When Andrew John, 45, of Deigo Martin, appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates’ court yesterday, it was evident to Magistrate Natalie Diop that the defendant was slightly visually impaired. The defendant needed to see his way around and the magistrate, by law, wanted to ensure that the defendant before the court could read documentation relating to the charges because he had opted to represent himself since he could not afford an attorney.

The charges read to John, are that: on Tuesday, at Navet Road, San Fernando, he drove a vehicle without insurance; a second charge alleged he did not have a driver’s permit in his possession and the third was that he is not a holder of such a permit. After reading the charges, Diop made the observation that John seemed to have eye problems.

“You are looking all over the room. Do you have an eye problem?,” Diop asked. John replied, “I am minus 12 in one eye and minus 13 in the other.” When Diop asked John if he wore glasses, the defendant said he did. However, he complained to the magistrate that upon his arrest and being taken to the San Fernando Police Station, police took away his personal belongings, including his glasses. The prosecutor, Sgt Chanardath Jhilmit, told the magistrate the glasses, including John’s wallet, were handed over to his wife. Diop however, said she could not fathom the thought that glasses which are required to enhance one’s vision, would be of interest to the police in such a matter as a traffic offence.

Diop said, “I have been in the presence of this man for less than a minute and I can already see he has vision issues.

I’m wondering why the police would see it necessary to take his glasses.

How it is they didn’t see he has eye problems.

This is something that needs to be addressed.

I cannot read the charge if the defendant is not properly before me. He must be able to read whatever document is to be handed to him.” However, John attempted to read the document of previous traffic charges that were handed to him, in order for the magistrate to determine the bail she posted. He placed the document inches away from his eyes and tried to read. “Yes, this is me Your Honour.” Diop granted him own bail in the sum of $10,000. He is to return to court on September 13.

The band’s 2018 presentation brings light, through costuming, to the fact that in all things love and harmony exists. This example will be illustrated through a cinematic experience, incorporating theatre and costuming, says twins Kathy and Karen Norman of K2K Alliance and Partners. The three-time medium band of the year winner will be hosting its 2018 band launching on Saturday. The band retained its medium band of the year title with its presentation this year with At The Helm. Its 2018 theme is We Stand United.

The National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) will be filled with the sights and sounds of a band whose work has captured masqueraders across TT.

The launch will discuss serious issues taking place in TT and across the globe. In emailed responses to exactly what is going to be addressed, the sisters said: “Love, loss, brotherhood, conflict, and unity.” Those attending can also look forward to an exhibition titled The Tudor Rose (War of the Roses) on NAPA’s ground level.

The band will consist of three clusters with six sections. The band’s three clusters are APAC (Asia Pacific), EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and Americas.

The six sections are The Dragon and The Fan, Peacock Feathers and Dupattas, The Tudor Rose (War of the Roses), Siyahamba, To Andalucía with Love and Totem.

Each of the clusters and sections brings conflict back to harmony. In a phone interview, Kathy said: “Each of the sections depicts a different country. The Tudor Rose is a depiction of Britain and what it represents is the war between two houses in England. It is the period in England whereby the whole segment is called War of the Roses. It was a fight between two families for the throne and control of England. In the end what you kind of learn about is the tale of two families coming together. There was the family that wore the white rose and the family that wore the red rose and in order to form harmony, the two families married. And today what is known as Tudor Rose is actually a pink rose. So it is actually a representation of unity.” But this section won’t be shown on stage, so attendees can instead glimpse this section at the exhibition downstairs.

Sections like Andalucia With Love expands the band’s wider theme of coming together.

Kathy said, “It talks about the love relationship between a guy from Spain and a woman from North America. It represents the passion and the love of Spain and the conflict that is found within love…in the end there is conflict and when you actually listen to the story that is going to be told at the presentation, you realise out of conflict there can actually be found harmony.” What about the Caribbean and TT some might wonder? Well, for the Norman twins the Caribbean is an “amalgamation of everything.” Kathy said the region was not one particular race but history, “has blessed us with the beauty of being that perfect place.” This was the reason K2K did not choose a specific costume to represent TT and the Caribbean.

But whatever the region and whatever the space, it all leads back to one common story and that story is harmony.

There are some general tickets remaining for the band launch.

For more info: visit the band’s Facebook page. Cocktails start at 8 pm and showtime begins at 9pm.

By opening access to finance, Barbados will be able to enhance its competitiveness on the global stage.

Competitiveness can be defined as the “ability and performance of a firm, sub-sector or country to sell and supply goods and services in a given market, in relation to the ability and performance of other firms, sub-sectors or countries in the same market.” Access to credit is an important link to productivity in Barbados. To continue to improve their performance, firms in Barbados can use the finance to preserve or increase their competitiveness, particularly in key economic sectors such as tourism. The guarantee mechanism of the Enhanced Access to Credit for Productivity program itself supports firms that are credit constrained as they do not meet conventional credit guarantees.

But finance alone doesn’t determine the success of business. Becoming an entrepreneur does have some obstacles.

Research has already revealed that more than 50% of start-ups fail within the first five years. Financial literacy is a major skill most entrepreneurs fail to master, which contributes to these disappointments. And it’s not something they can afford to ignore either as research has shown that up to 36% of business failures are caused by inadequate financial management.

Financial skills are at the heart of running a successful business but sadly many budding entrepreneurs are lacking the vital knowledge to make informed and effective financial decisions.

Financial expertise helps to uncover a company’s financial strength, financing cost, financial flexibility, business control, financial risk, personal finances and business strategy. These areas are essential for highlighting business performance and the areas and capabilities to be able to innovate.

After all, financial management is at its most powerful when used to drive improvements.

Crucially, financial knowledge is not an onus to be solely carried by entrepreneurs. There are plenty of good accountants that can give good financial advice, especially in the planning stages. They are indeed experts in areas such as raising business finance, tax planning, business planning, and setting up financial management systems.

People across the Caribbean who are on the journey to a professional qualification with ACCA are learning a variety of technical and business-related components in their training. These bright and motivated individuals achieving the qualification will go on to provide finance and accounting services throughout the island. Through their commitment to this, and the rigorous grounding they have received in governance, good practice, ethics and transparency, the next generation of professional accountants will ensure that businesses in the Caribbean always strive to be better.

Having the right financial management is vital throughout the life of a business.

Whether you are just starting out, have an established business or are looking towards a final exit from a firm, you need to have the right financial capabilities to ensure your organisation achieves its full potential.

Today’s businesses are changing and innovating more rapidly than ever before and their financial management needs must continue to evolve alongside their developments. Recognising the right financial management capabilities is therefore imperative to their success.

Entrepreneurs are creative and capable people and the Caribbean has a particular talent for churning ones in the tech industry.

They are the brains behind a growing number of programs across the sectors of Internet of Things, eLearning, Online Media, Mobile Gaming, Mobile Surveys, eAgriculture, eHealth, Social Shopping and more. Barbados is amongst the top three performing Caribbean countries in this space alongside Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. With the expert support, guidance and financial investment available, entrepreneurs will continue to flourish across the islands

They are being represented by Criston J Williams, Fareed Ali and Wayne Sturge.

Lara said he and the other accused have been languishing in prison for the past seven years.

However, Earle-Caddle reminded them she was not the chief magistrate at the time of commencement of the case, however she was seeking to move the matter along as quickly as possible.

“I am here everyday,” Earle- Caddle said. “While there have been matters that were restarted, I have ensured that some of them are approaching their closure. I cannot see about what took place in the past, only the present and the future.” One of the accused said when last he spoke to his attorney, they were seeking to file an application before the High Court but was unsure of the status. However Earle-Caddle said she was not aware of any such application.

The men are expected to reappear in court on September 14. They are charged with the murder of Diego Martin labourer Russell Antoine.

This is one of the 52 cases left in abeyance after the appointment of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar as a judge of the High Court.

The four-day certification course is part of the strategic plan of the Futsal Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FATT) which is the National Governing Body for the sport of Futsal. The course which runs daily from 9 am to 5 pm will incorporate blended learning of theory and practical sessions for a maximum of 30 football coaches, both male and female.

The course is being facilitated by a qualified FIFA and CONCACAF Futsal Instructor with over two decades of international experience in the sport.

“This course is one of the first in its kind in the Caribbean” said Geoffrey Edwards, President of the Association. “Coaches are one of our main stakeholders, as such, the FATT thought it fit to firstly educate them to ensure proper development and promotion of the sport in Trinidad and Tobago.” This initiative comes on the heels of the appointment of Nigel Roberts as one of the four Referee Assessors to the CONCACAF Futsal Club Championship which took place from August 21 to 26 in Honduras.

Registration for the CONCACAF Futsal Coaching Course is currently open and costs TT $1,000. This includes course material, certificate and refreshments.

For more information call 787- 7678.

The scheme is now subject to the final order of the Supreme Court of Jamaica.

Prior to the vote, Scotia Group held 77.01 per cent of the issued share capital of SIJL. The remaining SIJL shares were held by 2,750 SIJL stockholders, including insurance companies, pension funds and other investors as well as individuals.

Addressing shareholders following the vote at the Jamaica Pegasus in New Kingston– which was simultaneously video-linked for Trinidad and Tobago shareholders at Hyatt Regency in Portof- Spain–SIJL Chairman, Jeffrey Hall, said, “ I have a certificate provided to me by KPMG, so I’m able to confirm the resolution has been passed by the requisite majorities.” Hall continued, “That is to say, by a majority number of the shareholders who voted in person or by proxy. That majority is 83 per cent of the persons present and 99 per cent of the shares voted. As such, the resolution has been passed.” He added, “If the court sanctions the scheme at the hearing, it is expected that the scheme will become effective on that date or by the following business day.” SIJL minority shareholders in TT will, therefore, be paid the US equivalent of JA$38 per cancelled stock unit while their Jamaican counterparts have the option to receive payment in either Jamaican or US dollars. As of August 11, SIJL stock was trading at JA$35 in Jamaica and TT$2.20.

Reminding minority shareholders why Scotia Group had chosen to make SIJL one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Hall said, “Although Scotia Group and subsidiaries are making sure profits and expenses are properly allocated to relevant entities to which they are properly attributed, the fact that there are minority shareholders in SIJL has restricted SIJL from becoming fully integrated; from an operational standpoint, into Scotia Group.” Hall gave the example of “the movement of staff and other resources between SIJL and other Scotia Group entities” having been constrained in ways “that would not apply if SIJL were a wholly-owned by Scotia Group; thus placing a limitation on the ability of SIJL and Scotia Group to optimise their combined efforts.” Jamaica’s Supreme Court is likely to vote in favour of the scheme at the next hearing this September. Upon completion of the scheme, SIJL will cease to meet the listing requirements of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and the TT Stock Exchange. It will accordingly, make an application to de-list the SIJL shares from both stock exchanges.

Although the vote went as expected, two shareholders; one from Jamaica and one from TT, were critical of the JA$38 offer, saying that it should have been higher.

An outspoken Jamaican man said, “Nothing wrong with your offer, except determining the market price is not an exact science. I say throw a two dollar on it, round it off at $40 and we’ll stay with you.

(Otherwise) I say not submitting to $38. We vote no to $38, we want $40.” This view was echoed by Trinidadian shareholder, Haroon Husain, who said, “The price is somewhat low, particularly for shareholders who are from Trinidad.” “If you check the prices, SIJL has reached a high of TT$2.50, it’s currently trading at $2.20.

If you convert the JA $38 to TT, it comes to about TT $2.00 so I’m not too sure if you had considered the price rate in Trinidad in terms of your valuation. I believe you could have done much better for our 634 shareholders in TT,” Husain argued.

Before starting Perfect Peppers, she wasn’t a pepper eater herself, and inspected the ingredient listings of pepper sauces to come to her conclusion: “At the end, I was left with just pepper [as an ingredient], so I started there.”

Her first creation after extensive research was the brand’s Pepper Chow – a blend of five different peppers that have either been fermented or roughly chopped. Proudly, she states, “The lack of fillers allows the individual to enjoy the flavours and textures of the different peppers – this is not a pepper sauce.”

At Perfect Pepper’s advent, she did not have any starting reference points for her business, which she believes was a positive inspiration. Lacking preconceived notions of a recipe archetype, her inventiveness was put to the test and flourished. “I had to rely on my ingenuity, my sense of adventure in trying new things, and a total lack of the fear of failure,” shares the business owner of some of the fundamental tenets of her business’ success.

“What I did know was that I didn’t want to create the same things, I wanted to be different and take an ‘old’ product and imagine it in a new way to attract today’s customers,” she further speaks of her brand’s inspiration. Her customers are persons who are aware of ingredient listings and package labels and people willing to try something new. Not all her products include pepper and not all the peppers used are spicy, so there is truly something for everyone in her lineup.

With a former career in currency trading and treasury management for both commercial and merchant banks in Trinidad, Leesa came upon Perfect Peppers much by accident. “Seven years ago, my husband retired and I bought him some pepper trees – he had decided to do container gardening in our limited space at home,” she says. “I started coming home to a table full of peppers with no idea of what to do with it as neither of us ate hot peppers at the time.” An ironic comedy of errors, but Leesa would not be stumped.

“For Christmas 2010, I gave my friends and work mates gifts created from our garden and was totally surprised by the positive responses! I didn’t know it yet but there began what is today Perfect Peppers,” she says brightly. With no official training in food production, she had a vision for her creations as well as the client base she hoped to attract, the story she wanted to tell, and a business plan. Today, she has completed courses at CARIRI and ExportTT, “learning the things that I did not even know I didn’t know.”

Leesa describes her business trajectory as fortunate; her former employer was encouraging and supportive at the start of her venture, and she has also made connections with other business owners who have offered advice and guidance. Her advice to hopeful business owners is “to simply ask; ask as many questions as you need to.” She says there is no fear to be had in asking for help when the knowledge escapes you, as in her experience others are always willing to help and offer their support in whatever way they can.

Her brand prides itself on a gourmet line of products that pay attention to quality, taste, and packaging. The company remains hands on; producing small batches of products to ensure consistent quality is maintained. “We maintain stringent control of the quality of our raw materials by engaging with our farmers; approximately 80% of our raw materials, which includes all peppers and fruits, are sourced locally or regionally,” she says of Perfect Pepper’s promise to their clientele. The main ingredient in their line of seasoning salts, kosher salt, is sourced internationally through a local supplier.

Leesa is the creative genius behind all lines of products, which include condiments, seasoning salts, pepper jellies, vinaigrettes, and infused cocktails. Her favourite creation to date is her Garlic Pimento Salt: “We slowly roast the garlic and pimentos, to which we incorporate kosher salt, which then goes back to the ovens to be slowly roasted.” The result is a fragrant salt that resembles coffee and “is great on almost everything.” She says this product is her favourite because it stirs childhood memories of her grandmother burning garlic on the stovetop to infuse the oil with flavour. “Before cooking, she would fish out the garlic and sprinkle it with salt and I would eat it,” she remembers, likening this treat to candy for her palette.

While challenges exist as a micro business, Leesa says her brand’s triumphs have been as many as they have been varied. Brand recognition and acceptance in a competitive market is one such triumph that she holds dear, as well as being featured at the Fancy Food Fair in New York City and winning the first ever CARIRI Fiery Foods Competition with her Fire Vinaigrette.

Perfect Peppers also offers hampers and gift sets, under the company name “Leave it to Leesa.” This company is responsible for the branding of Perfect Peppers, as well as gifts and corporate hampers. She understands that to get her products in the hands of customers, branding and strategy are equally important as quality.

She would like to see Perfect Peppers become the premier gourmet food production company in our region. “The name must be associated with quality and taste, with strong brand recognition outside of the Caribbean,” she says of her hopes for the future. Already, her brand’s recognition leaves her in amazement, with responses and comments from both friends and complete strangers who take the time to call or write. “Trinidadians are very proud of Perfect Peppers,” she says of the niche her brand has found. “Trinis have carried and sent our products far and wide. They post on social media asking questions. It’s been a fabulous ride thus far.”

Lastly, she reveals at the age of 20 she hoped to be an economist at the United Nations or an operative at the CIA – neither of which happened. “My point is that it’s okay as a young person not to know exactly what you want. Reinvent yourself as many times as you deem necessary, try new things, fail at something; I guarantee you that you will learn more from your failures.”

Her experiences have led her to this point, creating a legacy that she hopes will be timeless and revered. “It is my basket of experiences that has allowed me to create Perfect Peppers, and it is that same basket of experiences that has allowed to me appreciate every day since.”

While the focus of the business is on car and home audio systems, they also specialize in camera systems installations as well as enclosure designs (DJ specific).

The siblings, who graduated from The University of the West Indies last October, both with a BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Hons), have established themselves in the audio business hub, completing jobs both locally and regionally.

How did they do it? Passion and time management. “That is probably the two most important things that if anybody has they’ll be able to achieve anything. You need the passion and the drive… to achieve something. This is something we struggled with in running our business, trying to balance being a student, running the business, and being a young adult,” said Kavan.

He shared a big part of being able to continuously balance everything is the taste of success. Once you start to feel and understand what you can achieve, that taste of success can drive you so hard because it feels good that as you get that consistently, you realize that nothing can get in the way of your dreams.

“What we offer is unlike what other companies provide in the audio industry,” said Kavan. “We ensure that if a banjo is playing at the left and a guitar is playing at the right, the client can hear both instruments clearly.” Ravan, the more technical of the two, shared the factors considered to achieve a comprehensive quality sound system. “Driver positioning, digital/ analog processing, vehicle dynamics, resonance as well as speakers positioning in the vehicle which can lead to the delaying of sounds.” Aside from these factors the brothers’ main concerns are safety and environmental disturbance, “We also deal with the vibrations of the systems to keep the environment quiet,” said Ravan. “For security reasons, we ensure that everything is properly fused, connected and bolted.” With years of experience in audio, the brothers use a standardized disk to listen to the sounds to ensure the best quality is provided to their clients.

This is known as the signal processing phase. This phase deals with time alignment, “to align all the speakers to get the sound to your ear at the same time,” said Kavan. that this process aims to create a ‘phantom image’.

Ravan explained the interior of a car or house presents some serious issues for sound quality. Glass and plastic surfaces reflect sound poorly, while carpet, seat covers, and other absorbent materials soak it up. With poorly-placed speakers, he said, there would be significant frequency response peaks in most car interiors or households. These peaks make the music sound “boomy” in the bass or shrill in the upper frequencies, causing ‘ear fatigue’. “To prevent this, we use an equalizer to iron out the peaks for a smooth flow,” Ravan said.

“We try to capture every aspect of how the music is recorded in the studio or in a concert. If you don’t feel like you are sitting in front of stage with people performing, you have the wrong sound system.” Ravan was adamant, however, that they are responsible businessmen.

“We had to turn down clients because what they wanted wasn’t part of our moral system,” he said. “We create safe but quality systems, and if a customer wants a system that can be of danger to the environment or unsafe, we decline the job.”

Dear Concerned Mom,

It is important for your daughter to appreciate that the working world will present a number of challenges, inequities and injustices in various forms, and at different stages throughout her career.

For example, at more senior levels, she may be faced with the challenge of negotiating for equal pay or charting new paths and shattering glass ceilings.

As parents, our natural inclination is to protect and guide our offspring, and to do this we must equip our young women with the necessary tools to use throughout their lives. These include such things as respect for self and others, integrity, personal responsibility, work ethics, critical thinking and self awareness.

Children tend to mimic the adults in their lives, so it is imperative to set the right example from the start.

Groups tend to form based on like mindedness or shared commonalities, such as religion, gender, age, socioeconomic status, race, and other factors. These shared commonalities allow group members to readily acclimatise and become more accepted among “their own”. The male-dominated workplace is but one manifestation of this type of association. In such environments, women may (though not always) be subjected to some sort of segregation. In such instances, it would be beneficial for your daughter to focus on what she has control over, and to work on developing those life skills that are necessary for dealing with uncomfortable situations and people in general. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is a good read and provides insight into examining one’s individual behaviour and approach to personal and professional relationships.

A simple online search will also yield many resources that discuss how women can advance their careers in traditionally male-dominated industries.

They often include tips on leadership and confidence-building, among other topics. However, having worked within the traditional “boys’ club” for the last few years, I wish to share some personal insights and advice on areas that are not usually discussed.

When you do not possess a shared commonality or fit the status quo, you have to set the standard for how you wish to be treated. For example, if you arrive to work and a male co-worker makes an uncomfortable comment about the fit of your skirt or your physique, responding with stern glance as opposed to a giggle will send a clear message to your co-worker about where your boundaries lie. Oftentimes, such remarks are designed to test your boundaries and your reaction will set the tone for future interactions.

The workplace reality includes several stories of attempts to sully co-workers’ reputations by persons (both men and women) who may feel threatened by or who hold personal biases against the co-worker. This can happen in both female-dominated and male-dominated environments.

The grapevine is a powerful and at times, destructive tool in a disparaging and gossip-based culture. Should your daughter ever find herself in such a situation, the supportive and encouraging parental role will need you to say, “Chin up, reclaim your authority and do your job”. As difficult as it may be, she must always remain professional. A mentor can be beneficial in times like those when emotions can cloud judgement and assistance is needed to strategize the way forward.

At times, workplace antics can make even the most seasoned veteran cringe. Not taking things personally is a learnt skill that comes with experience.

Unconstructive criticism can also feel like a personal attack. Filtering is useful – sift out the unnecessary and use the substance for improvement.

Having said that, researching the potential employer and industry should be one of the first steps, and this can be conducted before, during and after the initial interview. Advise your daughter to speak to a few current employees to get a ‘feel’ for the underlying corporate culture. Solely considering the remuneration package is not enough to ensure peace of mind and a healthy work-life balance. She should ask questions to determine if the opportunity would fit her personality, ambitions and lifestyle. Some questions she may want answers for, include: 1. How are women really treated? How many female employees are there and what positions do they hold in the company? 2. How often are women promoted or given a voice? 3. Are there instances of reported sexual harassment or discrimination? What HR policies are in place minimize and deal with such issues? 4. Is it a multinational company? Are there any equal opportunity clauses? 5. What is the company’s position on flexi time, especially if familycare responsibilities fall heavily on her? Specific to the offshore industry, rigzone.com published an article “Pioneering Women: Oil & Gas Industry’s Frontline Females” which highlighted the changing composition of the workforce, as well as the individual experiences of women in the industry. This would be worthwhile to peruse.

Finally, mom, it is important to encourage our children to live their dreams and fulfil their potential.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a written manual to treat with every situation that may arise. Sound judgement is critical. If the situation ever becomes untenable, unsafe and left unaddressed by senior management, she can immediately explore her options out.

Good Luck, AFETT AFETT is a not-for-profit organization formed in 2002 with the goal of bringing together professional women and engaging in networking opportunities, professional training and business ideas.

ASK AFETT is a column meant to address issues and concerns of professionals seeking advice to assist in progressing in their careers. Today’s response was written by AFETT member, Ortinique Cumberbatch, Principal Consultant at OCMC Services. Learn more about AFETT at www.afett.com, search for AFETT Events on Facebook, follow us @ AFETTEXECS on Twitter or contact us at 354-7130. Email us your career-related questions at admin.afett@gmail.com.

SOURCES: http://www.rigzone.com/news/ oil_gas/a/112303/pioneering_women_ og_industrys_frontline_females

He said our attainment of Independence saw us adopt national symbols as physical reminders of our identity, culture and our collective consciousness, and these symbols must be keenly respected.

“In this regard, I make a clarion call to protect our national flora and fauna, especially our national birds. One such beautiful symbol is the Scarlet Ibis in flight or nesting on the mangrove trees of the Caroni Swamp. There must be no compromise in our fight to protect the Scarlet Ibis.” His words came after three men recently appeared before a Chaguanas magistrate charged with poaching the national bird.

His Excellency also paid tribute to athletes who represent the nation.

“It is with great pride that I salute the remarkable achievements of all our Paralympians and our athletes, especially gold medalist, Akeem Stewart and the ‘never say die’ quartet 4×400 metres gold medalists at the World Championships in London, together with the astounding victory of the West Indies cricket team against England a few days ago.

“These athletes have all become our lightning rods in our social and human darkness. This imposing display of youth success and prowess on the international stage is a timeless and timely gift to a nation celebrating Independence.

Our athletes deserve nothing less than the best in good times and in bad times and our patriotism demands that we must never be fair-weathered supporters.” Carmona made a plug for disabled citizens as he hailed the population’s diversity.

“Here in Trinidad and Tobago, we celebrate our differences and we rejoice in diversity, simply because we understand that it is our differences that make us ‘Trinbago’.” He said that if we are all the same then the same disappointments, the same challenges and the same obstacles could devour us whole.

“We must enable each other and make our diversity our forte on the world stage.” He said that in the quest for real, genuine inclusiveness, we must be informed about the needs and aspirations of people less fortunate, particularly persons with disabilities.

“Individually and collectively, we must continually ask ourselves, how as a Nation will we be judged? Will we be judged by how we treat the strong and the powerful among us? No, citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, we will be judged by how we treat and care for the weak, the disadvantaged, the marginalised and the voiceless.” Carmona said Independence is an apt time to renew the national watchwords, Discipline, Produc tion and Tolerance.

The president concluded by urging TT nationals to be ambassadors to the world of Trinbago values.

“We must continue to play a meaningful role in regional, hemispheric and world affairs so that our celebrated values of hospitality, tolerance and life-affirmation, forged in the march to Independence and beyond, are recognised, preserved and celebrated.”