VOL. 6, NO.

6 March 21, 2012

Lunch Raises Computer Purchase Funds

The Friends of St Marys hosted its Fundraising Lunch on Sunday, March 18th at Scarboroughs Timehri Restaurant. About fifty members of the Canadian Caribbean community turned out in support of the Groups efforts to raise funds to purchase a much needed computer for St. Marys students in Guyana. Those present, including several St. Marys past students who attended the school from the 1940s to the 1960s, were treated to a sumptuous Caribbean Buffet Lunch. During her brief welcome address, Friends of St Marys Chairperson Sandra Ann Baptiste advised those present of the Groups ambitious plans for the year. These include the development of a com-

618 Strouds Lane, Pickering, ON L1V 4S9 Tel: 905.831-4402 Fax: 416.292.2943 Email: caribbeangraphic@rogers.com

petition encouraging the kids to write about their career choices and proposed contribution to Guyanas development. The Group, which is also spearheaded by Jennifer Ridley and Maurice Lee, also has plans to implement a Mentorship Program that will allow St Marys students access to the knowledge, skills and expertise of Alumni in Canada and the U.S. with specialities in areas of study interests. Having also already hosted a Pub Night earlier this month, Friends of St Marys will be hosting these events annually. The computer purchased with proceeds from the March 18th Lunch will be presented to St Mary students in Guyana by Friends of St Marys Chairperson Sandra Ann Baptiste.

REDJet Grounded
BRIDGETOWN After just 10 months in the skies, low-cost carrier REDjet has been grounded due to financial problems. The Barbados-based airline needs an $8 million injection and government support so it can take to the skies once again. Without such help, the future of the airline is uncertain. The airline suspended all flights to its nine destinations with effect from 11:59 p.m. on March 16 until further notice. This move placed over 90 employees on the breadline, resulted in a number of passengers being stranded and a strain on regional travel. The latest turn of events has also raised the question of whether or not the cost of regional travel will once again increase, or if air fare will remain low. The airline which is owned by father and son Ian and Robbie Burns took to the skies last May, putting forward a model designed to bring affordable travel to the Caribbean from as low as $19.98 before taxes. And the owners have given the assurance that they are willing to continue providing affordable air transport across the Caribbean if they could receive a small part of the state assistance given to other airlines. Tourism Minister Richard Sealy said the Barbados Tourism Authority was willing to work with the airline in the area of joint marketing, and expressed hope that it would soon be up and running once again. St. Lucias Prime Minister, Dr. Kenny Anthony, also noted that it was difficult for regional governments to continue subsidising carriers. However, the grounding of the airline has not gone down well with passengers, some of whom purchased tickets within minutes of the airlines announcement that

all flights were being suspended. Passengers flooded the airlines Facebook page expressing their frustration over the airlines lack of communication with them about what was happening to allow them to better plan for their travel. Some passengers are also demanding their money back. Meanwhile, LIAT has already stepped forward and made special arrangements to assist stranded passengers from Antigua, Barba-

dos, Guyana, St. Lucia and Trinidad. Caribbean Airlines indicated it would adjust its scheduled operations by adding additional seats on its aircraft to accommodate the numbers. REDjet served Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and announced the launch of service to Antigua and Barbuda on Thursday, one day before it closed its operations.

Community Financial Freedom From Natural Health In A Bottle

When many people get sick, their first instinct is to rush to the doctor for a diagnosis. Then, after being diagnosed, they head to the pharmacy to purchase medication to ease their ailments. Suninia Lochan used to be one of those people who would use products from the drug store to combat her sinuses and sicknesses. But ever since one year ago when Lochan discovered more natural alternatives, she has launched a new business from her findings, and has not had to take any tablets to improve her health. Lochan has suffered from sinuses ever since she moved to Canada from her native country Guyana in 1995. Back then, Lochan relied on pharmaceuticals. I came into this country and I started working in the media field. I was working with a newspaper company in Guyana. And then, we went into the technology field. From there, as you progress, you kind of notice with the everyday run that you get stressed out, taking tablets and all of that. For me, if I take Tylenol, I would sleep. Because of that, I started looking into other alternatives, Lochan explained. Lochan, the mother of two daughters aged 8 and 5, started looking into more natural alternatives to using pharmaceuticals in the year 2003 when she was expecting her eldest child. Lochan planned to use some of the remedies that she had seen growing up in Guyana. Coming from back home you come with certain things that you would use back home for babies. Like honey. We give babies honey and orange juice and all of that when theyre little and just born. Those are some of the traditions I wanted to continue because I grew up with it. And, for my children, I wanted that. Because I know that when the Akua babies are born back home, thats one of the things they start with, honey and orange juice. And, that is when I started out over here I found out that honey is not good for babies, Lochan said. Lochan had not anticipated that the food and nutrition practices that she had been raised to accept in Guyana were considered unsafe in Canada. Still, Lochan was eager to introduce some of what she learned in Guyana to her children in Canada. I was shocked about that because that was one of the natural stuff that you would use home for little babies, you would use the honey. But, I went ahead and used it because it didnt do me any harm. When my children were little, before the age of two, if they would get a cold, there was nothing we could go and get over the counter, Lochan explained. Lochan was working in the Information Technology field around the time her and her husbands first child was born. Soon after her eldest daughters birth, Lochan was laid off from her job. Eager to be an active and alert mother, Lochan started investigating products that would heal her sinuses and help her to stay awake. When I would take a Tylenol, I would fall asleep. Really and truly, you shouldnt take something that would make you sleep. Anything that I took would make me feel drained, tired, and really nervous. It would last for days. Thats when I started looking to alternatives first with eucalyptus oil.

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Hinds

Thats when I found the company. I was introduced to Young Living. That changed the whole scenario for my family, Lochan explained. Young Living is a company that markets natural oils to the public. Lochan started out as a customer of Young Livings Essential Oils products, and she quickly made the decision to join the business and work as an independent distributor for Young Living after experiencing life-changing results with the companys oils. It is natural. You use a little bit. My little daughter, she cannot take any medication. Its not good for her health. With my other daughter, I was able to give her some relief when she had a cold. I would give her honey and I used the peppermint oil which I used for the fever and all of that. It all came down to wanting my family to have this relief, but not to be heavily medicated. The Essential Oils have not only helped with Lochan and her childrens colds and sinuses, Lochans husband Mayraj has found relief using the oils to help ease his back pain caused by a car accident. He suffers from really severe back pain. I cannot stress this Young Living product that helped Mayraj because he drank the NingXia Red with frankincense. And also, I use the oil to massage and hes getting so much relief. Every year, I normally give my children the flu vaccine. This year, its going to be close to a year now that were using this line of products. Previously, we were looking at the eucalyptus and peppermint oil, and all of that, but we still had to take the vaccine. This year, no one took it in the family. When my daughter started school, she was so proud of herself this year that every week she says to me, Mama, every year, I missed school for a week, either November or December. This year, she went to school every single day. I use the Thieves Oil on them, which is preventative. Every morning I put it on their foot bottoms before they put their socks on. Shes gone to school, and knock on wood, her class this year, one day they had 10 kids who were out from school. They had stomach flu and everything. She was one of the children who didnt get it. It was massive change for the family. Lochans current career mission is to educate other people about the natural alternatives they can use to feel better. Many Canadians rely heavily on using medication to combat their illnesses, and Lochan has started letting people know that although there is nothing wrong with using medication, there are other options. With our Young Living product, yes, you have a 15 ml bottle. Its concentrated. That 15 ml will take you three to four weeks because you just need to use a drop. When I approach people, I say to people straight up I wouldnt tell you about something that I havent used in my family. They start asking what do you use? I introduce them to the different products, this is what it does. One of the ones that

Suninia Lochan are most common among individuals is the Peppermint Oil and the Lavender oil. Those have been around, Id say, forever and incorporated into everything there is. Thats the first thing Id say to people. Say, for a headache. I do not take a tablet anymore for headaches. Obviously that is something I have all of the time in my bag. And not because of the business side of it; I have it for personal use. I would say to people, try it. It gives you immediate relief, especially with the cold season, Lochan said. Lochan has shared the benefits of the Essential Oils with the parents of her childrens classmates, and she hopes to expand her business to the Caribbean. The NingXia Red is helpful for chronic pain, energy, and it works as a cleanser, a supplement, and an antioxidant. Lochans husband used to take Red Bull and he no longer does because of the energy boost found in NingXia red. The Lemon Oil from the Young Living line has cured Lochans acid reflux and heartburn and has helped her to enjoy eating spicy foods again. The Lavender Oil has helped Lochans children fall asleep and clear skin blemishes. Lochan wants her family and friends in Guyana to gain more access to the opportunity she has had to be an entrepreneur in Canada. I have family still back home in Guyana. One of my uncles, he is close to 70 and he has knee pain. I send him the Winter Green Oil for that. I am looking to expand starting in the Caribbean. We have all this fantastic, natural stuff back home. I would like to see people back home being able to have that opportunity to enjoy some of these alternatives. Lochan hopes to help people build their own businesses and develop better physical health through introducing them to Young Living. Its educating people to what this product can do. It does not solve everybodys problem. If you have to use your medication, if its necessary, Im all for it. But again, Im also into looking at alternatives. These products are not new. Theyve been here for generations. With our oil, its more natural. Its not mixed with any other oil. And you can just use a drop. You can blend it. Thats what makes us unique; the purity of the oil, Lochan said.

Spring Has Sprung

The Concerned Citizens Against Domestic Abuse Corp. (CCADA) will be hosting a Spring Has Sprung Fundraising Dinner Dance on Saturday, April 14th at Burrows Hall, 1081 Progress Ave, Scarborough. CCADA is a Georgiabased charitable not-for-profit organization formed out of a desire to provide assistance to abused adults and children in

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Caribbean Jewel

mation and knowledge. By this means, it hopes to strengthen referrals, monitor school attendance through the Ministry of Education Welfare Department and develop initiatives to resolve issues of child abuse. Abuse is a global problem that violates basic human rights and silences the voices of its victims. It can be inflicted on anyone regardless of race, age, sexual

South America, particularly Guyana. The organization is presently working to assist with funding for the Help and Shelter Pickney Project and related projects. Providing psychosocial support for children who have been abused or are at risk, developing parenting skills educational workshops to transfer skills about non-violent parenting and ensuring that the needs of children with disabilities are considered in all activities are some of the objectives the organization hopes to achieve. CCADA also intends to collaborate with governmental agencies, non-governmental agencies, community leaders and religious leaders in the sharing of infor-

orientation or religion. This year, while continuing to work with Help & Shelter, CCADA will also be reaching out to other organizations in Guyana to encourage them to have a shared commitment to focus on education, which is vitally important to the prevention of abuse and neglect. CCADA believes that prevention is the best choice for reducing child abuse and neglect and it will certainly help to improve the lives of children and families. Music for the Saturday, April 14 Fundraising Dinner Dance will be provided by the ever popular Fuh Fun band. DJ Tee Cee will also be in attendance. Tickets are $25.00 per person.

Shivon is a WI Canadian top model and a former Miss West Indian Canadian Pageant contestant 2010. She says her Pageant participation allowed her to gain self confidence. It also enhanced her stage presence and helped her to become a better performer. She has also met some pretty fabulous people along the way. As lovely as she is, of that we are not all surprised.

A Modern-Day Superwoman
If you were a fly on the wall, observing the pace and accomplishments of Kandy Samsundar, your immediate thought might be that she symbolizes the modern-day superwoman. Arriving in Canada in 1971, she joined CIBC as a clerk. Today she is a senior manager for the banks Trade Finance department. That means she facilitates trade between Canadian businesses engaging in import and export. But she doesnt stop there. Although she has an extremely demanding work schedule, she somehow manages to achieve all that she decides to do. Setting goals, managing time, and being very organized are things she believes are necessary to a persons success. That doesnt diminish the fact that, as she says, she has really good, strong people and good support around her, in different areas of her life. Ms. Samsundar recently formed the Canadian Caribbean Cultural Association of Durham (CCCAD). Her banking experience puts her in a key position to help CCCAD with economic and trade initiatives. The CCCAD is a not-for-profit organization that strives to unify and develop its community through social, cultural, educational, economic, environmental, health and wellness initiatives. Its inauguration is on Sat. March 31, at the site of Pickerings Ontario Power Generation. OPG is supportive of this body, having signed on as a sponsor. CCCAD has also garnered Beverly assistance from some influential individuals. These include hard-working politicians, police, youth activists, health and wellness professionals and an assortment of business people who grasp the vision. They see the aspect of trade as important for Canadian businesses with roots in the Caribbean. Plans include working with embassies to facilitate economic trade initiatives between Canada and the Caribbean. The organizations message is inclusiveness, to be demonstrated in a variety of ways. While business is important, Ms. Samsundar says, We need to look after our youth and our elderly. The founder explains that the organization is laying the foundation to have good structure, which she maintains is necessary for its credibility, and to bring young and old individuals, as well as diverse groups, to work together for common causes. There are four executive members, and currently 13 others working in sub-committees. While striving to be a unified body, it has begun to engage members of Caribbean groups that have been inactive. CCCADs goal is clear for Durham Region. According to Ms. Samsundar, there are many people from a Caribbean background living in Durham, and she says

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Browne

Kandy Samsundar that the organization must reflect that fact. Consequently, membership will always aim to include those who are Black, White, Indian, Oriental, and Latin-American because thats the composition of the Caribbean. Often overlooked is the fact that the islands have been home to minorities that include people of German, Portuguese and Ameri-Indian persuasions. Going forward, the founder feels its crucial for the organization to show cohesiveness, working with one voice. Once it is successful in Durham, it can be duplicated in other parts of the GTA. During her 41 years in Canada, the Trinidad-born mother of two has been involved in a number of community organizations, including the United Way and a local hospital board. She has also been active in political campaigns at all levels, to help the candidate she supports. Sadly, she says, in such political environments, the number of Caribbean volunteers has been few. But she believes thats changing. Aside from her very demanding job in banking, the Ajax resident has also owned a Kumon franchise for the past 15 years. It is located in the Whitby Mall. The school tutors students to improve their Math and Reading skills, thereby improving their school grades. Like many Caribbean parents, the single mother, who successfully raised Renee and Ryan to adulthood, is a strong believer in education. She feels, however, there are some additional areas that Caribbean parents need to pay more attention to, for their childrens benefit: for example, engaging in extra-curricular activities, and utilizing such resources as the public library. She also believes its never too early to start to develop good personal habits, and to be aware of health and wellness issues of their children. This can be reflected in what children are eating. The business woman encourages parents to be engaged with their children, and adds, We need to work with schools to ensure students get the help they need. We want to work with parents to work with the education system. As she has done individually in the past, shell continue to help people through this grassroots organization, and with the support of CCCAD members. Ms. Samsundar never expects to fail, and always plans to succeed. She thinks ahead, planning even the simplest of things months in advance. Those are some of her simple habits that help her to remain focused on her goals. Despite all those skills, she maintains, I put God first in my life. Hes the driving force in all my success.

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Caribbean Perspective
This months meeting of Caribbean leaders in Suriname addressed some of the recurring thorny issues afflicting the regional integration movement without moving much of its agenda forward. Despite this, one CARICOM leader who is cautiously optimistic that there will be progress on several fronts in the near future is Guyanas President Donald Ramotar who was attending his first-ever CARICOM Summit. Ramotar believes deepening and widening CARICOM should take place simultaneously. He advocates moving ahead with the CARICOM Single Market, addressing current deficiencies, while at the same time making aggressive approaches to tap into the vast and potentially lucrative South American markets. Pursuing South American markets such as Brazil, Chile and Argentina will broaden the base of CARICOM economies and help them to be more resilient to the effects of the global financial crisis. Ramotar told me he fully shares the views of current CARICOM Chairman, Surinames President Desi Bouterse, that the region has sufficient resources to enable it to not just survive but to flourish. One of the strategies being touted by Bouterse is for the Caribbean private sector to invest more in projects and joint ventures in CARICOM Member States. This is not an entirely new concept. In the 1980s, there was a drive towards the establishment of a CARICOM Enterprise Regime (CER), but this was no longer pursued once the Single Market was established. The Guyanese President acknowledged that freedom of movement and contingent rights for nationals relocating to another CARICOM country are major impediments to the CARICOM Single Market. On the issue of hassle-free travel for both relocation and holidays, Ramotar reported that the situation has improved for Guyanese travellers to places like Barbados because the Guyana Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs have been proactive in this area. We cant have genuine integration unless this cardinal issue is resolved. I get a sense of growing appreciation

An in-depth focus on Caribbean issues

Mixed Views On Moving Regional Integration Movement Forward

of this among CARICOM leaders and I am optimistic that things will get better in the near future. He agrees that training and sensitising immigration officers across the region is Sandra Ann critical if there is to be significant progress in this area. Ramotar describes as challenging the crime situation and upsurge in illegal weapons in Member States. He says a lot of coordination among the regions police forces in terms of intelligence sharing is currently taking place. However, the region needs assistance from western countries that are the markets for the drugs shipped through the Caribbean by the Mexican and Colombian drug cartels. We need two way sharing of information and help with areas such as training. We have no problem working with the U.S. DEA.`` The Guyanese President disclosed that at the recent Suriname meeting discussions held between security services in Guyana and Suriname on joint crime fighting strategies including intelligence sharing and ways to stamp out piracy. On one of the most prominent agenda items at the Suriname meeting, the regional cricket controversy, Ramotar said Guyana made its case in a strong way and he is hopeful it will have an impact when the Prime Ministerial sub-committee on cricket deals with this issue. International Relations Specialist Dr. Anthony Peter Gonzales believes that the cricket issue overshadowed much more important issues at the Suriname meeting, which he feels produced nothing of substance and only massaged the real issues. Gonzales, currently serving as Director of the Trinidad-based Institute of International Relations of the University of the West Indies (UWI), feels Caribbean leaders missed the boat in terms of coming to grips with the governance dilemma as well as crime and security issues. In addition, the impact of the global financial crisis on the region was a serious omission from the agenda. Gonzales, one of the consultants who contributed to the work of the West Indian Commission that reviewed the regional integration movement, said announcing that the CARICOM Secre-

Baptiste

tariat will develop a five-year Strategic Plan is puzzling as this is the norm for any organization. According to him, the Heads of Government have had ample time to make a concrete decision on new structures to better facilitate the implementation of decisions. There has been no clarification of whether a Committee of CARICOM Ambassadors is still one of the options being pursued. As far as the CARICOM Secretariat is concerned, there have been reports done that concluded that the Secretariat had grown too big, lacked focus and had a problem prioritising. The move now should be to have the Secretariat do fewer things and do them well. Gonzales expressed surprise that the Suriname meeting did not address the debt crisis that several CARICOM countries are facing. What they ought to be focusing on is how to get better terms and conditions from the IMF and how they can access resources without the stringent conditionalities of the past. He agrees with St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves that for CARICOM to move forward, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica need to be more engaged in integration initiatives. There seems to be no political will to give impetus to many of the CARICOM initiatives and thats where the impasse is. Gonzales noted that the former Patrick Manning administration in Trinidad and Tobago had an elaborate and well-structured program to deal with drugs and guns interdiction. We are in a very dynamic situation with the Zetas from Mexico, who have been driven out of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, targeting in a very sophisticated way, certain CARICOM countries and yet, in terms of a regional strategy, we seem to be at a standstill. Gonzales feels CARICOM countries need, among other things, to have larger vessels, equipped with radar systems and backed up by helicopters, patrolling Caribbean waters on a permanent basis. The dilemma that some Governments have is whether to plough limited financial resources into beefing up their own police and security forces or divert some of this money towards regional security operations. (Sandra Ann Baptiste is a business consultant and Specialist in Caribbean Affairs).

Commentary Fuh Funs Biggest Fan!

I now have a confession to make. I have become a Fuh Fun Groupie, unapologetically so. Last Saturday (March 17), upon being informed of my plans to go check the band out at Leelas that evening, my son Zackie said to me Are you Fuh Funs Biggest Fan? Upon returning home several hours later around 2:30 am and finding him still up, I gladly reported that after the Bands performance that night I now think I am. At this point, as readers some of you may not have the foggiest clue as to who or what Fuh Fun is, other than the most basic understanding that they are some sort of music band. By way of edification, the best way to describe them would be as a five member Caribbean Dance Band. Four guys, George De Silva (Lead Vocalist), Wayne Dalmada (Guitar and Vocals), Rick Da Silva (Drums and Vocals), Brian Irwin (Percussion) and one very lovely lady, Ingrid Veerasammy (Keyboards and Vocals), who play live music for fetes, gala dinners and dances in a manner thats highly entertaining and immensely enjoyable. Wayne, Rick, Brian and Ingrid are all Guyanese. George was born in Jamaica, but has lived in many parts of the Caribbean, including Barbados and Guyana. What one notices immediately about any Fuh Fun performance is that they all seem to genuinely enjoy what they do. Their performances are always filled with an intense level of energy and enthusiasm which very often becomes highly contagious. Having seen them live about ten times within the past three years, I can only recall a single occasion when they struggled to infuse the attendees with their brand of energy. That may have had far more to do with the type of crowd that particular fete had attracted than any shortcomings on the part of Fuh Fun. Their music that evening was as good as ever. Even though the dance floor was fairly full throughout, the impression received nonetheless was that the occupants were by and large a bunch of people who were there going through the motions of pretending that they were having a

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good time, but who really would have preferred to be somewhere else. Quite possibly back at home in their warm and cozy beds. My first exposure to Fuh Fun was at the 2010 St Roses Alumni Dinner Dance. My very good fortune that evening was that the lovely Suzie DAguiar, whom I have always considered to be one of the best dancers I have ever met, was also there and without an official date. Fuh Funs music that night was the best Id heard in years. Much of it was reminiscent of the way Spice used to play at the Warehouse in Bridgetown, during the latter years of the eighties when I was working and living in Barbados. Suzie and I literally had a ball that evening, dancing non-stop during what now ranks as one of the most memorable and enjoyable evenings I ever had in my entire life. Until last Saturday night that is and my first official public outing with, in the words of the late Toronto Star columnist Gary Lautens, my newly acquired version of the resident Love Goddess. But thats a topic for a future column, suffice to say that Fuh Fun never sounded sweeter. Most people who have heard Fuh Fun have been impressed with the bands versatility. On any given evening their sets can include everything from Bee Gees classics, through R&B and Old School classics to vintage and modern Soca. Last Saturday evening their female vocalist and keyboard player, Ingrid Veerasammy, unveiled a new Latino song that was a delight to hear and a wonderful testimony to the bands versatility. Watching her dance with her boyfriend while belting out the songs sultry lyrics was so very romantic and also highly entertaining. Saturday nights three sets were the perfect mix. From the opening If You Leave Me Now through an extended run of half a dozen Old School classics to the goose bumps stimulating Red Plastic Bags 2009 Barbados Crop Over Road March Winner Somethings Happening, the tunes just kept coming one after another. They were definitely in a groove, sounding very tight and sweet as ever.

Personally of all the many music genres Fuh Fun has performed over the three years I have now been following them with Groupie admiration, to me they are at their supreme best with Ragga Soca Love Rap type songs. Its virtually impossible to merely sit or stand listening whenever Fuh Fun plays tunes like Red Plastic Bags Ragga Ragga or Barons Sweet Soca Man. One just feels compelled to dance. Fuh Funs tight sound and perfect harmony is a product of the band members dedication to their craft. The band practices regularly in the basement of drummer Rich DaSilvas Brooklyn home. According to lead vocalist George, what the audience eventually hears at a Fuh Fun performance is the offshoot of hours and hours spent in practice, getting it just right! The sense of professionalism thats goes into band practices also comes out in other areas of Fuh Funs persona as a group. I can personally attest to the fact that they are punctual to a tee. Theres nothing Caribbean-like in their respect for time. As Mickey Holding would say their watches work. Fuh Funs ability to consistently deliver highly enjoyable performances has served to increase the bands popularity. To the extent that they are becoming increasingly busy with bookings. Leelas owner Steve Dindyal loves Fuh Fun and the crowd they attract to his recently opened restaurant so much, that he now seeks to book them at least once a month. A few weeks ago they performed to a full house $100 plate audience a Cancer Benefit Gala Dinner. With the advent of Spring and Summers warmth soon to follow, Fuh Funs ever growing popularity seems likely to produce a fairly packed schedule of performances. As the bands resident Groupie, wherever they are I intend to be. Especially now that I have a dancing beauty to accompany me. Let the music play, I just want to dance the night away to Fuh Fun.

Caricom Doing The Dragon Dance

On February 9th, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, wrote a robust letter to the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Irwin la Rocque, pointing out the deep malaise in which the regional integration project is mired. His letter was copied to all CARICOM Heads of Government. He did not spare the leadership of CARICOM, including himself, in asserting that a decision taken by leaders at a Retreat in Guyana last year, putting the integration process on pause, was a mistake. He made the telling point that pause in a dynamic world is a euphemism for standing still. Touring the critical areas in which CARICOM was underperforming or not performing at all, Prime Minister Gonsalves identified weak governance of CARICOM and the failure to implement decisions as the two most critical issues facing the regional movement. Food security remains unaddressed even as the cost of importing food escalates according to the Prime Minister, a senior statesman in CARICOM. With the exception only of the Prime Minister of St Kitts-Nevis, Denzil Douglas, he has been at the helm of CARICOM longer than any of his colleagues. He also has deep involvement in the region as an academic and an analyst. It was not an unreasonable expectation, therefore, that in the wake of his very public letter, Heads of Government, at their meeting in Suriname on 8 and 9 March, would have shed the cloak of denial that CARICOM is not in crisis; accepted publicly that urgent action is necessary; and announced tangible measures to move forward. That did not occur. It could be that Gonsalves view was heard and did receive support, but that the leaders have decided to make no collective announcements to their people until they have had a chance to consider the way forward, including Sir Ronald how to fund it. For sure, few governments in the region many of them burdened by heavy and unsustainable debt have much money to contribute to an enhanced CARICOM Secretariat and a new programme of action. It would have been encouraging to hear that Heads had mandated the Ministerial Councils of CARICOM to examine all the mandates and work programme of the Secretariat and to retire all except the ones that would convey benefits to the Caribbean people and are deliverable over the next five to seven years. Instead, Heads declared that the integration movement has continued to make great strides ever since the signing of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas a point that would not find great echoes of support within the region and outside it. Many Caribbean businesspeople are bedeviled every day by the continuing bureaucracy that delays, if not prohibits, the movement of their goods from one CARICOM country to another. Caribbean people also continue to face obstacles to the right of establishment even when they qualify for freedom of movement in the categories identified in the Revised Treaty. The lack of regional transportation continues to adversely affect the transportation of goods within CARICOM, and if any attention is being paid to this serious problem, it is being done by one country with the seeming intention of controlling it from a nationalistic position. The case in point is the glaringly unfair competition that subsidised fuel gives to the Trinidad and Tobago airline, Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL),

Tony Mc
and now to a ferry that will ply from Trinidad to some Eastern Caribbean countries and Barbados. Food security remains unaddressed even as the cost of importing food escalates for every country, and some CARICOM countries such as Guyana, Belize and Dominica dump food that could feed the region, keeping foreign exchange within the area. A region-wide plan for regional energy security utilising regionally-produced hydro-electricity, solar energy, geothermal energy, and oil and gas also continues to be elusive. On the matter of regional governance and implementation, this would be the fourth (or maybe the fifth) attempt since 1992 to deal with the issue. Therefore, Caribbean people would be forgiven for harbouring no high expectation of its success, especially as once again it is the Bureau (three heads of government with no authority to make decisions for the others) that will oversee it. Still, it has to be hoped that the decisions to begin the process of restructuring the Secretariat and to facilitate improving regional governance and implementation are signs that more radical and fundamental reforms will be implemented. The vital work is the 5-year Strategic Plan that the Secretary-General is expected to produce by the next CARICOM Summit in July. That Plan should be the framework that guides a coordinated regional response to the current malaise of weak growth, high debt, stagnating incomes and rising unemployment. If that is not what is on the cards, then the scramble for what is perceived to be benefits will accelerate through alliances with groups other than CARICOM what the independent consultants report has described as voting with their feet. Then where will be the identity, culture and independence of the CARICOM people?

Sanders

March 21, 2012

Caribbean Destinations: Charming Curaao Worth A Look See

a better experience. The beach has the Discover Diving Curaao dive shop which also has a small restaurant. One of Curaaos most popular beaches is Kontiki Beach. Located about a ten minute drive east from downtown Willemstad, Kontiki is a full service beach offering water sports, shops, a beach bar and a restaurant. Right next door is Mambo Beach, the place where locals and tourists alike visit for the nightlife partying here. Curaaos crown jewel, its capital city Willemstad, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as a lively port full of high-end retailers, restaurants and nightlife spots. A visit to Willemstad provides Old World charm and contemporary culture. The citys dynamic architecture, activities and neighborhoods shape the islands historic center. There are a plethora of random shops and markets around Willemstad offering clothing, souvenirs, crafts, and other goods. These include a commonly-termed duty free enclave in the downtown area. Offerings emphasize European goods, to include jewelry, timepieces/watches and linens, plus the usual collection of souvenir shops. Perhaps not noted for great bargains, visitors will oftentimes find items at decent prices that are not seen anywhere else in the Caribbean. A water front market lies on the near north side of the main shopping area. Its packed with fresh foods and flowers, best seen or shopped in the mornings. On Sundays, however, most businesses except restaurants in the city are closed. What makes Curaao special among Caribbean islands is its authenticity. For centuries, the islands inhabitants have forged a vibrant and rich culture rooted in history and hospitality. Local cuisine in Curaao is a mixture of European, West Indian and East Asian (particularly Indonesian) flavours. Dutch influences are found in the use of cheeses, bread and seafood, which are also important in Curaaoan food.

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Lying alongside Aruba and Bonaire, Curaao is a Caribbean island among the group known as the ABC Islands. This trio is located near Venezuela, and are considered to be outside the Caribbeans so-called hurricane zone. This means that vacations to the island are rarely disrupted by such tropical storms. One of the most notable things about the island is its culture. This Dutch island features building styles youd find in the Netherlands, but painted in beautiful pastel shades. However, the people of the island have developed a culture, and even a language, of their own. Papiamentu (also

Curaao also offers plenty of dive sites, from easy shore dives, pristine coral bay dives to sheer drop-offs especially in the southeast. Curaao offers some of the best diving in the world. Water lovers can immerse themselves in mysterious and colorful underwater worlds at more than sixty diving locations which provide some of the most colorful and awe-inspiring scenes imaginable. The islands landscape is punctuated by its beaches, many of which are intimate and secluded providing for ultimate relaxation.. Curaaos beaches are concentrated on the southern coast, especially the western side. Playa Kalki, also known as Alice in Wonderland, is located at the far west end of the island past the town of Westpunt and near Kura Hulanda Lodge. It has a restaurant at the beach and Ocean Encounters West, which is a full service dive shop. Playa Grote Kenapa, also known as Big Knip, is a large sand beach west of the town of Lagun. Playa Kleine Kenapa, also known as Little Knip is another beach just past Lagun. It is a nice secluded beach with plenty of shade trees for those wanting to stay out of the direct sun. Also in Lagun is Playa Lagun, a secluded bay towards the western end of the island. It is a small sandy beach on

Indonesian cuisine, a migrant from Suriname, another of the Netherlands former colonies, can be found on the island, and explains the widespread availability of Sate and Peanut sauce along with the islands more Caribbean fare. Also, Chinese snacks can be found all over the island serving cheap Chinese food. They cater mostly to locals, but most serve good food. As removed as it may be from the English Caribbean island chain, charming Curaao is definitely worth a look see!

spelled Papiamento), is the islands native Creole. Papiamentu is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch, but with a very basic grammar. Official spelling has existed for only a few years. Rated in 2010 as one of the Top Ten Tourist Destinations and as a Honeymoon Hot Spot by Conde Nast, tiny, yet bustling Curaao has become one of the hottest destinations in the Caribbean for discerning travelers. A paradise for scuba divers and nature lovers alike, its ruggedly beautiful landscape provides endless opportunities for fun. As an island paradise, Curaao offers visitors vast open spaces and many activities to enjoy, including exhilarating hiking, biking and ATV Tours. The complete southwestern side of Curaao is one large coral reef and marine park. In the north, visitors can dive at the Banda Abou National Park, in the center at the Central Curaao Underwater Park and in the south at the Curaao Underwater Park.

a rectangular shaped bay with tall cliffs on each side. The waters adjacent to the cliffs are an excellent place for snorkeling. Both sides of the bay along the cliffs are teaming with a wide variety of marine life and corals. The left side of the bay has a greater variety of underwater structure for

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Barbados Beat Red Zone

BRIDGETOWN, - The man who was shot following a shoplifting incident at SuperCentre Warrens is expected to appear in court pending the completion of investigations into the matter. He was in custody after being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and discharged for a gunshot wound to his right leg. He reportedly pulled a knife on the chief security officer from Fordes Security Service. The incident, which occurred around 7:50 a.m. on March 19, took place after the man was challenged for having a number of the supermarkets hams in his posses-

Court Appearance

sion, without paying for them. According to the statement from SuperCentre Limited, it was when the security guard attempted to apprehend the man that he brandished a weapon and made his escape by breaking a pane of glass in the exit door of the supermarket that was closed. He was pursued by security and an altercation took place. He was shot, but managed to get away. He was later apprehended by police and taken to the QEH. SuperCentre Limited said that no staff on duty or customers in the store were hurt during the incident.

Once Like Eden

BRIDGETOWN, Grounded low-cost carrier REDjet has reported that negotiations to get it flying again were at a sensitive stage, as Trinidad and Tobago warned of a possible withdrawal of its operating licence. The word of caution was issued by Minister of Transport Devant Maharaj as REDjet officials remained tight-lipped about the state of flight resumption talks. REDjet continues to negotiate with relevant authorities and due to the sensitive nature of talks, cannot comment any further at this time, said the carrier in a statement posted on its website and Facebook page. The airline, however, indicated that staff members were working around the clock to maintain the integrity of its business and to ensure a smooth and efficient transition when services resume. No further details were forthcoming from REDjet officials, but there have been reports that the carrier has been seeking a multimillion-dollar financial injection from the Barbados Government. Meanwhile REDjets two major rival airlines which it had blamed for forcing it to shut down operations have moved in swiftly to fill the breach left by its sudden March 16 suspension, while one government rebuffed its call for help. LIAT and Caribbean Airlines, both state-owned airlines, announced in separate statements they were adjusting their schedules and putting on extra seats, while stressing that they both serve all of REDjets routes. The airlines are not honouring REDjet tickets, but announced special arrangements and measures as hundreds of stranded passengers region-wide demanded refunds or wait for further word from the fledgling Barbados-based carrier. All persons affected may contact the LIAT Call Centre to make bookings on LIAT by quoting their REDjet booking reference/confirmation number in order to be entitled to purchase a new ticket at a special fare in these unfortunate circumstances, said a statement from islandhopper LIAT, which is owned by three Eastern Caribbean governments. Trinidad and Tobagos state-owned Caribbean Airlines said: Mindful of the impact of this sudden suspension that has left passengers and families stranded, our scheduled operations will be adjusted by adding additional seats for sale. As all of their routes we already serve. BRIDGETOWN, - Imagine the slopes of Farley Hill, St Peter ablaze with flowers; garden beds supporting various flora, assorted exotic trees shading them all with the magnificent scenery of the East Coast in the background. Looking at it now, with only its majestic trees and grassy hills, it might be hard to see. But according to Professor Henry Fraser, Farley Hill in its heyday was ranked as one of the most beautiful gardens on the island, right alongside the gardens of Government House. The professor and eminent historian was delivering the March 14 lively lecture, as the Barbados National Trust threw open another house in its open house programme. This time, the property was the expansive villa Pandanus, sitting on the rim of a gully in Mullins, St Peter. Fraser told hundreds of visitors to the property that from early times, the island had been compared to Eden, and the gardens of the various estates, including those of Codrington College and Government House, had been described by Robert Schomburgk in his book The History Of Barbados. However, within ten years of the propertys owner being read out of the

Professor Henry Fraser Bridgetown Club and relocating to Nevis, the gardens had slid into a state of ruin. And of course Farley Hill house, having been razed by fire, is now a ruin in a large national park and what remains of the garden is essentially the very large trees, and the forested environment around the main house and the main lawns, he said. The former Barbados National Trust president went on to reveal that many of the gardens in the 20th century were created either by the ladies of the Civic Circle, or the ladies of leisure in the Garden Circle.

Up In Arms
BRIDGETOWN, - Two film-makers are up in arms over the piracy of their movie Hush 3, which was recently released on DVD. Dale and Marcia Weekes told local reporters that after releasing the DVD it was being sold without their permission on Swan Street. Were happy we have something of value which people want, but were appealing to the public, who have been our main source of financial support, to buy the original copies. Were also calling on the police to be vigilant and bring the full weight of the law on these offenders, the husband and wife producers pleaded. Marcia Weekes also revealed that an associate saw the DVD being shown and advertised in a video store and immediately told the operatives they had no authority to sell it. They took it off the shelf soon afterwards, she added. The Weekeses, who produced Hush 1, 2 and 3 between 2007 and last year, also noted that outside of public support, they get assistance from the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) in transferring the film to large screen format, and benefit from equipment provided by Merville Lynch Productions.

Students Celebrate
BRIDGETOWN, - A celebratory mood enveloped the West Coast yesterday as students of St James Secondary School participated in a victory walk, making the public aware of the schools achievements. The walk, which stretched from the school to the Holetown West Coast Mall, captured the attention of motorists and pedestrians, who cheered on and congratulated the students. Holding a banner aloft that declared them to be The Toast Of The West Coast, the students took to the streets to celebrate 14-year-old Jane Smalls win of the Interschool Singing Competition, which resulted in her receiving a challenge trophy donated by international singing sensation Rihanna. Small is also one of last years NIFCA Silver Award winners in music. The schools unbeatable girls football team and student Jonathan King, who was voted Top Scout in Barbados last year, were also acknowledged. Principal Jefferson Phillips said the walk was staged to highlight the positive things happening at the school. Like any other school we are going to have our challenges, but there are good things coming out of St James Secondary School. We are here today to say to the public that there are students at St James Secondary School who have a lot of talent and we have had a number of success stories, he said. At the mall, some of the schools powerful singers treated patrons and staff to a number of selections. The appreciative audience gave a rousing round of applause after hearing the likes of Small, Leah Goddard, Chad Mountplaisir and Janessa Price.

Petrol Prices Up
$2.93 an increase of eight cents; while kerosene will now be retailed at $1.94. Meanwhile the 100-pound liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder will now cost $200.08 up by $1.51, while the 25-pound cylinder will be retailed at $55.22 an increase of 38 cents. The 20-pound cylinder will now cost $44.33 up by 31 cents.

BRIDGETOWN, - Barbadians will be paying slightly more for petroleum and liquefied petroleum products. As of March 19 the retail price of gasoline, diesel and kerosene will increase, in keeping with the cost of petroleum products on the international market. The price of gasoline will move from $3.24 to $3.37 per litre up by 13 cents. Diesel will now be retailed at

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Agreement Signed

Brizan Remembered
ST GEORGES, - The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has lauded the late former Prime Minister of Grenada, George Ignatius Brizan, CMG, CBE, for his sterling contribution to advancing the democratic principles within the Region. CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, hailed the unique vision the late founder member and leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) held for Grenada, the wider Caribbean Community and the Caribbean Diaspora. Mr Brizan was buried on Friday in Grenada. The Secretary-General said that it was in the true spirit of nationalism, bi-partisanship and a sincere quest to truly advance the Grenadian people that the former Prime Minister served the beloved Spice Island, even after stepping down as Premier. Mr. Brizans distinguished career spread across disciplines, with commendable service rendered as a Minister of Agriculture, of Finance, and of Trade, as well as a notable career in the field of Education. In 1995, Mr. Brizan attained the highest political office as Grenadas sixth Prime Minister for a four-month term. SecretaryGeneral LaRocque said that the former Grenadian Prime Minister will probably be most fondly remembered for his work with students at the Grenada Boys Secondary

George Ignatius Brizan School where he was not just a teacher of History and Economics, but also a mentor to the students, raising their level of social and political consciousness about local, regional and international issues. Indeed, it has been reported that it was not uncommon for students to use the colloquial phrase to be a Brizan, expressing their desire to follow in the footsteps of such an esteemed Son of the Soil. Former Prime Minister Brizans lifelong example of the pursuit of excellence and duty towards his country, and by extension to his Region, shall be long remembered, Secretary-General LaRocque said.

Debt To Be Restructured
BASSETERRE, - Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Caribbean island federation, is poised to restructure its sovereign debt burden, one of the highest in the world relative to its economy and 50,000 inhabitants. The West Indies country has seen its indebtedness skyrocket owing to the costs of reconstruction after periodic tropical hurricanes, a drop in tourism and the cost of unwinding its struggling sugar industry. The federations cabinet approved the final dissolution of the St Kitts Sugar Manufacturing Corporation this month, seven years after the official closure of the sugar industry. The countrys football team is still informally known as the Sugar Boys. International creditors last week overwhelmingly accepted a debt exchange package on $150m of St Kitts $1.1bn overall debts, which will see them take deep haircuts. The small sliver of holdouts will be coerced into acceptance by collective action clauses similar to those used by Greece. Local banks, which hold about $600m of government debts, will take over government assets that have secured the loans. The balance of St Kitts total $1bn debts are in treasury bills and multilateral loans from organisations such as the Caribbean Development Bank, and will not be restructured. When the restructuring and debt exchange is completed in mid-April, the country will see its debt-to-gross domestic product fall from about 149 per cent to about 95 per cent, according to White Oak Advisory, St Kitts financial adviser. When the restructuring was first announced last summer, the ratio was close to 200 per cent. The International Monetary Fund, which signed an $80m stand-by agreement with St Kitts last year, has said that the countrys economic prospects were showing signs of improving after two years of contracting, and that the government was hitting its fiscal targets. Like Greece, St Kitts is part of a wider monetary bloc, the East Caribbean Currency Union, which has stymied its efforts to tackle its debt burden. Along with St Kitts, the union includes Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

ST JOHNS, - The government of Antigua and Barbuda has signed economic and technical cooperation agreements with China totaling almost $10.5 million. The two sides signed the agreement Monday, with Antiguan Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer and Gao Hucheng, Vice Minister in Chinas Ministry of Commerce. The deal will include the construction of a secondary school in Five Islands, along with cooperation on the Sir Vivian Richard Cricket Stadium and funding for other projects. The deal included a $1.01 million agreement for economic cooperation, $4.74 mil-

lion for the construction of the school and a $4.74 million loan for a development project. Next year will mark 30 years since the two countries established diplomatic ties. China has increased its interaction with the country in recent years, highlighted by the handing over of a 30-megawatt power plant at Crabbes, which caused some controversy. Gao said he was looking forward to establishing new areas of cooperation that would encourage two-way trade and economic development.

Diaspora Efforts Urged

afterthought, she asserted, diasporic relations must be central to our development strategy. Speaking on the occasion of Saint Lucias 33rd Independence anniversary last month, the successful entrepreneur pointed to remittances, travel, investment and philanthropy as four areas in which members of the regions expatriate community contribute the greatest. She advocated a more deliberate approach to harness the goodwill and skills of the Diaspora: We must formalize our ties for their impact to be even better felt and their contributions to be better appreciated.

SOUFRIERE, St Lucia - Bring Caribbean islanders living abroad closer to the center of our plans, a St. Lucian businesswoman has urged. Eroline Lamontagne, a regional hotelier and entrepreneur, has renewed calls on the Caribbeans public and private sector leaders to get behind the Diaspora to help move the region forward. Lamontagne, proprietor of the Fond Doux Holiday Plantation resort in the charming old colonial St. Lucian town of Soufrire, believes the regions approach towards leveraging the intellectual resources and financial capital of the Diaspora has been weak. Rather than treating Caribbean peoples living overseas as an

Marijuana Haven
KINGSTOWN, - The United States (US) says St Vincent and the Grenadines remains the main source of marijuana in the Caribbean. Cana News agency has reported the findings from the US Department of State 2012 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. According to Cana, the US Government says marijuana producers have recently begun to label their product for export. The report states that younger nationals have also been entering the trade. The US State Department says based on information from officials, St Vincent and the Grenadines has over 300 acres under marijuana cultivation. The report adds that regional trade has also increased, with Trinidad and Tobago exporting drugs and guns in exchange for marijuana. It also notes the marked increase in remittance flows.

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Ominous Developments
GEORGETOWN, - The Guyana Cooperative Credit Union League Ltd (GCCUL) has expressed its deep concern over the ominous developments that are currently taking place within the Guyana Defence Force Credit Union Ltd, an affiliate of the League. We call upon the Chief Cooperatives Development Officer to use the authority vested in him under chapter 88:01 to ensure that all accountably, regulatory and governance issues are speedily resolved in the interest of the membership, the credit union and the cooperative movement, said Mr. Derrick Cummings, Public Relations Officer of the GCCUL. The League, Guyanas umbrella body for credit unions, has indicated its intentions to monitor the situation closely and have already alerted the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU) of this undesirable situation confronting one of Guyanas largest Credit Unions, Cummings said yesterday.

Illegal Pesticides Seized

Robbery Under Arms

GEORGETOWN, - A Man and his three sons, from Canefield, Leguan, Essequibo Islands, have been charged with robbery under arms under the Hijacking and Piracy Act, and unlawful possession of two outboard engines, which were stolen from fishermen in an attack in the Atlantic Ocean, in the vicinity of Pomeroon River mouth. Police said on March 03, 2012, acting on information received, police ranks conducted a search on the home of Dawanand Jagdai, 49, of Canefield, Leguan, Essequibo, where they found two 15hp outboard motor engines. Jagdai could not produce a receipt for one of the engines and the receipt for the other appeared to be forged. Consequently, resulting from further investigations, Jagdai and his three sons, Parmanand Jagdai, 25, Suresh Jagdai, 24, and Narendra Jagdai, 17, were charged with unlawful possession of the engines. They appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Anna Regina Magistrate Court on March 06, when they were remanded to prison until March 29, 2012. On March 09, one of the fishermen who was a victim of the recent pirate attack at the mouth of the Pomeroon River, positively identified one of the engines at Jagdais home to be his property that was stolen during the incident. Consequently, Dawanand Jagdai and his sons have been further charged with robbery under arms under the Hijacking and Piracy Act. They appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Suddie Magistrate Court yesterday, Friday March 16, 2012, where they were remanded to prison until April 30, 2012. GEORGETOWN, - The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB) of the Ministry of Agricultures Inspection and Enforcement Unit recently conducted a series of inspections and seizure exercises countrywide which resulted in the confiscation of significant quantities of illegal and unregistered Household and Agriculture Pesticides Products. The seizures were in keeping with the Boards mandates for eradicating the importation, sale and use of illegal pesticides. In keeping with the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Regulations 2004 (No. 8 of 2004), all pesticides imported, sold and used in Guyana must be registered by the Board. All products confiscated during these operations were not registered by the Board. The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board said it is committed to enforcing the regulations as it relates to the importation, sale and use of Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals.

Flying Full

Budget Presented
GEORGETOWN, - In presenting its 2012 $1.9B budget to the public on March 20, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) indicated its desire for government to take over all costs associated with street lighting. But the government is quite firm in its decision that this is not a move it is willing to consider. Following several delays and postponements, Acting Chairman of the Finance Committee, Junior Garrett, finally managed to make the presentation in City Halls chambers. Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green filled in for Mayor Hamilton Green, who was said to be out of the jurisdiction at the time. In his presentation, Garrett indicated the municipalitys interests in seeking governments assistance for the write-off of $825M owing to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) for street lighting, and for government to take over its responsibility from January 1, 2012. He noted how the city council is billed and expected to pay for lights that may not be working, and hence there is no way of really knowing if value for money is being received. Residential and commercial taxes will have to be increased a hundred percent if the council is to pay GPL, he said, and there is no guarantee that tax payers will have the ability to pay.

GEORGETOWN, - EZjet has announced that its Boeing 767-200 Airline Charter service from New York to Guyana is almost fully booked for the month of April. The Airline Charters New York based Aircraft & Schedule Pannier Larry Soletti, has pointed out that the cost of tickets are stepped so the earlier a seat is purchased the lower the price. Soletti said that EZjet also allows two and, occasionally, three 60lbs bags per passenger. He noted too, that the very high quality in flight dining offered on board Dynamic is being catered specially for EZjet passengers tastes and is an additional customer service attraction. Operating a reliable service, Soletti emphasized, is extremely important to passengers and, to date, EZjet, since the startup of its operations, has successfully operated well over 90% of its flights on time. EZjets Chief Operations Officer (COO) Richard Lee, said that he is not surprised at the continued success of the new char-

ter service. In just three (3) months, since its inaugural flight in December, passenger loads have increased significantly with a nearly 50% increase from December to January and a 62% increase from January to February. Lee said the exceptionally competitive prices offered by EZjet coupled with the superior customer comfort provided by the Boeing 767-200 Dynamic Airways aircraft contracted by EZjet, are a welcome and attractive alternative to the narrow seating and cramped conditions of the other Airlines servicing Guyana. Dynamic Airways, engaged by EZjet to provide the new airline charter service, has been operating for 75 years and has an international reputation for excellence and its commitment to aircraft safety and reliability. The new series Boeing 767-200 is a mid-sized wide body airliner with dual aisles and spacious cabin seating with 200 Economy Class passenger seats and 18 First Class.

Adventure Of A Lifetime
GEORGETOWN, - The Pakaraima Mountain Safari, dubbed The Adventure of a Lifetime, which has been growing in popularity, was officially launched on March 20. The annual event is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority, along with the Local Government Ministry, Regions 8 and 9, Rainforest Tours, the Guyana Oil Company, Digicel Guyana, MMC, and Neal and Massy Limited. The 10th Pakaraima Mountain Safari is scheduled for March 30 to April 6, 2012, covering 529 miles in an eightday journey through the heart of Guyana. The convoy will start from Georgetown, through Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice), Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo), and up to Orinduik in the heart of the Pakaraima mountains in Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni), passing through 14 Amerindian communities, with five overnights on the way to Orinduik where it culminates. The safari will pass through Karabasabai, where a memorial service in honour of the late former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan will be held, Morabaiko, Monkey Mountain, Kato and finally, Orinduik. Vehicle inspections will be done on March 28, at 13:00hrs at the Guyoil Service Station, Regent Street, Georgetown, and participating vehicles are to assemble there on the evening of March 29, for departure at 01:00 hr on March 30. Participants will be given the ideal opportunity to experience the outdoors and go through rough terrain, discovering the scenic natural beauty of Guyanas mountainous regions, enjoying spectacular waterfalls, and experiencing the rich indigenous culture, while getting a glimpse of the countrys wide range of flora and fauna, and making new friends on the journey, altogether an unforgettable experience.

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Findings Forthcoming
KINGSTON, - Minister of Education, Ronald Thwaites, said the findings of the assessment team on the curriculum and method of testing for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) should be ready within another eight months. The minister explained that because the examination is such a high stakes examination for students, parents and teachers, more emphasis should be placed on critical thinking and reasoning capacity, rather than on students ability to recall information. Secondly, he said, continuous assessment is critical for guiding the curriculum. What we are trying to test is the students readiness for secondary education we need to look also at the abilities of that student, so a fundamental question which is being asked by the ministry is does the GSAT satisfy those criteria? We are convinced that it does to a significant measure, but as in any system, it needs to be kept under constant review, the minister said. Therefore, the ministry has engaged a team of local and international experts to help with assessing the efficacy of the GSAT, and ensure that the objectives of testing abilities and readiness are being met. The assessment team comprises a consortium from the University of Wolverhampton, Pearson Educational Unit, and DPK Jamaica Limited. Some 44,000 students will sit the GSAT on March 22 and 23, and will be tested in the critical areas of the primary school curriculum, such as mathematics, social studies, language arts, science, and communication tasks.

LIMEs Immeasurable Investment

Drought Alleviation Not A Political Tool

KINGSTON, - The Government has no intention to use water for the alleviation of drought as a political tool, Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill has said. Responding to a statement from Member of Parliament for North Central Clarendon, Pearnel Charles, that he was willing to prevent water trucks from driving through his constituency to truck water solely to drought-stricken Peoples National Party (PNP) communities, Pickersgill said Charles was being misleading and mischievous. Pickersgill said an interim amount of $1 million was approved by the Ministry of Local Government in response to the request for $5 million from the Clarendon Parish Council. He said that Charles ought to know that in the past Cabinet has approved funding to mitigate drought stricken areas as a matter of course. He indicated that Cabinet approved the sum of $50 million to finance the trucking of water to the parishes which are currently experiencing meteorological drought as defined by our Met Office.

Grace Silvera KINGSTON, - Telecommunications giant LIME will be making an immeasurable investment in ensuring that Jamaicans who are unable to travel to London this summer will still be able to enjoy the Olympics, as well as the celebration of Jamaicas 50th year of Independence. The telecommunications company, which is the sponsor of the Observers Olympic coverage in London, has not yet tallied the total investment which will be poured into this venture, but says its sizeable. According to Grace Silvera, LIME, as a company that has been in Jamaica for decades, has to set aside this year as an exceptional year. According to Silvera, it will not just be about the Olympics, but Jamaica will be on stage, given the timing of our 50th anniversary of Independence celebration. She said that LIME, which is a vibrant, refreshed and dynamic company, will be a part of the Olympics in a big way. Consumers, she said, can expect exciting deals in retail space, rewards for being a LIME customer, Olympic updates at their fingertips, and a constant connection to what is happening in and around London during the Olympics. The company is also expected to add to the Olympic coverage through its mobile TV offering, which will allow consumers to be able to stay tuned to the games, even when they are on the go. LIME, she said, actually started the celebration for this special period last year with some key strategic pillars such as this years signing of World Champion Yohan Blake and continuation of its relationship with former 100m world recorder holder Asafa Powell. The telecommunications company will also be the sponsor of local television broadcast coverage.

Carcasses In Rice
KINGSTON, - Jamaicas Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID) has confiscated approximately 1,500 metric tonnes of paddy rice in which the dried-out carcasses of rodents and frogs were found. The rice, which is valued at approximately $15 million, was imported from the United States by a local distributor. Paddy rice is the unshelled form of the cereal, which is usually imported for further processing to make white rice, for distribution into the local commercial trade. Senior food storage scientist at the FSPID, Tamara Morrison, said that the rice was seized after a ship in which it was being transported, that docked at the Kingston Pier, was inspected by the departments food storage inspector. Morrison said the frog and rodent carcasses were confirmed following tests by the FSPIDs Rodent Biology and Control Laboratory. Our observations would suggest that the carcasses got into the commodity prior to loading of the ship. This suggests that it was stored under unsanitary conditions, said Morrison, who also heads the agencys Training and Information Unit. She said that the matter was discussed extensively with the consignee and a disposal notice served, accordingly. Arrangements were made for the rice to be returned to the United States, she said, as Jamaica does not have the facilities to handle such a large volume for disposal. The seizure, she said, is the first such since the start of the year. Last year, approximately one metric tonne of white rice was confiscated and ordered disposed by the FSPID after it was deemed unfit for consumption. The FSPID is the regulatory department within the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, with responsibility for ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of food entering commerce.

Viral Debate Over Electricity Costs

KINGSTON, - The ongoing debate about the rising cost of electricity has gone viral. A full-page advertisement placed in one of the local newspapers has requested individuals to join a Facebook initiative called Fight For Your Light, which gives Jamaicans a forum to express their frustration against high electricity bills and to mobilise support to break the monopoly on the distribution of electricity. The very next day the fight was taken further when telecommunications giant Digicel tweeted, According to a recent article published by the Jamaica Public Service company (JPSCo) residential rates have gone up by over 135 per cent since 2001and commercial electricity rates have increased from US$15.30 ($1,318) in 2001 to US$35.90 in 2011. Digicel then asked its followers to join the movement and fight for your light, adding a link to the initiatives Facebook page. However, JPSCo hit back, replying to Digicel, True, however, US$26.60 of that amount is for fuel, which is bought from the state refinery. The electricity provider continued, Fuel costs have gone up by 500 per cent in the last 10 years. The only way to bring down costs is through fuel diversification. JPSCo then told its followers, and many other Twitter account holders who awaited the replies, Electricity rates are high because of the cost of oil. How can electricity costs be reduced? JPSCo asked, before adding, Fuel diversification. Cut the dependence on oil. Digicels account has not responded to any of JPSCos statements.

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March 21, 2012

Card Cancelled
PORT-OF-SPAIN, - The Governmentissued credit card of Tobago Development Minister Vernella Alleyne-Toppin has been cancelled. The Minister has apologised to her party, the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), for her misuse of the Government-issued credit card. TOP had categorically condemned her misuse of the card and had called on her to make a full and unconditional apology to her constituents and the people of Trinidad and Tobago. In a letter addressed to chairman of TOP, Stanley Beard, Alleyne-Toppin stated she unreservedly apologises for the issues that arose surrounding the use of the Stateissued credit card. She further stated that: 1) All balances drawn on the account have been repaid in full 2) Use of the card has been discontinued 3) The actual card has been returned to First Citizens. Sources confirmed to the Express the card was cancelled by the bank. Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, who made the revelations about the misuse of the card in the debate on the no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives two weeks ago, has called for her resignation. The Minister is playing games with her feigned apology. She resolutely refuses to accept that she did anything wrong. The apology is only for the embarrassment and not for the act, he said. Rowley said

Homes Attacked
PORT-OF-SPAIN, - The home of a Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) employee was fire-bombed, two houses were stoned, and an alternative road leading into the companys Claxton Bay facility was covered with an oil slick. According to TCLs management, the targets of the attacks are the workers who have accepted the companys proposal to return to work. The Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU), which is representing the striking workers, has denied all knowledge of the incidents, and maintains that it is involved in a peaceful protest. TCL chemist Wayne Benjamin said two Molotov cocktails were flung at his home in Claxton Bay during the evening of March 18. Benjamin told his story during a recent press conference at the companys Claxton Bay office. He said: I was in the process of preparing lunch for today and I heard my neighbours dogs barking. I heard a loud noise. I ran to the front of the house and saw fire. The fire was isolated to the strip of concrete at the front of the house. The incident occurred around 11:23 p.m. Benjamin, a father of two boys, said no one was injured. Media representatives were advised that a closed circuit camera captured two men running from the scene. The footage was handed over to officers at the St Margarets Police Station and the matter is being investigated. Rocks were thrown at the home of a lab employee and a similar incident happened at the home of another worker last week. A 24-seater bus transporting strike breakers to their vehicles was struck by boulders.

Water For Mayo

Vernella Alleyne-Toppin Alleyne-Toppin had not come clean on the nature and extent of the abuse of the card and the role which the Ministry of Finance played in treating her abuse. Alleyne-Toppins credit card had a balance as of December 2011, of $68,048.16.

Poaching Condemned
PORT-OF-SPAIN, - The Congress of the People (COP) has condemned the United National Congress (UNC) for recruiting former COP member Marlene Coudray to fight for a position on the UNCs executive. COPs chairman Joseph Toney has said that Coudray had been poached in a sinister move that could cause the partnership to be eroded. Deputy Mayor of San Fernando and COP member, Dr Navi Muradali, described Coudray, a COP general election candidate in 2007, as a political grasshopper. Coudray is the wife of former PNM MP for Pt Fortin Larry Achong. On March 18, Coudray showed up at UNC headquarters Rienzi Complex, Couva, accompanied by Minister of Housing Dr Roodal Moonilal and filed nomination papers to contest the post of Deputy Political Leader of the UNC at the March 24 internal elections. In a recent press release, Toney stated the COP expected the UNC operatives to be more civil in the recruitment of her. Toney stated Coudrays issue can irreversibly damage the overwhelming trust the electorate gave us in the May 2010 general election. The COP wished Coudray well and hoped she finds peace and comfort in her new political home. Muradali told local reporters, In politics people are free to come and go as they please. I consider her move as a political grasshopper because (Coudray) has her origins in the PNM and jumped over and rode the back of the COP to get into the local government as the mayor. And I am not too sure if she will be riding the back of the UNC. Maybe (as a general election candidate) for San Fernando West in the future. Muradali said of Coudray: She obviously has high political ambitions and I wish her all the best.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, - Water from the Navet Water Treatment Plant has been diverted to supply the residents of Mayo. A statement from the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) stated that a truckborne supply of water would be made available to villagers. Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL), which normally supplies that community with water, had temporarily turned off its water supply to the village. TCL management stated that the company could no longer supply water to the rural community due to the fact that the water was deemed unsafe as testing could not be conducted because of strike action. A four-inch water line from TCL distributes water to the company fence line communities of Mayo and Claxton Bay. TCL had called on WASA to assist where

possible. In a recent media release, WASA corporate communications manager Ellen Lewis said since the strike action started, the Authority has offered and has also provided assistance to TCL in terms of meeting the water supply demands of the Mayo residents. In view of the prevailing situation, the Authority has taken the decision to divert water from its Navet Water Treatment Plant to residents of Mayo Lewis stated. She said in the release that affected residents should expect a twice weekly service TCL customers in the Mayo area requiring a truck-borne service are therefore encouraged to contact WASAs Customer Service Bureau toll free at 800-4420/4426 she said. Checks with Mayo residents yesterday revealed that they received a supply of water. The residents expressed thanks to WASA.

Poor Self Care By Diabetics

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Diabetics in the twin-island state are not taking care of their health. According to a recently released study on diabetes care in Trinidad and Tobago, diabetics were not taking care of their eyes and feet or having the necessary checks done on a regular basis. And director of the Diabetes Outreach Programme with the Health Sciences Initiatives, Dr. Paul Ladenson, is warning that complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, amputations and endstage renal disease, could result if diabetics do not take care of their bodies. According to the study, only two thirds of diabetics visited a doctor or nurse regularly for care of their condition, 28 per cent visit an optician, and a mere nine percent receive a foot exam over a one year period. The survey also showed that heart disease was one of the more commonly reported complications of diabetes, with 24 per cent of those participating in the survey admitting to having the disease. During the survey that was conducted between June 2010 and March 2011, it was also revealed that seven per cent of those interviewed suffered a stroke, 13 per cent suffered foot ulcers and amputations, 13 per cent had damaged retinas, 51 per cent had high cholesterol, and a whopping 67 per cent suffered with hypertension. Furthermore, five per cent of the 2,124 people surveyed had kidney damage, and 41 per cent had nerve damage. Two thirds of the participants were also overweight or obese with poor metabolic control, especially in women and children. And, Dr. Ladenson has made it clear that diabetes was likely the leading cause of blindness and foot amputations in the twin-island state. According to him, the country was facing an epidemic that could result in significant consequences if left unchecked. Meanwhile, President of the Academy of Diabetes Clinicians of T&T, Dr. Claude Khan, also expressed concerns over what he termed an explosion of diabetes in the country and called for more resources for its primary care to avoid serious and life threatening complications.

Instant Death

PORT-OF-SPAIN, - A 22-year-old man was killed instantly on March 17 when his car slammed into a lamp post along the Uriah-Butler Highway extension in Mt Hope. St Joseph Police reported that Steve John, of Eastern Quarry, Laventille was the lone occupant in a Honda Civic that night. Around 10 p.m. he was heading south

along the highway when the car ran off the road and collided with a pole opposite the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. Responding to the accident were officers of the St Joseph Police Station and the Tunapuna Fire Station who had to use the jaws of life to remove Johns body from the mangled car.

Belly Bustas Take 2:

Mark

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Bannister Really Bad Day

There was this guy at a bar, just looking at his drink. He stays like that for half of an hour. Then, this big trouble-making truck driver steps next to him, takes the drink from the guy, and just drinks it all down. The poor man starts crying. The truck driver says, Come on man, I was just joking. Here, Ill buy you another drink. I just cant stand to see a man cry. No, its not that. This day is the worst of my life. First, I fall asleep, and I go late to my office. My boss, outrageous, fires me. When I leave the building, to my car, I found out it was stolen. The police said that they can do nothing. I get a cab to return home, and when I leave it, I remember I left my wallet and credit cards there. The cab driver just drives away. I go home, and when I get there, I find my wife in bed with the gardener. I leave home, and come to this bar. And just when I was thinking about putting an end to my life, you show up and drink my poison.

ALLY good deed that you did in your life, youre in. The guy thinks for a moment and says, Well, there was this one time when I was drivin down the highway and I saw a Biker Gang assaulting this poor girl. I slowed down my car to see what was going on, and sure enough, thats what they were doing. There were about 50 of em torturing this chick. Infuriated, I got out my car, grabbed a tire iron from my trunk and walked straight up to the leader of the gang. He was a huge guy with a studded leather jacket and a chain running from his nose to his ear. As I walked up to the leader, the Gang formed a circle all around me. So I ripped the leaders chain off his face and smashed him over the head with the tire iron. Then I turned around and yelled to the rest of them, Leave this poor, innocent girl alone, you slime! Youre all a bunch of sick, deranged animals! Go home before I teach you all a lesson in pain! St. Peter, extremely impressed, says, Really? Wow, when did all this happen? Er.. about two minutes ago.

Really Good Deed

This guy arrives at the Pearly Gates. He has to wait to be admitted, while St. Pete leafs through his Big Book. Hes checking to see if the guy is worthy of entry or not. Saint Peter goes through the books several times, furrows his brow, and says to the guy, You know, I cant see that you did lots of good in your life but, you never did anything bad either Tell you what, if you can tell me of one RE-

Limitations Act - What is Involved

It is trite, but true, that as a community, people from the islands are perceived as being laid back. Maybe it is a factor of the sunshine and less restrictive life in the islands. In my practice, I have experienced the laid back attitude in dealing with clients from the West Indian Community and their eagerness to pursue a claim. What I mean is when it comes to litigations and proceeding to court to get what is just and fair, a lot of people would rather not go the claim route. I recall a former client who tripped and fell in a restaurant that had an area that was poorly lit and elevated. She fractured her ankle in the fall and came to see me several weeks after her fall. She indicated that she never thought about seeing a lawyer and only came to see me because her friends, neighbours and children insisted that she get some legal advice. When the Aneesa fall occurred, she indicated that although she was in pain she got up quickly and exited the restaurant, because she was extremely embarrassed. At the time of the fall, this nice, older woman was wearing flat shoes, walking, not running and she was carrying her handbag. In our opinion, the restaurant was clearly negligent and the case ended up settling with compensation being paid to our client for her pain and suffering, loss of income for the period that she was off work and all of her medical bills. The reason I tell this story is that this particular client came in to see me sev-

Home Affairs

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March 21, 2012

Oumarally

eral weeks after the incident. I have had instances where individuals have loaned money to a friend or a relative and approached me several years after to try and get back their money. The problem with waiting and not seeing a lawyer in a timely manner is that you may be barred by Statute from advancing your claim. In Ontario, the Limitations Act, 2002 came into effect on January1, 2004. Obviously different limitations will apply to different claims; for instance a claim for assault, battery or wounding must be brought within two (2) years from the date from which the claim was discovered; on the other hand, a claim for libel or slander in a newspaper will have a shorter limitation period and the Plaintiff (the person bringing the action) is required to give notice in writing within six (6) weeks after the alleged libel has come to the Plaintiffs knowledge. Furthermore, a court action

should be started within three (3) months after the libel has come to the knowledge of the person defamed (the Plaintiff). The first step is determining what limitation period applies to your claim. For this you should consult a lawyer immediately after any act or omission that may give rise to a claim. Delaying a consultation will only work to your detriment and may in some cases, depending on how long you wait, preclude you from advancing your claim. Selwyn R. Baboolal is a partner at Oumarally Baboolal practising in the area of litigation for the past 18 years. This is intended for information purposes only and you should consult a lawyer if you need legal representation or a legal opinion.

Money Management

Your Tax Refunds Spend or Save?

Are you one of the millions of Canadians who will receive a tax refund in the coming year? If so, what are you going to do with it? You can certainly spend it on that vacation youve been dreaming about or perhaps save it just in case. In the interest of improving your long-term personal financial picture, here are a few alternative uses to explore. RRSP. Its never too early to start preparing for retirement. Apply the refund early to your next years Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contribution and benefit from nearly an extra year of potential long-term tax-deferred growth and a tax deduction against next years taxes. TFSA. Since 2009, you have been allowed to save up to $5,000 a year in a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). If you did not contribute in a year, your contribution room may be carried forward to a future year. Your contributions are not taxdeductible, but you will not be taxed on the investment income generated by your TFSA and you can re-contribute any of your tax-free withdrawals in a future year. Invest. If your RRSP and TFSA are topped up, consider adding to your nonregistered investments. Its a sound strategy to hold stocks and equity mutual funds outside an RRSP or TFSA because these types of investments are taxed at a more favorable capital gains inclusion rate and Canadian investments qualify for the dividend tax credit. Learn from it. Set up Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) to fund future education costs for your kids. RESP contributions are not tax-deductible, but their growth is tax-deferred and they qualify for Canada Education Savings Grants (CESG) of up to 20 per cent of your contribution. Take interest in it. Pay down costly credit debt and then pay down non-deductible debt such as your mortgage. A single prepayment can chop months or even years off your repayment schedule and potentially save hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest payments. Park it. Why not park some cash in a short-term investment that you can access without penalty. Youll have a ready source of cash for a rainy day without having to borrow or use your credit card. (You can also use a TFSA as a rainy day fund.) Eliminate it. Heres why getting a tax refund isnt the greatest: That refund cheque is not a gift from the government. Its money you overpaid during the year and are now getting back without interest. Put more money in your pocket each pay period by applying to lower your withholding tax. A tax refund is great, but a comprehensive tax-reducing, life-goal-achieving financial plan is much better. Speak to your Financial Consultant about a Plan that will make it all work for you.

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Womens World - Beauty

10 Commandments For Achieving And Maintaining Beautiful Healthy Skin
1. Protect yourself from the sun -- use sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight between the hours of 10 and 2. All skin needs protection. The sun does not discriminate! Dont smoke. Your skin is a large organ and it needs a lot of circulation. Smoking impairs that dramatically. Thats why smokers skin looks dull and gray. Instead of having oxy-generated blood delivered to the surface of the skin, theyre getting poisons and oxidants. Get adequate rest and nutrition. Your body never

2.

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lies. If youre exhausted, it will show. Feed your body with healthy foods. What you put in your body can show on your skin. 4. Protect yourself from stress -- both emotional and environmental stress. When youre stressed, people always ask Are you o.k.? Stress shows in many ways. Your skin tells your story. Wash your face twice a day and put on the proper treatment product. It does not have to be an expensive cream. Know your skin type, talk to the Cosmetologist at the drug store. Cleansing and exfoliating are basic skin care commandments. Skincare is not just for your face, especially with the warm weather around the corner. Dont neglect certain areas of the skin. Elbows, heels, neck, and dcolletage need moisturizing, and your scalp and the tops of your feet need sun protection. Hands off!!! Touch your face less and wash your hands more! Its very tempting to pick, poke, squeeze, and scratch in front of the mirror. But the more you traumatize the skin, the greater your risk of scarring. Apply treatment products and let them work. See your Dermatologist for proper treatment 8.

options for brown spots and scarring. Keep your makeup clean. Replace the sponges in your compact on a regular basis. Now and then, toss the whole works and start fresh -- the average shelf life for cosmetics is 6 to 12 months. Exercise moderation. More is not always better. Moisturizer, for example, is the most overused product. We need to moisturize, but make sure the product is right for your needs. Do the research.

5.

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10. Keep your regimen simple. And when you do add a new product, do it gradually so your skin has time to adjust. Each skincare or makeup product has an average of 20 to 40 ingredients -- youre introducing 20 to 40 potential allergens to your face every time you try something new. Keep your Skin Care routine Simple.

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Sports Beat

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

March 21, 2012

Gold For James

Trinidad and Tobagos Wayne Davis II opened his 2012 outdoor campaign with victory at the Baldy Castillo Invitational, in Arizona, USA, on March 17. The Texas A&M University student topped the mens 110 metres hurdles field in a wind-assisted 13.72 seconds. At the University of the West Indies (UWI) Invitational, in Jamaica, St Augustine Campus student Jessica James struck gold in the Collegiate womens 400m event. The T&T athlete got home in 56.64 seconds. Jehue Gordon returned a time of one minute, 54.76 seconds to finish second in section two and fourth overall in the Olympic Development mens 800m. His St Augustine teammate Darren Nelson was fourth in the Collegiate mens 200m in 21.84 seconds. Kesean Phillips finished sixth in the mens discus with a 39.53 metres throw and seventh in the shot put (14.90m). Sherwin Jackson clocked

Bolt Featured In Visa Olympics Ad

Usain Bolt, the defending 100-metre and 200-metre Olympic champion, is being featured in a Visa Europe advertisement in its Run to London campaign leading to the XXX Olympiad starting July 27. Visa is an Olympic sponsor. The ad was released on March 17 in Europe, as it is a Europe-only campaign. Bolt is one of the athletes being used to raise awareness of the Summer Games that will make London the first ever city to host the Olympics on three occasions. Prior to this summer, London hosted the Olympics in 1908 and 1948. Bolt reportedly shot the ad during one of his trips to Europe earlier this season. The entertaining advertisement shows Bolt and another man, who turns out to be a starter, racing from an airport in London to the Olympic stadium via several sites around the British capital using their contactless Visa credit cards. During his run through the streets of London, Bolt strips down into his Jamaican kit, while the starter dresses up for his starters role at the Olympic Games. Insiders say that more and more the sprinter, who turns 26 in August and is considered to be the biggest name in athletics, is being exposed to roles such as the one he plays in the advert as it opens up opportunities for him to pursue other interests once his stellar career is over.

Jessica James 58.61 seconds for seventh spot in the mens 400m hurdles. And in the Collegiate mens 400m, Jevon Matthew finished 11th overall in 49.64. Jamaica-based T&T sprinter Shaun Stuart was 19th fastest in the Olympic Development mens 100m dash in 10.81 seconds.

New Swimming Record

PORT-OF-SPAIN, - Trinidad and Tobago swimmer Dylan Carter registered a new national record in the 100-metre backstroke, clocking 57.47 seconds at the March 18, 2012 Spring Southern Zone South Sectional swim meet in Florida, USA. Fifteen-year-old Carter finished seventh, while countryman Christian Homer was eighth in 57.63 in the event which was won by Arkady Vyatchanin (54.79), with outstanding US Olympian Ryan Lochte in second (54.89). T&T and Marlins Swim Club were represented at the meet by Carter, Joshua Romany and Jessica Stephenson (Guyana), accompanied by Marlins head coach Franz Huggins, along with USbased Samantha Rahael, swimming for The Bolles School, Homer, who swam for the University of Florida, as well as Titans swimmer Emiro Goosen, who also swam for The Bolles School. Romany, Carter and Goosen will all be representing Trinidad and Tobago in next months Carifta Swimming Championships in the Bahamas. In the final of the Mens 200-metre freestyle, Lochte was the winner in 1:49.09, with Carter seventh in 1:53.85. Carter had earlier swam 1:53.38 in the prelims. In the Mens 100m butterfly finals, Lochte was again the winner in 54.12 seconds, with Homer clocking 55.31 to finish in fifth place. Goosen was 21st overall in 57.77. Romany (57.59) and Carter (58.05) also swam in the preliminary rounds of the event. Rahael swam in the Womens 200-metre individual medley consolation final and was 16th in 2:24.99. Earlier in the prelims she clocked 2:24.89 in a three-way tie and was 12th overall. In the 50-metre freestyle event, Romany placed seventh in the A final in 23.82, while Carter was 13th overall in 23.95 swimming in the B final.

Personal Best

BRIDGETOWN, - With a new personal best time of 50.90 seconds in the mens 400 metre hurdles, Barbadian Shane Brathwaite has sent a strong message to the selectors here at home. Brathwaite was second overall in his first outdoor meet of the season at the 2012 Willie Williams Classic, University of Arizona. The winning time was 50.57 as he and his Texas

Tech teammates took the top three places. The run qualifies him for the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 Championships in Mexico from July 6 to 8. He will need to lower the time even more to 49.8 or 49.5 seconds to meet the Olympic B or A standard.

Alexander World Championship Bound

Quincy Alexander PORT-OF-SPAIN, - Cyclist Quincy Al- announced that the TTCF were allotted exander will be the lone pedal pusher in two slots going into the world championthe 2012 UCI Track World Championships ships. Going in the world championship at Hisense Arena in Melbourne, Australia early in March the UCI (Union Cycliste from April 4 -8. This announcement was Internationale) sent official documents to made by the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling the federation advising of qualifications Federation (TTCF) on March 13. The Fed- given to each federation. eration was allotted two spots and selected In our communication to UCI, T&T Alexander to attend with his manager Rob- were allotted two spots and these spots ert Farrier. T&T participation is estimated were based on Njisanes attendance in the to cost the organisation $99,633. world cup; the spots allotted to Trinidad President of the T&T Cycling Federa- and Tobago were for the kerin event and tion Rowena Williams thanked T&Ts two the sprint event. We have selected Quintop cyclists Njisane Phillip and Quincy cy Alexander to attend the World ChamAlexander along with their management pionship Games along with his manager team, who won gold medals at the recent Robert Farrier in Melbourne Australia, Senior Pan American Championships. She said Williams.

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Gayle Stalled
KINGSTOWN, A proposed move that would have seen the return of talismanic opener Chris Gayle to the West Indies team, and ended his year-long impasse with the West Indies Cricket Board, has been stalled. A high-level March 20 meeting in St Vincent, chaired by the countrys Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and involving WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire, WICB president Julian Hunte and Gayle, had been expected to produce a solution. However, a source close to the negotiations in St Vincent indicated that while a deal had been reached and agreed to by the WICB and CARICOM, Gayle was yet to sign off. The deal would have seen both Gayle and the WICB acknowledging that mistakes had been made during the impasse, but agreeing to move forward in the spirit of compromise. The deal would also have seen Gayle available for the current series against Australia which ends on April 27. Gayle, however, is contracted to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which runs from April 4 to May 27, and for Somerset in the English County Twenty20 tournament. The IPL clashes with both the current Australia tour and West Indies tour of England from May 5 to June 24. It has been reported that Gayle is keen on fulfilling all his contractual international T20 obligations. Speculation was rife during the March 18 second OneDay International as word slowly emerged that talks were ongoing to find a settlement to the dispute. Gayle, who attended the March 17 funeral for the late Runako Morton in St Kitts, was present for the game at Arnos Vale, triggering further speculation he could suit up as early as the third match of the series. The dominant left-hander has not played for West In-

Shiv Inspired Ton

Adrian Barath PORT-F-SPAIN, When it comes to occupying the crease, few offer a better example than Guyana and West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul. And following Trinidad and Tobagos West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-Day Tournament Round Six draw with Guyana at Queens Park Oval, T&T opener Adrian Barath revealed that Chanderpaul had provided the inspiration for his Man of the Match knock of 114. I think I emulated Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the way he batted in the first innings, the way he came out and applied himself, the 21-year-old batsman said after the match was halted by rain. Its something all batsmen should really look up to. Applying yourself, getting a start and building on it...and getting a big score. It boosted Baraths confidence in his first game back from injury after he suffered a fractured finger earlier in the season. Its been a while since Ive scored a century, Barath said. Ive scored half-centuries, but scoring a century is a different feeling. Im a batsman that usually scores centuries when I cross 50...I really set myself up to bat long in this game.

Windies Aussies 3rd ODI Ends In A Dramatic Tie

KINGSTOWN, - A thrilling and courageous West Indies chase force a dramatic tie in the 3rd One Day International against Australia before a heaving Arnos Vale Ground. March 20 had been declared a public holiday in St Vincent and a sold-out crowd was kept on its feet throughout as the two sides finished locked on 220 apiece on a pitch almost as lively for spin bowling as for dancing at the boundarys edge. The West Indies needed only one run from the final three deliveries to be bowled by Brett Lee, but a mix-up between the captain Darren Sammy and the last man Kemar Roach saw both stranded at the strikers end as Lee broke the stumps at his. However the hosts fight to level the scores having been mired as deeply as 78 for 5 will provide plenty of belief for Sammys men, while also showing Australias players that they cannot afford to misstep quite so badly as they have done at times in the three matches so far. This time the fault lay with the batsmen, who squandered the best of the conditions and failed completely to cope with the crafty spin of Sunil Narine. But there was also a cautionary note for the stand-in captain Shane Watson, who spoiled an otherwise admirable bowling stint with a no-ball that reprieved Andre Russell at a critical time. Having built a sound platform to chase the 221 required at 52 for 1, the hosts lost four wickets for 26 as Xavier Doherty and Watson cut through the batting with a combination of spin, changes of pace and alert field placement. However a series of doughty contributions from Johnson Charles, Kieron Pollard, Russell and Carlton Baugh brought the West Indies to the brink, and Sammy would have taken his side home without a moment of impulsive running by Roach. In front of a teeming Kingstown crowd, the Australians had been briefly delighted to find a pitch offering more pace than had been found in either of the first two fixtures here. However, they lost their previous enthusiasm when the offspinner Narine used it, along with the sharp spin that had been on offer all week, to cause considerable torment. George Bailey, promoted to No. 4, and Michael Hussey provided some measure of stability to the innings, from an uncertain 58 for 3, but neither batsman could quite attain command of the bowling. Husseys dismissal signalled another flurry of wickets, this time the giddy loss of five for six runs. Marlon Samuels and Kemar Roach both contributed with clever spells, but it was Narines deception of the touring batsmen that was most complete, their muddle exemplified by two run-outs in the slipstream of Narine overs. When West Indies chased, Charles and Kieran Powell enjoyed a more fruitful stand than their one-ball effort in the second ODI, and Watson had to introduce Dohertys spin in the seventh over as he sought a wicket. Powell hammered Doherty over the wide long-on rope, but next ball the spinner took revenge by running a delivery across the opener to draw a clear stumping for Matthew Wade. Watson used a slower ball to tunnel through Marlon Samuels defence, and in the same over Darren Bravo was confounded by a delivery that disturbed the surface and sent his drive straight to George Bailey at short cover. A similar dismissal accounted for Charles and Doherty used another straighter variation to cramp Dwayne Bravos attempt to cut and coax an edge into Wades gloves. Pollard had seen the West Indies home on Sunday, but had a far sterner task ahead of him this time. For a while he delighted team-mates and spectators, sending one mighty swipe at Brett Lee clean out of the ground. To rid him of this threat, Watson called on Nathan Lyon, Pollards sometime compatriot in Australias domestic Twenty20 competition. As he has done before, Lyon was not afraid to sacrifice a six in search of a wicket: Pollard cleared Doherty at long-on once, but found him when attempting to repeat the stroke two balls later. Russell maintained the fight in the company of Baugh, smiting a rival to Pollards earlier six when he crashed Clint McKay down the ground and beyond it. The required rate crept up gradually, aided by Wat-

Chris Gayle dies since the World Cup quarter-final against Pakistan last March, after being sidelined for controversial public criticisms of the WICB and team coach Ottis Gibson. He had been mandated by the board to withdraw his comments before he could be considered for selection but the player refused. Only recently, Jamaica Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller called for an end to the impasse and subsequently raised it at the CARICOM inter-sessional meeting in Suriname March 8-9.

Andre Russell sons thrift, and when Russell was bowled attempting an impatient heave the game appeared up. However replays showed that Watson had overstepped, and Russells rearguard went on. As if to frustrate Watson further, Russell was also to be bowled by the resulting free-hit. As he and Doherty had almost exhausted their overs, Watson called on McKay to probe for the clinching wickets. As the crowd clung to rum-fuelled visions of victory, he seemed to do just that: first teasing an edge out of Russell that Wade dived to claim, then prompting Baugh to send an attempted flick skyward for Daniel Christian to pouch. Not willing to give up, Narine hit out boldly to reduce the requirement, and Sammy showed the sort of composure he is beginning to make a habit of. However Roach ran on the third-last ball as though it was the last, and Australia salvaged something. Scores: Australia 220 all out (49.5 overs) Hussey 67, Bailey 59, Warner 37, Naraine 3-32, Samuels 2-9, Roach 2-47. West Indies 220 all out (49.4overs) Charles 45, Russell 37, Pollard 36, Baugh 33. Match Tied. Series Tied 1-1. (Adapted from Cricinfo).

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