She could barely stand after hearing the announcement he had just made, that she was the latest recipient of the Beryl McBurnie scholarship to study dance with the prestigious Alvin Ailey Dance Company in the United States.

For a dancer, this kind of opportunity is indescribable. A chance to study one’s craft in an environment where only dance matters, and not have to worry about mundane survival matters.

For the most part, in TT artists do not have that luxury.

They tend to develop spilt personalities, working during the day to pay the bills and pursuing their artistic passions after they fulfil these obligations.

Watching the obvious joy of the dancer on the stage and the excellent performances, I wished that more opportunities like that were available and that the arts were more widely appreciated as a viable solution to many of our social problems.

Unfortunately, with almost all of our attention firmly placed on crime, deportees and the impact of these on our lives, the arts are often relegated to the status of mere entertainment.

However, “it is through scholarships that students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds are given the chance to develop as artists and gain a superior education.” Further, social interventions using culture and the arts can only survive with consistent funding to allow for sustainability of the programmes.

The widening of opportunities for students and practitioners of the arts is possible through what Harvard Business Review refers to as “strategic collaborations” such as the one negotiated between the Little Carib and Alvin Ailey.

The Review notes that arts organisations can still leverage “their limited resources by allying themselves with organisations ranging from other non-profit arts groups to community groups to businesses.

Distinct from short-term, project- oriented sponsorships, strategic collaborations are intensive, durable commitments created for mutual gain …” For instance, research has shown that globally, support for the arts contributes to expansion of “market share, enhancing … brand and reaching new customers.” Additionally, incorporating elements of the arts into the daily work routine alleviates the drudgery of the corporate environment, encourages appreciation of different cultures and critical thinking amongst employees.

Corporate support for the arts is also vital to allow for a new ideology of education to emerge. Education activist Sir Ken Robinson has pointed out that “every education system on earth has the same hierarchy of subjects … At the top are mathematics and languages, then the humanities, and at the bottom are the arts… “And in pretty much every system too, there’s a hierarchy within the arts. Art and music are normally given a higher status in schools than drama and dance. There isn’t an education system on the planet that teaches dance everyday to children the way we teach them mathematics.

Why? Why not?” There is thus enormous potential for businesses to actively participate in a philosophy of change in the education sector, while satisfying their requirement for “return on investment”.

However, the reality is that in challenging economic times, culture and the arts are always placed low on the list of spending priorities.

For arts organisations, a choice therefore has to be made. Our NGO works with young people in vulnerable communities. Right now, we are interacting with students from very challenging circumstances, but who still come to rehearsals on time, showing a commitment and dedication to the process that was unexpected.

We too are pursuing strategic collaborations to afford our young people opportunities similar to the one provided to that dancer. In the meantime, as we say in the theatre, we just do the work.

Dara Healy is a performance artist and founder of the NGO, the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN

The Prime Minister made this statement in response to a question from Naparima MP Rodney Charles in the House of Representatives.

Dismissing Charles’ claim that citizens are daily losing hope in the ability of Government to deal with crime,Rowley countered, “the worst thing you could do is lose hope in the face of difficulty.” When Charles demanded specific deadlines when murders in the country could be reduced by a specific percentage, Rowley (who is chairman of the National Security Council) replied, “I am not going to get into any useless ole talk about that because crime is not fought like that.” He said Government is, “ approaching crime fighting as a comprehensive exercise which has to be sustained with no end date.” Rowley reminded MPs that, “for quite some time, not starting since September 7, 2015, have been grappling with unacceptable levels of of violence and criminal conduct.” The Prime Minister said the Police Service continues to be active in crime hot spots throughout the country, priority offenders are targetted, efforts to seize illegal firearms are being tightened and there is increased collaboration with communities in TT and this country’s external partners to fight crime on a transnational level.

Rowley said the Police Service is being given the resources it needs to fight crime and is being encouraged to “root out at every level” rogue officers within its ranks. Responding to a question on crime later in the sitting from Tabaquite MP Dr Suruj Rambachan, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon declared, “ Neither this minister nor the Government will be satisfied until there is a drastic reduction in our crime and criminality in TT.” Dillon said crime fighting strategies being used thus far, “have been effective.” The minister added those strategies revolve around the objectives of prediction, deterence, reduction and prosecution.

Speaking later during debate on the Gambling Bill, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said the Bill spoke to the principles of civil asset forefeiture.

Al-Rawi was optimistic that Cabinet will soon approve this legislation and that it will be coming to Parliament soon.

According to reports, officers who were out on an anti-crime exercise responded to a report that a man was seen with a gun at Pasea Extension.

Officers under Snr Superintendent McDonald Jacob responded and saw Josiah Ramsahai, 15, running towards a wall in a bid to escape. After being pursued by officers, Ramsahai allegedly fired several shots at the police prompting officers to return fire.

The teenager was shot several times and later rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police investigators told Newsday that Ramsahai had a rap sheet of 13 offences for rape, robbery and firearm offences.

As police said there was a shootout which led to the teen’s death, his weeping relatives insist he tried to surrender when he was gunned down. Investigations are continuing.

When residents made a check they saw London suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and appeared to already be dead. A report was made to police and officers arrived on the scene. A District Medical Officer was called in and ordered London’s body removed to the Forensic Science Centre for autopsy. This is the seventh murder in La Horquetta within the past two weeks. No arrest has been made and Northern Division police are continuing investigations.

Newsday understands that a joint team of officers from the PSB with the assistance of officers from the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) executed a search warrant at the home of the SRP but he could not be located on Thursday night. The search was carried for illegal arms, ammunition but nothing illegal was found.

The SRP has since contacted officers of the PSB and indicated that he would make himself available to be interviewed in company with his attorney.

During the same exercise, officers detained two civilians from the San Juan area in connection with the $400,000 robbery. The two are being questioned by PSB officers up until midday yesterday.

Officers are also searching for a former SRP formerly assigned to the Tobago Division who was dismissed from the service after he was charged with larceny. The whereabouts of this former officer remain unknown.

However, police sources revealed that he was captured on surveillance camera at the scene of the $400,000 robbery while the vehicle belonging to the SRP on suspension was also seen in the camera footage. The identity of the other persons involved in the robbery at Claxton Bay could not be seen clearly. One SRP formerly assigned to the North Eastern Division has already been charged with the $400,000 robbery and has been placed on $250,000 bail.

He was expected to reappear in court on Monday on a possession of ammunition charge. According to reports, two Fridays ago, three armed men arrived at the home of Wei Hui Zhu, 31, of Soledad Road, Claxton Bay in a marked police vehicle, wearing police tactical gear.

Three more “officers” arrived in a black Sport Utility Vehicle stating they had instructions to search his home. The men found and took $400,000 as well as two iPhones.

Mother of two Josanne Alleyne, 27, and her boyfriend Christopher Heerah, 28, yesterday appeared before Justice of the Peace Norisha Pundit in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court jointly charged with the murder.

It is alleged that between August 26 and 27, at Edinburgh South, Chaguanas, the couple murdered Quamina.

The charge, laid by PC Terrance Rahim of the Homicide Bureau in San Fernando. As the charge is a capital offence (for which the penalty is death) the couple was not called upon to enter a plea and the case would have to be determined in a trial before a judge and jury if so ordered at the end of a preliminary inquiry.

Quamina of Mahaica Street, Waterloo Road in Carapichaima was employed as a supervisor at the Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) in Chaguanas.

Female accused Alleyne also worked at the same bank but as a Customer Sales Representative.

Initial police reports stated that “a masked intruder” stormed the couple’s home back in August and committed the crime. Quamina was at the time staying at the couple’s home. Both accused – Alleyne and Heerah – are to reappear in court on Monday.

ARINI Viveka Persad- Wingson, daughter of attorney and Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to India attorney Dave Persad, was called to the bar as an attorney yesterday at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain. She was among several new attorneys who were admitted to practise.

Persad-Wingson’s mother, attorney Indrani Mootoo-Persad, presented her daughter’s petition at the ceremony which was attended by the young attorney’s grandfather and former Mayor of San Fernando, Dr Romesh Mootoo

A Honda Accord car valued $250,000 belonging to the MP was also stolen.

According to reports, at about 9.30 pm on Wednesday, Tewarie secured his home and retired to bed. He awoke at 4.30 am on Thursday and discovered that a Samsung S3 cellphone, an Ipad, $900 and other valuables missing. A further check revealed that his vehicle was also stolen.

Tewarie believes that the intruder gained access by climbing through a window on the western side of the house. Central Division police said yesterday that they are searching for a suspect in connection with the burglary and an arrest is imminent. The MP appeared very distressed over the burglary but was thankful that neither he nor his wife were attacked or injured in the incident. Officers of the Cunupia police station are continuing enquiries

Hinds told Newsday, “She tries to twist a clear metaphor.” Countering that Persad- Bissessar has been caught flat-footed on the issue of local government reform and has nothing useful to add to that discussion, Hinds said the former prime minister is, “clutching at straws.” According to the Laventille West MP, “She has been caught flat being maliciously alarmist about nothing.

That is the behaviour of the vampire in the Black Stalin sense.” Hinds further stated that Persad- Bissessar is fighting to remain relevant and, “is fighting to break the blight of losing eight elections on the trot.” During yesterday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, there was passing reference to Hinds’ reported comments in an exchange between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Baratarian/ San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan. Khan asked Rowley if he could use his office to reduce the kind of “violent imagery” utilised on political platforms.

The Prime Minister replied, “I am sure the Member (Khan) would find support on this side, if he encourages his Members (Opposition) not to go about abusing people personally and accusing them of rape, paedophilia and similar kinds of disgraceful conduct carried out on their own platforms.” In response, Khan said, “I will do my best, once he does his.” Persad-Bissessar, who has publicly criticised Rowley for having children inside and outside of his marriage, was not in the Parliament Chamber when Khan gave this commitment.

Orville London was responding to calls from Newsday Tobago on claims made by Leader of the Tobago Platform of the Truth (TPT) Hochoy Charles which said the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2016 from the THA sent for Cabinet’s approval would not improve governance in Tobago, as he called on the bill to be sent back to the people of Tobago. Charles made the statement one week ago as he argued that as Tobago seeks greater autonomy through the bill, the island would have powers to make laws and to implement them but no power to interpret the laws.

However, contacted yesterday, London said he is uncertain as to why the bill must come back to the people of Tobago as the bill has been before the people of Tobago for the past four years.

“We have had well over 40 meetings with all the various interest groups, with all the various communities and what the bill represents is the consensus among Tobagonians as to what they want,” London explained.

He said that there is a difference of opinion about the mandate given to the forum of Political parties.

“As far as I am concerned and most of the members on the forum, the mandate given to us was to treat with a bill that represents the wishes of the people of Tobago and therefore we did not give ourselves the authority to heave on the people of Tobago something which they did not want.

“Those issues of which Mr Charles has indicated, those issues were put to the people of Tobago in various forums and at every occasion, the majority of people went with the position which was put forward in the bill that was sent,” the Chief Secretary said.

Johnson spoke to media staff outside the Parliament yesterday and stated that while he supports certain aspects of the Bill, there are other aspects that must be addressed. He said, “We are here to show our support. We support the Bill, but not entirely. The Bill has some good points regarding the Rehabilitation Fund, you know, the support for the problem gamblers and so forth. We do support that. But then there are some issues in the Bill concerning the employees, which we have concerns about.

Last year, it was in June, June 9th I believe, Senator Faris Al Rawi raised some valid concerns, concerning the over-criminalisation of the Bill.

He also talked about what would happen to innocent infringers.

And these are issues we believe, should be resolved. So what we are pushing for is for the Bill to go before the Joint Select Committee (JSC) as opposed to being passed to the House.” Johnson said that if it was passed without going the JSC, it would be an imperfect law.

And while they would be displeased with that outcome of affairs, they have no intention, he continued, of doing anything “untoward” since they do not want to retard the legal process.