The ideological debate remains.

Should there be national health and education systems that would protect the less fortunate in society?

Should governments raise the age of retirement as many countries across the world are grappling with the aging factor?

Should robots play a greater role in the future as there are fewer workers due to societies aging?

Michael Falk, partner, Chapter of Investment Professionals (CFA) and consultant spoke on Monday night at a seminar hosted by CFA T&T at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel, Port-of-Spain.

The American investment consultant discussed retirement, healthcare and education—the subject matter of his latest book, or monograph as he chose to call it.

It is titled “Let’s All Learn How To Fish…To Sustain Long-Term Economic Growth.”

The book’s foreword, written by Laurence B Siegel, director of research at the CFA Institute Research Foundation, said the book should not be treated as a “left-wing nor right-wing treatise” as the author advocates for a social safety net and, at the same time, calls for self reliance and not over dependence on the State.

Falk said the reason for social policies is to provide a safety net.

“It is to protect those of us who fall, to protect those of us who are unable to continue to live our lives at some level. When we think of safety nets we usually think of two parts of the population, the very old and the young.”

At the same time, he said, a safety net should not be an excuse for people to be overly dependent on the State.

“Good policies have both safety nets and trampolines. Those who are able to bounce back from whatever it was that took them down. What we need to do is to alter the incentives so that we can get people out of the nets, but we don’t want to weaken the nets.”

National insurance

Falk said that T&T nationals needs to increase contributions to the National Insurance System if the system is to remain sustainable in the future.

He was responding to a question from the audience on the diminishing ability of the National Insurance Board (NIB) to finance the national insurance system over the next few years.

According to a T&T Guardian report in November 2017, the NIB fund could go broke in the next 12 years because it is out of alignment with no long term sustained initiatives to generate rates of higher return.

The fund now stands at some $25 billion but, to be sustainable it needs to be topped up to some $75 billion so as to ensure efficient payments could be made in the coming years.

“There’s only a few levers that you can pull. There’s a very simple pension equation which is C+I=B. Contributions plus investment performance equals benefits. Contributions will have to go up and benefits will have to go down. That is clear as I can make it. Contributions going up means taxes go up. T&T needs to reduce the benefits and increase the contributions and people need to age to get it,” Falk said.

He also suggested a means testing to decide who needs state support and those who can support themselves after a certain age.

He admitted that he does not know enough about the intricacies about the local NIS scheme to say what should be the ideal contribution and benefit rates.

“If we were to look at T&T nationals over time and different routes, what’s the level of fixed cost exposure to the average T&T national when they retire? We want to immunise that. Because not everyone gets rid of the mortgage, not everyone gets rid of the car payments. They probably need electricity, they probably need food. That’s where to start the dialogue.”

He also spoke about T&T’s falling birth rate.

“T&T fertility is about 1.5 births per female on an average. 2.1 is the alleged replacement rate of birth so what that means is that being under 2.1, you’re shrinking the size of your society. Overtime, T&T’s society is shrinking.”

Touching on the retirement age debate that is going on in T&T right now, he said the retirement age should be over age 65 in T&T.

Falk advocates a national pension system that is run by the State, but done in an efficient way.

“You want to make the economics work, you have to raise the retirement age right now. I don’t mean in 10 years.”

He then recommended a two-tier system, where white collar workers would retire at age 65 but blue collar workers would retire at age 60.

“For those of us who work with our brains and our minds, we have to work a lot longer. For the people who are labourers, who bust their backs, they should be able to retire younger, by at least five years. This would much more fair.”

He said there is a disparity in the life expectancy between blue collar workers are tend to be poorer and the knowledge workers who tend to be better off.

One of the oldest surviving business club in T&T, the Trinidad Union Club (TUC) has found a new home at the Flamboyant room, Kapok Hotel.

“The management team of the TUC is motivated by the interest of the members who have continued to support the club over the years,” said chairman, Michael Alonzo.

We are excited about the prospect of encouraging past and new members to join in paving the way for the future success of this historic club,” said Alonzo.

Alonzo said the new marketing manager and committee have already begun planning events for the club at its new location.

Recently, there was a media release of the ratings of our government as to its performance over the last two and a half years. In particular, it was found wanting in its handling of the economy so much so that the population is disappointed that the economy has not rebounded.

The major complaints were that foreign exchange is still not available in the quantities required to satisfy the need/demand for imports together with the forced reduction in government spending giving reductions in transfer and subsidies and on-shore business activity.

This shortage is due to the drop in prices of oil and gas on the global market and the reduction in local production of both, causing the usual hardships: increased unemployment and taxation. Still, there is a recent increase in these commodity prices but nothing yet to celebrate.

What is strange is that given our plantation economy we all should expect its boom-bust nature. We are now experiencing a bust and hence foreign exchange will be in short supply.

It may not be the short term fault of any government that we are in a bust given our economic model, though we can lay it at their feet in part that we have not over time diversified the economy.

As a small open economy we must import most of what we consume. Hence we must export.

Thus it is high risk to depend, as it were, on one crop. However, the development and maintenance of a sustainable economy depend on the integration and collaboration of the private sector, the government and the R&D institutions. As a result, the failure to diversify the economy is indeed a failure of the three partners of the triad to collaborate in building globally competitive export companies.

To plagiarise Professor Michael Porter’s comment: “Governments do not compete in the global market, companies do. Yet no one berates the private sector on its failure to produce export companies.”

In our present model the government manages the exploitation of our petroleum resources so ensuring that some foreign exchange is retained in the on-shore economy. The private sector uses this foreign exchange to import, mark-up and sell anything that the population may desire.

The R&D/education institutions train graduates. Many of them are not required by the present economy and 70 per cent of our graduate workforce emigrates. We are even being told that our welltrained petroleum graduates are not getting jobs in T&T. (The plan is for the Government to employ the best of them as they are seen eventually as the future managers/ planners of the sector).

Hence, diversification is about the reconstruction of the economy, getting the triad of government, private sector and the R&D institutions to create this integrated activity; build other export companies. The fact that we have been calling for this reconstruction/ diversification for over 50 years suggests that there are apparently unsurmountable hurdles.

Prof John Foster of the University of Queensland, Australia, tells us that an economy is a complex adaptive system; complex in that it is made up of a number of autonomous economic interacting sub systems and adaptive in that it can adapt to changes (technological, other disruptive ones) in the economic environment. However this adaptive property can atrophy, can become rigid, depending on the history of its economic activity.

In our case the history of the economy is that of a plantation, though there have been changes in the commodities exploited.

The model of the economy has remained unchanged; the plantation/ off-shore earns the foreign exchange and the on-shore private sector imports the requirements of the population.

The model has become rigid and it is difficult for it to naturally adapt particularly to the looming depletion of the petroleum resource.

The current reaction: the private sector complains of lack of foreign exchange, government tries to maintain the plantation/ energy sector model and the population is disappointed in government’s performance.

The private sector, in general, is looking for foreign exchange to also expand into the region, into its traditional import-sell activities.

The question then is: what kind of intervention is required to initiate this economic transformation?

Other countries have successfully made such an intervention; examples are South Korea, Taiwan, Chile and Singapore. In these cases government policies and investments galvanised the private sector and the R&D institutions into action and, as such, it was the initiator of change.

Initially, the establishment by our government of its Economic Development Board (EDAB) and that organisation’s move into the creation of a local innovation system, promised by its development of an economic roadmap via a foresighting exercise, gave us some hope that such an intervention was underway.

The resignation of the EDAB’s chairman, Dr Terrence Farrell, has dashed such hope.

Further, the government has retreated into its conventional Pt Lisas position of couching its “diversification” thrust in part in plans to build an aluminium industry based on imported ingots to produce motor car wheels, wire, cable and flat plate.

Our comparative advantage appears to be cheap natural gas/ electricity, possibly imported from Venezuela. The rigidity then is also in the culture of our Cabinets and their leadership.

Mary K King

Here is Dexter’s journey in his own words:

My journey started just over 25 months ago in the world of bodybuilding. I was a marathon runner previously but because of an injury, I decided to take some time off after the Boston marathon to attend to the injury and it got me back onto the stage.

My first outing was not a successful one, of course, because I was not into bodybuilding before. So the expectation was not high, I placed dead last and that was a good thing for me because with that disappointment reality kicked in. I am not a loser by any means so that really motivated me to go again.

My second show I placed last again and I kept going. I kept going because I then started to evaluate myself and look at this more seriously. It became sort of a personal goal for me to overcome this defeat, so I persevered. I went to three and four and five and over time, I got to the fifth place. Being in fifth place was pretty good for me after being last a lot of times. But the story behind this for me and the great take away is the level of determination. My children saw me going through it, the people that I train...People know that this was a new sport for me and they would say “Dexter, when are you going to stop?

When are you going to give up?”

By that time, the momentumwithin me was already going, that momentum to become the best in the country. Soon after, I became the best in the country but that wasn’t enough, the fire was lit and burning so much.

It was not an easy journey because the higher I went the more difficult it became.

My training days became longer, I had to train more frequently. I had to mix my personal life, had to spend less time with my children.

It became more difficult. I stared to do regional shows and I started to come fourth, fifth, second, first, then win at regional shows. But that wasn’t enough for me. That wasn’t enough for Dexter Simon, so I decided to compete internationally. Again, you start from the bottom— from ninth place and you work your way up from seventh to fifth to third to fourth tosecond, and last year 2017 was the toughest year.

When you are doing things like this people must understand that it’s really difficult in terms of sustaining that continuity.

You need support, you need good people to support you, you need positive people in your life. I have positive role models in my Coach Lawrence Marshal, I have positive support at home from my partner and from my kids, from my family, and my brother and friends who saw that I wanted to do something different for Trinidad and Tobago.

The support that I get from my sponsors enables me to continue on this journey and I want to thank My Medicine Bag Ltd, Hero Worship Supplements, Artie’s Meats, Central Athletic Gym, and JCA Optical for their unwavering support.

So last year, I started with the Olympia out of Colombia and I was second. That was my first major medal, then I went on to the Diamond Cup which is a Pro Elite Qualifier. I was second again, and then I went on to Las Vegas Olympia and I was third there. Then the big one came because we realised, we being the bodybuilding fraternity, that I was within reach of becoming a professional, earning my Pro Card. But to do that you have to win your class and then win overall at an international show.

By that time I was highly ranked in the world already in just 24 months.

Right now, I am actually in the lead for a Guinness Book of World Records doing the most shows in the least time. I am at  done before, because of the continuity and my hard work and determination. Like I was telling my kids, “You see where daddy started from losing and he just kept going.” And that’s the lesson from this. In 25 months I achieved my Pro Card. I was first in the Arnold Classic in Europe winning my Class and the overall against some big countries: Portugal, Argentina, Hungary, Italy, Great Britain, and 35 other countries. I dominated, I came first and got my Pro Card.

So the story behind it, behind Dexter Simon is anything is possible. Make sure you see that door and you kick it open. Have that discipline. I train seven times a week, three times a day non-stop. My rest period is eightten hours sleep at night. That determination and drive and discipline is what will take you to success in anything you do.

Apply that and you will become a person that is unbelievable.

I got home very late from work and ready to collapse only to find the bed under a low-hanging, tent-like sheet, apparently making a ‘fort’.

I deliberated whether, out of sheer nostalgia and love, to shuffle underneath for a night of claustrophobic, but cuddly sleep (the kind where there’s always a small, brown limb thrown across one’s neck), leaving the sheet at its angle about a foot from my head. Or, whether to take it down because, while there was space for her, she being the size of Donkey to Shrek (me being Shrek), at least I wouldn’t die of suffocation while she sleeps peacefully and would be alive and breathing enough to risk her seven-year-old disappointment in the morning.

There are few adults who didn’t build “forts” of some kind growing up. Obliging parents let us take sofa cushions, lean them against each other in squares and then spread sheets across, with the greatest of joys being crawling under there with books, toys, a flash light, friends or siblings and those Chinese shrimp chips that expand when fried and taste like childhood bliss.

Childhood has changed. No children I know still play “elastic”, and those worldly girls of today look like you are describing a rotary dial phone, a wholly foreign thing none of them have seen, when you ask.

Yet, there are some things that remain consistent and, unfortunately, one of them is bullying. Still, we now think about it differently from before, and can help children grow into kinder, gentler human beings than we are, perhaps creating a more golden experience of growing up than what nostalgia allows us to recollect.

If you want to get a picture of what bullying looks like, at least in secondary schools, look up The Silver Lining Foundation’s just released Trinidad and Tobago School Climate Report on Bullying and Gender-Based Violence in Secondary Schools. Overseen by a team of young researchers and activists, 651 students from 20 schools were surveyed, with the majority of respondents being 13-16 years old.

The study is nationally generalisable so note that in the three months prior to the survey: 73 per cent of students indicated they had been teased or harassed at least once; 24 per cent indicated that they had been pushed or hit at least once; 40 per cent indicated that their belongings were stolen or damaged, 29 per cent were victims of sexually explicit taunts or advances; and 28 per cent reported being inappropriately touched by another. Primarily, appearance, ability and sexual orientation and gender expression were the most common causes of verbal teasing, harassment or intimidation.

What was just as disturbing was that these numbers were matched by students indicating that they had actively participated in teasing, harassment, stealing, pushing or hitting, threatening and sexual aggression. Boys were more likely to engage in bullying than girls, but also experienced verbal and physical bullying at slightly higher rates than girls who experienced greater sexual and cyber bullying. Boys’ experiences centred around attacks on their masculinity which targeted their sexuality or gender expression, and LBGT students experienced bullying at higher rates than others.

Significantly, 63 per cent of students never or rarely reported incidents of bullying because they didn’t want to be seen as tell-tales, did not trust teachers, did not want bullying by teachers or peers to worsen, or reported and felt too little was done.

Now think back to children’s familiar instinct for creating “forts” as part of play or over their bed. Their desire to construct safe spaces, whether from cushions at home or in terms of relationships with family, teachers and peers, continues as they grow into adolescence. Without options for feeling sheltered, and because bullying still exists, vulnerability can easily outweigh young bliss.

I stood tiredly at the bedroom door, my shadow crossing the sloping sheet, thinking of the dream that children could both feel and be safe. You understand now why I decided to leave her “fort” in place.

I would like to publicly thank Corporal Joseph of the St James Police Station for the protective service he unreservedly rendered in coming to my assistance on March 15.

My car had overheated and I had pulled to the side of the road and was looking under the bonnet to see if I could rectify the situation.

A few minutes later Corporal Joseph, driving down the same road, noticed my dilemma and pulled over in his vehicle behind mine and came to offer assistance.

Recognising that it was unsafe for me to drive any further he immediately rang for a wrecker service to come and lift my car off the road.

I had three passengers with me, relatives from abroad and, considering the situation in T&T these days, we would have been sitting ducks for anyone who might have sought to take advantage of us.

The wrecker took about a half hour to arrive and all that time Corporal Joseph remained in his car behind mine, ensuring no doubt, that we were safe.

It was only when my car was safely on the flat bed of the wrecker that the good Corporal drove off.

He certainly embodied the motto of the police service, to protect and serve.

You can imagine how grateful and impressed my relatives and I were at this excellent service.

Thank you Corporal Joseph. May God bless you for your service and kindness.

SUSAN HENRY

Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe’s recent statement that it was not her responsibility to tell the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association about the recent International Trade Bourse in Berlin, is both alarming and disturbing.

With the tourist arrival in Tobago now at an all-time low, one would have expected a concerted and co-ordinated effort to mobilise all the stakeholders to revitalise the industry.

Surely, as Tourism Minister with oversight over the entire industry, I am forced to ask, Madame Minister, if you are not responsible, who is?

SHIRAZ RAMJON
La Romain

Arouca is a community that is east of Tunapuna, west of Arima, south of Lopinot and north of Piarco but very little is known about its deep French and Spanish roots. According to Stacy De Freitas, secretary of the Arouca Community Council, during most of the Spanish rule, Arouca was a settlement reserved for Amerindians who initially called it Arauca.

However, when the French arrived the Amerindian population was displaced and most of the land in Arouca was split between prominent families who developed many sugar, coffee and rum mills. Arouca steadily grew into a major agricultural centre, but due to the extension of the railroad to Sangre Grande in 1898 many people from Arouca were lured to relocate to Sangre Grande.

Although, Arouca is not considered a town or a borough, its history puts is squarely on the map adding rich stories to the overall history books of T&T. The 1891 riot which started at the corner of Waterloo Road and Ford Street, is one such story. Many lives were lost and hundreds injured because persons decided it was time to stand up for what they believed in.

Now, every year members of the Orisha movement gather on that site to commemorate the infamous incident and the site was marked with a plaque in 1984 by members of the Confederation of African Associations of T&T, making it an African landmark.

Yet another “landmark” is the Arouca Community Centre which was first built in 1966. It received its first facelift in 2003 and 15 years later, refurbishment works have restored its glory once again. On Tuesday, March 13, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, rededicated the Centre with the community on hand. From babes in arms to school children to longstanding community members, they all were present for this much anticipated event to sign the guests’ book, a small but significant symbol of etching their names into this moment into Arouca’s history.

The young people of the community took centre stage as the Arouca Youth Group, comprising students from schools in the area, entertained the audience with their Chorale Speaking. Haddyah Cyrus, a pupil from Bishop Anstey High School, performed a religious dance to the song When Jesus says yes.

MP for the area, Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development, remarked that this community centre is one of the most well used centres with activities such as after school lessons, Best Village practices, fund-raisers and teaching of dance and instruments.

She likened the rededication to a vow renewal indicating that it, “provides an opportunity to return to the original values, to rededicate ourselves to the original intent and purpose of these centres as community meeting places.”

In her feature address, Gadsby-Dolly expressed the sentiments that, “a community is as strong as its roots, the people.” She also noted that the passion and commitment of the Arouca community is evident and she knows that, “this centre will once again become the hub and nexus for the community which will allow to facilitate the improvement of skills, communication, enterprise, recreation and cultural practice.”

Seven members of the community were honoured for their service to the community.

HONOREES

1: Henley Ashe — for General Service to the Community
2: Enid Mary Reid — for Youth Development
3: Anna Maria Mora — for Women Affairs
4: Neville Edwards — for Education
5: Claire Moreau — for Culture
6: Mike and Phillip Limited — for Business
7: Hilda Bryan (Posthumous) — for Community Service

Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly will deliver the feature address and formally commission the refurbished New Village Community Centre at Pilgrim Street, New Village, Point Fortin on Tuesday, March 20, at 2 pm.

The completion of this facility is part of the Ministry’s ongoing Community Centres Construction and Refurbishment Programme.

This activity forms part of the Ministry’s mandate to provide infrastructure to communities in creating a hub of community life which will offer a wide range of activities and services that meet the needs, interests and aspirations of the diverse communities.

“Men may convert stereotypically feminine feelings, such as sadness or vulnerability, into feelings like anger or pride—feelings more socially acceptable for them to experience.”
—Psychologist Barbra Markway

The socially inculcated untruth forced upon our boys and men by society that they must not show emotion nor sensitivity or even ask for help in an emotionally vulnerable situation, as this insinuates being less of a man, weak or “girlish,” has certainly taken root and we are now seeing the fruits of those negative implanted seeds. Crimes against women in T&T are frightening as we are now witnessing at least one to two domestic violence related murders per month.

Has the above notion turn our men into heartless monsters? Or could they be seriously experiencing difficulty in managing and channeling their emotions? Who can they talk to? Where can they go before the last resort becomes murder?

In the several domestic related murders in T&T for 2018, including the latest being Abigail Chapman who on March 13, was killed along with her landlord, daughter and her daughters friend, these murders were all committed by estranged husbands or boyfriends.

What happened next after the murder of Tobago preschool teacher and mother of one K’la Marie Solomon-Cain, is what begged the question of how emotionally stable or unstable for that matter are our men?

After murdering Solomon Cain, her alleged killer now also deceased, took to his Facebook page and posted the words, “I have fidelity and trust issues.” He later released a Whatsapp voice note in which he instructed listeners to make it go viral. The voice note gave the account of the deceased giving ‘his side of the story.’ But what was disturbing was his sanctioning of why he committed the crime and why it was the only ‘reasonable thing left to do in response to Solomon-Cain’s alleged infidelity. Can men really believe that they have just reason to kill their wives or girlfriends? Clinical therapist and master of social work Hanif Benjamin says one has to take a deeper look at the underlying causes of these crimes.

“One would ask why pay attention to this alleged killer? Why give this seemingly tortured soul who has committed these crimes a perspective? The statements made by this man are something you may hear at the bar, at the barbershop, on the block, even on the expensive fishing trip down the islands. The words of this man cross creeds and classes, even gender.”

Benjamin explains what needs to be examined therefore, is the toxicity of the man’s mental state and why it reached to the point that it did.

“It is important to observe a pattern of dysfunctional behaviours in a relationship by one partner or the other or even of one’s self.

“Some such patterns would be negative thinking and actions or feelings of obsession,” communicates Benjamin.

He notes in a negative relationship these patterns meet the criteria for personality disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder or dependent personality disorder.

He says some of the defining features associated with personality disorders according to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, edition five, these include distorted thinking, problematic emotional responses, over or under regulated impulse control and interpersonal difficulties.

“From the voice of the individual on the voice note, there is a desperate sense of loss and hopelessness, notwithstanding the obvious denial of the terrible gravity of the situation. But at the same time the individual has seemingly failed to see remorse in the situation. He fixates upon his own pain and hurt at the notions of infidelity. He seeks justification for the alleged actions,” Benjamin evaluates.

He highlights much of what was demonstrated by Solomon-Cain’s murderer, is the similar thought process of other men who commit the same crime.

Thoughts of possessiveness, the lack of communication and understanding and the cycle of violence (physical or otherwise) are symptomatic of how relationships seemingly function in our society,” Benjamin relates.

The therapist who is also a trauma and stress expert adds, being a man in this society also seems to mean fighting for what is ‘rightfully’ his regardless of the perspective of the other person. He says the fear of abandonment, compromised emotions and the lack of functional communicative skill one partner to another, results in destruction either to self or others in times of relational crisis.

‘Rethink how we shape our men’

A socio-psychological shift is needed immediately. That’s the belief of Benjamin’s associate, criminologist Andrew Sooparlie. He tells the T&T Guardian we live in a society that the response of the individual is in many ways defined by violence and aggression. He says from the direct experience of a simple commute to work, to indirect experience of reading the newspapers; anger, violence and aggression seems to be T&T’s primary mode of communication.

He explains relationships are therefore conditioned by these same dysfunctional frames of reference. And when these frames form the basis for the family system then situations of conflict arise.

Pulling the lens even further back, with the male’s place in society is the centrality of power, he reveals. Especially power through aggression and violence that forms any relationship.

“Projecting this concept onto the family dynamics, for a man to be cheated on in society, is more than an embarrassment; it is in his mind an affront to his sense of self.”

Sooparlie says in engaging a culture and paradigm shift, two things are important; self-awareness of one’s varied emotions and understanding the process of feeling and how they interact with each other.

“At a base level there is the need to identify the competent stimuli that trigger different emotions in the first place. From there the process of healthy communication, the building blocks of a functional relationship needs to be incorporated. The wider family and community need also to help our men recognize that the strategies they learned in childhood do not lead to feelings of getting ahead, but just the opposite—self-destruction and familial decay.”

Sooparlie conveys we must understand as a society how we see boys and nurture them accordingly. He says from very young boys are told that they are different. And it’s insisted that they should be ‘rough,’ they should not show any sense of weakness as this emotion is only for girls. While girls are taught for the most part how to develop their sense of emotions, Sooparlie communicates, boys are left to their own ‘know how.’

Speaking to the issue of infidelity and unfaithfulness in marriages and relationships Benjamin says, infidelity is not just a betrayal; it is the loss of trust from a relationship. When these two are left unmanaged, Benjamin warns they can lead to strong feelings of anger, hurt and abandonment.

“Individuals can find themselves struggling with even the simplest of actions and decisions regarding both their relationship and day-to- day life.”

He illustrates with such a reality and difficulty in in speaking about it with friends or family for fear of embarrassment, men can keep all these confusing emotions inside that overtime becomes and explosion. He recommends more forums and support systems to encourage men to talk and to receive information and advice through confidential and professional means.

“The narrator in the voice note closes with the last lines: “Let this be a lesson to people.

“Through this hollow darkness of these acts, it is hoped that we as a society certainly learn from it for all our sakes,” Benjamin concludes.

HARARE—Favourites West Indies were bracing for a spin assault from hosts Zimbabwe, in today’s all important Super Sixes clash of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers.

Much will be riding on the contest at Harare Sports Club as the winners will take a giant step towards the fnal and clinching one of the two remaining spots at next year’s World Cup in England.

With spin having played a key role in Zimbabwe’s unbeaten run in the tournament, veteran seamer Kemar Roach said Sunday the Windies were already aware of what to expect.

“Spin will definitely be a factor in the match. The wickets are under wear and tear now so it’s going to be tough for us to put a big score on the board,” Roach explained.

“But runs on the board is the name of the game and obviously as a bowling attack, we have to put pressure on the Zimbabwe batsmen and we’ll be fine.”

In conditions which will favour the hosts, the Windies will have to deal with the likes of left-arm spinners Tendai Chisoro and Sean Williams, leg-spinner Graeme Cremer and off-spinner Sikander Raza.

The match took on even more significance after West Indies were upset by Afghanistan in their opening match of the Super Sixes last Thursday at Harare Sports Club.

Though the defeat was their first of the tournament after finishing the preliminary round unbeaten, it saw West Indies slip down the table to third and out of the qualifying positions.

Zimbabwe lead the standings with five points, ahead of Scotland only on net run rate, with the Windies on four.

Roach, who missed the Afghanistan defeat through injury but will return to face Zimbabwe, said the squad understood the importance of the encounter and were up for it.

“It’s a big match for us obviously and I’m looking forward to it. I missed that last one due to injury but I’m feeling much better now. I put the work in at practice and I’m ready and raring to go,” he said.

“There’s definitely a lot to play for. Playing Zimbabwe in their home town is going to be tough so the guys are mentally prepared and physically prepared for this game. It’s going to be a tough one but I believe we will come out on top as we should.”

He added: “The guys are obviously very focussed. This is like the biggest career match for most of these guys, so to win this match and win the other one [against Scotland] and go to the World Cup is obviously the pinnacle, so these guys are very focussed.

“The camp is good – everyone is focussed, everyone is happy – and we’re just going to go out there and play the best cricket we can.”

West Indies are bidding to continue their proud tradition of having contested every World Cup, since winning the first two back in 1975 and 1979 under the legendary Clive Lloyd.

The qualifiying campaign has been their first, however, after finishing ninth in the ICC world rankings and outside the automatic qualifying spots.

And Roach said even though they had been up against lesser-ranked teams in the competition, the Windies had been kept on their toes throughout.

“There have been no easy games for us. I think we’ve stuck to our tasks and we’ve had to work for our wins but obviously it’s not finished yet,” he stressed.

“We’re halfway through and I think this is the biggest part of the tournament now for us. I think once we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we will come out on top and we will be fine.”

The match bowls off at 9:30 am (3:30 am Eastern Caribbean time). (CMC)

SQUADS:

ZIMBABWE – Graeme Cremer (captain), Tendai Chatara, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Blessing Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams, Cephas Zhuwao

WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Jason Mohammed, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Kesrick Williams.

As she stood at the podium in front of the who’s who gathered at the Queen’s Park Savannah, those on different sides of the political divide who unanimously agreed on her selection, watched on as Paula-Mae Weekes wrote her new page in history.

She wrote her own page, because, like any good legal mind, she searched far and wide to confirm that her job description was not clearly defined. Like the self-described Pollyanaminded optimist, however, she decided on her purpose—that of “humble servant first.”

President Weekes made history not just because she came after five male predecessors, but because, unusually, the people of this country heard an inauguration speech that wasn’t mostly prescriptive, authoritarian or judgemental. While she may have described herself as “Pollyana minded” in her enthusiasm, those who know her say her spine of steel makes her the furthest thing from frivolous.

Grounded in realitybody.

Appreciating the weight of the new mantle on her shoulders and aware of the reality before her, our new President didn’t deliver an abstract judgement, she demonstrated that she had the capacity to identify with those she now stands before as Head of State.
With the Health Minister seated just behind her, President Weekes had no problem telling us that she too was frustrated by the ailing public healthcare system.
With the Prime Minister and National Security Minister just a few feet away, she acknowledged that she too had been a victim of theft and was pained by the all too many cases of domestic abuse, violence and crime that now seem to define us.
As her speech flowed, she seemed bent on conveying the message that “comprehending the state of the State” was more important to her than perhaps playing peacock.
While it’s pleasant to some and patronising to others to focus on gender, President Weekes has the potential to change the game.
Over the next few days, everything our new President says will be dissected and analysed, including her “three wishes”—finding a way to make a positive difference, communicating responsibly and being more mindful in our language.
She’ll also go from being a notoriously private judge to being in the spotlight. And to be honest that is, in fact, fair. This newspaper believes that we need to know who our leaders are—not just who they claim to be through words on paper. Speeches can be beautiful but actions and expressions are always more telling.
From her first word to the media, President Weekes made the effort to demonstrate that she was unconventional. Presidencies, we’ve learned in this country, aren’t just about pageantry, cocktail parties and rubber stamps, they wield power.
Like others, we can choose to be negative, pessimistic and cynical about President Weekes and the inauguration speech. We can say neither her gender nor her grit will make a difference to anything tangible in this country.
Or we can choose to be hopeful that her conviction and her spirit will inspire all of us, reminding us that we can and must make T&T a better place.

Hospitalism is a term one rarely hears about nowadays although it seems to be making a comeback at the Children’s Hospital at Mount Hope where, at least in the Paediatric Intensive Unit, parents are not allowed to be with their dying children.

Hospitalism differs from hospitalisation. Hospitalisation is the temporary confinement of a seriously ill person in a hospital. Good hospital practice prevents hospitalism.

Poor hospital practice leads to more illness whether the patient is an adult or child.

Part of good hospital practice is insisting that close physical and emotional contact between patient and family and friends be maintained, even at the expense of medical and nursing procedures, including emergency procedures.

People simply do better in hospital when their loved ones are present.

Hospitalism was a paediatric diagnosis we used up to the 1970s, to describe infants who wasted away while in hospital because of lack of contact with their mothers.

Because of modern methods of caring for hospitalised children, it is rarely seen now and the term has been somewhat forgotten.

I remember first being told about it by Dr George Graham, Professor of Nutrition at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and Head of the Nutrition Research Institute in Lima, Peru, making the point that these children wasted away, both mentally and physically, despite very adequate nutrition.

It seemed strange at the time to be told that a child could fail to put on weight despite getting enough food.

The fact that it was described by the Professor of Nutrition and the evidence there, in front of our eyes, a child in our hospital, well fed by the nurses but failing to gain weight and regressing socially, impressed us.

The term was introduced by Dr René Spitz through his work, some of which can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvdOe10vrs4&feature=youtu.be.

He arrived at this conclusion whilst defining disorders in infants who were institutionalised for long periods and deprived of maternal care.

The notion was later expanded to refer more generally to severe and lasting maternal deprivation, whether in hospital or at home.

Children with hospitalism suffer because their mother, or a substitute mother, is not around to care for them. Care refers not only to nutrition but to affection.

Lack of physical and emotional care results in stress.

This happens to everyone, adults as well as children, and perhaps explains much of the unhappiness and anger in T&T these days.

Prolonged severe stress or toxic stress, such as not having your mother around to hug you and feed you for months or having to spend three and four hours a day in traffic for years or having to live in fear, night after night, in your neighbourhood, results in illness. Toxic stress raises the level of stress hormones in the realitybody. People cope with stress through social means, by seeking, giving affection and touching \ each other.

What is the power of touch? Why does it make us feel so good?

Loving touch releases powerful hormones from our glands into the blood stream and into our brains.

Among the most influential are endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, also responsible for the “high” that athletes get at the peak of their powers.

Touch raises the level of serotonin, relieving depression. Touch counteracts the release of stress hormones like cortisol. Touch switches on growth hormone and makes children grow. And it provokes the release of the love hormone, oxytocin. Touch then is not only an expression of love, it also stimulates feelings of love.

Absence of love results in physical and emotional illness. In growing and developing humans ie children, it results in failure to grow, they become malnourished (“marasmie”), as well as affecting them socially and linguistically (“someone put maljo on them”).

In adults it may do the opposite, make people overweight. It certainly makes us anxious and depressed.

Wonder what per cent of the population is on chronic alcohol, anti-anxiety tablets and anti-depressants.

The Korean War was fought from June 1950 to July 1953. It ended in a stalemate, with an armistice agreement that divided the peninsula into two countries and committed the United States into maintaining an active military presence to help defend the democratic and prosperous southern half. But now, after more than half a century of tensions and diplomatic stagnation, an opportunity to resolve this remnant of the Cold War is finally starting to take shape.

President Trump shocked the world two weeks ago when he accepted an invitation to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. It’s a complete turnabout after months of verbal tit-for-tats exchanged by the two leaders and the possibility of a renewed war. But this sudden rapprochement was the result of a slight thaw in relations between the Koreas that started at the Winter Olympics and was followed soon after by bilateral talks. In fact, it was the South Korean national security adviser who delivered the invitation to Trump while briefing him on the recent visit with the North Korean leader in Pyongyang. While there’s no assurance that this meeting will take place, the varying agendas involved will undoubtedly make any forthcoming negotiations a complex endeavour.

Despite his naivety in the fine art of international diplomacy, President Trump is right about one thing–America’s strategy of “strategic patience” hasn’t worked. The policy that promoting democracy would slowly weaken and eventually destabilise totalitarian regimes is, more often not that not, wishful thinking. After all, the United States didn’t triumph over the Soviet Union as much as the Soviet Union collapsed. If it could happen to them, it was assumed that it would happen to other communist states as well.

But North Korea isn’t a “workers’ paradise” but a nation of slaves in service to the Kim family and a small circle of military and political elites. And the decades of isolation only succeeded in allowing the totalitarian regime to tighten its grip. However, as similar regimes toppled around the world in recent decades, the Kim dynasty sought to develop a nuclear weapons programme as a deterrent against outside intervention, especially from the Americas. Now that they have such capabilities, the question is–what’s the price to give them up?

That being said, North Korea’s timing in offering this proposal puts them in an advantageous position. They’ve had a year to size up the Trump presidency. His White House appears chaotic, with a revolving door of advisers and cabinet members. And the continuing investigation into the suspicion of collusion with Russia casts a shadow over its legitimacy. Along with these internal distractions is the fact that the US is also missing key members of its negotiations team: they have yet to appoint an ambassador to South Korea and their chief State Department adviser on North Korean policy recently retired.

The North Koreans may also be aware of President Trump’s desperate desire to “make a deal”–any deal–even if it ends up leaving America’s traditional allies out in the cold for the sake of making himself look good. However, it would be foolhardy to underestimate Donald Trump. In a twisted way, his bombastic personality is the perfect counter to Kim Jong Un’s image. The juvenile retort that “mine is bigger than yours”, while distasteful and beneath the manner befit an American president, has inadvertently shown that the repeated threats of war from the “Dear Leader” are nothing but hot air.

Ultimately, both Korea’s want the same things–survival and security. The Kim regime may be willing to give up their WMDs for the guarantee that they are left alone. The South, in turn, might be willing to agree to such an arrangement, but the challenge for them is whether their neighbour can be trusted. The North, however, has made the first move, so it’s left to be seen if the Americans will reciprocate. Perhaps in the same way that, “Only Nixon could go to China,” maybe only a man like Donald Trump could succeed in going to North Korea.

Ryan Hadeed

Congrats! Congrats to our first woman President. What an historic moment.

The focus is now on Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes and judging from all the comments that I have heard over the past few weeks, she is definitely the person for the job.

I know that there are mix feelings about this office but the role of the President is, in my opinion, very important. Our President is the Chief Executive, responsible for executing the law, appointing key officials, granting pardon and reprieves. Also he/she is responsible for running the armed force (Commander and Chief). That person is the Chief legislator who signs or vetoes legislation and introduces legislation. Along with the above there are other responsibilities, especially to key appointments etc.

The President is also responsible for bringing balance, giving good advice to all including our leaders, and as the head of state, motivating all by fostering unity so we can progress as one nation.

I congratulate Paula-Mae Weekes on this achievement. You have proven yourself over the years by your faithfulness, commitment and discipline. May God give you the strength to carry out your new mandate without fear or favour.

ARNOLD GOPEESINGH,
San Juan

MUMBAI, India – West Indies will visit India for a bilateral series for the first time since the controversial abandoned tour four years ago, when they play two Tests, five One-Day Internationals and a one-off Twenty20 International later this year.

News reports here said the series, which bowls off in October, will include India’s first-ever day/night Test, with the T20 involving the World champions carded for Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Cricket Association of Bengal president, former India captain Sourav Ganguly, confirmed the venue for the T20 International.

“We will host the Caribbean team for the one-off T20 international at the Eden Gardens,” media reports quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, the day/night Test once approved by the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators, is expected to be played in Rajkot, the Indian Express reported.

“If the approval comes, then Rajkot is likely to have the first day/night Test,” said a BCCI official who requested anonymity.

Quoting an email exchange between Cricket West Indies president, Dave Cameron and BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary, the Express said Cameron was also keen on the idea of a pink-ball Test.

West Indies have already played two – the first against Pakistan in Dubai two years ago and the second during the summer tour of England last year.

The ODIs, meanwhile, have been scheduled for Mumbai, Guwahati, Kochi, Indore and Pune in early November.

West Indies’ last tour of India ended in shambles when the Caribbean players pulled out following the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, after failing to settle a pay dispute with CWI.

The abandoned series resulted in the BCCI slapping CWI with a US$42 million claim in damages. However, the matter was eventually resolved with the two boards agreeing on a schedule of tours.

Since then, India have toured the Caribbean twice – for a four-Test tour in 2016 and a limited overs series last year. (CMC)

HARARE, Zimbabwe—Marlon Samuels countered Brendan Taylor’s spectacular tenth One-Day International hundred with an audacious half-century as West Indies completed their fifth highest run chase in One-Day Internationals, to beat Zimbabwe by four wickets and haul themselves back into contention for a spot in next year’s World Cup in England.

Facing a must-win scenario at Harare Sports Club, West Indies overhauled the hosts’ impressive 289 with an over to spare, with the right-handed Samuels unfurling a Man-of-the-Match top score of 86.

He got support from the stylish Shai Hope who weighed in with 76 while opener Evin Lewis struck 64, as West Indies pulled off the highest run chase of the ICC World Cup qualifiers.

Impressive 21-year-old fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani (2-36) and leg-spinner Graeme Cremer (2-63) both picked up two wickets apiece but were unable to prevent West Indies clinching the crucial win.

Earlier, Taylor stroked a magnificent 138—his tenth ODI hundred – while opener Solomon Mire got 45 and Sean Williams 34, to help give the innings momentum on a good pitch after they had opted to bat first.

Captain and seamer Jason Holder was outstanding with four for 35 from ten overs while new-ball partner Kemar Roach claimed three for 55 and rookie pacer Keemo Paul, two for 55.

With the victory, West Indies climbed from third to the top of the standings with six points with one match remaining against Scotland.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, slipped to second place—one point behind—with one match remaining against United Arab Emirates on Thursday, while Scotland lie third also on five points.

West Indies made early inroads when they reduced Zimbabwe to 28 for two in the sixth over, with Holder having left-hander Cephas Zhuwao caught at short fine leg by Keemo Paul without scoring and then sending back Hamilton Masakadza for seven to a catch at the wicket.

However, Taylor came to his side’s aid by anchoring three successive half-century stands to put the innings back in good shape.

First, he put on 51 for the third wicket with Craig Ervine (14) before adding 76 with Williams and a further 79 with Sikandar Raza (22).

All told, the 32-year-old Taylor struck 20 fours and two sixes in a 124-ball knock before perishing in the 44th over, skying a heave at Roach to cover where Ashley Nurse held a difficult catch.

Needing to win to stay in the qualifiers, West Indies got a solid start as Lewis and veteran Chris Gayle (17) posted 38 off 35 balls for the first wicket.

The left-handed Gayle looked ominous in belting two sixes—back-to-back straight hits off off-spinner Sikandar Raza in the fourth over—but fell to a catch by Kyle Jarvis running in from third man after miscuing a slash at Muzarabani in the sixth over.

Any hopes Zimbabwe harboured of making further inroads were then dashed as Lewis, Hope and Samuels combined to put the contest firmly in the Windies favour.

Lewis struck seven fours and a six off 75 balls, adding 72 for the second wicket with Hope, before driving a return catch to Sikandar Raza in the 22nd over.

Hope found an ally in Samuels and together they posted a fabulous 135 for the third wicket to put the result seemingly beyond doubt.

Samuels was at his absolute best, stamping his authority on the innings with six fours and four sixes in 80 balls at the crease, while Hope faced 97 deliveries and counted five fours and a six.

With the required run rate having climbed to nearly eight an over, Samuels released the pressure by slamming Sikandar Raza for two successive straight sixes in the 36th over which cost 18 runs, before raising his 29th ODI half-century in the following over off 54 balls.

He then ripped into Cremer in the 39th with a pair of straight sixes and a similar boundary as the over leaked 19 runs.

Against the run of play, he edged Muzarabani behind in the 44th over, triggering a slide which saw the Windies dramatically lose four wickets for 20 runs in the space of just 12 balls

Hope holed out to a low catch at deep mid-wicket by Sikandar Raza in the 45th over off left-arm spinner Williams and in a moment of madness in the 46th over from Cremer, Holder (6) picked out long off while Shimron Hetmyer (13) was stumped missing a wild heave, to leave the Windies tottering on 265 for six .

However, Rovman Powell (15 not out) and Nurse (8 not out) spared the Windies blushes in an unbroken 25-run, seventh wicket stand which saw their side over the line.

SCOREBOARD

Zimbabwe vs West Indies—Super Six
ZIMBABWE Innings
S Mire b Holder 45
C Zhuwao c Paul b Holder 0
H Masakadza c wkp Hope b Holder 7
B Taylor c Nurse b Roach 138
C Ervine b Roach 14
S Williams c Nurse b Paul 34
S Raza b Holder 22
G Cremer c & b Roach 0
T Chisoro c Nurse b Paul 18
K Jarvis run out 1
B Muzarabani not out 0
Extras (lb3, w7) 10
TOTAL (all out, 50 overs) 289
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-28,
3-79, 4-155, 5-234, 6-246,
7-250, 8-284, 9-288, 10-289.
Bowling: Roach 10-0-55-3,
Holder 10-0-35-4,
Paul 10-0-55-2,
Bishoo 10-0-73-0,
Nurse 4-0-28-0,
Powell 4-0-26-0,
Gayle 2-0-14-0.
WEST INDIES Innings
C Gayle c Jarvis b Muzarabani 17
E Lewis c & b Sikander Raza 64
S Hope c Sikander Raza b Williams 76
M Samuels c wkp Taylor b Muzarabani 86
S Hetmyer st Taylor b Cremer 13
J Holder c Sikandar Raza b Cremer 6
R Powell not out 15
A Nurse not out 8
Extras (lb1, w4) 5
TOTAL (6 wkts, 49 overs) 290
Did not bat: K Paul, D Bishoo, K Roach.
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-110,
3-245, 4-249, 5-263, 6-265.
Bowling: Jarvis 9-0-49-0,
Sikandar Raza 7-0-58-1,
Muzarabani 9-0-36-2,
Cremer 10-0-63-2,
Chisoro 7-0-38-0,
Williams 7-0-45-1.
Result: West Indies won by four wickets.
Points: West Indies 2, Zimbabwe 0.
Man-of-the-Match: Marlon Samuels.
Toss: Zimbabwe.
Umpires: M Gough, S Fry; A Holdstock.