quote:

Originally posted by Ramakant_p:
Soon Trinidad will have to bring labourers from outside to fill all those jobs the T&T government is creating.

They already are from Jamaica.

Mon Sep 18, 2006
Basdeo Panday to exit TT Parliament after September

Former Prime Minister and leader of the United National Congress Party in Trinidad, Basdeo Panday, will not seek an extension of his Parliamentary leave when it expires this month.
The seat will be declared vacant in the new term when Parliament opens on September 29.

Panday confirmed on Friday that he will not be seeking an extension, and that he also does not intend to contest any seat in politics again due to his April court conviction.

CJ withdraws suit against PM

Darren Bahaw


Wednesday, September 20th 2006(T&T Newsday)



CHIEF JUSTICE Satnarine Sharma yesterday withdrew a lawsuit which attempted to stop Prime Minister Patrick Manning from invoking impeachment proceedings related to a complaint made by Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls.

While Manning's attorneys had no complaint with Sharma's latest move, they insisted that Sharma be penalised by being ordered to pay the legal costs incurred by the Prime Minister in defending the lawsuit, a position strongly opposed by Sharma's lawyers.

High Court Judge Rajendra Narine, sitting in the Port of Spain Third Civil Court at the Hall of Justice, eventually ruled that he was allowing the application's withdrawal and made no order against Sharma with regards to the legal costs incurred by Manning.

McNicolls's complaint of Sharma trying to influence him in the criminal trial of former prime minister Basdeo Panday has resulted in attempts by the police to charge him with a criminal offence of attempting to pervert the course of public justice.

Sharma's challenge of that decision will be heard in the Privy Council on October 3 and 4.

Attorney Deborah Peake SC, who appeared for Sharma, along with attorneys Rikki Harnanan, Devesh Maharaj and Adrian Byrne, told the judge that her client's lawsuit was based on a press release issued by Manning on May 11.

That release stated that the Prime Minister had informed Sharma on May 10 that "he had begun the process under Section 137 of the Constitution to determine whether the Chief Justice ought to be removed from Office".

It also noted that the McNicolls report had been forwarded to Attorney General John Jeremie for appropriate action. In a statement to Parliament on May 12, Manning stated that he "will not recommend to the President that the question of removing the Chief Justice ought to be investigated unless I am fully satisfied that there is prima facie sufficient basis in fact to warrant such an investigation".

Since then, she said, there had been several developments, including an attempt to arrest Sharma on a criminal charge based on the same allegation raised by McNicolls.

Peake said those proceedings were also subject to a legal challenge and it would not be in the interest of the administration of justice to have different courts pronouncing on the same application.

However, Manning's lead attorney, Douglas Mendes SC* , said Sharma's lawsuit was based on bias and his client had incurred expenses in coming to court to defend the action, which included filing affidavits in response.

Mendes, who appeared with attorneys Stuart Young, Michael Quamina, Rehanna Hosein and Grace Jankey, said the position of the Prime Minister was set out clearly in his speech to Parliament and noted that Sharma should have withdrawn the lawsuit long before.

Peake noted that while the general rule in judicial review cases was that a person terminating a lawsuit after responses had been filed should bear the legal costs incurred by the defendant, in this particular case, which had been overtaken by events not in the control of Sharma, there should be no order of costs against him.




Douglas Mendes SC* Related to British director Sam Mendes who was the director of "American Beauty" and "Jar Head".

Sam Mendes dad emigrated to the UK in the 1950's.

Petrotrin/ExxonMobil firm up deal


Thursday, September 7 2006(T&T Newsday)


Petrotrin and its joint venture partner ExxonMobil have taken their partnership one step further and have begun to drill a wildcat well near to the West Soldado fields, according to Petrotrin in its latest newsletters. The well was suspended on June 18.

This drilling programme is another step in the three-year exploration contract that ExxonMobil signed with Petrotrin for work in the Soldado Field area in the Gulf of Paria, the company said.

The US$25M programme included the reprocessing of existing 3D seismic data (500sqkm), acquisition of new seismic, drilling of three exploratory wells and training for State Oil company employees, it was noted. In September 2004 Petrotrin concluded the acquisition of a 300 sq km 3D seismic survey over the North marine Area of the Gulf of Paria.

Division Geologist Archie said the targeted area is relatively untouched as the last exploration well was drilled there by Trinmar in 1974.

"They had Manzanilla-Nariva Sands as their target and none were found so the well was considered to be a dry hole," he said.

With the new deal with Exxon Mobil, Archie believes the company stands to benefit significantly from this programme.

"We estimate that drilling should last for about 77 days," he said. "Once the well is completed we should be able to assess our results."

Petrotrin is engaged in a number of other joint venture drilling programmes.

It is currently engaged in drilling the Kingbird-1 well with BHP Billiton in Block 3a. But BHP Billiton is the operator.

With Talisman as the operator, Petrotrin has also entered into a joint venture to drill the Shandon Beni-1 well in the Eastern Block, which will be targeting the Cretaceous reservoirs. In addition to these, plans are in place to begin drilling with British Gas in the Central Block.

This programme will target the Miocene reservoirs.

Petrotrin has also partnered with EOG, bpTT and the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) to drill the Deep Ibis Well, the country's deepest exploration well so far. "And we are drilling wells in the North Coast Marine Area with bpTT," Archie added.

These wells will be targeting the gas sands, which are currently being produced in the Hibiscus area.

Petro Canada and Eni are also partners in this joint venture, the company said.

quote:

Originally posted by Eric's_Revenge:

Douglas Mendes SC* Related to British director Sam Mendes who was the director of "American Beauty" and "Jar Head".

Sam Mendes dad emigrated to the UK in the 1950's.

Sam Mendez lives in London, he is married to a famous actress, I can't remember who.

New TT, British investment talks


Wednesday, September 20 2006(T&T Newsday)


THE Trinidad and Tobago European investment mission will hold talks with British private and public sector officials in London tomorrow as it wraps up its three-week trip to key European nations to promote TT as an attractive destination for energy and non-energy investments.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said the mission will hold a business seminar with members of the Caribbean/United Kingdom business council tomorrow at the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall in London from 9 am to noon.

Among the items on the agenda for discussion will be developments in TT's energy sector as well as emerging investment opportunities in the country's service and manufacturing sectors.

Trade and Industry Minister Ken Valley, who is leading the mission, indicated prior to the mission's departure earlier this month that it will place emphasis on developments in the non-energy sector as part of Government's ongoing diversification thrust.

As far as non-energy investments are concerned, Valley said opportunities in downstream petrochemicals, food and beverages, film, music and entertainment, printing and packaging, yachting and merchant marine would be highlighted by the mission.

The mission has to date recorded successes in the signing of a TT-Germany bilateral investment treaty and a commitment for an Irish trade mission to visit TT in early 2008 to discuss investment opportunities.

The cultural team (comprising Sagicor Exodus steel orchestra, calypsonian Kenny J and the Malick Folk Dancers) played to capacity crowds outside the Lourve Museum and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this week and were well received by Parisiens.

Also attending these performances were a large contingent of TT nationals resident in France who called themselves "Trinis in France."

The investment mission returns home on Saturday. Valley said similar missions would be sent to the Far East and Latin America.

The decision to send the European investment mission was based on the interest in TT by the Soca Warriors' debut performance at the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany in June and July.

Crime Stoppers launches $M contest


Wednesday, September 20 2006


CRIME Stoppers yesterday launched a $1 million community signage contest aimed at getting communities to take back their neighbourhoods from the criminal elements.

Devrol Dupigny, Crime Stoppers chairman said the contest forms part of a unique partnership between the public, police and media in providing the nation with a sustainable proactive programme for citizens to be creative.

Although the contest calls for citizens to transform areas in their communities into full-fledged displays featuring the Crime Stoppers brand, permission must be granted from area councillors or the respective land owners before submitting entry proposals.

Contest displays will be judged on durability, visibility, creativity and their message which should be a positive one that may help reduce criminal activity in the respective areas.

Dupigny added that the 30 highest scoring entries received will be viewed by a panel of judges and the top 20 selected. Based on these standings, a total of $1,000,000 worth of upgrades will be allocated to the winning communities.

prizes cannot be redeemed for cash and will take the form of funding for agreed refurbishment works/activities in the winning communities, with assigned Crime Stoppers representatives overseeing the process.

All entries should contain messages geared towards the topics of drugs, guns and criminal activity and entries should not be submitted later that November 30.

50 years ago, Mayaro here we come


Wednesday, September 20 2006 (T&T Newsday)


THE EDITOR:


It was a night of suspense. A night to remember. On September 24, 1956 the PNM won the General Elections, winning 13 out of the 24 elected seats.

How well do I recall that historical occasion as assistant to the former Senator Lancelot Beckles, who was the campaign manager and election agent for Ulric Lee in North Port-of-Spain. We successfully eliminated the de facto Chief Minister, Albert Maria Gomes.

Lee, a little known political pipsqueak finally became the party's successful candidate after several early party stalwarts declined to enter combat with Gomes, the powerful and dynamic Minister of Industry, Commerce and Labour.

I was at the North Port-of-Spain constituency office, then located at #98 Edward Street, Port-of-Spain celebrating Lee's amazing victory. We had defeated Gomes and were now monitoring the incoming results. As the numbers came in slowly but surely, it was clear that our Party was doing extremely well. We captured Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, Arima and were going well in the county of St George in the east-west corridor.

Careen, Victoria and Naparima were clearly going the way of the DPP. Bryan had taken the lead in what was then St Andrew/St David, Butler and what was left on the Butler Party after AC Alexis severed connections with the party and successfully contested as an Independent the St Patrick central seat, was doing quite well in the country of St Patrick and Ortoire/Moruga, where both Butler and Stephen Maharaj, a popular Princess Town pharmacist, captured their seats.

As the long night went on, it was becoming clearer to our party supporters that there was a distinct possibility that we would capture the Government.

Kamal Mohammed was neck and neck with Chandra Maharaj in the St Joseph constituency. Early reports indicated a very close race in Tobago between incumbent APT James and the party's treasurer ANR Robinson. In spite of our early successes, anxiety and suspense prevailed. We were receiving very little info from the Nariva/Mayaro constituency the largest geographical area.

As the suspense continued Nariva/Mayaro became more and more crucial to our party if we had to capture the majority of seats and form the government. Our candidate a popular, young Mayaro contractor, Victor Campbell was up against two very formidable opponents, Rampersad Bholai of the Maha Sabha and PDP and a popular county councillor representing the Butler party, Mr Babooram Nathai.

By midnight, we were clearly in the ascendancy. The issue now was, can we capture the Government and create history? We finally did! The late return from Nariva/Mayaro showed Victor Campbell successful polling 2,945 votes to Bholai's 2,319 and Nathai's 1,796.

Our party created history, we now had the majority, 13 out of 24 seats. Victor Campbell and the people of Mayaro gave us the only rural seat in Trinidad and Tobago and that victory was responsible for our party forming the first Party Government in the history of Trinidad and Tobago and left no doubt about the outcome of the elections.

Victor Campbell, our party members and loyalists from Nariva/Mayaro gave us the crucial seat which we kept for thirty years. Victor Campbell 25 years 1956-1981 and Leon Prevatt 1981-1986. After 50 years, it is now left to our party and Government to demonstrate in a tangible way its recognition and appreciation to the people of Ortoire/Mayaro who made it possible 50 years ago on 24/9/56, to create history and who continue to demonstrate their loyalty to our great party.

Great is the PNM and it will prevail. Dr Williams received the results long past midnight on his 45th birthday 25/9/56, at what subsequently became the official residence of our first and only Chief Minister at #23B Cornelio Street, Woodbrook.

NB. Mr Kamaluddin Mohammed is the only surviving member of the team of 24 PNM candidates in the general elections in September 1956. He is the longest serving cabinet minister in the history of TT, 30 years 1956-1986.

Mr Mohammed was the first Assistant General Secretary of the PNM.



FERDIE FERREIRA

Diego Martin

$13M for school film programme


Thursday, September 21 2006 (T&T Newsday)


RALPH MARAJ, chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company on Tuesday announced that Government has agreed to spend $13 million to introduce a feature film programme into the nation's secondary schools.

Maraj made the announcement during the TT Film Festival and MovieTowne's 2006 Secondary Schools Film Competition Awards ceremony. He said Cabinet agreed to provide expenditure grants to local film producers and remove VAT and other duties on items such as blank DVDs, CDs and other material used in recording.

Another advantage to the development of the film industry is local production houses would now be exempt from needing film permits while there would be a permitting system such as free film permits for foreign producers to allow international films to be made locally.

While urging corporate businesses to provide funding and sponsorship to aid the growth of the local film industry, Maraj announced there was now a full Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film Production available at UWI, St Augustine.

Because of this, there is now a focused effort to get secondary school students involved, hence staging of the MovieTowne competition, which also includes a film production workshop for the students. This year, five schools received honours for their work.

San Juan Secondary Comprehensive copped first prize with production Sah Juah Man while ASJA Boys College placed second One Life To Live and Holy Faith Convent, Couva was third with A Walk In The Park. Special prizes went to Diego Martin Government Secondary School for its productiuon Home Grown Hero and Holy Cross College for Hard Knock Life. Each school received cash awards which would aid development of a school film facility. Other prizes distributed on the night were trophies and movie passes.

MovieTowne chairman Derek Chin said, "While only in its second year, the competition has already borne success as one of the winning students of last year's competition has been accepted into UWI's film programme and another had graduated and started work with a production company."

Thursday 21st September, 2006
(Trinidad Guardian)


Trading places


Returning diplomat sees bright future for India, T&T


picture
Tedwin David Herbert enjoys the rare sunny weather during India's monsoon season on the rooftop of the T&T High Commission building at Shanti Niketan, New Delhi, India.

Photo: Adrian Boodan


By Adrian Boodan


New Delhi, India: TEDWIN DAVID HERBERT, T&T's deputy High Commissioner to India, sees a brighter future when it comes to trade relations between both countries.

Herbert, who was scheduled to return to T&T last month, after serving a seven-and-a-half year tour of duty on the subcontinent, said joint-venture partnerships between T&T and Indian businesses were being promoted.

Herbert was, at the time, speaking with the Guardian at the High Commission in New Delhi.

He said India could use T&T as a springboard to enter the vast markets of North, South and Latin America.

On the flipside, Herbert said many T&T businessmen were somewhat sceptical when it came to doing business in India because of the physical distance between both countries. He said there was nothing to worry about since several countries in the Western Hemisphere have already established successful links with Indian companies including Brazil and Colombia.

Herbert said T&T products such as Angostura bitters, KC dinnermints and sweets and SM Jaleel's soft drinks were doing quite well with the Indians and have proven to be a hit.

Herbert said the T&T manufacturing sector could seek to supply the demands of niche markets in India where the population represents 1.1 billion consumers.

"Because we come from a niche market type, small-scale economy, our manufacturers will not produce large volumes, but we (referring to the manufacturing sector) could provide to a niche market, and the T&T High Commission) would have to source areas that would be of interest to our manufacturers. We know what our capacity and limitations are."

Herbert, who joined the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 1985 after a short stint as a high school Spanish teacher, has also served T&T at the T&T embassy in Venezuela from 1995-1998.

Although he misses home cooking, Herbert said has adapted well to Indian-style cooking.

"Indians are a hospitable people. I have always been made to feel at home, I have always been welcomed into any setting, whether it is social, cultural, and political or private sector."

"Because of one's position as a diplomat, you tend to have a cushion away from home because you would be facilitated in some ways that an ordinary citizen may not find."

Herbert manages to find spare time (two evenings a week) to coach basketball at the British school in New Delhi. There he has produced a top team of youngsters who defeated other schools such as the American Embassy School and Pathways International.

He said although there are some good Indian basketball players, cricket would always remain the dominant sport in India.

Speaking briefly about some of the challenges he faces at the High Commission, Herbert said the mission had been without a High Commissioner from September 1998 until Pundit Maniedeo Persad was appointed in late 2003 to fill the void. He said Persad's appointment was highly anticipated.

Herbert said his most challenging experience came when a T&T national died during phagwa celebrations in Agra three years ago. He had to link up with the British High Commission to get the necessary details as how to transship the remains of the deceased back to T&T and make the necessary arrangements.

Herbert said he looks forward to returning to T&T and is ready and willing to serve in whatever capacity and wherever he is posted.

BpTT, N&M sign $m maintenance deal


Driselle Ramjohn


Thursday, September 21st 2006(Express Business News)


INTERNATIONAL energy giant bpTT yesterday signed a multi-million-dollar contract with Neal and Massy Wood Group (NMWG) for the maintenance of all its plant and operating equipment.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Hilton Trinidad yesterday, bpTT chairman and chief executive officer Robert Riley said, "The agreement becomes effective immediately, although the transitioning process is likely to be spread over a period of roughly six months.

"Under this new agreement, the NMWG will have responsibility for execution of maintenance, minor modifications, maintenance management, operations materials management, training and development of maintenance personnel and would manage all maintenance service contractors currently delivering services to the company."

He explained that these services usually cost bpTT more than $300 million a year.

Several of bpTT's small contractors in the maintenance service will be replaced by this new arrangement, while the individuals in more specialised fields will be maintained, the chairman/CEO said.

Riley added many of the contract workers also may remain in the company's employ as they move across to working with the NMWG.

Arthur Lok Jack, chairman of Neal and Massy Holdings, speaking at the signing, said the single source supplier agreement is hopefully the wave of the future as it increases efficiency.

He also said he encouraged smaller contractors to come together to form larger single source service companies to capitalise on this new movement.

Cane farmers make offer for SMCL

Ariti Jankie South Bureau


Tuesday, September 26th 2006(T&T Express Business News)



Sugarcane farmers have submitted a proposal to PriceWaterhouse-Coopers Limited for them to take control of the assets of the Sugar Manufacturing Company Limited.

The farmers are calling on government to hand over the sugar mill, distillery and other assets so that they could enter a joint venture with a French company to produce a number of downstream products from sugarcane.

Their call has resulted from a newspaper advertisement placing SMCL located at Ste Madeleine for sale by tender.

SMCL was set up following the demise of Caroni (1975) Limited in 2003 as a sugar producer, to buy sugarcane from private farmers.

A spokesman for Pricewaterhouse Coopers Limited said that they were given charge of finding a buyer for the factory.

He said that the actual sale would be handled by the divestment secretariat of the Ministry of Finance.

Government also wants to sell Brechin Castle, once the main sugar factory for Caroni, and its sale has been advertised on two occasions in recent months. PriceWaterhouse is also handling its sale.

"We take in all the tenders and submit a complete report to the Ministry who will make the final decisions," the spokesman said.

A newly formed farmers group, Sugarcane Farmers Co-operative Society Limited (SFCSL) has been discussing plans to approach government for the assets of SMCL. They plan to go into a joint venture with the French company Compagnie' de la Mati'ere'tale (CIVM) for the production of paper at an agricultural estate to be established for the processing of sugar and other by-products of sugarcane.

SFCSL president Ramdeo Ramcharan said that the farmers planned a takeover of SMCL because it was the only way to move forward in the sugar industry.

He said, "Too many farmers have left the industry. We are faced with a labour shortage, high cost of fertilisers and an ineffective weighing and purchasing system."

Deosaran Jagroo, chief executive officer of Caroni (1975) Limited ,which is in the process of dispossing of the company's remaining assets, said that no decision had been made on the sale of Brechin Castle and SMCL.

He said that tenders had been received and discussions had taken place but nothing was finalised.

Ramcharan said that more than 1,200 farmers had joined the co-operative. Most of them, he added, depended on sugarcane for a livelihood.

"We are looking for a way out," he said adding that SFCS supported the other groups of farmers who have called for a lumpsum payment to exit the industry before the new deal begins.

The planned joint venture calls for a feasibility study at a cost of Euro 340,000 to be paid by the two partners. SFCS would be required to guarantee enough sugarcane to produce 100,000 tons of bagasse a year for 15 years,Ramcharan said.

In an agreement signed by CIVM and SFCS, a feasibility study was recommended for the establishment of an industrial papermaking industry, sugar derived chemicals complex and the revival of the sugarcane growing sector. It required farmers to adopt modern and improved methods of cultivation and harvesting, to achieve the quantity of sugarcane needed for processing at the agricultural complex to be set up near SMCL at Ste Madeleine.

Free tuition

Manning reveals 2010 pre-school education goal


Julien Neaves


Monday, September 25th 2006(T&T Express)


BY 2010, Trinidad and Tobago should have free pre-school education, says Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

He made the announcement on Saturday night at the PNM's Republic Day September Affair at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Port of Spain.

Manning said the party was "committed to providing free pre-school education", following the provision of free secondary and tertiary education to citizens.

Government currently subsidies early childhood centres across the country. However, the majority of pre-schools are privately owned.

Education Minister Hazel Manning, in keeping with Government's 2020 Vision for early childhood care and education, is moving to bring all pre-school centres under one umbrella. Under this plan, students all over the country will be taught under one curriculum.

Also in attendance at the dinner were Port of Spain Mayor Murchison Brown, Attorney General John Jeremie, PNM vice chairman John Donaldson, Trade Minister Ken Valley, National Carnival Commission chairman Kenny De Silva and other party officials and dignitaries.

During his speech, Manning also defended the current development of the country, which detractors have criticised for overheating the economy. He noted that because the opportunity for rapid growth was there, it was Government's responsibility to see what measures it could take to facilitate that growth and minimise negative effects.

"Rather than saying 'slow down' we are saying, 'how can we get it done,'" he said.

Manning noted that one and a half years ago, the PNM was criticised for having done "nothing" and now they were being told that they are "moving too fast".

He added that Trinidad and Tobago was not the first country to have such ambitious development plans or to be developing as rapidly as it is, and there were many examples in the world of countries that have developed in this manner.

Senator Christine Kangaloo, in her toast to the political leader, took the opportunity to bash the Opposition United National Congress and Winston Dookeran's new party Congress of the People.

Kangaloo said that Manning's convictions were "a beacon of hope to all of us during those dark days of political misrule by marauding juggernauts".

She added that his strength of resolve held the party and nation together "even as those anxious to return our nation to an old thuggery under the guise of a new politics scratch and claw at us at every turn".

Manning also took a jab at the recent "mutation" of the Opposition and Dookeran's platform of "new politics".

"When I look at the faces I eh see one new one," he quipped.

He said that the state of the Opposition political parties placed greater responsibility on the shoulders on the PNM to "get things right".

The PNM is getting a field day with the opposition..

Wall Street worries about TT spending


Thursday, September 28 2006(T&T Express)



WITH A BOOMING ECONOMY and energy dollars flowing into Trinidad and Tobago's treasury at a fast clip, the spending habits of the Government in Port-of-Spain are beginning to worry Wall Street.

As a matter of fact, Moody's Investment Services, one of the world's leading credit rating firms, is sounding a note of caution about the Manning Administration's spending binge.

"The energy boom has led to a large rise in revenues that has been matched by the increasingly aggressive expansion in expenditures," the firm warned in an assessment of Trinidad and Tobago's economy.

"At this stage it is not clear whether the rise in expenditure will be easily reversed, if needed," was the way Alessandra Alecci, a Moody's analyst on Wall Street, put it. "Moody's will continue to carefully monitor off-budget activities that have led to a build-up of contingent liabilities as the government has created public entities to carry out an ambitious capital and social expenditure programme."

In the meantime, most of the economic engines are firing on all cylinders. Some of Moody's assessments and figures tell the story:

* Real economic growth should reach at least ten per cent this year, up from seven per cent in 2005.

*The current account surplus is estimated to have reached 18.6 per cent of GDP last year – twice the size of 2003.

*Unemployment is the lowest in decades.

* Per capita income GDP has been rising at double-digit pace, on both a nominal and PPP (purchasing power parity) basis.

* Foreign exchange reserves are twice as large as the country's entire external debt stock.



Apart from the energy sector, manufacturing and agriculture are making steady progress due to prudent macro-economic management.

"The country's external payment position is particularly impressive in light of continued growth in energy exports and sizeable foreign direct investment that should help sustain growth in coming years," said Alecci.

But there are some potentially worrying signs on the horizon, according to Moody's:

Last year the cost of living jumped by seven per cent but it should fall to 4.5 per cent this year and four per cent next year.

Sharp increases in the non-energy fiscal deficit suggest public finances are increasingly exposed to potential swings in the energy cycle and "Off-budget" spending has led to contingent liabilities and may be trouble in the long run, said Moody's

Any loss of competitiveness in the non-energy sector would exacerbate economic vulnerability in the energy sector, it said.

Moreover, a sharp reversal of foreign direct investment in Trinidad and Tobago could force a downgrading of the country's stellar credit rating.

REVVING UP ENTREPRENEURS' ENGINES


Rory Rostant Thursday, September 28 2006(T&T Newsday)


When Kelvin Sergeant, the new CEO at the National Entrepreneurship Company (Nedco), saw an opportunity to marry the world of high finance with entrepreneurs who toil in the trenches, he grabbed it with both hands.

Steeped in a background of high finance and accustomed to rubbing shoulders with the corporate elite, Sergeant has not looked back.

He is now responsible for putting the pieces together at Nedco, one of the government's prized initatives and hopes to ignite the entrepreneurial switch.

"It's going to be a challenge," he said, in obvious reference to his new portfolio at Nedco's offices on London Street Port-of-Spain.

Sergeant, who replaces Ricardo St Cyr, comes with high credentials. Apart from holding positions as an econmoist at both RBTT and Central Bank, he also held senior management positions at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as at the Ministry of Planning and Development.

"I saw the position advertised and I felt I could could use my economic skills to change things and even transform the organisation," he said of Nedco when asked about his decision to leave his high-profile job at the SEC.

Nedco, he said, is about creating and stimulating business in the entrepreneurial sector, noting that this meant lending money to small, medium and micro-sized entities.

For some people, he said Nedco is a last resort for loans to do business, noting that banks are reluctant to take on such risks. A lot of banks, he said, don't have the appetite to take on small business risks and added that the interest rate was also a deterrent for budding entrepreneurs. Nedco's interest rate stands at eight percent and said this was "quite reasonable."

He described Nedco as an "intervention in the economy" stressing that if it were not around, "a lot of businesses would have been left behind."

"We would not have this," he said as he pointed to the various files and documents stacked neatly on his desk.

Sergeant, who still lectures part-time at UWI in finance and economics, said Nedco not only creates employment and alleviates poverty but trains people on how to keep afloat in a competitive business environment.

Having been brought on stream four years ago, Nedco has given out abut 6,000 loans and created 5,000 new businesses. That, according to Searjent, amounts to some $100 Million in loans so far.

He firmly believes that Nedco is an important institution in the business landscape.

"Some people are coming out of school and want to start a business, single parents who want to supplement income and for unskilled people who want to go out on their own," he said.

At Nedco, you start at the bottom of the ladder with $50, 000, then go to $150, 000 and expand to $250, 000. But that is where the ceiling stops, said Sergeant, noting that he was seeking to raise the bar on lending bar.

Why? A lot of businesses started by Nedco, he said, are working on going to the next level "” export markets and earn foreign exchange, and needed help to get there.

Thursday 28th September, 2006


Saith: US$4 B in projects for Pt Lisas



BY ADRIAN BOODAN


The Point Lisas Industrial estate is to benefit from projects worth US$4 billion Energy Minister Dr Lenny Saith said yesterday.

Saith delivered the feature address at an energy luncheon hosted by the Couva-Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday at the Kam-Po Restaurant in Chaguanas.

Saith said discussions towards defining project agreements are continuing for the establishment of a US$1.6 billion ethylene complex and maleic anhydride processing facility. He said construction has already started on a US$1.2 billon petrochemical facility to produce melamine and urea ammonium nitrite for the first time in T&T.

The above mentioned products would have great scope for downstream producers in the areas of plastic products, detergents, pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, paints and furniture.

He said Essar steel's US$1.2 billion integrated iron and steel complex would be producing steel sheets which will provide the platform for manufacturing activity in the automotive industry.

Saith said NUCOR is also proposing to go further downstream with its operations in T&T. Cabinet has already given the green light for T&T's first gas-to-liquids plant proposed for Point-a-Pierre under a joint venture agreement between World GTL and Petrotrin to produce 2200 barrels per day of diesel and naptha from 18.4 million cubic feet of gas.

Saith said the possibility of future LNG trains would only happen after domestic gas demands are satisfied. He said the continuing expansion of the natural gas sector has meant that Government's fiscal policy for the sector must now be re-visited to optimise the country's returns from these resources.

He said the Finance Bill for 2006 has now incorporated the monitoring of LNG along with other petroleum products while the government is drafting legislation to deal specifically with natural gas.

He said gas demands on the Point Lisas estate is expected to grow to two billion cubic feet per day by 2009 and expand to 5.5 billion cubic feet per day by 2016 across a more diversified portfolio.

In the search for more gas, Saith said new acreage for exploration is being offshore while government is seeking ways to advance cross border talks with Venezuela for the unitisation of reserves that straddle the borders of both countries.

Answering questions from the media, he said the failure of the $0.5 billion Ibis Deep Well should not serve as a deterrent to future petroleum exploration. Ibis Deep, he said, was an example of how hard it was to find oil.

"Drilling for hydrocarbons is a risky business and I am told if you get one in four, one in five you are doing well. We would have liked it to be successful it wasn't, we have blocks out and we will see what happens and I am sure interest would continue to be there."



©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Parliament live on TV from today


Friday, September 29th 2006(T&T Express)


Parliament is expected to be beamed live to cable TV subscribers in Trinidad from today with the formal launch of the Parliament Television Channel.

Technical challenges will make it impossible for Tobagoians to get the Parliament Channel, and the Telecommunications Authority is working to solve the problem.

The channel, which has been testing for the past several weeks with recorded highlights of both the Upper and Lower House, will be launched at the Rotunda of the Red House at 2 p.m. today by Speaker of the House, Barendra Sinanan.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar are expected to make brief remarks at the launch.

A statement from Parliament yesterday said that live coverage on radio and the Internet will follow in coming months.

The live broadcasts on the Channel 11 of Columbus Communication (Trinidad) Ltd's cable system are intended to increase public awareness and interaction with the legislative system in Trinidad and Tobago, the statement from Parliament said. (GLB)

Centeno campus to get upgrade, says Minister

-Roxanne Stapleton


Friday, September 29th 2006(T&T Express)


IF THE Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry (ECIAF), is to continue to exist, it will require a complete make-over including the rationalisation of staffing and a substantial injection of capital.

That was the statement made by Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Minister, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid yesterday at the post-Cabinet briefing at Whitehall, Port of Spain.

As a consequence, a new campus located in Centeno, on lands adjacent to ECIAF is coming- but no estimated cost is available at this time.

Abdul-Hamid was reporting on the findings of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), July 2005 appointed Food Productivity Technologies Planning Committee, chaired by Professor John Spence.

"As a consequence having considered the findings of the Committee, today (yesterday), Cabinet approved the following recommendations-the establishment in the UTT, an Institute of Food and Agriculture.

"Agriculture is used in its broadest sense encompassing crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry... aimed at graduating young people with a practical, technological, tertiary-level education, that are farm ready farmers, relevant to today's farming and agricultural sector.

"Among the first steps will be the establishment of a degree programme the Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) in Food and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries."

He said that the Institute is to address the complete supply chain from primary agricultural production, through crop handling and food processing, which would involve the establishment of post-production research and development facilities, as well as multipurpose pilot plants.

"It will be located in Centeno on a new campus situated on lands adjacent to ECIAF.

Government also agreed that UTT will collaborate with the University of the West Indies (UWI), to work in close collaboration to avoid unnecessary duplication," Abdul-Hamid said.

He noted that the Committee found a number of major gaps in the delivery system and the output of professionally trained agricultural scientists from UWI's Faculty of Science and Agriculture had fallen dramatically.

There was also a clear lack of student interest in the subject which could be related to the lack of employment opportunities in the sector and perceptions of its future, he added.

"With respect to research, there has been a gap between the outputs of the research institutions in the country and the impacts they made if any on the sector.

Big need for your skills, MUST grads told

Darren Bahaw


Monday, October 2nd 2006 (T&T Express)



The construction boom in Trinidad and Tobago will continue for longer than originally projected, Prime Minister Patrick Manning said yesterday.

He told more than 1,600 graduands of the Multi-Sector Skills Training Programme (MUST) that they should take the opportunity to move on to the next level of training being offered by the programme.

He said that young people should take advantage of the training programmes being offered by Government to make them skilled workers.

He said that students entering Level 2 of the programme will be paid a $90 a day stipend.

Therefore, young people in society had no excuses, he added.

Speaking at the ceremony which was held at the University of the West Indies Sport and Physical Education Centre at St Augustine, Manning said that during his tour of several communities in 2004, he realised that a significant number of young people were liming on street corners who believed that the system operated against them.

"With that came a sense of hopelessness and their solution was a life of crime and violence," Manning said.

That was the genesis of the MUST programme.

He said that Government intended to double the intake of students entering the programme, which now caters for 3,200 young people.

He said that several construction programmes including the construction of the light rail system, several schools and reconstruction of major roadways will absorb these skilled workers and reduce the importation of skilled workers.

He also said that there was a shortage of workers in the hospitality sector.

Trinidad under the PNM is no place for an Indo!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ramakant_p,

Sinanan: Parliament Radio soon,Channel 11 tv will teach



Monday, October 2 2006 (T&T Newsday)



SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Barry Sinanan, revealed that Parliament would soon be broadcast "live" on radio, as he on Friday formally launched the cable television Parliament Channel.

He was addressing guests including MPs and Senators at a function at the Red House Rotunda. The exposure of Parliament, he said, had moved from those few persons seated in the public gallery, to the introduction of video-clips some 20 years, to yesterday's "live" broadcasts on cable television, to the future transmission of debates by radio.

"At present we have not yet obtained the necessary licence to transmit on FM radio in an effort to reach as many households as possible as well as Tobago. We are assured that these licence approvals are imminent." Likely referring to the recent case of the Privy Council ordering that a radio licence be given to the Maha Sabha, Sinanan quipped: "I hope it will not be necessary to rely on recent precedent in this regard."

He praised the persistence and perseverance of a parliamentary team headed by House Clerk Jaqui Sampson-Jacent. This had included tendering for equipment, acquisition of statutory approvals, and revamping of the electrical and IT infrastructure of the Red House.

Sinanan said he was sure there are more phases to come in the broadcasting project. "It is the intent that the Parliament Channel becomes integral to the Public Education and Public Outreach programmes of the Parliament." Saying the public has limited knowledge of Parliament, he said he has told the House Clerk to devise programmes to provide information about Parliament in clear and simple terms.

PM celebrates Chinese Republic



Monday, October 2 2006


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Meeting the PM: The president of the China Society of TT (centre) Kenneth Look, and another dignitary greet Prime Minister Patrick Manning (right)


THE CHINA Society celebrated the 57th anniversary of the Republic of China yesterday and held festivities at the China Society's building on Charlotte Street.

The celebrations began with a colourful and exciting performance of a dragon dance on Charlotte Street to welcome Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his wife Hazel.

The dragon danced happily and the PM was then asked to "mark" it as a form of blessing. The PM took a thick point coloured marker and placed markings on the dragon's eyes.

At the formal ceremony, Prime Minister Manning in his feature address assured the audience that the Government was working to ensure that every creed and race finds an equal place, and was encouraging human diversity.

He stated that Chinese citizens have found an enduring way into the hearts of all other citizens, which can be seen throughout the numerous Chinese stores and restaurants existing.

"We all love Chinese food," he said.

The PM added that this country may be the first to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Chinese people and said we should be very proud to do so.

The informal part of the ceremony included Tai chi fan dancers and a champion martial arts troupe which was flown in from China.

Eric, how about partition.

Guyana for Indos and Trinidad for afros..

Dragon Boat Festival at ˜Chag'


KERN RAMLOCHAN Tuesday, October 3 2006(T&T Newsday)


THE CHINESE Bicentennial in Trinidad and Tobago will be celebrated with the Dragon Boat Festival on Thursday, October 12 at the Kayak Centre in Chaguaramas.

The Dragon Boat Festival will feature 30 corporate teams and six Chinese teams who will compete in two categories.

The Corporate Category consists of five qualifying races of six teams, where each team attempts the 500 metre course twice. The teams with the best aggregate times will advance to the final.

The Chinese Association Category will feature the six Chinese teams competing in one race to determine a winner.

Boat crews consist of 22 persons which includes the drummer and four reserves with a minimum number of eight women.

The team placing first in the Corporate Category would receive a Challenge Trophy, medals and free registration for next year's event.

Teams placing second to sixth would receive medals while in the Chinese Category a trophy would be awarded to the winners.

And they would also be exempted from a registration fee for the event next year. There would also be an exhibition race featuring a Canadian team along with a cultural show and entertainment for the public.

Captain of the Sum Wai Associates Team, David Lee Lum believes that the sport of Dragon Boat Racing has great potential in Trinidad and Tobago. "The talent is good in Trinidad and Tobago and we have the ability to compete on the international level," Lee Lum said. He highlighted the benefits of Dragon Boat racing saying it fosters teamwork and camaraderie, qualities necessary to be victorious. He also expects a high level of competition on race day as most teams are practising on a regular basis.

Co-ordinators are hopeful that the event will be bigger next year with participation from schools. Dragon Boats are 12.8m long, 1.6m wide and weigh around 275kg. They are essentially longboats decorated with dragon heads and tails. A team consists of 20 paddlers, a drummer and one steersperson "” 22 in all. Races are typically over 500m with four to six boats competing against one another.

Dragon boating is an ancient sport, rich in culture and tradition; it originated in China over 2,000 years ago.

It began when the famous and much loved Chinese poet, Chu Yuan, threw himself into the Miluo River to protest against government corruption.

When the people of his village saw this, they jumped into their boats and paddled furiously to try and rescue him, while beating drums to fend off evil spirits. Unfortunately they could not save him, but every year thereafter the people would commemorate this day by gathering in their boats and race in his memory.

Today, dragon boating is the national sport of China.

Dragon boating has become a popular activity because it is easy to learn, the boats are extremely stable, and once a paddler is in stroke, it doesn't matter how big, small, old, or young you are, you are contributing to the team.

It is an activity where 80 per cent of teams feature men and women competing together in mixed crews. This quality has made it a favourite among corporations and organisations who use it as a team building activity. It is also visually spectacular to see, and a great venue to showcase the different cultural aspects of the community.

It is currently estimated that nearly 50 million people worldwide participate annually in dragon boat races.

they could paddle as fast as they want, they can't get away from Eric and his bais out on a mugging spree!!

Wednesday 4th October, 2006


Mexico and T&T sign investment treaty



By Shaliza Hassanali


Trade and Industry Minister Kenneth Valley yesterday signed a bilateral investment treaty with Mexico, opening up the investment doors to the Latin American giant for T&T.

The signing took place at the Savannah Lounge of the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port-of- Spain, between Valley and Alejandro Gomez Strozzi, Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment, Ministry of the Economy, Mexico.

In addressing guests, who included newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Arnold Piggott, Valley described the signing of the treaty as "a document of comfort," which he said would open up doors for T&T's investments.

T&T imports a variety of goods from Mexico, including plastics, foodstuffs and inks.

Valley said the treaty was signed in record time, with discussions having been held with Gomez Strozzi in Mexico only four months ago.

"As long as you're an investor in T&T, you're one of us. There is no fear of expropriation in T&T. So there is no issue of compensation for loss. It would deepen our alliance," he told a smiling Gomez Strozzi.

Valley said he looks forward to the day when T&T would welcome Mexican investors.

At present, Valley said officials from his ministry were in India negotiating a bilateral investment treaty as a way of putting the necessary infrastructure in place to attract investment in the non-energy sector.

"We are going out to let thousands of potential investors know what we have here.

"T&T and Mexico have maintained strong bilateral relations since 1975 with discussions focussing on issues pertinent to international, regional and bilateral trade and economic relationships.

"This was mainly to enhance co-operation, economic and trading solidarity between the two countries," Valley added.

Describing T&T as a good investment partner, Gomez Strozzi said that the signing of the treaty will boost productivity, improve business conditions and sustain economic growth for T&T.




©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Manning to address Caribbean students at MIT


Friday, October 6th 2006


Prime Minister Patrick Manning will address undergraduate Caribbean students attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, USA tomorrow.

Manning leaves Trinidad and Tobago today and is expected to return to the country on Sunday, the Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement yesterday.

During his absence, Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith will carry out the duties of prime minister.

Brathwaite: No cutbacks in CEPEP


Friday, October 6 2006 (T&T Newsday)


SOLID Waste Management Company Ltd (SWMCOL) executive chairman Ray Brathwaite yesterday said the reduced financial allocation in the 2006/2007 Budget for CEPEP does not mean that the programme would be curtailed in any way.

However, the Ministry of Local Government was unable to say yesterday what would be the implications of reduced financial allocations in the Budget for the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP).

Brathwaite said CEPEP received an allocation of $350 million in this year's Budget compared to last year's allocation of $423 million. However, he said this did not mean that CEPEP's scope and size would be reduced in any way. CEPEP currently employs 6,000 persons and there are 117 CEPEP contractors in Trinidad and Tobago.

Brathwaite described the reduced allocation as a minor adjustment and said all it means is that CEPEP was being refined, with special emphasis on its training component. He explained that this component would be somewhat complex because it involved adult training.

Brathwaite also said the CEPEP model in Tobago would be brought on par with its counterpart in Trinidad.

Speaking with Newsday at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel at Invaders Bay yesterday, Junior Finance Minister Conrad Enill said Government's position was that as the private sector continues "to provide us with more job opportunities, it means there is less requirement for those programmes, certainly on the URP side."

Enill said URP's financial allocation this year was $300 million compared to $400 million in the last Budget. The Minister added that labour from the URP could be absorbed by the construction sector.

Contacted yesterday, Local Government Ministry officials said they had not received details of funding for URP as yet and could not say if there would be any changes to the programme at this time.

The officials said URP currently employs 13,000 persons and there are some URP groups which are currently active. Efforts to contact Local Government Minister Rennie Dumas for comment yesterday were unsuccessful.

Martin backs Manning's kidnap promise


NALINEE SEELAL Friday, October 6 2006(T&T Newsday)


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GUN TALK: A UK officer gives National Security Minister Martin Joseph, a first hand look at a gun used in a crime, which was traced for fingerprints.


Minister of National Security Martin Joseph yesterday reiterated Prime Minister Patrick Manning's budget statement that those criminals who kidnap for ransom, will be caught.

Joseph was at the time addressing the graduation ceremony for nine Homicide Bureau officers who underwent specialised training at the Special Anti-Crime Unit of TT (SAUTT) crime academy in Cumuto.

The Minister said Manning was confident in making this statement because it was factual. He said he was not in a position to divulge much details but pointed out that kidnappers should be aware that they will be caught.

Joseph also said Homicide Bureau officers are now better trained in Crime Scene Investigations, thanks to the training received from officers of the United Kingdom hired on contract by government.

Officers were trained in exhuming of bodies, protecting crime scenes, four phases of forensic work and two phases of fingerprinting. There will be 54 more officers trained by next May.

Yesterday, the graduates of the Crime Scene Investigations gave a ten minute simulated exercise on how crime scenes will be preserved. Officers dressed in white overalls, demonstrated their newly acquired skills.

Police Commissioner Trevor Paul said that he was pleased with the training and was also grateful for new equipment purchased by government to facilitate the officers' training.

quote:

Originally posted by Eric's_Revenge:
Martin backs Manning's kidnap promise


NALINEE SEELAL Friday, October 6 2006(T&T Newsday)


picture
GUN TALK: A UK officer gives National Security Minister Martin Joseph, a first hand look at a gun used in a crime, which was traced for fingerprints.


Minister of National Security Martin Joseph yesterday reiterated Prime Minister Patrick Manning's budget statement that those criminals who kidnap for ransom, will be caught.

Joseph was at the time addressing the graduation ceremony for nine Homicide Bureau officers who underwent specialised training at the Special Anti-Crime Unit of TT (SAUTT) crime academy in Cumuto.

The Minister said Manning was confident in making this statement because it was factual. He said he was not in a position to divulge much details but pointed out that kidnappers should be aware that they will be caught.

Joseph also said Homicide Bureau officers are now better trained in Crime Scene Investigations, thanks to the training received from officers of the United Kingdom hired on contract by government.

Officers were trained in exhuming of bodies, protecting crime scenes, four phases of forensic work and two phases of fingerprinting. There will be 54 more officers trained by next May.

Yesterday, the graduates of the Crime Scene Investigations gave a ten minute simulated exercise on how crime scenes will be preserved. Officers dressed in white overalls, demonstrated their newly acquired skills.

Police Commissioner Trevor Paul said that he was pleased with the training and was also grateful for new equipment purchased by government to facilitate the officers' training.

Still can't find your own homepage to post on?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rosita,

quote:

Originally posted by Rosita:

PPP gov't Still can't do anything close to this!, Asif started a "Way to go Guyana" thread but it ended after just a few stupid posts, this Trini "way to go" thread just keep going on and on like the energizer bunny. shame on de PPP!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rosita, October 07, 2006 09:42 AM

EMA green light for Alcoa


Saturday, October 7 2006 (T&T Express)


THE Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has given Alcoa permission to conduct a comprehensive and public environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the site in Cap-de-Ville, in south-western Trinidad, where its proposed aluminium smelter would be constructed.

Residents of Chatham, which is situated within this area, have been protesting the construction of the Alcoa smelter on the grounds that it could negatively impact on their health and the environment.

In a statement yesterday, Alcoa said the EMA has issued the final guidelines for the EIA which it is required to conduct at Cap-de-Ville to determine the environmental and social impacts which its smelter could have.

Alcoa said this follows an extensive public consultation effort which it undertook to ensure that the population had ample opportunity to provide input into the guidelines for the EIA.

That effort included an open-house day in Chatham, two public meetings in Chatham and in Port-of-Spain in August. Alcoa added that this was the first time in Trinidad and Tobago that such meetings have been hosted to seek input on draft guidelines for an EIA.

The EIA will be conducted by Ecoengineering Consultants, a local company based in St Augustine, and Environmental Resources Management which is regarded as one of the world's leading independent environmental management consultantcies with extensive experience in conducting EIAs for modern aluminium smelters.

Alcoa said to ensure that the process of extensive public consultation continues, it will hold four additional public meetings before the final report is submitted to the EMA and the dates for those meetings would be announced shortly.

In his Budget presentation in Parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning gave the assurance that stringent environmental standards would be adhered to in the construction of the Alcoa smelter and the Alutrint smelter in La Brea.

Casinos are illegal


Clint Chan Tack Saturday, October 7 2006(T&T Newsday)



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FILLING THE SLOT: Patrons of a PoS casino play the slot machines yesterday, even after the announcement by Government that slot machines are now banned


JUNIOR FINANCE Minister Conrad Enill dismissed suggestions that Prime Minister Patrick Manning's announcement of measures in the 2006/2007 Budget to curtail the local gaming industry would do irreparable harm to the economy or that Manning's announcement was based on personal views rather than empirical facts.

Addressing a post budget forum at the Eric Williams Financial Complex on Thursday night, Enill said all the Prime Minister did during his Budget presentation, in the House of Representatives, on Wednesday was simply to state the law on gambling in Trinidad and Tobago.

"Casinos are illegal," the Minister stated bluntly. Enill said the law clearly stated this fact and only private members' clubs were allowed to operate legally in TT.

Manning said Government would enforce the law so that private members' clubs operate within the confines and original intent of the law.

The Prime Minister explained that this meant these clubs could not engage in gambling activities that involve payments to the house as outlined in Section 11(1) of the Gambling and Betting Act and Government would strengthen this law to give effect to its policy.

The last attempt made to amend this Act was on September 19, 2001 when the then UNC government laid the Gambling and Betting (Amendment) Bill 2001 in the Lower House to establish a national tote system to regulate betting on local and foreign horse and dog races.

That system was supposed to have been operated by a National Racing Commission that would have been formed upon enactment of the National Racing Commission Bill 2001. The UNC also laid this bill in the Lower House on September 19, 2001 but neither of these two bills was ever passed by Parliament.

Enill said Prime Minister's statements on gambling were not hatched overnight because Government had been contemplating for some time what could be done to regulate the gaming industry in TT. The minister did not give any details about how or when the online gaming system in TT would be eliminated. He declined to comment on reports that Government could lose over $1 billion in revenues if the National Lotteries Control Board's online gaming system was phased out.

On Thursday, casino owners claimed that 15,000 persons could be on the breadline if all casinos and private members' clubs in TT were shut down. Ma Pau Members Club spokesperson Annette Richards said the gaming industry was always in favour of regulation and open to discussion but Government did not consult with the industry prior to Wednesday's Budget presentation in Parliament.

AGRI SECTOR PRAISES BUDGET


Saturday, October 7 2006(T&T Newsday)


MEMBERS of the agricultural sector have come out in loud praise for Prime Minister Patrick Manning's 2006-2007 Budget. Despite many negative public reviews regarding the crackdown on gambling and the increase in taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, the agricultural sector welcomed the proposed $30 million to be injected into agriculture.

Barry Joefield, manager of the Cocoa and Coffee Industry Board, said yesterday that he was pleased about the budget proposals. "The agricultural proposals will hold well for the cocoa farmers even though our impact on agriculture isn't very great," Joefield said.

Raffique Shah, pesident general of the Trinidad Islandwide Cane Farmers Association (TICFA), speaking at Thursday's OWTU breakfast meeting, was in high praise of the budgetary measures on agriculture.

Shah said that Trinidad and Tobago's food import bill has drastically increased over the years and will continue to escalate."We need to find alternatives because within the next 10-20 years, food will become more vital. The cane farmers intend to cultivate ten acres extensively in order to meet the needs of these demands," Shah said.

Dragons invade POS


NEWSDAY REPORTER Saturday, October 7 2006(T&T Newsday)


picture
BABE IN ARMS: This tiny tot and mother took in yesterday's colourful Chinese Parade and Cultural Show through the streets of Port-of-Spain.


CHINESE dragons and lions invaded the streets of Port-of-Spain as the steady, rhythmic beating of drums heralded a colourful display of chinese dance and culture held yesterday afternoon on Charlotte Street as part of the Bicentennial celebration of the Chinese arrival and presence in this country.

There certainly were no resting lions yesterday as they came out in full force, together with the dragon, karate kids and other Chinese characters in a street parade which was lapped up by the Friday afternoon limers.

At about 3 pm, Charlotte Street was transformed into China Town with the traditional sounds of Chinese drums echoing as the dragons and lions danced merrily. October 12 has been designated by Government as a one-off public holiday to celebrate the Chinese presence in TT.

Approximately 150 persons attired in traditional Chinese cultural costumes and clothing, participated in the parade which made its way along Charlotte Street and Independence Square before ending at the Brian Lara Promenade.

The concert aspect of the programme was chaired by Allison Hennessy and saw greetings from top members of the Bicentennial committee including Dr David Picou and Bernard Aquing alongside the Deputy mayor of Port-of-Spain Rishi Lakhan.

Lakhan applauded the Chinese community for their yeomen service to nation building. The parade and cultural show got underway with the playing of both the national anthems of China and TT by the Bicentennial Pan Ensemble, which was followed by four items from the band including an indigenous Chinese song followed by a Latin flavoured piece entitled ˜Brazil'.

Enill: No more election budgets in TT


Saturday, October 7 2006(T&T Newsday)


JUNIOR Finance Minister Conrad Enill said the phenomenon of election budgets has been eliminated in Trinidad and Tobago and not all of the $38 billion expenditure outlined in the 2006/2007 Budget may be spent in the new fiscal year.

Prior to the Budget's presentation in Parliament on Wednesday by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, there had been speculation that the Budget would be an election Budget with general elections in TT due next year.

Addressing a post Budget forum at the Eric Williams Financial Complex on Thursday night, Enill said the PNM had steered clear of the tendency by all previous administrations to spend significant resources prior to the end of their five-year term in office.

He said when the PNM assumed office in October 2002, Manning said the party's tenure in government would be determined by what it does "to try and create the circumstances which TT becomes known as a developed country."

Enill said the PNM had taken the position over the last five years that "every year is going to be an election year" and during each of those years, it would build on the resources which it allocates towards different spheres of national development.

He explained that this was why Government has resisted the temptation in the 2006/2007 Budget to engage in any type of heavy expenditure merely for the purpose of currying favour with the electorate.

Enill said while politicians in government are always tempted to dance to the music of electoral politics and this could throw caution to the wind, the PNM realised in 2002 that if a government undertakes proper planning and execution of policies from its first day in office, there would be no need for exorbitant expenditures when elections are due. Enill also explained that the $38 billion expenditure which Manning referred to in the Budget was not the actual figure which may be spent by Government in fiscal 2007.

"Allocations do not equal expenditure," the Minister stated. Enill said once government ministries have allocations to undertake projects under their respective portfolios, they have the ability to withdraw monies from the Consolidated Fund to do those projects.

Asked if this meant Government could be coming to Parliament in fiscal 2007 to ask for supplementary financial allocations to the Budget, Enill said Government does a mid-year review in June of each fiscal year to determine whether or not such allocations are required. "The $38 billion (expenditure in the Budget) is really a profile expenditure. It can go up or go down," he said.

Reiterating Government's policy of placing excess revenues into the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, Enill said the Budget has made a $3.1 billion allocation to the Fund but there was no reason why an additional $2 to $3 billion could not be deposited into the Fund.

He said that once sinking fund repayments are removed, the actual expenditure in the 2006/2007 Budget is $35 billion.

BPTT CEO: No bribes here


Thursday, October 5 2006(T&T Newsday)



BPTT chairman and CEO Robert Riley has dismissed the view that bribes were necessary to get work done in Trinidad and Tobago and said those who felt this way "should be behind bars."

He said he was once told by someone he described as a "captain of industry" that while he understood what Riley was saying " it is impractical to do so."

Riley said that gentlemen "should be behind bars."

He said too that while government officials were always under scrutiny for inappropriate financial behaviour, he questioned whether enough was being done to deal with those making the bribes to them.

He also spoke about sexual favours being sought from female contractors in order for them to get work, saying that this was something that the company had to rigorously deal with.

"You have to come to grips and talk about it," he said, demanding greater accountability from local companies.

He was speaking at a session titled, "Risk management strategies for business integrity Building a framework for good business practices," held by the TT Chamber of Commerce and the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute at the Chamber's headquarter's in WestMoorings.

He told business executives that while there was always pressure to do the right thing, he took a dim view of those who felt that he needed to be practical in today's business environment.

"The issue of ethics of convenience must stop," he said and stressed that this was a serious challenge facing the country. He said he has been told by business people that "you have to go through other ways" to get business on the books.

Responding to a comment from NH International chairman Emile Elias that being ethical was expensive, Riley said there was a huge cost to unethical behaviour and felt this was too much of a price to pay. He said he was amazed at how decisions result in the conflict of interest.

In TT, he said while a lot of attention was being paid to government officials in what they did and did not do, he was not seeing a corresponding focus on companies in terms of transparency and enquiry.

Riley said another big issue facing TT was conflict of interest where it seemed that " exchange of favours of various kinds have become the norm."

The Bp Group, he said is guided by an established written code of conduct given that the corporation has control over vast quantities of physical resources, technology and resources.

The code of conduct, he said was designed "to prevent fires rather than indulge in fighting fires."

He added that the approach of a written document takes the guesswork out of members of the company "knowing right from wrong and what is acceptable or not." He pointed out that it is not meant to find solutions to every single situation but to provide references for solutions to these predicaments.

He said as the times are changing, more and more of the so-called "ordinary people" are looking for greater accountability and transparency in the operations of large corporations.

Speaking about the code, Riley said that bribery and corruption are not merely the exchange of money and goods for favours and services. It is in fact about a wide range of behaviours covered in the code of conduct in five areas of BP's operations.

Referring to the exchange of gifts and entertainment, he said modest presents are always sufficient especially if they are not intended "to influence decisions on either side."

He said the gift-giving with the design of bribing others is frowned upon by his company. Also "sexually oriented" presents are against BP's rules of mutual respect. He said once gifts do not adhere to the corporation's codes they are returned with polite explanations. He explained he too had to return gifts that, although were not sent to influence his decisions at the company, were against the code.

He stressed that the company was not affiliated to any political party and must not be seen to be participating in any political activity "in cash or in kind." He said that included returning tickets and jerseys. Business code of conduct coming TT Chamber President Ian Welch said the Chamber was working on developing a code of conduct for business in the country "as part of real world" within their operations.

He stressed that in today's world, CEOs were acutely aware of the need to ensure integrity in all their actions : "It's because good ethics means good business," he said, adding, "Today's savvy investors simply will not invest in business or a country in which they lack confidence and trust."

Susan Cote-Freeman, of Transparancy International in Washington, praised the initiative by the Chamber, saying to develop a code of conduct was good for business.

She said codes are important because laws alone will not curb corruption and suggested that companies place anti-bribery policies high on their agenda.

Government grabs $2.5B from Petrotrin's profits


Thursday, October 5 2006 (T&T Newsday)


Strong market prices for petroleum products and crude oil driven by low production capacity and rapid world oil demand growth saw Petrotrin reaping revenues of TT$12.4 billion.

Government's take for the period under review was TT$2.5 billion, compared to TT$1.3 billion for the same period last year.

In its results for the six month period ended March 31, the company said its revenue increase 58%, compared to the six months ended March 31.

"Our performance was impacted on positively in 2006 by both high refinery margins and natural gas prices said Petrotrin executive chairman Malcolm Jones.

The company recorded a net profit of TT$763 million for the six months ended March 31, 2006, an increase of approximately 24% compared to the six months for the same period last year.

This profit included TT$82 million surplus income on the pension, it was noted.

In accordance with the exploration and production strategic initiatives identified, the company said it was allocating a greater proportion of capital expenditure to its upstream business.

This, in order to upgrade the asset portfolio from low field mature assets to high yield growth fields whilst reducing costs and accelerating exploration and development operations, Jones said.

quote:

Originally posted by Eric's_Revenge:

quote:

Originally posted by Rosita:

PPP gov't Still can't do anything close to this!, Asif started a "Way to go Guyana" thread but it ended after just a few stupid posts, this Trini "way to go" thread just keep going on and on like the energizer bunny. shame on de PPP!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rosita, October 07, 2006 09:42 AM

Yeah but you really wasting a lot of batteries posting on this thread! Two different countries two different econmony! Makes you wonder if you are really Trini! All five fingers not the same length!

$982M for economy


Tuesday, October 10 2006(T&T Newsday)


GOVERNMENT has allocated $982.4 million in the 2007 Budget to expand and diversify the productive base of the economy and foster globally competitive businesses to produce environmentally sustainable goods and services.

In its Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) document, Government identified agriculture as one of the major areas of economic expansion in which these monies would be allocated in the new fiscal year as it seeks to tackle rising food prices and reduce inflationary pressures on the economy.

Of the $982M, Government has allocated $5M towards the development of agribusiness and facilitate improvements in the regulatory, institutional and competitive environment of the food and beverage and fish and fish processing industries.

To continue the development of the non-energy sector, Government has allocated $2 million to the Business Development Company to provide training on a cost-sharing basis to 535 entrepreneurs and 35 companies in areas such as occupational health and safety, food safety management, disaster recovery and business continuity.

Government has been allocated $4 million for continued implementation of investment promotion in TT. The Caroni Lands Development Programme, being undertaken by the Estate Management Business Development Company, will receive $240 million in fiscal 2007 to continue the development of lands formerly owned by Caroni (1975) Ltd for housing, agricultural and business purposes.

Celebrating 200 years of arrival


NEWSDAY REPORTER Thursday, October 12 2006 (T&T Newsday)


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LEAVING THEIR STAMP: Minister of Public Utilities Pennelope Beckles (right) receives a copy of the stamp issue from Dr David Picou.(left)


Today October 12 is a very special day in the lives of Chinese people living in this country, as it is an official holiday which marks the 200th anniversary of the Chinese arrival in Trinidad and Tobago.

Bicentennial Committee was formed to plan celebrations leading up to this historic day which will be marked today by the first ever Dragon Boat Racing in the Caribbean.

The Boat Race Festival comes off at the Kayak Centre, Invaders Bay, Chaguaramas where 36 teams will participate in a day of activities to be witnessed by President George Maxwell Richards. This Bicentennial celebration is the first and only one of its kind in the Caribbean.

For the past few months the public has been exposed to a great degree of Chinese culture as members of the Chinese community put on shows like the Dragon Dance, the Lion Dance, "The Chinese Man", a play by Raymond Choo Kong, Art exhibitions, Calligraphy demonstrations and Martial arts displays.

A Chinese steel ensemble which performed at most of the events was formed. There was also the launch of a Stamp Issue held at the Club Zen, a function sponsored by the Ministry of Public Utilities. The months long festivities will culminate with a reception and banquet hosted tonight by His Excellency George Maxwell Richards at President House.

History has shown that the Chinese Community in Trinidad owes its origin to migration from as early as 1806 when a single experimental colony of 200 men left the East on the East Indian vessel Fortitude bound for this country.

They were recruited mainly from Macao and the island of Penang in Malaya rather than from mainland China. This experiment – designed to replicate the successful emigration to Penang (Prince of Wales Island) was a failure and was never repeated.

One hundred and ninety-two men arrived in Trinidad on October 12 (one died soon after arrival). Under the terms of their contract, signed at Penang, the Chinese were to be paid $6 per month for one year, "and until such time as they were able to procure subsistence on their own account."

Upon their arrival in Trinidad many were distributed to sugar plantations. An estate two and a half miles west of Port-of-Spain, in Cocorite near Fort George was also rented in order to house those who preferred to live as a community of artisans and peasant cultivators growing food for the urban market.

Many of these immigrants became fishermen, pork butchers, carpenters, and shoemakers in addition to growing food. Under the terms of their contract, those who wanted to return to the east would be given a free return passage at any time they requested.

Most of these Chinese eventually returned home with at least 60 going back on the Fortitude itself. By the end of the third year there were hardly more than 30 Chinese men left on the island.

Since then there were three other periods of migration to the west and it continues up to today.



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http://triniview.com/album/TT_Chinese_Bicentennial

Dragon Boat Race Festival


Friday, October 13 2006 (T&T Newsday)



THOUSANDS of persons attended the Chinese Bicentennial Dragon Boat Race Festival, held on the shores of The Kayak Centre in Chaguaramas yesterday.

The event was held in honour of the 200th Anniversary of the Chinese presence in Trinidad and Tobago.

The festival with all its excitement, caused a pile-up of traffic for over two hours, beginning at Cocorite and ending at the Kayak Centre, the races venue.

However, parking and a shuttle service were provided for those who wished to ensure that they arrived on time.

In a release, Franco Siu Chong, the Dragon Boat Races chairman said, "We are hoping to attract young people who may be looking for social activity, with elements of team-building and competition."

The festival was indeed filled with young people, many of whom took part in the races. After many races took place, members of the Sun Wai group were named the Chinese district champions of the feature race, having clocked 2:06.7 over the 500-metre race.

TT's President, George Maxwell Richards presented the group with their award.

The Chung Shan Oar-Sum Dim Sum group came in a close second, clocking a time of 2:11.2, followed by Fui Toong On in third place, they having clocked 2:11.7 minutes.

In a release, it was explained that Dragon Boat racing has a 2000 year old history. It originated in China and is an internationally recognised sport, among participants in the Far East, Australia, Europe and North America. It usually takes place on flat water, over a distance of 500 metres, at a sprint.

Each boat holds 20 paddlers, a steersman and a drummer who keeps the timing. Simultaneously, the drummer is used to ward off any evil spirits.

In the other races, the Scotia Bank and the Lisa Communications racing team were the main focus of attention as they won their races, sometimes winning the race in a matter of seconds.

During the races, entertainment was provided. It included items such as the Tai Chi Kung Fu Fan Dance, done by Madame Zhao and the Chinese Arts dancers, as well as the Ribbon Dance performed by the School of Rhythmic Gymnastics. Various meals were also on sale at the event.


picture of Dragon boat

Commemorative stamps mark Chinese arrival


Friday, October 13 2006 (T&T Newsday)



A commemorative stamp issue celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the arrival of Chinese in Trinidad and Tobago was launched at Club Zen, Keate Street, Port-of-Spain on Tuesday night to a full house which included Minister of Public Utilities Pennelope Beckles and HeHuang Xing, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China.

According to Anthony Hall, Chairman of the Board of Directors at TTPost, "Our organisation believes that careful, targeted use of the strengths of TTPost can be used to improve and celebrate the lives of the people in this rich multi-ethnic and multi-religious society in which we live.

"I am extremely happy to release this special stamp issue as part of a major milestone not only in the history of the Chinese community but the nation as a whole."

In her feature address Minister Beckles said, "There is no gainsaying that, since their arrival two centuries ago, our Chinese Trinidadian and Tobagonians have made an indelible impact on all our lives. They have contributed immensely to the social and economic life of the country, introducing their special brand of business entrepreneurship.

"I am sure you would agree with me that without our Chinese heritage, Trinidad and Tobago would not be the cosmopolitan and ethnically diverse society it is today.

"And today, we have found a way to show our recognition and appreciation for the very many contributions of our Chinese nationals."

The stamp issue showcases artwork from esteemed local artists of Chinese descent who have contributed to the development of art in Trinidad and Tobago.

Five artists were chosen "” Ou (Edwin) Hing Wan whose painting entitled "Guayaguayare Beach" is featured on the $1.00 stamp.

Carlise Chang's pieces "Nobility of Man" and "Hosay" ($2.50) are featured in this issue, so too is Amy Leong Pang's "Saddle Road." This is featured on the $3.75 stamp. Gracing the face of the $4.50 stamp is the unforgettable "Mother and Child" by Patrick Warsing Chu Foon while Sybil Atteck's "Still Life" is featured on the $5.25 stamp.

Dr David Picou, chairman of the Chinese Bicentennial Committee told the audience they decided to consider the work of deceased Chinese artists to minimise any acrimony that may occur among the living artists.

The copyrights for the aforementioned works were negotiated and commissioned to be used in this historic stamp issue.

Members of the Zen audience were also treated to sweet music of the national instrument by the Chinese Bicentennial Pan Ensemble and the glorious Lion Dance from the Johnny Chow dancers.


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After PM, I'll be a preacher

Manning:

Juhel Browne


Saturday, October 14th 2006 (T&T Express)


Declaring that he would not die in politics, Prime Minister Patrick Manning says his political career has motivated him to become a full-time preacher.

Manning revealed his plan to preach when his political career comes to an end in an article written by Marie Y Thibault, editor-in-chief of The Tech, which is the newspaper of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, USA.

The article was published yesterday on The Tech's website, and was based on an interview Thibault did with Manning just after he delivered the keynote address at the MIT Caribbean Students' conference at the university on October 7.

Published in a question-and-answer format, the interview explores Manning's transition from geology to politics, and the role his scientific background has played in his administration of the nation's energy policies.

Near the end of the interview, Thibault, who is identified as TT (The Tech), asked Manning, who is identified as PM, what he intended to do after his political career has ended.

"TT: Do you intend to return to geology when you leave politics?

PM: After I leave politics I am going to preach the word of God.

TT: Has your experience in politics at all motivated that?

PM: Yes, yes... That's a long story, but yes, the answer is yes. I have been Prime Minister now-this is my third term. We'll see how long it will last. But there's a finite period and I'm going to leave at some stage. I won't die in politics."

Manning, who practises the Anglican faith and has previously declared he is a Christian, did not elaborate on his post-retirement plans in the interview.

Just three days before he was interviewed by Thibault, Manning delivered the 2006-2007 Budget presentation, which contained measures that attacked the vices of many people.

Manning announced an increase in the tax and duties on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages from 15 to 30 per cent, the enforcement of the law against casino-type establishments and his administration's plans to eventually eliminate online gaming.

He did not address these issues in his interview with Thibault.

And while Manning said politics had inspired him to eventually preach, he also disclosed that his love for politics was inspired by his previous career as a geologist.

Thibault asked Manning what was the best training he received as a scientist that prepared him for politics.

"It will surprise you, but when I left school, in 1965, secondary school-I worked in a refinery... for 14 months. I had exposure to a lot of technical training and I put that above a geology degree. That, more than anything else, influenced me," Manning said.

Manning, however, further said that his experience at the refinery was not the sole inspiration for his desire to become a politician.

"You know, the decolonisation movement around the world of a lot of political parties and a lot of emerging countries at the time that was seeking to get rid of the shackles of colonialism. In 1956, one of those emerged in Trinidad, the People's National Movement," Manning said.

"My mother and father were very active in it and I was ten years old at that time. So that at the time I was coming to political consciousness. With my parents so active in politics I just began to follow it naturally... I didn't think I would end up in politics, but I have."

quote:

Originally posted by Eric's_Revenge:

quote:

Originally posted by Rosita:

PPP gov't Still can't do anything close to this!, Asif started a "Way to go Guyana" thread but it ended after just a few stupid posts, this Trini "way to go" thread just keep going on and on like the energizer bunny. shame on de PPP!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rosita, October 07, 2006 09:42 AM

You should check out social, even you can't beat the hits on the Mukesh thread!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rosita,

quote:

Originally posted by Rosita:


You should check out social, even you can't beat the hits on the Mukesh thread!

Who de hell is this "Mukesh" ? (who gives a @#$%)

Anyway why do you insist on draging me into your childish games at "01:20 AM" in the morning? (don't you have a toy near by to keep yuh hands "busy" instead of wasting time on this site?)


Ah have a Mighty Sparrow song fuh yuh gyal it even have yuh name in it.(sing after me)


"See Rosita and Clementina standing by the corner...bet yuh life is "something" dey selling....doh make ah rwow! if yuh ketch them broken yuh could get them ALL fuh nothing....de yankees gone an Sparrow take over now" (all lyrics copyrighted 1956)

quote:

Originally posted by Eric's_Revenge:

quote:

Originally posted by Rosita:


You should check out social, even you can't beat the hits on the Mukesh thread!

Who de hell is this "Mukesh" ? (who gives a @#$%)

Anyway why do you insist on draging me into your childish games at "01:20 AM" in the morning? (don't you have a toy near by to keep yuh hands "busy" instead of wasting time on this site?)


Ah have a Mighty Sparrow song fuh yuh gyal it even have yuh name in it.(sing after me)


"See Rosita and Clementina standing by the corner...bet yuh life is "something" dey selling....doh make ah rwow! if yuh ketch them broken yuh could get them ALL fuh nothing....de yankees gone an Sparrow take over now" (all lyrics copyrighted 1956)

instead of wasting time on this site? is the key word


(all lyrics copyrighted 1956) ! Sorry he gat the wrong Rosita, wasn't even born then!

15 more acres for Indian culture


Monday, October 16 2006
(T&T Newsday)


GOVERNMENT has approved the leasing of a further 15 acres of land for use by the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) in their quest to promote cultural activities.

Senator Christine Sahadeo, Minister in the Ministry of Finance, made this announcement on Saturday night during the third day of the nine-day Divali Nagar Celebrations at Endeavour, Chaguanas, to the deafening applause of over 20,000 patrons, who jammed every corner of the compound in extremely fine weather. to witness the celebrations.

In 1990, the then NAR Government gave the first 15 acres of land to esablish the Nagar site, and since then the NCIC has been carrying out operations to improve facilities.

Senatror Sahadeo said, "during this month of October we are celebrating Divali, Eid, and the Chinese community 200 years of arrival, and I would like to congratulate the NCIC for including the Chinese in their celebrations."

She said that in a country as beautiful as ours we should hold hands and demonstrate our love and respect for one another and be a model for the rest of the world.

Senator Sahadeo said that "the spiritual significance of Divali is profound and is manifested in the cosmic universal force that lights all life. It is also a joyous occasion which symbolises the utter defeat of the forces of darkness by the power of light."'

The Minister said the Nagar's theme "the Impact of Hinduism on World Culture," has touches heavily on all aspects of life in Trinidad and Tobago "as it incorporates the Hindu marriage, customs and traditions of the rich heritage brought by our ancestors."

Minister Sahadeo pointed out that India has contributed to world civilisation in the science of algebra, the sugar industry, technology, literature, astrology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, navigation, architecture, engineering, physics, chemistry and logic, and it was improving daily as a super-power to match its skill and expertise with all other developed nations, including cricket.

Nagar closes in splendour


HERMAN ROOP DASS Sunday, October 22 2006 (T&T Newsday)



THE 2006 Divali Nagar, organised by the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) ended in a blaze of glory and colour on Friday night, with a massive crowd of more than 30,000 patrons, jamming every corner of the compound.

The nine day Divali Celebrations with the theme being "Indian/Hindu Contribution to World Culture," has "at last found a permanent place on the calendar of events in the country, with radio and Internet following in England, Holland, the USA, and several other Caribbean countries.

According to Pundit Deokienanan Sharma, president of the NCIC, "the pioneers of the Nagar must be commended for their vision and initiative, and the tremendous amount of effort that the immediate past president (Hans Hanoomansingh) contributed must have played a major role in establishing the Nagar as the premier Divali project in the country."

President Sharma was eternally grateful to the then NAR Government for their donation of 15 acres of land in the early 1990's to create the Nagar site and he was further thankful to the present Government for the leasing of an additional 15 acres of land (announced by Senator Christine Sahadeo, Minister in the Ministry of Finance) earlier in the week to expand the facilities.

He also paid tribute to all those who have been associated with the Nagar over the years and to the countless number of persons who have helped in making the event "a truly wonderful religious and spiritual experience."

Hans Hanoomansingh, immediate past president, gave a short historical account of the Nagar and looked forward to whatever programme was on the drawing board to improve the architecture of the compound so that its image would be on par with International acceptance. Naidu Powdhar, the Clico Chaguanas Branch Man-ager, who sponsored the final night's celebrations including the Fireworks display, said that his company was pleased to be associated with the Nagar over the years and promised to continue its contribution well into the future .

Joan Yuille-Williams, Minister of Culture and Gender Affairs, was part of the crowd on the final night to witness proceedings and she delivered a $200,000 cheque to President Deokienanan Sharma as Government's contribution to the staging of the 20th Annual Divali Nagar.

One of the major highlights on the final night was the artistry of India-born Satnarine Mouriya (who has been a guest of the Nagar for the last eight years) displaying his drawing skills by painting pictures of characters in Hindu scriptures including Goddess Lakshmi after which the crowd did Arti (religious blessings) to the image including Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams, who held a lighted deya in the process.



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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Eric's_Revenge,

Wednesday 25th October, 2006

New self-cleaning toilets coming

Sitting Pretty

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Deborah Maillard, general manager, Specialist Lighting Ltd, speaks during an interview at her office on Weekes Street, St James on October 13.

Photo: Wendy-Ann Duncan


BY AVALENE HARRIS (Tinidad Guardian)


Dilapidated and filthy public toilets will soon be a thing of the past. Instead of stained toilet bowls, smelly floors and dirty walls, T&T can look forward to state-of-the-art sanitary equipment.

Deborah Maillard, the general manager of the company importing the new units, said, "Although we do have a public toilet facility, the public do not have confidence in using them.

"The average user does not feel comfortable and safe in the facilities," she added.

In a recent interview a visibly excited Maillard, of Specialist Lighting Ltd, said the company would be responsible for the importation of the new Execloo Galaxy Automated Public Toilets (APTs).

At her office on Weekes Street, St James, the television personality was in her glee as her once far-fetched idea, reported in the Guardian a year ago, was now being realised.

She said that the APTs guaranteed that each user can expect a fresh toilet seat to use.

"When you go into a public toilet you would find faeces on the walls and urine on the floor, this is because people do not have confidence in sitting on bowls anymore," she said.

With its automated voice messaging system and graffiti-proof interior, the unit would also discourage loitering and vandalism.

She added that the units would also facilitate the physically challenged.

Maillard said that, with the new units the public would not only feel confident to use the service, but would also feel safe and secure.

"The public does not have to worry about cleanliness because after a pre-set number of users, the entire unit shuts down, washes down itself with disinfectant and dries itself for the next (user)," she explained.

Other features which comes with the units include exit hatches, emergency intercoms, polished steel mirrors, stainless steel bowls and baby-changing tables.

"These units are a one time investment," she said.

Maillard, who was a guest on a radio talk show called, Local Government and You on October 11, was assured by host Deodath Ojar-Maharaj that Government had agreed to have the units installed in all 14 municipalities throughout the country.

"It was confirmed that the units were approved by the Minister of Local Government Rennie Dumas and that three units would be purchased in the interim," a bubbly Maillard said.

These three units are expected to serve the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, Ojar-Maharaj confirmed in a telephone interview.

"This could be the beginning of the Government's 2020 vision. The future is looking bright," Maillard added.

Maillard is confident that things would go smoothly and that the process would soon be underway.

"I want to push them gently. I feel like it is going to happen.

"I have my clients (the vendors) in New Zealand and they are waiting," she said with a smile.

The units are currently being used in New Zealand, Europe, USA and Australia.

A step forward

Ojar-Maharaj, communication specialist at the Ministry of Local Government, confirmed that the Minister of Local Government was totally behind the project.

Ojar-Maharaj believes the units are a matter of urgency.

"I am excited about the project.

"This is the sort of equipment that the country is in need of," he added.

Asked how soon such a system would be implemented, he assured that the installation of the units within the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation would be done in the near future.

"It may come quite early.

"As a matter of fact, three units would be placed in that municipality as a pilot project."

The units will be at Curepe Junction, Macoya intersection and between the Golden Grove and Eastern Main Road, Arouca.

Patricia Mejias, chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, also confirmed this.

Mejias said the APTs were a step forward in the country's development.

"We must move away from this habit of releasing ourselves any and everywhere," Mejias said in a telephone interview on October 17.

Mejias recalled that it was on a local government conference in Paris that she first saw the units.

"The units I saw were private ones where you had to pay to use the service."

She added that the Curepe intersection was identified because there were seven taxi stands and nowhere for pedestrians to go.

"That was one of our main problems.

"I witness a man stand in the open and release himself, ˜cause there was nowhere else for him to go.

"We would like the units to be placed there so the public can use it."

She said the corporation spends more than $2 million a year on repairs to toilet facilities, adding that the Tunapuna market had also been earmarked for the installation of the units.

"I do hope that the other municipalities would take advantage of it," she ended.

About the facility

The APT's self-cleaning process takes 50 seconds. After the user is finished, the toilet bowl swivels, retracts into the wall and a cap comes clanking down on top to blast the bowl with different types of disinfectant. The floor, which then folds up, is jet-sprayed and the seat is dried with a big blower. The floor then folds back down and the bowl swivels back, ready for the next person.

Other features of the unit includes a no-touch sensor-operated sink, no-touch flushing, an electronic toilet tissue dispenser and automated wash cycle. APTs have a 20-year warranty.





©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Memorandum of Intent signed

Ian Harris


Friday, October 27th 2006


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Michael Chertoff (centre), US Homeland Security secretary, waves to guests before yesterday's signing of a security agreement with Caricom at Hilton Trinidad. Flanking him are Prime Minister Patrick Manning, right, and US Ambassador Dr Roy Austin. picture



A Memorandum of Intent was yesterday signed by Caricom ministers responsible for providing security for the region and US Homeland Secretary, Michael Chertoff, as preparations continued for the staging of next year's ICC Cricket World Cup.

Called the Advanced Passenger Information System (API), the MOI is aimed at setting out a framework for the initiation of a collaborative arrangement to facilitate the review of data on the programme.

The measures in the MOI are for the purposes of CWC 2007 and are intended to continue even after the major sporting event is concluded, pursuant to terms determined by the participants as part of a long term partnership.

Under the agreement, it will be mandatory for commercial air and sea carriers to provide, prior to departure for or from member states, API data in an electronic format. It also permits the data to be transferred to the government of the United States.

The entry of persons identified as being known to be or suspected to be involved in, or supporting terrorism or other criminal offences, will be denied. A watch list to facilitate this collaboration will be created and provided to the US government for scrutiny.

Included in the MOI is an agreement for the establishment of a Joint Regional Communications Centre to facilitate the sharing of information. Chairing a press conference at the Hilton Trinidad yesterday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning said since the Caribbean had agreed to host the international sporting event it has found itself in unusual circumstances.

"When we agreed to host the World Cup Cricket in 2007 there was no 9/11, there was no issue involving the United Kingdom and changes in air travel, there was no Bali, there were no explosions in other parts of the world. Therefore, we agreed in different circumstances, confident at that time that we had the capacity required of us," Manning said.

"These new developments have now stretched our capacity limit to the point where we have had to call on countries, including the United States, to supplement our own efforts to ensure that we are able to discharge fully the responsibilities to which we had agreed."

Friday 27th October, 2006

Indian vice president to visit next month

Irish PM wants closer ties with T&T


By Gail Alexander (Trinidad Guardian)


Treaties for close links between T&T and India will be signed next month when the vice president of India visits this country,Trade Minister Ken Valley said yesterday.

Valley also said that the Prime Minister of Ireland has expressed a wish for closer ties between T&T and Ireland and that trade missions from various parts of Europe will be visiting T&T over the next few months.

Valley was speaking at yesterday's post-Cabinet media briefing about the achievements of his recent European investment mission and other such initiatives which the Government is undertaking in future.

On the India initiative, he said T&T will seek to secure the investment environment especially for joint venture projects and for local investors who want to go to India.

"We're encouraging our manufacturers to seek joint venture investments with more seasoned players," Valley added.

He said T&T currently enjoys some US$28 million worth of investment from India. Specific areas targeted for investment are the technology, movie and pharmaceutical industries among others.

He said the Government will mount a mission to Asia in February. Countries targeted in the initiative are India, China, Malaysia and South Korea.

Arising from Valley's recent European mission which followed the Soca Warriors World Cup performance, he said a business mission from the UK will visit T&T next month to meet with potential investors.

In January, a similar mission of Irish business executives will come to T&T. German and Spanish delegations are also due later in 2007.

Valley said there has been enthusiastic responses from companies including the Repsol consortium which has promised to assist with T&T's non-oil sector once T&T helps that company in the energy sector.

Valley said a new Spanish ambassador will be posted to T&T by the end of the year.




©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Sir Elton comes for 2007 Tobago jazz festival


Earl Manmohan Scarborough



Wednesday, November 1st 2006 (T&T Express)




British pop star Elton John, American soul singer Al Green and Trinidad-born R&B vocalist Heather Headley are the top acts contracted to perform at the 2007 Plymouth Jazz Festival in April.

Eight more top international performers are to be named as their contracts are signed in the coming days.

CL Communication CEO, Roy Maharaj, made these disclosures at yesterday's media launch of the festival at Hilton Tobago. Also attending the launch was THA Tourism and Transportation Secretary Neil Wilson.

Maharaj said local artistes as well as a steelband would be included in the festival, which is carded for the scenic Plymouth Recreation Ground in Southwest Tobago from April 27-29, 2007.

He said he expected the 2007 edition of the festival to be even bigger than the two previously held at the same venue, since the organisers would have learnt from their experiences. One of these was a revolving stage which would be installed to cut down the time it took to change performances.

He said CL Communications, which is a member of the CL Financial Group, had originally promised to finance the festival for five years, but it now seemed that it would be for ten years.

He said CL Communications was proud to be associated with the Tobago House of Assembly and the LaRoda Group of California for the event. The THA will be providing the infrastructure.

Maharaj said tickets for the festival would cost around the same as last year. These prices were US$65 (general admission), US$90 (VIP) on the Friday; US$85 (general admission) and US$110 (VIP) on the Saturday; and US$100 (general admission) and US$125 (VIP) on the Sunday.

Besides the local and international outlets, tickets would be packaged with airline fares on Virgin Atlantic and TravelSpan.

Wilson said arrangements would be made for the international marketing of the festival with the assistance of the Tourism Development Company. He added that the THA's team to next week's World Travel Market in London will also take the opportunity to market the festival to travel agents, tour operators and airlines serving Tobago.

Chaconia design for academy


Thursday, November 2 2006 (Newsday)


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An artist's impression of an aerial view of the Port-of-Spain National Academy for the Performing Arts


The national flower, the Chaconia, is the model for the design of the Port-of-Spain National Academy for the Performing Arts at Princes Building Grounds.

The arts academy is also to be partly surrounded by water and be accoustically designed to enhance its light and sound qualities, the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) said yesterday.

And a second arts National Academy for the Performing Arts to be built in San Fernando is to be designed in the shape of a musical note and will have some features similar to the academy in Port-of-Spain, Udecott added.

In a statement yesterday, the company said the Princes Building Grounds was earmarked as the site for the Port-of-Spain academy for over the last 30 years and this fact was recognised by Mayor Murchison Brown during a meeting with Udecott officials in September.

Udecott said the academy is one facet of the larger regeneration project for Port-of-Spain and will be the first public teaching facility dedicated to the cultivation of TT's renowned raw musical and theatrical talent.

The National Academy for the Performing Arts will be constructed under a design and build contract by the Shanghai Construction Group (General) Company Ltd and funded by the government of the People's Republic of China.

Udecott further explained that the most appropriate and internationally recognised construction techniques will be employed in constructing the academy and not only "Chinese technology" as stated in recent media reports.

Udecott said it has held talks with the Port-of-Spain City Corporation over the last three months to identify measures to mitigate inconvenience and to relocate the tennis and basketball facilities at Princes Building Grounds to an alternate location south of Memorial Park "with the view of providing accommodation for those that currently use the facility earmarked for this project."

Construction of the academy will begin within the next few months but works to ready the site south of Memorial Park for the netball, tennis and basketball facility will begin within the next month. Udecott added that the academy will include landscaped surroundings with seating areas, water features and greenery.


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Govt praised for helping disabled


Thursday, November 2 2006 (T&T Newsday)


A UNITED STATES organisation involved in training disabled people for the workplace, has praised Government's effort in funding local disabled organisations. Officials from Goodwill of Central Arizona, paid a courtesy call yesterday at the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) Newton Street, San Fernando.

Given the correct training, Goodwill's president/CEO Keith Mason, said that disabled people could be trained in TT to work in any occupation.

Impressed with the facilities at the Centre, Mason said that Government's funding could create disabled persons to reach their full potential. Mason, Veronica Armstrong-Kareem (vice chairperson); Dianne Hanson (Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer); Hassan Abdul Kareem (Vice president) were welcomed by NCPD's CEO Beverly Beckles.

The visiting party toured the facilities where 151 disabled persons are currently being trained in various types of skills. Mason said that his team met with Education Minister Hazel Manning and Social Development Minister Anthony Roberts. Mason said that he was very impressed with the existing arrangement with both ministries, in which funding is provided to disabled organisations.

He praised Manning for her knowledge and experience in the education of the disabled. Goodwill of Arizona, Mason said, was also impressed with the link established between the conventional school system and education of the disabled.

Goodwill of Arizona trained disabled people in "soft skills" computer literacy and provided On the Job Training. A DVD about the organisation and its work was provided to Beckles after which the team conducted a tour of the centre.

PM summons TT ambassadors


Thursday, November 2 2006 (T&T Newsday)


Prime Minister Patrick Manning has summoned all Heads of Missions to a meeting at which he would enuniciate what role they are expected to play in Vision 2020.

This was revealed by Foreign Affairs Minister Arnold Piggott at a farewell reception for former Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift at Hilton Trinidad, St Ann's on Tuesday night.

Piggott stated that the meeting would be convened before the end of the year. He said two of the mandates outlined by the Prime Minister were the restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a review of foreign policy. He said the meeting of all Heads of Mission was the first step in this process.

"With the rapid changes taking place in the global arena, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is compelled to re-examine its foreign policy directions and make what is believed to be significant adjustments as may be appropriate," Piggott stated. He added that it was only with a focused and well-positioned foreign policy could Trinidad and Tobago take its proper place in the world in domestic, regional and international affairs.

Piggott gave the assurance that as he proceeded with the "full implementation of the mandate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", that he would work diligently to foster the strengthening and deepening of TT's bilateral and multilateral relations with friendly countries around the world.

Piggott thanked Gift, "who has been an advisor and a friend", for his sterling leadership at the Ministry. "I thank you Minister for your wise counsel, especially over the past three and a half years, which I am certain would serve me well within this exciting, though challenging, international environment," he said.

Friday 3rd November, 2006

BHP confirms east coast find


picture
The Nabors Rig 657 on location at Ruby 1.


By Curtis Williams (Trinidad Guardian)


BHP Billiton yesterday confirmed that it had made an oil and gas discovery in Block 3a, off the East Coast.

According to the company it has to drill additional wells to confirm it has commercial find but the well shows significant potential.

In a release the company said; ˜BHP Billiton today announced the results of the Ruby-1 exploration well that was recently drilled offshore Trinidad. The well and subsequent testing confirm an oil and gas resource with commercial potential in shallow waters off the east coast of Trinidad."

Yesterday's Business Guardian reported exclusively on the discovery which is the second oil discovery by BHP Billiton in the last five years.

The find comes after thirty years of failure to make a significant oil discovery off the East coast although large world scale gas fields have been found.

BHP Billiton revealed that Ruby-1 reached a total depth of 5,750 feet (true vertical depth) and encountered approximately 1,200 feet TVD (gross) of hydrocarbon-bearing sands with more than 800 TVD feet of net pay. The well tested at a rate of nearly 5,000 barrels of oil per day through a 7/8th-inch choke.

The well is located nearly 30 miles off the Northeast coast of Trinidad in water depths of 200 feet, approximately five miles east of the central processing platform for the Greater Angostura Field, a BHP Billiton-operated development in Block 2(c), which is adjacent to Block 3(a).

Drilling of the Ruby-1 well began the first week of September.

"We are very pleased to have found hydrocarbons, and now we will study the results to see what type of oil accumulation we have," explained Steve Bell, President of Exploration for BHP Billiton Petroleum. "Further analysis in co-ordination with our co-venturers will determine our next steps for this discovery."

Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday praised the development saying BHP Billiton was being conservative because it did not want to make the same mistakes as it did in Angostura by over estimating the size of the discovery. The flow rates are similar to those found in the Kairi 1 and Canteen 1 wells which formed the basis for the Angostura development.

On December 2001 BHP had announced its Angostura discovery in which it said: "This is an early stage of the appraisal programme and the data so far indicates the accumulation is likely to be a multi-hundred million barrel discovery."

It turned out that Angostura's reserves were less than 200 million barrels.

Manning said: "T&T has been the graveyard of many a geologists who have lost their well earned reputation here."

Block 3(a) is operated by BHP Billiton, which has a 25.5 per cent interest in the field. Co-venturers include Talisman (Trinidad Block 3a) Ltd, and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, each with a 25.5 per cent interest; Petrotrin, which has a 15 per cent interest; and Total, with an 8.5 per cent interest.



©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Friday 3rd November, 2006

Govt to hold smelter talks

PM: Things getting out of hand


By Gail Alexander (T&T Guardian)


Government will have to rethink its aluminium smelter position if a symposium which the administration will hold on the smelter plan at monthend indicates the initiative is a fundamental error, Prime Minister Patrick Manning said yesterday.

"It depends on what comes out of the symposium," he said.

"But we don't think that (rethinking) will happen since we have thought out the matter very carefully...We don't expect that," he added at yesterday's post-Cabinet media briefing.

Making a surprise appearance at the briefing"”from which he has been absent for months"”Manning announced plans for the smelter symposium, citing an excess of public emotion on the issue and a lack of fact.

He said the National Energy Corporation will hold the one-day symposium along with other bodies

Manning's statement came a day after acting Opposition chief whip Roodal Moonilal criticised the Government for lack of dialogue with the people on the smelter plan.

This was during Wednesday's Parliament session.

Yesterday, Manning said: "Ever since Government signified its intention to develop an aluminium industry, there has been a lot of comment in the public domain some of it informed, much of it uninformed.

"Debate raging today seems to have been engrossed by a lot of emotion and well-meaning citizens are unable to determine fact from fiction.

"Government has looked very carefully at the situation and believes the time has come to make some kind of positive intervention to ensure that the situation is clarified in the public domain.

"We have seen a lot in the public domain and there is too much emotion"”things are getting out of hand," he said, adding that the Government had decided to ensure the public is properly informed in a forum that discusses the issue dispassionately.

Government had initially left the matter for the companies, he said, but was now intervening though the administration did not like to intervene in private sector issues.

Manning said some of the statements being made are not fact and the public is being confused by what is being heard.

The symposium would allow the facts to become clear, he added.

On why the matter had been left so late, Manning said: "To say we should have intervened before would be judgmental...if people express opposing views and the situation is getting out of hand, Government has a responsibility to deal with it... smelter plans have been on Government's agenda since 1976 and are therefore not new."

Following the symposium, Manning said the Government would move a motion in the Lower House to debate the smelter plan.

The only thing which may come of the matter in this area would be a vote by members of the House, he felt. The PNM has the majority in the House.

Manning said feasibility studies by Alcoa at Chatham would still continue while the symposium takes place.

"Why is it necessary to halt the studies?" he asked.

"In every major decision the PNM Government has made, there has been protest.

Protest is not the proper basis for not doing what we think is right"”the feasibility studies will continue."

Manning emphasised Alcoa would not obtain permission to operate its planned smelter unless downstream industries were attached to its package.

If the two smelters have to be halted, Manning said this can be done even though funds for certain work were allocated in the 2007 budget.

He said the Labidco and Caroni racing complex projects were halted.

Manning said he was sure T&T does not have enough electricity supply for the planned smelters.

Surplus generation capacity would have to be sourced and any extra from this would go into the national grid, he added.

Alcoa's smelter will be responsible for its own generation.

These and matters such as the gas price for smelter supply will be aired at the upcoming symposium.

"The assumption is that Government does not know what it is doing with the smelter plan"” that's not true, we are on solid ground," Manning added.

Third plant only a proposal - Manning

Manning also clarified last Saturday's announcement of a proposal for a third smelter.

Manning said a third smelter "at this stage" was only a proposal which had been received.

He added that no decision has been made by the Government on the issue.

"I wouldn't be surprised if five or six proposals for smelters are received," he said.

"If at the end of the day a decision is to be taken, we'll take a decision.

"But no such decision has been taken from where I sit," he said, stressing decisions have only been made on the Alcoa and Alutrint smelters.

He said the third proposal was not from Norway's Norsk Hydro or a Japanese company reputed to be interested.

More would be heard on the third smelter at the upcoming symposium, he hinted.

Manning said labour was an important factor in the nine energy sector projects for construction, including the two proposed smelters.

"There is no room for any new project at this time," he said , adding that T&T lacks the labour to contract another new plant now.



©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Piarco voted top Caribbean airport


Sunday, November 5 2006 (T&T Newsday)



picture
Sandra Perkins, acting general manager of the Airports Authority.


PIARCO International Airport has been voted the Caribbean's Leading Airport for customer satisfaction and operational efficiency at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA) recently held in the Turks and Caicos. This decision was based on an industry-wide travel and tourism poll carried out by the WTA over a five-month period from May to September.

A total of 165,000 travel agencies and professionals in over 140 countries worldwide were asked to vote for their leading travel destinations, airports, airlines, hotels and companies. Nominations were submitted online and judging was based on the following criteria; customer service, technology, operational efficiency, product offering and style.

Commenting on the award, Sandra Perkins General Manager (Ag) stated, "We at the Airports Authority are very pleased at having received the award, which is recognition of our commitment to excellence. The leadership and vision of the board as well as the exemplary work ethic of management and employees have contributed significantly to our success. I am particularly pleased that among the criteria for selection were customer satisfaction and operational efficiency which are among the key indicators of airport service quality."

Perkins explained, "In December 2005 we launched our Customer Service Orientation Programme as we saw excellence in customer service as pivotal to realising our goal to make our airports the premier providers of aviation driven business in the region. I have no doubt that this award will serve as an encouragement for all of us to work even harder in achieving our strategic goals."

President not satisfied with student increase at UWI


LARA PICKFORD-GORDON Sunday, November 5 2006


picture
Graduates from the Faculties of Engineering and Medicine of the UWI at their graduation ceremony at UWI's Sports and Physical Education centre.


ALTHOUGH the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) has had steady increases in enrollment, President George Maxwell Richards said the student population was still not "what it should be."

Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the Faculties of Medical Sciences and Engineering at UWI's Sports and Physical Education centre yesterday, Richards said the student population at the three campuses was 10,493. This grew to 17,491 in 1995 and enrollment has increased ever since.

However, Richards said, "We must do all that is possible to reach a tertiary enrollment rate that is acceptable bearing in mind the size of our populations."

Richards, the former principal of the campus and current chancellor of the University of TT was given an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from UWI.

Underscoring the need to diversify the economy, he said in today's world economic value was being derived from knowledge, especially scientific and technical. However, countries like TT must look for economic future and social well being through innovation and technology "rather than solely to reliance on the exploitation of their natural and physical resources, important though this may be in the short and medium term."

Richards said TT could learn from the experience of Finland which transformed its economy from one dependent on natural resources to one at the top of the list of most indices of global competitiveness.

He said the most important asset in any country was its pool of highly trained men and women.

Richards said it was on their work and understanding that national development rests and the university must be at the centre of the development process.

Vice-chancellor Eon Nigel Harris said the St Augustine campus recorded the highest increase (90 percent) in student enrollment and had the most students among the three campuses of the UWI.

Harris said this year 12 of the 28 open scholarship and 158 of the 274 national scholarship winners went to the St Augustine campus.

Responding to the increase, Harris said work has started on an auditorium and classroom with a 450 sq ft lecture theatre, as well as 150 additional places at the Milner dormitory and St John Road student residences to accommodate 479 students.

Former Finance Minister Selby Wilson was among the graduates in the Faculty of Engineering's Master's degree programme in Telecommunications Regulation and Policy.

TT sixth in Caricom


Thursday, November 9 2006 (T&T Newsday)


DESPITE FALLING in Transparency International's (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for the fourth successive year, Trinidad and Tobago still fares better than many nations in the Western Hemisphere in terms of dealing with the corruption issue. TI is also hinting that a greater number of Caribbean nations may be included in future CPIs.

TT fell from a score of 5.3 out of ten in 2001 to a score of 3.2 out of ten this year. However despite this score, TT still fares better than many countries in the region when it comes to tackling corruption. According to the 2006 CPI, TT did better than countries such as Suriname (3.0), Argentina (2.9), the Dominican Republic (2.8), Guatemala (2.6), Nicaragua (2.6), Guyana (2.5), Honduras (2.5), Ecuador (2.3), Venezuela (2.3) and Haiti (1.8) in dealing with corruption.

Haiti was perceived as the most corrupt nation in the world for 2006, placing last amongst the 163 nations surveyed with a score of 1.8. TT was ranked 79th in the survey along with Morocco, Moldova, Burkina Faso and Lesotho. The corruption perception of a country increases as the score decreases from ten to one.

TT was sixth in Caricom in the CPI ratings with Barbados in first place with a score of 6.7. Dominica (4.5), Jamaica (3.7), Belize (3.5), Grenada (3.4) were rated second, third, fourth and fifth respectively in the CPI ratings for Caricom. In the 2006 CPI report, TI explains why some nations are no longer included in the CPI and why are new countries included.

The 2005 CPI surveyed 153 nations compared to 163 in the 2006 CPI. TI said it requires "at least three sources" to include a country in the CPI.

The change in this year's CPI was due to the inclusion of the World Bank's Country Policy and Institutional Policy Assessment (CPIA) and the dropping of Columbia University State Capacity and Information Survey and Information International Survey of Middle Eastern Businesspeople.

The omission of these two groups led to Afghanistan, Fiji, Somalia. Liberia and Palestine being excluded from the 2006 CPI. The inclusion of CPIA and the Property and Environment Research Centre led to the inclusion of Grenada, Dominica, Bhutan, Central African Republic, Timor-Leste, Guinea, Macao, Mauritania and Togo to this year's CPI.

In terms of future CPIs, TI said countries like Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Nether-lands Antilles, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, North Korea and Lichenstein could be included. These nations require at least one or two sets of data for inclusion on the CPI.

In explaining the methodology for determining a CPI, TI said data is gathered from sources that span the last two years (for the 2006 CPI, this means surveys from 2005 and 2006) and the overall reliability of the data is demonstrated in the high correlation between sources.

TI reiterated that "it is difficult to assess the overall levels of corruption" in different countries based on hard empirical data such as comparing the amount of bribes or court cases. TI said the latter "does not reflect actual levels of corruption" but highlights the quality of the courts, prosecutors and/or the media in exposing corruption. TI said this was why the CPI is based "only on perceptions" of corruption.

TT does well in UNDP Report


Clint Chan Tack Thursday, November 9 2006


TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO has been ranked 57th out of 177 countries with a Human Development Index (HDI) score of 0.809 in the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) 2006 Human Development Report which was released today in Cape Town, South Africa.

The report shows TT comparing favourably amongst the 177 nations surveyed in terms of health, education, gender empowerment (including female participation in politics) and combating poverty.

The information in the report covers various factors which have influenced the HDI in the 177 countries in the two years prior to 2006.

The HDI provides a composite measure of health (measured by life expectancy), education (measured by adult literacy and tertiary level enrolment) and standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity) which determine human development in a country. The HDI does not include indicators such as respect for human rights and political freedoms but provides a broader progress and the complex relationship between income and well-being.

In terms of health, TT ranks 98th out of 177 nations with life expectancy at birth of 69.8 years. In education, TT is 114th out of 177 nations with a combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment of 66.9 percent.

Another part of the HDI is the Human Poverty Index (HPI) which deals with the proportion of people within the population of a country who do not have access to basic amenities. In the report, TT has an HPI score of 8.8 and is ranked 17th among the 102 developing countries for which this index was calculated.

According to the report, there is an 11.6 percent probability of people in TT not surviving past the age of 40 and the number of persons without access to an improved water source constitutes nine percent of the population. In the overall batch of 177 nations, TT ranks 101 and 39th respectively in each of these areas.

TT scored very well compared to the other nations surveyed in terms of gender-related development index (GDI), particularly where the participation of women in the country's political and economic affairs are concerned.

The UNDP noted that TT has a large number of women who hold seats in Parliament, are legislators, senior officials and managers. TT ranks 61st of the 177 nations with a GDI that is 99.4 percent of its HDI.

Petro-canada to drill IN JULY '07


Thursday, November 9th 2006(Tobago News)



Tobagonians wouldn't have to wait much longer to know whether their long touted belief that Tobago was sitting on a bed of oil and gas.

Canadian oil giant Petro-Canada has finally been able to secure a six-month lease on a suitable rig to drill four to five exploration wells in a water depth of up to 3,500 feet, just off the northwest coast of Charlotteville.

Company Communications Specialist Rosemary Drummond disclosed in an interview on Monday that the rig, Diamond Ocean Worker, from Diamond Offshore Drilling of Houston, Texas was being leased for six months from July 1 next. The rig is now in operations in the Gulf of Mexico. "By this time next year we should be able to say whether we were successful in our exploration," she said.

Last July the Tobago News reported that Petro-Canada was having difficulty in obtaining a rig to carry out its exploration in Block 22 but Drummond brought the good news to Tobago last week.

Top executives of the company met with Chief Secretary Orville London to brief him on the development and the company's schedule of operations. They were due to return to Tobago yesterday (Thursday) to make a 20-minute presentation to members of the Executive Council at their weekly meeting. The company also started a series of training courses on Monday at the Buccoo Fisheries Training Centre on Safety at Sea.

Drummond and other executives of the company will hold one of two public consultations in Tobago in the first week of next month to discuss their operations. Fishing leaders, environmental groups, village councils, assemblymen and parliamentarians would all be invited to the consultation.

She said Petro-Canada, which is also planning to drill exploration wells with another rig, the Rowan Gorilla, in the Gulf of Paria, would establish a service base at the La Brea Industrial Estate.

The company will use Crown Point airport as its base to shuttle workers to and from the Diamond Worker. In launching the Safety at Sea training programme on Monday Agriculture, Marine Resources and the Environment Secretary Hilton Sandy was high in praise of Petro-Canada's initiative to sponsor the programme.

Training would include boating safety, safety equipment, meteorology, first aid, survival techniques, basic seamanship, rules of the road, out board engines, troubleshooting, fuel systems and electrical awareness.

Foreign experts for aluminium symposium


Phoolo Danny-Maharaj South Bureau


Tuesday, November 14th 2006 (T&T Express)


A symposium on the aluminium industry is to be held in Trinidad next month with a number of experts from the United States and several other countries scheduled to take part.

The symposium, organised by the South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce in collaboration with the National Energy Corporation, will be held on December 6 at Paria Suites Hotel, La Romaine.

Chamber chief executive officer Thackwray Driver said: "We have not finalised all plans as yet but we expect to get some experts from the USA and other areas."

The symposium will be open to religious groups, Government workers, businesspeople and other members of the public but priority will be give to the stakeholders, groups and schools from the southwest peninsula, Driver said.

Objective of the symposium is to provide information and to promote discussion on the development of the aluminium industry in the country as outlined by Prime Minister Patrick Manning in his recent post-Cabinet press briefing.

Proposed aluminium smelters for Chatham and La Brea have resulted in controversy that have led to public outcry from environmentalists, residents and politicians.

The chamber said in a statement it had organised the symposium because "we are recognised as an independent, non-partisan association, which has consistently upheld the highest ethical standards and which has been actively involved in issues of national development for the past 50 years".

Austrian fans mob Warriors


Tuesday, November 14 2006 (T&T Newsday)



TRINIDAD and Tobago's football team was greeted by several young Austrian football fans running to meet them as they came off the team bus in Vienna yesterday.

The team had arrived for their first training session at the KSC Donestaudt Training Center following their arrival in Austria earlier ahead of tomorrow's friendly international.

With a slight drizzle and the Soca Warriors dressed to suit the extreme chilly conditions, the youngsters left their parents behind and rushed towards the bus the moment they caught sight of it.

They collected signatures and those who were lucky snapped photos before coach Wim Rijsbergen conducted a one-hour session with the Caribbean footballers.

The Trinidad and Tobago-based contingent and members of staff departed Piarco International Airport on Sunday evening before meeting the overseas-based pros in London, England.

The squad eventually arrived in Vienna close to 4 pm (11 am TT time) yesterday. It was TT's first time back on the European mainland since their debut at the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany.

The Soca Warriors had also previously stayed in Bad Radkersburg, Austria for a training camp prior to the World Cup. Austria, ranked 74th, six places higher than TT on the FIFA world rankings, will be aiming to produce a winning performance before their home fans. They are warming up to co-hosting the 2008 Euro Championships and Rijsbergen is prepared to face the tough challenge.

"Like them and other countries at this time, we will be using the match as preparation for future competitions and we will be aiming to give a good account," Rijsbergen said as the team checked in at the Marriot Hotel.

"Ideally we would like to play matches on each of the FIFA international dates and that's one of the things that we are trying to look into.

"But you never know what will happen so when these kind of matches come up you have to make the best of them. The same goes for when we could have played Mexico back in September. "They wanted to play us but they wanted to play our best team and the same goes for other countries. We are missing a couple players for this match, for instance Dwight.

"But we have a good team still and this will give us a chance to see how good a performance and result we can get in this one," the former Dutch international said.

Wednesday 22nd November, 2006


T&T wins destination of the year (Trinidad Guardian)

picture
Graham Cooke, president and founder of the World Travel Awards, left, Neil Wilson, secretary of Tourism, Transport, Enterprise Development, Settlements, Labour, Co-operatives and Consumer Affairs, Tobago House of Assembly; and Dr James Hepple, president and Director of Tourism, TDC, far right, display two of the awards T&T won at the World Travel Market which was hosted in London. Also in photo are Chandani Persaud, Miss T&T UK, and two models displaying Carnival costumes.



Known for its booming energy and manufacturing industries, T&T is carving out an international reputation as an award winning tourist destination.

This country's presentation at the World Travel Market (WTM), which included live entertainment, models in Carnival costumes, a book launch, product sampling and displays from local resorts and tour operators, was commended by visitors to the trade show.

Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz praised T&T's presence at the WTM, hosted in London, England, as superior to New York's, which he criticised as unimaginative.

"Trinidad had an unbelievable booth with a full band," Markowitz reportedly told the Brooklyn media.

At the recently concluded WTM, T&T beat out neighbours Jamaica, Barbados and a host of other countries to win Destination of the Year at the Caribbean Travel and Property Awards and World's Leading Ecotourism Destination (Tobago Main Ridge Rain Forest).

Also taking a place in winner's row was T&T's Tourism Development Company (TDC). The TDC was voted the Most Outstanding Caribbean Tourist Board for 2006, at the Caribbean Hotel Association Crystal Palm Awards for Excellence.

The Crystal Palm Awards for Excellence recognises members of the tourism industry who have performed with distinction in their efforts to develop and promote tourism to the Caribbean from the UK and Europe. Winners were selected based on votes cast by Caribbean hoteliers, tourist boards, tour operators and trade publications from the UK and Europe.

Also coming in for high praise at the WTM was the Travel Foundation Tobago, which received a commendation from the First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards as Best Destination, and Coco Reef Resort, Tobago, which won the Caribbean's Leading Hotel award.

More than 35 companies, including Coco Reef Hotel, Grafton Beach Resort, and Caribbean Airlines (BWIA), represented T&T at the WTM.

Staged annually in London, the WTM is one of the largest trade shows of its type and brings together hundreds of travel agents, tour operators, members of the hotel sector and other stakeholders in the industry from all over the world. Last year 48,211 travel industry professionals representing 202 countries participated in the event.




©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

British Airways to resume PoS service from March 28


Friday, November 24th 2006 (Tobago News)


British Airways (BA) is to resume services between Port of Spain and London's Gatwick airport from March 28. There will be three flights per week via Barbados on a Boeing 777. BA suspended its services to Trinidad in 1994.

BA, which currently operates three flights weekly from Crown Point with a Boeing 777 aircraft, has also signed a codeshare agreement with Caribbean Airlines (CA).

CA flight code will be placed on BA services from Port of Spain as well as from Barbados and Antigua. CA customers will also be able to redeem frequent flyer rewards on these BA services.

BA commercial senior vice president Latin America and the Caribbean Dr Oliver King has welcomed CA as its latest codeshare partner and said he was looking forward to their future relationship.

Commenting on the Port of Spain to London service, King said: "We are delighted to be starting service from Port of Spain. The city becomes British Airways' tenth destination in the Caribbean where we already serve Trinidad's neighbouring island, Tobago.

"Port of Spain is the industrial capital of the Southern Caribbean as well as a thriving leisure destination. We look forward to offering residents a gateway to Europe and to welcoming visitors to the island."

This winter season BA will operate 36 flights a week between the Caribbean and London, serving Antigua, Bridgetown, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Kingston, Nassau, St Lucia, Providenciales and Tobago.

MORE JOBS THAN EVER


Manning happy over all-time low 5.9% unemployment rate
Juhel Browne


Saturday, November 25th 2006 (T&T Express)




JUST one day after the Central Bank announced inflation had reached a high of 10 per cent, Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday announced that unemployment in Trinidad and Tobago had reached an historic all-time low of 5.9 per cent.

Manning made the announcement while contributing to the debate on the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund Bill at yesterday's sitting of the House of Representatives at the Red House, Port of Spain.

As he announced the unemployment figures for the last six months, Manning made no mention of the 10 per cent inflation rate and did not outline how many of the jobs were long-term or short-term.

Instead, Manning recalled that when his administration had been in office in 1995, he predicted the nation would have full employment (an unemployment rate of five per cent.)

"To many it was impossible to achieve an unemployment figure and it is impossible to achieve an unemployment figure of five per cent. Mr Speaker, in the first quarter of this year, unemployment was 7.2 per cent. And yesterday, the figures have come in for the second quarter of this year. The unemployment figure in the second quarter of 2006 fell to 6.0 per cent for the first time in the history of Trinidad and Tobago," Manning said.

"The figures have also come in for the third quarter of 2006, and that figure is 5.9 per cent for the very first time. For the very first time in the history of Trinidad and Tobago, unemployment falling below the level of six per cent and the country is well on the way to achieving the targeted unemployment rate of five per cent, which is full employment in this country. Mr Speaker, you will forgive if I feel vindicated."

He was responding to a contribution during the debate last week by Opposition MP Winston Dookeran, the political leader of the Congress of the People, who accused the Government of being in retreat regarding its management of the economy.

Manning detailed the figures for the size of the labour force within the last six years, as follows:

2001 - 576,500; 2002 - 586,200;

2003 - 596,500; 2004 - 613,400;

2005 623,700; 2006

(Third quarter) 619,000.

"In other words Mr Speaker, it rose from 576,000, when they (UNC) were in Government, to 623,000 at the end of last year, an increase in the number of employed persons by 47,000 in the period of time that the Government is in office," Manning said.

"So it is not by happenstance, Mr Speaker, that more people are employed. It is not an accident that the unemployment rate has fallen. All of this has come about because the Government is in an attack and expansive mode."

In his contribution, Manning repeated much of the economic data detailed in his 2006 Budget presentation and said every indicator showed the Government was soundly managing the nation's economy.

Manning said his administration was not in a retreat or a "duck and run" mode and noted the last time this country had an unemployment rate lower than last year's 6.9 per cent was during a previous PNM administration in 1980, when that figure stood at 9.8 per cent.

Approached by reporters on the existing inflation rate during the tea-break, Manning offered no comment and referred all questions to Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Conrad Enill.

.only 5.9% on the job market


Roxanne Stapleton


Saturday, November 25th 2006 (T&T Express)



THE UNEMPLOYMENT rate closed out the third quarter of 2006 at 5.9 per cent, Central Statistical Office director, Peter Pariag, said yesterday.

Private and public sector project planners are now said to be reeling from the full effects of close to full employment, as the chronic labour shortage has intensified during the run-up to Christmas.

While the majority of skilled workers have migrated to major public sector projects around the country, private construction projects, including home renovations, continue at snail's pace businessmen lamented yesterday.

"Finding workmen is worse than pulling teeth," they declared, resulting in a complete stop in building at various construction sites.

Pariag was invited by the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber to give an overview and structure of the CSO, at its Westmoorings, Port of Spain headquarters.

Contrary to "prior opinion", Pariag clarified that statistics provided by the CSO are not at all doctored, as its statisticians adhere to strict methodology and data collection practices.

However, while he stressed there are dedicated staffers at the CSO, he proceeded to produce a long list of organisational weaknesses which are hampering the unit's effectiveness.

According to Pariag, there is "an out-dated and inadequate staff structure, poor remuneration packages, resulting in staff going to greener pastures, a lack of some key skills and competencies, no succession planning because of staff departures, insufficient hardware and obsolete computer software", among several others.

In outlining "threats" to the CSO, Pariag cited escalating costs of data collection and compilation, untimely dissemination of statistics by other agencies and reduced budgetary allocations, which restrict the implementation of work programmes.

Caribbean Airlines stays in state's hands



Clint Chan Tack Tuesday, November 28 2006(T&T Newsday)


AS BWIA's successor company, Caribbean Airlines, welcomed the first jet in its fleet yesterday, Government has decided that it will maintain its majority shareholding in the new carrier for now. This was disclosed by Tourism Minister Howard Chin Lee following a gala induction ceremony at Piarco International Airport yesterday to welcome a new Boeing 737 aircraft painted in the new carrier's colours.

Earlier this year, PNM vice-chairman John Donaldson said Government might consider divesting its shareholding in BWIA as it makes its seamless transition to Caribbean Airlines. However, speaking with journalists at Piarco yesterday, Caribbean Airlines CEO Peter Davies said, "As far as I know they (Government) are the shareholder. They remain the shareholder. My business is to make sure we have a profitable airline."

Chin Lee, who represented Government at the ceremony, confirmed to Newsday that the State will remain the majority shareholder in the new airline "for the time being." The Minister described the arrival of Caribbean Airlines' new plane as "a new era for transportation in and out of TT." Explaining that the airline industry is the "lifeline" of the tourism industry, Chin Lee said the launch of Caribbean Airlines will complement Government's efforts as it is now increasing its hotel room stock by 60 percent with the construction of 700 new rooms. He added that this initiative along with others by the Tourism Development Company are proceeding apace as the region prepares to host the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Davies said Caribbean Airlines will have a total workforce of around 500 to 700 persons but the carrier's structure is still being worked out. He could not say how many former BWIA workers have been employed with Caribbean Airlines since some 20,000 job applications are still being processed.

Davies declined to reveal how much money Caribbean Airlines is spending to market itself overseas but said the campaign was taking place in all of BWIA's current destinations and its importance was to place the new carrier and TT "further on the airline market."

Davies and Caribbean Airlines chairman Arthur Lok Jack said the 2.45 pm arrival of the new plane meant "the old book (on BWIA) is closed and a new book has started." Davies reiterated that Caribbean Airlines will "not be the old BWIA." Lok Jack said Caribbean Airlines is starting with a "fully capitalised airline with a clean balance sheet" that will help it to handle the challenges of the global aviation industry and usher in a "new chapter in Caribbean aviation."

Lok Jack also said Caribbean Airlines' engineering department could be strengthened to provide services for other regional carriers.

With a National Security helicopter hovering nearby, the new Caribbean Airlines' jet thrilled the audience with two fly-bys over the runway before landing at 2.53 pm. As this plane taxied towards the hangar where the ceremony was being held, an old BWIA 737-200 plane arrived at Piarco as if to symbolise the changing of the guard in Caribbean aviation.

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Govt plans to make IT available to disabled


Tuesday 28th November, 2006 (T&T Guardian)



BY CAROL MATROO

In an effort to level the playing field for people with disabilities to lead more autonomous lives, the Government is focusing on the concept of easy access to information and various communication technologies.

Initially observed as the International Day of Disabled Persons, it was decided that celebrating this event for an entire week would raise the level of awareness of disability issues within the population.

International Day of Disabled Persons was so proclaimed by the United Nations not only to promote awareness, but understanding of disability issues and mobilising support for the rights and well-being of people with disabilities.

Social Development Minister Anthony Roberts, who formally opened the launch of Disability Awareness Week at the Hilton Trinidad yesterday, said the theme for the second observance of Disability Awareness Week was e-accessibility.

He said access to information and communication, in both electronic and alternative formats, would lead to more independent lives.

This year, the 31 organisations who participated in Disability Awareness Week received $300,000 in funding assistance as projects for this year's events have grown in size, diversity and complexity.

Some of these projects included cultural shows, school sensitisation visits and information booths.

The theme of e-accessibility emphasised that information and communication technologies could greatly facilitate the mobilisation of people with disabilities to participate in society and, in doing so, achieve social inclusion, Roberts said.

The National Policy on Persons with Disabilities identified access to information and communication as a key area for implementation.

Roberts said talks with the Public Administration Ministry had already begun to identify public documents and information to be made accessible.

This included Braille, audio tapes and large print for people with visual impairments.

Roberts said his ministry intended to pursue, within this fiscal year, a project that would facilitate the signing of local news and educational programmes on television.

He said it was not his ministry's intent to ensure accessibility of information, but also access to services by people with disabilities.

With regard to physical access, workshops and discussions were held with several divisions of the Works and Transport Ministry, including Public Transport Services Corporation and the City Corporation of the Local Government Ministry to improve physical access to the public built environment.

The ministry also conducted a visit to City Gate's transport hub to make recommendations for improved accessibility.

Discussions were also being held with Genivar, a Canadian-based engineering consulting company, contracted by the Urban Development Co of T&T, to make recommendations for modifying the physical geography of Port-of-Spain to facilitate ease of movement by people with disabilities.

"NGOs of and for persons with disabilities are sharing their expertise with Government departments to ensure that renovations include texturised sidewalks and crossings, curbcuts, ramps, parking spaces and traffic lights with bells," Roberts announced.

He added that in providing accessibility to education and training, the ministry had already begun discussions with the Education Ministry's Students Support Services Division to ensure provision of opportunities for all children with disabilities to be educated and trained.

This included educational and training materials in an accessible format at learning institutions and training centres.

Roberts also announced that his ministry would produce a dictionary of T&T signs and accompanying DVD.

The dictionary was aimed at officially documenting signs used locally by the hearing impaired community.


©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Kids Day At The Movies (T&T Newsday)


JANELLE DE SOUZA Monday, November 27 2006


Every year for the past three years Multi Cinemas Trinidad Limited has organised the MovieTowne Christmas Children's Charity for underprivileged kids.

Yesterday, some 1,300 children from 25 Homes from various parts of the country attended the event. Included were the Princess Elizabeth Home, St Dominic's, St Mary's, St Jude for Girls, Lady Hochoy, Living Water Community, Rainbow Rescue as well as two villages from Mayaro.

The children, whose ages ranged from two to 18, were picked up at the Homes by maxi taxis provided by the company. From there, they were transported to MovieTowne which closed its doors to the public from 9 am until 2 pm to accommodate the children.

On arrival, the children were fed and seated in one of the ten cinemas. There, they were entertained by Dragon Dancers who weaved in and out of the rooms. Then, the movies began.

Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Open Season, Superman Returns, and Happy Feet were some of the movies shown. On exiting the cinema, the children were given snacks and directed to Santa and Mrs Claus who distributed gifts to them.

Each home also received the Ato Boldon DVD, On The Road to Bahrain as well as cases of water. Gifts will also be delivered to some of the Homes that could not attend.

"Every year the children look forward to it," said Lisa Sadler, Assistant Marketing Manager of Multi Cinemas. "It is their day to enjoy the MovieTowne experience."


Shakira NG Saye (left) and Sharell Shoon (right) received hugs and presents from Mrs Claus at the Movie Towne Christmas Children's Charity.




Children from the "Beetham All-in-One Child Development Centre" show off their gifts.


PAINTING SMILES: This young girl smiles as she gets her face painted yesterday at the Annual Christmas Party for the children of the staff of the President's House.


ELMO'S IN THE HOUSE: Dalisha (left) and Dalelayna Emanuel get a hug from Sesame Street character, Elmo, at the Annual Christmas Party for the children of the staff of the President's House yesterday.



CHINAPOO POLICE ADOPT HOME


Monday, November 27 2006 (T&T Newsday)


Members of the Chinapoo Police Youth Club volunteered their services to the St. Mary's Children's Home, Tacarigua, Saturday.

Chairman of the Police Youth Club Eloy Burge said that this programme would go on for the next six months. "We along with the children of the St. Mary's home would take part in renovation and restoration work on one of the buildings. The buildings here are over 150 years old and are in dire need of a face lift," he said.

The children of the home will receive the basic training in a number of technical skills which includes masonry, plumbing, carpentry, painting and tile laying.

"There would also be motivational speaking, lectures on personal hygiene and personal development. At the conclusion of this training we would be having a graduation ceremony where the children will receive a certificate of participation," Eloy explained.

He extended his appreciation and thanks to the Ministry of Social Development for making the programme possible.

He continued: "We intend to interact and socialise as much as possible with the children here and if we brought joy and hope to any of these children then we have completed our mission.

Thursday 30th November, 2006


UTC Energy Fund coming (Trinidad Guardian)



The Unit Trust Corporation yesterday held a news conference to announce the forthcoming launch of its energy fund.

The UTC Energy Fund will be available to local investors within by the middle of December, said officials of the mutual fund company.

Speaking on the 24 anniversary of the establishment of the organisation, executive director of the UTC Michael Alexander framed his address in the context of the the mandate of the Corporation to "promote a shareholding democracy among the widest possible community."
He said that with the establishment of the UTC Energy Fund, the organisation will offer unitholders the opportunity to own a piece of this wealth-producing sector.

The fund will include the securities, both fixed and equity, of energy companies, including some that operate in T&T but are listed on foreign stock exchanges. The fund will be offered in US dollars and the sales charge will be five per cent of the offer price with a management fee of up to 1.5 per cent of the fund's net asset value.

©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited


UTC's executive director Michael Alexander, left, listens to a point made by Gayle Daniel-Worrel, the Corporation's marketing manager, at a news conference to announce the establishment of the UTC Energy Fund. Also listening to Daniel-Worrel is UTC's chairman, Amoy Chang Fong, second left, and UTC executive director Eutrice Carrington.

Photo: Shirley Bahadur

Thursday 30th November, 2006

Ministry to unveil oil, gas bids today


By Curtis Williams(Trinidad Guardian)


Following more than a year of delays, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries will today unveil the bids for 11 onshore/nearshore blocks which it had offered to oil and gas companies in 2005.

According to the Ministry, the bids will be revealed at its Riverside Plaza Offices at 4.30 pm, half an hour after the official close of the bids.

Director of Resource Management, Helena Innis King told the Guardian that while she did not know how many bids were received or which blocks were bit on, the signs were positive.

"If I can judge from the number of companies that expressed interest in getting the technical data, I would say the response to the blocks has been positive." Innis King explained.

It will also be an opportunity to see how the new production sharing contracts have impacted on interest in exploring in T&T.

Under the terms of the new PSCs government's overall revenues from any new find will be greater than in past PSCs.

The blocks up for bid

Combined Onshore/Nearshore:

(a) Guayaguayare, shallow horizon block comprising an area of approximately 1126 sqkm with the shallow horizon exploration rights extending to 1525 metres (5000ft).

(b) Guayaguayare, deep horizon block comprising an area of approximately 1193 sqkm with the deep horizon exploration rights starting at 1525 metres (5000ft).

(c) Southwest Peninsula, shallow horizon block comprising of an area of approximately 538 sqkm with the shallow horizon exploration rights extending to 3,200 metres (10,500 ft) and 4572 metres (15,000 ft) for prescribed areas around committed wells.

(d) Southwest Peninsula, deep horizon block comprising of an area of approximately 917 sqkm with the deep horizon exploration rights starting at 3,200 metres (10,500 ft) and 4572 metres (15,000 ft) for prescribed areas around committed wells.

(e) Herrera, shallow horizon block comprising of an area of approximately 241sqkm with the shallow horizon exploration rights extending to 3,962 metres (13,000 ft) in the northern area of the block and 2286 metres (7,500 ft) in the southern area of the block.

(f) Herrera, deep horizon block block comprising of an area of approximately 712 sqkm with the deep horizon exploration rights starting at 3,962 metres (13,000 ft) in the northern area of the block and 2286 metres (7,500 ft) in the southern area of the block.

(g) Central Range, shallow horizon block comprising an area of approximately 734 sqkm with the shallow horizon exploration rights extending to 1372 metres (4,500 ft).

(h) Central Range, deep horizon block comprising an area of approximately 856 sqkm with the deep horizon exploration rights starting at 1372 metres (4,500 ft).

(i) Shallow marine acreage off the north and east coast, Trinidad: (a) Block 2(ab), comprising an area of 1,605 square kilometres. (b)Block NCMA 2, comprising an area of 1,019 square kilometres. (c)Block NCMA 3, comprising an area of 1,019 square kilometres.




©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited