There is great power in words—consider “nigger”—but even greater power in what we choose to name things. Call Trinidad Carnival the ostentation of a bunch of vulgarians too drunk to discern their own vainglorious superficiality and you understand why poor people sneer at their wee-wee trucks; but call it “culture” and the state throws $300m at it.

There is great power, too, in isolating people. As a child, I was told about an African tribe that did not physically punish serious wrongdoers, but simply ostracised them. 

No one “saw” them. The wrongdoers, I was told, driven to distraction, would either leave voluntarily or throw themselves off cliffs; and this is where a Beatle murdered in Manhattan a generation ago comes into the story of Paris last Friday.

Since his death on December 8, 1980, Paul McCartney has referred to John Lennon’s killer as, “the man whose name we must never say.” 

To pronounce his name would give him recognition he has neither earned nor deserves; I refuse to even give him a capital M as the man whose name I will never type.

And this is where the so-called Islamic State comes in.

And brings in our power to treat it the way it should be.

President Hollande is correct: France is under attack because of its policy of laïcité, or state-guaranteed secularism. 

France was the first country in the modern world to properly separate religion from citizenship. No church, temple, mosque or rumshop can conduct a legal French wedding: only the Republic itself has the power of formalising marriage. 

No display of religious affiliation, whether crucifix or Star of David or niquab, is allowed in French public spaces (even if a religion showing a willingness to burn embassies at the drop of a cartoon can get away with relative murder, and gain relative advantages). 

Muslims claim religious intolerance today for the same reason Catholics did in 1789: the privilege of their group was threatened, not their belief or their god; and they saw, in laïcité, the loss of their advantage.

When you have a multitude of Gods and their followers jammed together in one space, you can take one of three approaches: 1—the Muslim approach: declare anyone refusing to accept your faith’s paramountcy an infidel and require he accepts his subjugation, on pain of death or enslavement; 2—the “make-as-eef” Trini approach: simultaneously treat every God as the One True God and eat his food greedily on his public holiday, but don’t take any of his troublesome doctrines, like jihad or bans against artificial birth control, too seriously; or 3—the French one: allow everyone to believe everything in private but display none of it in public.

French secularism, laïcité, represents world society’s highest achievement; no matter how wicked France was in the past or how racist it might remain today. In France, humans wrestle with human challenges without the benefit of six different Gods telling us what to do. 

The Canadians, despite their cute new prime minister, have just made a colossal mistake in permitting women making the oath of citizenship to wear niquab; if one owes a greater loyalty to one’s God than one’s nation, one should live in a nation that does not separate God and country.

In secular France, no one is deprived of their “right” to believe the biggest pile of horse manure a man in a dress shovelled into their unsuspecting and defenceless minds when they were small children; but no one is allowed to claim that his own bizarre belief is above either the criminal law or the constitutional legal guarantee of gender equality: no matter how fervently some jackass believes it, a homosexual is not an abomination, but a citizen; and, even if the Koran or any other so-called holy book actually denies it, a husband can indeed rape his wife, since her pudenda are not really his property to use at his whim. 

A woman in France refusing her husband sex has the protection of laïcité; a good Muslim—or Catholic, or Jewish, or Hindu—wife has only a divinely-sanctioned beating coming to her.

Which leads to the group of quite insane young men—judged by secular Western standards, which are far safer and far more equitable than any God’s with whom I’m familiar—posing as the Islamic State.

Read contributing editor of the Atlantic, Graeme Woods’ eye-opening piece: “What ISIS Really Wants” (March 2015, available online) and you will understand how desperate the battle between superstition and reason is, and how easily we might play into their bloody hands. 

Woods details the 7th Century mindset of the crackpots currently taking over Syria in their Toyota pickups: they really do believe that the Apocalypse will be triggered if they can just get the armies of Rome—or the US, or France—to set foot in Dabiq.

But we can outsmart them—or at least make them smart in their jihadi boots. 

For myself, like Paul McCartney on December 9, 1980, I will never again use a name that could be considered holy by anyone to refer to a gang of openly unholy men. 

From this day forward, I shall think of them as Iblis, the Shaitanic State of Dajjal, and a name we should all use, particularly Muslims disowning the literal acceptance of the Koran’s perfection. 

Roughly speaking, Iblis is the Devil and Shaitan, likewise, and Dajjal will lead the forces of what the Christians call the Anti-Christ in the Apocalypse the Shaitanic State is now desperately trying to trigger. 

Indeed, the Shaitanic State might be a God-given name for the blood-crazed pack in Syria and Iraq. In’shAllah.

n BC Pires is the messenger of Dog. Play it backwards and you’ll hear Paul is dead right.

Looking for an exciting career in a vastly growing sector for yourself, family members or friends? The security and public safety industry is set to explode and has space in a wide array of careers that many are unaware of. Global forecasts estimate a 20 per cent increase in the next 15 to 20 years for this industry. 

Many do not know that the security and public safety industry is staffed by professionals in fields such as engineering, information technology, electronics, alarms, geographical information systems, and forensic science. It also includes investigators, arms and ammunition personnel, managers, supervisors, accountants, procurement specialists, human resource managers, lawyers, counsellors, trainers and many more. 

The security and public safety industry is not just about security guards. This is just one of many skills sets required. There are careers at the senior, middle and junior levels.

There are several ways in which someone can easily join the industry. They can enter at the professional level by possessing the various qualifications and experience. They can work their way up from being security officers to supervisors, managers, heads of divisions, trainers, etc. You may be surprised to know how many people have moved up from the officer level to management and leadership levels with some even establishing their own companies. 

Many young people aim to be a police officer or soldier. These constitute the “public side” of the security and public safety industry. But, there is the lucrative “private” side as well where trained people also perform exciting tasks. For example, they also carry and use firearms and other security devices which are a big attraction to many young people. Some of the major private security companies also have alarm and monitoring units with response operations as well. Here in T&T, for example, when an alarm goes off at a client’s premise or a call comes in of a security threat at a particular location, adequately-trained response officers are dispatched. 

In T&T, there is also the practice where both public and private security and public safety professionals have been partnering. The latest is the Community Comfort Patrols—a joint programme between the Office of Law Enforcement Policy, Ministry of National Security, and private security companies that patrol many communities 24/7. Such private security officers have the opportunity to visit many parts of the country.

There are also personnel who can be employed as estate constables in some organisations. They have certain legislative powers that empower them as a police constable and can be called upon to work alongside the police when needed. These exist, for example, in TTEC, WASA, Petrotrin, sea ports, airports, etc.

There is also the dynamic area of executive protection that is a rapidly growing area of business activity. With the globalisation of business and other activities, there is the need for trained personnel to handle key regional and international visitors. Even with the growth of terrorist activities internationally, there is the requirement for trained people and systems to protect both plant and personnel. 

Corporate security is another attractive area. Many financial institutions, retail and warehousing enterprises and other sectors such as manufacturing and tourism have huge security and public safety requirements. These include a combination of both in-house and contracted security. Notable careers are available here as well that involve a mix of technology and the need for adequately trained staff. 

People can also become specialists in many of the areas in security and public safety which can be quite financially rewarding. Specialist training and experience will obviously be required. 

It is important that people ready themselves to take up the multitude of career opportunities that are available. This can only be done by knowledge-based and hands-on education and training. Proper certification should be sought. People can attain international certification in these fields in T&T without having to go abroad.

There are thousands of people (both male and female)—young, middle age and mature—who do not know what to do career-wise. We should expose them to this whole new line of careers that brings both excitement and financial benefits to their families and themselves. Not knowing what to do after secondary school should be a thing of the past. 

The Caribbean Institute for Security and Public Safety offers a wide range of courses in basic security officer training, supervision, management, corporate security, law enforcement, criminal law, first aid and CPR, and fire warden among many other areas. Contact us at 223-6999, 223-6968, 222-8347, info@caribbeansecurityinstitute.com or www.caribbeansecurityinstitute.com

We are now seeing signs of movement towards stimulating the economy through the construction sector in particular. Minister of Housing, Marlene McDonald, has made her Ministry’s position clear at the Contractor of the Year Award ceremony held at the Hilton Trinidad. 

The Minister assured that more HDC developments are on the way to better meet the housing demands by the public. The HDC will return to its original mandate of providing affordable houses to those in need, she said. 

Minister McDonald has stated that the former administration increased the cost of construction. Her Ministry intends, therefore, to move to have the cost per unit reduced. 

I look forward to returning the days of the construction boom particularly in the housing sector. Once managed effectively this level of construction activity will be an engine for boosting economic activity and the high levels of employment that accompany these activities. 

The Minister also highlighted that the work will be spread among a wider pool of contractors. This is a step in the right direction because many small and medium contractors have been forced to get out of business due to a sluggish sector over the past couple years. 

My major concern is ensuring that with this construction boom the housing units built are allocated to those who genuinely need them. The former administration raised the qualifying income bracket from where it was initially at $8000 to $30,000 per month. The programme now includes many people who could afford homes on the open market accessing HDC homes to the detriment of those who cannot afford open market homes. 

This should be rectified before any further distribution to ensure deserving people don’t lose out on the opportunity. 

The last check revealed over 80,000 HDC applications are still in the system so getting to work on trying to meet this demand is in the best interest of the people. 

Martin Huggins,

Arima 

ISIS marks a watershed in the evolving nature of transnational threats to states. It is an army which acts as individuals and asymmetric operators focused on the same attack vector, acting as an army, without the need to communicate. 

Such an entity marks a new era in terrorist hybridity and renders ISIS distinct from all other groups who seek to change the structure of the system they operate within. 

ISIS has recruits from over 100 countries. Large numbers from Belgium and France but proportionately it also has a significant number from the Caribbean—specifically T&T. This is not a coincidence or an aside. This is a major issue to be dealt with for two reasons—ISIS operates in nodes and is a violent transnational social movement.

Nodes are standalone operators. They determine attack vectors individually. Their role is to execute the ISIS idea and not to create terrorist cells and hubs which are noisy (chatter) and can be tracked.

ISIS operators are a group of agents attached by a common cause but operating individually in groups as local nodes. There is an increasing number of familial groups involved in these operations. Another important factor is the emphasis on the local nature of the agents as they can shift and blend into their environment easily. 

They are bringing a globalised idea of jihad to the countries they wish to operate in, but execute using trained combat-hardened locals blended with trained combat experts. 

Each of these are still independent and separate nodes. Intelligence agencies looking for “chatter” have nothing to find since these nodes have no need to communicate and no reason to raise attention as they are local and blend into the terrain. 

The second key consideration is that ISIS is a social movement. Its actions and behaviours are bound in an agreed code and belief system which all its participants adhere to. This coded system creates practices and rituals which bind participants together, creating community and identity.

Tied into the belief system is the concept that individuals aren’t isolated, misunderstood, disenfranchised or marginalised any longer but part of a community in which the role they play is vital. This sense of belonging can be intoxicating. It engenders a sense of purpose and the opportunity to believe they’re a part of something bigger than themselves.

Given the power of ISIS’s social construct and its common bonds which hold its disparate membership together, it becomes apparent “returning home” is unlikely as home is where an individual feels they belong—not the country they initially escaped from due to the sense of not belonging.

Returning home takes on a new dimension—a purpose which will involve delivering the objectives and mission of the group. Nationals returning home with an ISIS identity and ethnicity are soldiers whose role is to complete a mission. This mission is further imbued with religious teaching. It becomes God’s purpose and not just the individual’s desire.

Therefore, ISIS’s identity cannot be taken off like a carnival costume on Ash Wednesday. It is more akin to a tattoo which lives on, for life, because the ink is under the skin.

ISIS is therefore a clear and present threat to T&T because those unidentified returners and those who support ISIS Salafist jihadism don’t need to be members of a group to be effective in executing their objectives. 

They function in isolation with only the broad attack vector. The disparate and distinct nature of each node practically renders them invisible to intelligence and law enforcement except those agencies who have a high human intelligence capacity and a handle on gun-running or organised crime gangs.

The Caribbean is a particularly-attractive target which explains the alleged presence of regional ISIS recruiters in such islands such as Aruba, Margarita and Suriname. 

It’s attractive because any incident in one island has a material and profound effect on all the others in the chain. What happens in one country reflects upon and impacts the other. 

This symbiotic relationship has to be nurtured and protected and that means thinking as one unified region where regional threats are the same as state threats. Caribbean islands are part of the global system, interconnected, interdependent and interrelated.

Part of dealing with this reality is to change the way security operates. In a hybrid enemy paradigm conventional warfare doesn’t work. Hybrid enemies are transnational and non-state in nature; borderless in design, intention and action. Caribbean states are still configured to deal with state enemies, rather than non-state enemies. They’re equipped with standing armies instead of cyber armies.

The operational posture remains national border patrol using state assets for state security instead of regional co-operation and co-ordination of assets. There are a plethora of intelligence units none of which speak to each other on a daily basis and certainly no adequately-functional regional intelligence agency. 

There are counter terrorist military units instead of anti-terrorist population centric action plans. 

It’s time for a new approach to national security given the threat ISIS represents. The state-centric approach is dated and globalisation and the emergence of transnational threats means a real attempt is needed at regional security sector reform. Regional is the new national. 

Joined up intelligence, regional intelligence infrastructure and planned and defined career paths for dedicated intelligence professionals creates the base upon which good regional security is built.

The nature of the message which the security services deliver is just as important as how it’s delivered. It’s not counter terrorism that’s needed to deal with this emerging threat. Counter terrorism is reactionary and conducted after the terrorist event. Anti-terrorism initiatives, on the other hand, provide counter dialogue which can be employed in social media, on television and in mosques. Pro-actionary response is what is needed to ensure those with intent to harm our region are saved from themselves.

n Candyce Kelshall is vice chair British Transport Police Independent Advisory Network, BUCSIS Doctoral Fellow, Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, The University of Buckingham; Fellow, Institute of Training and Occupational Learning, CNN terrorism analyst.)

It was Kwame Williams' love for hip-hop and rap music that made him join the now defunct rap group Spot Rushaz. When the group split, Williams quickly pursued a solo career, which today he describes as successful and gratifying. 
In an interview with the former T&T Guardian sports reporter, he boasted of staging his first full length concert on November 20 at the 4Play Sports Bar in St James.  
The concert titled All In, after the poker game, will feature a number of other local acts likes Chantal Esdelle of the local jazz group Moyenne, rappers Mark Hardy and Young Rudd, Sovereignty and upcoming rap artiste Worm. 
The concert will also be Williams' first performance with a live band, something those who follow his music have never experienced.
"I am very much looking forward to this because I believe it is always a great thing to challenge yourself as an artiste and a musician. I am really excited to see how it will all turn out,” said Williams, who said he has some surprises in store for patrons.
"I can say I truly believe hip-hop fans will leave that event completely satisfied and looking forward to another show because I intend to make this an annual event," he said.
Apart from keeping busy with his concert, Williams is also back in studio putting down tracks for his 2016 album. He said this album in comparison to his last two, would experiment more with social and political content.
"I like pushing the envelope a bit," he said with a grin.
The former Fatima College student had much success with his second album—the Playboy's Play Book. Written and recorded in Atlanta, at You World Studios, the album gained a lot of international recognition. The lead single named after Love and hip-hop Atlanta reality television star, Stevie J, wracked up over 2.7 million views on the world's biggest hip-hop Web site,
worldstarhiphop.com. The rapper was also flooded with calls from record executives who expressed interest in working with the St James boy.
"Producers were sending me beats…big producers like Lil C who produced the 2010 Shoulder Lean hit. The song was performed by Young Dro and TI. Other producers included D Focis who produced songs for Killer Mike, a former member of the Grammy-award winning hip-hop group Outkast. And Lo Key who worked with Wiz Khalifa.”
The song also received heavy rotation on local urban frequencies, almost always making “song of the day.”
Of this accomplishment, Williams is extremely proud. He articulated the joy he felt, as locally, hip-hop has not really been given the type of attention he thinks it deserves. He admitted, though, that in 2015, he saw a positive change with this, where the spotlight was actually placed on local hip-hop and the artistes who experiment with the genre.
"This was a huge step in the right direction. I cannot say that I myself have not experienced support from the local radio stations, but I do know that other hip-hop artistes, especially the upcoming ones, sorely complained about not getting the kind of support that they needed.” 
Williams said he believes the local hip-hop industry is slowly but surely coming along as more attention is being paid to it now. He said artistes can now feel comfortable to enter the industry, whereas when he started his career 11 years ago, getting support was like pulling teeth without anaesthesia. 
"This is changing and that's good," Williams said.
He is hoping to one day take home an international award for his contribution to hip-hop. And this, he said, will place T&T on the world map. 
"They will know that we are not just about soca music over here, but from one island comes world music."

Tickets for All In are currently on sale. For more information fans can call 685-3351 or visit Facebook/ Gazzi Gates, Twitter and Instagram, using the same name.

Police from the Central Division are investigating an incident where two men thew fire bombs at a used car dealership early this morning.

At about 3.20 am two men fire bombed Seecharan Used Cars located just north of the Charlieville flyover on the Southbound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway.

A spokesman said camera footage showed two men exiting a vehicle, and tossing molotov cocktails into the building damaging several vehicles.

No one was injured this morning. 

Investigations continue.

Top T&T men’s beach volleyball pair, Daneil Williams and Fabien Whitfield advanced to the quarterfinals for the third straight tournament when round-robin pool play ended at the seventh and final leg of the 2015 NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Circuit at Courland Heritage Park, Turtle Beach, Tobago, yesterday.

Playing in a five-team Pool C series, the Toco-born pair of Williams and Whitfield, winners of bronze medals in the fifth and sixth legs in Florida, USA and St Lucia respectively, swept aside St Lucians Agustin Faulkner and Joseph Clercent 21-11, 21-12 and then Costa Ricans Richard Smith and Alexander Villegas) 21-12, 21-15 in a winner-take-all contest to end with a 3-1 record behind Canada-B’s Grant O’Gorman and Sam Pedlow (4-0).

On Friday, the T&T Williams and Whitfield started with a win over Mexico-B’s Juan Revuelta and Ricardo Galindo, 21-13, 25-23, but then came up short, 18-21, 19-21 to O’Gorman and Pedlow. In Pool D, T&T-B duo and also Toco-bred, Simon Blake and Colin Bernard had a 1-3 record after winning one of two matches yesterday 21-18, 21-17 over Jamaicans Mark Lewis and Patrico Grant.

But with a chance for a 2-2 record, the T&T men suffered a narrow 18-21, 20-22 loss to Guatemalans Moises Reyes and Erick Garrido.

On Friday, Blake and Bernard were beaten by two-time winners of the tour this season, Cuba-A’s Nivaldo Diaz and  Sergio Gonzalez, 11-21, 15-21, and then went under to Arubans Gino Hodge and Fransua Angela as well, 18-21, 17-21. The Tobago duo of Kristen Trim and Kevin James (T&T-C) had a tough campaign as they ended 0-4 in Pool B round-robin play.

This after losing to Mexico-A pair and reigning Pan American Games champions Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen 6-21, 5-21; last year’s winners Canada-A’s Chaim Schalk and Ben Saxton 12-21, 6-21; USA-B’s Phil Dalhausser and Nichola Lucena) 9-21, 3-21 and Barbadians, Elwyn Oxley and Hugh Sealey, 5-21, 6-21. 

A new champion will be crowned today after defending champion, Schalk and Baxton could only finish third in the pool with a 2-2 record behind Virgen and Ontiveros (4-0), and pre-tournament favourite’s Dalhausser, a gold medal winner at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and 2010 World Champion with his partner Lucena.

Last night in the quarterfinals, Williams and Whitfield faced Cuba-B’s Karell Pina and Daisel Quesada, winners on the tour this season while USA-A (Jacob Gibb/Casey Patterson met Mexico’s Ontiveros and Virgen; Dalhausser and  Lucena battled Cuba-A’s Diaz and Gonzalez while bt Canada-B’s O’Gorman and Pedlow clashed with Guatemalans Moises Reyes and Erick Garrido.

Glasgow, Joseph miss out on Tobago quarters

The T&T women’s pair of La Teisha “Chucky” Joseph and Apphia Glasgow missed out on claiming a second quarterfinal appearance after losing to Costa Ricans Yuliana Gonzalez and Eugenia Ram’rez in their final Pool C round-robin match.

Playing under blistering sunshine, both Joseph and Glasgow and the Costa Ricans entered the match with 2-1 records and needing to win to secure the runner-up spot in the five-team pool behind unbeaten USA-B duo, Emily Day and Jennifer Kessy.

Backed by the home crowd, Glasgow and Joseph, who reached the quarterfinals of this year’s opening leg in Cayman Islands won a closely fought first set, 26-24, but the Central Americans then silenced the host by taking the next two sets, 21-12, 15-11 to grab second with a 3-1 record while T&T ended third with a 2-2 mark, with the USA winners with a 4-0 record.

It was the second loss for Glasgow and Joseph in the morning session after a 4-21, 9-21 beating from Day and Kessy. On Friday when the 20-team tournament served off, Joseph and Galsgow overcame Cayman Islands’ Jessica Wolfenden and Stefania Gandolfi 21-18, 21-15 and followed up by beating US Virgin Islands’ Mannika Charles and Amber Bennett 21-15, 21-9.

T&T’s other women’s pair, Ayanna Dyette and Malika Davidson were fourth in Pool A with a 1-3 record and also failed to reach the main draw quarterfinals.

On Friday, Dyette and Davidson were beaten in their curtain raiser, 9-21, 12-21 by USA-A’s Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Sweat, but recovered to defeat Hondurans Gina Flores and Martha Euceda, 21-14, 21-13, only to lose their final match of the day to Cuba-B’s Yanileydis Sanchez and Lidianny Echevarria, 13-21, 21-17, 12-15.

Yesterday, the T&T women fell to El Salvadoreans Kathia Vasquez and Maria Fernanda Vargas 14-21, 9-21. Last night, Glasgow and Joseph were carded to face Jamaicans Jamaica Danielle Perry and Kai Wright for 11th spot while Dyette and Davidson came up against Cayman Islands’ Wolfenden and Gandolfi for 13th.

In the quarterfinals, USA-B (Jennifer Kessy/Emily Day) faced defending champions, Canada-B (Melissa Humana-Paredes/Taylor Pishcke); USA-A (Lauren Fendrick/Brooke Sweat) battled Costa Rica (Yuliana González/Eugenia Ramírez); Cuba-A (Lianma Flores/Leila Martínez), last year’s runner-up came up against Mexico-B (Claudia Ríos/Gloria Santoyo), and Cuba-B (Yanileydis Sanchez/Lidianny Echevarría) tackled Canada-A (Jamie Broder/Kristina Valjas).

Humbled! That’s how West Indies and T&T left-handed batsman and right-arm fast bowler Darren Michael Bravo has responded to the T&T Cricket (TTCB) decision to name him as its International Cricketer of the Year 2015.

The announcement was made at the national sporting organisation’s (NSO) 59th annual presentation of awards held at the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) in Couva, held on October 24.

In a T&T Guardian interview, he said, “Being voted as the TTCB International Cricketer of The Year was definitely a great feeling. I was a bit surprised because I wasn’t aware or notified by the TTCB that I was, but having said that I'm very humbled by this. And, having received this award, it will have a special place in my heart. I will also like to congratulate my other teammates who were in contention for this award as well. This was the second time I’ve won this award.

“When I look in the mirror I see a man. I’ve matured a lot over the past few years. I had my ups and downs, but I never gave up. Obviously on the field of play, I think it’s my responsibility to carry the batting of the West Indies and I’m looking forward to the challenge. Off the field, I just want to continue enjoying my life as much as possible. There are a few initiatives that I’m part of, so that keeps me busy off the field. So physically and mentally I’m in a good place so it’s just a matter of me moving from strength to strength.”

Don’t abandon Red Force

Tackling the issue of T&T Red Force’s failing at regional tournaments, he said, personally it was “very important” for him to contribute significantly when available to play for the team. 

“I believe as a team most of our best players are always away on international duties, so therefore that tends to hamper our chances of claiming the four-day title. But at the end of the day, even though you may not win the title, you are producing world class players like (Sunil) Narine (Kieron) Pollard or (Dwayne) Bravo and every team around the world is seeking your services. That in itself is a victory for us as a country. 

“Having said that we need to work on our concentration a lot more and as batsmen we need to convert starts into bigger scores. I believe our bowling over the past few years was very good, so if our batting come to the party then I believe we have a very good chance,” he said.

Is young T&T, WI cricketers mentally weak?

While he declined comment on the Caribbean sporting community’s perceived bias in the repeated non-selection of top T&T cricketers Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard for duty by the WICB’s panel of selectors, Bravo was, however, armed with a response when it came to debunking criticisms leveled against young T&T and West Indies players.

Some administrators have deemed them as mentally weak despite their innate talent, a development which was believed to be affecting their level of consistency on the pitch. 

For athletes to improve their game, he said, administrators of the sport needed to put the right ingredients in place. Bravo believed once that was done, the level of the cricketers and cricket would improve. 

“I believe in the Caribbean, we have some of the most talented cricketers in the world, but it takes a lot more than that to be successful at the international level. Hard work and dedication are very important. So as a player you have to go the extra the mile, if you really want to achieve your goals. But there must be a proper relationship with both parties. It will certainly help,” he said.

On being a role model

He had no qualms that while carving out a successful professional career, so far, he was able to achieve role model status. Bravo believed it was very important that he portrayed a very positive attitude both on and off the field whatever the situation. In his estimation, a good role model made the children whom believed in them knows they could do anything, if they simply put their minds to it. And as fate would have it that was a characteristic he tried to instill in the minds of youths with whom he came into contact.

Expressing his views on the state of sports in T&T, he said, “I believe that there’s more than enough talent in every sporting discipline in T&T. What we do with the talent is very critical. 

If we can be there for our sportsmen and women every step of the way, we can bring a lot more joy and happiness to our beloved country. Improving the facilities to top class standard is something we need to get right. So therefore, whenever we go into events or tournaments we won’t be a step behind other countries. So if we get those simple things right, everything else will fall into place.”

Contrary to public opinion Bravo made it clear he was not struggling to get out of the shadows of former WI cricketer Brian Lara and his brother (Dwayne), since no shadows existed.

In fact, the younger Bravo cherished the fact both were very close to him and were always available to share advice and lend support, and for that he was eternally grateful.

Fielding questions about starting a family and the possibility of directing his children to follow in his sporting footsteps, Bravo said based on his personality, when that time came, he would allow his offsprings to choose, and would support them unconditionally. 

“Cricket is not an easy sport so therefore, I won't ever want to put pressure on them to do something that they don’t want to do. But I have time on my hands. So we will see how that goes,” he said laughing. 

When it is your day, it is your day and Jeremy Solozano found it was his yesterday, as he recovered from two dropped catches to record a century to give T&T a first innings score of 271 on the second day of their PCL Four-day clash at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

Replying to the home team score at the end of the day, the Jamaicans were in the hunt at 119 for three.

After Solozano recorded his maiden First Class century to give Red Force to 271 runs to work with, the Jamaicans found the locals bowling to be disciplined and had to fight hard for their runs. Daniel St Clair gave the sparse crowd something to celebrate very early, as he accounted for left hander John Campbell with only three runs on the board.

Opener Paul Palmer and Barbadian Kirk Edwards pushed the score to 46 but both fell within space of 27 runs and the Jamaicans were soon 77/3. Palmer fell to leg-spinner Imran Khan for 35, while Edwards gave Guyanese Narsingh Deonarine his scalp for 19.

After that the veteran Tamar Lambert and Andre McCarthy joined forces to bring the Jamaicans right back into the game. McCarthy using forthright methods was able to get the visitors out of their sticky position, as they closed on 118/3. 

McCarthy was batting strongly and was unbeaten on 49 in 100 minutes off 66 balls with seven fours. Lambert was not out 12 and will look to guide his young team pass Red Force total when play resumes today. Earlier, T&T resumed on the bedtime position of 145/5 and overnight pair Solozano and Stephen Katwaroo rallied well. The two continued where they left off the previous evening and pushed the score along easily. 

Solozano brought up his hundred after two chances, firstly on 71, where he was dropped by Lambert off Marquino Mindley and then at point, just three runs short of his hundred. 

He fell soon after to the bowling of leg-spinner Damian Jacobs for 110. In all he batted for 337 minutes in which time he negotiated 274 balls, 10 of which he sent to the fence. When he trudged off the score on the NGC Board read 219/6 - which represented a partnership of 115 with Katwaroo for the sixth wicket. The wicket-keeper batsman Katwaroo just missed out on his second successive half century, as he was unfortunately run out soon after for 45. He faced 149 balls and struck four fours in the 174 minutes he spent on the turf.

Towards the end Marlon Richards struck an unbeaten 26 and Daniel St Clair counted 18, as the tail wagged to ensure that the Red Force had a competitive score.

SCOREBOARD

Red Force vs Scorpions
Red Force 1st inns
K Ottley b Dawes    1 
J Solozano c Lambert b Jacobs    110
K Hope c Walton b Bernard    30
N Deonarine c Walton b Bernard    3
Y Carriah c Walton b Bernard    2
Y Ottley lbw Mindley    18
S Katwaroo run out    45
I Khan lbw Lambert    8
M Richards not out    26
D St Clair lbw Miller    18
K Kantasingh c Watson b Campbell    0 
Extras  2lb, 8nb    10
Total all out    271
Fall of wkts: 1, 39, 48, 62, 104,219, 219, 232, 264, 271. 
Bowling: M Mindley 17-4-41-1, J Dawes 14-1-52-1, D Bernard 14-2-25-3, N Miller 34-12-49-1, D Jacobs 37-1-68-1, J Campbell 8.2-1-20-1, T Lambert 1-0-4-1. 

Scorpions inns
J Campbell c S Katwaroo b St Clair    2
P Palmer b Khan    35
K Edwards lbw Deonarine    19
A McCrathy not out    49
T Lambert not out    12
Extras: 2b    2
Total for 3 wkts    119
Fall of wkts: 3, 46, 73.
Bowling: M Richards 8-2-20-0, D St. Clair 7-1-23-1, K Kantasingh 7-1-12-0, N Deonarine 9-1-26-1, I Khan 11-3-36-1. 

Other scores
In Roseau, Dominica
Windward Islands Volcanoes vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes
HURRICANES 24 for seven decl (Kevin McCLean 2-2, Mervin Matthews 2-6, Kenroy Peters 2-12) and 170 (Nkrumah Bonner 64, Shane Jeffers 30; Liam Sebastien 5-75, Alston Bobb 4-48) 
VOLCANOES 140 (Tyrone Theophile 62, Andre Fletcher 31; Alzarri Joseph 7-48, Rahkeem Cornwall 2-28) and 56 for two (Johnson Charles 21 not out). 
Volcanoes won by eight wickets.

In Georgetown, Guyana,
Barbados Pride vs Guyana Jaguars
JAGUARS 337 (Vishaul Singh 121, Leon Johnson 74, Assad Fudadin 42, Raymon Reifer 32, Shimron Hetmyer 24; Kevin Stoute 3-40, Roston Chase 2-28)
PRIDE 60 for four (Veerasammy Permaul 2-24)

SYDNEY—Successful former Australia captain Steve Waugh has blamed poor leadership and the lure of global Twenty20 tournaments for the demise of West Indies cricket. 

Speaking in Bangkok at a global forum for young leaders, the 50-year-old Waugh said the decline of West Indies cricket had been unfortunate but was hopeful the region could rebound soon as world cricket needed a strong Windies side.

“What has happened in the West Indies unfortunately in the last 10 years is that they have lacked leadership,” said Waugh, who led Australia in 57 of his 168 Tests before quitting international cricket 11 years ago.

“A lot of their current players value, I guess, Twenty20 cricket and making money rather than representing the West Indies.

“They need to get back that real sense of pride for playing for the West Indies. They have a great culture and tradition in cricket.”

West Indies dominated world cricket in the late 1970s and 1980s, producing star studded teams under the astute leadership of legendary figures like Clive Lloyd and Sir Vivian Richards.

However, West Indies have struggled over the last 20 years and are ranked eighth in Tests and ninth in One-Day Internationals. They missed out on qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy because of their ranking, marking the first time they have failed to qualify for the ‘mini World Cup.’

Waugh told the forum that the Australia side which came to dominate world cricket following the Windies’ fall, had been built on the model established by the successful Caribbean team.

“They were the benchmark for cricket. That was what the Australian team’s success was based on, following the blueprint of what the West Indies cricket used to be and used to do. No shame in that,” Waugh explained.

“They were too good for everyone. They were unbeaten for 15 years. Australia hadn’t beaten the West Indies for 22 years and I definitely followed their model and we tried to tweak it a bit to suit Australia’s way of cricket.

“I would hate to see that lost because a poor West Indies cricket side really weakens world cricket – so I, for one, would love to see the West Indies strong again.”

Waugh was one of West Indies’ nemeses throughout his career, averaging nearly 50 in 32 Tests against them. He finished with 10,927 career runs overall. West Indies are set to arrive here next month for three Tests against the Australians.

CMC

Former Soca Warriors footballer and head coach Russell Latapy is optimistic about this country’s chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but does not want the team to get complacent and overconfident.

The Soca Warriors have made a positive start to its World Cup qualifying campaign, defeating Guatemala 2-1 on November 13 and holding USA to a 0-0 draw at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain on Tuesday. 

Latapy, who was part of the T&T squad who qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany said: “From what I have seen on Tuesday night I am quietly confident that we will do really well. I do not want to speak to highly of the team and we get overconfident and complacent.”

Latapy said he was impressed with the standard of the Soca Warriors against USA. 

“I want to say congrats to coach (Stephen) Hart. I thought the team did the country proud. It was a very organised and disciplined performance. We kept the ball extremely well and we made life extremely difficult for the States. As a fan I am just disappointed that we did not come away with the three points.”

Latapy, who was called the “Little Magician” in his playing days, wants the team to stay focused. 

“Firstly, I would like to say there is no easy games in football its 11 versus 11. If we start thinking that way we will get complacent. 

“But I do believe in this group of players and I do believe in coach Hart. I think they have had fantastic results in the last two games. I am sure they will continue to play well and do well,” he said.

Latapy added that Hart is low key and that is a good strategy which would allow the team to sneak up on people. The former talented midfielder urged the T&T public to support the team and asked corporate T&T to lend its support as well.

Karyn Forbes got the lone goal as T&T Women Soca Warriors battled past Puerto Rico 1-0 to top their Caribbean Football Unions Olympic Qualifiers at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Friday night.

Both T&T and Puerto Rico, entered the match already assured of places in next year’s eight-team Concacaf final round event from February 10-21 in Houston, USA, after recording extra-time semifinal wins over Jamaica (2-1) and Guyana (1-0), respectively, at the same Couva venue on Wednesday night.

On Friday, it took a clinical finish from Forbes in the 24th minute to decide the contest, as she latched onto a through ball, before firing past the advancing Karly Gustafson in goal for Puerto Rico. T&T veteran midfielder Tasha St Louis then had two chances to add to her team’s lead before the half-time interval, however she failed on both occasions.

First, St Louis headed overbar from on the six-yard line off a precise right sided cross from livewire Ahkeela Mollon in the 32nd, and four minutes later she raced through on goal, only for a her right footed effort to be parried away by goalkeeper Gustafson.

At the other end of the field, the T&T defensive trio of captain Arin King, Lauryn Hutchinson and Danielle Blair, restricted the Puerto Ricans to long range efforts which were easily handled by goalkeeper Kamika Forbes, when on target.

Seven minutes into the second-half, Forbes (Karyn) wasted a chance for her and T&T’s second, when she blasted high over bar from inside the 18-yard box, after being put through by a clever Khadidra Debesette pass, with a her back to goal from a flighted St Louis pass.

Puerto Rico almost made T&T rue its missed effort as substitute Annie Lee Mendez beat the offside trap and raced in on goal but goalkeeper Forbes was alert to the play and raced off her line to deflect the striker’s attempt onto the crossbar.

St Louis then had another chance to add to T&T’s lead from a Mollon long ball, but her turn and left footed shot was well covered by Gustafson, diving low to her right.

With five minutes left in the match, Puerto Rico had another chance to get on the scoresheet, but substitute Selimar Pagan, after running onto a through ball from Laura Saurez, from almost the half line hit wide of the far post. T&T then created a few other chances through Mollon, but in the end, the Anthony Creece-coached Women Soca Warriors came away deserved winners.

Up next for the Women Soca Warriors is a friendly encounter against Concacaf powerhouse USA in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 6. Speaking after the win, Creece said he was pleased that his team was able to get the job done on the night.

“Coming off of the tough extra-time semifinal win over Jamaica, all the girls were a bit tired and while tonight we could have put away other chances to make it easier, I’m still satisfied with the performance,” said Creece.

“The sport of football is all about results and sometimes you will get lopsided wins and sometimes you have to grind out results, and tonight was just one of those where we had to dig deep.”

Looking ahead Creece said the team will resume training next week in preparation for the match away to USA and he was also expecting a few other overseas-based players to join the team.

With regards to former captain Maylee Attin-Johnson and striker Kennya Cordner who opted not to play due to a dispute with team management, Creece said the door was open to all. In Friday’s first match, Guyana stunned Jamaica 2-1 to secure the third CFU spot to the Concacaf qualifiers.

Jamaica took the lead a minute before half-time through Tashana Vincent, but Guyana hit back with second-half items from Mariam EL Masri (48th) and Brittany Persaud (73rd) to pull off the upset.

WELLS: MICHAEL HAMEl passed away peacefully on Thursday 19th November, 2015. Son of Everard and Maude Wells (both deceased). Husband of Joyce. Father of Frances and Andrew. Grandfather of Julia. Brother of Lena, Bertie, Madge, Elsie “Toddie” and Perri (all deceased).

The funeral of the late Michael Hamel Wells takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday 24th November, 2015 at the Church of The Assumption, Long Circular Road, Maraval. Interment at Mucurapo Cemetery. For enquiries call R. M de Souza Memorial Chapel Limited at 223-2007/637-2009.  

MURIEL, JAMES died on 14th November 2015. Mother of Selwyn James. Grandmother of Curtis, Richard, Ronald and Julia James. Great grandmother of Chrystal and Josiah James and Mariq Reyes. Sister of Verna Rowley, Lorna Turpin, Sybil Solozano, Errol Felix and Cyril James. Aunt of Ivy, Theresa, Melvina, Marilyn, Peter, Pauline, Winnell, Carl, Judy and many more. Great aunt of Pamela, Christine, P.J. and many others. Great great aunt of many. Grandmother in law of Hazel and Camille James. Adopted mother of Shevion Callender.

Relatives of the James and Johnsons. Funeral service on Tuesday 24th November 2015 at 2pm from Holy Cross R.C. Church Santa Cruz thence to the Churchyard Cemetery. Joy Altermatt, Malcolm, Hubert (dec'd), Anthony, Roger (dec'd) and Alastaire McFarlane, Patricia Chase, Marion Trim, Barbara Pierre and Cheryl Salandy.

The funeral service for the late MARILYN McFARLANE will take place at the Bethel World Outreach Ministries, no.1 Bethel Avenue, Arima on Tuesday 24th November at 10am and thence to the Industry Cemetery, D'Abadie.  

Last week, two bold statements emerged from a consultation on the need for short and medium-term measures to contain road traffic congestion at the Ministry of Works and Transport on Wednesday.

Fitzroy Phillip, a retired assistant superintendent, suggested that half of the private vehicles be taken off the roads on alternative days as a solution, while Deodath Mulchan, ACP in charge of Mobile, blamed “macocious” citizens for slowing traffic at accidents.

Mr Phillip quite accurately noted that in the face of large numbers of vehicle registrations, which he estimated at more than 100,000 since 2012, “We have had no new roads. We have had deteriorating roads.”

While there is research available to support the deleterious effect of rubbernecking on traffic flows, experimental efforts at containing the problem in first world nations using screens to block motorists from viewing roadside accidents and construction have had little success.

The scale of chaos that would result if Mr Phillip’s suggestion, in the style of King Solomon, to divide traffic in two, was implemented is almost impossible to imagine.

The consultations were fortunate to include the presence of Dr Rae Furlonge, who has to his credit at least one Carnival Tuesday success in implementing systems to relieve foot traffic flows into and out of the Savannah.

It was left to Dr Furlonge to suggest moderation in the implementation of any new plans as he called for nationwide consultation on any major changes to traffic flows while emphasising the need for enticements instead of punishments for travellers.

What’s required to come to grips with the gridlock woes of T&T goes far beyond consultations on the matter at the ministerial level. This is a problem that demands hard science and quantification if we are to understand what’s causing massive traffic slowdowns at peak travel times.

There is as much observational evidence to support a quite different approach to the problems of peak traffic, one based on very localised solutions to each instance of gridlock.

Such solutions don’t have the allure of massive scale works solutions like the rapid rail or avoidance solutions like the water-taxi service, but they can have dramatic impact.

Traffic into and out of Diego Martin will still slow down sometimes, but it would be churlish not to recognise the major change that the rerouting of the main flows of vehicles at the Four Roads intersection had on traffic. Before the one-way solution to traffic between Cocorite and Port-of-Spain in 2012 was abruptly cancelled, it seemed that the project was beginning to work.

No evaluation report on that project has ever been tabled for public consideration. Has anything been learned from the two months it was active? Separate and specific study of the major traffic challenges faced by commuters is called for if real world solutions are to emerge.

There are other adjustments that might be tried, inclusive of carpooling, improvements in public transport infrastructure and punctuality, toll gates to enter the city proper, greater emphasis on flexible working hours and inducements to businesses in the most congested cities and towns to introduce flexible times for employees and officially encourage telecommuting.

It’s not that there is a shortage of remedies for local traffic congestion, it’s just that there is a desperate shortfall in statistical information and analysis of traffic patterns and an insufficient understanding of the choke points that create gridlocks.

If we’re going to talk about fixing traffic, there must be a commitment to understanding it fully and not accept casual observation as a basis for fixing the problem.

“An expression of humiliation, this rage, this sense of disenfranchisement that so many hundreds of Muslims feel,” is one reason put forward by Prof Bernard Haykel to explain why those like Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (said to be the aspiring Caliph of the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq, parts of those countries now occupied by the IS) are intent on pursuing a campaign of savage violence against western countries and their citizens.

Others such as Professor Andy Knight, Director of the Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies note that the West has been instrumental in harbouring and cultivating generations of jihadists of one variety or the other.  

A glance at history through the 20th century would find that either to undermine communist regimes in different parts of the world including in the Caribbean and Latin America, Western alliances led by the United States have cultivated the likes of the Duvaliers, Rafael Trujillo, and in the Arab world, from the right wing extremist Shah of Iran to characters such as Saddam Hussein, Bin Laden, the Mujahideen and even supported the rebels against President Assad in Syria.  

Many from those western programmes of strategic support have turned into raging tyrants and resulted in disasters such as the Paris killing of the 129. Not too incidentally, while the Paris massacre has attracted instant worldwide attention of the American and European media, there has been silence and blindness to the brutal killings of 147 in Kenya by the Al-Shabab group, another violence-centred Islamic group in parts of Africa.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
Far from being an expert or anything like a devoted researcher on the subject, I have read, listened and reflected upon this phase of uprising (the latter a word appropriated from the Rastafarian movement to indicate a new consciousness amongst the “tribe”) of what is being referred to variously and interchangeably as radical and/or extremist Islam, most recently dramatised and personified by the assault in Paris and the downing of the Russia-bound aircraft, said to have been bombed out of the sky.

Traditional Islamic clerics have been critical of the kind of action that has been taken by the IS and have denounced the group and its leaders as non-Islamic in their interpretation of the sacred teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.

However, as scholars such as Haykel have claimed, “the reality is that the Islamic State is Islamic. Very Islamic. Yes, it has attracted psychopaths and adventure seekers, drawn largely from the disaffected populations of the Middle East and Europe. 

But the religion preached by its most ardent followers derives from coherent and even learned interpretations of Islam.” What is certain is that IS has shown itself, its propagandistic methods and strategies to achieve its goal as being ruthless and quite clever when required.  

As to what are the overall objectives of IS, there are also questions here: is it that IS merely wants to establish a caliphate in Syria/Iraq to practise Islam in the way the leaders see fit? Or is the Islamic State working towards hastening a global apocalypse leading to the destruction of the “infidels”? 

A major concern would be whether the attacks of the present continue and whether they increase in numbers and intensity and the likely impact that such a possibility could have on economic and social life in Europe, North America and eventually the rest of the world. If further mass attacks take place, they are sure to generate responses in kind from the West. 

In such circumstances, trade and economic activity of all kinds will suffer the effects of fear, uncertainty, concerns about travelling, about investing, about social life, surely national and international sporting and entertainment events will be dramatically and negatively affected. Sure the industrial economy of the West will go into overdrive to produce the weapons of war. 

However, as IS has shown itself capable, this will not be a war fought only on “enemy territory,” but will be conducted in western lands, even western capitals with daring and effectiveness.

What, however, has come into critical focus is the claim by Japanese/American historian, Francis Fukuyama, that after the Berlin Wall was grounded into the dust (1989-1990), that world ideological history had come to an end: the capitalist ethic and civilisation had triumphed over all else and bar the minor contentions amongst those who live in the one-world paradise, peace and harmony would dominate.  

In the Samuel Huntington post Cold-War vision, “the great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. 

Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilisations. The clash of civilisations will be the battle lines of the future.”

A civilisational clash of the kind envisaged by Huntington would have to include at least a significant portion of the 1.5 billion Muslims now existing in the world. But will non-IS Islam be involved in such a clash?  

Much of this is delving into the unknown, the unpredictable, the unsure as to how this jihad will turn out. Will the present state of conflict fizz out into nothingness as the West mounts military and economic challenges against IS?

Do street protests work? IAMovement puts this to the test on November 29, when the Port-of-Spain to Paris People’s Climate March kicks off at 3 pm from Nelson Mandela Park. 

The purpose of the Climate March is to join hundreds of thousands of other climate activists around the world in demanding that governments negotiate real, binding commitments to reduce carbon emissions at the COP 21 climate change talks in Paris. Those talks start on November 30. 

The tool of the negotiations is the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDCs. INDCs communicate how countries intend to reduce their carbon emissions and by how much. What each country pledges to do is totally voluntary but once the INDCs are agreed upon in Paris, they must be binding for the agreement to have value.

Scientists and activists expect good INDCs. IAMovement co-founder Jonathan Barcant doesn’t think that T&T is committing itself enough. Barcant said: “We only commit fully to 30 per cent public transport emission reduction. That amounts to 1-2 per cent total greenhouse gas reductions at most.

“I don’t think that it is fair. T&T is a massive fossil fuel producer. T&T has enjoyed income from the fossil fuel industry and now we have the responsibility to invest in carbon reduction projects to reduce our impacts.”

T&T has the world’s second highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions. It has made hundreds of billions from its fossil fuel industry. 

T&T has also made a conditional agreement to reduce total GHG emissions by 15 per cent but makes this conditional on international funding from the Green Climate Fund. The Green Climate Fund itself is supposed to be funded to the tune of US$100 bn annually but so far it has only attracted investments of about US$10 bn. 

What have some Caribbean countries committed to? 

St Vincent and the Grenadines intends to unconditionally reduce its economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 22 per cent compared to its business as usual scenario by 2025. In real terms SVG will effectively have the same GHG emissions in 2025 that it has today. Dominica commits to a 44.7 per cent reduction from 2014 levels. 

Barbados will reduce its GHGs by 44 per cent compared to its business as usual scenario by 2030. 

A good INDC is ambitious and drives change and innovation in carbon intensive sectors and industry; it is transparent. Stakeholders must be able to track progress and ensure that countries meet their stated goals.

INDCs must also be equitable. Each country must do its fair share to address climate change. Is a 30 per cent unconditional reduction in emissions from public transport equitable? 

Let’s first look at what the Caribbean has to lose. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a conservative organisation. IPCC outlook for the Caribbean is a 5-6 per cent decrease in rainfall, a 1.2°C to 2.3°C increase in median surface temperature and sea level rise of 0.5m to 0.6m.

In short, rainfall patterns are changing and will change further. Sea level rise will erode coastlines. The Caribbean can expect more and more severe storms. Droughts will challenge water supplies and agriculture. So we are talking radical effects on our living space, the food we need to grow and our drinking water. These are basic needs. Life is not possible without them. 

Caribbean islands are economically vulnerable. Climate change will make this worse. It is difficult to state with certainty how or if Tropical Storm Erika, which hit Dominica earlier this year, was affected by climate change. What we do know is that these storms will be more frequent. 

The damage done to Dominica was about 50 per cent of its GDP. In what may be the Caribbean’s first industrial climate change victim, Colgate-Palmolive decided to close its Dominica factory, damaged by Erika. 

I’m going to chime in with Barcant and say that I do not think that T&T has committed itself enough. We are selling ourselves short. There is great opportunity in setting an ambitious carbon target. For decades T&T has been the victim of the ups and downs of the fossil fuel industry. 

Economic recessions and consumerist booms, in tandem with the ups and downs of international oil futures, have ruled Trinidadian and Tobagonian lives. 

The result is mixed. There is great wealth in some quarters. Porsche Cayennes glide past the gang-dominated shanties on the Beetham Highway. There has been a dramatic increase in the standard of living for many but we have never developed a diverse, sustainable economy. 

Nearly two centuries after emancipation, and more than half a century after independence, we are still a single commodity plantation economy. What independent country determines its budget by the price of oil? 

Ambitious INDC goals will force T&T to innovate and diversify. It will force T&T to become a real economy and not just an oil or gas wellhead to be taxed. Our reserves are nearing a critical phase. To continue the status quo is a non-option. Let’s enshrine that in T&T’s INDCs.

Come to the PoS-Paris Climate March and demand ambition and positive change.

Pan Trinbago’s Pan in D Country Side 2015 was fantastic. All participants and patrons agreed that it was one of the best. In this, the last such event for 2015, a number of steelbands volunteered to give their services free of charge, to raise funds to assist three icons of the South/Central region in attaining greater mobility.

Out of the bands wishing to participate, only seven were selected. The programme started at about 4 pm with radio I95.5 fm streaming live from Rio Claro.  The president, Keith Diaz and councillor R Nagassar of the Rio Claro Regional Corporation welcomed everyone.

Fusion Steel, with vocals and their youthful vibration, kicked things off, followed by Hatters Steel Orchestra. Then came New Age Trendsetters Steel, led by Glenford Sobers, one of the awardees, followed by host band Rio Claro Koskeros Steel led by another awardee—who both gave sterling accounts of themselves. 

Also featured was the Showstoppers Tassa Group  who had everyone on their feet. The Friends of Pan Trinbago, a group of volunteers working together to assist the organisation then made cash presentations of  $1,000 to each of the three icons. 

Receiving envelopes were honourees Glenford Sobers and Kenny Pascal. Chairman of South/Central David Balbosa, received on behalf Lennox “Sam” Fortune, who was in hospital at the time. Contributions were taken and the crowd gave generously towards defraying the cost of automated wheelchairs.

Supernovas Steel Orchestra followed by Witco Desperadoes, left nothing to chance as they rendered hit after hit. Following was San City Steel Symphony, who treated the crowd to the power of brass and steel.

The programme closed off with Fusion Steel performing to near midnight, leaving a satisfied crowd. South Central Region collected over $4,000 towards our goal of $90,000 for wheelchairs.  What an outpouring of love it was.

The Tenor Pan raffle donated by the president and the Pan Case from South/Central region was drawn on November 11. The winner was Neil Lesaldo of Sheet 66. Pan Trinbago expresses thanks for all the support received. May everyone have an enjoyable Christmas and a bright, prosperous 2016 as steelbands continue to prepare for Panorama and Carnival. 

Judging from the looks of the Rio Claro crowd on November 7, it brings to mind a line from a Curtis Mayfield song that says: “Many think that we have blown it, but they too, will soon admit, there’s still a lot of love amongst us” as we keep on keeping on. Bless! Continue to support the steelband movement as we move ahead.

Michael L Joseph
Public Relations Officer, Pan Trinbago Inc

October 2015 became the hottest one on record. Again irrefutable evidence that global warming is a reality. What would be the impact of this on the built environment? 

In T&T, there is no need for space heating, being a tropical country, but space cooling has become fairly standard for both residential and commercial buildings. In places like Florida, a semi-tropical climate, the houses are designed for central air conditioning. The same does not apply here and, further, the kind of building materials we use here might not be optimal for energy efficiency. 

Most houses here, are constructed using either clay or concrete blocks. A cross-section of any typical wall will be a layer of dried mortar on a layer of clay or concrete followed by an air space and then layers of clay/concrete and mortar respectively. 

Air is an insulator and thus once the building heats up, it takes a very long time to cool down. The heat energy contained in the walls contribute significantly to the cooling load and hence a higher electric bill. 

To bring this point home, readers are asked to put their hands on the inside of the western wall of their house in the evening. They would be surprised by how hot the wall is. This problem can be exacerbated by the type of paint used. 

As the outer wall heats up, the heat flows inwards along the cross section of the wall heating up the trapped air and the inner wall. The inner wall is cooled by both the cool air from the ac unit and the environment outside which is cool at night. The air in the wall, being an insulator, retards heat flow.

In colonial times, to prevent the inner wall from heating up, walls were made of quite thick solid rocks, thick enough for the temperature drop from the outer wall to the inner one to be large enough so that the inner wall was not heated up at all or minimally so. This design meant that the inside of the house was not heated up, it remained cool. This is not the case with the existing hollow bricks that we now use. 

If we are to develop energy efficient houses to mitigate the effects of global warming and also to minimise the electric cooling bill, then R&D work must be done to determine the optimal geometric dimensions of bricks required to reduce the heating of the inner wall.    

The kind of paint used also has significant bearing on how much the wall heats up from the sun’s rays. Paints that have a low absorptivity will mean that the wall does not absorb much of the solar energy striking it, resulting in a reduced temperature on both the outer and inner sides of the west facing wall. There are many paints on the local market from both local and foreign producers. The thermal parameters of these paints must be available to the public as a matter of course.

Heat transfer is an integral part of any mechanical engineering programme and the determination of the thermal properties of building materials forms an essential component of any energy conservation programme. To design buildings that are energy efficient requires detailed studies to arrive at suitable construction materials and designs for our hot and humid climate. 

None of the local universities have any active R&D programme in this area and hence one is needed. It would of benefit to Powergen, T&TEC and the manufacturers of concrete and clay bricks to be involved in and, indeed, to sponsor research in this area.

Some good public education has been done on appraising the public on the merits of switching from incandescent bulbs to fluorescent ones. A similar programme should be embarked upon to educate the public of the benefits of making their homes thermally efficient.