The Spice Isle contingent wowed the audience with their presentation of Blue-rella — a banking twist to the Anne Anderson classic, Cinderella.

The team’s humorous presentation included dance pieces and a monologue which won the challenge trophy and the prize at last Saturday’s show. The event was in tribute to the bank’s 180th anniversary celebrated on May 15.

Coming in second was 2015 winner, Republic Bank Barbados, with their presentation of Lewis Caroll’s masterpiece Alice in Wonderland – Down the Rabbit Hole. Avalene Harris of Republic Bank Trinidad’s Group Marketing and Communications Department placed third with her emotional rendition of Dionne Warrick’s I’ll Never Love This Way Again — a soulful classic dedicated to her late grandfather. Fourth place went to Tekesha Davis of Ellerslie Court Branch who performed Singing Sandra’s Voices from the Ghetto. Melinda Deonarine-Sohan of the Gulf View branch placed fifth performing Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi’s O Mio Babbino Caro.

The competition which takes place bi-annually gives the bank’s staff from across the region an opportunity to display their performing abilities on one stage. The participants attend auditions and a series of rehearsals in preparation for the competition.

The show was judged by Dominic Kalipersad, Glenda Collens, Abeo Jackson, Lylah Persad and Bernadette Laughlin- Scott. Emcees were Nikki Crosby and Jason “JW” Williams while Nigel Rojas and the band accompanied the performers.

I’ll Never Love This Way Again which earned her third spot.

The spin that was put on the story of the children of Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and the automatic guns was mesmerising.

My main concern was the ownership of the very fancy high-powered guns in the hands of the children.

The board of inquiry’s report stated that “the Attorney General’s children were not allowed to have high-powered weapons belonging to the Defence Force in the presence of the Attorney General and members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.” Most interesting. So did the Al-Rawi children walk with their own guns to the range? Or did the guns belong to the army and the children were using them while not in the presence of the AG and members of the Defence Force? Did not an officer, in October 2016, clearly state that the children were allowed, by the Defence Force, to hold the guns? He said then that the children were curious and the protocols followed were those for a career guidance session.

So why the big “pappyshow” now? People are only seeking to cover their behinds.

It was also totally reprehensible that someone on the range took the pictures of the children and sent them to a member of the Opposition.

LINUS F DIDIER Mt Hope

Shahida Baksh, 49, of Rushworth Street, San Fernando, failed to show up before Magistrate Indira Misir-Gosine whilst four health Inspectors from the San Fernando City Corporation were present to give evidence about unkept premises and undernourished dogs.

The corporation had been making vain efforts to get the woman to clean the garage which, according to the complaint, is filthy and unhealthy. The coporation’s health inspectors visited the premises on March 7, 2013 and again on July 16, 2014. On July 30, a Statutory notice was prepared and sent by registered mail to Baksh.

On October 2, 2014, a complaint was laid in the magistrates’ court, San Fernando, against Baksh, claiming that she had confined, a number of undernourished and dirty dogs in an unsanitary garage. According to court records, the case was called on several occasions between October 2014 and March 16, 2017.

Yesterday, when the case was called, Baksh did not appear but, her attorney Jeevan Andrew Rampersad represented her and explained to Misir-Gosine that Baksh was unable to attend on the grounds of a medical condition. Attorney Rondell Donawa, appearing with attorney Prakash Maharaj for the corporation, objected, saying that the matter had been pending since 2013 and it was set for trial. The magistrate noted that there had been a string of medical notes on record as to why she had not been attending the court. Attorney Rampersad, however, said that if there were still any issues regarding the state of the property and care of the animals, he would convey to Baksh the need to comply.

Misir-Gosine postponed the matter until next week Tuesday.

“I prefer to stay with the United States and the United Kingdom.

With the exception of jury tampering and serious cases of fraud,” Mark said, “That is the only time they have introduced trial by judge alone. Every thing else is trial by jury.” Contributing to the debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Trial by Judge Alone) Bill in the Senate yesterday, Mark said, “I do not want to be part or seek to become part of those countries.” He said it was in a judge alone trial that, “The iconic Nelson Mandela” was sentenced for life in the cells of Robben Island.

South Africa, under an apartheid regime, he said, established the trial by judge alone for racist reasons.

“We don’t want to be part of that experience,” he said registering his opposition to the bill.

As lawmakers, he said, their first duty as lawmakers is to safeguard the majority against terror, aggression and tyranny of the minority, especially against corrupt governments where they exist.

Mark did not agree with Attorney General Faris Al Rawi, other Government and Independent senators who said the new piece of legislation was providing for an option to the trial by jury.

He said that the bill seeks to amend trial by jury in the Criminal procedures Act in relation to mentally ill persons, to trial by judge alone. His colleagues, including Attorney General Faris Al Rawi who piloted the bill and who spoke before him, Mark said, have quoted extensively Chief Justice Ivor Archie who favours the abolition of trail by jury. Back in June 2012, he said, Al Rawi was against abolishing trial by jury.

Mark said, Al Rawi at the time claimed that trial by judge alone was infringing on citizens constitutional rights, that it was dangerous and that he had a difficulty with it in the criminal justice system.

In 2012, the then People’s Partnership Government, he said, “had brought something (in the Parliament) to abolish trial by jury and we pulled it back because when we went out there the people were against it.” The former Senator, now Attorney General, he said, is singing a different tune by advocating for trial by judge alone.

Both teams were desperate for full points to ignite their campaign after stuttering starts but looked sluggish playing 5000m above sea level in a first half that offered plenty action but no goals .

Pulisic, who plays for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, showed he is a star in the making with great composure in the box in the second half to help lift USA provisionally to third in the CONCACAF hexagonal standings with seven points from five matches while TT are rooted to the bottom with one win and four losses .

TT started in a 4-5-1 formation with 38 year old Carlos Edwards at right-back but providing support down the flank with timely forays into the USA half. Pulisic, in what was likely an omen for TT , won the first corner of the match, dribbling past one player down the right before his cross was blocked .

USA were enjoying the majority of the ball and veterans Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore both fired efforts at TT ’s goal with Jan-Michael Williams having to get down low to save the latter’s shot. TT were hoping to catch their hosts on the break but the Americans played close attention to Seattle Sounders’ wing-back Joevin Jones while Khaleem Hyland’s long range speculative left-footer flew wide. But the Dennis Lawrence- coached TT should have been ahead 1-0 in the 32nd when Joevin on the left played a short pass to Kevin Molino who lifted a pass first time into the box where Kenwyne Jones drifted past a stagnant John Brooks but saw his header ricochet off the crossbar with Tim Howard in no man’s land .

TT goalie Jan-Michael Williams was working overtime, though, on the other end as TT did well to go into the half tied goalless. USA, urged on by their fans, came out with more energy in the second half and after a sloppy give-away by TT in the middle, USA’s DeAndre Yedlin and Darlington Nagbe combined to get behind the TT defence before Yedlin drilled the ball across the penalty box where Pulisic ghosted in to prod the ball in from pointblank range in the 52nd minute .

TT thought they had the equaliser a minute later when Carlos Edwards’ cross from the right found Nathan Lewis at the back post but the linesman flagged him offside .

Ten minutes later Pulisic, leading a counter-attack, showed great off the ball running to pass to Bradley and dart behind the TT defence where Jozy Altidore rewarded his movement with a defence splitting pass and the teen made no mistake in the box, beating Jan-Michael at his first post to put the match to rest .

Lawrence, looking for goals and to freshen up the team, replaced Joevin with forward Shahdon Winchester (68th), a weary Hyland with Leston Paul (76th) and Kenwyne with Jamille Boatswain (82nd) but TT could not get near as their poor streak on American soil continued .

“The judge alone trial is attractive to people with money,” he said adding, “All should be equal when we appear before the courts.” Contributing to debate on The Miscellaneous (Trial by Judge Alone) Bill in the Senate yesterday, Mahabir supported the suggestion by some of his colleagues that due to corruption, judges (like elected public officers) should reveal their assets because of the possibility of the trial by judge alone has the possibility of corrupting the Judiciary.

He expressed concern too that many individuals threaten judges who work with a jury. Without a jury, he said, there is the potential for heightened threats to judges.

His colleague Senator David Small said that he supported the bill because it forms a part of a package of bills to improve the current criminal justice system. Small said it provides an opportunity for an option in a system where the backlog of cases dates back to 15 years.

“While it may not fix the backlog in the system,” he said, “We have to start to plan for the future.” He said that the trial by judge alone should be done on legal advice and in a pressure-free manner.

One of the benefits of trial by judge alone, he said, is that the judge on delivering a verdict has to give reasons for decision while a jury does not. “Judges are accountable.

Juries are not,” he said. This is in keeping with his calrion call, he said, for transparency. Another benefit, Small said is that a jury is made up of people with little or no legal background while judges have legal training.

Judges were less likely to be swayed by emotional histrionics and skillful advocacy meant for jurors, he said.

Having served as a juror himself, he said that jury duties could be frustrating especially when trial takes longer and was an expensive process. (See Page 10A)

Alcohol has been implicated as the main contributing factor in many drowning cases.

Just like alcohol has the power to make you feel falsely confident behind the wheel of a vehicle, it can also make you take unnecessary risks while in the water.

Drinking and swimming are a lethal combination.

Alcohol in your system when swimming can cause you to experience a false sense of security. Your senses will become impaired, which can lead to foolish risk-taking in the water. You may experience disorientation and confusion, as alcohol drastically slows down the rate at which your brain processes information.

Your sense of distance and direction will be altered, leaving you vulnerable to changing currents when sea bathing.

If you have been drinking, even if you have only had a glass of wine, or one beer, or any other kind of alcoholic drink, you should wait for at least an hour before taking part in water-based activities.

More than half of all water recreation deaths involve alcohol.

Once a person in an inebriated state is involved in an accident in the water, emergency personnel usually depend on the person’s general health to assist in recuperation and recovery. If the body is unable to function normally due to alcohol consumption, simple resuscitation procedures such as CPR won’t work.

Walking is one of the simplest exercises one can undertake and this activity usually becomes challenging after the consumption of alcohol. That is why swimming while under the influence of alcohol can never result in anything beneficial.

In addition to contributing to sudden temperature changes that can greatly disorient a person, alcohol also makes reactions drag out, thereby making it impossible a person to save himself in the event of an emergency.

Alcohol has been detected in the blood of a large number of the people who drowned.

Alcohol makes one more confident but less co-ordinated — a dangerous combination.

SIMON WRIGHT Chaguanas

He was faced with these questions from reporters during a news conference yesterday at the Ministry’s St Vincent Street, Port of Spain offices, where he announced the appointment of a new head for the Education Facilities Company Limited (FCL). (See Page 9) “I know the Chief Education Officer (Harrilal Seecharan) and our School Supervision Department have been looking at students who show signs of some kind of instability. I don’t want to say mental illness because I am not an expert,” Garcia said. He added there is a programme that has been put in place to identify students who are at risk, to work with the Students Support Services (SSS) Division to bring comfort to these students.

“I’m saying the problems would not go away, but at least you can attend to them and deal with the concerns these students are expressing,” he said. It was put to him that it would seem the issue was more than what he is proposing, but Garcia again reiterated that he is not an expert in the field of psychology.

“The Chief Education Officer who drives that service together with the SSS Division is dealing with it. All I know is that is being attended to and those students who are at risk are receiving the necessary attention,” he said. Asked what exactly does this intervention programme entail, Garcia said he could not answer that right now.

Asked to comment on the fact that social workers are not trained to identify mental illnesses, he responded: “This is one of the problems we face, when we have media conferences like these, we like to stick to the issue. I have called this media conference to discuss the issue of the EFCL…let us stick to the issue.

“I am not prepared to discuss any other issue. The media conference was called to discuss EFCL issues.

Do we have another question please? Anything that affects our children we will attend to it,” Garcia stated.

Cooper and his elder brother Silus led South-East Zone’s T20 champions Nazarite Sports Club to an 82-run victory over Swansea (Vega de Oropouche, Sangre Grande) at the Fairfield ground, Princes Town. Julien, meanwhile, piloted South Zone’s runner-up Hermitage Youth Organisation (HYO) to a 25-run win over North Zone kings Sweet Revenge at the Brian Lara recreation ground, Santa Cruz.

Cephas Cooper made an attractive 58 that was decorated with seven fours and one six.

He shared a 151-run second wicket stand with Silus who smashed eight sixes and four fours in the topscore of 93 as Nazarite amassed a challenging 196 for seven in their allotted 20 overs.

Cephas also featured among the wickets with two for 15 runs (2 overs) and was supported by Kyle Dorner (3/15), Charlton Charleau (2/37) and Carlos Moore (2/10) as they bowled out Swansea for 114 runs in 16 overs.

Julien, who opened the batting for HYO, struck seven fours and one six and eventually topscored with 55. He featured in a 51-run third wicket partnership with Brian Deosaran (22) and was third out at 86 for three in the 12th over. Adrian Adams also contributed 33 as HYO posted 140 for six in 20 overs.

Despite Sheldon Thomas’ 54, Sweet Revenge ended their challenge on a sour note when they were restricted to 115 for nine in 20 overs.

Shazard Manshoor (3/26) and former national youth player Javed Mohammed (2/14) did the damage.

In the other re-scheduled matches, Central Zone’s champion team Marchin Patriots edged South-West runner-up National MonDesir Organisation (MYO) by eight runs in a tense match at the Avidesh Samaroo ground, Endeavour; South-West champion Progressive Sports Club got the better of Central Zone’s runner- up Chickland Sports Club by five wickets at the James Park, Point Fortin.

Crystian Thurton, who is tipped to captain the Trinidad and Tobago under 19 team, was the leading scorer for Chickland Sports but ended on the losing side when Progressive Sports replied with 135 for five (18.2 overs) in reply to Chickland’s 132 for nine in 20 overs.

There will be three quarterfinals today. HYO will take on Marchin Patriots at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva; Progressive Sports Club will clash with Dinsley Sports Club at James Park, Point Fortin; Nazarite Sports club will battle All Stars Sports at St Julien. All matches start at 6 pm.

Courts InterZone T20 Summarised Scores: At Fairfield Road, Princes- Town: Nazarite Sports Club 196 for 7 in 20 overs (Silus Cooper 93, Cephas Cooper 58; Damien Boney 3/27) thrashed Swansea 114 all out in 16 overs (Amrit Kistow 22, Peter Cedeno 21; Kyle Dorner 3/15, Cephas Cooper 2/15, Charlton Charleau 2/10, Carlos Moore 2/10).

At Brian Lara recreation ground, Santa Cruz: Hermitage Youth Organisation (HYO) 140 for 6 in 20 overs (Leonardo Julien 55, Adrian Adams 33, Brian Deosaran 22; Joel Sietaram 2/43) beat Sweet Revenge 115 for 9 in 20 overs (Sheldon Thomas 54; Shazard Manshoor 3/26, Javed Mohammed 2/14).

At James Park, Point Fortin: Chickland Sports Club 132 for 9 in 20 overs (Crystian Thurton 48, Joshua Alexis 21; Javed Khan 3/26, Regal Brown 2/21) lost to Progressive Sports Club 135 for 5 in 18.2 overs (Ronnie Goddard 53, Brent Ferris 45).

At Avidesh Samaroo ground, Endeavour: Marchin Patriots 110 all out (Param Rampersad 32, Roshan Parag 19 no; Tariq Abdool 3/5) edged National MonDesir Organisation (NMO) 102 all out Tariq Abdool 69; Ryan Hercules 2/17).

Courts T20 Quarter-Finals today: Hermitage Youth Organisation (HYO) vs Marchin Patriots at NCC, 6pm Nazarite Sports vs All Stars Sports, St Julien, 6 pm Progressive Sports vs Dinsley Sports, James Park, Point Fortin, 6 pm.

Ramatali said the issue of students being on suicide watch is a very serious one and last year, the NPTA started a conversation on mental health and trauma in children at its parent conference.

“If children have mental health issues that are not addressed and warning signs are not picked up early, obviously it could result in students being on suicide watch and we have to look at the level of stress we place children under. The anxiety factor is something we have to look at,” Ramatali said.

“The irritability and angriness in children we are seeing manifesting in a lot of fighting in schools. All these videos being posted on social media where young people are fighting. The warning signs we need to look at, the anxiety in children, loss of appetite you name it. Teachers and other support staff ought to be trained to look for these signs so students can be referred for help.” Ramatali said that in densely populated government schools, two or three social workers and guidance officers are needed per school to deal with the volume of work. She said teachers also need to be trained properly to deal with the situation.

“We need parent education and we need more guidance and social workers in our school system. We need a clinic or somewhere within the hospitals designated to deal with children who have mental issues before we lose our young to suicide. We need to have teachers who are more understanding and more caring and who will understand what children are facing on a daily basis.” Ramatali said children who are experiencing mental health issues come from homes where they are being abused and/or are surrogate parents to younger siblings.

“They have so many issues to face as young children that sometimes they cannot cope. Then the pressure to perform at a certain level in the school system may be too much. We must help our young children,” Ramatali said.