Many of our citizens can testify that they have witnessed police rubbing down suspects, emptying their pockets, making them take off their socks, searching for weed.

It is high time our MPs stand up for poor people in this country as it is only the poorer classes who are targeted in this charade.

The jail is full of these people and they only need to get the statistics from the prison authorities as more of them cannot secure bail.

The authorities are making criminals out of ordinary people for a little piece of weed. This takes me back to the treatment of a certain ethnicity in the US in years gone by.

When is someone in Parliament going to stand up and try to put an end to this nonsense? When will one of our feature writers in the newspapers take up this cause? Murders are out of control, underage pregnancies are rampant and there are no arrests.

But for a little piece of weed you can read all about it in the newspapers.

We have truly become a “Jim Crow society.”

JOHN KING Port-of-Spain

Committee member Kathleen Maharaj said the highlight of the event, which is expected to run from 2 pm to 5 pm, will be an address by renowned non-violence activist and motivational speaker Argrow “Kit” Evans-Ford.

“She is the survivor of a very violent attack and she is coming to share her story about ways in which people can live non-violently,” Maharaj said of Evans-Ford.

According to an Internet profile, Evans-Ford is passionate about non-violence, God and serving others.

She has been a trainer and activist for some 13 years working tirelessly in the areas of non-violence education, violence prevention, special education, women’s rights, rape crisis intervention, and rehabilitation for victims of violence and abuse. Born in Mebane, North Carolina, United States, Evans-Ford’s work in the area of non-violence was inspired by her own personal misfortune after she became the survivor of an extremely violent sexual assault. It is said that after surviving the attack, Evans-Ford developed a strong desire to promote the power of non-violent social change. Evans-Ford, who is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Ministry in Spiritual Direction at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary in Evanston, is the founder of Testimonies of Hope: The Intercultural Christian Devotional at www.testimoniesofhope.

org.

She is also the author of 101 Testimonies of Hope: Life Stories to Encourage Your Faith in God and A Children’s Book On Bishop Richard Allen: A Non-violent Journey. Evans-Ford has studied, worked, and served in England, Japan, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, St Lucia and St Kitts and Nevis. Maharaj told Sunday Newsday that tomorrow’s peace rally, produced by Brian Mac Farlane, also will feature speeches promoting non-violence by representatives from several faith-based organisations,.

She said several top local artistes are also expected to perform at the event. These include sitarist Mungal Patasar; vocalist Wendell Constantine; pannist Johann Chuckaree; calypsonian Karene Asche; The Love Movement; musician Nigel Rojas and singer Marcia Miranda.

The Movement for Non-Violence Begins With Me, a non-denominational, apolitical organisation, is an amalgamation of various individuals and socio-religious groups interested in minimising the violence that has been plaguing the country over the past few years.

Following discussions, which began over one year ago, in conjunction with the Living Water Community, the committee decided to host its first major public initiative, 40 Hours of Prayer/40 Days of Action.

The prayer segment of the initiative called on faith groups to offer intercessions from 6 pm on March 3 to 10 am on March 5 while the 40 Days of Action are focused on raising awareness of the dilemma through heightened sensitisation interventions.

The latter initiative ends tomorrow.

Maharaj described the 40 Days of Prayer/40 Days of Action initiative as “absolutely amazing.” “It was a whole new experience for us but the campaign really began one year ago where the Living Water Community started to have talks and sessions mon non-violence,” she said.

“It is just amazing how people have responded .when we had our candlelight memorial on March 24, where we invited people wherever they were to organise themselves to play their part. People responded in families, community groups by organising walks and other activities.” Maharaj said violence affects all and sundry.

“It is hardly the case, these days, where we don’t know somebody who has been affected by violence in one way or the other,” she said.

“We have invited people to consider the ways in which they may be non-violent because we all have a level of violence in the way we think, speak and treat each-other.” Maharaj said the second phase of the peace campaign will be a community and school caravan.

“I want to support that view in a general kind of way,” Berkley told Sunday Newsday in response to claims by Roman Catholic priest Fr Garfield Rochard that there has been a marked increase in the turnout of parishioners at church services during the Lenten and Easter season because of the recession.

Rochard, in an interview last week, said while there has been increased attendance in services at Mt St Benedict, where he is now based, the trend can also be attributed to the recession.

“I presume it is because things are not so good in the country where people now have to turn to prayers,” Rochard had said.

“Easter has its own clientele but even with Lent there was a bigger turnout that we have found.” Rochard said since the beginning of Lent in March, priests throughout the archdiocese had been taking head counts of people attending services to determine the extent to which congregations had grown.

Yesterday, Berkley said while the Lenten season naturally engenders an increase in participation, much can also be said about the influence of the recession in facilitating larger turnouts.

“Usually, during the Lenten season, a number of more mature persons would usually step up their worshipping ways and their sense of devotion, treating it as a solemn season during which time they carry a certain discipline as they prepare for Easter,” he said.

“I will agree that, yes, it is a time where you can have increased attendance at worship but I also will support the fact that things are very difficult for a number of persons and this is something that people say openly – the place of solace for them at the moment is the church.” Berkley said the worsening crime situation and the difficulties people are experiencing with respect to managing their homes from an economic standpoint also have encouraged them to place their faith in the church.

“The issue of unemployment among some persons and with the uncertainty of the days ahead, people are looking or that kind of solace and the church remains one of those places where they do that. So I tend to agree with that kind of understanding in that way.” Berkley said having seen the attendance at Palm Sunday and Good Friday services, he was convinced of the need among many worshippers to develop a closer relationship with their God.

“Usually, Good Friday carries a threehour service and people generally shy away from such a lengthy service.

“But we have had that kind of turnout in varying ways again reflecting that sense of looking to the Divine for a greater intervention.” Asked if he felt the desire to seek God in times of desperation was a convenient approach, Berkley said: “I would not say it is a using of the church.

What has happened is that while worshipping on a regular basis is what the church encourages, there is a certain regard for the freedom of will that people have and while they might not be regular, very often they have not discounted the church altogether.

“So that they might be in support, even if not physically so by being present. In other ways, they listen to see what the church is saying. They make contributions to the church’s programmes,” he added.

Berkley said, however, he would generally like to see greater and more consistent participation within the Anglican church.

In her Easter message, Persad-Bissessar said that citizens can all learn from the teachings and life of Jesus Christ and “of the principles of sacrifice, compassion, charity and forgiveness __ values that we should all celebrate and share.” “The message of the Resurrection is that we have been given a new opportunity to reach out to those in need with kindness, hope and love.” She said that during this sacred time citizens must pause and reflect on where they are in terms of national development, and must also be conscious of the importance of family, harmony and goodwill.

She called on citizens to take a moment to consider all those who may be troubled, “whether it is anxiety over the safety and security of their loved ones, or concerns over their health and well-being.” “We must keep in our hearts and minds those who are suffering, as thousands of our citizens have lost their jobs and are finding it difficult to provide for their families.

“These are challenging times, but we in the Opposition remain hopeful that by working together, we can build a stronger, more prosperous Trinidad and Tobago.” Persad-Bissessar called on citizens “to be inspired by Christ and pledge to work together, to do your part to help your fellow citizens, to love thy neighbour.” “A collective effort is needed, and I also call on the country’s leaders to take this time to listen to the people and take necessary action to correct the problems facing us, including arresting the spiralling crime rate, rebuilding the economy, and ensuring that our citizens have access to proper health care.” She added: “This Easter, let us recommit to advancing our nation-building efforts; let us undertake to be kind, and to treat each other with respect and compassion.”

Meg’s Jewellery Creations was registered by Smith, with a St James address, in November 2014 and blossomed out of her passion for jewellery.

“At a young age, I started making jewellery as I am obsessed with beads and charms,” said Smith.

Her venture into jewellery design began in 2010, at age14, when she returned from Canada with Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra which won one of the Caribana titles.

“I had bought a beautiful green beaded necklace in Canada and it burst when I returned to Trinidad. So, I decided to go buy some beads and fix it and when I went to pan practice everyone loved it and right there I made my first sale by selling the same necklace I fixed,” Smith explained.

While attending St Francois Girls’ College, Smith continued to experiment with designs using semi-precious stones, nylon stretch and fabric stretch cord.

She attended Maurice Academy for Design and Craft in Curepe where she learned the techniques of jewellery-making, unlocking her potential to hand-crafted earrings, chains, anklets, charm bracelets, bookmarks, key chains and statement pieces.

Smith has been to various markets and community events including the Santa Cruz Green Market, Eastern Market, Things TT, South Market, Up Market and church harvests, all of which showcase local talent.

“I also support local businesses as I purchase a lot of my material from Bead Cafe and Craft E Z. Unfortunately, some precious stones and charms are not available in Trinidad, so I purchase them online.” Smith said she has achieved her goal of creating customized jewellery for young people and those young at heart.

“My business attracts a lot of teenagers and young adults, male and female, because they love the flamboyant yet rootsy jewellery, and the fact that clients can come with an idea of how they would like the jewellery to look, and I would gladly create it for them, as no two pieces are ever the same.” With a growing clientele, Smith displays her jewellery for sale, on a long concrete bench outside the cafeteria of the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine where she is a thirdyear chemistry student.

Her business is a stress-reliever helping her manage the hectic university life.

“Jewellery is something we all can identify with and the pieces my clients choose matches their personality, so I love the feeling of awe and good vibes I convey and receive here at UWI.” Smith sells a minimum of 15 bracelets, almost every day, among other handcrafted jewellery.

She is well known on campus, and people fondly call her “Megs” before inquiring about her new designs. How does she finance her business? “Initially my stepfather bought me the tool kits and beads necessary to begin.

However, right now I am at the stage where I am financially stable to fund my business and support myself.” Although her business address is St James, Smith creates jewellery at her apartment in St Augustine, and can always be seen with her tools whenever she is selling in UWI.

It takes her around five minutes to customize a bracelet as she has perfected the craft over the years.

Smith aspires to sell her jewellery internationally.

However, her aim after graduating would be to open her first store at UWI because of her customer base on campus.

“I want to see how far I can reach with this.” The logo for Meg’s Jewellery Creations is a dream-catcher, which Smith said symbolizes her pursuit of her craft.

“I always believe that we should live our dreams, and not fall into doing what everyone else wants us to do. I am supposed to be studying medicine in Jamaica.

I really didn’t want to do that and I decided to stick to what I love, which is jewellery designing. The dreamcatcher is a message to my customers, to live their dreams, go out there and catch them.” Smith thanks her mother for giving her a reality check that being an entrepreneur would not be easy, as well as her step-father for his tireless support.

Her advice to those interested in jewellery design as a business? “Do not enter this field for the money because you will not make it. In the initial stages of jewellery design I made huge losses before I really understood how to market and sell my products.

This applies to creating any business and with jewellery design you need to invest constantly. This is not a cheap field, so set realistic goals and work towards achieving them.” Meg’s Jewellery Creations can be contacted via Facebook: Meg’s Jewellery Creations and Instagram: MEGSJEWELLERYCREATIONS

I started my collection with two tiny succulents whose leaf colour, shape and form captivated me, as well as the plants’ ability to survive for long periods without water and still look stunning. I find both cacti and succulents easier to grow and to be considerably less demanding than foliage plants, requiring less frequent fertilization and general maintenance. However, I must confess that my love for cacti has since surpassed that of the softer leaved succulents.

Both cacti and succulents can withstand periods of drought and that is the main reason that I am so enthralled by them. They are the perfect plants for the dry season, during which time WASA may impose water restrictions and in addition, I can leave the country and not have to concern myself with asking anyone to water the plants while resting assured that I will find them in good condition upon my return.

Soil/ Plant Medium Cacti require a special medium to promote optimum growth. They need loose soil that provides quick drainage, thereby preventing the plants’ roots from sitting in moisture for long periods, which can lead to rot. I use a mixture of peat moss, commonly referred to as “promix”, and sharp sand.

I prefer to use peat moss instead of regular garden soil as part of my soil mixture for 3 simple reasons- it does not contain weed seeds, it is light and airy which facilitates free movement of roots, and it has some perlite which aids drainage.

However, the presence of too much peat in your mix will eventually form a cake around the root ball of your plants which does not encourage healthy roots and prevents the plants from absorbing water adequately through their roots. I have observed over the years that some soil mixes work better for some varieties than others.

cacti continues on It may become necessary to mix “special batches” by adding more sharp sand and/ or additional perlite for certain varieties because of the differences in water tolerance between different species.

Organic matter like manure or compost should be avoided because of their high nitrogen content which undoubtedly cause accelerated growth thereby negatively altering the form and shape of the plants.

I has been said that if water is still pooling on the surface of the growing medium 15 seconds after watering then this is an indicator that the soil is not loose enough.

There seems to be a myth that cacti need very little water.

While this may be sufficient for their survival in the short term, cacti and succulents need to be given a good drink, that is, until water runs out of the drainage hole(s) and then watered again when the soil is completely dry, if they are to thrive.

While over watering is probably the most common cause of death, under watering can also send your treasures to the plant graveyard.

I typically water most of my cacti and succulents once every seven to 14 days during the drier months, and I do so less frequently during the rainy season when the air is moist and the soil takes longer to dry out. Sometimes I intentionally prolong the periods that my plants go without water, thereby creating an artificial drought in an effort to “stress” my succulents to bring about changes in the colour of their leaves, and to encourage my cacti to bloom.

Other factors that influence my plants’ watering needs include the type of plant, if recently transplanted, the amount of sun exposure, pot material, size or depth of the pot, the presence of top dressing, and if the plant is potbound.

It goes without saying that the soil in small pots dry out faster than the soil in a larger or deeper pot.

Additionally, plants that are in clay pots will require more frequent watering than plants in plastic or ceramic the pots for the simple reason that clay pots are porous.

Some varieties tolerate more frequent watering than others.

Aloes and agaves can be very forgiving if watered frequently whereas jades and the “white spine cactus varieties” will not be so kind and they will easily turn to mush.

My suggestion is that you use the “once per week” as a rule of thumb but that you give the soil sufficient time to dry out between scheduled waterings.

In the absence of an actual moisture meter, and because my eyes can deceive me, I do the “moisture test” by sticking my index finger in the pot, I may rub some soil between my index and thumb because I absolutely love how it feels.

Rainwater, in my humble opinion, is magical. Just as rainwater gives immediate life to a dying lawn, it is beneficial to cacti and succulents and they seemingly love it. Rainwater, though acidic, is purer than tap water and is less harsh on plants. I usually collect rainwater to water the plants in my collection and sometimes I put the larger specimens in my collection out in the yard when there is a heavy downpour.

I do believe that they appreciate my efforts.

I hope that these tips prove to be helpful.

Happy gardening.

For further information contact the Eastern Horticultural Club at 357-5033 or 720-2698 or easternhorticultural@ hotmail.com. The club meets on the first Saturday of every month (except public holidays) at 3 pm at Moreton Hall, Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, Cochrane Street, Tunapuna

“Two dance companies one great show,” is how Nancy Herrera, artistic director of Metamorphosis, sees the production which opens the company’s 2017 dance season.

“It is a curated show where the companies present various choreographers who work with them,” Herrera shared with Sunday Newsday.

The history of Herrera and Trinidad-born London, the artistic director of Global Dance Company, goes back to the 1970s when they were trained by Pat Roe at the Caribbean School of Dancing.

London’s company features performers from the Caribbean, United States and other nationalities.

“What is interesting about Peter’s work,” said Herrera, “is that it is influenced by who he is, being from the Caribbean and having New York connections, his work has all the things that have gone into his background and reflects his journey, starting as an acclaimed dancer in the Caribbean and now internationally.” London extended an early welcome to audiences “to what we hope is our first annual cultural exchange season”.

“We are grateful and happy to be invited by Metamorphosis to share this special home-coming programme with her dancers. We are inspired by Ms Herrera’s support,” he said. London’s company receives tremendous support from arts foundations including The Knight Foundation, The Miami Foundation, Legal Link Cannon Ball and The Little Haiti Cultural Center as well as the Miami-Dade College/New World School of the Arts.

Herrera was also grateful to London for supporting Metamorphosis, when as an associate artistic director of the Martha Graham Company he gave the company the opportunity to perform one of his choreographies, Steps in the Street, in 2007.

“It was the first time that a Caribbean company performed a Graham piece,” said Herrera, who also noted the piece was in tribute to the Caribbean School of Dancing’s 40th anniversary. “This ranks for us as one of our great achievements.” For Metamorphosis’s segment of Two of a Kind, Herrera has five choreographers creating numbers to live musical accompaniment. “This makes it very interesting because in professional theatre you often have an orchestra that accompanies the dance so this makes the big difference. Special thanks to Dominique Le Gendre for the gift of her musical score, Songs and dances of the islands.” Herrera’s University of Trinidad and Tobago colleagues are also part of the musical and design cast.

They include Yevgeny Dokshansky on clarinet, Caitlyn Kamminga on double bass and Hayward Mickens on piano with set design by Edwin Erminy.

In one performance, Dokshansky will be accompanied by Aidan Chamberlain on trombone.

Herrera continues to think outside the box for dance in this country. Seven years ago, together with Sonja Dumas, Dave Williams and Nicole Wesley, Herrera founded the Contemporary Dance Collective and the annual CoCo Dance Festival which showcases cutting edge contemporary dance choreography of local and international choreographers.

It took the intervention of the Minister of Education, Anthony Garcia, the Arima MP, and Arima Mayor Lisa Morris-Julien, before a tender could arrive to douse the blaze.

Contacted by residents and the Arima Mayor, Garcia arrived at the scene on Pomegranate Street, Malabar, to find construction material ablaze.

He called the Arima Borough Corporation and the Fire Services for assistance. But the minister got the same response, that the lone tender assigned to Arima was attending to a bush fire. The tender eventually turned up after about an hour and doused the blaze.

Garcia told Sunday Newsday, he intends to raise the issue of the inadequate resources of the Arima Fire Station with the Ministry of National Security.

This has been a source of contention over the last three years since the main fire station on Green Street, in the heart of the borough, was closed and tenders were sent to a facility in Malabar.

Garcia said he was relieved the situation was not very serious, noting the school was due to be completed in time for the September 2017 term.

According to reports, at about 9 am, the gardener made the grisly discovery while on his way to tend his garden.

He immediately called the Arouca police.

Reports said the skeletal remains appeared to have been burnt and there was no clothing or form of identification near it. Tyres and a cutlass were reportedly found among the remains.

Police are calling on anyone with information to contact the Arouca Police Station.

Danielle Flavinney, of New Grant, received the vaccine in October last year.

Doctors have diagnosed her with a rare psychological disorder but her mother believes the vaccine is to blame.

Six months on Danielle’s mother Jamie Flavinney said the teen has no feeling on the left side of her face, her left arm, left torso or left leg.

She said she traced the beginning of her daughter’s condition to October 21, when she received the first round of the vaccine with other students of the St Matthew’s Anglican Primary School.

The elder Flavinney said Danielle in January began complaining of not feeling anything in her left hand and arm.

“She came to me and said “Mummy, look at my hand. What happen to my hand?” Flavinney said.

“The hand was bent up in a way, almost like it was deformed,” she added.

Again in January, after she first lost feeling in the hand and arm, Danielle received the second round of the vaccine in school.

With no improvement in her condition, Flavinney took her daughter to the Indian Walk Health Centre.

She was then referred to the San Fernando Teaching Hospital.

“They first sent her to a bone doctor who said he couldn’t do anything because she had no broken bones. They did an MRI, but before the results came back they sent a psychiatrist to review her.

“The psychiatrist said he didn’t find anything wrong with her, but he didn’t know why they would send her to him when the results of the MRI didn’t come back yet,” Flavinney said.

An MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiogram) was also done and doctors said nothing was physically wrong with Danielle’s brain, spine or left hand.

After spending nine days warded at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital, Danielle was diagnosed with ‘conversion disorder’ and discharged.

She has not been back to school since.

In an interview with Newsday, Professor Gerard Hutchinson, head of Clinical Medical Sciences, at the University of the West Indies explained that ‘conversion disorder’ was once called hysteria and suggests that there was some serious psychological conflict that the person has that expresses itself in that way.

Hutchinson said because of Danielle’s age and the fact that her paralysis is only on one side of her body, ‘all physical explanations must be checked out.’ “For example, it could be related to epilepsy, but if they are sure that nothing is going on there, then it is likely to be that (conversion disorder).” Hutchinson said if Danielle did have conversion disorder, it was not a conscious choice.

“It is almost as if your brain is telling your body to react to a stressor or a conflict in this way. So you have to identify the conflict, resolve it, and then the person is able to recover,” he said.

Since her first diagnosis, Danielle’s condition has progressively worsened, her mother said.

In February, she lost feeling in her leg.

Flavinney showed Newsday a video of a doctor pinching Danielle’s torso and sticking her with a needle in different parts of her body during a second visit to the San Fernando Teaching Hospital in February.

In the video, Danielle was seen flinching only when she was pinched and stuck with the needle on the right side of her body.

She was discharged with the same diagnosis of conversion disorder and on February 24, she lost feeling on the left side of her face.

Flavinney also said Danielle has had no bowel movement from January 21 to March 17.

“They (doctors) are telling me that is impossible, but I am telling them what is happening.

What could cause this to happen in a 13-year-old girl?” the worried mother said.

Flavinney says she cannot accept the diagnosis of conversion disorder.

“I am not accepting that. I am not accepting that at all,” she said. She is hoping for another medical opinion.

Contacted for his opinion, gynaecological oncologist Dr Gordon Narayansingh said while he could not comment directly on Danielle’s case since he did not have all the information, he said he has never seen a patient become paralysed after receiving the HPV vaccine.

Narayansingh has been a long-time advocate of the HPV vaccine before its introduction in schools in 2013.

Danielle is scheduled to undergo a counselling session at the Child Guidance Clinic in Pleasantville on May 9.

Her mother, however, is appealing for help to find out what is wrong with the teenager.

Dr Hutchinson has offered to do a clinical assessment at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences