The tea will be hosted by Yvonne Webber, wife of the Australian High Commissioner, at their residence in Moka, Maraval. The event which is support by bmobile, will feature a silent art auction of the works of renowned local artists Beverley Fitzwilliam-Harries, Donald “Jackie” Hinkson, Abigail Sabeeney, Peter Sheppard and Trevor Rostant.

Chairman Anthony Inglefield explained that The Shelter is a safe house for survivors of domestic violence from all over the country.

Referrals mainly come from 800-SAVE but some are referred from the embassies, social workers, police stations and the Children’s Authority, and has on occasion also housed human trafficking victims.

The Shelter caters for up to 26 people and offers communal living where the women are encouraged to support each other.

“We accept boys up to ten years. However, we do try as much as possible to keep families together. Among the current residents, we have abused and abandoned children,” Inglefield said. “The length of stay at The Shelter varies on a case-by-case basis. The counselling provided guides how we manage their care and by extension their stay.

“We’ve had women stay for days to as much as a year. Unfortunately too, so many of them are financially vulnerable, they do not have anywhere to go. What we don’t want to happen is they go back into the abusive situation they escaped from. Our aim is to provide the support they need to leave feeling empowered and in control of their lives.” The Shelter offers temporary housing, counselling, meals, clothing medical services, legal assistance, food cards and assistance with job placement.

The Shelter seeks to ensure children continue their education by providing support such as uniforms, school supplies and activities for the children. It is also developing programmes for job training, life skills and a network of support services for the residents after they leave The Shelter.

Graeme Suite, TSTT’s senior manager, brand, public relations and external affairs, said: “Bmobile is excited to support the work of organisations like The Shelter that work to eliminate abuse and promote equality especially among vulnerable persons in our society.

We need to be always willing to work towards eliminating abuse and reverse its effects on women and children.

It is necessary and important for the public to also partner in this special event to be a part of the community for change.” Speaking about her involvement in The Shelter, Webber said:, “I have been able to teach and work in local communities in a range of activities that empower women and therefore strengthen the community.

Domestic violence is something that I feel strongly about and we should do whatever we can to eradicate it from society and help survivors of domestic violence.

“I’m looking forward to making this an afternoon that people will remember, and also that they will remember why they are there and perhaps be motivated to find other ways in which they can contribute to places like The Shelter where survivors of domestic violence can be protected, sheltered and nurtured while they begin to put their lives back together.” Thanking bmobile and Webber for their “tremendous” support, Inglefield said: “The costs of running The Shelter are an ongoing challenge. There are a number of additional support programmes we want to put in place, so we are dependent on the kind support of the corporate community, the diplomatic corps and the public.” Inglefield said the protected and confidential nature of a safe house meant the number of people visiting The Shelter had to be limited.

For more info: Facebook: The Shelter – A Safe Haven for Victims of Domestic Violence, from the website trinidadshelter.com.

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)

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.

Acticities include a magic and puppet show; face painting; local foods and delicacies, children’s yoga; petting zoo; arts and crafts and horses.

Horses Helping Humans provides hippotherapy (therapy with the aid of horses), which involves both horseback riding and physical interaction with the horses to stimulate the motor, sensory and cognitive skills of the patient.

Tickets on sale at MovieTowne’s Box Office.

“When we came here, there were only six other houses,” said Rosalind. Rosalind is in her late 50s and her family moved to the Extension when she was only ten. It is the parlour boasting an array of snacks in front of her house that initially drew Business Day to her. We went out among our community to find out how these small and micro level enterprises were doing, particularly with the presence of their new neighbours. Rosalind is sitting outside with two young girls.

In the yard are seven to eight sandbags, a reminder that this area, with the Caroni River mere feet away, is prone to floods.

The community’s development has been rapid, particularly now with the presence of the outsiders. Rosalind spoke of the old days, when there were no lights, or water to be had and the road was little more than a dirt track.

“Back then, if there was a flood, you would be afraid to go outside, especially at night, because of the snakes and the caimans,” she said.

Her little shop was closed when we visited. She invited us inside her home just behind to show that she was still engaged in clean-up operations from the passage of the tropical storm last week.

“Yes, it is good that they are here,” she said when we ask about the larger businesses, “The place bright now.” She also doesn’t mind the occasional purchase she gets from employees, though her son in law, who arrives some minutes later said they were not as many we might think.

A little way down is a variety store. It is air-conditioned and sells foodstuff, toys and clothing.

The man behind the counter sold a bottled water to an employee of Massy Communications just opposite. He is hesitant at first as he explained that his wife and sister were the persons who really deal with the business and he’d prefer if we speak to them, but he said that the presence of the larger concerns has generally been good, as they brought employment to the area.

Alicia didn’t agree. Alicia is a seller of soaps and creams who passes through the area regularly. She tried to pitch us her line of products as we offered her a drop back across the highway where she was heading. On the way, we saw one small eatery and another parlour. There was a line in front of the eatery. They looked like office staff from the surrounding buildings.

But it doesn’t seem as though they are as generous with Alicia.

“They don’t do anything,” she said shaking her head, frowning.

When we returned, we spoke to another parlour owner, this time just opposite the Camacho Brothers wholesalers.

He told us he has been there for 14 years and is grateful for any business he gets. His location is a little out of the way off the main flow of traffic though, and he told us that people were more likely to go to somewhere that was closer. Ultimately, he was glad, because even if it wasn’t him, it was someone else within the community benefitting.

His words give an indication of the kind of spirit that seems to govern the small neighbourhood, where cooperation is evident and entrepreneurship is clearly encouraged. In the young and the old.

Rose is short for Rozeena. She has a gift shop and an adjoining roti shop on Chanka Trace.

Rose as she preferred to be called has been in business since her late teens. She is now 38 and has decidedly moved beyond the one small table she told us she started with.

“Yes, it is good that the other businesses are here you know,” she told us, “Because people walk down the street, they see the shop, they will stop and look and they will buy.” She thought however that the businesses could do more to help with problems such as flooding.

Meanwhile, there is the larger than life “Bossman” just a few houses down on the corner. Bossman rents out part of his building to a Chinese restaurant. His own grocery and general goods store sits next to it and his home, upstairs.

Those in the immediate vicinity of the interview as it is going on agree that he is something of a neighbourhood ‘live wire’.

“If I close here for a day, they would miss me,” he said.

Bossman is in favour of the larger businesses in the area, saying he has definitely benefitted from their presence.

As we leave, we turn down the corner. A group of young men outside another home, sell limes, $10 a bag.

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.

San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello said the plan involves two major changes: a reversal of traffic on Mucarapo, Lord and Library streets and relocation of the Marabella, Princes Town, La Romaine and Fyzabad taxi stands.

The plan, a product of a collaboration between police, the traffic management unit, traffic wardens and various taxi associations, will be tried out for two weeks from July 11, to test feasibility. If it works, it will continue. If the plan doesn’t work, Regrello said, the council would return to the drawing board for a better solution.

“If you try to pass Library Corner on any given day during peak hours you would be amazed at what happens there and we are looking for a solution to that problem,” said Regrello. “By doing this plan, you remove that traffic from Library Corner and direct all traffic away from the city instead of towards it.” The Marabella and Princes Town taxi stands will no longer round the corners of Mucarapo and Library streets.

They will now flank both sides of Mucarapo Street. The La Romaine and all other taxi stands that usually line Coffee Street, from La Pique corner to Carib Street, will be pushed further down Coffee Street so Library corner will stop being a traffic inducing transportation hub.

“That sounds like a better set up that what we have now,” said Cid Thomas, a Princes Town taxi driver. “Based on what you’re showing me here, it would be easier for Princes Town drivers to leave the city.”

Although a large percentage of the population was able to withstand the inclement weather from the safety and security of their homes, many others were not as fortunate. There were widespread reports of flooding across both Trinidad and Tobago, leading to massive loss of property, produce and livestock. Estimated damages were tallied to the tune of millions of dollars.

Indeed, we were fortunate that Bret was not a hurricane, or a higher category storm, because the damage would surely have been worse. The aftermath however, has once again brought into sharp focus the state of our disaster preparedness – or many will agree – the lack thereof.

The TT Chamber believes that the period just prior to the impending storm was managed quite efficiently, and the Meteorological Office, the ODPM, the Ministry of National Security and the Media ought to be commended for ensuring that information was relayed in a timely and consistent fashion. Still, there remained some gaps in the response to victims. There were reports in several areas of identified shelters remaining closed, evacuation services being unavailable, relief eff orts non-existent and low visibility of officials. These shortcomings must be quickly and comprehensively investigated and addressed by the authorities.

Large-scale coordination, evacuation, egress and relief eff orts need experienced personnel, full resources and a robust and reliable communications system, among other things. The TT Chamber certainly hopes that there will be ongoing eff orts among the various first responder agencies and auxiliary services towards improving communication and response times within the overall system. Make no mistake, in this instance, it is a matter of life and death.

Disasters are not limited to storms, earthquakes and other natural phenomena; they include crises created by indiscriminate human behaviour, or, at the very least, the negative effects of a disaster are at times made worse by our own actions. Time and again, it has been put to us that the way in which we treat with the environment is directly related to the extent of damage we suffer during a crisis, such as flooding caused by heavy rainfall.

Casual and indiscriminate disposal of waste into our waterways, unplanned and unapproved construction, failure to adhere to proper building standards, hillside and coastal destruction, illegal quarrying and improper disposal of toxic material have all contributed to making bad matters worse.

At the end of the day what is very clear is that we have been far too lax in our approach to disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction. Unfortunately our attitudes tend to reflect a considerable lack of care and concern. The thing is, disasters and disruptions are a part of life over which we do not have total control, but we as citizens and those in authority can definitely choose to be more responsible when it comes to matters such as these

This will be followed by the Arima group’s meeting on July 8 at the Arima Town Hall, Sorzano Street, from 10am – 1pm.

The Tobago meeting at the Division of Health and Services Senior Activity Centre, 47 Rockley Vale Road, Scarborough, takes place from 4 to 6pm on July 11.

The San Fernando group will meet on July 29 at the RC Church Community Hall, Harris Promenade, from 2 – 4pm.

The monthly meetings are published at the end of each month. AzATT ’s new board is led by Ann Smith, president; Dr Lorraine Patience, secretary; and Joanne Shurland, treasurer.

Seepersad’s disapproval of the council’s failure to meet for over five years came as he ruled in favour of an army captain who sought a hearing of the council in August 2014 on an allegation by a senior officer that he faked his sick leave when he was seriously injured in a traffic accident earlier that year.

Andrew Seesahai resigned from the regiment on July 22, 2014, but alleged that when he questioned his commanding officer on the status of his resignation letter, he was threatened and nothing had been done about his request to resign or for resettlement.

He then sought an audience with the Defence Council after filing a complaint.

Although he was advised in October of that year that the matter would be placed on the next council meeting agenda, no meeting was held. Seesahai, of Santa Margarita, St Augustine, filed for judicial review. He was represented by attorney Gerald Ramdeen.

In his ruling, Seepersad said once the process under Section 194 of the Defence Act had been invoked, there existed a statutory obligation to render a decision on a complaint placed before the council.

The Defence Council comprises the Minister of National Security, two cabinet ministers appointed by the prime minister, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Security.

The judge said any allegation of unbecoming conduct must be thoroughly investigated. “It is difficult to fathom why during the last four years of the previous government’s tenure, no meeting of the Defence Council was occasioned,” he said. He also expressed concern that the council had advanced no proper explanation of why Seesahai’s position had not been determined.

“A body such as the defendant, clothed with the statutory obligation to adjudicate upon the rights and obligations of members of the Defence Force, cannot simply abdicate its duty by its failure to promptly and efficiently address complaints referred to it,” he said.

He was critical of the fact that for five years the Defence Council did not meet and said, “Such a circumstance is simply unacceptable and really amounts to a gross dereliction of the statutory obligation that it was mandated to follow.

“This untenable situation continued for a further year into the new administration’s reign, when until a meeting was held on 14 July 2016,” he noted. In his ruling, Seepersad held that the Defence Council’s failure to provide Seesahai with a prompt hearing and determination of his petition was unreasonable, unacceptable and unlawful. He has given the council 14 days in which to make a decision on Seesahai’s complaint