The Cabinet’s decision, announced by Minister of Public Administration and Communications Maxie Cuffie last Thursday, to close loss-making CNMG and resurrect the Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) brand, finally brings to a close a chapter that has been dragging for far too long.

And at the taxpayer’s expense.

However, there must be greater clarity on the fate of the 112 employees and 37 freelancers at CNMG. While the minister said, all would be free to apply for jobs at TTT, it was not clear whether all would be guaranteed a place in the re-vamped entity.

On the one hand, the new entity should be free to attract the best possible expertise on the market. On the other hand, the State cannot cavalierly dismiss the wealth of experience and institutional memory embodied by long-standing employees.

What is needed most, however, is a deep respect for the women and men who have worked at this entity and whose futures are now all in doubt. Communication is the key in this process and the State must always be mindful of the need to include all relevant stakeholders.

Aside for the potential for job losses, few will be sad to see CNMG go. In the entity’s long history, there is little which stands out in terms of its contribution to cultural development.

The rationale of the Patrick Manning-led Cabinet in closing TTT and opening CNMG years ago was to boost local content.

Sadly, that dream is yet to become a reality. Local productions remain trapped in a quagmire in which they have difficulty accessing financing, true talent and key resources.

While we have seen a handful of competent local films over the years – and indeed we enjoy annually a well-programmed Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival – the fact remains that local productions are largely products of a small coterie of individuals.

With few exceptions, they lack strong aesthetic visions, sensitivity for our diversity, and strong stories that do justice to the beauty and complexity of us as a people.

Maybe things are about to change. Perhaps the next generation of film-makers will be able to count on the revamped TTT as a showcase for their genuine talent, as opposed to a window display for amateurish producers.

The State cannot rely on the revival of brand TTT alone. It must also back the station in a way that results in a true boost to local productivity. Far more meaningful than a new name is a host of accessible production facilities, including a readily available archive of stock footage. Otherwise the new TTT might simply go the way of experiments like Gayelle.

That said, it is clear the revival of the TTT brand is potentially a great move given international trends.

There is a growing vogue for the vintage. TTT comes from a time and place that makes it prime to resonate on a level that connects it with older viewers and younger ones.

It must also be remembered that a key aspect of TTT’s original programming was its Caribbean- wide vision, as well as its pioneering role in the broadcast of Carnival and Parliament sittings.

There is a lot of material on which the new entity can build.

The resurrected TTT will not be a success, however, unless the State finds a way to generate greater revenue. That requires an overall increase in television viewership – a true challenge in the Netflix age – and a higher quality of content.

CNMG’s closure and TTT’s second coming are only one side of the equation.

Let’s take a look at one of these companies.

A well-known company manufactures tomato ketchup, tomato paste and tomato sauces.

This company buys tomato sauce in drums and plastic squeeze bottles, pre-labelled, from abroad. The drum is dumped in a vat and squeezed into the bottles. That’s manufacturing? That same company has many foreign fast food franchises. Franchise fees have to be remitted monthly in US dollars. That same company also imports and distributes wines and other exotics. So the minister gives it preference as a manufacturer.

Who is to say that those US dollars are not remitted for wine imports and franchise fees. Meanwhile I have to beg.

I distribute machinery not made in Trinidad.

DAVID SALINGER Maraval

It is one of eight pairings that includes Pro League clubs against lower league sides, while Central FC are against Morvant Caledonia United in the only all-Pro League clash of the Round of 64.

All this, along with huge cash incentives totally $415,000, were revealed on Tuesday afternoon during the preliminary round draw at the Media Room of the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.

Venues and times are not yet determined although all participating clubs were to indicate their home venue prior to the draw.

The 2017 FA Trophy will involve all 10 Pro League clubs, 19 Super League sides, six each from the Northern FA, Eastern FA, Central FC, Southern FA and Tobago FA, and five from the Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU) — all hoping to advance to the $100,000 final.

The overall champions will, in fact, walk away with a total purse of $135,000 due to — for the first time in the tournament which have gone without prize money in its last few editions — a prize structure that will see winning teams of the Round of 64, Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter finals, and Semi Finals earn $3,000, $5,000, $7,000, $9,000 and $11,000 respectively.

“It’s a great motivator for all the clubs involved, knowing the current situation clubs are in for financial support,” said North East Stars coach Derek King.

Ewing Davis, vice president of the tournament organisers — the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), said the competition currently stands without a sponsor and, at present, the prize monies would have to come from the FA.

Teams will also benefit from gate receipts through to the quarter- final round before the FA takes control for the semi-final and final stages. North East Stars are third on the Pro League standings but inactive till September 8 due to a break in the Pro League to facilitate the Trinidad and Tobago men’s team preparations for crucial FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying.

“It’s tough trying to keep players motivated at the moment by just training and playing practice matches,” said King, who took charge of North East Stars last May.

“But we will try our best to be ready when the FA Trophy comes around.

We are the defending champions.

“We also know that the FA Trophy is tough; it’s a knockout tournament and you have to be on top your game not taking anyone for granted. Some teams in the Super League are good challenges for Pro League opponents.” Since the debut of the professional teams into the FA Trophy competition in 1999, clubs from the former Professional Football League (PFL) and the current Pro League have won the trophy in all but 2006 when WASA became surprise winners.

FA TROPHY 2017 Full Round of 64 match-ups (Home teams are listed first. Venue and times still to be determined.) September 16 – Central FC (Pro League) vs Morvant Caledonia United (Pro League); San Juan Jabloteh (Pro League) vs La Horquetta XF (EFA); Siparia Spurs (SL) vs North East Stars (Pro League); Eagles FC (CFA) vs Matura All Stars (ECFU); D’Marie Hill Youths (ECFU) vs Guaya United (Super League); Malta Carib Alcons (NFA) vs UTT (SL); Fire Service FC (CFA) vs Black Rock FC (TFA); Manzan United (ECFU) vs Prisons FC (SL); 1976 FC Phoenix (SL) vs Goal City FC (TFA); Perseverance Ball Runners (CFA) Erin FC (SFA); Biche United (ECFU) vs Trinity Rangers (EFA); Queen’s Park (SL) vs FC FC Santa Rosa (SL); Petit Valley United (SL) vs Cunupia FC (SL); Central Soccer World (CFA) vs Harlem Strikers (CFA); Calder Hall FC (TFA) vs Bethel FC (SL); Serial Strikers (SFA) vs Pitchmen FC (SFA).

September 17 – W Connection (Pro League) vs Tamana United (ECFU); St Ann’s Rangers (Pro League) vs Perseverance Ball Runners (CFA); Cultural Roots (NFA) vs Club Sando (Pro League); Red Hill FC (EFA) vs Point Fortin Civic (Pro League); Belmont FC (NFA) vs Defence Force (Pro League); WASA FC (SL) vs Police FC (Pro League); Santa Flora FC (SFA) vs Harlem Strikers (SL); RSSR (NFA) vs Signal Hill United (THA); San Fernando Giants (SFA) vs St Francois Nationals (NFA); Club Sando Moruga (SL) vs Perseverance United (CFA); Leeds FC (TFA) vs Creek SCC (EFA); Step by Step Maple (NFA) vs Stokely Vale FC (SL); Central 500 Spartans (SL) vs Marabella Family Crisis Centre (SL); Defence Force FC (SL) vs Youth Stars (SL); Pele Pele (SFA) vs Police FC (SL); WASA FC (EFA) vs FC Maloney (EFA).

This course was a collaboration with the ministry and the Registered Nurses’ Association and ran for three months from April 10. The 31 women did most of their training at the Nursing Annex in Port of Spain. Prior to being accepted, they had to pass psychometric tests to affirm their sustainability for the programme. They also completed modules which dealt with understanding self, learning disabilities, psychology theories and caring for children with communicable diseases among others.

Webster-Roy highlighted the importance of initiatives like these.

“This is part of the strengthening of the child protection system of this country. This was needed for the growth and development for care giving of children in state homes. Quality health care benefits the growth of children physically, socially and intellectually.” Drawing attention to the absence of men, the minister said: “Concerted effort is being made in the next phase to target our males. Boys need role models.” Manager of St Dominic’s Home, Sister Arlene Greenidge, is appreciative of this course. She said, “We are now operating in a different model of child care and protection that is more outcome oriented.

Therefore, people must be trained. Although we have highly experienced staff at the community residences, we recognize the need for trained staff.” Graduate and mother of three, Renee Joy Blackman, who was the owner of a daycare, said it was an eye-opener “learning how to identify minor medical problems and how to deal with it.” Shelly Ann Harrypersad, also a mother of three, appreciated the knowledge learned.

“Learning how to help children and identify the real developmental needs of children who people may label as troublesome was most important to me,” said Harrypersad.

But the questions need discussion, and in the United States the discussion is becoming heated.

And there is nothing wrong with this, indeed, for one man’s heroism, one tribe’s legacy, one nation’s glory, is often gained at the expense of another man, a different tribe or a conquered nation and its peoples.

History is and has always been written by the victors, the conquerors, with the atrocities inflicted upon the conquered being described in epic poems and legends.

We in the English-speaking Caribbean and indeed across the Americas were raised and educated– indoctrinated actually–to sing praises to the explorers, admirals and conquerors of our islands.

Even the children of slavery were taught to accept without question the atrocities committed in the name of Glorious Empire.

Worse yet, the children of slavery, as teachers in our schools, taught us how noble and even just was the Empire of “Great Britain.” And we all accepted this and recited the poems of conquests.

And we still maintain the sites and icons of those days when the native Caribbean Peoples were slaughtered by Europe’s navies and soldiers, mostly in God’s name.

Indeed, Europe sent their young men out here to make war and slaughter each other for the riches they were discovering here.

But not content with killing off native peoples and each other on these sandy shores, Europe also conquered Africa, and enslaved millions of Africans whom they sent to these idyllic islands to work and die in total anonymity for Europe’s wealth.

But then mankind, supposedly the most advanced species on Earth, is almost the only specie which slaughters and destroys its own for no valid reason other than the glory of conquest and the spreading of the conquerors’ genes and gods. Significantly, the lion, the “king of beasts,” so “emblemic” in many cultures, also does this.

So much of history is set and recorded in monuments everywhere, with monuments preceding the European conquests and the American statues now under review. The surviving ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, all revered for their historic significance, would have been built by the enslaved of those times, as were probably, the ruins of Aztec, Inca and other civilizations.

And more built realms of ancient times are being unearthed as man has learned to probe beneath the jungles and the very earth. Most, if not all, of these ancient civilizations would likely have had their cities built and their deities carved in stone by slaves. Might not slaves have built the early Roman Catholic and Anglican cathedrals here in the Caribbean? So what do we destroy because of the evils surrounding the edifices and statues, and what do we retain in the name of art and history? And who decides? I am writing this from St Kitts & Nevis, where I have visited the old British Fort at Brimstone Hill.

It is, like so many of these places, a World Heritage Site, although its construction and history is cruel and bloody.

It is well maintained, beautiful, and an income earner for St Kitts, as hundreds of tourists visit it daily.

But essentially, it commemorates the atrocities of European wars, fought on these tiny islands, and most of the labour, hauling huge stones and cannons up that hill, would have be done by slaves.

Most of America’s early heritage buildings, including their White House, would have been built by slave labour. Should Barrack Obama and his family have refused to live there? Concentration death camps like Belsen and Buchenwald have been preserved in Germany, for people to visit and see plaques stating “Here lie buried 10,000 Souls.” These are not memorials to gallantry but rather to the dread of man’s inhumanity. Should these too be destroyed? If they were preserved to glorify Hitler’s madness, then we might say they should be bulldozed. But seen as a reminder and condemnation of that madness in time, we leave them there.

Would America build an oil pipeline through Arlington National Cemetery? Americans would never allow it. But Americans by “arrival” will build a pipeline through the burial grounds of the only peoples there who have a valid claim to the land. How just is this? I would not want my children to attend a school named after a tyrant or oppressor but I think I could accept a statue of one in my town, provided the tyrant’s history was correctly stated on a plaque.

A n d w h e r e do we go from there….?

Mitchell said, “In the same way that we have a responsibility, I want you, new home owners, to realise that you also have a responsibility.

Your responsibility is to honour your financial commitments.

Pay your mortgage and your monthly rent on time.” Speaking at HDC’s key handover ceremony held at Omardeen’s School of Accountancy auditorium on Cipero Street, San Fernando, Mitchell distributed keys to homeowners from various parts of south and central Trinidad.

By 2020, Mitchell said, government intends to complete construction of 5,000 units at an estimated cost of $2.5 billion. “And we will complete it with the little assistance that we will get from Central Government, but mainly from the proceeds from our mortgage conversions of lease-to-own and rentto- own.” Only on Friday, there was a media tour of five of seven housing development projects under construction along the East West Corridor.

Yesterday, the Minister reiterated that 350 quality units would be delivered before the end of the year.

“In all, across the country, we have 23 housing developments in our portfolio that are right now under construction that would add approximately 5,000 units to our Housing stock. And, as I have said, time and time again, we intend to complete all 5,000 by 2020.” On the issue of squatter regularisation, Mitchell said the ministry worked over the past year on upgrading and improving the living conditions of those certificate of comfort holders who were living on State lands prior to 1998.

“We are now able to offer over 4,000 certificate of comfort holders, that is, we are now able to offer 4,000 families marketable deeds of lease and statutory leases in areas such as Jacob Hill, Wallerfield; Glenroy, Princes Town; La Paille, Caroni; KP Lands, Valencia.” Mitchell said the affordable mortgage programme administered through the TT Mortgage Finance Company was adjusted to encourage greater access and greater affordability to people seeking financing for their home and land purchases.

For those who wish to access the two per cent financing regime, the qualifying monthly income increased from $10,000 to $14,000 and the property value from $850,000 to $1million.

“In terms of the five percent facility, the lower limit of $10,001 has been moved to $14,001 with a higher limit of $30,000. This would allow for the purchase or construction of properties up to $1.5 million on the open market as well as HDC properties.”

I thought that by retaining my authentic sing-song Trini accent and loving Carnival, roti and soca music as much as I do, my Trini status could never be revoked, but I was sorely mistaken.

After carefully observing the other citizens of this country, it is clear that I honestly have no clue as to what it means to be Trini. Which is why, to this day, I struggle with assimilating back into the culture that raised me for the first 15 years of my life.

So now that I have admitted my flaws, the rest of this column discusses the list of things all fake Trinis need to do in order to become real Trinis.

The first criterion for being “ah Trini” is not giving a damn about Trinidad and Tobago.

This trait of a Trini involves corruption, importing drugs and guns, and above all things, littering every and anywhere.

Americans wave flags, and the Brits love their trademark tea; true Trinis represent the red, white and black by throwing a KFC box of the same colour out of a moving car on the highway.

A true Trini will never consume a meal or drink and properly dispose of garbage, so if someone chooses to return home with that silly idea of putting trash in bins, they should have their passports revoked and be deported to whence they came, forthwith.

The second criterion is being docile and willing to accept, as the Gospel truth, everything and anything that is said by someone who is supposedly in a powerful position in society; a “Trini to de bone” would never question authority.

For example, Sandals all-inclusive hotel in Tobago is a good economic decision says the Prime Minister; real Trinis wouldn’t dare challenge that asininity.

Police station in Enterprise to suppress crime – Trini politicians and police think it’s the best idea of the century.

Thirdly, every real Trini must have low expectations, so they don’t complain about anything; fake Trinis like myself need plenty patience for dealing with nonsense. It starts at the airport because as soon as you touch down, you will be greeted by airport staff, and Immigration and Customs officers who seem to lack basic manners and people skills. And trust me, the last thing you want to do is flash your foreign passport for them because you’ll be there all night answering ridiculously irrelevant questions.

And if you’re a fake Trini like me and you leave the airport to grab a bite, patience is also essential for dealing with the rudeness that passes as customer service in Trinidad. In other countries, you might expect that at fast food establishments only, but here, you get it at every government agency, ministry and all those “high end” restaurants you’ve heard so much about.

Low expectations prepare you for stuff like “yuh geh-in troo?” when you enter a business place; it’s apparently the standard greeting now; “Hi, can I help you?” is now an ancient relic. Don’t forget to tip! Fourthly, no real Trini bothers with road rules, laws and regulations. Breaking laws is intrinsically Trini but you don’t deserve a TT passport if you haven’t driven in the wrong lane under the speed limit, driven on the shoulder, high-beamed the entire oncoming traffic at night, and stopped abruptly to turn or switch lanes without indicating.

Fifthly, and very importantly, if you’re a young professional or returning student with a wealth of knowledge and ideas, no one wants to hear about that crap. You see that critical and independent thinking that fostered a contumacious mentality while studying at your foreign university; leave it over there.

True Trinis don’t try to change anything; they don’t upend the cart or challenge the status quo.

Trinidad is not the place for innovative ideas, modern thinking and advanced learning. No sah! Lastly, the sixth criterion for being a real Trini is speech.

Standard English only appears on exams. Only the fake Trinis try speaking it; all the other real Trinis speak Trinidad English Creole… apparently.

I am sure my sarcasm was not lost on anyone and it is quite sad that this is how Trinis actually express their love for our country (Tobagonians are a bit different).

Celebrating the day we gained independence while at the same time losing control of our country is a wonderful time for me because the national colours and flags cover ing b u i l d – ings everywhere mask the filth and fake pat r iot i sm for at least a couple weeks.

Sisters United is the embodiment of the dreams of friends and chosen family, Angel Griffith and Shelly-Ann Davis-Cooper, 2012 graduates of UTT’s Academy of Fashion and Design.

With more than ten years’ experience in the field of fashion – their first entrance was in 2000 at the John Donaldson Technical Institute – their wealth of knowledge comes together to form the powerful vision of their brands’ symbiosis: a dream to dress the modern man and woman in trendy, fashion-forward, and modest apparel with a definitive Caribbean lilt.

Both Angel and Shelly-Ann believe it is the synergy of their individual styles as designers that lends to the success of Sisters United. Both have independent fashion lines of their own, but Angel highlights that much more can be conquered and achieved through creative partnership.

“We both have our own brands, our own individual visions and styles – we don’t always see eye to eye! – but it has been a great partnership,” she says, highlighting that although challenges are inescapable, their collaboration lends to the production of something profound and worthy.

Their Summer Breeze collection is a match of their styles and faith, and they proudly highlight their adherence to international fashion standards in both the execution of their garments as well as their Boardwalk fashion show.

Hailed as the first fashion show of its kind at the scenic Boardwalk, the Summer Breeze collection felt right at home at the seaside, with pieces that highlight our colourful society, diverse ethnic links, and tropical paradise. Guest designer featured at the show was Afiya Bishop.

Angel’s “Angel Glow Designs” and Shelly- Ann’s “Soigné” (French for “carefully done or designed, well groomed”) are the designers’ individual lines outside of their Sisters United brand. Both women recently sent their respective collections to Canada for the country’s 150th Anniversary in Ottawa, where they were featured on August 20.

Sisters United is still a young brand, and the “sisters” say the sky is the limit from here on out. Launched in 2015 at Signature Hall, Chaguanas, the brand’s premiere was deemed an overwhelming success and their Summer Breeze collection is no different, displaying high quality craft and fashion-forward pieces.

“Sisters United aims to make the fashion industry in TT recognised, as we work assiduously towards developing a Caribbean brand,” the designers say.

They’re already making a splash, so be sure to keep your eyes on these two talents.

Tourist alerts in different countries are advising citizens of the danger of vacationing in Trinidad, and now Tobago.

Can violent crime be eradicated? The answer is no. That pernicious evil in us–the inheritance of original sin–can only be brought under control, minimised but never fully eradicated. Violent and white-collar crime will, therefore, always be with us.

But are we doing enough to minimise them? Clearly not.

This is because nobody wants to touch the proverbial “big fish.” We refuse to believe the problem is a low detection rate. Our police have undergone training in Canada, the Unites States, the United Kingdom, Holland, Germany etc. We refuse to accept our police officers do not know how to detect and solve crime.

Why then this state of inertia? One inescapable reason is that powers higher than the police are preventing them from doing their job to the full extent.

The small size of our twin-island republic implies that the elite protects the elite. They form a tightly knit cabal that is almost impenetrable and from whom religious organisations benefit whether knowingly or unknowingly.

To assuage our collective guilt, we quietly allow the lower income group, often with little education, often illiterate, from disadvantaged families and geographically neglected areas to pay the price. They become the victims of hard labour or the hangman’s noose, notwithstanding the monstrous crimes some have committed.

Capital punishment in this parlous state of affairs will not solve our crime problems but only gives us the temporary satisfaction of washing our hands like Pilate.

We need aspire to a higher morality: as Jesus says to Peter in today’s Gospel: “It was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven: (Mt 16:17). We have been too concerned about what “flesh and blood” has to say to us in doing our duty–political patronage, the strong arm of business, the lure of money, our peers, promotion and job security. We forget many of our “heroes of faith” are martyrs.

We need more people–including clergy, no matter the ilk–to witness to public morality costing nothing less than everything. As the fourth century Church Father Tertullian observed: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church”–both physical and metaphorical.

A moral society is the higher aim of politics. What we have been hearing for decades is ‘ole talk’ when it comes to moral reconstruction.

If we default on that goal as Church and society then we should point a finger at ourselves as we celebrate our 55th anniversary of Independence and sing lustily “yuh hear lie? King Liar! Teacher Murphy say if yuh tell ah lie yuh going to hell as soon as yuh die.” For that is what we’ve become–liars who give lip service to the vision of a moral society.

Chlorine is a rapid and persistent sanitizer used in pools to kill microorganisms that can cause infections and disease. It is heavily used in pools that have many bathers to ensure everyone’s health and safety. Unfortunately, in addition to its benefits, chlorine strips the hair of its natural oils leaving the hair dry and brittle.

The salt in seawater has an osmotic effect on hair strands. It causes water to be pulled out of the hair shaft, drastically reducing the elasticity and moisture levels of the hair.

The sun’s UV rays can age and damage the hair just like it does to our skin. The cumulative effects of prolonged exposure are what cause hair to become bleached. UV damage causes protein loss, dryness and loss of elasticity in the hair.

Overall, exposure to sun, salt and chlorine can leave your hair dry, brittle and prone to breakage.

You can help your hair bounce back with a few easy DIY hair masks that will target your specific needs.

Intense Hydration Mask

2 tbsp Honey
½ Ripe Avocado
¼ cup Coconut Milk

Mix the three ingredients into a smooth paste.

Cleanse the hair and blot out the excess water.

Apply the mask ensuring all the hair is coated in the mixture. Cover with a cap and apply some heat with a blow dryer or hood dryer for about 10 minutes, or longer. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.

The avocado and coconut milk in this recipe are rich in vitamins and nutrients and will nourish not only your hair strands but your follicle as well. They are also rich in natural oils that help smooth and seal rough cuticles. The honey is also nutrient rich and acts as a humectant and drawing moisture into the hair. Your hair will be left soft and well moisturized after this mask.

Cuticle Repair Treatment

1 ripe Banana
3 tbsp Coconut oil
2 tbsp Olive oil

Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Apply to cleansed hair, cover with a cap and leave it in for up to one hour. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

This treatment acts like a nourishing hot oil treatment. The banana is nutrient rich and conditions the hair, while the oils repairs, smoothes and seals the cuticles. This treatment leaves your hair frizz free and adds a beautiful luster.

Note: some hair types respond better to heavier oils while other can be weighed down easily and prefer lighter oil. You can substitute your favourite oils for the ones listed in this recipe.

Strengthening Hair Gloss

1 Egg
3 tbsp Plain yogurt
2 tbsp Honey

Mix the ingredients and apply to clean hair.

Cover with a plastic cap and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and follow with a moisturizing conditioner. This gloss provides much needed protein both from the egg and the yogurt.

Since protein treatments can be a bit drying, the honey is used to draw some moisture into the gloss.

Following the gloss with a moisturizer also helps to further condition and eliminate the dryness that can follow protein treatments.