Muslims keeping the fast typically wake up before dawn and eat a “suhoor” meal, which means they need to make something quickly that will also keep them nourished throughout the day.

The “iftar,” or evening meal, comes with its own challenges — families and friends usually gather for big celebratory dinners, which can often be filled with tempting fried foods.

These are some tips to make your Ramadan healthy: Plan for the whole month or on a weekly basis what you will be preparing for Ramadan and stick with that.

No matter what you have, keep a salad and eat it first or eat it along with your food.

Don’t drink sugar for this Ramadan.

The traditional milk or the bottled drinks you drink every day for Ramadan are loaded with sugar, artificial flavours, and food colourings. Make your own fresh juices or lemonade with unrefined sugar or stevia. If you need something packaged, go for coconut water as it helps your body to replenish the lost electrolytes.

Make breakfast healthy.

Smoothies, smoothie bowls, and avocado toast are all popular healthy choices. Organic eggs keep you full for many hours.

Other breakfast ideas are full-fat yoghurt with berries, hummus with pita bread or vegetables, and whole grain porridge with fruit.

Frying is okay on some days, but some foods like samosas and spring rolls can be baked. An air fryer is a great investment.

We all know that white flour, white salt, and white sugar are not good for us. If the recipe calls for white flour, replace some part of it with wheat or spelt flours. Replace white sugar with unrefined sugars like jaggery, agave, dates or date sugar, coconut sugar, honey, fruits or apple sauce. Replace table salt with sea salt, Himalayan or Celtic salts to get all the minerals. Keep in mind that sugar in any forms including the healing honey in Islamic culture in excess can give you blood sugar problems.

Sneak vegetables into anything you make –spinach or other greens to your pakoras, peas to your rice, ground carrots to your pasta, mushrooms to your meat dishes, etc. Do not live on processed or packaged foods in Ramadan. This is the time to nourish your body with nutrient rich home-made whole foods preferably organic after long hours of depletion. Packaged foods are devoid of nutrients and filled with many harmful ingredients our body can’t process. If you feed your body with nourishing foods, it gives the body sustainable energy to carry you throughout the day. For iftar, do not make appetiser every day. If you have to have appetisers, only make one to three pieces per person so even if you want to have more there would not be any left. If you eat more than that, keep in mind that your appetiser is not an appetiser anymore and is the main course.

If you cannot live without desserts in Ramadan, plan for low sugar or fruit-based desserts.

If you have the habit of eating after night prayers or just before going to bed, save your fruit-based dessert for that. No two servings of dessert during Ramadan.

If you suffer from constipation during Ramadan, you will have to make a conscious effort of consuming fibre-rich foods like vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

Indigestion issues can be resolved by not overeating.

Carry a water bottle and sip water throughout the night prayers.

If you suffer from indigestion consider some teas like CCF tea made by boiling water with equal amounts of coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds (1 tsp each) Practise mindful eating. Chew your food properly and slow down.

Breakfast Smoothie – Spinach and Orange Breakfast Smoothie A delicious, protein and fibre-packed smoothie that is perfect for suhoor (the morning meal eaten during the Holy Month of Ramadan).

1½ cups Greek yoghurt

1 cup baby spinach

2 cups fresh orange juice

½ tbsp fresh ginger

2 tbsp chia seeds

Using the blender of your choice, mix spinach, Greek yoghurt, ginger and orange juice until smooth.

Pour into a tall glass.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chia seeds over top of each glass.

Baked Chicken Fajita

3 bell peppers (any colour), cut into wide slices

1 onion, yellow or red, cut into wide slices

3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 small can green chili

1.5 lbs chicken breasts or tenders, cut into strips

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp coriander

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tbsp oregano, dried

1 tbsp basil, dried

2 tbsp olive oil

Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice (optional) Fresh cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic, chicken strips, and the green chili peppers in a baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Rub the spice mix on the vegetables and chicken.

Drizzle the olive oil. Combine well.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.

To serve, top with fresh cilantro and lemon or lime juice.

Serve with guacamole, fresh salsa, and beans (skip the bread).

Notes If you’re assembling it to eat later, cover and refrigerate. When ready to cook, pull the casserole dish out of the fridge.

Place in a cold oven then turn the oven on. This will prevent the casserole dish from cracking due to sharp temperature change.

If you prefer your fajita dish to be more dry, spread the vegetables and chicken on a larger baking sheet (like a cookie sheet) to allow room for the liquids to dry out.

Date Nut Bar

1 package pressed dates, or 13 ounces pitted Medjool dates

⅓ cup almond butter

½ cup slivered almonds

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl. With your hand, knead to combine and form a ball. You may use food-grade gloves.

Rip a good size wax paper (about 2 feet long) and place on your counter top.

Place the dough on one side, cover with wax paper, and flatten with a rolling pin until it reaches a thickness of ¾ inch. Using your hands or a knife, form a rectangle – to simplify the cutting process.

Cut into 10 pieces and enjoy.

To store in your fridge, wrap each bar with plastic paper tightly.

Store in your fridge for a week – that’s if they’re not eaten already by the first day.

The committee was set up by Rowley in March after a Cabinet decision to review Petrotrin’s operations in light of falling revenues, allegations of mismanagement and decreasing oil prices worldwide.

In an address to the nation in January, Rowley said Petrotrin was experiencing a dramatic slump in crude oil prices, plus an ongoing decline in refinery margins and declining local oil production, that had together cut its revenues by half from $37 billion in 2012 to $16 billion in 2016.

“The situation was further exacerbated when the union served formal strike notice on Petrotrin in January,” said the statement.

The statement added that traditionally Petrotrin has been a net earner of foreign exchange, of US$250 million per year in 2015 and 2016, and a key contributor to government tax revenues and TT’s energy security.

“For many years however, high international oil prices masked a range of fundamental weaknesses in Petrotrin’s operations.

“Among the main structural problems were a steady decline in domestic oil production, low productivity, escalating manpower costs and steadily increasing operational and capital costs, due to inadequate controls, questionable management practices, ageing assets and infrastructure.” Petrotrin now has more than 5,000 employees, with an annual wage bill of $1.9 billion, which is close to 50 per cent of its total annual operating costs.

The Prime Minister is expected to present the Petrotrin report to Cabinet and then to the energy sub-committee.

The Petrotrin Review Committee has agreed to remain empanelled on assignment with Cabinet until December 31.

The Committee is chaired by Ministry of Energy permanent secretry, Selwyn Lashley.

Director of the Global Forensic Institute and the event’s organiser Jerome Chambers told Newsday yesterday he was not given any explanation for the barring of TSTT officials from the IT room by hotel officials.

“A few of my fellow organisers spoke to staff at the hotel who said they were not aware of any arrangements for a live stream,” Chambers said. “I visited the hotel myself and they agreed to help when I explained that TSTT will be organising the equipment for the feed. Later on during the weekend I found out that the technicians were turned away because staff was not willing to allow them access to the room.” Chambers said the hotel has arranged for live-stream communications in the past. Despite this setback however, he maintained that the conference was a success and said that he was prepared to arrange another session whereby guests would be able to hear the address. Newsday attempted to contact the hotel’s corporate communications manager and a woman who identified herself as ‘Mrs Nicholas’ said she was unable to speak on the matter.

She vowed to oppose such as she addressed a UNC Monday Night forum at Don Miguel Hindu School in San Juan.

She said Opposition efforts to obtain a report of the probe were instead met by a letter from Defence Force head Rodney Smart which alleged that his predecessor Kenrick Maharaj approved the handling of firearms by the AG’s children. Maharaj has stoutly denied this. Dubbing the imbroglio “Armygate”, Persad-Bissessar accused Government of infiltrating and compromising the Defence Force, to protect Al-Rawi.

Noting neither Al-Rawi nor Maharaj had been called to testify in the inquiry, she vowed, “The Opposition will fight Armygate.” Persad-Bissessar called on Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to launch a criminal investigation into the affair. She urged Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon to release the full report of the inquiry.

“We’ll not let Government destroy the Army. We will close the army gate on those responsible.” Persad-Bissessar then repeated her call for Chief Justice Ivor Archie to step down, in light of the Law Association’s recent no-confidence motion in him and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) over the Marcia Ayers-Caesar affair. While suspects in 53 court cases were harmed by Ayers-Caesar’s promotion from magistrate to judge, Persad-Bissessar said no-one had taken responsibility or uttered a word of contrition. She said there is now a crisis of leadership in TT that extends even into the army and the judiciary.

Saying the judiciary is the guardian of the Constitution, Persad- Bissessar said citizens cannot afford to lose confidence in that institution. “We mustn’t let good judges be tarnished by what has transpired.” She urged Archie to listen to the voice of the people or suffer at the hands of the people. “As easily as it is given to you, it will be taken away from you!” While sympathising with Archie on a human level, Persad-Bissessar said the “greater good” outweighs any disadvantages that will accrue to Archie personally, if he resigns.

On crime, she lamented the more than 220 murders this year despite Dillon having two colleagues to help him manage the ministry.

“Stop being concerned and resign,” she urged. “Pick up your bag and go!” Earlier she went through a mock ceremony of holding out an imitation Academy Award to “the greatest actor ever”, who had acted 36 times as prime minister in the past 20 months, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, whom she teasingly re-christened, “Mr Taxbert.”

Thurton gets the nod because West Indies youth players Kirstan Kallicharan and Cephas Cooper who were at the helm of their respective North and South teams in the annual TT CB Under-19 Classic last Saturday, will be on tour with the West Indies Under-19 team during the first two weeks of August.

Apart from Kallicharan and Cooper, opener Keagan Simmons, fast bowler Tishawn Alleyne and all-rounder Matthew Patrick are also in the WI Youth touring squad which will be involved in two One- Day series against South Africa and Zimbabwe youths.

They will miss the first two rounds on competition but will return in time for the third round.

They will join the Trinidad and Tobago contingent in St Kitts where both the Under 19 two-innings and 50-overs competitions will be staged from July 21 to August 28.

On their return from the South Africa/Zimbabwe tours, all five players will travel to St Kitts and join the TT team.

Central Zone’s Saiba Batoosingh, who was TT ’s Under-19 vice-captain last year, should also be in this year’s squad that will be made up of at least five 15-year-olds who have advanced their chances of national selection with outstanding performances during the 2017 Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL) and TT CB Shell Inter-Zone competitions.

Leonard Julien is expected to do duties behind the stumps and will be one of the frontline batsmen along with Avinash Mahabirsingh, Leonardo Francis, all-rounder Ronaldo Forrester and medium pacer Jayden Seales.

All-rounders Sachin Seecharan and Justyn Gangoo have also impressed with their performances while newcomers Jace Assoon and Aaron Mairam, both top orders batsmen, are strong contenders to be in the 14-member squad to be announced shortly. Medium pacers Shaaron Lewis and Jean Phillipe- Barrie are also in line for selection.

The national under 19 selection committee comprises Lalman Kowlessar (chairman) plus former national senior players Roland Sampath, Deonarine Deyal, David Furlonge and Surujdath Mahabir.

They were at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva on Saturday last when inclement weather conditions forced an abandonment of the Under-19 Classic with only eight overs bowled in North’s innings.

Jayden Seales shone brightly in the damp conditions and captured four quick wickets and had the North team in disarray at 24 for five before a heavy downpour soon after ended the match

In my humble opinion, this verse of scripture from the King James Version of the Holy Bible aptly describes the core of the current crime situation, and the seeming inability of our law enforcement apparatus to get the better of the situation.

Billions of dollars in technology, weaponry, strategies, training and consultancies have done little to abate the madness.

If anything, one can easily say the thing is getting worse. It is as though the beast that is crime is further provoked by these efforts, and therefore spews more of its venom.

Daily we read and hear of the senseless murders; seemingly unmotivated attacks on people, as though some demonic force is infiltrating the minds of those who commit these acts of violence on people selected, it appears, from a list of those who must perish in such gruesome circumstances.

The state of affairs now defies logic and excuses such as the drug trade or drug deals gone sour no longer hold water or can no more satisfy the deep concerns of the law-abiding, who fear that the next bullet or wielded cutlass may be directed at them.

Our leaders appear incompetent — bungling the management of this spiralling bedlam, and fear grips the hearts of the citizenry, causing panic responses and calls for unreasoned solutions.

Such as that coming from the Cunupia Business Chamber for the Government to make it easier for legitimate business owners to own guns.

How many of those in the grip of the crime demon are already legitimate business owners and how easy it is for one to become a legitimate businessman? What about those who already own firearms for protection? These people can be inspired to respond to an apparent threat with deadly force, thereby perpetuating the already untenable situation.

Are we going back to the days of the Wild West? We are not that far away.

The circumstances require a positive and decisive response that has so far eluded the powers that be.

Our Police Service is stretched to its limit and the blame game taking place between the political entities has contributed in no small measure to the existing conditions.

Truth be told, no government has the power or the ability to stop crime, so it is useless blaming the Government or even placing the burden of solving the dilemma at its feet. This is definitely an all-handson- deck assignment, every citizen taking the responsibility to put order back into our lives.

It stands to reason, therefore, that our physical efforts are puny, unable to shake this powerful enemy.

In spite of our billions of dollars, our plans fail over and over.

In Verse 13 of Ephesians, Chapter 6, the Bible tells us of “taking on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.” This armour is our minds — the way we think, believe and operate.

The concepts and ideologies of evil must be replaced by GOD — good orderly direction. We are our own worst enemy.

According to Archbishop Joseph Harris, we must blame ourselves for the current situation, and therefore the change for which we yearn must begin with us. It is possible to change, to become kinder and gentler people.

This can only be achieved if we inculcate GOD in our lives, each person endeavouring to follow the good orderly direction that comes from our spiritual beliefs.

This is not a religious thing, but a spiritual concept that will lead us to have respect for the sanctity of human life.

GARVIN COLE Tobago

Both are among new or revised provisions of the bill to amend the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act.

The amended act is to introduce a system of traffic violations for certain breaches, and to implement the red light traffic system, a demerit points system, and the reform of the fixed penalty system and related matters.

As the bill proceeded at the Committee stage in the Senate yesterday, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said, on the use of the red light camera system to track speeding vehicles, some cameras were already in place and just awaiting the legislation to come into effect.

Noting that people have “wilfully ignored” traffic wardens, he said no one has been imprisoned for obstructing traffic wardens in the execution of their duties. The $300, he said, was not a deterrent.

While the prison term was removed for drag racing on highways without the consent of the commissioner of police, the $2,000 fine was increased to $6,000.

However Al Rawi said when Parliament resumes in September after the recess, he intends to review the fines for some traffic offences.

Amendment has also been approved to increase the penalties for driving without being the holder of a driver’s permit. The fine will be $1,500. Also removed as offences but deemed violations, will be driving without a seatbelt which will attract a fine of a maximum of $8,000, and driving with a child under the age of five without a car seat which would attract a fine of $4,000.

The amended act would also extend the power of the Licensing Authority to refuse to issue a driving permit to a person who has committed a traffic violation.

WeBeat, the cultural experience hosted by the St James Community Improvement Committee (CIC) will feature some of the TT ’s top musicians, including Elan Parle, Pelham Goddard & Roots, the Trinidad & Tobago Police Services Band and Jason “Fridge” Seecharan.

The artistes will perform everything from smooth jazz to classic jazz to calypso and groovy jazz.

Patrons can bring their drinks but only chasers, non-alcohol drinks and ice will be on sale. Resident steelband St James Tripolians will provide a musical welcome as patrons enter the venue.

WeBeat St James Live is designed to promote the community of St James and plays a role in promoting an opportunity for artistes to showcase their talent, while seeking to build a sustainable tourism product with domestic allure.

WeBeat St James Live is in tribute to Earl Crosby, foundation member and first CIC president who passed away last year. Also sharing the spotlight is this year’s honoree, Woo Ling’s Supermarket, a family- oriented business handed down three generation spanning over 80 years. They will be awarded at the start of tonight’s programme.

Looney, BP Chief Operating Officer, Strategy and Regions Andy Hopwood and Regional President BPTT Norman Christie met with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Minister of Energy Franklin Khan and other Government officials during their visit.

At the meetings with the government, BP representatives shared the significant progress that the company has been making to improve production capacity and gas supply for the short, medium and longer term. They also recognized the important role that government played in facilitating these projects and successes.

At an event held on June 1 to mark several milestones achieved by the company, BPTT announced exploration success in its Savannah and Macadamia wells and the sanction of its latest project, Angelin.

The 2017 start ups of TROC, Sercan II and the imminent start up of Juniper provide near term relief to the gas supply issues, the sanction and anticipated start up of Angelin in 2019 ensures that gas volumes can be maintained into the medium term and the exploration success gives confidence to maintaining gas supply levels into the longer term, post 2020.

Looney said that the milestones announced represent BP’s confidence in Trinidad and Tobago and commitment to deliver over the short to long-term.

He said: “We remain committed to being the best stewards of our acreage and to ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago benefits from our investments here. We will continue to invest in our people, in our technology and in our operations to sustain production and to actively participate in the broader development of the country.” BPTT operates in 904,000 acres off Trinidad’s east coast. BPTT has 14 offshore platforms and two onshore processing facilities.

The commotion yesterday began at about 6 am when a group of men, accompanied by police, went to Ralph Narine Trace and informed the occupants about the demolition. Occupant Leena Patram, 43, said her husband Kumar Deonath, 36, had been living on the property for the last 36 years.

In destroying the two-bedroom ply house, Patram said damage was done to several religious items including murtis (Hindu statues).

He is also alleging that $8,000 and grocery items were stolen. “We are not going anywhere,” Patram said.

“She could have given us first preference if the land is hers. These people came here and showed us no documents. But, they claimed to have a court order. They told him come outside then started breaking down everything. They broke up my murtis. My flour and grocery gone,” said Patram.

Up to last evening, the couple was rebuilding the structure and efforts to contact the accused land owner proved futile.