Over 300 cyclists from Europe, North America, South America and all of the Caribbean will converge on this island paradise for five days of the Caribbean’s biggest sporting exhibition of endurance, skill and speed.

Riders will be tested to their limits as they confront the sweltering tropical conditions and brutal terrain when they circumnavigate the island’s spectacular coastline in the feature event, the UCI Accredited Tour of Tobago.

It is also the only such event in the region that has the full backing of the Geneva- based UCI — the world governing body for cycling.

The Cycling Classic will also feature two days of exciting Mountain Bike Racing through the picturesque trails of Tobago’s pristine rain forest reserve The TICC will celebrate its 31st anniversary in 2017 which is a significant milestone, validating the prominence and the sustainability of this event.

On this occasion, the TICC organisers will be looking to stage an event that will be unsurpassed in terms of competition, participation and viewership.

The prime objective is to promote and boost sport and sport tourism activities in Tobago with daily video recaps on social media and live stream broadcast to an extensive worldwide audience.

“When any organization partners with the TICC, it is committing itself to delivering realistic relevance and value to the millions of followers who see the TICC as synonymous with any top rated international sporting event,” a press release yesterday stated.

“What makes this event so popular among the foreign and local participants is not so much the fact that it is the only race in the region from which they can accrue UCI points to improve their world ranking but more-so of the festive- like atmosphere that surrounds the entire week-long event.”

At 6 pm, Trini Revellers will unveil some 12 sections of its Carnival 2018 presentation: Harold Sally Saldenah – The Legend at St Mary’s College, Pembroke Street, Port of Spain.

The band in effect will be paying tribute to Saldenah, by taking some of the late masman’s presentations that created great effect in years gone by. Among them, We Mas have class (1985), Mexico 1519 – 1521 (1964), Psychedelic Latin America (1969), Atlantis: Land of seven cities (1970), Fantasy in Jewels (1972), Sun Kingdom of the Amazons (1974), Pacific Paradise (1965), Epic of the Zulus (1967), Fashionable Sailors from Paris (1973), Norse Gods and Vikings (1956), El Dorado, City of Gold (1968) and Imperial Rome 44BC to 96AD (1955). Later that night at 10.30 pm, Legacy will also present its Carnival 2018 presentation: We Jammin’ Still at VAS Lounge, on Rust Street, St. Clair.

Legacy’s presentation will celebrate the indomitable spirit and joie de vivre of the people of TT.

Bandleader Mike Antoine said: “This is a gift, to be able to rise in the face of challenges and to find humour and joy in our everyday and sometimes humdrum lives.” On Saturday, Legacy’s line-up of costumes will be unveiled with a live display of sections with themes such as Spirit, Joy, Freedom, Festival and Soca Party. There will also entertainment with music by popular radio DJs giving patrons a glimpse of what to expect from Legacy on the road

She thanked members of the public for their ardent prayers and their text messages of well-wishes for Cuffie’s recovery.

Tyson-Cuffie did not give details of Cuffie’s “medical episode” that occurred on Tuesday, as reported by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), but she told Newsday that he had a strong heart.

She said little had changed since Wednesday’s statement by the OPM, saying, “That remains the state of play. He is doing a lot of work that they are comfortable with. The hospital remains happy with how he is progressing, and I get a lot of joy from that.” Tyson-Cuffie asked for people to keep praying and said text messages to her and her husband had been very encouraging.

“I realise my husband is wellloved.” Pressed for more details on the nature of the minister’s “medical episode” and whether it was heart-related, Tyson-Cuffie replied, “The Minister’s heart is in good condition. We encourage people to take care of their health.” Tyso-Cuffie said her husband lived a very healthy lifestyle which included walking six days a week and a diet of no meat nor alcohol.

Tyson-Cuffie blamed the episode on just “the luck of the draw.” “He is someone who walks a lot and eats right and that kind of thing. That’s the luck of the draw,” She said. “He doesn’t drink, doesn’t eat meat, doesn’t eat fish. He’s a vegetarian.

“He exercises six out of seven days, and is very, very moderate in his eating. He’s a very, very careful person. “Sometimes it’s the luck of the draw.”

Shekiah De Verteuil was last seen at her Phase 4 Malabar home at about 8.33 pm on Wednesday.

She is of mixed descent, five feet, four inches tall, with a slim build, a dark brown complexion and hair which was dyed blonde.

She was reported missing by her grandmother, Pauline De Verteuil, at about 9.33 pm on the same day. Anyone with information can contact the police at any police station or call 800-TIPS.

The IDB’s country representative for Trinidad and Tobago (TT), Tomás Bermudez, says “research and experience have proven that safeguards can anticipate and mitigate environmental and social risks effectively.

Therefore, focusing on increasing knowledge, capacity and implementation of environmental licensing and compliance is beneficial to the region.” Here in TT, the IDB is assisting with improving the existing wastewater management program and services in the Malabar and San Fernando catchments. The measures include support for the wastewater rehabilitation program and the implementation of institutional and policy reforms. Environmental agencies from across the Caribbean are expected to attend the event which, the IDB says, will be “an interactive event, providing opportunities for participants to share experiences and garner up-to-date information from partner agencies working in environmental policy, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Space Agency.” Regional and international experts will lead sessions during the two-day event, through which participants will increase their knowledge about best practices in environmental licensing and compliance.

The IDB says these sessions will focus on three priority areas for discussion: Meaningful stakeholder engagement – the IDB has recently summarised requirements and international good practice in a note on Meaningful Stakeholder Consultation, and is currently supporting training and capacity building in stakeholder engagement; Satellite and geographical data as a tool for environmental impact assessments and compliance processes; and Status of EIA legislation and regulation in the Caribbean region.

Participants will also be encouraged to utilise the virtual community of practice for environmental and social safeguards in the Caribbean.

“This community of practice, launched last year, is a communications platform where officials can share common interests in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental management and protection.” The IDB added that in 2016, approximately 40 high-level officials responsible for environmental and social safeguards from throughout the Caribbean came together in Kingston, Jamaica, to attend the first regional policy dialogue.

“These officials shared their experiences in environmental licensing and discussed common challenges of ensuring adequate enforcement measures.

The resulting conversations in Kingston showed that, in the Caribbean, country safeguard systems are diversely organised, yet despite their different institutional frameworks, the challenges they face are the same.” In addition to the regional policy dialogue, the IDB conducts other activities to strengthen national environmental and social safeguard systems of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including an online training program with courses on biodiversity, reviewing and approving environmental assessments, and meaningful stakeholder consultation

James, 33, who spent almost his entire professional life across leagues in the United States including the MLS, represented Central in the latter half of last season before returning to the US with Sacramento Republic, and 35-year-old former household name of Morvant Caledonia United, Theobald, who is eager to suit up for his new club, are awaiting international transfer from USA and India respectively.

“We have added some experience with Theobald and Julius James around younger talents like Duane Muckette and others,” said North East Stars head coach Derek King, whose side are also in the process of completing the signings of W Connection midfielder Kevon Goddard and former Morvant Caledonia, San Juan Jabloteh and St.Ann’s Rangers goalkeeper Jesse Peters in the mid-season transfer window.

North East Stars will host Central for the first time at the iconic Arima Velodrome from 8pm tonight in a much anticipated rescheduled clash following a month-long break to assist the Trinidad and Tobago team preparations for recent FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers.

Also today, Point Fortin Civic, who snapped the Stars’ unbeaten run of six games on August 11 with a late 1-0 win in front of home fans in Point Fortin, will host San Juan Jabloteh from 6pm at Mahaica Oval in another of three rescheduled fixtures on the weekend inclusive of Morvant Caledonia United’s visit against MIC-IT St Ann’s Rangers from 4pm on Sunday at the St Augustine Senior Secondary Ground.

“It’s very important against Central,” King expressed. “because if we win we go on top (the standings).”

Shah was expected to play last night for the Knight Riders against Guyana Amazon Warriors in eliminator two. The winner of last night’s match will face St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in tomorrow’s final at Brian Lara Cricket Academy from 9 pm. Khan was called up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play three T20 internationals against a World XI starting on Tuesday. Khan’s absence is another big blow for the Trinbago Knight Riders who have been forced to do without the prolific New Zealander Brendon McCullum who fractured his arm just before the CPL playoffs started. They also missed out on South African Hashim Amla after the opener got injured prior to the CPL.

The committee held their Tobago leg of the enquiry on Wednesday at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex, Scarborough. In a letter signed by THA Legal Counsel Alvin Pascall, Charles sent his apology which was read by committee chairman Stephen Creese.

“The Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, the honourable Kelvin Charles confirms safe receipt of your missive dated 24th day of August 2017, the content of which is noted. I am instructed to inform you that the Tobago House of Assembly will not be represented at the sitting of the parliamentary committee on land and physical infrastructure fixed for Wednesday 6th September 2017 at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex, Scarborough, Tobago. As you are no doubt aware, the management of the airport and sea port of Trinidad and Tobago falls under the purview of the Central Government and its agents, the Board of Directors. In view of the above, I shall appreciate you communicating our non-attendance to chairman Senator Stephen Creece esquire and thank him for the opportunity afforded to the Tobago House of Assembly in this connection,” he read.

Committee member, Opposition Senator Wade Mark expressed his disapproval of the Chief Secretary’s non-appearance.

“I just want to put on record my utter disappointment based upon what the Chairman read via correspondence, the failure of the Chief Secretary to grace us with his presence so we could have heard from the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly on this whole matter of these vessels and the crisis,” he said.

Also absent from Wednesday’s enquiry was Minority Leader Watson Duke, who was represented by Assemblyman Farley Augustine.

In his submission, Augustine described the current ferry fiasco as a ‘crisis’.

“Until as a country, we begin to seriously put punitive measures in place against those who incur this kind of damage to the public purse, then we are not going anywhere. You could go after the Sonia type boat next; we could end up with the same situation, you would change the configuration of the Port Authority; we can end up with the same problem and so this committee and the Parliament has an opportunity now in a very punitive way to deal with those who would have created this crisis. This crisis in my mind, this crisis was created. It did not happen by accident, it is no emergency, it was created,” With that, he noted that this issue has really hit Tobago at its worst possible time.

“It has happened at a time when our tourism was almost dead, it has happened at a time when our national economy was at its worst, it has happened at a time when global economies are not doing as well and where in the Caribbean region growth is low, slow and it is happening at a time whereby we thought we would have received better from governance. Tobago has suffered through this more than anyone else and I want to implore everyone on the other side of the waters that is watching because there is a tendency to think that this is a Tobago issue only but, this is a national issue because Tobago issues are national issues,” Augustine said.

The Assemblyman noted that the Governance system as is, is not working.

“It is not working, because if we knew contracts was going to be ended, if we knew that we needed new boats because what we had was old, then we should have known to put things in place long before the system collapsed,” he said.

The enquiry will continue on September 18 at Tower D of the Portof- Spain International Waterfront Centre and on September 20 in Tobago.

The victory at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy meant Amazon Warriors were scheduled to play Trinbago Knight Riders in eliminator two last night at the same venue. The winner of last night’s match will face St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the final tomorrow at the Brian Lara Academy, from 9 pm.

Khan, an 18 year old Afghanistan spinner, took the first hattrick in the five-year history of CPL as Jamaica Tallawahs posted 168 for eight in their 20 overs.

The moment came for Khan in the 15th over of the match when Andre McCarthy (14), Jonathan Foo (duck) and Rovman Powell (duck) were all out bowled to the wily spinner. They all had their stumps rattled while playing forward as they misjudged the flight and spin. Khan ended with 3/32 in four overs, while Kumar Sangakkara was the top batsman for Tallawahs scoring 57.

In reply, 36-year-old Luke Ronchi of New Zealand struck 70 off 33 deliveries with five fours and five sixes to guide Amazon Wariors to 169/5 in 17.5 overs. Mahmudullah was the chief destroyer for Tallawahs grabbing 3/25 in four overs.

After the win Ronchi said, “It was nice, it is always nice to make runs. You want to help your team win games of cricket. If it’s batting, bowling or fielding whatever it is I think everybody wants to help their team win. It is nice to make some runs and get us closer to the title.”

Her mother Sandra Sookram lodged a missing person report to the San Fernando Police Station at 3.20 pm on Wednesday.

Ali is of African descent, five feet, nine inches tall, slim built, dark brown in complexion with short black hair. She was last seen wearing a pair of black pants and white and blue top.

Anyone with information on Ali’s whereabouts is asked to contact the police at 999, 555, 911 or any police station or call 800-TIPS.