When play was called off two powerhouses in schools cricket, Barrackpore West Secondary and Hillview College, were battling in the final. In the final, which was four overs per team, Hillview got to 44 for three in the fourth over when play ended.

The final will be completed on a date to be announced. Matches were played simultaneously throughout Central Trinidad at National Cricket Centre, Balmain Recreation Ground, Calcutta Recreation Ground, Gilbert Park and Inshan Ali Park.

In the other matches each team batted for five overs with six players lining up for each team. In the semifinals Barrackpore West defeated Shiva Boys by eight runs. Batting first Barrackpore West posted 56 for three before Shiva Boys were reduced to 48/2 in five overs. In the second semifinal Hillview defeated Vishnu Boys by four runs. Powergen representatives who attended the opening of the season were Krishna Ramkissoon, Denise Labadie-Sudan and Francois Ottley.

Chief Executive Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board Suruj Ragoonath was also in attendance.

President of the SSCL Surujdath Mahabir spoke to the students about being disciplined in the classroom and on the field. He added that the students have the power to make TT a safer place.

The Premier Division Boys 50- over competition will bowl off on Tuesday with Fatima aiming to defend the title

There were over 30 members present and all officers were elected unopposed. Among the observers were Shabhir Mohammed representing Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs who spoke about the important role of youth in any organisation.

Sukesh Maniam, Treasurer of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TT CB); Linus Sanchez, president of the Eastern Football Association of Trinidad and Tobago; Crista Alexis, Councillor for Lopinot/La Florissante; and Councillor Judy Garner, Chairman of the grounds and pavilion committee of Tunapuna/Piarco regional cooperation.

Garner mentioned she was very happy to see so much youths present and willing to serve in the organisation.

Triumph Sports Club which was founded in 1930 and is 87 years old.

The members elected are as follows:

President – Keshore ‘Boots’ Harricharan

Vice-President – Neil Harricharan

Secretary – Kassie Maharaj

Assistant Secretary – Hannah Mohammed

Treasurer – Anand Harricharan

Assistant Treasurer – Satnanan ‘Penco’ Hosien

Public Relations Officer – Shivan Siewnarine

Advisor to the club – Andy Mahabir

Legal advisor to the club – Robert Boodoosingh

Sports Development Officer (Cricket) – Andy Gosyne

Sports Development Officer (Football) – Declan Scott

Floor members – David Julal and

It appears though that former TT defender Dennis Lawrence is no longer an option as he has removed himself from contention a day after it appeared he was chosen as the candidate for the job. Fresh clauses inserted in the contract offered to him were deemed unacceptable to the former Everton first-team development coach.

A TT FA press release yesterday said, “The TT FA has noted the large public interest in the selection of our new national senior men’s coach and we wish to assure our supporters and stakeholders, the TT FA technical committee is working assiduously to complete the current process, to ensure the most appropriate selection, in the best interest of the national senior men’s team programme and our ongoing 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.” According to football website wired868.com the clause in Lawrence’s contract was altered which led to Lawrence having a change of heart. Mike Berry, Lawrence’s agent told the local website, “On Wednesday night, we agreed in principle (over the phone) the basic terms (of the job) which is salary, length of contract, bonuses and so on. It was all systems go.” As far as Lawrence’s team was concerned, it was already a done deal and they only asked the board to give them some time so Lawrence could resign from his two-year contract as Belgium national senior team scout where he is working with ex-Everton manager Roberto Martinez.

But his resignation had to be retracted after new clauses in the contract emerged.

“There were clauses that I never came across before in my 20-odd years as an agent,” said Berry. The two clauses that stood out, according to Berry, were that Lawrence could be terminated if TT : (a) did not have a 40 percent success rate on a presumed annual basis; or (b) suffered a six-point drop in the FIFA rankings.

“So if, God forbid, we (TT ) lose against Panama and Mexico (in World Cup qualifiers in March) and we drop six points in the FIFA rankings as a result,” said Berry, “then his contract can be terminated at four months notice! Now bear in mind, Dennis has a two-year contract in Belgium.

Those clauses were unacceptable.” Berry added, “And not only were they in the termination section but they were under the heading of gross misconduct. So if he was sacked for one of those clauses, he would not only be sacked for non-performance but for gross conduct. That could destroy his career. How could he sign that?!” Interestingly, another main contender for the TT coaching job, Stuart Charles Fevrier, coach of W Connection, wished Lawrence the best in his new job yesterday afternoon while speaking to CNMG prior to his team’s Pro League game.

It is not clear whether the TT FA and Lawrence’s team have thrashed out their differences regarding the terms of the contract being offered.

The other candidates that were in the running for the TT job are Englishman Terry Fenwick, Colombian Francisco Maturana and former TT midfielder Russell Latapy.

Fevrier was reportedly recommended initially by the TT FA technical committee.

The letter of appointment was sent to John-Williams by FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura on Wednesday and announced by FIFA yesterday.

“We are pleased to inform you that you have been appointed member of the Players’ Status Committee. We wish you our sincere congratulations on this appointment,” Samoura stated in the letter.

“We wish you great success and enjoyment in this role at FIFA and look forward to welcoming you soon to Zurich,” she added.

John-Williams gave a brief reaction, saying, “I am pleased, honoured and humbled by this appointment and the opportunity given to me. I remain devoted to serving the game and I will continue to do this to the best of my ability.” The FIFA Players’ Status Committee (PSC) shall set up and monitor compliance with the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players and determine the status of Players for various FIFA competitions. Its powers of jurisdiction are governed by the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. The relevant decisions are published on FIFA.com .

Also receiving a FIFA appointment for the same period is former national captain Dwight Yorke. The former Manchester United forward was appointed to FIFA’s Development Committee.

The Development Committee shall primarily analyse the basic aspects of football training and technical development. Yorke also commented on his new role with FIFA.

“I am humbled by this appointment.

It presents me with a chance to have an input and be part of the work being done by FIFA to develop the game worldwide and I feel privileged to be part of it. I am definitely looking forward to making a contribution,” Yorke told TT FA Media.

FIFA’s nine standing committees report to the FIFA Council, advising and assisting the Council in their respective fields of function.

The composition and structure, including qualification and number of members fulfilling independence criteria as well as the specific duties and powers of the individual committees, shall be stipulated in the FIFA Governance Regulations

For Hinds, her plan is to remain on stage for as long as she could especially with the example of McCartha “Calypso Rose” Linda Sandy-Lewis’ second global wind.

Her plans at longevity is evidenced by the fact that she has released songs constantly over her 20-year career in the music industry. This year is no different for the 46-year-old. She has three offerings for Carnival 2017, “High”, “Fete Chaser” and “Basic”. These add to an enviable discography.

Speaking to Newsday, Hinds said, “I am following in Rose’s footsteps. She is an absolute trailblazer and an inspiration…She is ageless and she connects with whoever and whatever audience she is performing for. She makes a connection and I am not looking to leave the stage no time soon, you know.” What accounts for longevity in a business that is often as volatile as the people from which it comes, Hinds said it is a driving force. She said many artistes such as Rose and Machel Montano who has had longevity were very driven.

She added many artistes feared becoming irrelevant to society.

Asked if she had the fear of losing popularity or public relevance, Hinds said, “Every artiste has that. Any artiste that tells you that they don’t, lies. Be it in the soca arena or international. Do they still like me? Do they still like my music? When I step up on a stage do they still want to see me? “That is why a lot of us are so driven…those who have longevity.

They are driven. Machel is driven, Destra is driven, Bunji is driven. You are driven by wanting to top yourself each time.” Soca is Hind’s passion. Doing work that is fun and something a lot of people never get the chance to do throughout their lifetimes.

“I do feel very blessed, every day, to do what I truly love.

Because you love it, you put everything into it and you stay connected with the public, the people, with what’s happening with the musical landscape.

“You have to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. That is kind of what helps you to stay relevant,” she said.

Going the extra mile, Hinds said, is central to breaking that monotony and to not becoming “stagnant” in the industry. She said she never wanted to be in a space, “where I am kind of there but not really.” One mechanism Hinds employs to stay relevant is working with younger artistes. She coupled with fellow Barbadian artiste Marz Ville (Omar Mc Quilkin) on the remake of his current song, “Bang Bim”.

She believes that being in the company of “youthful energy” is the way to ensure that newness is kept throughout one’s career.

Hinds plans to work with a number of Trinidadian artistes and has made contact with some of them. Grammy winner Angela Hunte is among those she has plans to work with. Furthering a film career is also something that she has future plans to work on. For fans of the “soca queen” a remix of her hits with an EDM (electronic dance music) beat is also in the works.

But going forward, Hinds plans to have her sound/song grace the ears of the Caribbean and the world.

This season, Signature Blaze, 28, has returned to the soca scene with two songs and he is ready to reintroduce himself to audiences.

“My goal is to reintroduce the name Signature Blaze to the people, the fans, the music industry itself,” he said. “A lot has changed over the last couple of years, so I’m really trying to learn all these things and prepare myself for 2018 and onward.”

After Signature Blaze’s Soca Star success in 2009, he released _a blitz of songs between 2009 and 2011 including “Sweet Like” featuring Dawg E Slaughter and “Wonderful Day” featuring Zan, and then he_virtually disappeared from the scene. Where did he go?

“I invested my time on a cruise ship for the last five years to pursue personal goals and the timings never allowed me to be able to record music freely.” He trotted the globe to as far as Europe on the cruise ship. “It would be months on board and months off but never time to construct music. But I’m back now and I’m ready.”

Signature Blaze’s readiness is evident in his first of two releases for the 2017 season, “Jam”. The song captures on a modern soca beat the incredible pain a young man often experiences when he is “marking” a young lady in a fete with the hopes of earning himself a “jam”, only to find that she has disappeared, never to be seen again in the sea of dancing bodies. “Gyal, ah doh know where you gone! You gone and we eh wine yet!” Blaze sings, but he proceeds to assure the young lady that whenever she should choose to show herself again, he would compensate for lost time by jamming her till morning.

The song was written by Daniel Payison and produced by Anson “Pro” Soverall. Signature Blaze began seriously performing soca after getting the opportunity to sing alongside Roy Cape All Stars and Black Stalin in a family event about seven years ago.

“The feeling of performing in front of a group of people, and seeing their faces really made me want to pursue music further.” His talent has put him in the company of Precision Productions, Millbeatz, and Anson Pro, names that are synonymous with modern soca. Another big name he has associated with is JuliansPromoTV, a company responsible for saving many homesick students studying abroad from soca starvation during the season by posting the best songs on Youtube. “Jam”, to date, has not been played on the radio, but has managed to garner 16,093 views.

Many young artists on the rise often complain about radio stations not giving them airplay. Signature Blaze admits that he too thought the same when he was younger. However, as an older, wiser artist now, he said, “There are a lot of forums that new artists can use now. Build your song from the ground up and eventually it will have to be played on the radio.” Signature Blaze’s second song, “If Yuh Miss This” was written by Erphaan Alves. The song was not released but Blaze explained that “it captivates the essence of longing to be part of the greatest show on earth and the driving force of freedom that it gives to its audience.”

This year’s headline acts are: Haitian guitarist James Jessey Joseph and his A+ Band; Trinidadian jazz ensemble, ?lan parlē led by prolific composer Michael “Ming” Low Chew Tung; jazz vocalist Vaughnette Bigford; Cuban jazz violinist, William Roblejo and his Trio; and Jazz pannist Victor Provost from St John, US Virgin Islands.

The event takes place on April 1, on The Greens at Farm Road in St Joseph. First held in 2003, JAOTG is a large, festival-styled, jazz concert event. From its inception, the goal of the concert has been to deliver to the audience, a new perspective on local jazz, while using Caribbean and Latin jazz influences.

Production One has described the event as an opportunity to “expose as many new patrons and young musicians as possible to jazz, in an informal setting that could help remove much of the mystique that seemed to surround the genre,” said a media release. From as early as 2004, director, Rolf Doyle, when prompted on the vision for the concert, said, “Jazz Artists On The Greens is a first step towards a local jazz festival similar in popularity and size to those held annually in St Lucia and Barbados, but always remaining true to the jazz.” This picnic-styled, music festival, which outgrew its first home-venue at UWI’s Centre for Creative and Festival Arts on Gordon Street, St Augustine, was eventually moved to its current home, in its tenth year.

Production One has made keeping in-touch with local influences a priority: pan has been featured at every JAOTG to date.

The first pannist featured was was Ken “Professor” Philmore in 2003; over the years, the list of pan luminaries has included Rudy “Two-Left” Smith, Ray Holman, Annise Hadeed, Clyde George, Jason Baptiste, Jonathan Scales, Andy Narrell, Mikhail Salcedo and Dane Gulston.

For more info: : https://www.facebook.

com/JazzArtistsOnTheGreens and visit the JAT OG website at: http://www.jaotg.org

The band played Sparrow’s “Both of Them”, which was arranged by Tony “Pan Jumbie” Williams

A scene from ‘Black Orpheus’ which will be screened at the Big Black Box in Woodbrook.

This year the focus is on classic films, with three evenings of free, outdoor film screenings beginning with Bacchanal Time at Constantine Park, Macoya, followed by Black Orpheus at Big Black Box, Woodbrook, and Horace Ov?’s King Carnival at the Nalis Amphitheatre, Port-of- Spain. King Carnival will be followed by a panel discussion.

All screenings start at 7 pm and the programme is as follows.

February 4 Bacchanal Time, 1978, by Kamalo Deen Bacchanal Time, is a hilarious comedy about an islandwide stick-fighting competition on Carnival Sunday, and two fighters who have to travel great distances through treacherous, often ridiculous circumstances to compete. Bubbling with the music of the season and Carnival weekend excitement, it stars Gregory Ballantyne (Calypsonian GB) as a stick fighter, and also features Calypso Rose, Shadow, Crazy, Trinidad Rio and the late Stork St Hill among others.

Written and directed by Kamalo Deen, the film treats the audience to a cinematic trip down memory lane and the joy of seeing the beauty of TT ’s 1970’s landscape on the big screen. Seating will be provided.

February 5 Black Orpheus, 1959, by Marcel Camus The winner of both the 1959 Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, and the 1960 Academy Award for best foreign-language film, Black Orpheus brings the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to the 20th-century madness of Carnival in a Rio de Janeiro favela. An epic tale of love, vengeance and passion accompanied by breathtaking cinematography; it was an international sensation that helped kick-off the bossa nova craze in 1960s America.

February 11 King Carnival, 1973, by Horace Ov? Made for the BBC in 1973 by legendary Trinidadian- British director, Horace Ov?, King Carnival is acclaimed as one of the best documentaries ever made about the history of TT Carnival.

Digicel and its brand ambassadors were on hand to distribute the popular branded mason jars and glow sticks – fete staples for events in Carnival 2017. Party-goers were entertained by numerous soca stars including; Soca Monarch Voice, MX Prime and the Ultimate Rejects, Preedy, Orlando Octave, Shal Marshall, Sekon Sta, GBM Nutron, Iwer George, Barbadian artist King Bubba and others. Digicel endorsee Ravi B performed his 2017 selection, “Budget”.