made it”?

I never felt that I have made it as life is a continuum and we have to keep doing our best.

9 What do most people think about you that may or may not be true?

Some colleagues may feel that I am always so busy. The truth is I always have things to do but I can always cancel if someone needs to talk to me or see me. I think my staff and my family know that.

I am also often told that people may be intimidated by me but this stems from people putting me on a pedestal and they share this with other people and it manifests itself without me being aware. I am just a very regular person who treasures family time, a good movie and having fun.

10 What do you believe are the key factors to succeed in business?

Passion, Strategic thinking and strong interpersonal skills.

You may obtain a degree or technical qualification but you need to discover what you love to do. Experience is everything. Prepare a plan.

Success is not achieved alone. Above all, learn to work well with people and bring them together as best as you can to understand your vision.

It is something you have to constantly work at and there is always room for improvement. Service is to your clients and the people you work with. If both are happy, and you are happy in your business—success will come.

Since its commercial birth in the 1950’s as a technological oddity at a science fair, gaming has blossomed into one of the most profitable entertainment industries in the world.

Although the technology boom revolutionised the industry and opened the doors to a new generation of gamers, if the changes that have occurred over the last century are anything to go by, it appears that gaming in 2025 will be almost unrecognisable to how it is today.

Seeking to capitalise on the changing landscape, David and Cherry-Ann Douglas finally decided the time was right “after two years of just talking about it,” to offer a new gaming experience for local enthusiasts.

The Canadian-born David described The Gaming Future as an immersive and interactive venture which will engage the hearts and minds of persons from as young as five to those as old as 95.

Speaking from his place of business at 98 Main Road, Chaguanas, David said the ultimate goal was to develop a person’s critical thinking capacity and sharpen their mental capabilities as they race against the clock to solve riddles and puzzles and decipher clues and brain-teasers.

The Gaming Future boasts two adult escape rooms called the Hangover and Time Travel Lab, and two child-friendly escape rooms called Imagination and Detention.

The experience promises to deliver an opportunity for family, friends and co-workers to spend quality time together as they work to “get out” from a locked room.

David said however, they had modified the local version in order to allay the fears of participants and remove their apprehension and anxiety.

Between two to six persons are supposed to be locked in a room, with 60 minutes to solve a variety of challenges in order to escape.

He said, “You are supposed to be locked in a room but we don’t lock persons in as Trinidad isn’t conducive for locking people in a room so theoretically, we just shut the door.”

As one half of the brains behind the operation, the 48-year-old who previously worked as a paramedic, said they also used walkie-talkies to communicate with the participants as they track their progress on a “check list” and spur them on to the finish.

Parents to four kids aged nine, eight and twins who are celebrating their sixth birthday today (Oct 15), the game masters predicted, “We believe this is where the future of the gaming industry is headed.”

According to David, they have already recorded a 50 per cent success rate among participants who have been able to solve at least ten out of the 15 clues in each room in order to escape.

He added they were constantly “tweaking” the gaming process as they went along.

“We want participants to work for the win but we don’t want it to be so challenging that everybody is unsuccessful,” he said.

David, 40, focused on the benefits to be derived from the overall experience as he pointed out, “There’s really no where to go that allows your child to think. Everywhere you go, they can enjoy activities but it doesn’t present a mental challenge nor does it get them to use their brain as many times, it is mindless.”

He went on, “This way, they use their brain instead of just sitting in front the television or IPad and cell-phone.”

A former director in the Chaguanas Business Chamber, David said he came to T&T in 2005 to set up an ambulance business.

However, after courting his wife, who is a former Chef, he said they began exploring various business ideas together.

He admitted, “The local market is certainly a challenge,” but the two are optimistic that as time progresses, their business will continue to flourish.

David said, “We believe this is something T&T will want when they understand what it is a bit better.”

Although there is no grand prize to be won at the end of the funventure, Cherry-Ann said the gamers get a photo-finish along with a healthy dose of personal satisfaction.

She laughed, “This is not about a prize. It is about helping persons to appreciate each other, rely on each other and to learn to trust each other.”

She said companies were also being encouraged to use the exercise to help foster a greater sense of team-work and camaraderie among workers.

Cherry-Ann said it was also an excellent tool which could be used to determine a person’s leadership capabilities.

Looking ahead to the future, the two are hoping to expand their Chaguanas outfit but also establish a branch in south as they seek to capture more of the local market.

An escape room is a physical adventure game in which players are required to solve a series of puzzles using clues, hints and strategies to complete the objectives at hand.

Players are given a set time limit to unveil the secret plot which is hidden within the rooms.

It was inspired by “escape-the-room” style video games set in a variety of fictional locations such as prison cells, dungeons and space stations. Escape rooms became popular in the United States, UK, Canada, Israel, Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China in the 2010’s.

Permanent escape rooms in fixed locations were first opened in Asia and followed later in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and South America.

As of July 2015, there were over 2,800 escape room venues worldwide.

In any economy, labour, as a factor of production is critical to the success of enterprises and the economy as a whole.

As such, how labour is rewarded (compensated) is important to the quality of output and the standard of living enjoyed by the citizens of a country. Thus, establishing a base for the compensation of workers is vital in ensuring that labour is treated fairly based on the demands required of it. This is the essence of a minimum wage.

Properly defined, the minimum wage is the lowest wage per hour that a worker may be paid, as mandated by law.

The minimum wage is a legally mandated price floor on hourly wages, below which workers may not be offered or accept a job.

Most developed countries and many developing ones as well, have a minimum wage although certain sorts of workers are often exempted such as young people or part-timers.

Australia and New Zealand were among the first countries to establish minimum wage laws in an attempt to raise the income of unskilled workers.

There are however, some countries with no minimum wages such as Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Since its inception, the debate about minimum wages has continued unabated.

Many economists believe that a minimum wage, if it is doing what it is supposed to, will lead to higher unemployment than there would be without it.

They posit that there could be some employers only willing to hire workers at a wage below the minimum, and some workers without jobs who would take one that pays below that minimum.

By mandating a minimum wage, the government is harming both employers and workers, and hurting the economy’s productivity to boot.

The main justification offered by politicians for having a minimum wage is that the wage that would be decided by buyers and sellers in a free market would be so low that it would be immoral for people to work for it.

From time to time, a government will assess the minimum wage level for changes in inflation or the cost of living.

In countries such as the United States, both state and federal minimum wages exist.

In modern times, the proliferation of improved technology has made it easier for companies to substitute technology for workers.

When the cost of labour increases, companies find it increasingly profitable to switch to labour-replacing technology.

In T&T, the Minimum Wages Act of 2014 (which came into force on January 1st 2015), sets out the legal rate of minimum wage in the country.

According to the Act the minimum wage rate was set at $15 per hour.

The Act also includes areas such as the normal working hours, meal and rest breaks, overtime rates, and those categories of persons who would be considered exempt from receiving the minimum wage.

Anyone whose been an investor or has spent time studying markets will come to the realisation that many things are cyclical.

While in investing—as in life— there are few guarantees, two concepts can offer some measure of reassurance:

1 Cycles always prevail eventually, and

2 Some of the greatest opportunities for gain or loss come when people forget the cyclical nature of things.

Most things in life do not move in a straight line.

Things go well for a while, and then they go poorly.

There’s progress and there’s deterioration.

The same is true for markets, economies, countries, and companies.

They all rise and fall.

The fundamental reason for cyclicality is the role that humans play in markets.

Because people can be emotional and inconsistent, (we’re not as rational as we perceive ourselves to be), the choices we make, and what drives them, has a profound impact on markets and economies.

For example, when people feel good about the future, they tend to spend more and save less.

They also borrow to increase their enjoyment or profit potential, even though doing so makes their financial position more perilous (of course concepts like “perilous” are forgotten in optimistic times). They are also willing to pay more for current value or a piece of the future.

As more and more people behave in this manner, the cycle gains momentum.

Sadly, what people often forget is that all these things are capable of being reversed in a second.

When things inevitably reverse, another cycle begins that promotes the polar opposite form of behaviour (risk-aversion, pessimism and extreme caution, and undervaluation of wholesome assets) and those that were the biggest proponents of the “good times will continue” attitude are usually the biggest losers when the music stops playing.

Thus, in every cycle, success carries within itself the seeds of failure, and failure the seeds of success.

In that regard, cycles are essentially “self-correcting”—no particular cyclical direction can be sustained forever.

Ignoring cycles and extrapolating trends is therefore one of the most dangerous things an investor can do.

Prudent investors are usually the ones most attuned to cycles— either through experience or historical knowledge—and use this awareness to their advantage to capture deals that others will ignore.

Andre Worrell

“We make our pepper roti with love, it’s the secret ingredient,” says Goutam Maharaj, a member of The Blue Bird Sports and Cultural Organisation. And that is what has made the pepper roti from the group so popular among patrons at the Divali Nagar year after year.

Maharaj, spokeman for the group, said they have been making pepper roti at the Nagar for the past decade. He proudly claimed that it was because of Blue Bird’s efforts that pepper roti became so popular on T&T’s cultural landscape.

“Pepper roti was really a home-cooked dish and we decided to bring this to the Nagar because people loved the hot, spicy taste and very few if anyone was at that time selling this wonderful product,” he said.

Maharaj said the popularity of the dish rose and today, many of the food stalls at the Nagar now offer pepper roti on their menu.

Maharaj said the club has been in existence since 1971 and assists in many cultural, sporting and community events in the Penal area.

He said the stall at the Divali Nagar was the club’s only fund-raising event for the year. “The funds we raise would go towards assisting several of our projects that incorporate youth and youth development.” The roti is prepared on-site at kitchen facilities at the Nagar. The roti is cooked on a giant tawa and cut into pieces, after which it is lapped up by patrons.

SHASTRI BOODAN

Being an entrepreneur involves a lot of deep breaths. It really isn’t for the fainthearted. It involves moving from one choice to the next at the chosen pace of the day.

A lot of people think that to achieve great things money is your most efficient tool but really, time is your most crucial tool. Once that is spent it never comes back, and it isn’t guaranteed you will get more of it.

N9 Dance Co was started on September 9, 1999. When N9 was first formed it was a group of my school friends taking part in my dance classes and I wanted to make the group official.

My first dancers—to whom I remain close to this day—are a pair of sisters, Candice and Sareeta Daniel. I think they show how the company has evolved because we initially started together in Latin American dance but then we branched over to Middle Eastern dance and there a strong sisterhood evolved.

Indian dancer Rachel Baptiste-Lee and her family became a stream of support. My own family has always supported the work—and by support I don’t mean in a blindly giving way but also in the assistance in the continuous analysis of the business by my sister Kamini. I know I am blessed to have had the support of my parents, siblings and extended family. That is something I believe young entrepreneurs need, that basic interest in what they are doing even if family members do not understand the initiative.

I also had the steady support of Richard Lyder and Andrea Lyder to keep me focused and grounded.

But truly N9 Dance evolved beyond myself. Key dancers stepped forward in the running of certain sections: Roger Rochard assisted with Latin dance but then as Middle Eastern dance progressed Tia Haynes became the backbone for teaching classes with a true love and patience for the art form, while Jody, my sister became my co-performer. Jody recently won the UTT Ready to Wear award for fashion this year and has been instrumental in our new costume concepts.

We also have N9 loyalists like Allison Poon, Hazel Watson, Melissa Dassrath and Wendy Thomas who performed with us at our countless shows.

Then in 2012 along came Mike and Luisa, both hailing from the Mexican Circus, and our Circus Arts section was born. Mike immediately assisted with our pole dance section, which was founded in 2009. Luisa became integral in our aerial arts as well. We then had the opportunity to visit Circo Dragon in Mexico and we are trying to strengthen ties there as well as investigate collaborations.

N9 also became a hub as we opened our doors to host other independent teachers and schools. Classes now include: belly dance, Bollywood, modern, contemporary, Latin, Flamenco, hip hop and more.

I had the opportunity to visit China and was made a master teacher, thanks to Maria Lee of Chinese Cultural Arts and Studies from San Fernando.

And N9 Dance Company is evolving yet again! N9 Artz is coming next year, our non-profit for helping youth in the arts. N9 Dance Studio Events promises to make a lot of other art forms more accessible to the public ranging from weekly workshops to providing a space for creative expression. We know these are trying times. It is creativity that helps us through many obstacles. The benefit for students of the arts is health for mind and body as well as building community.

My personal mantra is pray, have faith and keep moving forward.

It is perhaps intuitive that working in co-ordination and collaboration is important for the efficient functioning of any industry.

Information exchange is one way of doing that. Through effective communication between various entities of an industry, a flow of knowledge occurs which prevents stagnation from seeping in. Information exchange in the maritime industry is just as important.

What might account for some of the resistance to information exchange? We contend that while plain old “resistance to change” may be at the heart of the paradox, it might well be a case of inability to respond to information exchange, brought about by aging and/or inflexible IT systems.

According to Andreas Mrozek, global head marine and terminal operations for the Hamburg Sud Group, one of the world’s largest container shipping lines, “Everyone benefits from collaboration and data sharing.

It starts with the customers and moves to the carriers, then the terminal operators, vendors, freight systems, truck companies, and keeps going down the line. Closer collaboration is a compelling value proposition for each supply chain partner.”

Over the course of the last decade, most industries have been leveraging (and realising synergies from) the power of data to increase their pace of innovation and efficiency. Inarguably, the shipping and logistics industry, thought typically somewhat slower to pick up on automation and digitisation, has begun to recognise the importance of data and technology in becoming and/or remaining relevant, competitive, and adaptable to change.

Jurisdiction specific, given our own slow progress towards a truly open economy—in the context of data/information sharing—we are of the view that many businesses still believe that withholding information (moreso historic information) is power, and withholding it results in some kind of competitive advantage.

An international maritime consulting firm has found that the maritime industry and broader ocean supply chain are suffering from major and costly inefficiencies due to ineffective data sharing and poor cross-industry collaboration (Business Performance Innovation Network).

A 2017 study conducted by three respected maritime industry players in the field of maritime analytics and maritime industry technology, produced some important findings. The study was based on a global survey of more than 200 executives and professional from terminal operators, carriers, logistics providers, vessel owners, port authorities, shippers, consignees, and other members of the global ocean supply chain.

• 90 per cent of survey participants said real-time data access and information sharing was important to increasing the efficiency and performance of the shipping industry. Some 80 per cent said the industry needs to improve supply chain visibility.

• On average, surveyed executives estimated that each of a wide range of ocean supply chain processes could be improved by as much as 66 per cent and no less than 55 per cent if the industry updated its IT systems and improved its ability to share data with other members of the supply chain.

• Just 12 per cent of respondents said their partners were “very effective” at collaborating and sharing data, although 38 per cent said their partners were improving and 32 per cent said they were “somewhat effective.”

• 85 per cent of shippers and consignees rate the industry as either “slow to change” (70 per cent) or “far behind the curve” (15 per cent) when it comes to innovation and next generation technology adoption.

On the local front

One of the most significant outcomes of the ongoing implementation of a single electronic window (SEW) has been the generation of important maritime statistics. We therefore acknowledge that locally mindset shifts are taking place, albeit not all critical stakeholders are willing and/or capable of playing their part in moving the maritime industry forward; improving collaboration and visibility through information exchange, and the adoption of new technology-driven models and processes.

Automating, updating IT systems, and synchronising processes are among the ways to eliminating the impediments to information sharing.

The top five most promising technologies for the maritime industry are: data analytics, automation, the Internet of Things, new software management solutions and cloud solutions.
Detractors of information sharing take note.

1. Better co-ordination
This allows for better co-ordination between ships; which is essential regardless for what purpose the ship is sailing. Reportedly, it is due to the importance of co-ordination in the marine industry that even more efforts are being made at developing an information exchange system that will allow greater co-ordination.
2. Greater safety of ships
This allows better co-ordination the ships, hence greater safety of ships. In case of maritime accidents, an efficient system will allow rapid information exchange which will support locating the affected ship(s) that much sooner. Accidents like grounding of a ship or a pirate attack—where it becomes difficult for a ship to communicate on its own— an information exchange system can be very helpful.
3. Improved trade
The shared information here could include cargo information about ships leaving from various ports, connecting ships scheduling etc which will mean ships can communicate better and trade can improve.
4. Sharing experiences
Through maritime information exchange, there is not only exchange of knowledge but also of valuable experiences. This will allow mariners to learn from each others’ experiences, getting precious details about expeditions other mariners have been on like handling various maritime accidents, running into unexpected situations etc. and add more to their knowledge. Allowing a proper threshold for such information exchange in the maritime industry can open up channels for better learning experiences for mariners.
5. Better trade options
This can be a single international organisation that will regulate information and make it available to one and all, making important piece of knowledge known while keeping the other sensitive bits in safety. The main idea behind such a system is the scope of better trade options.
An internationally maintained organisation will be the centre point of flux of all the information and will make trading smoother. That way, ships can communicate directly, sharing their information through a single body.
6. Discuss problems and views about current issues
Information exchange events organised all over the world are the perfect opportunity for seafarers and shipping from all over the world to discuss their problems.
At a recent maritime information exchange vessel operator’s meeting, everything from marine environment to maritime accidents to specific and future threats to marine industry was discussed.

Battered by weaker commodity prices, the Surinamese economy has had to undergo severe economic adjustments in recent times, which precipitated high inflation and other short-term setbacks. Recent gold and oil investments will help its economy to recover in the short and medium term.

The United Suriname Holding Ltd group of companies operates in shipping, detergents, food, steel and other sectors of the Surinamese economy.

We will refer to the company by its Dutch initials, VSH, and will now review its results to December 31, 2016.

Changes in financial position

Total assets climbed by 24.4 per cent, moving from Sr$250.75 million to Sr$333.97 million.

Property, plant and equipment slipped to Sr$64.6 million from Sr$64.9 million. Furniture and fixtures recorded the largest increase, moving from Sr$4.1 million to Sr$4.8 million.

In contrast, intangible assets grew to Sr$1.42 million from Sr$1.1 million; the largest contributor to this increase was Sr$0.7 million under investment. Both its fixed and intangible assets are insured against fire for a total of Sr$310.5 million or US$41.4 million.

Interest in subsidiaries edged up to Sr$2.09 million from Sr$2.02 million. The increase was entirely reflected under its 60.15 per cent interest in Consolidated Industries Corporation (CIC), which improved to Sr$1.9 million from Sr$1.8 million.

Financial assets rose to Sr$18.2 million from Sr$18 million. The largest component was shares in the hotel group, Torarica Holdings NV, which was valued at Sr$13.04 million for both periods. It also owns shares in the brewery, Surinaamsche Brouwerij NV, valued at Sr$3.5 million.

Notably, the largest increase was shown under its shares in De Surinaamsche Bank NV, which climbed to Sr$0.32 million from Sr$0.23 million.

Its associated company, the insurer Assuria NV, in which it holds a 24.63 per cent stake, increased in value to Sr$74.1 million from Sr$73.4 million.

Inventories climbed to Sr$50 million from Sr$29 million. Given the high inflation environment, all components registered large increases.

Raw materials and packaging advanced to Sr$24.5 million from Sr$14.5 million while goods for sale closed at Sr$10.2 million from Sr$6.3 million. Goods in transit registered at Sr$9 million from Sr$4.3 million.

Trade and other receivables advanced to Sr$60.8 million from Sr$37.9 million. Net trade receivables climbed to Sr$50.5 million from Sr$30.7 million while other receivables closed at Sr$7.4 million from Sr$5.4 million.

Cash and cash equivalents expanded to Sr$40.8 million from Sr$24.2 million. The largest component of Sr$32.8 million (2015: Sr$15.9 million) was denominated in US dollars while Sr$3.7 million was denominated in Euros and Sr$4.3 million held in Suriname currency.

The overall improvement in cash holdings mostly reflected the net effect of Sr$4.8 million increase in cash generated from operating activities while cash allocated to investing activities fell by almost Sr$6 million.

Total liabilities climbed to Sr$109.0 million from Sr$71.6 million.

Total borrowings rose to Sr$26.2 million from Sr$16.4 million. The long-term portion advanced to Sr$17.2 million from Sr$12.6 million while the current portion closed at Sr$8.9 million from Sr$4.7 million. Almost its entire debt is denominated in US dollars, consequently, these increases largely reflect the effect of the devaluation of the Suriname dollar against the US dollar.

The long-term debt mainly comprises loans by VSH Transport (Sr$14.7 million) and Sr$2.6 million due by CIC. The current debt comprises working capital facilities for VSH Foods and CIC and the current portion of long-term debt.

Trade and other payables increased to Sr$55.8 million from Sr$38 million. The trade payables portion closed at Sr$43.5 million from Sr$26.3 million while the other payables component registered at Sr$4.6 million from Sr$1.6 million. Notably, net trade receivables are 16 per cent greater than trade payables.

Total provisions rose to Sr$5.8 million from Sr$4.6 million. The long-term portion was Sr$3.8 million while the current element was Sr$2.0 million. The entire long-term amount reflected long-term medical obligations for CIC pensioners.

The current portion comprises product warranty (Sr$0.9 million), deferred maintenance (Sr$0.2 million) and redundancy (Sr$0.9 million).

Deferred taxes increased to Sr$16.2 million from Sr$12.6 million; this mainly reflected inventory adjustments and the revaluation of the subsidiary’s interest.

Current income tax payable expanded from zero to Sr$5.0 million, reflecting the higher current year’s profitability.

Equity movements

Total equity expanded to Sr$203 million from Sr$179 million. Excluding minority interests of Sr$17 million and after the appropriation of profit of Sr$4.4 million, shareholders’ equity closed at Sr$181.5 million from Sr$161.1 million.

Retained earnings increased to Sr$137 million from Sr$105.6 million. The after-tax profit of Sr$36.8 million along with a realised revaluation of Sr$0.14 million enhanced the brought forward balance.

Interim dividends of Sr$1.2 million along with the proposed final dividend of Sr$4.4 million reduced the closing figure.

Revaluation reserves declined to Sr$44.2 million from Sr$55.2 million. This diminution reflected lower values for both physical and financial assets.

Both issued capital and capital in excess of par value were stable at Sr$19,863. and Sr$240,425, respectively. The weighted average number of shares outstanding was unchanged at 1,986,338; consequently, the book value of each share improved to Sr$91.35 from December 2015’s Sr$81.12.

Revenues and profit

Total revenue climbed by almost 70 per cent to Sr$132.5 million from Sr$78.1 million. Included in this figure was other revenue of Sr$8.7 million (2015: Sr$1.4 million).

Here, the largest components were gains on exchange of Sr$3.8 million and gains on revaluation of inventories of Sr$2 million.

Total costs rose by 53.3 per cent to Sr$98.1 million from Sr$64 million. Personnel costs rose to Sr$40.4 million from Sr$31.4 million while administrative expenses registered at Sr$41 million from Sr$24.7 million.

In addition, provisions soared to Sr$7.4 million from Sr$160,000. The largest contributor to this increase was Sr$5.4 million allocated to uncollectable receivables and Sr$0.7 million which represented reduced inventory marketability.

These changes saw profit from continuing operations swell to Sr$34.5 million from Sr$14.1 million.

The share of profit from its associate, Assuria NV, improved to Sr$16.9 million from Sr$10.8 million. On the other hand, investment income declined to Sr$650.8 million from Sr$996.6 million.

These variations resulted in pre-tax profit improving to Sr$51.96 million from 2015’s Sr$25.92 million.

The effective tax rate increased from 22.1 per cent to 25.1 per cent, which is still lower than the standard rate of 36 per cent. In line with the higher rate and larger profits, the actual income tax paid rose to Sr$13 million from Sr$5.7 million. Consequently, the net profit registered at Sr$38.9 million from Sr$20.2 million.

After removing Sr$2.1 million applicable to non-controlling interests, the net profit attributable to shareholders closed at Sr$36.8 million from the previous year’s Sr$18.6 million. That result translated to
EPS of Sr$18.53 compared with Sr$9.34 for the 2015 period.

Executive compensation

A benchmark of 15 per cent return on capital employed was used as a base for measuring the performance of the senior executives of VSH United Group. In 2016, VSH achieved a return on capital employed of 25.5 per cent.

Accordingly, its CEO, Patrick Healy, received a short-term bonus of Sr$277,110.00.

In addition, its chief legal officer (CLO) and HR director, Malini Ramsundersingh, was awarded a short-term bonus of Sr$138,555.00. The managing directors of the VSH Shipping group, VSH Steel and CIC, all of which exceeded their targets, will each receive appropriate, but smaller, bonuses.

(Which local listed company might be inclined to disclose similar statistics?)

Divisional results

The shipping group registered an 82 per cent increase in revenues accompanied by a 125 per cent growth in profit. The improvement in income was directly related to the increase in off-shore related activities.

Container handling showed a rise to 41,056 teus from 39,388 teus.

Overall, port statistics showed declines of 7 per cent for container handling, 25 per cent fall in break bulk/project cargo and a 58 per cent fall in RORO cargo. These figures reflect the absence of large-scale projects and the strong economic downturn.

Exports increased by 7.6 per cent and now comprise 40 per cent of its total volume. Its main export markets are Curaçao, Guyana and Jamaica.

The food segment reflects the results of VSH Foods, which makes margarine, butter and shortening. The lower profit mainly reflected the compressed margins for local sales. However, increased emphasis on exports saw those volumes increase by 200 per cent; that segment now represents 21 per cent of total production volume.

The steel operations recovered from a loss to record a healthy profit. This result was largely helped by stronger exports. In 2016, the company exported 53 per cent of its 790 MT production volumes.

In Guyana, VSH Steel was responsible for the fabrication of two steel arches; the 50th Anniversary Independence Arch and the Centennial Arch to mark the 100th Anniversary of bauxite mining in Linden.

Dividends and share price

The dividend for 2016 improved from 2015’s Sr$1.70 to Sr$2.80. During the year, four interim dividends of Sr$0.15 were paid and the final dividend of Sr$2.20 was paid in 2017. VSH’s share price closed at Sr$72 on both December 31, 2016 and December 2015 and was quoted at that same price at the end of September 2017.

At that price, the yield is 3.9 per cent. That price also reflects a P/E multiple of 3.9 and a discount of 21 per cent to its book value of Sr$91.35.

In next week’s article, we will review the 2016 results of Banks DIH Ltd (Guyana).

“I don’t buy whisky, neither strong rum
It is against my religion.
I have home-made wine of all description
Boy yuh could sample any one.
I have citrus, hibiscus, bande root, passion fruit, ti marie, strawberry, aloes and cane!”
Homemade Wine, Scrunter

Making home-made wine for Christmas, is a tradition for many across T&T. Tobagonians boast about the dasheen root, bayleaf, garlic and aniseed wine under the label A Taste of Tobago while in Maraval, the label Paramin Wine produces a range of wines made from local fruit.Enter 34-year-old vinter Laura Superville, who has her sights set beyond Christmas to the international market with her brand 11DegN (11 Degrees North). The St Joseph’s Convent old girl started wine making as an experiment a few years ago, and now she’s sending her fruity vino as far as Thailand. Superville spoke to T&T Guardian’s Bobie-Lee Dixon about the strides her Chaguanas-based company has made recently.

Q: When did you start making wine and why?
A: I started making wine in 2010 out of curiosity; I was experimenting to determine whether I was good at it.
The aroma and taste of tropical and exotic fruits such as sorrel, pommerac, starfruit (five finger) and mango are widely sort after. There is no wine industry of any kind in T&T. Local fruit wine manufacturing is conventionally a rare find. Consumption of, or exposure to local fruit wine is usually on a domestic level and the probability of experiencing that is also very slim.

What’s the story behind the name 11 Degrees North?
11DegN is a construct from the geographic position of T&T. The philosophy of wine making places a lot of importance on the terroir (the environmental factors that affect a varietal phenotype), and in our case the quality of fruit used to produce wines. Research has shown that changes in soil type, organic content, biodynamic soil interaction, and the distance from the equator (which dictates temperature) all impact nuances in the wine quality. T&T has a unique environment and wealth of natural resources for producing fruits, flowers and spices used in the wine production. The brand 11DegN indicates place of origin, it demonstrates that the sensory evaluation, richness, texture, complexity and vibrancy of wines are due to the inputs from this location.

How easy is it to source your fruit?
We source fruit from estates. Sourcing fruit is challenging, fruit are hand-picked and sorted. Only the best fruit make it to fermentation. The type of fruit used will impact the quality of the wine, therefore fruits with faults cannot be used as this may taint wines. We have to optimise harvesting during fruiting season. Seasons are usually very short and trees quickly go out of fruit production. Usually harvest seasons are predictable, however, with climate change and the change in the rainfall patterns, the fruiting seasons are also changing. This now requires more monitoring and fast mobilisation of the harvest team in order to harvest the quantity of fruit required.

What are some of the best sellers?
There are five flavours - sorrel, pommerac, five finger, cashew and jamun. There is something about Trinis, Sorrel and Christmas. Sorrel is our fastest seller between November and December. However from January to October, the data shows people prefer different flavours. Within the suite of flavours, no one flavour out performs the other (outside of the Christmas season).

What makes your wine stand out from other local wines and the international wines?
11Deg N stands out because of the adherence to the pillars of traditional wine making techniques, our commitment to producing a world class product, allowing the force of nature to dominate the process and the natural (terroir) flavours to be clearly expressed. 11DegN reflects the strengths of the terroir, deep mineral rich soils, moderately high rainfall and warm tropical temperatures. 11DegN will be differentiated by quality, consistency, international “look and feel” and can be benchmarked against international fruit wines. I do not assume I have arrived at a finished product line, improving, enhancing and offering the consumer something new and exciting is constant.

Did you receive formal training in wine making or are you self taught?
Yes, I have attended several wine making courses and took study tours to award winning wine producing regions. I also read a lot, watch videos to acquire as much knowledge as possible to assist in building a robust brand and producing a fantastic global product. Wine making process is an art and a science; experience is often the only source of such knowledge, therefore I experiment a lot. I have a competent understanding of the whole fruit wine making process from fruit growing to production.

Can you walk us through your wine making process?
Fruits are hand-picked from different estates throughout the country. Fruits are sorted, cleaned and transported to the crusher or boiler and processed. Yeast and other additives of precise measurements are added to crush fruit and sterilised to produce the must to begin primary fermentation. Analytical testing is performed on the must and documented for the pH, degrees of brix and specific gravity; adjustments are made to the must where needed to ensure the desired alcohol content and the final product is well balanced. Seeds, stems, and skins are placed back in the holding bins for use as mulch. The wine is racked (racking means to siphon the wine from one container to another, to leave the sediment behind) after primary fermentation ends and secondary fermentation begins. The wine is racked periodically to remove sediment. A taste test and visual monitoring for clarity will be performed simultaneously with racking. Each fruit wine will be aged for 12 months in stainless steel tanks then filtered and stabilised for bottling. The sorrel and jamun wines are aged in American Oak of medium toast, which increases complexity and adds length and flavour to wines.

Is wine making a full time thing or is it your side venture?
At the moment, I am unable to dedicate 100 per cent of my time to 11DegN; in order to sustain myself, I work full time.
I conduct wine activities on some afternoons and every weekend. I have a small fantastic team which supports and shares the vision for 11DegN which helps in balancing responsibilities. The process of wine making is time consuming, in addition to the fact we age our wines for nothing less than 12 months to allow the wines time to express themselves.

Is it lucrative?
It is a very capital intensive venture, at moment it is not lucrative and will not be for years to come. We are still building the foundation. The focus will be on the regional and global market as the local market is too small for niche products for generating even modest returns on investment.

What are the challenges and the benefits?
Challenges are time and money. I have a very time

demanding schedule; my day starts at 4 am and ends at 9pm. Activities require precision planning. We are ready to take 11DegN to the next level but we lack the financial resources to do so. To date, savings from directors have been used to start up the business and expand to our current situation. Any money we earn from sales is reinvested by purchasing equipment.
The benefits? There’s always wine at my house! I have gained new skills, a new network, I have a great friends and family who support my vision and I am never bored.

How are your Christmas orders coming? Has the recession affected you?
Orders have started coming. Our sorrel wines were a hit last year, we were unable to meet the demand. We hoping we are able to meet the demand this year. Sales have slowed somewhat, however, there are more merchants carrying our wines therefore we are demonstrating slow growth.

How does the cost of 11DegN compare to other wines?
For a boutique wine collection that is multi-layered, smooth, crisp and bursting with fruity aromas. The cost is on par with medium range wine. The price varies by wine merchant and can go from TT$125-$150.

Where can wine lovers get a bottle?
11DegN hopes to inspire a sense of national pride by allowing and encouraging people to share a high quality product from our native country and culture. This speciality product is available in selected restaurants, wine bars, gourmet shops, wine festivals and special events. You can find 11DegN at Bottle Stop, Uncorked, Time To Wine, Sweet Nothings and Stetchers to name a some locations. By special request 11DegN has also served customers in New York, Malaysia, London, St Lucia, Suriname, Miami and Thailand.

INFO
For more information see Facebook page 11Degrees North.
 

Philip Taylor seems very comfortable in Trinidad. The American rock performer and music producer from Tennessee has been on the island for the past year and a half in the hope of finding the voice of T&T. His search is not like TV shows The Voice in the US or even the local Rising Star, he has been listening and observing what talent we have here.

Last year, he was part of the Thrive International project which hosted workshops and auditions for Trinidad performers. His search continues and he’s confident there are artists who can step up to the plate in Trini 2 The World, to be co-produced by HBO Urban Music Supervisor/Director Don Bartholomew and aired on the cable channel.

Leaving behind his contract with Epic Records in 2004 and Sony in 2015, to create his independent label Taylor Mayd, the ras-styled musician understands the need for artists to have creative control over their work and more successful careers. “In general, the major label paradigm is only valid for a small percentage. Then the label lies on what they spend—they overspend and over-hire, using as many as 30 people on person’s career,” he said.

For his experience, Taylor said he was unhappy. Although, while he was at Epic Records, he already had a Number 3 Rock Radio Hit, Let Me Out, as part of the band Future Leaders of the World (Flow). The band transformed to Machina which included former Evanescence members John Le Compt and Rocky Gray. By then, he learned about engineering, eventually working with award winning producer Toby Wright who was responsible for the sound of Metallica, Mottley Crue, Korn and Alice in Chains. After the Machina project, Taylor pursued a solo project and got signed to Sony. Again, he was not happy with the label. “I decided to start a professional group, a label, hopefully overcome some of the mistakes that I experienced,” he said.

Taylor Mayd is not a new invention, Taylor stressed, but places emphasis on ethics—a marriage of making good music and not taking advantage of the artist as a commodity. By extension, he said, Trini 2 The World is going to be a high-quality product that offers opportunity for more successful careers. Taylor is inviting artists with potential to email their work by October 27 as a preliminary audition. An announcement will be made on October 30. Once selected, the performers will participate in a live audition at Vas Lounge, Rust Street, St Clair, a week later. From those performances, there will be a shortlist of five. Thereafter, the artists will travel to Tennessee where they will be housed together to focus on their work. But in the end, only one performer will receive the contract with Taylor Mayd. This in essence, is the concept of Trini 2 the World as it will present how these artists work under these settings.

Taylor is excited by the outcome, since he realises that music for Trinidadians is more than soca. “It shocked me that people did different genres. But although I know what caught my ear, but it (the music) sounded different. It is distinctively Trini,” he said. “I met Five Miles to Midnight and they found a way to recreate in a unique way. They put a spin on it.”

The absence of soca for the show’s talent consideration, Taylor said, has to do with its posturing. “It’s not about exclusion but integration into mainstream culture,” he explained. “It has to be done subtly and craftily. It has to be gently introduced.” He added, part of the problem is that artists are trying to stay too rigid to a format that is fixated with Soca Monarch. On the other hand, Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and now Voice, who will perform the soundtrack for the show, have demonstrated the possibilities of blending soca with other styles. Nevertheless, it is the Trini uniqueness that swayed his business partners Robert Venabile and Jean Le Phare to agree on the project. Now that Bartholomew has seen the inroads made and is available for production, the project is moving full steam ahead. The show is scheduled for airing on HBO in September.

The Adult Literacy Tutors Association has officially begun the recruitment period for volunteers who are interested in becoming Alta tutors next year! Interested persons should have a Grade I or II CSEC English (or equivalent) and be able to commit to teaching an Alta class twice a week for two hours each time, from September 2018- July 2019.If you have the time, Alta tutors over the years have all said that their experience tutoring has not only been incredibly rewarding but also an eye-opening experience. Here are the six steps you should take if you’d like to become a certified Alta tutor:

STEP ONE:A simple phone call or email to one of Alta’s three offices to express interest in volunteering and have questions answered is the first step to becoming a volunteer. Persons calling can also schedule to attend an interview in Belmont (624-2582), Arima (664-2582) or San Fernando (653-4656).

STEP TWO: InterviewVolunteer tutors at Alta are unpaid, but no experience is necessary to become a volunteer. Volunteers must have Grade 1 or 2 in English and be able to commit to teach for an academic year. Interviews allow an opportunity to meet long-serving Alta members and get a better ‘feel’ for the organisation. At the end of an interview, both you and Alta will agree on whether the time commitment and desire expressed matches what is required, and what other opportunities there are to serve.

STEP THREE: ObserveVolunteer applicants get the privilege of meeting our students when they are invited to observe a class in session for eight consecutive visits. Observation is a prerequisite for Alta’s annual Tutor Training Course, and volunteers will not be offered the opportunity to be trained without successfully completing observation.

STEP FOUR: TrainAlta provides training for all tutor volunteers. At the end of the observation period, volunteers will be asked to contractually agree to commit to teaching at an Alta class in September (which immediately follows training) before they can attend training. Training is a very important period on the Alta calendar, and is done over six weeks between April/May. Space is limited, and only 100 volunteers are trained annually for the intensive course. Training gives volunteers the skills necessary to deliver the Alta Programme.

STEP FIVE: TeachVolunteers who complete the training will choose a class venue where they will begin their year of volunteer service. Teaching is the practical component of Alta’s Tutor Training Course and volunteers must complete 150 contact hours of teaching, or an academic year to be certified as an adult literacy tutor. Newly trained tutors are placed with an experienced tutor to team teach at a venue of their choice.

STEP SIX: CertifyCompleting an academic year as an Alta tutor is an accomplishment to be celebrated and each year certificates are awarded to volunteers completing their year of service at our Annual General Meeting. Certified tutors can then become members of the Association.

Alta looks forward to hearing from you!
Volunteer, Donate or Sponsor-a-student.
Call 624-2582 or email Altapos.tt@gmail.com for more info.
Keep up to date with Alta on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: Alta TT
 

The Trinidad and Tobago Music Company Ltd (MusicTT) will be hosting its annual stakeholder engagement on October 30 at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s from 5 pm. This National Stakeholder Engagement and Key

MusicTT Implementation Projects event will serve as the platform for information and discussion on the music projects which will advance the sector in this fiscal year.

MusicTT general manager Jeanelle Frontin explained in a release, “Engaging with our stakeholders, and factoring in their feedback, has always been a priority for MusicTT. Hosting a National Stakeholder Engagement at this juncture is crucial now more than ever as we have begun implementation of four flagship initiatives that will assist in transforming the sector into a commercially sustainable industry in the long-term. These are namely T&T’s first Live Music District, the Music Tech Platform, the Artist Portfolio Development Programme and its Music Export Academy.”

Since its mention in the 2017/2018 national budget presentation by Finance minister Colm Imbert, the sector has been abuzz anticipating the establishment of the Live Music District. “This creative, cultural and entertainment District will open in March 2018 and will address some of the challenges currently facing our local musicians, namely access to music performance spaces as well as securing year-round performances. The District will also actively create revenue streams and jobs through entertainment, tourism and hospitality opportunities,” Frontin added.

Speaking about the flagship initiatives in general for this fiscal year, Frontin explains, “The National Stakeholder Engagement Event is a must-attend for anyone seeking firsthand information and details on these projects. We will be having a dedicated Q&A session on our flagship initiatives detailing their current implementation and what stakeholders can expect.”

Info

Those interested in attending the National Stakeholder Engagement can register at www.musictt.co.tt/elevate. For more information, visit www.musictt.co.tt or call 622-1455.