This was one of three initiatives announced by Tunapuna MP Esmond Forde on behalf of Prime Minister (PM) Dr Keith Rowley; who at the time was attending a Caricom meeting in Grenada, at the launch on Thursday of the Foundation for Fashion, Art, Manufacturing, Entrepreneurship and Export (FAME-Caribbean).

“FAME-Caribbean’s effort dovetails with the Government’s focus to commercialise the fashion industry and to strengthen its export capacity, under the umbrella of the Trinidad and Tobago Creative Industries Company, also known as CreativeTT.” Forde also said that another State agency, FashionTT, “has capacity- building programmes to assist local design firms to improve their value chain by refining their in-house performance or to outsource some of their operations.

The Government is also in the process of establishing a garment production facility to boost the production capacity of local fashion designers. This facility will better enable local designers to fulfil large orders from international buyers without having to rely on outsourcing production outside of TT.” Also under active consideration by the Rowley administration is a programme for bespoke tailoring.

Forde, reading the PM’s remarks, said such a programme not only has “the potential for employment creation and revenue generation,” it would also likely bring in much-needed foreign exchange while helping to provide “a better socio-economic landscape, utilising the inherent creativity of our people”.

The July 6 launch was held at the Chancellor Hill, St Clair, home of the FAME-Caribbean’s brand ambassador, Brian Lara, who is also a client of FAME-Caribbean’s founder, Trinidad- born Savile Row Master tailor, Andrew Ramroop. The foundation’s aim is to build a sustainable creative industry in the Caribbean by providing entrepreneurial support with philanthropic values to students and designers alike as they seek to make careers in the world of fashion and art.

Speaking with the media prior to a nighttime fashion show which featured the work of designers such as Meiling and Marlon George, Ramroop said he created the foundation “to build something that is meaningful, that is sustainable, that will last for a long time and create employment.” Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia and TT are the six Caribbean countries Ramroop has selected to be part of FAME-Caribbean; he did not rule out adding other countries in the region at a future date.

The aim is to “create training opportunities for young people that could give them meaningful careers because so much of government funds are actually poured into academic attainment…then you go on to have a so-called professional career but I think you can have a meaningful career in the arts, in the creative field, in the trades (such as) plumbing, carpentry.

They should all be trained and qualified and they should all have opportunities to be just as lucrative as those in the (traditional) professions are,” Ramroop said.

FAME-Car ibbean is based on Italy’s Pitti Immagine in Florence, which Ramroop explained is an annual marketplace during which, thousands of buyers place orders for items on display by hundreds of fashion and accessory designers.

Now that the foundation has been launched, Ramroop and his team are preparing for a three-day fashion event here in Trinidad this November, “FAME-Caribbean 2K17”, which is set to bring together designers from the six aforementioned countries, along with music and entertainment.

The midday series features three National Performing Arts Entities which will provide the public with free concerts for three weeks – the National Steel Symphony Orchestra (NSSO), the National Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Theatre Arts Company.

NSSO which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, opened the series with 21 players and conductor Akua Leith.

The musicians, all professionals performed to the delight of their audience which included the Minister of Culture Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and several ministry officials, as well as pannist, arranger Mia Gormandy who was sitting in the front row taking in the action.

The NSSO played Sparrow’s Slave, Ray Holman’s Waltz for Iris, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe’s Baby Ashley, Zequinha de Abreu’s Tico Tico, the Eagles’ Hotel California, Olatunji’s Ola, Keegan Taylor and Kit Israel, MM and Bunji Garlin’s Buss Head and the Ultimate Rejects’ Full Extreme.

The pick of the set was “Boogsie’s” Baby Ashley which he composed for his daughter when she was born 14 years ago.

It was arranged for NSSO by Professor Liam Teague. Some onlookers could not help but dance to the sweet sounds of the national instrument.

NSSO continued the series last Thursday and the National Philharmonic Orchestra will take centre stage on July 11 and 13 while the National Theatre Arts Co will close off the series on July 18 and 20.

The concept of the series is geared towards exposing a new generation to the performing arts with a view of them taking an active role and making it a career. The three professional entities are constantly giving back to the community through music and theatre.

The 45-minutes concerts can also act as a stress relief for office workers in the downtown area and they are invited to bring their lunch and come to NALIS.

Hence the name Brown Bag Series.

The lawsuit is claiming bribery, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract.

The State also brought claims against all of the defendants for conspiracy to perpetrate fraud and corruption, including bribery on citizens.

The defendants are Jearlean John (former chairman of the HDC), John Henckle Lall (former chairman of HDC), Greg Davis ( former deputy chairman of HDC), Peter Forde and his company Special Projects Limited, Ronald Harrilal (former Commissioner of Valuations in the Finance Ministry), Point Lisas Park Limited and existing owners – Anthony Sampath, Patrick Soo Ting, Azad Niamat and Everil Ross.

Minister Stuart Young, addressing the issue of white collar crime during a news conference yesterday at the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs in Port of Spain, said corruption and in particular white collar crime, are scourges on this country.

“Twenty months have passed as an administration and there has been a lot of commentary taking place as to what has this Government done with respect to the fight against corruption,” Young said.

He said there were two types of actions to tackle corruption – the criminal courts and the civil courts.

He explained the criminal courts were under the direct constitutional purview of the Director of Public Prosecutions with the assistance of the Police Service. A Government does not have the power to forward criminal charges.

“The civil courts are in a different arena where any action brought by the State in the civil court fall within the purview of the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.

“Over the last 20 months, this administration has been working very carefully on a number of matters with international teams of lawyers, investigators and forensic auditors, along with the Office of the Attorney General in the pursuit of actions against white collar crime,” he said.

Young said they had been gathering of evidence for months now and have moved from an information and intelligence stage to an evidential stage.

He said the evidence has been analysed and they have drafted cases which have now been filed in the court.

“I expect a lot of fear-mongering to take place, a lot of accusations of political witch hunts and other cries meant to distract the population from the real issues. We will not be deterred by that.

Ultimately, everyone of these matters will be determined by the courts,” he said.

Any angst about young Che Benny going to Sweden’s AIK for trials should be viewed in the context of an opportunity to move up to first class world football. Dwight Yorke did not become famous by choosing to remain in TT .

International football is a very lucrative business. In the First World, in any sport, the best teams with the best players are worth their weight in gold.

Ask FIFA about that.

In the First World children as young as eight years are being groomed for fame.

David Beckham and Wayne Rooney were picked in their teenage years. Benny is being offered the same opportunity so why the jealousy? What the Swedes can offer this gifted young man, TT cannot.

Consider the World Cup, if you will. The teams scour the world and collect talented players. Countries with large enough populations have the capacity to supply many talented players from which to choose. An African country could possibly win the World Cup because it has more than enough raw talent in the millions at its disposal.

TT is a small as a pin. Until we have 11 players experienced and competing with A teams on a regular basis, TT will never get within spitting range of winning a World Cup.

There was a silly remark made about Benny travelling alone.

Once you can speak and ask directions, travellers do not get lost. The “Big Brother” surveillance cameras are watching you at every point of entry.

At every airport, bus stop, coach and train station, they have you covered. It is always possible to discover where, when and how a traveller drops off the surveillance radar.

As we say here in TT , “De boy not going to get lorse.” If you want to make big money you have to be able to use public transport by yourself.

The team that nurtured him should not put him down as being ungrateful or deceitful. That is TT small-mindedness.

How many times does such rare footballing opportunity come knocking?

LYNETTE JOSEPH Diego Martin

The players retained ahead of the draft were: Kyle Hope, Isaiah Rajah, Yannic Cariah, Roshon Primus, Imran Khan, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster, Marlon Richards, Sheldon Cottrell and Bryan Charles Selected in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Player Draft were: Kissoondath Magram, Khary Pierre, Steven Katwaroo, Ewart Nicholson and Akeil Cooper. Merryboys wicketkeeper/batsman Jangoo is one of five players earning their first Red Force professional contract.

“I am really delighted to be awarded a contract by the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. Last season I got a look in for the final two matches and I made the best of my opportunity.

Honestly I am really happy the selectors showed faith in me and awarded me a professional contract,” said the 19 year old Jangoo.

He continued, “The last year has been a rollercoaster for me.

I missed out on selection for the West Indies Under-19 team and I had to come through the Combined Campuses and Colleges route. Being awarded a Red Force contract is vindication for all the hard work I have invested and being mentally resilient through adversity.

The easy decision is to give up when things are not going your way but I continued to work hard and now I am a professionally contracted player.” Red Force: Kyle Hope (Overseas), Isaiah Rajah, Yannic Cariah, Roshon Primus (Overseas), Imran Khan, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster, Marlon Richards, Sheldon Cottrell (Overseas), Bryan Charles, Kissoondath Magram (Round 1 Draft), Khary Pierre (Round 2 – Draft), Steven Katwaroo (Round 3 – Draft), Ewart Nicholson (Round 4 – Draft), Akeil Cooper (Round 5 – Draft).

A tiny school sandwiched between Cocoyea and Palmyra (almost unnoticeable), its students excelled under unfavourable conditions.

While students of other schools studied and wrote the SE A in cool classrooms, St Clement’s students had to put up with limited resources and hot classrooms.

With the odds stacked firmly against them, three students passed for Naparima Girls High School with one placing as high as 51st (Justine Gooding). Approximately 40 percent got either their first or second choices.

One could imagine what this school can accomplish if it receives a “facelift.” I am asking Minister of Education Anthony Garcia to please help improve the conditions of this school, especially the hot classrooms. Who knows, next year’s top student may well come from here.

L ROOPNARINE proud parent

A leader, whether man or woman, can be of a level of integrity attracting vigorous allies, but with a sense of judgment that works through very low community standards.

In such a case the modes of civic assessment would not be based on the worthiest denominators.

Indeed, they would tend to postpone improvement if not devolve more and more to the lowest common denominators.

These would show in the signs of the things that occupy political correctness and in the types of laws and debates being sought and sustained.

The compliant could accept to operate to that level of conscience and progress, because it works for them and it can be profitable. Gaining ground, constraints become stronger, eventually in the long term gripping the society in ethical malaise, dulled consciences, conformisms and resignation; later turning downright evil.

Are there aspects of this in our nation? The smart gets richer. Gangs are cultivated and then suffer with death. Abortion — malice aforethought — is protected quietly. The most ridiculous things are discussed and actually happen. The international position is left totally disparate. The leadership subsists within and without various types of accountableness.

And the rest of the people and the environment pay for it.

E GALY via email

“I have no doubt that Mr Justice Barrow will serve the citizens of the Caribbean with fervour and with the wisdom, strength of character and sense of fairness that has characterised his distinguished career. We are grateful to have him on the bench of the CCJ and as a part of the leadership team at the Court.” He said Justice Barrow has had judicial appointments across the region, served on the International Labour Organisation’s Committee of Experts and has had a career in private practice for more than four decades.

Justice Barrow is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, with a Bachelor of Laws, and received a Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School.

The release said, in 2007, Justice Barrow was selected by the Bar Association of Belize for its prestigious Custos Justitiae Award for excellence in the practice of law.

He was also awarded the insignia for Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his distinguished service to Belize and the field of law in 2012. Justice Barrow said, “It is a great honour to sit with a group of Judges whose erudition, reasoned judgements and service to the region I have admired.

I also pay tribute to Mr Justice Rolston Nelson, who recently left the bench, for his indelible contribution.” He continued, “It is an honour to defend the rights of the citizens of the Caribbean, and one which I do not take lightly. I am truly a Caribbean man, having lived and worked in many nations, and serving in a court that defends our rights, staffed by those who live in the region fills me with pride.” Justice Barrow was selected from among applicants from the Caribbean, North America and Eastern Europe

AB De Villiers, one of the top batsmen in the world, was also tremendously impressed with the young man at last year’s CPL tournament in which Pooran was outstanding. He predicted a bright future for Pooran in West indies cricket. The T20 team to play India was selected recently but Pooran’s name was nowhere to be found.

Instead we have retreads like Chris Gayle and for the umpteenth time Marlon Samuels still being selected. And how many opportunities does Chad Walton and Evin Lewis deserve? Things continue to go from bad to worse in our cricket.

Meanwhile Darren Bravo continues to be punished for a seemingly harmless tweet. His batting is desperately needed in the team at the moment.

The worst part in all of this is how complacent the WI media seem to be. Exactly where is our cricket heading?

TONY BOODHOO Canada

When Frank Worrell, Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards led the West Indies to a position of dominance in world cricket, it built our stature as a people.

The breathtaking performance of the West Indies cricket team in the historic Test match against South Africa reminded the people of TT and the rest of the West Indies of the supremacy of cricket as a force to be reckoned with and an inspiration that we can achieve positive things together and leave a legacy.

Coaches need to identify talent in as many of our young people as possible at an early age and get them involved in the sport of cricket because it will have a beneficial effect in getting youngsters to stay away from trouble.

When the West Indies cricket team was in its glory days it served as a catalysts for social and traditional cohesion.

West Indian cricket needs to be revived as soon as possible since it has tremendous crime prevention potential because it connects positively with the social fabric of groups and communities.

Instead of allowing outside forces to breed young criminals, our coaches need to aggressively scout for young talent and mentor them into the future Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidges and Brian Laras who all possessed a will to win and a sense that they were playing for something more than themselves and more than just money.

SIMON WRIGHT Chaguanas