In the boys Under-14 singles final, Kerry fought back to defeat Ethan Wong in three sets. Second seeded Wong took the lead when he won the first set 6-3, before top seeded Kerry showed his quality to win the next two sets 6-2 and 10-7.

Dalla Costa made it look fairly easy against James Hadden in the boys Under-10 singles final. Dalla Costa, ranked second in the draw, got past the unseeded Hadden 4-1, 4-0.

In other finals, Ella Carrington outlasted Sanjili Seenath 4-1, 4-1 in the girls Under-12 singles and in the boys Under-12 singles, Nicholas Ready was a 4-1, 5-3 winner over Tyler Hart. In the girls Under- 14 singles, Isabel Abraham won the title with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Emily Lawrence.

A lot of time was lost due to rain yesterday forcing the organisers to postpone matches until today.

Some of the finals scheduled for today’s closing day are the boys Under-16 singles, boys Under-18 singles, girls Under-16 singles and numerous doubles finals. First serve is 9 am.

It is open to participants from 14 years, all the way up to university grads. The sessions will explore the deep structure of different narrative forms, sitcoms, soap operas, prime time dramas and blockbusters and more. Lecturer, multi-media artist and cultural theorist Rubadiri Victor will conduct the sessions, said a media release.

“These courses are 19-years-old and have graduated hundreds of students, many of whom are working in the arts in new media today, Victor said. “There are now all kinds of modern tools with which to tell stories, however, storytelling has rules.

Fail to obey the rules and your product will fail. Story is king! The best storyteller will win the audience. There are a lot of local products that are not working because their makers do not understand the laws of the narrative form they have chosen… Come learn the secrets.” For more info: rubadiri@yahoo.com.

It marked the 20th birthday of world famous female activist, Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, and on this day women empowerment and achievement came once more to the fore.

At the ICC Women’s World Cup currently taking place in England, Indian captain Mithali Raj became the first woman cricketer to reach 6,000 One-Day International runs. This achievement once again proves what the fairer sex can accomplish, whether in sport, academia, science, or high office.

Raj, in crossing this cricketing milestone, has shown that the female gender in no way is or must be seen as inferior to any male.

She also has 49 ODI half centuries (another record).

As an enterprising young woman I salute the milestone of this modest 34-year-old cricketer, whose batsmanship has delighted the world. At 16 she became an international player and 18 years on is still making her presence felt.

Congrats to Raj and may she continue to rule. Hats off to all women achievers.

VANISHKA MAHARAJ Cunupia

“On July 12, at 1.30 pm, I became another crime statistic,” Duke-Westfield wrote. She recounted pulling into the driveway of her home in West Trinidad when a vehicle also pulled up nearby. Thinking it was someone who had come to her husband, Duke-Westfield said she did not pay close attention.

“By the time I realised what was happening, the young man had already jumped out of the car and was knocking the driver side window with his gun.

‘Get out, get out!’ I saw the gun.

I will never forget the gun. It was silver, looked like new. I hurriedly got out of the car, he pointed the gun at the back of my head and said: ‘Go so, go so!’ “I did as he commanded and headed to the house. In the split second that this happened, Julien (her husband) came to the gallery and was stopped in his tracks by a second gunman who was getting into the passenger seat. I never saw that second gunman until we watched the scene on our cameras later on.

I was shaking. We both hurried into the house and closed the door as I watched the two men speed off with my car, handbag, laptop and other belongings that were in my car,” Duke-Westfield wrote.

She said the bandits got her Coach handbag, iPhone and three favourite pairs of work shoes. She expressed thanks for being unhurt during the ordeal.

“I am thankful to be alive, that they didn’t shove me in the car and drive off, that the second gunman didn’t shoot at Julien as he ran out to the gallery.

I am thankful.

“But I am damn angry that I, like so many of you, are sitting ducks in a society where the ‘have nots’ have better firearms than the police! Yesterday, I felt the Syrian man was right, I was the buffer for the rich against the angry, criminal poor. They can’t get to the Sabgas but they can get to me easily,” Duke-Westfield wrote, alluding to the recent and controversial ‘most powerful in society’ claim by business magnate Mario Sabga-Aboud aired in the Anthony Bordain CNN documentary series, which carried a segment on TT cuisine and life.

Another Syrian Trini who was speaking to Bordain in the documentary, spoke about the middle class being the buffer that protects the ‘haves’ from the criminal ‘have nots’ and expressing concern that this ‘buffer’ was currently shrinking.

After a firestorm of condemnation for the ‘most powerful’ claim, Sabga-Aboud publicly apologised to the nation. Western Division Police along with the Cyber Crime Unit are conducting investigations into the Duke-Westfield robbery.

In their ninth-16th place quarter- final game, the young Calypso Girls held a 20-16 lead over Cook Islands at the halfway stage.

But the Cook Islanders who were ahead 12-7 at the end of the first quarter, regained the lead at the three-quarter stanza 32-23.

The young Calypso Girls put in a determined effort in the final quarter holding the Cook Islanders to just eight goals but managed only eight themselves for the final scoreline.

They now play Northern Ireland in their second qualifying game today.

Meanwhile, Jamaica were beaten 55-38 by England in their first to eighth place quarter-final.

Another Caribbean island Grenada were beaten 62-49 by Malaysia in their 17th-20th qualifier and Barbados lost to Samoa 54- 48 in a ninth-16th match-up.

Here are yesterday’s Qualification Day scores: 1st – 8th place quarter-final: NEW ZEALAND 69 vs SOUTH AFRICA 32.

1st – 8th place quarter final – UGANDA 37 vs FIJI 39.

1st – 8th place quarter final – SCOTLAND 22 vs AUSTRALIA 95.

1st – 8th place quarter final – JAMAICA 38 vs ENGLAND 55.

9th – 16th place quarter final – SAMOA 54 vs BARBADOS 48.

9th – 16th place quarter final – BOTSWANA 51 vs WALES 39.

9th – 16th place quarter final – TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 31 vs COOK ISLANDS 40.

17th – 20th qualification round match – SINGAPORE 63 vs SRI LANKA 36.

17th – 20th qualification round match – MALAYSIA 62 vs GRENADA 49.

These days, everyone tries this sexy picture pose that looks staged and fake.

Everything from the positioning of the body to the expression on the face looks dopey — not sexy. They even have selfie sticks now. I can’t imagine carrying a selfie stick around. I don’t even want to carry a handbag around.

So I keep asking myself what’s wrong with looking natural? What’s wrong with taking pictures that look spontaneous? To make matters worse, people search for all kinds of unnatural places to take pictures.

This is why you have people falling off of cliffs or falling into manholes. The other day, I saw someone climb into the rock fountain at the Hilton and sit on her boyfriend’s lap just to take a picture. It never once occurred to me that I should climb inside of a fountain and sit on someone’s lap to take a picture.

Actually, I miss the days when people answered their phones in the privacy of their own homes. I miss that state of wonder we once had when we called someone and asked ourselves, “Will he answer the phone?” For a long time, I avoided having a cellphone because I didn’t want to be one of those selfie- snapping people calling someone every minute.

Admittedly, I have threatened over the years to be the last person in the world to buy one of those awful gadgets.

I refused the free iPhone my daughter wanted to give me even though it had cool glitter and stars swimming around in the case that covered the back of the phone. She kept threatening me.

“I’m giving you the phone when I get a new phone.” In the end, I took the phone, not because of anything she said.

A dog actually convinced me to get the phone. I would explain that, but it would take too long.

So, I keep charging the cell phone. Sometimes I remember to answer it when it rings, which isn’t often because I really don’t advertise that I have a cell phone now. Shhhhh. I’m depending on you to keep my secret.

I put my audiobooks on my phone, but I feel like my iPod feels neglected so I continue to listen to audiobooks on my iPod.

This is all good because I have managed to keep my sense of self-control, which most people tend to throw out once they get a cellphone.

I don’t want to be one of those people with fish lips who texts every minute either. No fish lips for me. My solemn promise to myself is never to check my email on my phone. So far so good. And I don’t want to be one of those people who becomes oblivious to everything around me because I’m texting or talking on my phone every minute. I just want to be me — not an extension of an electronic device. By the way, I hate texting because it makes me feel dumb.

There was a time when people used to walk down the road and look at the trees blowing in the breeze. They used to daydream or plan their day. I am still one of those people.

T h a t ’ s why I’m noticing you’re always on your phone.

He made the remark after Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan announced new construction packages heading to tender at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.

Sinanan said Cabinet agreed to four additional packages being tendered (to give a total of seven so far), and five more packages are for tender next month. He said a stretch of highway from Gulf City Mall to Dunlop Roundabout in Point Fortin will take two years to complete.

Sinanan said the Moruga Road rehabilitation project will consist of fixing 22 landslips and constructing 22 culverts plus road repair where needed. He said it will begin very shortly and maximise the use of local content thereby giving opportunities for local contractors.

Regarding the Tobago sea bridge ferry, Sinanan expressed confidence in Port Authority board chairman Allison Lewis describing her as someone who is thorough in her decision-making process. “I’m putting my faith that Mrs Lewis and the board would have done the right thing,” he said.

“My information is that we have two vessels en route to TT. One would be here on Sunday which would take care of the cargo aspect of it, and sometime later this month we have a ferry vessel that is expected to arrive on the island.” Saying the due date was supposed to have been July 17, he said he expects the board took their attorneys’ advice on this.

Among the customers, who were robbed of cash, jewellery and cellular phones, were talk show host and comedienne Nikki Crosby and her husband Gerry. Police arrested two people shortly after.

The suspects appeared in court yesterday charged with 11 offences including possession of firearms and ammunition, robbery with aggravation, and assault with intent to rob. A 48-year-old security officer and a 21-year-old soldier were also arrested.

The soldier remained in custody yesterday pending further investigation

At that meeting, Rowley said government has a policy of trying to maintain employment levels despite fluctuating energy prices. Rowley said that compared to $30 billion borrowed between 2010 and 2015, “during a time of economic plenty”, he pointed out that his government’s borrowing of $12 billion and retention of jobs are a sign of government’s competence.

“The question is, how long can we do that if revenues continue to decline? I leave that with you,” Rowley said on Tuesday. Responding to this yesterday, Indarsingh who is the Opposition’s shadow labour minister, said Rowley’s statements was an admission that government had no plan to grow the economy and is focused on cutting expenditure and raising taxes.

“The prime minister used this conversation with the citizens at the Point Fortin constituency to lay the foundation for the dismissal of all the workers at BIR and Customs and Excise. You are looking at 3,000 people and up till today no one knows when the TT Revenue Authority will be implemented,” Indarsingh said.

“These workers, who are represented by the PSA, do not know what would be the size of the Revenue Authority, whether they will be rehired, under what terms and conditions, whether unionised, whether they could have their years of service, their pensions transferred.”

Warner and Blazer worked along side each other at FIFA and CONCACAF for many years.

However, in 2011 Blazer initiated an investigation against Warner and Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed bin Hammam for allegations of bribery. Later that year FIFA announced that Warner will resign from all his positions in international football.

Newsday contacted Warner for a comment on Blazer’s death but Warner only said, “I have no comment to make.” Warner became president of CONCACAF in 1990 with Blazer serving as general secretary.

Warner and Blazer worked together at CONCACAF until 2011.

In 2015 Warner and Blazer, along with other FIFA officials, were arrested for wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering. Warner was banned for life by FIFA on September 29, 2015 while Blazer was banned for life on July 9, 2015.

Harold Taylor, former Caribbean Football Union (CFU) general secretary, said Blazer was instrumental in Warner’s administration career.

“He helped Jack to really and truly become the president of CONCACAF,” Taylor said.

“Chuck worked with Jack and we got all the Caribbean people together to support Jack and therefore Jack won the presidency.

Chuck was really a hard worker. To hear that he has passed is really shocking to me at this point in time.”