Michelle-Lee Ahye’s victories in the women’s 100m and 200m events, a gold medal run by Jereem Richards in the men’s 200m and the all-star lineup in the men’s 400m event were among the highlights of the weekend.

“I think overall we had a great championships this year. The athletes came home and they really performed. We had a couple championship records as well as national records so that says a whole lot,” Serrette said. Ahye broke Kelly-Ann Baptiste’s women’s 100m national record of 10.84 seconds when she ran a blistering 10.82. Richards was another athlete in record-breaking form, smashing the men’s 200m championship record with a time of 20.15.

Serrette made special mention of Ahye’s excellent showing on Saturday and Sunday, completing the sprint double. “Michelle-Lee is also coming off injury and she has continued to be consistent, so to put down a performance of 22.50 in the 200m and then the 10.82 (in the 100m) on Saturday is great. This year our females were outstanding.” Some of the other women who performed exceptionally were Baptiste (silver – 100m), Khalifa St Fort (bronze – 100m), Kayelle Clarke (silver – 200m), Semoy Hackett (bronze – 200m) and Domonique Williams (gold – 400m).

The top three 100m women sprinters (Ahye, Baptiste and St Fort) all registered World Championship qualifying times in the record-breaking final. In comparison, only men’s 100m sprint champ Emmanuel Callender clocked the qualifying time for London in their final, crossing the line in 10.10 seconds. Keston Bledman, who was a disappointing second in 10.15, had stopped the clock at 10.08 in the prelims.

The qualifying standard is 10.12.

It was a similar scenario in the women’s 200m final with Ahye, Kamaria Durant and Hackett achieving the qualifying standard, In the men’s equivalent, only Richards and Kyle Greaux made the time.

After failing to get the baton around at the IAAF/BTC World Relays in April, the women’s 4x100m team got much needed practice, clocking 42.94. The team included Ahye, Baptise, Reyare Thomas and Kamaria Durant.

Serrette said the National Championships were important for the women’s 4x100m relay team. “We had the women’s 4×100 team. Everybody knows they did not get the stick around at the World Relays, so they had to get a time in order to be in the top 16 for London (World Championships).” The time on Sunday placed the TT women fourth for the year on the IAAF relay listing, and the time places TT ninth overall based on the times from the IAAF relays.

He also praised Richards (gold) and Greaux (silver) for an excellent contest in the men’s 200m.

Serrette said the TT athletes still have time to qualify for the World Championships. “The thing that people need to understand is that the athletes still have until July 23 to do qualifiers (for World Championships). The (National) Championships is one of the criteria for selection. We would have used that for head-to-head and so on.” The NAAA president said the TT athletes are in with a great chance at the World Championships.

“When everybody gets there then you would know.

There is no medal with anybody’s name on it.”

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharath in reply listed several steps being taken to avert this practice. He sad his ministry has issued public advisories, including specific advisories for sweet peppers, cabbage and tomatoes.

Rambharat said his ministry’s staff regularly inspect markets, while the Praedial Larceny Squad also watches markets plus roadside vendors.

The minister advised the general public to buy crops at farmers markets, to inspect the produce and to sanitise it before consumption.

In a second question, Mark asked about yesterday’s closure of four outpatient clinics at Port-of-Spain General Hospital. In reply Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the closure was due to roof leakage and ceiling collapse in the records section. However he said the clinics served patients who are not getting emergency treatment but follow up treatment.

These patents will be re-scheduled he said, but added that if any face emergency they can attend the Accident and Emergency Units at POSGH or St James Hospital, or any health centre.

Eat oily fish Essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be made by the body which means they must be obtained through diet.

The most effective omega-3 fats occur naturally in oily fish in the form of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Good plant sources include linseed (flaxseed), soya beans, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and their oils. These fats are important for healthy brain function, the heart, joints and our general well-being.

What makes oily fish so good is that they contain the active form of these fats, EPA and DHA, in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily.

The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers.

Low DHA levels have been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss whilst having sufficient levels of both EPA and DHA is thought to help us manage stress and helps make the good mood brain chemical, serotonin. Consider a supplement if you’re vegetarian. Those following a vegan diet may wish to supplement daily with a plant-based omega-3 supplement, and as a vegan don’t forget to add seeds like linseed and chia to your diet.

Snack on blueberries Evidence accumulated at Tufts University in the United States suggests that the consumption of blueberries may be effective in improving or delaying short-term memory loss. They’re widely available, but you can also look out for dark red and purple fruits and veg which contain the same protective Eat more tomatoes There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s. Favour cooked tomatoes and enjoy with a little olive oil to optimise absorption and efficacy.

Add vitality with vitamins Certain B vitamins –B6, B12 and folic acid– are known to reduce levels of a compound called homocysteine in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risk of stroke, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. A study of a group of elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment found that after two years of intervention with high doses of B6, B12 and folic acid there was significantly less brain shrinkage compared to a subset given placebo treatment. Opt for B-rich foods like chicken, fish, eggs and leafy greens.

Get a blackcurrant boost Vitamin C has long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility and protect against age-related brain degeneration including dementia and Alzheimer’s. One of the best sources of this vital vitamin are blackcurrants.

Others include red peppers, citrus fruits and broccoli.

Pick up pumpkin seeds Richer in zinc than many other seeds, pumpkin seeds supply this valuable mineral which is vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills. These little seeds are also full of stress-busting magnesium, B vitamins and tryptophan, the precursor to the good mood chemical serotonin.

Bet on broccoli Broccoli is great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower. Researchers have reported that because broccoli is high in compounds called glucosinolates, it can slow the breakdown of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which we need for the central nervous system to perform properly and to keep our brains and our memories sharp. Low levels of acetylcholine are associated with Alzheimer’s.

Sprinkle on sage Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and concentration. Although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet too.

Add at the end of cooking to protect the beneficial oils.

Eat more nuts A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, asparagus, olives, seeds, eggs, brown rice and wholegrains.

The importance of exercise Don’t forget that as well as a healthy diet, exercise helps to keep our brains sharp. Research suggests that regular exercise improves cognitive function, slows down the mental ageing process and helps us process information more effectively.

Brainpower supplements Although research linking diet and dementia is still in its infancy, there are a few important relationships between nutrients and brain health that are worth exploring.

Having a nourishing, well-rounded diet gives our brain the best chance of avoiding disease.

If your diet is unbalanced for whatever reason, you may want to consider a multivitamin and mineral complex and an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to help make up a few of the essentials. If you are considering taking a supplement it is best to discuss this with your GP or qualified healthcare professional.

According to a media release, “Through this Celebrity game, we will be donating towards the Daren Ganga Foundation to aid the development of sport academies and scholarship programmes.” This match will feature two 8-a-side teams captained by ex-Trinidad and Tobago cricket team captain Daren Ganga (Team A) and current national Under-15 and Under- 17 team coach Russell Latapy (TEAM B).

Present and past TT cricketers Lendl Simmons, Kevon Cooper and Sherwin Ganga, former TT captain Anthony Rougier, as well as entertainers Neeval Chaitlal, Ravi Bissessar, 5 Star Akil and brothers Raymond and Richard Ramnarine are expected to play in today’s match, while Sports Minister Darryl Smith and TT Football Association president David John-Williams are yet to confirm their participation.

The fact is that emergencies. occur and having a plan within. the household, business and faithbased. organisations, educational. institutions, and communities at. the local, regional, and international. levels remain critical, and may. perhaps be helpful to individuals in. the decision-making process.

Being prepared for an emergency. is essential. Whatever the case,. prior to an emergency you and. members of your household, community,. or even among colleagues. and/or office mates can collaborate. and develop an appropriate plan. of action. For example, parents/. guardians might choose to discuss. with their children and other family. members, bringing awareness. to the family communication plan,. what to do if a disaster occurs or. when there is no electricity, the. emergency food plan, the availability. of drinking water, storage and. other essential information, such. as emergency contact, etc.

Keeping the focus. From another perspective, maintaining. one’s health always should. be the primary focus. Emergencies. be it natural disasters (earthquakes,. hurricanes, landslides, tsunami,. floods, droughts and cyclones),. biological, societal, technological,. accidents, fires r the malfunction. of cooking and storage equipment. may occur unexpectedly. For an. emergency can sometimes not only. negatively affect one’s health, but. also may have significant impact. on economic, social and public. health for a longer period even after. the disaster is long gone.

According to the World Health. Organization, globally many. countries are affected by threats. to public health. These range. from infectious disease outbreaks,. chemical and radiation contamination,. unsafe food and water supply,. natural and technological hazards,. wars, societal conflicts, and health. consequences that might be associated. with climate change.

Maintaining health and preventing. potential risk for disease. remain critical; hence countries. should devise a strategic plan to. meet the various challenges. Moreover,. countries are “encouraged to. strengthen emergency risk management. which includes but should. not be limited to measures of prevention,. preparedness, mitigation,. response and recovery.”.

An approach to consider. The goal is to select foods which. can aid you in meeting your daily. nutritional requirements. Therefore,. as meal managers, chefs,. cafeteria operators, and caterers,. planning ahead can be quite beneficial,. to ensure availability and. access to food, clean water, and any. other emergency supplies; this of. course may include prescription. medicine, baby food or formula,. flashlights, battery-powered radio,. extra batteries, sleeping bags and. blankets, and first aid kit and instructions,. just to list a few. A three. to five days’ supply of food that. will not spoil along with clean containers. for storing gallons of water. should be included in your plan. (Centers for Disease Control and. Prevention).

You should aim to have a nutritious. diet, along with drinking water. available in plain or flavoured. forms. This of course, may also include. planning balanced meals and. healthy snacks, doing a quick inventory. of the pantry, implementing. the principles of food safety. and sanitation, and incorporating. local produce – canned, frozen or. even fresh. The menu should comprise. of these foods.

When purchasing canned foods,. check the expiration date on the. products, take some time to read. the food label, and ensure that. the cans are free from bulges and. dents; for example, you can choose. to buy canned fish such as sardines. and tuna packed in water, chicken. ravioli in tomato sauce, peas and. beans, fruit in its natural juice,. and vegetables. Other products. you might wish to on the grocery. list such as crackers, granola bars,. ready-to-eat cereal, cassava farine,. cassava cakes, rice cakes, peanut. butter, cheese spread, dried fruits,. roasted nuts, bottled channa,. canned liquid milk or dry powder. milk, dehydrated potato flakes,. mayonnaise, macaroni and cheese. and much more.

A brief overview shows that. from the foods mentioned above,. all the food groups are represented.

Always keep some emergency food. on hand, and you can also plan a. few emergency menus. You should. note that depending on the storage. equipment available and the type. of emergency, the menus may differ. somewhat.

Some emergency menus. Breakfast:. canned or fresh fruit, ready-to eat. cereal with milk, crackers and. cheese cubes. canned or fresh fruit, granola. with yoghurt, crackers with peanut. butter.

Lunch:. chicken ravioli in tomato sauce,. veggies, canned fruit. peas and beans, macaroni and. cheese, vegetables, canned fruit.

Supper:. crackers with tuna spread, veggies,. yoghurt with canned or fresh. fruit pieces crackers with cheese. spread, vegetable salad, canned or. fresh fruit, plain or flavoured milk. Take home message: choose. healthy foods and snacks already. prepared for the emergency menu;. keep in mind that each individual. or household should develop a. plan of action for emergency use.

Claudette Mitchell, PhD, RD is. Assistant Professor, University of the. Southern Caribbean, School of Science,. Technology, and Allied Health.

The 12-member team will take part in a six-day training camp in London before heading to Botswana, via Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

At a brief reception at the VIP Lounge, Piarco International Airport yesterday, Sharon Rowley, wife of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and patron of the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association (TTNA), said farewell to the national athletes and urged them to play to their full potential.

“You can never do better than your best, and I know that you’re going to do your best.

You’ve been training very hard to accomplish this. From the time you step on that plane, you are going to be the ambassadors for Trinidad and Tobago,” Mrs Rowley said.

Referring to Trinidad and Tobago’s joint title success at home, along with Australia and New Zealand, at the 1979 World Championships, Mrs Rowley admitted, “Deep within me, I feel that we’re going to get a repeat of 1979 with this team. You’re going out there with confidence and faith in yourselves.

Believe in yourself.

“Once you have that ‘space’ in yourself, you know that victory can be yours. We know that you can make us proud.” Also speaking to the players was TTNA president Dr Patricia Butcher.

“You have started your journey since October 2015 and you qualified to go to Botswana, after a very interesting and very tough competition where you placed second in the qualifiers.” The Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) took place in St Maarten last August but TT suffered a narrow 50-48 loss to Barbados in the title decider.

From the AFNA qualifiers, TT, Barbados and third-placed team Grenada all advanced to the Netball World Youth Cup (formerly World Youth Netball Championships).

TT will be in Pool D, alongside Grenada, England, Fiji and Wales.

Reigning champs New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Samoa are in Pool A. In Pool B are Australia, South Africa, Barbados, Zimbabwe and Singapore; while Jamaica, Botswana, Cook Islands, Malaysia and Uganda will feature in Pool C.

TT will meet Fiji on July 8, followed by England (July 10), Wales (July 11) and Grenada (July 12).

“Since you’ve come back – and that was last year August – you have been working extremely hard,” said Butcher. “All of the technical staff are behind our team because we saw the potential, we saw that you can bring glory to our country Trinidad and Tobago.” Butcher will also be in Botswana, not only to cheer on the national squad but to attend the Annual General Meeting of the International Netball Federation (INF).

“What I want to say to you is ‘we have had challenges’,” she acknowledged.

“You all are aware of the challenges. I want to thank God for bringing us this far. What I ask of you is to make us proud, to be very focused, to be very sensitive that you’re representing your country.” And team manager Vanessa Forde pointed out, “We know that we are prepared and we know that we are going to win. I’m so happy for (the players), I’m so happy that they have stayed focus. We will be successful.” This is the eighth edition of the competition, with Australia emerging victorious on four occasions (1988 in Canberra, Australia; 1996 in Toronto, Canada; 2000 in Cardiff, Wales and 2009 in Rarotonga, Cook Islands).

New Zealand won the other three events (1992 in Suva, Fiji, 2005 in Fort Lauderdale, United States and 2013 in Glasgow, Scotland).

TT U-21 TEAM Players: Aneicia Baptiste, Janeisha Cassimy (co-captains), Tiana Dillon, Cheynelle Dolland, Faith Hagley, Tahirah Hollingworth, Canice Jacob, Sanya Jarvis, Jeresia McEachrane, Shantel Seemungal, Shernece Seemungal, Afiya Vincent.

Technical Staff: Rhonda John-Davis (coach), Kemba Duncan (assistant coach), Vanessa Forde (manager), Dr Aqiyla Gomez (physical therapist), Amanda Johnson (mental coach), Wayne Samuel (primary care), Kerwyn Marcelle (massage therapist).

In a media release, the CTU said recognition of Lewis’ work occurred during the opening ceremony of the inaugural Barbados Internet Governance Forum (IGF) at The University of the West Indies’ Cave Hill Campus on June 21.

“Ms Lewis was recognised for her pioneering work in establishing the first Internet Governance Forum in the world in 2005.

“The Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF), now in its 13th year, is dedicated to building capacity and fostering universal open, equitable and affordable access by Caribbean citizens to infrastructure linked to global information resources.” D escribing Lewis, a Trinidadian, as a visionary with a passion for ICT-enabled development, the CTU said she has been at the forefront of activities to advance effective use of the internet and its resources in the Caribbean.

CTU president and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister of Barbados Darcy Boyce, in a video documentary highlighting her work, cited Lewis’ “all-consuming passion for getting the Caribbean to use ICT to improve all aspects of Caribbean life.” The CTU said Lewis was “surprised to receive the accolade.” Having thanked the organising committee for the recognition of her efforts, Lewis commended them for the establishment of the Barbados IGF.

She noted that in 2014, at the 10th CIGF, she had presented a new approach for advancing caribbean internet governance which included the establishment of national IG fora to advance the work of the CIGF in each country.

She congratulated Barbados for being among the first Caribbean countries leading the way in establishing a national IGF and expressed her satisfaction of being part of the first Barbados IGF.

Lewis said, “The establishment of the Barbados IGF is a testimony of the determination of a diverse community of stakeholders to influence its development of the internet for the benefit of the citizens of Barbados.” She added that Barbados influencing the development of the internet was not an exaggeration because the country was already at the forefront of the internet’s development.

Lewis said Barbados national Alan Emtage had developed ARCHIE, the internet’s first search engine. Emtage’s contribution was also recognised by the Barbados IGF.

In 2012, Lewis was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin American and Caribbean Registry for Internet Numbers for her work in internet governance.

The Mystery XI, playing in their first game of the league after their previous match was abandoned due to rain, scored a competitive total of 161 for seven wickets from their allotted 20 overs.

Sunil Narine continued his positive batting form from the recently concluded India Premier League by blazing 35 runs from 16 balls including three fours and three towering sixes.

He was assisted by his opening partner and newcomer to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force team, Tion Webster, who scored 32 from 16 balls including three fours and two sixes.

The best bowlers for WPI were Teshawn Castro (2/39) and Lendl Simmons (1/30).

In reply, Ottley showed his class with a brilliant knock of 63 runs from 38 balls with four boundaries and six maximums.

The left hander took a special liking to the leg spin bowling of Sheldon Balroop, hitting him for 19 runs in one over – the most in the tournament.

Teshawn Castro and West Indies player Lendl Simmons both had all-round performances on the night as they backed up their bowling performances with 34 and 41 runs respectively.

Simmons brought home the match in style with a six and four off Kashma Mitchell in the 16th over. Sunil Narine bowled superbly with one wicket for 14 runs.

Charlieville Same Side’s Roshan Parag wrecked Younstaz with his medium pace bowling claiming a hat-trick which was the fourth of the tournament.

Batting first, Same Side posted a total of 156/7 from their quota of overs.

Former West Indies and TT batsman Lincoln Roberts powered his way to 48 runs from 33 balls with two fours and four sixes. Stephen Kadoo (2/9) and Uthman Mohammed (1/23) were the best bowlers for Younstaz. Kevin Williams was the lone batsman in double figures with 19 runs as Youngstaz crumbled to 61 all out from 15.4 overs to lose by 95 runs.

The hat-trick hero, Parag, had figures of 3/6 while Jon Ross Jaggesar grabbed 4/11. Underground Warriors won by default against Marabella All Stars in what would have been the third game on the

Pereira made the confirmation to Newsday after a thanksgiving ceremony commemorating the service of Bishop- elect of St George’s, Grenada, Monsignor Clyde Harvey.

“We are currently praying for a new Archbishop of Port of Spain, as Fr Harris’s letter has been accepted by the Pope, who now has to appoint a new archbishop. This appointment should be rather quickly not more than a few months.” Pereira also said one of the new archbishop’s first duties would be to appoint a replacement for Harvey, who is expected to complete his duties as Monsignor by the end of July before becoming Bishop of Grenada.

“The replacement is a matter for the archbishop, so whenever the new one is appointed, he will decide who Fr Harvey’s replacement will be.” Pereira, who is a long-time friend and colleague of Harvey, said he was pleased with his appointment, adding that the St George’s Diocese was in good hands. He cited Harvey’s extensive knowledge of culture and tireless work ethic.

“I think it’s a wonderful appointment and I think Grenada will benefit tremendously from his experience and knowledge of the politics and the culture of the Caribbean people. So it’s not as if a stranger is entering the land.” Harris announced his resignation in March after turning 75, in accordance with canon law.

Baptiste-Primus was deliverying the feature address on government policy at the launch of the Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE ) Conference to be held by the American Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AMCHAM) on November 14 and 15 at the Hyatt Regency, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. She added that the Cabinet is also considering amendments to the Industrial Relations Act; the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act; and the Co-operative Societies Act.

The minister said in the last administration there were stories about irregulaties in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), including OSHA workers being housed in “sick” buildings and OSHA offices being shut down, but under the current administration, the Government is ensuring suitable accommodation for staff, including locating a healthy building at Alexandra Street, St Clair as its head offices.

She said the department was also getting new offices in Tobago, which she has ordered must be occupied before the end of July, and competent and qualified staff have been hired in several top positions.

When she took over as minister, she said, there were provisions for 152 positions but only 50 were filled and almost 200 of the staff of the OSH Agency were working from home because of the lack of suitable accommodation. Many of them, she said, took the opportunity to open businesses, and pursue higher education.

Baptiste-Primus said the ministry had since prepared a building on Park Street, Port of Spain, which would become its main building and will house several other departments.