Art Basel, an international art fair with three annual shows in Switzerland, Florida, and Hong Kong, brings together artists, buyers and students and showcases contemporary works by established and emerging artists. Ranked as the premier art show of Europe, the Basel fair offers a choice platform for renowned artists and galleries from June 15 – 18.

Each year, Davidoff Cigars, an associate partner of Art Basel, commissions artwork for a set of limited edition products. Warner was selected to create five images for the 2017 collection. One thousand impressions of each of his five designs have been produced and are now available to the public.

In addition, Warner created a special series of three prints in which he projected the Nature Reimagined images onto himself and made self-portraits.

These images, limited to 25 copies of each, were also debuted at the Art Basel Collectors’ Lounge.

Warner also showed new work at Basel Meeting Point, a popup event hosted by Davidoff Art Initiative in collaboration with My Art Guides. The artist created an installation and invited visitors to stand in the light of his projected animation and be photographed.

The installation was a hit, as visitors queued daily for their chance to be a part of it, said a media release.

“We made hundreds of photos of the many visitors and printed the photographs on the spot as a take-away for each participant,” Warner said.

His limited edition and collector’s edition works were also available and on display at Basel Meeting Point.

Albertine Kopp, manager of the Davidoff Art Initiative, said: “It has been extremely enriching to discover more of Rodell Warner’s world and approach to the arts while working with him on the Davidoff Limited Art Edition.

“Especially during Art Basel, Rodell opened up a whole new view and created wonderful connections with the installation at the Basel Meeting Point.

The collaboration could not represent better the aim of the programme, it is all about creating, connecting and tasting the new world.” The experience was a positive one for the artist as well: “This was my first visit to Europe, and my first time at a major art fair,” he says. “I learned a lot. It was incredibly inspiring, to say the least.

“Now I’m creating a new body of work and will soon be occupying a studio at Alice Yard’s Granderson Lab in Belmont.” Warner is a recipient of the 2011 Commonwealth Connections International Arts Residency and the 2014 summer residency at NLS Kingston.

His works have also been exhibited at The Whitney Museum of American Art, and The National Gallery of Jamaica.

Established 18 years ago, the organisation’s main objectives are the education and rehabilitation of each boy, providing them with a sense of purpose in life and a feeling of dignity.

There are 14 young residents at the home in the ten – 17 year age group.

With an end goal of fostering productive, law-abiding citizens, all the residents are mandated to attend school at the various levels. Thus, laying the groundwork for gainful employment and preparing them to take their rightful place in society.

The Massy Foundation provides annual financial support to the home. The funds are used to assist the residents with their educational needs and assist in numerous extracurricular activities.

Rainbow Rescue’s CEO Judy Wilson said in a media release: “It is vital for our boys to maintain a well-balanced, stable and structured lifestyle. The programmes we have in place include private tutors and volunteers who assist with homework supervision, spiritual upliftment, recreational and sporting activities, first aid training and in-house counselling sessions with our social workers.

“These programmes have made a vast improvement in the boys’ lives, aiding them in graduating with five or more O’Level passes.

This has allowed a number of them to continue their studies at the University of the West Indies. We have had past residents who went on to obtain jobs in both the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment and the Coast Guard. One has gone on to work in the construction industry, while others have become electricians, security guards, library clerks and in one case, a veterinary assistant.” Gaston Aguilera, chairman of the Massy Foundation praised the home. “We wish to congratulate the management and staff of Rainbow Rescue for the excellent work they have diligently undertaken over the past 18 years. The foundation admires the holistic direction the organisation has taken in ensuring that these young men receive a fresh start in life. We are therefore happy to play a decisive part to the development of the residents at the home.” Wilson praised the foundation for its ongoing contributions which allow Rainbow Rescue to continue its labour of love.

She also indicated that there are various projects that arise on an ad-hoc basis, including the renovation of the home’s study area.

Donations from corporate and individual sponsors, as well as mentors and volunteers willing to assist the young men are greatly needed and highly appreciated, the release said.

In a media release on Thursday, Maharaj said the time has come for Parliament to “consider the reform of our Constitution to allow, after proper checks and balances, for the right of our citizens to bear arms.” He said the PNM and UNC has to “stop playing games” and immediately “come together in the national interest and find a way to deal with the savagery and brutality of a crime scourge wreaking havoc on innocent citizens.

“It cannot be that men, women and children are being slaughtered without remorse, that robbery and rape now seems to be a norm, that criminals are running amok without fear and our Parliamentarians are content to sit on their behinds and accuse each other of being racist, with bantering, picong and old talk being the norm in Parliament.” Maharaj said the special Parliamentary sitting should have as its objective, finding immediate short-term, medium-term and longterm solutions to the crime problem.

“(This sitting) must be televised live for the nation to observe and comment (and) every single member of Parliament must speak and give a point of view.

“We must fight fire with fire and the State must lead the charge in ensuring that every citizen is able to enjoy their constitutional right to enjoyment of property and to live in safety and security without fear or terror.” He also called for the implementation of the death penalty as a “just and fitting punishment for certain deliberate and pre-meditated horrific crimes committed” by people who were killing without remorse.

“Those who have violated the human rights of innocent law-abiding citizens must themselves be stripped of the right to escape punishment.

They must no longer be allowed to continue destroying the society and the lives of law-abiding citizens.” And regarding the right to bear arms, Maharaj said “Innocent law-abiding citizens cannot continue to be sheep and fodder for criminals to whom the ownership of illegal firearms is a norm without fear of the law. “Citizens must be given a fighting chance to defend themselves.

The law cannot continue to operate to the detriment of our law-abiding citizens by stripping them of the means of defending themselves.”

If a community that numbers less than one-half of one percent of our population is sufficiently powerful to “summon” the members of a sitting (PNM) government to one of its members’ home for pre-election meetings, as the press reported that the Sabga family had done prior to the 2010 general election, then that family does indeed wield significant power.

When they tell the PNM to “jump,” the party’s leadership, it seems, simply has to ask “how high?” Mario’s words, therefore, are by no means “careless.” They convey in a factually truthful manner this country’s existing political reality.

If he is “guilty” of anything, it is his candour. What he deems to be “careless words” encapsulate our current social, economic and political reality.

While some may see them as “tactless words” they are neither “careless” nor are they dishonest words.

The other reality on which his dinner guest touched is the attrition of the middle class in Trinidad.

This is also an indisputable fact. So what is all the hullabaloo about? Evolution of “structure” within the political, social and economic ordering of a society is not a chance occurrence.

That a minuscule minority today controls the commanding heights of our present global economy has not happened by accident. It has been an insidious ongoing project that had its seeds planted at Bretton Woods and has been in the process of inexorable execution since then.

The single most powerful facilitating agency has been a global realpolitik that has shaped the political and economic order in a zero sum game that transfers more and more wealth to the rich while simultaneously dispossessing the poor.

One or two countries have produced conscious leaders who had the moral courage to raise their voices against this injustice. They and the countries they led have been swallowed by the capitalist leviathan that is fuelled by individual greed.

Who or what are the objects of our wrath? What has served to ignite our sense of outrage? What was the purpose of Ian Smart’s protest? To whom has he directed his disgust? Why did he choose to protest in front of one of the businesses owned by the Syrian community? Could any numerical minority group anywhere advance itself to the very pinnacle of the economy in which it exists in the absence of a paternalistic facilitator? Frenetic and mutual back-scratching must be the order of the day. So what, does Smart not know this? If two groups are scratching each other’s back, why single one out as the object of scorn? The people of this country are too nice yes. They have determined that they will not allow their “jammin’” to be interrupted by the inconvenience of truth.

STEVE SMITH via email

Cooper, who is currently on West Indies Under-19 duty, won the Premiership Cricketer of the Year award.

The Naparima College student scored 387 runs at an average of 64.5 in seven innings. His highest score was 125 not out. He was also a useful bowler, grabbing six wickets in the season with his best figures being five for 12.

Thurton’s statistics were similar on his way to the Championship Cricketer of the Year award.

Playing for St Benedict’s College, Thurton amassed 395 runs in seven innings at an average of 65.8.

His highest score was 162. With the ball, Thurton snatched 16 wickets including a spell of 4/10.

Abdool won the Girls Cricketer of the Year award after an excellent all-round performance for Barrackpore East Secondary.

Abdool averaged 84.75 after scoring 339 runs in five innings with a highest score of 100. Abdool was solid with the ball also, taking 16 wickets including a spell of 5/10.

Head engineering reliability and support services at Powergen, Krishna Rampersad; Arjoon Ramlal of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board; president of the SSCL Surujdath Mahabir, and West Indies leg spinner Samuel Badree all spoke at the ceremony.

Badree, who is also a curriculum officer at the Ministry of Education, encouraged the young cricketers to persevere as he took a long time to make it to the highest level. Badree said, “I never played any youth cricket for Trinidad and Tobago, no Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 or Under- 19. I never made any of those teams yet I was able to represent not only Trinidad and Tobago but also the West Indies team.

Do not be deterred if at first you do not succeed, try and try again.” Badree, one of the top ranked T20 bowlers in the world, urged the youngsters to not neglect their public-speaking as being able to articulate yourself is important.

He said a number of West Indies cricketers struggle to express themselves during interviews.

“I want to encourage you young boys and girls as part of your personal development to work on your public speaking skills.

As a cricketer, at any point in time you will want to get the man of the match, you will want to become the best player,” he said.

Badree used the example of former West Indies and Guyanese batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul who found it difficult to take part in interviews when he broke into the West Indies team in the mid-1990s. Chanderpaul has improved over the years, and now talks fluently during interviews.

HONOUR ROLL
Premiership
Runners up – Fatima College
Winners – Hillview College

National Winners Super Sixes
Runners up – Barrackpore West Secondary School
Winner – Hillview College

Under-14
Runners up – Presentation College, Chaguanas
Winner – Hillview College

Under-16
Runners up – Shiva Boys Hindu College
Winner – Hillview College

Seniors League (50 Overs)
Runners Up – Queen’s Royal College
Winner – ASJA Boys College (Charlieville)

Seniors T20
Runners up – North Eastern College
Winners – ASJA Boys College (Charlieville)

National Championship
Runners up – Signal Hill Secondary School
Winner – St Benedict’s College

Intercol Finals
Girls Open Division
Runners up – Swaha Hindu College
Winner – St Stephen’s College

Boys T20
Runners up – Naparima Boys College
Winner – Hillview College

Special Awards
Coach of the Year – Richard Kelly
School of the Year – Hillview College (won Super Sixes, Under-14, Under-16, Premiership, Intercol)

Service to Cricket – William Wallace

Three Girls Cricketers of the Year
Ellenor Nixon – Swaha Hindu College
Shania Abdool – Barrackpore East Secondary School
Leah Mohammed – St Stephen’s College

Three North Championship Cricketers of the Year
Joshua James – Signal Hill Secondary
Daveon Shanghie – Signal Hill Secondary
Darriel Ramdenny – Manzanilla Secondary

Three South Championship Cricketers of the Year
Crystian Thurton – St Benedict’s College
Mbeki Joseph – St Benedict’s College
Marcus Samaroo – St Benedicts College

Three Premiership Cricketers of the Year
Sachin Seecharan – Hillview College
Cephas Cooper – Naparima Boys College
Emilo Gopaul – Presentation College, Chaguanas

Girls Cricketer of the Year Shania Abdool
Championship Cricketer of the Year Crystian Thurton
Premiership Cricketer of the Year Cephas Cooper.

While we are grateful for the safe return of this well-known citizen, an even greater outcome will be the successful apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrating elements. In fact, that is now a matter of utmost importance given the risk of copycat crimes occurring. It has been reported that sums of money were paid as ransom.

We must express concern over whether this incident is the resumption of a dark and dangerous chapter in our history. The kidnapping-for-ransom problem peaked years ago but under former Minister of National Security Martin Joseph was virtually eliminated.

While Joseph’s overall tenure can be criticised for record-high murder rates, no one disputes that it was under his watch that the kidnapping problem was eradicated.

But should we interpret this week’s developments as a worrying sign of resurgence? The Police Service, the Anti- Kidnapping Unit, the Cyber Security Unit, the Task Force, the Criminal Investigation Department, and the Strategic Services Agency must be given the tools and resources they need in order to get the job done.

This is not only a matter of protecting funding, but also implementing plans that have long been drawn up for the benefit of these entities.

There is also an international aspect to the crime problem which must also draw the attention of officials.

The confluence of transnational crime with local criminal enterprise cannot be underestimated.

This is particularly so in a country which has been deemed vulnerable to various forms of trafficking, whether of drugs, of arms or of human beings. Often, there are interstices with money laundering. The impact of these shadowy activities on surface crime levels is a matter that is not adequately mapped. Indeed, this is the design of those involved in such activities.

Our crime situation is serious, but we should also be concerned about regional developments.

For example, the deterioration of the crime situation in Jamaica is a direct threat to regional security and prosperity. According to police statistics, up to Tuesday, 712 people were murdered, compared with 593 people over the same period last year. This represents an increase of 119 or 20 percent.

In response, the Jamaican government has promulgated legislation to give law enforcement authorities power to treat designated areas as hot spots, with commensurate powers to search premises and vehicles without warrant. In this country, joint police and army patrols and resulting “lockdowns” have become the status quo, even if there is no tailor-made legislation for these activities.

An attempt to pass such a law lapsed in the last Parliament.

Over in neighbouring Venezuela, the situation is even more perilous with crime and violence coming against a backdrop of a crippling economic crisis that is threatening tremendous political upheaval.

These matters affect us in various ways. They destabilise economies we need for our own economic recovery. And they also set in motion demographic shifts, introducing new hazards to our shores.

It is hoped Thursday’s close call will spur authorities to nip in the bud any developments which could worsen the picture in the long run.

But the spotlight was on 11 year old Alyssa Ramlakhan, this country’s first diver, who won gold in the springboard 12-13 female category.

Ramlakhan, one of TT’s youngest divers, set the stage for more golden performances from the TT contingent for the remainder of the Championships.

Gabriella Donahue copped gold in the final of the Girls 13-14 50m Backstroke event when she stopped the clock at 30:73 seconds, setting a national record in the event. Bermuda’s Logan Watson-Brown and Danielle Titus, representing Barbados, joined her on the podium as they clocked 31:44 and 31:45, respectively.

Dylan Carter snatched gold and broke the national record, yet again, in the 18 & Over 100M Butterfly with a time of 52:73 seconds, lowering the previous record and his preliminary round time of 53:87 seconds. Christian Awah also secured the silver medal for TT in the race with his time of 55:78 while N’Nhym Fernander of the Bahamas earned bronze in 56:07.

In the Women’s 18 & Over backstroke, TT also took the gold and silver medals after Kristen Julien and Ariel Cape stopped the clock at 30:39 and 31:05, respectively, ahead of Panama’s Nimia Melisa Mura time of 31:18 in third.

Team TTO scored the majority of the points in the relays after winning the 200m Freestyle in both the Mixed 13-14 and Mixed 18 & Over events. Jonathan Constantine, Aqueel Joseph, DeNicha Lewis and Jada Chatoor finished ahead of their competitors in the 13-14 age group with a time of one minute and 46 seconds. They were trailed by Puerto Rico who finished in 1:48:11, and Bermuda’s 1:48:49.

In the 18 & Over category, a similar scenario took place when local athletes Joshua Romary, Dylan Cater, Kristen Julien and Cherelle Thompson claimed the goal medal in a national record time of 1:38:40.

They were also followed by the Puerto Ricans who set a national record of their own with a time of 1:42:33. Panama and Cuba both stopped the clock at 1:44:63 as they tied for third.

Despite setting a record of their own in the Mixed 15-17 200M freestyle event, the local athletes’ had to settle for silver behind the Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico’s new national record for the event stands at 1:40:46 whereas TT’s record of 1:41:44 held off Panama’s own record time of 1:42:25.

Jamaica stole the show in the Mixed 11-12 category of the same event as they broke their record with a time of 1:49:70. Bermuda joined in on the record-breaking action, stopping the clock at 1:50:09 as they claimed the silver medal. TT’s youths which included Kadon Williams, Zarek Wilson, Savannah Chee-Wah and Zoe Anthony followed the script with a record of their own to cop the bronze in 1:51:03.

“I can tell you categorically that from the time the kidnapping occurred, the police were involved. A crime was committed and therefore the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service was activated through the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, the Cyber Crime Unit, the CID and the Task Force,” Dillon told members of the media yesterday at the opening ceremony for the Maracas, St Joseph Police Station at El Chorro Road.

He was speaking on the kidnapping of businessman Gregory Laing, who was freed on Thursday after relatives paid a $270,000 ransom to the kidnappers.

Laing’s kidnapping was the first kidnapping for ransom for 2017.

For the past three years, Dillon said there were three kidnappings each year.

“While I concerned about any kidnapping whether it’s one or two and three, we will do all that we can through law enforcement and the Ministry of National Security to act as a deterrent to kidnapping as much as we can,” he said.

Dillon said the police did everything they could during the investigation into Laing’s abduction.

“One has to understand in a situation like that you will have a lot of emotions, justifiably so, but there is a certain kind of procedure that has to take place.

Of course the TTPS has a role to play and they cannot do it that in the absence of family members.

There has to be some sort of cooperation and collaboration between law enforcement and family members as much as possible,” he said Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams said the Laing matter was still an active investigation.

“The release of a kidnap victim is extremely important to us, but that does not mean it is the end of an investigation.

A crime has been committed so it is critical for us to pursue the offenders. We did engage all the available resources from the time the information reached the police service and we pursued that investigation “The most important feature in relation to a kidnapping is keeping the kidnap victim alive and available and free from the kidnappers. A dead victim doesn’t help anything, it puts things in worse perspective,” he said.

Asked about photos of a uniformed officer near a marked police vehicle where the officer was captured with two six packs of beer, Williams said the matter will be addressed.

“I haven’t seen the photos, but I heard about them while driving to work this morning.

I can tell you if there are photos of police officers in uniform with marked police vehicles purchasing beers it undermines the Police Service and it is a matter which we will address,” the CoP assured.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia disclosed yesterday that the 13-year-old boy had been assigned to a secondary school near his Malabar hometown.

And while he did not identify the school, Garcia said he would speak to the school’s principal about the type of student Subar was and what his loss meant to the school. He also signalled his intention to visit Subar’s primary school, Ward’s Learning Living Centre, to speak to the student population.

Garcia was speaking to reporters after delivering an address at the Palo Seco Secondary School’s graduation ceremony yesterday.

He said he had not yet visited Subar’s parents although they were practically neighbours as he was not feeling well but promised to do so before the day ended yesterday.

“(We) will give as much assistance as we can whether it is emotional support, counselling, whatever (is needed) we will make it available to the parents.” SE A results are scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

Garcia also identified a faulty sewer system as being the source of ongoing protest action at the Preysal Government Primary School saying the Education Facilities Company Limited EFCL did tests two weeks ago and results showed that while there were no leaks in the sewer tank, the foul stench continued to persist.

“During the July/August vacation we will do a comprehensive review and when school opens in September the problem will not be there any longer,” he said.

And regarding those schools which were under construction and which had not been handed over to the ministry, he said ten schools had been identified and he was hoping that several would be completed in time for the new school term.

Speaking to the graduating class earlier, Garcia applauded them on their theme- “Far from finished”, saying they should take advantage of the many educational opportunities which were available to them as they entered a new phase in their lives.

“Aside from the customary post-secondary and tertiary offerings available, there are technical/ vocational opportunities available through such agencies as MIC, NESC, TTHTI and the National Training Agency,” he said.

“Whatever path you choose, if you take nothing else with you, always carry your integrity.

Never forget the values instilled in you by your school and your families,” he said.

However, before the adjournment was taken, Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat assured Opposition Senator Wade Mark that he was confident a new board will be appointed to the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Committee. Rambharat was responding to an appeal by Mark speaking on a motion on the adjournment of the Senate, that the committee shut down on September 12, 2015 and since then, the Government had not appointed a new board.

Mark said without a board a number of projects, including 24 housing projects, had stalled and this was causing extreme hardship to the prospective homeowners in terms of the delivery of mortgages and deeds, and the distribution of empty lots. He said he didn’t know what the Government had against cane farmers and sugar workers, having closed down Caroni Green and Caroni 1975 Limited. Mark said there was no plausible reason for the Government not to act, adding that in 2016 the Government had allocated $8 million to the committee in the Public Sector Investment Programme and that money would be returned to the Consolidated Fund because of the absence of the board.

Rambharat responded that the committee was one of three paid for by the proceeds from the export of sugar and since 2003 this country had stopped exporting sugar whereupon the rationale and money for the funding of the committees had simply disappeared.

He said the People’s National Movement government had offered the workers of Caroni 1975 a VSE P package resulting in more than 8000 workers getting a two-acre lot and over 7,800 of them receiving residential lands.

Rambharat said the programme has so far cost taxpayers more than $10 billion.