Meanwhile, principal of Presentation College in San Fernando Dexter Mitchell said he was still going through the results but was able to provide details of the students’ performance.

He said although the O’level students have performed well, the only issue of concern to him is the students’ performance in the English B examination since 78 per cent out of 100 per cent passed the exam whereas in the English language examination, 98 per cent of students passed.

Mitchell said there had been significant improvements in some subject areas and added that in subjects like principles of accounts, principles of business, information technology and physical education he got 100 per cent passes. Expressing his satisfaction with the consistent performance of students, he acknowledged the tremendous improvements made at CAPE level.

He said in subjects like Caribbean studies, the performance of students moved from less than 20 per cent grade ones to 95 per cent grade ones this year in comparison to last year. He highlighted Joel Kissoon who attained 14 passes.

He added that budget for the project is in the vicinity of $342 million.

Plans for the Red House’s restoration include the creation of a distinct parliamentary district around it. Cabildo Chambers, former headquarters for the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, has been designated as the administrative and ancilliary services building for the Red House. Most of the ministry’s departments have relocated to the Legal Affairs Tower at the nearby Government Campus Plaza which formally opened earlier this year. The Parliament is temporarily being housed at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Complex.

The Red House was once considered as the possible location for the Office of the Prime Minister during the tenure of former Prime Minister Patrick Manning (now deceased).

Manning’s immediate successor Kamla Persad- Bissessar promised the Parliament would return to the Red House.

However, this relocation did not happen under her former administration during the last five years. Oversight of works on the Red House is being done by a Cabinet sub-committee chaired by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

In response to a question put to him at a news conference at the Magdalena Grand Hotel in Tobago, Rowley said, “As a matter of fact, when I get up from this table, I am asking my staff to ask the labour movement to meet with me on Wednesday afternoon.” The venue for the meeting could be the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in St Clair, where labour representatives delivered a letter to Rowley last Friday, asking for a meeting.

The prime minister said, “I have been meeting with labour for the longest while. I have met with the labour movement on many occasions.” Rowley said he met with labour representatives two weeks ago.

“There is no problem with me meeting with

UWI Star Gazers hosted a public viewing at the JFK Quadrangle and were surprised by how many people attended the event.

President of the club, Ariel Chitan said, “We never expected this many people so at the moment we don’t even have enough equipment for everyone.” She said the club provided four telescopes which resulted in long lines of patrons hoping to see the crescent shaped portion of the sun left uncovered by the moon.

They also ordered 100 solar eclipse glasses which were not enough for the crowd of over 300.

“I wish we could have provided more glasses, telescopes and even better facilities for everyone who came out today.” She called on citizens to appreciate the beauty of astronomy even when a big event such as the eclipse is not taking place.

“We all have an innate interest, persons just have to go outside and look at the sky.” Public relations officer Matthew Tung said, “While it is true that many only become interested when events like these take place, astronomy is much like art. To appreciate it you have to get the knowledge about it.” He said the aim of the viewing was to invite members of the public to learn and continue pursuing astronomy as a hobby.

“UWI Star Gazers is open to the public. We have monthly meetings after which we have star viewing with the telescope.” While awaiting their turn to view the eclipse through the telescope, patrons exchanged solar eclipse glasses and looked through handmade pinhole cameras.

Chitan said she was pleased to see members of the public taking the health of their eyes seriously as they heeded warnings and took the necessary precautions.

Yarde made the comment on Monday at the National Consultation on the Caribbean Community Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Framework, held at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port-of- Spain.

“Broad-based consultation, involving key government sectors, the private sector and civil society are imperative as the policy will impact both economies and societies,” Yarde said.

“The framework will work towards strengthening this region’s response towards environmental issues especially those of sustainable development and our natural resources.” She said it is part of the Caricom strategic plan 2015 – 2019 initiative which aims to develop economic, social, environmental and technological resilience among the Caribbean Community.

“The development of the policy framework and the associated first action plan comes at a critical time as the region seeks to implement the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It will provide a regional blueprint to address, in particular, certain aspects of the UN’s agenda.” She urged all participants to make full use of the opportunity to engage in frank and meaningful discussions on issues that will impact the quality of life of the region’s citizens and their future.

Yarde said the varied perspectives of the public sector and private sector will aid in the success of the framework.

She praised the region’s involvement in the Paris Agreement negotiations as well as participation in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Yarde said the region is also involved in a preparatory process to develop a new instrument under the Law of the Sea, on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).

She said the region has come a long way since 2008 when the ministers of environment first called for the policy framework to be developed.

Marie Hinds, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Planning and Development extended congratulations to Caricom for its strong advocacy in the promotion of a regional approach to the sustainable management of the environmental and natural resources of the Community and its member states.

Hinds said the conservation of TT’s natural resources, which includes clean water, food, fresh air, shelter, and livelihoods are critical to the country’s future development.

“Trinidad and Tobago’s natural resource base has allowed for our rapid industrialisation and growing demand for goods and services over the years. Simultaneously, however, the nation also suffers from the attendant environmental problems associated with the production of commodities.” She continued, “As such, this Government is committed to making every effort to ensure that Trinidad and Tobago finds the right balance between economic development and environmental protection.” She said the Government recognises the critical role the country’s “rich” natural resources play in the socio-economic development of the nation.

Lack of potable water has spawned a million-dollar industry.

One company’s lack of competence has made many wealthy.

In the 60s, 70s (even presently), when WASA gave us hell but no water, no one perished for lack of water.

I remember water being sold at the Red Cross Children’s Carnival in the 60s.

Here is my concern. Bottled water left in a car is a fire hazard.

Light can be refracted through a water bottle and start a fire on a seat. Sunlight magnified by a water bottle can reach 250 degrees.

The sunlight will come through when the bottle is filled with liquid and act as a magnifying glass.

The clear liquid and clear material can develop a focused beam and actually cause a fire.

Take your water bottle with you when leaving the car. Prevention is better than cure.

Or the report will state, “Cause of fire, water.’”

AV RAMPERSAD Princes Town

The game will be the second match of a double-header with Grenada meeting Curacao from 5pm. After three days of matches, only the top team will advance to the Caribbean Finals in Haiti.

TT team coach Jamaal Shabazz noted, “We have prepared well with a few solid sessions and I think the players are all eager and ready for their first qualifying match. They have the experience of playing in a CONCACAF Championship in the past at the Under-15 level but this now is a different environment with a different cause.

“This is actually World Cup qualifying so they are aware of the importance and the meaning of these matches,” Shabazz added.

The ex-national men’s and women’s team coach continued, “Looking at our opponents, we see that former national player Izler Browne is the coach of US Virgin Islands and I expect they will come here with some kind of preparation and will be no pushovers and we have seen progress in women’s football made both in Grenada and Curacao.

“Neither of these teams will be run arounds and they will come here intent on causing an upset on the host team. But at the same time we believe in our ability and I expect our players will take each game on its merit and will put out the effort that is required to get us past this first hurdle,” Shabazz added.

The team comprises a few United States-born players including midfielder Sarah De Gannes who is based in Alberta; Kara Trotman of Seattle Reign – niece of the late national striker Mickey Trotman, and Annika Daniel of FC Bellevue.

Some of the home-based players include 12-year-old midfielder Kayla Baboolal of Biche FC in Biche, Aaliyah Prince of Success Laventille, defender Moines Mejias of Trinity Nationals and goalkeeper Chelsea Ramnauth of Fyzabad Secondary.

Apart from Haiti, which received a bye as hosts of the final round, the remaining 18 countries entered the first round, and were drawn into three groups of four teams and two groups of three teams.

The winners of each group advance to the final round to join Haiti, where they are divided into two groups of three teams, with the top three teams qualifying for the final tournament as the CFU representatives.

Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, St Lucia, Guyana, and St Vincent and the Grenadines were automatically seeded in Groups A–E respectively as hosts of each first round group, while the remaining 14 teams were seeded based on the results of the previous two editions of the qualifying competition.

Three teams from the Caribbean advance to the CONCACAF Final round next year towards the 2018 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.

Tickets cost $20 (adults) and $10 (children) and will be available at the venue on each matchday.

No official schedule of events for Pan Month has been issued as was done in the past. The events that have come off thus far are pan exhibitions in Port of Spain and San Fernando, a church service at Trinity Cathedral and a visit to the Foundation Stone at the back of the St Paul Complex.

Among the upcoming events are the east leg of the pan exhibition at the Arima Tennis Court, on August 25 and the Play One for Patrick Manning at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on August 30.

However, shows cancelled owing to lack of funding are Pan in de Countryside, the Northern Region Pan Lime and the Northern Region Republic Day Show that was carded for next month.

Contacted yesterday and asked if his office was closed due to non-activity, Gerard Mendez, head of the Northern Region office of Pan Trinbago, responded: “No, I am in the office now. The office is not closed. The Northern Region Office, despite the acute financial circumstances under which we exist, continues to operate open.

“It is common knowledge that salaries have not been paid for the month of July. Nevertheless, the staff continues to operate.” However, calls to the office trunk lines went unanswered as did calls to the Eastern Region office.

David Balbosa, head of the San Fernando Region, said: “We have been making out because we understand what is happening.” He added that his office had been operating normally. But asked when staff were last paid, he answered: “I think you have to direct that to the treasurer in Port of Spain.” Later in the day, Newsday caught up with Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz who, when asked about the running of the regional offices, said: “I’m not responding to that. Because the last time I respond to that it went on a big thing… Because we’re facing a scenario that was made public already and people went and do all kinda thing against Pan Trinbago.

“We are trying to see if we could address our matters internally and then I will respond.”

Those calling for their removal, barring the politics of trying to further embarrass President Donald Trump for his stance on the recent violence, are doing so on the basis of their perception of the Confederate cause in the American Civil War as an endorsement of slavery.

Those objecting to the removal of statues, such as that of Robert E Lee, et al, are essentially racist, including the President. But does it necessarily imply sympathy for the Confederate cause which undoubtedly favoured the retention of slavery in the American south? It may be seen as such considering how sensitive the subject is, but can it also be a call to avoid destroying important mementos of total American history, whether good, bad or ugly? One recalls the horror of the destruction of the ancient statues of Buddha in Afghanistan by the Islamic State because of religious ideology.

The question to ask is whether a people’s history should not be retained in all its aspects, more so as the First Amendment of the American Constitution allows for freedom of speech, freedom of thought with the understanding that distasteful as such freedom of thought and expression may seem to others with opposing views, that tolerance is the expected reaction? Again, would the elimination of statues which bring back extremely unpleasant memories somehow eliminate those memories? It may help to mitigate the effects, but can that action eliminate the deep-rooted negative psychology of slavery as Frantz Fanon has described in Black Skin White Masks? Won’t it be more rational and productive, difficult as this may seem, just to try to come to terms with this horrendous experience, learn from it, and be the better for it? For if this precedent is set of removing the symbols which remind us of an atrocious past, where does that leave the case of the American Indian whose glorious culture and way of life would have been virtually decimated by pioneers who are recorded as heroes in the annals of American history? The American Indians continue to experience discrimination as is inevitable with subcultures in mainstream culture, but their approach is to try and assimilate as far as is possible, taking the good with the bad.

What of the “hero” Columbus who discovered the New World but paved the way for Pizarro and Cortez and their decimation of the First Peoples and the Incas and the Aztecs? Yet life goes on in Peru and Mexico, despite the horrors of conquest.

Tucker Carlson in Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News made a telling point recently that the history of the world is a history of conquest and enslavement, beginning with Genghis Khan in Asia and continuing with Sulieman and the Ottoman Empire, and further with the Roman Empire and Hitler’s Germany, the Spanish Empire in the New World, not forgetting the British Empire in the New World and in India.

But what Tucker suggests is that you can’t eliminate the march of history even with its atrocities.

There is no other choice but to accept its inevitability and grow from it.

DR ERROL BENJAMIN docbenj742@outlook.com

In a recent interview, De Silva said that the art of MMA is garnering more recognition from TT citizens than before. “People no longer look at it like how it was in the 90’s. It’s no longer looked at like two people fighting in a cage like animals, trying to rip each other’s heads off,” he said.

He added that the talent of athletes venturing into the MMA arena has grown.

De Silva, who has practised judo and MMA fighting since he was eight years old, expressed that there is a higher calibre of athletes participating in local MMA. Speaking of fellow MMA fighter Dwayne Hinds, De Silva said that Trinidad and Tobago has a lot of good MMA talent.

“Dwayne participated in the One FC battle in Singapore and even came second in the fan-favourite award. That match was broadcast throughout Asia. He is also the first MMA fighter from Trinidad to participate in an international pay-perview,” he said. He added that the MMA is now bigger than the National Football League (NFL), considering that United States’ MMA promotion company, Ultimate Fighting Championship, was bought by talent and entertainment agency WME-IMG for US$4.2 billion.

He said that MMA has become a viable option for TT’s international representation and that it is the only sport that could “rival football”.

Surfing coach at Rough House, Andre Stewart, said athletes could use MMA training to help them with any sport. “If I am into football, I could train here. If I am into golf, I could practice MMA to strengthen my hands. I could strengthen my legs, you know. It’s a variety of exercises they’re doing here,” he said. When asked about the future of MMA in Trinidad and Tobago, Stewart said the art of MMA is in “amazing” hands.