The historic competition, which runs until Sunday, has also received a big financial boost of $100,000 from Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, and Tobago East MP, Ayanna Webster-Roy.

The sponsorship cheque was handed over to a happy Kerwin John, president of the Tobago Cricket Association (TCA), at the ministry’s office, Orange Hill Road last Thursday. John is also an executive member of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board.

Minister Webster-Roy said she was very pleased with the initiative and the effort of John to promote cricket in the sister isle. “Through initiatives like these, we are hoping to reach as many Tobagonians as possible so that they can understand that the Office of the Prime Minister is here as an agency working for the development of all of Tobago,” said Webster-Roy.

The four-day cricket fiesta, which is branded the “CAST Tobago Power Blast,” has attracted four teams battling for a winner’s purse of $40,000.

Adding great interest is the participation of two of the nation’s biggest clubs, FCB Clarke Road United of Penal, and recently crowned National Twenty20 winners Merryboys of Diego Martin. Cricket fans will also get the opportunity to see players of the calibre of homeboy Lincoln Roberts, Rayad Emrit, Sherwin Ganga, Yannick Ottley, Imran Khan and Shazan Babwah in action.

John said that matches will be played the Cyd Gray Sporting Complex in Roxborough, and Shaw Park in Scarborough.

There will be a token entrance fee of $20 for general admission, and $60 for the popular party stand. There is also the option of a season pass for $70 for all four days of the tournament.

Cast Tobago Power Blast Fixtures: Thursday, June 29 – Merry Boys vs Tobago Smashers (3 pm), Roxborough; FCB Clarke Road vs YML&THR United (6:30 pm), Roxborough.

Friday, June 30 – Tobago Smashers vs Clarke Road, Shaw Park, (12 noon; YML&THR United vs Merryboys, Roxborough, 7pm.

Saturday, July 1 – Tobago Smashers vs YML& THR United, (3pm), Roxborough; Merryboys vs FCB Clarke Road, Roxborough, 6:30 pm .

Sunday, July 2 – 3rd vs 4th (3 pm), Roxborough; 1st vs 2nd (6:30 pm), Roxborough. Presentation Function (10 pm)

The players are all ready for action with the coaches putting in significant work to bring them up to match fitness for this year’s regional tournament.

Trinidad and Tobago will be contesting both boys and girls under 13, under 15, under 17 and under 19 divisions in the individual and team categories of the tournament.

The team leaves tomorrow in order to arrive, settle and acclimatise to the Guyana courts which are traditionally much hotter and as such faster than our players are accustomed to.

The tournament will take place from Sunday to Saturday, July 8.

The team is coached by David Scott and managed by Julien Henry.

TT team: Christopher Anthony, Seth Figueira, Jonathan Blanc, Nicholas Caddle, Kobie Khan, Nicholas Shaw, Joshua Poon, Chelsea Leequay, Marie Claire Barcant, Alexandra Yearwood, Aimee De Vertieul, Jinan Al Rawi, Chloe Amelia Walcott, Sigourney Williams and Seth Thong.

Perhaps we need to ask how serious a problem is natural disasters.

The evidence on the cost of natural disasters using the EM-DAT (EM-DAT database is compiled by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters) database over the period 1970 – 2013, shows that the Caribbean was affected by some 302 natural disasters. These caused 233,342 deaths, injured 310,672 and rendered 1,868,477 persons homeless. The estimated monetary value placed on the damage brought on by these disasters was US$41.81 billion. Natural disasters have deleterious effects on economic growth, worsen balance of payments (exports fall and imports rise), negatively affect the fiscal balance (taxes fall and expenditure rises) and last but certainly not least, result in an increase in public debt. In addition, when Caribbean countries are affected by disasters and aggregate demand falls, so does imports from Trinidad and Tobago.

It is also important to remember that a natural disaster might be experienced within a five-year period for many a Caribbean country, with some having disasters more frequently than others. Data suggests that a disaster can affect government revenues on average by more than five percent of annual budgeted revenues.

Heads of Government of the CARICOM asked for World Bank assistance in improving access to catastrophe risk insurance. The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) was established to provide its members with access to affordable and effective coverage against natural disasters. However, the sums available are neither wholly adequate to compensate for the destruction and devastation caused, nor are distributions timely in the throes of disaster. Although insured, many Caribbean countries are still forced to fund their emergency expenditures with substantial amounts of debt. The CCRIF is insufficient to address the challenge that natural disasters present to Caribbean countries.

It is against this backdrop that the Prime Minister may want to ask his Minister of Finance to look at establishing a Caribbean Stabilisation Fund and a Catastrophe Fund which will provide the respective budgetary support in the face of a collapse in earnings from the main export sector after a disaster, and funding for replacement of infrastructure damaged in environmental events.

These two facilities are also meant to prevent disasters from adding to national debt as countries should no longer have to borrow the resources required to rebuild infrastructure that may have been damaged or destroyed.

The small island states of the Caribbean do not have the capacity to absorb the financial impacts of natural disasters; this includes our country.

Caribbean countries have been highly vulnerable to natural disasters. A stabilisation fund, designed to serve as emergency financing to help them address the issue of volatile and unpredictable revenue losses that can arise from these disasters, could be of significant value. A regional fund would facilitate the pooling of resources and spreading of risks, as well as provide access to higher levels of financing. This regional fund could be viewed as a safety net for Caribbean countries, contributing to sustained buoyancy of the economies, given their vulnerability to natural disasters. This could prove beneficial to exporters from Trinidad and Tobago who could expect to see sustained exports even in in the face of natural disasters.

Another benefit of such a mechanism is that it could impact on the sovereign rating of individual Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Without such a fund, the SIDS’ ability to repay debt after a natural disaster can be compromised, and its sovereign rating downgraded. A stabilisation fund would contribute to maintaining the stability of a country’s rating. A potentially stable rating would require less risk capital being set aside by potential investors.

The stabilisation fund would be best implemented in conjunction with an initiative of debt relief for the Caribbean. Whether the debt relief is immediate or phased, the ability of Caribbean countries to contribute to the stabilisation fund would be enhanced if there is increased fiscal space. In this regard, the Prime Minister needs to be urged to pursue his initiative with ECLAC to find a workable plan for debt relief for the Caribbean.

In addition, a Catastrophe Fund should also be considered to operate separately and apart from the CCRIF and will serve as a reserve pool managed similarly to the Stabilisation Fund, which would allow the contribution of each country to accumulate annually if no disaster were to occur. The Fund should have as its main objective the replacement of infrastructure and productive capacity that are destroyed or damaged by weather events, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, or other disasters over which countries have no control.

Perhaps given the recent experience of Bret, and the good fortune of not more serious and extensive damage, it may prompt us to consider these ideas to put in place mechanisms to deal with far more devastating natural events.

All five enterprises have also been awarded spots in PitchIT Caribbean business accelerators across the region.

After two rigorous days of pitching to two different panels of judges and an audience of regional and global investors, SENSI (Grenada), Nestd (Trinidad and Tobago), Kraasimages (Jamaica), Isle&Dine (Barbados) and The LocaL App (Antigua & Barbuda) were chosen from 25 tech teams representing seven Caribbean territories.

PitchIt’s Chief Coach Sergiu Escobar, Managing Director of Canada’s Founders Institute, also presented three finalists, Kraasimages of Jamaica, nDuna and LoanFren from Trinidad and Tobago with US$300 worth of Budgeto Access, the institute’s online platform that helps entrepreneurs with budgeting.

LoanFren also received 6-12 months of individual coaching by Escobar and coach Damion Daley, a Jamaican software architect and Tamu Petra Browne (Trinidad and Tobago).

Deputy Prime Minister of St Kitts, Shawn Richards pledged the continued support of his government in promoting entrepreneurship in St Kitts as an effort to lower unemployment in the country. “A carpenter becomes a builder and grows a large building company,” he said, alluding to how acquired skills can help develop a nation.

St Kitts & Nevis has already invested $8 million through the Caribbean Development Bank in several different technical vocational education and training projects designed to enhance entrepreneurial skills beginning at the secondary school level.

A total of 25 tech entrepreneurs from nine countries across the Caribbean participated in the competition, which aims to highlight and support the growth of the region’s top talent in tech app development.

Finalists by country were: The LocaL App of Antigua &Barbuda, Isle&Dine, Podium & Pocket Shop of Barbados, Oruh, Tect, Lynck & CariFind of Dominica, SENSI of Grenada, Munchies of Guyana, Link Your Purpose, Kraasimages, My Lending Angel, App@round, OneShapp & ResearchAid+ of Jamaica, Pazport of St. Lucia, MyStudyLibrary of St Vincent & the Grenadines, GrocerY, WEV, Parlay T&T, Nestd, LoanFren Limited, nDuna & Trust PIN of Trinidad and Tobago.

PitchIT Caribbean is a program aimed at enhancing the mobile app development ecosystem across CARICOM.

It is designed to accelerate mobile app entrepreneurs through the startup life cycle, which runs from ideation to pitch, from pitch to market and from market to maturity.

It currently supports four hubs, one each in Barbados, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago.

PitchIT Caribbean is the central operation of the Caribbean Mobile Innovation Project, which is part of the Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean (EPIC), an initiative funded by the government of Canada and executed by infoDev/ World Bank Group, through a threeparty Caribbean consortium, led by UWI Consulting Inc., working along with Mona School of Business and Management, and Mona Business Support Services.

Police took the lead on the stroke of halftime through Kenwin Matthew but the Guaya squad, spurred on by their fans at the Guayaguayare Recreation Ground, responded with three goals in the space of 18 minutes, from Carlon Hughes (55th), Glenton Wolfe (66th) and Marcus Ramkhalawan (73rd).

This was Guaya’s third straight win of the season, which saw them stay ahead of Defence Force (nine points) by virtue of a superior goal difference.

The Army-Coast Guard combination took care of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT ) by a 2-0 margin at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

An own goal put Defence Force in front after 48 minutes while veteran Michael Edwards found the back of the net in the 75th.

This game was the second of back-to-back matches at the Couva venue, with Cunupia FC earning a similar 2-0 victory over 1976 Phoenix FC, courtesy of a double from Michael Darko (34th and 63rd).

At the Mt Gomery Recreation Ground, WASA FC pipped hosts Bethel United 2-1. Glen Walker (seventh) and Phillip Nelson (87th) were the goal-getters for WASA while ex-national defender Makan Hislop responded for Bethel.

Club Sando Moruga and Siparia Spurs battled to a goalless draw at Grand Chemin Recreation Ground in Moruga while the meeting between Queen’s Park and FC Santa Rosa, at the St Mary’s Ground in St Clair, was cancelled due to improper marking on the playing field.

Action in Super League Two also got going on Saturday with three matches. Prisons brushed aside Marabella Family Crisis Centre 4-1 at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.

Ricardo Alleyne registered a hattrick (32nd, 40th and 47th) while Kwasi Jeffrey (80th) netted the other for Prisons. Junior Asson (64th) got the consolation for Marabella.

Central 500 Spartans came from a set down to defeat Perseverance Ball Runners 3-1 at the Edinburgh 500 Recreation Ground, Chaguanas.

Kerron Smith put Perseverance ahead in the eighth minute before Spartans responded with a double from Donovan Derrick (50th and 90th) and one from Ryan Frederick (72nd).

Youth Stars and Harlem Strikers battled to a 3-3 draw at Roxborough Complex. Kevin Woodley (14th and 88th) and L’Che Edwards (74th) were on target for Youth Stars while Victor de Silva (35th), Leroy Whyle (56th) and Wendell Archibald (90th) replied for Harlem Strikers.

The competition was themed Recycling for a Better Tomorrow and the watchwords were reuse, recycle and reduce.

The 26 competitors came from schools such as Marac in Moruga, Barrackpore AS JA, St Clement’s Vedic, Tortuga Government, Nipal Presbyterian, St Mary’s Government, Princes Town AS JA, Santa Maria RC, Iere Government, Mt Pleasant Government, Sixth Company Anglican and Nipal Presbyterian.

The judging team of agricultural officers Reynold Ramdial, Joanne Ramsamooj and Saleem Shah had a difficult task as posters produced were of high quality, perfectly depicting the theme, said a media release.

County Victoria 4H co-ordinator Anuradha Pooran Ramroop commended the 4H’ers and voluntary leaders for their dedication to the programme.

County agricultural officer Sati Gangapersad engaged the 4H’ers in a discussion on recycling, underlining the criticality of young people as the leaders of future generations championing environmental sustainability to ensure a better tomorrow.

This scenario can be replicated any number of times, as we see and experience patterns where our work, experiences, qualifications and offerings are usually received with guarded embrace, whilst those being ‘imported’ sometimes to do the same task, with the same level and weight of qualification and experience earn more respect and remuneration. There are many contributing factors to the levels of self-denial we experience and sometimes participate in, factors including, race, gender, competence and nationality, among others.

Sometimes the experience is just the opposite, where we present ourselves in other territories and receive rousing positive feedback, whilst wondering why such experiences cannot be replicated ‘at home’.

I recently returned from a very successful journey in Antigua and Barbuda, where, in collaboration with partners, hosted another installation of a motivational series for women, titled Oxygen with Nicole. This event was supported by the Antigua Barbuda Festivals Commission, with the venue being sponsored by the Blue Waters Resort and Spa. The event also collaborated with the Miss Antigua Barbuda Pageant. The point is, all parties involved, saw the benefit of staging such an event.

They recognised the intrinsic benefit to all participants involved, as well as the value of developing the regional footprint, and went all out to ensure its success. This event [Oxygen with Nicole], was hosted before in Guyana with similar effort by the various government institutions.

The regional footprint continues to develop at such a pace, that others island nations have verbalized interest in hosting such an event on their doorsteps.

This topic will most certainly evoke emotionally charged responses, as I have received such a large number of similar experiences where local parties never really feel or believe they are valued in their own territory. These experiences do not stop at simply business, entrepreneurship or academia, as our lack of conscious development and support of our own, extends to the treatment of our cultural and natural resource pool. We are on the verge of squandering our heritage sources and pools, with little being done in terms of preserving these goldmines for future inheritance.

We see demonstrated almost daily, the destruction of our historic buildings, with their own stories and pasts, with little effort being placed into heritage protection and preservation. The lack of sensitivity extends to our heritage sites, parks, and other natural and man-made resources. Very soon, our children may not even be aware of the history of Carnival, the stories of Lopinot, the importance of Chaguaramas, or the disappearing fields of the Central Plains.

The issue of valuing who and what you are is built into the larger value discussion of whom and what we place value upon. If we place less value on our people, our resources, our environment, our past, present and future, then we shall always see more value placed on what is not intrinsic to us..

Selected by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TT CB), the St Mary’s College ‘A’ side captain has been having a fantastic 2017 season, accumulating over 600 runs and taking over 25 wickets – the highlight being back-to-back centuries (110 and 122 not out) in successive days in U-14 and U-16 games.

“ANSA McAL is confident that the skills and experience that Matthew will gain through this sporting initiative will translate into marketable leadership skills which will serve him well in the future,” a press release stated

Ramkissoon, 37, who was unrepresented by counsel, pleaded guilty to all three charges.

Court prosecutor Cleydon Seedan said that at about 10. 45 pm last week Thursday, while walking along Golconda Settlement Road, Ramkissoon approached his neighbour Marcus Omadally and pointed a gun at him. Omadally and ran off and later made a report to Ste Madeleine police.

The following day at 5.30 am, WPC Leeann Boodram and other officers went on enquiries and saw Ramkissoon walking along the road holding a plastic bag.

The court heard that Ramkissoon looked in the direction of the police and ran off. He was arrested.

On searching the bag, police found a gun, a magazine with one round of ammunition and a container with 50 rounds of ammunition.

On the charge of gun possession, Magistrate Antoine sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment with hard labour and one year each for the ammunition and common assault. The sentences are to run concurrently.

An autopsy was performed on Tuesday at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. A grieving male relative promised not to rest until the murderer is found. “We will find him,” he told Newsday.

“We will not rest.

For her to die like that is not fair. If she was in an accident, the family could have reconciled. But not this way.” Phillip, 28, was found dead in her home on Thompson Street in Gasparillo on Sunday morning.

Her body was discovered by a neighbour shortly before 10 am.

Phillip’s daughter Kayla, eight, who has cerebral palsy and attends the Lady Hochoy Home in Gasparillo, was not in the house when her mother was murdered.

The child spent the night at her grandmother’s apartment which is located on the same premises where Phillip was killed.

The relative told Newsday that on Saturday, Phillip was extremely tired having spent the entire day attending a meeting of the Cerebral Palsy Association.

He said Phillip dedicated her life to her daughter and often raised funds on her own to offset Kayla’s medical expenses.

Phillip will be cremated tomorrow following a 3.30 pm funeral service at Guide’s Funeral Home in San Fernando.