I’m known to have a sharp tongue. A hot-mouth is what they called me and so over the years I’ve laboured on maturing in that area and, well, I’m still enrolled.

I own books like Words That Hurt, Words That Heal by Carole Mayhall, Me and My Big Mouth by Joyce Meyer, When to Speak Up and When To Shut Up by Dr Michael Sedler, and many other titles in that genre of life-changing-through-tongue-taming literature for the filthy mouth.

Bible quotes such as James 3:8, “But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison” have been my daily prompt. And in the Proverbs, I’ve found an instructive one that says, “When words are many sin is not absent.”

My bend to change has come from personal convictions about my sometimes ungraciousness, but the hurt placed on me by the mouths of others has provided impetus. Very early I learned that the idiom “Sticks and stones may break my bones (but words will never hurt me)” is a lie, a ploy to get children to deflect hurtful criticism/slander. Words have hurt me more than lashes in this life. As an eight-year-old I was told by a classmate that I was “as poor as a ‘sursh’ (church) rat” (sic)” and, while I had not as yet recognised the abject poverty in which I lived, she ensured I appreciated her malevolence, telling me in the presence of laughing schoolmates, “You have no fwigze (sic), you eh hah no TV and yuh does iron on a coal pot.”

That really hurt and I think I would have preferred to fight and lose than to be smacked down with such an insult.

It seemed not our fault for being without those appliances—we had no electricity until 1978—but in an effort to understand my hurt, I went home and asked my mother if I was poor.

In her calmest voice she enquired why I wanted to know and I repeated the incident. Hmm. Lawd. If you only knew my mother’s pride level, eh! Her black face seemed a bluish purple as she leaned into me, and with a voice belying the cool demeanour of one minute before, she bellowed, “Yuh have somewhere to sleep? Yuh have clothes? You eat food today?”

I doubt if she heard my answers, but having responded to each question, she then declared, “Well then, you not poor. Go back and tell her that you have beauty and brains and that is all you need to carry you through life.”

My mother shielded me with her wisdom. Her uncomplicated philosophy has buoyed my entire life. But I learned children could be brutal and words cut deep.

Now, with a recovering mouth, and smarting from the punishing I’ve had from the mouths of others, I’m circumspect about the power of words. Words hurt more than sticks and stones and do irreparable damage. Whether it’s under the ruse of picong, gossip, salvo, or exposè, all words that are damaging cause long-term injury.

Those uttered publicly and particularly in politics and open forums, which are then repeated ad infinitum, I know, contribute to the instability in societies.

And, this place is steeped with abuses, which seem bent to character assassination and as we continue to underestimate the destructive power of words, in nursery-rhyme conjecture, London Bridge is falling down—and right on top of us.

It seems that slander, provoking accusations, and all manner of cruelty are the chosen paths of expression here, where, in the words of former US President Barack Obama, we “treat name-calling as reasoned debate” and infuse “suspicion and fear of those who appear different to us” either by class, ethnicity or partisanship.

The wilfulness of our intent in using words as weapon is to break each other’s back. This is a most unfortunate juncture in our affairs. But, now, who is going to help us heal? Who will lead my headless nation into the reintegration of community spirit where we can regain living in neighbourly repose, where kindness is worn as our garment of tolerance?

As I consider the health of our nation, as I look at the death and mayhem each morning on the news, I remember the words uttered here, on more than one occasion also, by high office holders and contenders, that “blood will flow.” As I consider my own experience recently where I overheard someone describe me as “ mental”; as I estimate the pain that such ignorance and bigotry can cause, I can only appeal to us to learn to suspend judgment especially the judgment that pronounces with hurtful words.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an edited version of a feature published as How do we recover from words that hurt? on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Under a merciless Tacarigua sun, the ladies from Mary’s Creations were last Sunday conducting brisk business selling, among other things, mango khurma.

“Mary” is Mary Bristol of Barataria. And yes, she offered mango khurma. Crunchy and sweet and with what appears to be a faint touch of cinnamon, or was it ginger? Not quite “the real thing” but good enough to go in the heat, chased by a cold coconut water.

Foregoing the khurma left the customer with a choice, under Mary’s tent, that ranged from mango sponge cake, mango-banana bread, mango-pumpkin bread and mango cassava-pone.

Mary indeed came out with a bang at The Mango Melee hosted by the T&T Natural Artisans, in collaboration with the Tunapuna- Piarco Regional Corporation at the Eddie Hart Ground—a location now growing in popularity as a result of a now thriving open-air food court.

No, there was no melee, things were relatively quiet and what made up for a shortage of stalls, including the near absence of fresh fruit, was a variety of innovative, high-quality by-products including Just D’s jams, preserves and sauces.

Just D’s has been on the mango circuit for quite some time with a spicy, tangy kuchela and red mango also on offer. Dilean Smith-Richards is the mastermind behind the business and says that up to 90 per cent of the inputs for her products are sourced locally.

Rodco Home Essentials, known for its wide range of natural, fruitbased beauty products came armed with a line of rubs, soaps and creams including mango-avocado and mango-banana soaps and a mango watermelon lip balm that came in handy for the weather.

The Eddie Hart grounds are home-turf for Rodco, headed by managing director, Colleen Malwah- Aqui. She is also no newcomer to the mango circuit and says she has her eyes on export markets for her products.

Annette Francis from Maracas, St Joseph was also there with her red mangoes and deadly hot amchar.

She has been in business for just over ten years and says she prefers her small, manageable operation and market. Her products are not sold in shops and stores.

With just over a dozen stalls, this was not among the larger mango festivals. There was, up to midday, just one fresh fruit seller with about three varieties of mangoes that went fast.

The Melee organisers had issued advance warning. “In addition to the usual ‘peel and enjoy’ practice,” one promotional message said, “there are many added value products that emerge from different parts of the mango tree and fruit. This is what we wish to showcase to our citizens.”

In fact, the open-air market regulars just outside the perimeter of the Mango Melee displayed a wider selection of mangoes in greater quantity.

The usual fruit juice, roti, pholourie and bark and shark entrepreneurs were also out—the roti shed proudly declaring no shortage of curry mango over chicken, shrimp or veggie fare.

A worthwhile quick stop on a sunny Sunday at the start of the rainy, mango season.

Playwrights Workshop Trinbago’s (PWT) Monthly Readers Theatre Series, featured the first Wednesday of every month, presents the reading of two new plays for the June 2018 instalment; The Pursuit of Happiness written by Stephan Dwarika and Cries of the Mind written by Treldon Layne. The reading takes place this evening, at the Trinidad Theatre Workshop, Newbold Street, St Clair, starting at 7 pm.

The Pursuit of Happiness follows the love relationships of four friends —Vanessa, Shelly, Ria and Sasha. In these relationships, some of the couples fight for love on their journey of life, whilst others have the “perfect relationship”.

Stephan Dwarika is a literature teacher with a passion for writing and has tried his hand at writing books, short stories, poems, stage and screenplays, songs and musicals. Sandy Untold and Katrina are two musicals he has written, which are currently being produced by Chandelier Productions. Additionally, he is expanding his writing through collaborating with local singer, Zachary de Lima.

Cries of the Mind attempts to enlighten Trinbagonians to the importance of understanding mental health. Playwright Treldon Layne says of the play that the characters in it are not unlike us...facing internal struggles, mental illness and discovering ways to cope and prevail. Layne has written two books of poetry entitled They Stole It, I Must Replace It and Rise Up and Bolt Forward.

This poet, songwriter and motivational speaker, was featured in the Bocas Lit Fest 2015 as an emerging writer, and is also the founder of Treldon Layne Foundation and Treldon’s Greetings, a unique greeting line that was created with the intention to inspire and motivate individuals.

The PWT, in partnership with the Trinidad Theatre Workshop and The T&T Performing Arts Network, is inviting actors, playwrights, directors, producers and the general public to the reading to provide the playwrights with feedback, to further develop their scripts.

Admission is free for tonight’s event but space is limited.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley made a significant announcement about the energy sector which could have far reaching economic consequences for T&T but which, unfortunately, did not receive much news coverage.

On his return from China, Rowley said the Government had all but reached agreement with BHP Billiton to fast-track its 5 trillion cubic feet natural gas discovery with a view to solving the natural gas curtailment that has significantly hurt the country’s downstream and LNG sector, causing billions of dollars in lost revenue.

For those who do not know, a 5 tcf field is enough to support one LNG train (plant) for 20 years, or six methanol plants for the same period.

The Prime Minister said Cabinet is considering ways to have the field off the east coast developed as a matter of priority.

“What we are discussing—and its close to conclusion—is because of the country’s need for gas at this time. We can’t follow the same template we used to before, which is you have an exploration programme and you go and test here and test there and you see what is good and what is not good, but that is all exploration.

“We want to move from exploration to production as quickly as possible because we are not producing as much gas as we consume bearing in mind the number of plants we have on the ground,” Rowley said.

“What we discussed with BHP is to change the production sharing contract arrangements that we have now and not focus solely on exploration in the area where we have already seen success, but to remodel our contracts so that BHP can move very quickly into development of the Le Clerc wells.”

Rowley sought to explain further that what he was talking about is development of the Le Clerc prospects rather than immediately further exploring the block.

“So that the gas that has been found at Le Clerc can be brought to market as quickly as possible. The company has agreed to do that and so we are going to have to work out the technical details. These are very technical and legal matters and we are very advanced in those discussions and we are told in anticipation of the conclusion of those discussions with the government there are rigs on the way to delineate the Le Clerc field and to move as quickly from the Le Clerc field to go from exploration to production.”

Le Clerc is the first deepwater discovery in the Caribbean and is mainly natural gas although it is thought that there will be discovery of more condensate and black crude.

The announcement could mean that all the plants on the ground may be able to operate at their name plate capacity. This is particularly important in the context of gas utilisation which shows that the country continues to be hurt by contracts that do not ensure the gas goes to where it gets the highest reward in a curtailment situation.

Numbers from the Ministry of Energy demonstrate that while for the first quarter of 2018 the country’s gas production averaged 3.768 billion cubic feet per day, actual gas available for use in the mid and downstream sectors was 3.469 bcf/d.

In other words, 300 mmscf/d was used to re-inject into oil wells and was not available for use to make methanol and ammonia which brings more revenue to the country than LNG.

The figures show that LNG accounts for a whopping 58 per cent of the gas consumed while, according to the 2016 EITI report, returns less than ammonia and methanol which use 30 per cent of gas and returns almost twice that of LNG.

The Prime Minister recognised the dire situation noting that the soon to come onstream petrochemical plant in La Brea could be without gas if new sources are not developed. The Mitsubishi/Massy/NGC plant is the only investment in the petrochemical sector for almost ten years.

“We have a new plant coming in which will have a consumption of gas which we do not now have, so we have to move quickly to ensure that when that plant comes on towards the end of next year, that there is gas for that plant, otherwise the whole investment into that plant would have been a non-starter,” Dr Rowley said.

If it works out, most experts believe Le Clerc could add close to one billion cubic feet per day to the domestic production and maybe finally allow the downstream and Atlantic to get the gas they need and bring some much needed revenues to the country.

The month of June is traditionally the month of weddings and graduations. Many students across T&T will be moving on from their respective schools to another phase of their life.

There are many who will be leaving secondary school to join the workforce, some who will be leaving for university, others who will be leaving to go abroad and then an older set of graduates who will be leaving their tertiary education program to step into the real world of work life.

It is a well-established principle in finance that children primarily learn about money from their parents. In my experience as a financial adviser I have found that money is not something that many parents specifically and directly speak about with their children with the aim of helping them to develop good financial skills.

During their school life the typical approach is to let our children focus on their studies and the parents will handle the financial affairs. In other instances, parents hold the view that a child either does not need to know (it’s none of their business) or will not understand a particular financial circumstance and so they are not included in the conversations.

A child cannot totally learn about money in school since much of what relates to money is an applied concept that extends outside of the classroom. So, if parents are not prepared to teach their children about money then many children will be leaving home after graduation ill equipped to treat with the many issues that they are going to face in the real world.

Many times a parent will open an account and save for their children. At some stage these funds will be handed over. This may typically take place when they enter university or as they get to a stage in life when they need to own a car or some similar amenity.

The challenge is that as children get to the point of moving out on their own they may know that there is money available to them but they are unaware of the process or the sacrifices that resulted in those funds being available and are not properly equipped with the understandings necessary to make good financial decisions. This can lead to disappointment both for the parent and the child.

Three concepts

There are three aspects to your child’s financial wellbeing.

Your child must have financial knowledge, your child must have financial responsibility and your child must be able to turn that responsibility into financial discipline.

At the end of it all regardless of your level of wealth, in fact especially if you are wealthy, you would want your child to appreciate that it isn’t about having the money to buy expensive things, its about knowing the value of money and how to work to earn the things that you want.

If your child is graduating and moving on with this basic appreciation and understanding then they will be well positioned to deal with life as it comes along. Parents who are reading this and still have children in secondary school should be working to ensure that their children have the necessary financial skills for when they are ready to move on.

Financial knowledge is an understanding of the financial concepts that they need to be aware of in order to make it in everyday life. For example you may have started a savings account for your child but do they understand the concept of saving. Have they been taught that small but consistent accumulations can yield a significant sum in the future?

Have you taught your children the difference between saving and investing and the power of compounding in achieving a financial objective?

Then you have the basics of using an ATM and all the security issues that surround. Taken a step further, the use of a debit card and then a credit card which would include all the security protocols associated with these instruments as well as how to use them.

There are many adults who run up credit card balances that they cannot easily pay off and, in most instances, they would have come upon credit cards without having a proper understanding of how to use it and the issues to consider.

It is difficult to properly use a credit card if you don’t understand the concept of money itself. It is very difficult to make proper financial decisions if a child moving into adulthood does not understand that there is a difference between value and price.

Financial knowledge is about hard concepts that a child should be readily exposed to. After financial knowledge comes financial responsibility and this may take a bit more time to grasp. There is a truth that money is there to be spent. The question really is around when you decide to spend it and on what. This is where financial responsibility comes in and it is not something that you can teach overnight.

Ensuring that your child understands the concept of an opportunity cost or is able to exhibit to varying degrees the skill of delaying gratification are important in demonstrating financial responsibility. This is even more so when children are bombarded with so many advertising messages and where games play an important part in their decision making process.

The ability to stop at a point in time regardless of the amount of money expended to date or the ability to wait to spend tomorrow rather than to spend more today are critical skills to get through the early stages of adult life and will be built upon as they get older.

The difference between financial responsibility and financial discipline is really a function of time. You can be responsible in a moment but carrying out your responsibilities continuously and over time is where discipline comes in. So your child may have been taught some financial responsibility to some reasonable level while in the home. However on their own say at University or in a new job environment there is another dynamic of peer pressure and other similar influences.

Your child can be responsible and work within a budget because they were taught how to do that by you as parents. However under exam stress or even when faced with relationship or other challenges spending money can be seen as a form of release. These also need to be factored into the equation because this is the reality of life. Being able to stay the course through all of life’s challenges is what financial discipline is about. Many people lack this quality but the earlier you start to practice it the better off you will be in the long term.

Regardless of where you are in preparing your child for life after graduation you should at least be aware of the issues that are involved so that you can take some form of action.

Ian Narine can be contacted via email at ian.narine@gmail.com

The burgeoning cold war between China and the United States continues to threaten the stability of world trade.

For some time now, we have observed the exchanges between two of the world’s largest economies with caution, noting the hostile measures that have steadily escalated.

The Trump administration’s threats of tariff escalations in January 2018 and the retaliatory list produced by China could affect billions of dollars in world trade.

In April 2018, the US signed an order that made it possible for a 25 per cent tariff to be imposed on as many as 1,500 Chinese products entering the country. These tariffs would target high-tech products highlighted in China’s Made in China 2025 plan, including medicaments, printing and sewing equipment, steel and aluminium. China has threatened to impose an across the board 15 per cent tariff on a 128 popular products (including fruit and fruit derivatives, pork, aluminium and steel) imported from the United States.

Thus far, these tariff measures are just threats but should they be realised, they could have a significant impact on world trade by disrupting global supply chains. Roberto Azevêdo, director-general of the World Trade Organisation, in his remarks on the 2018/2019 economic outlook, said that although there is anticipated economic growth for both developed and developing countries, “a breakdown in trade relations among major players would derail the recovery that we have seen in recent years, threatening the ongoing economic expansion and putting jobs at risk”.

On one hand, the United States is T&T’s largest trading partner, accounting for 42 per cent of our country’s exports and 34 per cent of imports.

China, our third largest supplier (eight per cent), is the largest economy in the world on a purchasing parity basis (IABD, 2016), and contributes significantly to foreign direct investment inflows into the region.

With the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) set to expire in 2020, T&T—along with the other Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states—is seeking to secure preferential access for a select number of exports into the United States.

The CBI is “intended to facilitate the development of stable Caribbean Basin economies by providing beneficiary countries with duty-free access to the US market” (Office of the US Trade Representative).

The goods relate to products grown and produced in CBI countries—of which T&T is one—and include procurement opportunities, trade and investment financing, and technical assistance programmes. It also includes, for countries with a Tax Information Exchange Agreement, a CBI Convention Tourism Tax Credit and a Foreign Sales Corporation status.

On the other hand, China has invested heavily in the region.

So far, the capital flows from China to Caribbean territories largely comprise development aid, in the form of loans to fund infrastructure projects built by Chinese enterprises (Bernal, 2014).

China has recently become the third largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world and is a major source of development aid for developing countries, including those in the Caribbean. The capital flows it provides have taken the form of loans to governments to finance infrastructure projects and to expand production of oil and other raw materials.

There have been indications of interest in further investment in the Caribbean from Chinese enterprises and entrepreneurs which is mainly driven by China’s foreign policy.” (IADB, 2016).

In May 2018, a T&T delegation led by Prime Minister, Keith Rowley, made an official visit to China. While there, Prime Minister Rowley made it clear that Chinese foreign direct investment is important to the region and invited a fact-finding delegation of government officials, university scholars, tech professionals and business people to explore opportunities for partnering with our country.

This visit was significant, as T&T became the first Caribbean nation to sign on to China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. Launched in 2013, OBOR is focused on creating and improving links, trading routes and business opportunities with China.

Director-General Azevêdo noted that the stronger economic growth we have been seeing—in both developed and developing countries—is forecast to continue, but he was cautious about the negative impact that the possible dramatic escalation in trade restrictions could have on that growth. It brings to light several questions we should ask ourselves in the current economic climate, and in our trade policy engagement as a nation.

Thus far, China’s investment in the region has taken the form of construction projects but this latest visit signals interest in attracting FDI in the high technology industry.

Furthermore, the desire to extend preferential access for Caribbean exports to the United States would mean maintaining good relations in other aspects of international trade relations. Should these tensions rise, how would it affect Trinidad and Tobago’s relationship with either trading partner?

In the not-too-distant past, we have seen the impact that US embargoes have had on our relations with third states like Cuba. For the small and vulnerable economies that comprise the Caribbean, can we simply “pick a side”?

These questions may change shape as events on the international front unfold, but for the time being, it is a situation we must watch closely to gauge any impact upon our own economy.

T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Leah “DEZii” Forrest’s concert, Life, Love and Liberty, on May 29 was an ode to determination and perseverance. It was heartening to witness the power of artistes coming together to help one of their own.

The concert was divided into three segments—Life, Love and Liberty—with the songs within a particular segment related to the theme. Her repertoire consisted of a mixture of genres including rap, hip-hop, soul and calypso.

All about Life The Life segment featured the voices of Spoken Word poet Zakiya Gill, Amrika “Amrika” Mutroo, John John Francis, Chinaka “Chinaka” Pierre and DEZii. Amrika’s song, Woman, was an acknowledgment of the stages of life of a woman. The strong vibrant performance was dedicated to DEZii and the steps she’d taken in her journey through life thus far.

The dramatic voice of John John Francis reminded the audience that it’s often the Small Tings which fracture a relationship.

Chinaka’s breathtaking voice let the audience know she wouldn’t let her voice whisper about the state of her relationship.

DEZii had the audience enthralled from the minute she took the stage, beginning with You’ll Never Know and I Stayed, about women in abusive relationships. The performances were powerful and passionate, evoking the pain of the characters. A Song for Mummy, accompanied by a dance piece by Marielle Dos Santos, explored her feelings about the loss of her mother. DEZii also wowed the audience with her covers of I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing and Skyfall.

Making music for Love In the Love segment, Chinaka sang about her Ex’s Gift to her, followed by a duet with DEZii on Salt. Both songs spoke to the pain and the pleasure which can be experienced in relationships.

Yung Rudd’s song I Just Want to Ask a Question asked the woman he was interested in if it was OK to be with her. John John’s sultry sexy song, Let’s Make Music, elicited screams of excitement from the audience.

Liberty wins women empowerment The Liberty segment featured songs about women’s empowerment and liberation to do what they want, emotionally, physically and sexually. Keoné Osbourne’s Sza was about a woman willing to share a man with another woman and Come Thru encouraged men not to be shy about approaching a woman.

Marcus “Braveboy” Hardy sang Rude Boy Like Me, a modern day love story about warning a woman not to fall in love with an entertainer, and then collaborated with Yung Rudd on Sunday Lunch, complimenting the beauty of Trinidadian women. Rheon Elbourne sang his hit Pam Pam.

The final call DEZii’s final set included In Common, a duet with Elbourne asking him to Stay the night, the original song Set this Place on Fire, Uninvited and Power.

She had the audience singing and dancing along during her performance.

The performers were backed by the Wanderer’s band, an accomplished aggregation which at times threatened to steal the show from the artistes they were backing. They included Franklin Lambert (bass); Chris St Louis (drums and keyboards); Denzil Tidd (drums); Leigh Tang Wing (keyboards); Kwami Morrison (electric guitar); Darion Dennis (violin); Joshua Salcedo (drums and keyboards); and, Mikhail Salcedo (pan); with Louise Clarke and Jessica Arnold as background vocalists. The concert was part of DEZii’s

Wanderer fund-raiser series, in aid of travel expenses for her debut performance in Winnipeg, Canada as part of the Canadian- Caribbean Soul Exchange Forum and also to assist with the completion of her album, Wanderer.

DEZii continued wooing audiences when she performed last night at Fiesta Plaza’s Wednesday night concert at MovieTowne.

For further information on DEZii or bookings, call 799-7056, e-mail engage@powermediahub.com and follow DEZii at dezii.world on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

While the national instrument seems to be mired in controversy in its homeland, there are pan ambassadors worldwide bringing pride to the instrument.

One of these is Branches Steel Orchestra, founded in 1978 by a group of Trinidadians who migrated to Boston, Massachusetts.

Come Sunday, Branches will a host a gala to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the band and its introduction of pan to Boston.

Some of the earliest pioneers of Branches were Lawrence Liverpool, Roy Belfast, Winston Evelyn, Ansel Niles, Leonard Frank, Lester Ross, the Tillet family and Carl Smith.

Throughout the years Branches has prided itself as a unique non-profit community-based organisation that has been instrumental in giving back to the local community.

Said Smith this week: “Not only do we educate the youths on the history and uniqueness of this modern day musical invention but, for the past 40 years, we have also taught them the art of playing the steel drums.

“Our hard work and dedication is evident every year when the children, under the artistic guidance of Justin Petty, musical director and arranger, perform at various events around Massachusetts, most notably the ICA, Martin Luther King celebrations, Newton Memorial and Everett Day parades, Needham’s July 4 Parade and the Caribbean American Festival.”

Branches has gained a reputation for outstanding artistic excellence; its programme suited for beginners with little or no music experience to experienced musicians. Branches is a well known name within the Boston community commanding respect for its artistic achievements and values that it represents and instils in our students.

The Branches Steel Orchestra programme motivates and guides young people towards lifelong goals by challenging their minds and getting them involved in music and activities that require them to learn skills needed in life such as commitment, punctuality, patience, how to be a team player, and most of all respect for self and others.

Branches Steel Orchestra is located at Smith’s residence in Boston and today comprises of approximately 60 members ranging from age seven to adult.

Ninety per cent of its members are under the age of 18. These dedicated young musicians rehearse nine hours each week.

However, during the summer period members rehearse 18 or more hours weekly.

Eighty-five per cent of the youths in Branches have gone on to graduate with degrees, some got Phd’s, Masters etc.

So, while Pan Trinbago Inc and some of its member bands continue to try to sort out their affairs, in the US there are steelbands flying the flag of T&T with pride, placing our national instrument on the global pedestal it deserves to be on.

(Reporting by Peter Ray Blood — peter.blood@guardian.co.tt)

Wit, humour and double entendre are still vital elements of good calypso and Trinidadian humour.

The St James Community Improvement Committee (CIC) is offering patrons an opportunity to enjoy these elements when it stages Kaiso Komedy, as part of the WeBeat St James Live18 programme, at the St James Amphitheatre, Western Main Road tomorrow night, starting at 8 pm.

Headlining the cast is reigning Humourous Calypso Monarch Myron B (Myron Bruce). Other members are Trinidad Rio (Daniel Brown), Funny (Donric Williamson), Brown Boy (Knolly Brown), Kid Kalalloo (Julien Hunte), Oscar B (Oscar Benjamin), David Bereaux, and Spicy (Tammico Moore). Producer is Carl “Beaver” Henderson.

“Humour in Trinidad is a way of life. It is no joke,” said CIC committee member Angela Fox. “We are offering people a chance to ease the tension. Come out and free up a bit, even for a short while, from the stresses of daily life.”

Musical accompaniment will be provided by the aggregation Kelly Green & Harmony, while show host duty will be performed by Nikki Crosby.

Patrons are asked to walk with their drinks, as only chasers, non-alcoholic beverages, and finger foods will be on sale.

Admission is $150 per person, and tickets will be available at the door.

However, before tomorrow’s kaiso show, tonight, at eight, the CIC is hosting its PanJazz/Honoree’s Night, at the Amphitheatre. Tonight’s honoree is long-standing St James steel orchestra, T&TEC Power Stars. Patrons will also be treated to live performances from the National Steel Symphony Orchestra, The Codrington Pan Family, reigning National Panorama (Small) champion steelband Golden Hands Steel and Moore’s Music.

As is traditional, and welcome highlight of WeBeat St James Live, the week’s of activity will have its tumultuous climax on Saturday night with 4 am J’Ouvert celebrations and steelband and traditional mas parade in the evening, from 7 pm. (David Cuffy)

A high calibre performance is the only way to describe the one-hour performance by Keishea “Ms Glamorous” Stewart, backed by her band Calibre, for guests at Saturday Nights Live, held at Fiesta Plaza, MovieTowne, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday evening.

Calibre is a cross-over of R&B Soul and Soca band and consists of some of the finest musicians in the land, including Joey Rivers (guitar); Oslin Pompee (bass); Godwin Bowen (keyboards), and drummer Andrew Augustine. These seasoned and accomplished musicians have played with successful musical aggregations like Xtatik and Atlantik, and at the Kaiso House calypso tent, just to name a few.

The band’s debut performance to a full courtyard of patrons was a resounding success. Patrons were entertained and fully engaged, dancing, singing, laughing and flag waving during performances from their repertoire which ranged from songs like Roaring Lion’s Papa Chunks, Nadia Lafond’s Wanna Make Love To You and Camila Cabello’s Havana, but with a cross-over soca twist.|

Aimed at entertaining all ages, Calibre is available for bookings at calibrebookings@gmail.com.

In celebration of Alta’s 25th anniversary, Alta students around the country were asked to write about the impact the organisation has had on their lives. Since 1992, Alta has provided classes around the country for thousands of Trinidadians who struggle with reading and writing. Alta students enrol in the programme at many different levels of literacy and leave when they have accomplished their literacy goals.

While it is difficult to manage work and family life alongside Alta classes, students continue to persevere and in all cases see changes in their lives after attending Alta classes. In the coming weeks, Alta will share their experiences through this column. This week, two students from the Chaguanas Public Library venue share how Alta has impacted their lives.

Pamela

My name is Pam. I’m in level two. I came to Alta to better myself and my family. I expected to meet a lot of people willing to help each other. It was not the way I expected but it was better. Alta has changed things in my life because I am reading lots of books now and helping my kids with their homework. I do feel better about myself. I always wanted to spell big words.

When I was younger I didn’t have help. I thought I was managing well until reading got a little harder. I never liked the way I have to hide and make excuses when I had to read. When my children come home from school I can help them in their homework. I felt I could never take part in loud speaking or storytelling. I appreciate Alta class so much. Since I started the class I have improved a lot. As a parent I feel so proud of myself being able to help my children in their homework. I was surprised when I read my first book all by myself. I always felt that I couldn’t read but I surprised myself. At work I am being asked to write information from clients. Sometimes I can’t spell every word so attending Alta was the best thing I have ever done.

Kesha Sancho

When I was younger I always wanted to read an entire book. I would start but when I would get to the difficult words I would just give up. At school and also at meetings you would see persons taking notes. I always wish I was able to do that. Then one day I heard about Alta so I wanted to attend but was ashamed to. I wondered what people would say about this “big woman” and that she can’t read. That feeling made me sick. When someone would ask me to read I would get nervous even with little words like “where” and “there.” I was not able to pronounce them.

Now at the age of 31, I put all my fears behind me and started Alta. I am now in Level two and so proud of myself that I started. One thing I wish that I should have started years ago. In my class, there are four lovely patient and encouraging tutors who make this journey fun and simpler for me. My goal at the end of this journey is to read a book to its entirety also be able to write and pass CXC English.

• Volunteer, donate or sponsor-a-student. Call 621-5708 or email altapos.tt@gmail.com for more info. Keep up to date with ALTA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: ALTA

The Just Because Foundation (JBF) hosted a fund-raising concert last Saturday at the Central Bank Auditorium, Port-of-Spain.

The evening’s performances included song, dance and skits by young cancer patients, cancer survivors and the relatives of children with cancer.

The nurses of the JBF Ward at the Wendy Fitzwilliam Paediatric Hospital also kept the crowd entertained with a funny skit titled, Fun E News. JBF co-founder Chevaughn Joseph performed a very moving interpretive dance piece with her troupe to bring the show to an end.

JBF is a non-profit, paediatric cancer support organisation which was founded by Noel and Chevaughn Joseph in 2007. The Josephs started the foundation after the loss of their five-year-old son Jabez to a rare form of childhood cancer.

The organisation provides free temporary accommodation for families who travel from remote locations throughout T&T and other Caribbean countries with their child for cancer treatment in Trinidad. They also provide free transport to and from these facilities.

Akim Bushe and captain Ryan Stewart combined for 22 points to lead T&T a 25-12, 27-25, 26-24 defeat of Costa Rica in 88 minutes for their first win in the NORCECA Men’s Challenger Cup at the November 19 Pavilion in Pinar del Rio, Cuba on Wednesday night.

Following straight sets loss to Puerto Rico on Tuesday’s first day of the five-team competition, the Sean Morrison-coached T&T men, the reigning Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association back-to-back champions and three-time champions overall, were eager to get among the win column and keep alive their hope of the lone ticket towards the World Final qualifying to the FIVB 2019 League of Nations.

Speaking after his team’s victory, Morrison, in expressing his joy said his team was very professional in their reception, one element of their game which hurt them against Puerto Rico.

“Today (Wednesday), it improved a lot and we played more consistently, but in the second and third sets the boys got tired a little, and they allowed more points but they knew how to stay and get success,” Morrison said.

From the opening set, T&T showed better cohesion than they had against Puerto Rico and held an obvious physical superiority over the Central Americans, winning the first set with relative ease.

However, Stewart and his team-mates slowed down the pace in the last two sets allowing the young Costa Ricans to get near or even in the score in each set but in the end, T&T managed to close them out.

Bushe, formerly based in Finland, now back home at national champion BIG South East Port-of-Spain, top-scored for T&T with 12 points, comprised of seven spikes, four blocks and one ace, and Stewart added ten, laced with seven spikes and three aces.

Stewart said, “This match was much better for us as we were stronger with more integration, much more motivated and with a better teamwork. We improved the reception, all the defence and it was a great team formation.”

T&T also got solid contributions from Kwesi Daniel who chipped in with seven, and the duo of Marlon Phillip and Mikheil Hoyte, with six points each as they dominated their opponents on spikes, 28-21; blocks 10-5, and 6-4 on service aces. T&T also committed fewer errors to the Central Americans, 31-34.

Costa Rican, Gilberth Solano, was the only one who achieved double digits also with ten for his team while Japhet Reid got five, and the pair of Oscar Ramirez, and Cristopher Arias, three each.

Also on Wednesday, Puerto Rico swept past Guatemala 25-11, 25-15, 25-21 to improve to 2-0 and maximum ten points, five more than T&T and Cuba, the latter of which has played a match less.

Yesterday, Costa Rica faced Puerto Rico while T&T came up against host Cuba in the late match while today, T&T will enjoy a rest day before concluding round-robin play tomorrow against Guatemala from 3.30pm while Cuba battles Costa Rico three hours later.

Following the completion of the tournament, the T&T, CAZOVA winners in 2010, 2014 and 2017, men return home to prepare for the 23rd Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Barranquilla, Colombia (July 20 - August 3); followed by the 13th Pan American Cup in Veracruz, Mexico (August 12-20); and finally, the defence of their CAZOVA Men’s Championship in Suriname (August 4-11).

Pan educator Barry Mannette will be holding his second fund-raiser for the Mannette Academy of Music in St Ann’s this Sunday at 7 pm at Kaiso Blues Cafe, 85 Woodford Street, Newtown. The last one was last summer and it was a great success, selling out and there was standing room only by the time it started. He is hoping for a similar response this time as these fundraisers serve to help pay for needed instruments for the school. The show will feature a variety of guest artists including Tamica Mannette and Moricia Cagan as well as some of his UWI students; Josiah Didier and Raenelle- Lee Harris.

The Mannette Academy opened last September and later this month will complete its first school year with classes for under 13, 13 to 18 and adults. As Barry told Ted Goslin of Pan magazine: “The idea to form the Mannette Academy of Music came about with my love for teaching and my desire to create music literate pannists of all ages but starting from a young age.” He is quite pleased with how things are going after only the first year. His students passed their accreditation exams and participated in the Music Festival taking a second in the Open Steelpan Ensemble Category.

It is exciting for him to go out on his own to form the academy and thrilled it has already taken off with a strong first year.

Barry Mannette has been a pan educator at every level from primary to tertiary besides a wide range of experience not just playing pan, but managing and arranging. He is the son of Vernon “Birdie” Mannette and virtually grew up in Invaders yard and has gone on to play pan with almost every major steelband in Trinidad from Invaders to Renegades, Desperadoes, Phase II, Exodus, Silver Stars, Starlift, Valley Harps, Humming Bird Pan Groove, and Harmonites. He was the founder and music director for the Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra, and had been steelpan tutor for both the National Youth Steel Orchestra and the Music Literacy Trust.

Mannette got first a Certificate in music and then a BA in Musical Arts from UWI in 2010 and got his Masters in Music Performance at Northern Illinois University in 2013 under Liam Teague and Cliff Alexis.

Running and teaching at his own music Academy is just part of his current teaching schedule. He has been teaching in private primary schools but more recently was hired by the Ministry of Education as the Music Teacher at the at East Mucurapo Secondary in St James.

He has been an adjunct music instructor at UWI for the last five years both giving individual lessons and directing the UWI Arts Intermediate Steel Ensemble. “That experience has been quite rewarding. I see them excel and get better and better, ” he notes. 

For Dr Jeannine Remy, it has been an exciting time watching him blossom from first seeing him at Invaders under his father’s eye, as he matured and was first a student at UWI, then after his return from NIU to be part of the faulty there and doing so much more. Said Remy: “Although he is a Mannette, he has earned his own kudos on his own perseverance. We at UWI are very proud of his musical activities here and abroad.”

Mannette has also had the fascinating experience of arranging for South East Steelband in St Vincent and the Grenadines for their Panorama for four years, each year coming in second or third and seeing how different their Panorama is from Trinidad.

He said: “Vincy Panorama has fierce rivalries just like ours here and it was such a rewarding experience to work with a young band and taking them to such heights.”

Recently he was very involved with Exodus Steel Orchestra for three years as a member of the band and the stage side and music director of the Exodus music school. Their different and very disciplined way of proceeding he found eye opening, a fabulous experience at every level, especially getting to take Exocubs to Argentina in 2016 playing with hundreds of other young musicians, and he loved playing with  Exodus for Panorama the last few years. Only this year he played with Silver Stars where his professor Liam Teague arranged.

Feel free to contact Barry Mannette about the Academy’s activities at 868-678-0505 or mannetteacademyofmusic@ gmail.com especially any interested students and come out to hear great music for  a worthy cause at Kaiso Blues this coming Sunday.

It was a most enjoyable evening last Saturday when fans and members of Shell Invaders gathered at the Tragarete Road, Woodbrook panyard to enjoy the band’s Parents’ Appreciation Concert, under brilliant sunshine.

The event was held to recognise those members who fall into that category and other parents. Michael Dinchong, Managing Director of Shell Invaders Steel Orchestra, explained: “With both Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day being so close, we decided to highlight both on this special day.” He continued that the band and it’s management, together with sponsor Shell T&T, enjoy promoting these types of activities to keep the members united.

Said Dinchong: “As a matter of fact, this event was produced by our youth band, Shell Invaders Youth Steel Orchestra. It is an opportunity for them to show their skills while being guided by the band’s committee, giving them a certain degree of empowerment.”

The youth band serenaded their audience in both pan and song during the first half, with member, Rachel Noriega performing a solo act. Following the short intermission there was a performances by the senior band.

(David Wears)

From the producers that brought you the hilarious The Boy Toy, Man Callaloo, What My Best Friend Did To Me and Hotel 21 now comes the world premiere of their latest production Naughty Minister’s.

RS/RR Productions premieres their latest exciting and hilarious production on Father’s Day weekend, June 16-17, two nights only at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.

Naughty Minister’s looks at the fictional story of a Minister who has won his seat on the sanctity of marriage and family life. His wife leaves to attend a weekend retreat with the Prime Minister’s wife. What happens when the wife is away leads to a night of complete chaos. Mix in an Independent Senator, the personal assistant to the Minister, a Venezuelan visitor and a country girl from an agency and bedlam breaks loose especially when the wife returns unexpectedly. This is a story of fiction…kind of.

Naughty Minister’s features a stellar cast that includes, Richard Ragoobarsingh, Penelope Spencer, Nikki Crosby, Debra Boucaud Mason, Ria Ali, Leslie Ann Lavine and Bradley Logan. It is directed by Richard Ragoobarsingh and Mason.

Box Office at Queen’s Hall opens from Monday, June 11, from 10 am to 6 pm daily, and of course tickets are available now at the usual outlets.

For booking or info call 624 -1284 (ext1) or 338-6024/744-7581.

The largest youth organisation in T&T, ScoutsTT, is once again Scouting for Food. Its third annual national food drive launched on United Way’s National Day of Caring on May 20, when members of the First Naparima College Sea Scout Group collected food at JTA Supermarket, C3 Centre before delivering the donations to The Hope Centre in San Fernando.

Scouting for Food is aligned to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number two: “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”

As SDGs are now a part of the Scout Programme internationally, and incorporated into our local programme, a major goal of the project is to get our young people to understand the problem and how they can be part of the solution.

The project started two years ago after recognising that more than 20 per cent of the country’s population lives below the poverty line and eight to 11 per cent are undernourished. Scouting for Food aims to educate the public of this issue among so many and engender a commitment to community, volunteerism and helping each other.

Donations of dry goods and toiletries can be made at the bins set up at JTA, Xtra Foods and Massy Stores supermarkets, where scouts in uniform will be present on weekends to promote the drive and assist with the collection of donations. The food collected will be distributed to families identified by scout groups in their districts across the country and to homes by the national office.

Corporate T&T is also urged to get involved with this initiative by setting up collection bins at their work places.

To learn more about Scouting for Food, including how to get involved, contact Scout Headquarters at 624-7271 or check the Facebook event page Scouting for Food 2018.

Singer Danielle Williams’ upcoming concert, Seeing Sound, explores the fusion of digital art, music, film and dance in an interactive and immersive experience. The production will take place tomorrow and Sunday, at Grundlos Kollektiv, 11 Cipriani Boulevard, Port-of-Spain.

Williams said seeing sound, or cymatics, and hearing in colour, or chromesthesia, are two phenomena which she wishes to explore through this production. She explained: “Cymatics and chromesthesia have influenced everything from the song, projection and film selection, to lighting, sound design, and the art installations. What it would be like to see sound? And hear in colour? I don’t have chromesthesia but I do feel the mood of a piece of music in colour. For me it’s a question of energy. This program takes you on a journey through colour.”

Adding that the audience will be transported on a journey though light and sound, Williams said: “I hope that the audience will experience an intensely memorable, interesting and satisfying night out with friends or family.

“Seeing Sound is designed to allow the audience to explore, create, feel and be transported through a live show with breath-taking visuals and interactive art installations. The music spans many genres: pop, electronica, classical, popera and Caribbean sounds. We have integrated several art and science installations that allow the audience to create and explore seeing sound, so they are allowed to participate in the creation of the art and will in fact become part of the art itself. This will be an innovative one of a kind experience.”

She said she was inspired to create the exhibition after visiting the Wellcome Collection in Cental London. There she saw an exhibition on a mundane topic that left her awestruck. “What I saw was a work of genius,” said Williams. “An exhibit on Dirt!—of all things. They transformed such a banal subject into a transfixing discourse which used science, art, poetry, and philosophy to approximate to truth. I couldn’t ever look at anything ‘ordinary’ the same again.”

Williams said she wants to help create similar experiences here in Trinidad. She has been working towards the production for a year, but is only now ready to put it on following a catalysing event. Williams continued: “A visual artist that I was blessed enough to encounter passed away recently, and it really crystallised that tomorrow isn’t promised and that life is fragile. I may not be perfect, life certainly isn’t but we’re all here, alone together. I’d like to create and put out more art that’s congruent with who I am and can help inspire and encourage people. And the best time to do this is now.”

Williams said she chose to use underwater photography to advertise the event because of how closely it echoes the theme of the production. “When I think of the science of sound I think of waves, reflection and refraction. Working underwater allows us to capture some of that feeling. In fact, Swiss scientist Dr Hans Jenny coined the term Cymatics after the Greek κυματικά (kymatika) which means “matters pertaining to waves.

“In a metaphorical sense it also represents me ‘taking the plunge’ and launching my brand as a ‘singer scientist’ and my NGO the ‘ArtScience Foundation’.”

The event will feature the work of Clinical Media Group, Kats Imai, Kyle Richardson, Rodell Warner and Zayna McDonald.

The singer said she hopes the experience will inspire people to pause and reflect on their lives. “One of my favourite quotes is by Pablo Picasso which says, ‘Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life’.”

Tickets for Seeing Sound cost $200 and for more information, find Seeing Sound on Facebook, go to https://www.daniellekwilliams.com/tickets and call 785-9870, 685-8970, or 708-1849.