Naps student is top JA achiever

Representing company Euphoria, sponsored by platinum sponsor bpTT , Basdeo’s stellar achievement was loudly applauded by a packed Trinidad Hilton and Conference Centre ballroom audience of Junior Achievers, JA officials and guests on June 10.

“The JA experience has been very rewarding.

I got the opportunity to interact with my peers from schools across the country.

The programme taught us skills needed to plan and conduct a viable business enterprise.

This award really belongs to all my company colleagues,” said an euphoric Basdeo, after receiving his award.

Accolade of Company of the Year went to another bpTT -sponsored company, Highline Productions, four of whose members will be selected to travel to Brazil later this year to attend a JA hemispheric forum where they will interact with other young achievers from the Caribbean, Central and South America.

President of the Year went to Antonio Roberts (VindexTT ), counselled by JA, while Aaliyah Joseph was awarded of Advisor of the Year Executive director of JA, J Errol Lewis told the graduation 2017 was a benchmark year for the youth development organisation as it “expanded its borders” to include youths from far-flung areas of TT .

“This year, we have gone as far as Matelot, Toco, Rio Claro, Palo Seco, Fyzabad, to get our children involved in the JA movement.

We keep expanding our reach and our programmes,” Lewis stated. The 2017 JA Trade Fair, he declared, was the largest ever in its history, with the companies generating sales of $150,000, with the total income for the year amounting to $300,000.

Lewis praised the students for their social consciousness as they donated a portion of their income to several charities and distributed monthly hampers to the less fortunate.

On hand to distribute awards were JA directors Anthony Pierre, chairman; Michael Callendar, deputy chairman; Nigel Scott, Dawn Richards and Claudia Drakes.

Actress and comedienne Nikki Crosby who delivered the feature address, urged the young achievers to see themselves as a brand.

“To be a relevant and successful entertainer I had to take care of the brand, Nikki Crosby. You have to decide what you want your brand to be. Whatever you are doing in life, see it as a business. All you have is your name; that is your brand. Even if you work for someone else, you are an extension of that brand. You must have a passion for something but you need to work 24/7, through the night and during holidays to reach the top,” Crosby advised the achievers.

She told the students of her challenges and successes as an entertainer.

More than 1,000 students, representing 46 companies, participated in the signature JA Trade Fair at Woodford Square, Port of Spain in April, with the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro-Enterprise Development and energy company bpTT the major company sponsors. Companies sponsored by bpTT accounted for the major haul of awards at the banquet. Apart from Achiever of the Year and Company of the Year, the winning companies included Ohanna, Best Sales Team; Ellipsiis, Best Trade Fair Booth; Highline Productions, Best Stockholders Report; Kristoph Ramberan, vice president of production; Vyaad Ramnarine, vice president of finance; Shameel Mohammed, deputy president; and Fusion Inc, Best Customer Service Team.

Other major awards went to Shania Blackman, Urban Collision/ JATT ) – vice president of human resource; Aarti Sirju (Enso/ JATT ) – vice president of marketing; and Ruth Mahabir, Limitless Production/ JATT – Salesperson of the Year.