What if the world paused for a moment, for one day with one mission in mind—to give with kindness. This is the passion that drives Good Deeds Day. Since its launch in 2007, Good Deeds Day has become an annual tradition of doing good that unites over 2.5 million volunteers from over 93 countries to do good for the benefit of the people and the planet. That is millions of people and thousands of organisations joining forces to volunteer for Good.

Recognised on April 15, the world will join its hands and lend its strength to causes that encourage your involvement through kindness. With a vision to inspire persons to ‘think good, speak good and do good’, the founder of this international NGO, philanthropist Shari Arison, hopes that these circles of goodness will grow as more citizens participate in Good Deeds Day.

This year, the Volunteer Center of T&T (VCTT), through its Caribbean Volunteer eXchange network, has partnered with the organisers of Good Deeds Day and have mobilised Volunteer Involving Organisations from across the region to implement the Caribbean edition under the theme of Plant for Peace.

2018 regional partners for Good include United Nations Volunteers (UNV), Action Towards Initiatives and Volunteering for Education in Haiti (ACTIVEH), World Merit Haiti, Suricorps for Development (Suriname), Volunteer Saint Lucia- Choiseul Chapter, Youths Inspiring Positive Change—Positive Organisation and The Christelle Harris Charity Fund (Jamaica), Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network (CYPAN), Caricom Youth Ambassadors T&T (CYA) and Commonwealth Youth Sport for Development & Peace Network (CYSDP).

Plant for Peace will take life in T&T through the establishment of Community Gardens in Port-of -Spain and a Beach Beautification and Fun Day at Mount Irvine Beach, Tobago. These Community Gardens will be launched in 12 districts in collaboration with the Port-of-Spain City Corporation, WhyFarm and AhGrow TT.

On Good Deeds Day volunteers will work with members of the community to transform an underutilised space next to the Robert Greenidge playground in Gonzales from a lot of land to a lot of food through the planting of short and long harvest crops. Organisers envision that these gardens can provide an alternative and viable source of new income for participating members of the community and pioneer the start of an Agri-Preneurship movement in our capital. Food has and will always be a mechanism to bring people and communities together, thus fostering these gardens will foresee a greater community spirit and appreciation for agriculture.

Caricom Youth Ambassadors are spearheading Tobago activities and volunteers also mobilised by CYPAN for an orphanage meal and gardening tour which began last Sunday.

The first Community Garden will be launched next Sunday at Robert Greenidge Playground, Gonzales or Mount Irvine’s Beach Beautification and Fun Day in Tobago. Organisers invite everyone to sow a seed, do a good deed and plant a piece of land for peace. Support this initiative by gifting seeds or tools, donating financial resources or volunteering your time and skills. All contributions will be felt and even the smallest can bloom an abundance of good in this world.

Despite articles in the T&T Guardian and the desire of the Board of Inland Revenue and the Government of T&T to enhance their Tax Revenue Department, we are upon the deadline for Tax Returns of April 30 and citizens are unable to collect the necessary Tax Return Forms for their submissions.

This has been going on for the last three years. While telephone numbers for BIR at their new location have been published, it is next to impossible to reach anyone.

Yesterday on visiting BIR, tax return forms were only available for employed individuals, one form per person, and none for self-employed individuals or companies or partnerships.

Apparently, people should receive company forms via mail but once again, we are in April and the forms are yet to arrive by mail and from experience, they have for the past years been arriving long after the tax deadline.

Surely it is not a big science to change the date and have all forms available from January of each year or on the web site for download and printing by those who wish same.

Also, while one may say that e-tax is available for individuals, elderly persons or persons without computers cannot do e-tax. And whether e-tax or hard copy, doesn’t the Government want citizens to file their returns?

Please BIR, get your act together. You want people to pay tax but you are frustrating them. No one in your office can even advise the status of the forms. Not all of us like to do our business last minute!

Wendy Nock

Were the people domiciled in Trinidad to continue in their laid-back complacent mode it could be a case of the unilateral, Tobago–centred and driven large scale amendment of the 1976 Republican Constitution using the back door of the Tobago Self-Government Bill that is now before a JSC for its evaluation, scrutiny and report to Parliament.

Having regard to the radical provisions in that Bill that attempts to rewrite The Preamble as well as important sections of the Constitution I believe that this Bill should have been subjected to further scrutiny by the people of Trinidad prior to introduction into the House because Tobago’s self-governance is Trinidad and Tobago’s business and not exclusively and singularly that of the people of Tobago as the Prime Minister seems to believe.

It seems to me that if Prime Minister Rowley were to have his way, his day and his sway he would subordinate the collective interests of the people of Trinidad to give precedence and priority to the insular aspirations of Tobago in complete violation of the unitary statehood principle. After all, Manning’s as well as PNM’s dictat was what Tobago wants Tobago gets.

This Bill is very poorly drafted with a litany of major errors. It makes radical incursions to rewrite the Constitution. Consequential plans are afoot to redefine the maritime jurisdiction of Trinidad and Tobago, introduce the highly controversial concept of self-determination in the Preamble, endow Tobago with a nonsensical equality of status with Trinidad in Section 1, whatever that means, to an archipelagic state of 23 islands and to repeal the entire Chapter 11 A of the Constitution to provide for an exorbitantly priced and a vertical densely packed Self-Government of Tobago institutional infrastructure.

After a series of previous aborted and failed attempts to achieve Constitutional Reform in Trinidad and Tobago, the Tobago Self Government Bill is about to circumvent that consultative process using the back door to effect radical changes to the Constitution unless the Opposition sees the light and insists on referring the Bill for widespread public discussions among the people of Trinidad after the work of the JSC is completed in July.

STEPHEN KANGAL,
Caroni

I refer to an advertisement in a daily newspaper headlined “WASA commemorates World Water Day 2018 and this year’s theme ‘Nature For Water.’”

The Authority has joined the global community in highlighting the need to preserve and conserve our available water resources to ensure an equitable and sustainable supply for the current and future generations.

At this juncture let me seize this opportunity to mention about a complaint I made to the Minister of Public Utilities, Mr Robert Lee Hunt, in a registered letter I posted to him dated March 7, 2018 and copied to the Minister of Works and Transport, Mr Rohan Sinanan. It’s more than time for WASA to be held accountable whenever a burst pipe main is causing the roadway to drop and trigger landslides. In most instances the powerful water pressure from the burst pipe main erodes the underlying soil to collapse as is evidence on Bonair Road light pole number 183. The roadway there has dropped for more than 15 feet and also a retaining wall is leaning.

In 2015 a similar situation occurred on the same road and the Ministry of Works and Transport paved the entire roadway and built a slipper drains. The residents, motorists and the travelling public were able to enjoy a comfortable ride but then suddenly our hopes for the bus service were dashed when the burst pipe main created an obstruction which prevented us from getting the bus service to resume in the rural communities where taxi services are irregular at best and commuters have to depend on panels vans and PH cars for transportation.

Inconvenienced residents, motorists and the travelling public are not blaming the Works Ministry. They are pointing fingers at WASA which must restore the roadway to its former conditions. Bonair Road falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Works and Transport for maintenance and improvement work but in this particular case WASA is the source of the problem.

There should be some form of settlement with the two state agencies in order to have the Bonair Road and Cumuto Main Road restored to their original conditions.

Let me emphasise that this complaint is not a new one and it was first taken up in a publication on August 6, 2009, headlined “Landslide stops bus service.” We continue our uphill struggle to have the PTSC bus service resumed from Sangre Grande to Four Roads, Tamana and the neighbouring villages.

RASHEED KHAN (MOM)
Coryal Village

There is a breath of fresh air blowing through the T&T camp out at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia and it continued yesterday as Jereem Richards made his first appearance at the event with victory in his preliminary 200 metres heat in which he record a time of 20.33 seconds to advance to today’s semifinals, carded for 7.06 am (TT time).

“I just went out to work on my start. My coach told me to work on that,” said Richards. “The execution of the race was good. I held back a lot so I am hoping I have a lot more in store.”

Richards, who was third in the 200m at last year’s World Championships in London, spoke on what this means.

“Definitely there is no pressure as I always go out to give my best, whether it is gold, silver or bronze. Right now, it is just about getting the job done, I would love to have a fast time to maybe beat the meet record here or even break Ato Boldon’s record here, but it is about just winning and moving on. I am very proud of Michelle’s success and it just makes me motivated to go out there and get a gold medal,” said Richards.

Kyle Greaux, may be flying low under the radar, but an eye-catching opening round win easing up in a time of 20.67, has certainly sent a message to all concerned.

“I am in good condition. Felt really good in the race and the objective is to get into the final,” Greaux said. “It is time for me to win a medal. A lot of persons have won medals and I want this to be my time to deliver such. After being to many of these Games, I am determined to put these experiences in place here and to do my best. I would love to dip under 20 for the first time or get close to my personal best (20.11).”

Both men will return to the track this morning with Greaux in semifinal two at 6.58 am (TT time) and Richards in semifinal three.

The other sprinter in the event, Nathan Farinha placed third in his heat in a time of 21.62 and did not advance to the semifinals.

In the women’s 200m like the 100m dash, all three T&T athletes advanced to the semifinals also set for today.

Semoy Hackett was third (23.37) in the opening heat, Kai Selvon was fourth (23.33) in the fourth heat and Kamaria Durant third (23.33) in heat five.

Hackett will race from lane seven at 6.10 am, Selvon in a tough semifinal two, will race from lane eight at 6.18 am against Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Olympic 400m champion) and Jamaican Elaine Thompson (Olympic double sprint champion) and Durant in semifinal three, from lane five at 6.26 am.

Sparkle McKnight ran a blinder in the 400m hurdles, placing second in her personal best time of 55.15 and moving on to tomorrow’s final.

In the Women’s Triple Jump, Ayanna Alexander finished sixth in the final, with a best jump of 13.47.

Earlier in the shooting competition at the Belmont Shooting Centre, Marlon Moses finished in 25th position with a total of 601.3 and did not advance to the final in the Men’s 50m rifle prone.

In the Queens Prize Pairs finals on day two, the pair of Michael Perez and Delborn Joseph placed 16th following their day one placing of 15th.

Meanwhile, in Men’s beach volleyball action, T&T’s Daneil Williams and Daynte Stewart lost their quarterfinal 0-2 to New Zealand going under, 15- 21, 14-21.

In squash in the mixed doubles, the pair of Charlotte Knaggs and Kale Wilson lost (4- 11, 4-11), against Malaysia’s Aifa Azman and Sanjay Singh Chal.

At the table tennis venue, Yuvraaj Dookram lost 4-1 to Chee Feng Leong of Malaysia and then suffered another 4-1 defeat to Ghana’s Felix Lartey in the men’ singles.

Adrian Wilson won his contest against Kalton Melton of Tuvalu, 4-0 and also won against Yoshua Shing of Vanuatu, 4-1.

Dexter St Louis was also victorious, defeating Uganda’s Ronald Nyaika 4-0.

Rhean Chung, making her first appearance at the Games won 4-0, against Cynthia Kwabi of Ghana.

In a controversial split decision, local boxer Nigel Paul lost to Satish Kumar of India in his Men’s 91kg quarterfinal bout at Oxenford Studios.

T&T’s heavyweight boxer Nigel Paul, who was knockout in the first round to Nigeria’s Efe Ajgba at the Rio Olympics, yesterday bow out of the 91 kg boxing contest on the judges scorecard against India’s Satis Kumar in their three-round contest.

He told Guardian Media Sports: “I should have been more aggressive in the clenches, that is all I can say.

I know that my corner feels I could have done more and that is my regret.

“He was always coming at me but I was just trying to win this fight and that is the only reason I can think of.”

Though penalised Geetanjali can complete her hat-trick by taking this six runner 7f handicap.

The selection has appeared to relish the step up to 7f and switch to handicaps the last twice and can see off Free Talkin who has put in respectable efforts in handicap company on her two most recent outings.

Duba Plains showed up well over this trip on her penultimate outing and she can finish third today. However, Geetanjali will take all the beating.

Square Viviani is interesting today given that his best effort in France was over a similar sort of a trip. However, he handles these conditions and he is both dropped in the ratings and sports first-time cheekpieces.

A better effort would not be surprising, although he bumps into my selection Shocking Times today.

Jamie Snowden’s gelding jumped much better again last time out at Haydock and now back on song he looks capable of winning again from this mark.

Lip Service and Milly Baloo could both have a say, while Thedrinkymeister could also make an impact if rejuvenated after a change of stables.

Birds Of Prey is unexposed and the form of his last win has substance.

He may have been let in lightly and he should be watched closely in the market as he steps up in trip. Kelly’s Dino and Lawless Secrethave been holding their form well during the winter and Castlelyons is on a hat-trick and is relatively lightly raced. He could prove difficult to pass.

Jacob Cats enters calculations having come to hand at this stage last season, but COUNT CALABASH makes more appeal with his stable off to a good start. He failed to win in 2017 having paid the price for a successful 2016. He starts the season on a handy mark and it will not be long before he is making an impact.

It has now been many decades since the steelpan has spread throughout the world and now a “child” of T&T’s national instrument known as “handpans” or “hang” are starting to come of age. The popularity of hand pans is now undeniable the instrument has spawned a growing movement worldwide with well over one hundred different manufacturers and many different designs.

As a musical instrument, handpans – most are shaped like a flying saucer and played in one’s lap and only with one’s hands — are becoming more and more popular. Currently, handpan companies garner little publicity and advertising is largely driven by word of mouth; yet, demand still great exceeds supply.

Today one can find hand pan manufacturers across the globe from Bali to Russia to the United States. This is the first of a two-part series exploring the handpan.

Despite it’s direct relation to the steelpan in construction and tuning, the hand pan has a very different appeal from its predecessor. The handpan rests against the body and is played with the player’s hands, often while sitting. It has a limited range of notes, usually not more than eight or nine notes per instrument, and is modal (usually pentatonic), not chromatic, in its tonal construction and conceived as a solo instrument. There are no handpan orchestras, and the instrument is currently not taught in schools.

Builder/Tuner Dave Beery of Island Instruments in Long Beach, California sells both steelpans and handpans. Beery sees a different clientele. Handpans spark the interest of soloists and hobbyists, and have a more new age appeal. One website described them as “a personal meditation tool, for healing through sound.” Handpan gatherings are becoming more common across Europe and North America. The child of the steelpan Handpan manufacturer Kyle Cox of Pantheon Pan notes on their website, “All handpans are made on the shoulders of the steelpans first created and innovated in Trinidad and Tobago.”

The origins of the handpan are traced to Swiss steelpan maker Felix Roehner and his partner Sabina Schärer in Berne, Switzerland, who created the first handpan almost 20 years ago.

Calling it a “hang,” Roehner had previously been a steelpan fanatic.

A founding member of the Swiss steelband The Bernese Oil Company, Roehner had been to Trinidad several times and was involved with the founding of nearly 60 steelbands and 30 school steelpan orchestras in the south-western part of Switzerland.

Roehner manufactured hundreds of his own steelpans and taught pan tuning and building for years.

Roehner believed strongly in the steel pan’s roots, stating, “The Trinidadian people gave a gift to the world: the sweet sound of steel.” Yet, he also sought to create something new, something that was related to steelpan but was very different.

Roehner experimented with the best metal to use and shapes during his time as a steelpan builder which led to the creation of the hang, the first handpan in 2000.

Various prototypes of the instrument followed and Roehner opted against making the instrument chromatic and instead settled on using pentatonic note alignments so as to always create a pleasant sound when played together.

Handpans used metal shells that did not start with oil barrels, rather they use sheet metal that is stamped or “deep drawn” on massive industrial hydraulic presses in Europe. This process creates a need for a nitriding the metal shells, a metal hardening method. The top sheet featured a central “dimple” and generally only seven to nine notes surrounding the dimple. The top shell is then glued or welded to a bottom shell with a hollow that serves as a resonating chamber not unlike a guitar. Catching global attention Roehner presented the hang at the International Conference on Science and Technology of the Steelpan in Trinidad in 2000. The reception was cool and the instrument was seen as an oddity, drawing little interest. Since then, Roehner’s company, PanArt, has stopped making hangs and since 2003 has focused on creating a whole new range of metallic instruments in a variety of shapes with exotic names, gubal, bal, godo and gede. But it was the hang that caught the attention of people across the world and the original hangs have now become collector’s items. Handpan enthusiasts from around the world started to develop their own versions of the instruments.

Handpans have proved to be great busking instruments, and this performance practice has increased their exposure, especially in Europe.

Handpans are starting to appear in commercial recordings, films, and television as will be discussed in part two tomorrow. (Part 2 in tomorrow’s Life)

• Ray Funk is a retired Alaskan judge and a Fulbright scholar who is passionately devoted to calypso, pan and mas. Dr. Andrew Martin is an ethnomusicologist,percussionist, pannist, and Professor of Music at Inver Hills College in St Paul, Minnesota.

Today marks the six-year anniversary of Mental Health Matters. To mark this day, I wish to remember a few people who died because instead of getting to a doctor, hospital or their medicine, they were treated to the TT Police Service’s intervention that left them dead.

How does it work? A parent or relative calls the police because their loved may be exhibiting violent behaviour for one of many reasons. He or she may have a knife, a broken bottle, a “two by four,” never a gun, but in their forcefulness, propelled by the power of whatever portends, they lunge at or make threatening gestures to a police officer and ends up dead. Shot. Multiple times. Not in the foot. Not by a rubber bullet.

Shot dead. Killed by the State.

Of course, the reason we request police intervention is because we believe that officers can somehow subdue a mentally ill person who is having an acute episode. For me, I say do not call the police, but I understand what it is to be at the mercy of someone acting violently and there are occasions where police officers have helped without death as the outcome.

Last Thursday, Police Service Social and Welfare general secretary acting ASP Anand Ramesar said “police training is inadequate for its members to deal with the mentally ill and that the police should not be the first responders to assist mentally ill people who have become violent.”

Ramesar’s comments were made after the latest police killing of a mentally ill man, Colin Roopchand, 26, at his home in La Romaine. The man who lived with bipolar disorder was acting violently and abusive towards his mother, and according to police, he attacked them.

In July 2017, the headline read ‘Cops kill man in knife attack.’

Damien Downey was killed by police after he attacked his 90-year-old grandmother with a knife at their Don Miguel Road, San Juan home. The newspaper reported that killing to be the 22nd man killed by police for that year.

Police reported that “Downey was brandishing a knife and terrorising his grandmother Mary Ettienne.”

Two officers responded and upon arrival they said they “were attacked by Downey” who was then shot. One of the officers was slashed on one of his hands.

The injured man and the officers were taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where Downey was pronounced dead on arrival.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian then, Downey’s uncle, Garth Ettienne, said he called the police after his nephew began acting erratic. He said Downey was never diagnosed as being mentally ill but had spent a week at the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital and that the medical “report was inconclusive.”

When asked about the police’s use of force, Ettienne was reported as saying: “It is what they know, it is what they have. I don’t think that it will change any time soon,” adding “there was need for better training of police officers to deal with personal attacks.”

Mental patient shot dead

That is how the police shooting of Daniel Paul was heralded in the newspapers on June 7, 2017.

Paul’s mother Rosalie Paul claimed that the man who lived with a mental illness was awaken from his bed by the police before he was fatally shot (outside, a while later) by officers of the Ste Madeline Police Station. Rosalie said she had explained to the officers that Paul had mental health issues but they disregarded her.

Rosalie was reported as saying, “Paul began exhibiting violent and strange behaviours after leaving school some five years ago and he was put on medication and being treated at the Psychiatric Clinic at the San Fernando General Hospital.”

Rosalie said Paul had taken the wrong medication and started to act up, hitting a neighbour’s car with a bottle but “by the time police came, he had come home, taken his correct tablet and went in his bed to sleep.

“They (police) didn’t want to hear nothing, they went on the bed and shaking him to get up and one of them hit him on his head with a flash-light … When I checked his bed after I realise he was so frighten, he pee the bed.”

Paul left his bed eventually and was reported to have “pelt the police and that is why they shot him.

“They could have shoot the child in his foot; they didn’t have to kill him,” Rosalie said.
To be continued

As newly appointed chairman of the Port Authority of T&T (PATT), Lyle Alexander is now at the helm of an entity plagued with problems, including a malfunctioning seabridge, ageing infrastructure, rising operational costs and increased regional competition.

So he was quick to raise the question that has been asked ever since he took up the position: why was I crazy enough to take this position?

The former military man, who stepped in following the resignation of Alison Lewis, offers a simple answer, “Somebody has to do it.”

He is confident he has the experience to deal with the challenges at the PATT, including the ones that have kept the state run body in the headlines for the past year.

“I can’t stop being of service to the country and I saw this as just another way to serve as best as I could. I now have to do the best that I can with what I have been dealt with,” he said.

A soldier for some 33 years, Alexander retired at the rank of colonel. He is a former commanding officer of the Defence Force Reserves and he has also worked with oil giants Amoco and BP for about ten years collectively in the area of risk management.

Alexander has since established his own company, Specialists Limited, which is based at Fitt Street, Woodbrook.

“I am very passionate about risk management and, to some extent, that is part and parcel of the military experience and so I decided to make that a second career.

“Somewhere in there also I looked at it from my experience in business. I learnt quite a lot and got interested in business resilience and responding to emergencies and just being able to function as best as you could under any circumstance so that is sort of my preparation for where I am now.

“I think you are never totally prepared but I am sufficiently prepared to deal with whatever circumstances I may face,” he said.

Alexander said he will be guided by a team of experts, all of whom make his job easier as he attempts to steer the PATT back to viability.

“From a business point of view we need to get the port to optimise its potential and by port I’m not talking about the ferry service,” he explained.

“There is a whole lot more to the port than the ferry service and I think if we can get that service sorted out and back on track this will provide a lot of opportunities for us to optimise its potential that resides in this port at the moment.”

Tapping into the potential

Alexander said people, an obvious and valued resource at the port, must be further developed as they are integral in making it work.

Young people in management positions provide opportunities for development, lending itself to long-term capability within the leadership of the PATT, he said. However, there is need for developmental leadership and more management training.

According to Alexander, there is a keen sense of commitment and willingness on their part of PATT personnel to increase efficiency and profitability. There is also a real need for re-strategising the future direction of the facility, to thoroughly understand its functions and what this means for the development of the economy and by extension the country.

“There is a need for us to get a little more involved with our stakeholders—those involved in the maritime sector—to be able to fully get the Port up to the level where it is really making a significant contribution to T&T,” he said.

“This will include the Shipping Association and cruise liners. There needs to be that coming together of minds to see what best we can do to be able to catch up with some of our neighbours in the Caribbean because some of them have left us behind.

To some extent it’s a wide, clean slate that we have in front of us and we can really put strategies in place in line with government’s policy because everything platforms on that.”

There is an urgent need to upgrade very old infrastructure but that requires significant sums, Alexander admitted. However, that work will provide much needed investment opportunities which are key to the Port of Port-of-Spain’s sustainability.

“Once we have that we will know what kind of strategies we will have to employ in terms of where the port needs to go. We will have a roadmap to take us to where we want to get to,” Alexander said. 

Seabridge solutions

The Inter-island Ferry Service has been an area of concern.

There are recurring issues with long lines of cargo trucks and frustrated passengers at peak periods.

Alexander said there is need for a better organised service to achieve greater efficiency requires an improved structure, better equipment and even upgrades to the way we do business.

“We have to see it as not just a ferry going between Trinidad and Tobago. We have to see it as a critical social service to the people. If we see it like that, then we have to start focusing on our customer service, paying attention to the needs of our customers.”

He explained that the ferry service is really a “tenant on the port,” which must be properly functioning so that it does not negatively affecting the commercial aspects of the PATT.

On the issue of whether there should be more vessels to increase the strength of the seabridge, Alexander said a feasibility study of the ferry operations is in the pipelines.

“It may not only be the vessel. It may mean schedules, looking at passenger and cargo; many things come into play. It’s really about streamlining all the requirements to make that service not only effective but sustainable.”

Reports of sabotage

Last month malfunctioning toilets affected the operations of the Cabo Star, the only cargo vessel servicing the domestic route. It was discovered that rocks, lemons and clothing had been placed in the toilets to choke the vessel’s sewer system.

There have been claims the acts were deliberate but Alexander insists that facts supported by evidence must be first presented.

“I come to conclusions when I have sufficient evidence to support them. There is no evidence I have at the moment to specifically say there is or has been sabotage,” he said.

“There are times, however, when you can speculate based on how things are happening but in the same vein it can all be coincidental,” he added.

Ferry service heavily subsidised

Vilma Lewis-Cockburn, manager, marketing and public relations at the T&T Inter-island Transportation Company (TTIT), said with respect to current cargo operations there is excess capacity which must be ramped up for the port to be financially viable.

“We have space but the vessels are not coming as they used to. While we make some money with the cargo operations there is a lot more we can make,” she admitted.

Profitability is hampered by the post Panamax traffic which has resulted in the loss of business to this country. The US$5.25 billion Panama Canal expansion which opened for commercial purposes about two years ago, had a significant effect on maritime traffic across vital international lanes that link the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf-of-Mexico.

It created a demand for ports to handle new Panamax ships with a length of 1201 feet and cargo capacity up to 13,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

Due to the limited depth of T&T’s harbour, post Panamax vessels cannot be accommodated.

“What used to be a mainline feeder is now a small or feeder vessel in the scheme of things so they have consolidated larger vessels in operation but those vessels can’t call here. We lost a Brazil service. We have lost transshipment cargo as well,” Lewis-Cockburn said.

She shares Alexander’s view that infrastructural upgrade is essential.

“Investment is so significant that you need to justify at least that you will get back that cargo when you actually spend that kind of money and that’s the challenge for us now,” she said.

Another drawback is that the ferry service is heavily subsidised by the government.

“At $50 a ticket for an adult, $100 one-way, it really doesn’t cover sometimes the fuel we use to make the crossing. We are not making revenue simply because it is heavily subsidised. I don’t think there is anywhere in the world you can get a one-way ticket—three hours for $50, child $25 and toddler zero,” Lewis-Cockburn said.

She said a study was done some years ago recommended that to at least to break even, a ferry ticket should cost more that the return $300 airline ticket to Tobago.

“This was about ten years ago, so that gives you an idea of the kind of cost, the kind of losses in terms of revenue,” she said.

Officials of companies that took part in the ExporTT trade mission to Panama and Costa Rica from March 18 to 23 said it was positive experience which is already yielding benefits.

The agency, in a statement highlighting the success of the venture, said: “The Costa Rican entrepreneurs were very pleased to receive the T&T exporters to complement their own industry or service offerings in the market. The participants were extremely elated by the engagement of the Costa Rican and Panamanian business sector.

“Through ExporTT’s involvement, trade relations among Costa Rica, Panama and T&T were reinforced and there were mutual complementaries of trade by all parties. We look forward to such arrangements in the future as we grow and develop new export trade relationships with our Costa Rican and Panamanian counterparts."

New markets for local goods

Adrian Boodlal, logistics manager, DSB Marketing, a Carsen Field company that does contract manufacturing for household and industrial cleaning chemicals, said the mission was important since the local market is saturated and competitive.

“With the shortage of forex in T&T we need to look to export markets to bring more money into the country,” he said.

“There are many opportunities from our Latin American neighbours. The markets there are not as competitive and with the trade agreements T&T has with these Latin Americans countries our manufacturers and businesses should look at how they can capitalise and make this a better country. Businesses need to give something back instead of looking to the Government to give hand outs,” Boodlal said.

He said the company of capable of exporting everything that they produce.

“We actually carry more than 50 refined products that we manufacture in T&T. We have dishwashing liquid, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, multi-purpose cleaners, hand soap, car cleaners and wax among other products. We are looking at every and any possible avenue we can penetrate,” he said.

Based on the prices and quality, DSB Marketing has the potential to compete internationally, Boodlal said.

During the trade mission the company was able to establish contacts with several companies and are doing ground work now.

“We actually got some good leads that we are following up with now,” he said.

Boodlal has some advice for other companies that are looking to break into foreign markets: “They need to get up and start to push hard or else everyone will come quickly and easily and overtake us because we do have the resources and the ability to do a lot better.”
KC Confectionery looks overseas

Rishi Ramnath, export representative at KC Confectionery, said the company entered Panama three years ago but left because they did not have a good distributor there. They are now trying to break into the Costa Rican market.
“We wanted to see first hand what products already exist in the market,” he said.

Despite potential hurdles, Ramnath is confident about the company’s chances to export to Costa Rica

“When we looked at the prices that they were selling, it is within the range that we can work with. We also met with importers and distributors there and they were extremely excited about the products that we had shown them. They have shown very keen interest.”

Starting from zero in new arena

Lorena Marin, business development manager at Vemco, said the company achieved what they set out for on the trade mission.

“In general, the contacts and meetings were very on target in terms of what we were looking for,” she said.

“I think that it is very important for a company to get the right customer to understand and to get information. A company wants to know if its product is competitive, if the price is right, who are the competitors in the market and the nitty gritty of the products in the market.”

Noting that getting into non-Caricom markets means getting into the international arena, Marin added: “That means a local company has to start from zero to introduce the product and compete with prices and presentation. It is important for a company to get the right customer in the new market and after work towards the objective.”

TTMA looking for export opportunities

The Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) said the ExporTT mission to Costa Rica and Panama aligns with its focus on expanding local manufacturers export markets beyond Caricom into Latin America.

“This is with a view of seeking valuable US dollars inflows for T&T. While the mission itself is only the beginning of a long journey into creating trading opportunities, we held several encouraging meetings with government officials in both countries and with businesses eager to engage in trade with our local manufacturers,” the statement said.

Although the local construction sector has suffered a decline of about 50 per cent, that has not deterred the owners and operators of Unicom (Trinidad) Ltd, the firm in charge of renovations at President’s House.

Directors of the construction company, Marcel and Neela Labban, say they are ready to proceed with this massive project, confident of their two and a half decades of experience in the sector. They say they can deliver the project on time despite challenges with labour, the slow down in the economy and fierce competition in the sector.

Unicom—which is based Frederick Settlement in Caroni—is classified as a medium-to-large contractor. The company, which employ 100 workers, offers construction services and also does manufacturing for interiors.

The Labbans, who are working with project co-ordinator Glennder Rooplal on the President’s House renovation, said 95 per cent of their projects are in the private sector.

“We are a firm that is pretty comfortable in our domestic market. We worked in Guyana, St Vincent, St Lucia and Jamaica. We worked for Cable and Wireless when they were rebranding.

We did the rebranding here in T&T when TSTT was re-branding.”

Unicom was contracted to build b-mobile stores on Independence Square in Port-of-Spain, Library Corner, San Fernando and Trincity Mall and managed to deliver those completed projects within four months. The company also constructed TSTT’s dealership stores across the country.

In the case of President’s House, Marcel said only about five per cent of the project involves international consultants and contractors.

“The next step is mobilisation which we have already started, building our team and ensuring we have the right labour force, equipment and material procurement. It’s a modify/design build. We have only been on the site about a few weeks after the new President was appointed.”

He added that the company has been given one month to complete structural and architectural surveys to determine the extent of damage and to formulate a strategy.

“Because the project is a modify, design, build, a lot of the decisions are left up to us and the client, so we are in direct communication with the client (Udecott) at all times. “

Neela said Unicom officials do not feel any pressure over having to hand over the project on time since “that’s what we are accustomed doing.”

She explained: “Almost all of our customers are repeat, even Udecott. We have worked with some of the most demanding corporate customers in the Caribbean. We have worked for all the financial institutions including the Central Bank of T&T, as well as the Parliament.”

Labban said Unicom was able develop the project for $30 million less than other bidders because the company owns its equipment and expertise and does not need to outsource.

She said the fact that they incorporate interior design in their business has made them stand out in the highly-competitive domestic market.

Construction sector declines

In the face of declines in the sector, Unicom has been forced to be more creative to secure more opportunities. Trends are showing that contractors who generally did public sector projects are now competing for the private sector jobs, which Unicom had been targeting for years, Neela said.

“Sometimes it might be perceived that a project is padded but, in fact, most of the time it isn’t.

“The cost of getting things done is actually quite high. To rent a crane or a man lift is high, scaffolding rentals and the safety standards that go with it has to be adhered to,” she explained.

Neela hopes recently introduced procurement legislation will remove obstacles and the red tape that affect the conduct of business in the public sector.

In his mid-year review of the economy, Finance Minister Colm Imbert will report to Parliament that over the first six months of his 2017/2018 budget, revenues from oil and gas have been better than expected.

For the first half of the fiscal year Brent crude prices have averaged US $63.86 per barrel, significantly higher than budgeted, while production has remained steady. On the natural gas side production is significantly higher than last year.

Crude prices from the east coast average US $1.50 more than Brent prices, so the real price of east coast crude would have been in the vicinity of US$$65.24 a barrel and 30 per cent of the country’s total production attract this higher price.

In his budget presentation last October, Imbert told Parliament revenues from the energy sector were based on an average crude price of US$52 and natural gas prices of US$2.75 per million British thermal unit (MMBTU).

“It should be noted that our assumed oil price is below the International Monetary Fund forecast of US$56.20 per barrel for 2018, and lower than the current oil price forecasts made by the World Bank, United States Energy Information Administration (USEIA) and International Energy Agency (IEA).

“Based on these assumptions we are projecting: Total revenue $45.741 billion oil revenue $6.412 billion.”

A January Cabinet note states that crude prices gained support from positive data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which signalled improved global economic growth.

“In its World Economic Outlook for January 2018, the IMF projected that world GDP will increase by 3.9 per cent both in 2018 and in 2019; this is 0.2 percentage points higher than the previous forecast. This upward revision reflects increased global growth momentum and the anticipated impact of US tax policy changes which are expected to stimulate economic activity through 2020 by increasing investments in the US.

“The Energy Information Administration forecasts that oil-weighted GDP growth to be 3.4 per cent in 2018 and 3.2 per cent in 2019. Global consumption of petroleum and other liquid fuels are projected to increase by 1.7 million b/d in both 2018 and 2019 to 100.23 million b/d and 101.95 million b/d, respectively. These projected increases are due to increasing economic growth and increases in world trade,” the Cabinet note stated.

Additionally, crude oil stocks in the US declined by six million barrels during January, which was partly due to increased crude oil exports and high levels of refinery inputs resulting from a cold snap in the US northeast in early January which increased demand for home heating oil.

In January inventories in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was also lower during the period. Prices were also impacted by suggestions by a few members of the OPEC/Non-OPEC alliance to extend the production cuts beyond 2018. Compliance to this agreement has been outstanding and participants have achieved a record-breaking conformity level of 129 per cent.

However, almost 60 per cent of the crude oil produced in T&T is based on the lower West Texas Intermediate prices and even then the price has been higher than budgeted averaging in the mid-US$50 per barrel. This means that the government has already received at least $300 million in additional tax revenues.

In fact, the US Energy Information Agency is now projecting that WTI will average US$58.28/bbl in 2018 and US$57.51/bbl in 2019. Brent is expected to average US$62.39/bbl in 2018 and US$61.51/bbl in 2019.

On the natural gas side, production has significantly increased with the full production from bpTT’s Juniper field. It is expected that production will average closer to 3.75 tcf per day. This is about 400mmscf/d more than last year and with the increase in taxes based on production, the Minister of Finance should be in a better position in terms of revenues from the energy sector.

The issue is, of course, how much of a gap it can fill bearing in mind the overall size of government’s shortfall.

Contributing to building the reputation of Shell in T&T as a driver of local capability development and economic diversification—a national priority—is one of the company’s key objectives. Hence, on March 22, Shell launched its LiveWIRE programme in the form of a panel discussion themed “Exploring New Industries.”

The discussion was used as a forum to disseminate important messages aligned to the three targeted industries: agriculture and food processing; energy solutions and re-cycling and waste management.

Industry experts including: Omardath Maharaj, agricultural economist; Dr Thackwray “Dax” Driver, president and CEO of the Energy Chamber of T&T; Ronald Roach, CEO, Solid Waste Management Company Ltd, and Racquel Moses, country manager, Microsoft not only shared rich information, but also engaged an audience of just over 110 entrepreneurs and stakeholders.

In his presentation, Maharaj iterated that agriculture must be positioned as T&T’s alternative reality particularly in light of the continued depletion of the country’s oil and gas reserves.

As he puts it: “we need to focus on production, but policy support includes identifying strategic programs and projects aligned to measureable outcomes and its financial, human and technical resources.”

The current state of the energy sector continues to be on the tip of the tongues of not only the Government but also the private sector who has been earmarked to lead this country’s diversification agenda.

The Shell LiveWIRE programme presents a unique opportunity to heighten activity among the entrepreneurial community, whose eyes are set on finding energy solutions which was also reiterated by Dr Driver.

His presentation addressed the country’s current gas supply situation, renewable energy, transport, commercial, manufacturing and housing energy efficiency; small scale renewable energy and export potential.

Adding value to the conversation was Roach who highlighted the entrepreneurial opportunities that exist in upcycling also known as creative re-use which is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless or unwanted products into new materials and/or products of better quality or better environmental value.

He also focused on waste re-cycling and composting.

Demonstrating the critical linkages of digital transformation across the three sectors was Moses.

“A seamless transition requires the empowerment of people, inclusive design and building trust in technology,” she said.

Implementation

Youth Business T&T (YBTT) is the delivery partner for the Shell LiveWIRE programme. YBTT has over 17 years in the provision of entrepreneurial training, financial and mentorship services.

YBTT is poised to deliver two programmes—a national programme based in Trinidad and a Tobago programme based exclusively in the sister isle.

Yesterday we explored the history of the evolution of the handpan from steelpan to its original form, the hang. Now we look at its further explosion in both manufacturing and performance.

This new class of instruments that started 20 years ago by a steelpan manufacturer in Switzerland are now made all over the world.

Kyle Cox of Pantheon Pan started playing steelband under Professor John Wooten at the University of Southern Mississippi. Completing his undergraduate studies when he graduated, Cox became an apprentice to Alan Coyle, one of Ellie Mannette’s first students at West Virginia University.

Cox loved playing and building steelpans and when he moved back home to Missouri in 2003, he began a life of building steelpans. But, he changed course a few years later after being introduced to handpans.

In 2009, Cox stopped making steelpans and created and built his own hand pan design, the Halo.

In recent years, his Halo business has taken off as new techniques have developed for the creation of the instrument there has been a sharing of technology between various handpan manufacturers. Cox developed a rolling process to shape his instruments along with late business partner Jim Dusin.

However, about one year ago Cox switched to a hydroforming process developed by Colin Foulke in California that has revolutionised the handpan world. The hydroform process allows the pan shells to be formed in a matter of minutes and stacked resting inside each other. This allows for easy shipping of Halos to tuners located in Belgium, Greece, and Canada. Cox’s Missouri factory has grown to ten employees and still cannot keep up with demand.

The creator of the hydroforming process Colin Foulke calls himself a “problem solver” without formal engineering training who got interested in handpans and was hooked. Foulke began has experiments with handpans by employing various hand sinking techniques until a chance viewing of the television show Mythbusters demonstrated hydroforming. A light went on and developed his own method of the hydroforming for handpans. This method uses a pressure washer and metal forms and can sink a steelpan shell in just a few minutes. Now, over 40 manufacturers around the world use this method.

Handpans have become more well known in all kinds of settings. The UK-based Portico Quartet have released multiple albums featuring it as a lead instrument. One of the best known handpan players, David Kucherman, has toured with the rock band Dead Can Dance and played solo opening sets.

Perhaps the best known handpan player these days is Manu Delago. This Austrian, who is based in London, has been playing handpan with orchestras, DJs, choirs, producers, jazz bands, and rock bands. Delago has released three solo albums and has collaborated with artists the likes of Bjork, the London Symphony, and Ravi Shanker’s daughter Anoushka among others. Interestingly, Israeli sculptor and musician Nobuya Yamaguchi plays both steelpan and handpan and performs in what may be the only steelpan and handpan duet on YouTube.

In recent years, the sound of handpans has made its way to new markets. Film and television composer Gregory Tripi is an LA-based film and television soundtrack composer who first discovered handpan sounds working with film composer Cliff Martinez—who most notably used steelpan in soundtracks on several occasions, most notably the film Solaris.

Tripi became infatuated with handpans after attending the Burning Man festival several years ago where he heard a hang live up close. The experience was life-changing, and he has since bought several different handpans from different manufacturers, including a Hang, Terrapan, Inner Sound from Berlin, and his favourite the Halo from Pantheon Steel.

Tripi has found an intense appeal to playing hand pan and is constantly playing and experimenting, using them in almost all the soundtrack work he does these days. He has used them in soundtracks of films Dark Places, War Dogs, and Rememory.

Tripi recently featured himself performing on a Halo Handpan extensively throughout the soundtrack of much of the eight-part mini-series Manhunt: Unibomber, a Discovery Channel series the soundtrack of which was just released.

With a growing popularity has come increased interest in hand pans and media outlets such as Public Radio International’s The World radio programme have done segments on the instruments.

In Trinidad, however, there appears to be few if any handpans and very little to no interest in the instrument. Yet, as Dr Anthony Achong has pointed out, the early history of steelpan shows both convex instruments and playing with hands or hands wrapped with cloth.

Currently, there does not seem to be a movement to produce or play hand pans in Trinidad or to explore Faulke’s hydroforming technique to see if it could apply to steelpan manufacture. But who knows what the future may hold.

Ray Funk is a retired Alaskan judge and a Fulbright scholar who is passionately devoted to calypso, pan and mas. Dr Andrew Martin is an ethnomusicologist, percussionist, pan player, and Professor of Music at Inver Hills College in St Paul, Minnesota.

In celebration of Alta’s 25th anniversary, Alta students around the country were asked to write about the impact the organisation has had on their lives. Since 1992, Alta has provided classes around the country for thousands of Trinidadians who struggle with reading and writing.

Alta students enrol in the programme at many different levels of literacy and leave when they have accomplished their literacy goals. While it is difficult to manage work and family life alongside Alta classes, students continue to persevere and in all cases see changes in their lives after attending Alta classes.

Today, Alta ends its three-part series of individuals who shareed their pieces through this column. This week, three students from the Chaguanas South Secondary School venue share how Alta has impacted their lives.

Student name: Jackey

“When I was younger I didn’t finish school, I grew up in Grenada. At the age of 15 I was sent to Trinidad. It had an impact on my life [as] I was having a very hard time reading and spelling my name and address. I always wanted to learn to look for solutions and ways to improve my reading and spelling skills.

“One day my husband came home with a newspaper and told me to read an article. It was the story of Mr John Bascombe and how Alta changed his life. I started attending Alta, at first I was afraid and felt that I couldn’t learn. But as time goes by, my reading and spelling skills was improving.

“The teachers were very patient and friendly and took their time with us. I know how to read and call out words when I see them and now I can better myself for the future. I would like to do sewing and hairdressing and become a designer.”

Student name: Hubert

“I always wanted to come to the Alta programme but I was embarrassed. My sister carried me to the Chaguanas Library to sign up for the Alta class. When I came they send me to the beginners class. There I spent a year. After that I went to Level 1 class. Now I could read, spell, write, so to me, the Alta class has helped me a lot and I have come a very long way from where I was then to now. I can now read and help myself a little more every day.

“Alta has changed my life around so much and the teachers are so kind and they give you hope and courage to keep coming back. I can truly say In celebration of Alta’s 25th anniversary, Alta students around the country were asked to write about the impact the organisation has had on their lives. Since 1992, Alta has provided classes around the country for thousands of Trinidadians who struggle with reading and writing.

Alta students enrol in the programme at many different levels of literacy and leave when they have accomplished their literacy goals. While it is difficult to manage work and family life alongside Alta classes, students continue to persevere and in all cases see changes in their lives after attending Alta classes.

Today, Alta ends its three-part series of individuals who shareed their pieces through this column. This week, three students from the Chaguanas South Secondary School venue share how Alta has impacted their lives.

Student name: Jackey

“When I was younger I didn’t finish school, I grew up in Grenada. At the age of 15 I was sent to Trinidad. It had an impact on my life [as] I was having a very hard time reading and spelling my name and address. I always wanted to learn to look for solutions and ways to improve my reading and spelling skills.

“One day my husband came home with a newspaper and told me to read an article. It was the story of Mr John Bascombe and how Alta changed his life. I started attending Alta, at first I was afraid and felt that I couldn’t learn. But as time goes by, my reading and spelling skills was improving.

“The teachers were very patient and friendly and took their time with us. I know how to read and call out words when I see them and now I can better myself for the future. I would like to do sewing and hairdressing and become a designer.”

Student name: Hubert

“I always wanted to come to the Alta programme but I was embarrassed. My sister carried me to the Chaguanas Library to sign up for the Alta class. When I came they send me to the beginners class. There I spent a year. After that I went to Level 1 class. Now I could read, spell, write, so to me, the Alta class has helped me a lot and I have come a very long way from where I was then to now. I can now read and help myself a little more every day.

“Alta has changed my life around so much and the teachers are so kind and they give you hope and courage to keep coming back. I can truly