The business world is now more volatile than ever – especially economically. The next generation of finance professionals’ CFO career pathways need careful planning.

According to the major global study by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) released last year, there are seven key qualities for the future finance professional.

Intellect, creativity, emotional intelligence, vision, experience, mastery of the digital world, technical skills and a strong ethical compass are the seven sought after skills employers are seeking now and in the decade ahead. Collectively these seven distinctive attributes come together to create the optimum blend of technical knowledge, skills and abilities. It also details what individuals can do to stay ahead and be effective and efficient in their roles.

There are key areas where these skills can be applied to help broaden CFO careers.

• Gain experience in risk management Risk experience is a “must-have” on the CV of future CFOs. That’s because future CFOs will operate in a business environment that’s high risk. From traditional financial risks to emerging risks such as on line reputational risk or cyber risk, these will only grow, and in some cases become more difficult to manage. The future finance organisation will have a significant role to play in balancing carefully the investments that need to be taken against potential risk impacts, and plan out the different scenarios.

• Become a deal maker Merger and acquisition activity was identified as the fourth most important area of experience for future CFOs to gain. While business growth will be organic, much is likely to be through acquisition and merger and other forms of business tie-ups, tapping into already established businesses to ease market entry and leverage expertise and market knowledge. It gives specific technical finance experience in structuring deals, but also can help develop wider skills in change and project management. More broadly, we can expect funding, capital market experience and investor relations to remain core finance capabilities in the future for CFOs of larger businesses too.

• Get closer to stakeholders, become customer focussed The future CFO needs to be customer savvy and take on roles which provide greater customer understanding. The range of stakeholders with whom future CFOs will have to engage will be significant.

The future finance leader will need to “talk the same language” across a wide range of traditional finance and non-traditional finance relationships.

The future finance organisation will need to be attuned to the needs of different consumers and develop a culture which is customer centric. This will be an important milestone on the transition from back to front office for the finance organisation.

• Focus on the management skills that matter Strong leadership is essential because the success of the future finance organisation is very dependent on a strong united leadership vision and an engaged and skilled finance team, particularly as the finance organisation becomes more diverse.

Businesses will continue to evolve and reengineer their operations and activities, so experience in transformation and change management for future finance leaders will also be a priority. So too will be effective communication skills as they align messages and provide appropriate context on financial and business performance to different stakeholder groups.

• Prepare for more regulation and broader reporting As the world changes, it’s no surprise that future CFOs will face more regulation. Future finance chiefs need to be confident operating in a regulated environment and should be adept at putting in finance structures and processes that manage legislative requirements effectively.

Alongside more regulation, we can expect on-going changes in reporting requirements – growing interest in the concept of integrated reporting, more involvement of the finance organisation in reporting on different corporate performance measures, increasing use of financial and non-financial data, recalibrating investment assessments to account for environmental or social impacts and so on. Future CFOs need to track carefully developments in these areas and think about how their career plans help develop understanding here.

• Expand your footprint The future CFO will need to be able to manage carefully the different demands between mature and emerging markets and align their finance strategies accordingly. They will need to be adept at working in the global business environment, leading finance teams which are diverse and virtual across mature and emerging markets. From managing new reporting requirements to driving financial insight into new markets and new consumer sectors, or raising capital, the finance organisation of the future must be entirely aligned to the business’ needs. Future CFOs that can bring cross cultural, cross market business and finance experience to the table will be highly valued.

Finance professionals are vital to the success of firms. They are the backbone of the business and responsible for steering businesses through the good and bad times.

Through contributing to discussions about economic growth, managing finances and promoting good financial management, they enable businesses to confidently face the times ahead and take advantage of challenging circumstances. These are huge responsibilities and having the right people in an organisation is vital to their success.

Many years ago, the fete scene was a very different format, where the all-inclusive genre was not as prevalent, and most of the Carnival fetes, were essentially of a standard fare – inexpensive, more inclusive, brass extravaganzas with little room for rules of behaviour. The advent of the all- inclusive genre has changed the overall look and feel of the fete, bringing with it, a unique set of social mores to be cognizant of,

The all-inclusive dress code has become one of the key areas for consideration. One can easily identify the increased effort put into styling oneself for these events, as a result of the many persons and groups, more concerned about imagery than perhaps the actual rationale for attending a Carnival fete. Regardless of the motivation for one’s styling, it is important to note, the objective for attending the fete,

Be very aware that your chosen style must be able to match your objective. In other words, if you are attending the fete to ‘jump and wave’, be sure to dress to facilitate your comfort! If, however, you are similar to me, and can very easily rock your Louboutins in any condition, then more power to you,

The all-inclusive fare can be enticing and encouraging. This includes the easily available and wide selection of alcohol, and exotic foods. If you are not familiar with a particular type of food, the event is NOT the place to sample. I recall attending an all-inclusive with a friend, whose ‘eyes were too wide’ as we say in our local parlance. She decided to get her money’s worth and sampled every form of exotic fare available. Within the first hour of the event, we were forced to depart because her stomach simply could not facilitate the unique food combinations. In similar vein, many persons utilize the all-inclusive concept to drink as much alcohol as they possibly can, many times forgetting a number of issues, such as driving after the event, alcohol poisoning, inebriation, loss of bodily functions, amongst many other alcohol-related outcomes. Simply, put, try not to overdo with the consumption of alcohol. Know your limits,

This point leads me to the matter of social media and the instant everything. Almost every action, reaction, and position is posted on social media, many times with or without our permission. As such, whilst feting encourages a level of freedom, it is always advisable to try as much as you can to ‘keep your head on’. All it takes is one compromising position, one drunken episode, one stumbling fall, a quick snap and post, and you are an instant discussion point,

The matter of security is one that we must take into consideration for every aspect of our lives, and particularly during this period. It is imperative to ensure that adequate security measures are implemented to ensure you can utilize your energies to enjoying your fete experience,

Simple measures such as trying not to attend events on your own, parking in a well-lit location, identifying your designated driver, trying not to leave the fetes after everyone else, letting someone you trust know where you will be, call someone to alert them when you are about the leave the event, and for the women, ‘pepper spray’ is not legal in Trinidad, however, we are a resourceful people. Give yourself a fighting chance. Enjoy your fete!

Davos meetings started when Professor Klaus Schwab founded what was originally called the European Management Forum, as a non-profit foundation for leaders from Europe and beyond for an Annual Meeting each January.

Initially, the meetings looked at how European firms could catch up with US management practices.

Events in 1973, such as the collapse of the Bretton Woods fixed exchange rate mechanism and the Arab-Israeli War, resulted in the annual meeting moving beyond management to economic and social issues. Political leaders were invited for the first time to Davos in January 1974. By 1979 the organization grew to become a knowledge hub. In 1987, the European Management Forum became the World Economic Forum and moved to broaden its vision to include providing a stage for dialogue. In 2015, the Forum was formally recognized as an international organization. It is now on the next phase of its journey as the global platform for publicprivate cooperation. Of course, there are many instances when the forum has influenced world events.

For us in Trinidad and Tobago, the developments in this forum are critical to our existence. This year’s forum is set against a backdrop of rising geopolitical uncertainty. We must listen to the discussions on the implications of the growing backlash against globalization, liberal values and “elites”. What are the suggestions to address these emerging patterns of behaviour and how has the weakening of multiple systems eroded confidence at the national, regional and global levels. If no innovative and credible steps are made for renewal of the global systems (for example free trade), the likelihood increases of a downward spiral of the global economy. Understanding the pathways of impact on the Caribbean and our country and identifying the magnitude of this impact are important going forward. The discussions allow us to not only identify solutions but also to determine the resource requirements.

The theme of this year’s forum recognizes that frustration and discontent appear to be increasing among those segments of societies around the world that are not experiencing economic development and social progress.

The view in pre-Davos meetings is that their situation will only become more uncertain with the onset of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on future employment. Indeed the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is taking place will continue to drive the merging of technologies that blur the lines between physical, digital and biological systems.

This, the 47th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, aims to get leaders from all walks of life to commit anew to achieve common goals and drive new initiatives, such as honing the world’s capacity to manage the systems that underpin our prosperity and security, and also addressing the significant income gap between the superrich and the poorest half of the global population which see eight men, from Bill Gates to Michael Bloomberg, owning as much wealth as 3.6 billion people, according to an analysis by Oxfam released Monday. These are just a few of the agenda items – let us pay attention.

To better understand the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we must understand what the first three were all about. The first utilised water and steam power to mechanise production. In the second, electric power drove mass production, and the third saw electronics and information technology automate production. Finally, we are experiencing a Fourth Industrial Revolution that builds on the Third. It is regarded as a fusion of technologies that is distorting the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.

This article focuses on the requirements that are essential for the public sector to adopt in order to properly engage with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The public sector needs to understand and manage this Fourth Industrial Revolution since it will introduce momentous transformative change and opportunity to the way people work, play and build relationships. The public officials who include government policy developers, regulators and health and safety inspectors make up that point of contact/interface between technology and the public; as such they are critical to ensure the diffusion of new technologies.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution’s products and services display a speed and constantly adapting nature.

This is exhibited in 3D printingenabled clothing and consumer goods and nanotechnology which empowered medical interventions and even weapons.

The inability to control, and the time pressures to respond to diffusion into the real economy are expected to be relentless, and to place great pressure on existing regulatory systems.

We must remember that in most countries there traditionally existed a linear relationship between the introduction of new technologies and the public. This means they passed through the regulatory system before been permitted for public consumption. Unfortunately, it would appear that in many countries this is breaking down.

What we find is the public tests and uses new technologies prior to gaining any knowledge about their social and environmental impacts. Ailish Campbell suggested that it is important for public officials to possess skills to better enable them to engage effectively and efficiently with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The first and fundamental skill for the public sector is to have technological knowledge and expertise and apply the best knowledge available to review new and adapted products and services. The key is continuous learning as well as hiring practices that bring in new technical skills to public institutions. Campbell stated there must be no difference between the rate of technical knowledge in government and the private sector.

The second is to combine expertise with data. The amount of data generated in the Fourth Industrial Revolution is exponentially larger than the other three. Governments must be equipped with high computing power and big data capabilities. The public sector must identify data that is missing and ensure an inclusive innovation system. As an example, when robots replace care workers, which is not too far-off in the future as one might think, data from senior citizens’ experiences must be included in the information evaluated for regulatory approvals.

The third is properly collaborating with the public.

We in this country, as in other parts of the world, know the importance of citizen and stakeholder engagement in developing laws, and regulation which is a key feature of effective governance. Generating effective interfaces and channels of communication with public officials that facilitate public input, early-warnings, data and collaboration, is crucial to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The relevance of this skill becomes more evident as globally services high in demand and evolving at a pace, exceed the ability of the government to keep up.

Coupling public information and feedback in real time becomes critical, as does transparency about what the government knows and does not know about a service provider.

Campbell has suggested that the fourth skill that is required is development of global networks across sectors. This is important since the Fourth Industrial Revolution is the creation of global cooperation between different disciplines and companies.

Any oversight and/or rules developed for the Fourth Industrial Revolution will, thus, involve “collaboration between officials, business and the public, to gather information, share best practices and stop harmful effects”. Traditional models of isolation must be replaced by thoughtful networks. Academia must also be involved in these networks.

The fifth and final skill is that public officials must have an open and agile workplace.

This means leaders must be motivated by a mission and focused on outputs. It also requires an adaptive organizational culture.

Applicable disclosure rules and organizational ethics are needed.

It is also important that rules and procedures don’t become irrelevant. The fourth industrial revolution is upon us we need to understand and quickly become part of it or be left behind.

Starting at MT’s fourth and newest cineplex; located C3 Centre in Corinth, San Fernando and which is set to open to the public at 3 pm tomorrow (Friday), OT will provide a new, improved version of 3D glasses to MT in exchange for “the exclusive right to market under MT.” This was revealed by MT’s Managing Director, Derek Chin, during an interview with Business Day at MT San Fernando last Saturday (January 14). The fourth and newest MT Cineplex cost an estimated TT $150 million to build.

“It’s also an investment in our country,” Chin stated. “We’re employing more than 500 people, including staff at the two restaurants inside the three storey cineplex – Ruby Tuesday and Rizzoni’s.” In terms of an improved 3D movie experience, Chin said, “You’ll see a difference here at C3 and if it works, we’ll go back and change it in Portof- Spain, Chaguanas and Lowlands, Tobago.

Asked what the issue was, he replied, “the glasses.” Explaining that switching from international 3D provider to another can be a bit difficult and that one company’s glasses won’t work with a competitor’s system, Chin told Business Day this is what prompted him to seek a local solution.

“OT helped us to come up with another projection system to see how compatible it could be. So they are working on a deal with us to supply the glasses. It’s working, it’s very good and if we get a good response from the public, we’ll start to look at changing over everything to that technology. That should be completed in a few months,” Chin said.

The investment in new technology means a new price to see 3D movies at all MT locations; timed to coincide with the public opening of MT San Fernando. Customers currently pay $60 per adult ticket. This will go up by $5 to $65 per 3D ticket, effective tomorrow.

It will cost you more however to watch a regular/2D movie at MT San Fernando because this cineplex has high definition or, as Chin calls them, “super screens”. At the three other locations, customers pay (and will continue to pay) $50 per adult ticket while at San Fernando, super screen tickets will cost $60.

Asked about this, Chin said apart from investing in the latest technology to provide a superior viewing experience to his customers, MT has not raised its prices in more than five years.

“I want to make sure that when they spend that money, they get value. If you go to a movie in the United States, it’s US$12 which is TT $72 (if you use an exchange rate of TT $6 to US$1 or TT $81.60 if you use an exchange rate of TT $6.8 to US $1), so we are doing our part.” Chin told Business Day, “I held back on a price increase because I live here and I have a social responsibility. I want people to come out and even if they can’t come out three times, well come out twice, that’s why we maintained prices for the past few years.” The opening of a new location of a franchise tends to lead to comparisons of the decor, infrastructure and technology at older locations. Chin said that’s exactly what happened when people got a preview of the facilities at MT San Fernando. Hence the decision to invest in upgrades at the very first MT Cineplex at Invaders Bay, Portof- Spain.

“Port-of-Spain has three screens I need to change to super screens but I’m also doing an upgrade because everybody who came here (San Fernando) is steupsing – ‘So what you doing about Port-of-Spain now?’ We are going to do over all of the seats; from the existing cloth to leather like these at C3. The carpet too is being changed. Port-of-Spain opened Just over 14 years ago, in November 2002, so it needs a change.” Chin expressed hope that MT San Fernando, which will soon include a VIP Platinum cinema (there is one in Port-of-Spain), “will do very well, so that it (proposed renovations) won’t be a problem.

He cited the cost of the chairs as an example of the significant outlay involved in outfitting a cinema.

“A seat like the blue leather ones we’ve installed here is about US$140 for one seat, so multiply that by 2,000, we have about 2,000 seats at C3 (US$280,000). Add duty et cetera, then you have to install them; I have my installation crews but I still have to pay them. Port-of- Spain has 2,500 seats.” He added that conducting renovations on a business like this requires planning because “changing seats requires closing down a screen, so I’ll lose revenue while that’s being done. Carpets, on the other hand, can be changed while the cinema is closed. I have to time it right, maybe during Carnival.” Looking to the future, MT Guyana is set to open later this year, with eight screens. This will bring the total number of MT screens in the region to 40; there are now 32 in TT with the opening of the San Fernando location.

The bigger a cinema chain, the more attractive it is to investors, Chin noted, “as a publicly listed company and as a potential (acquisition) target of large companies in the cinema business.” Chin cited the buyout of all AMC theatres by Chinese billionaire, Wang Jianlin, who runs the Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group.

“So if you build enough, like 150 screens, they’ll potentially offer you US$1 billion to take over your business. Maybe I’ll try to build enough of a base to become attractive to large companies in the cinema business.” Chin also discussed the possibility of an initial public offering (IPO) of MT shares on the TT Stock Exchange.

“We eventually want to go public, maybe in two years. I think Trinidadians will buy into MT. That’s how you grow faster – if every time you build one of these (cineplex) and you have to get TT$150 million, it’s not easy. If I can defer my debt or pay my debt off and use the shareholders’ money, I can expand very fast. I can build four, five at the same time.” “It took me 15 years to build number five… that’s a long time and I’m not a young man anymore but that’s the idea and that’s how you get big and grow and become a business to be reckoned with.”

Since its establishment, CARIRI has evolved over the years into a widely recognised centre of excellence, leading and serving, both the local and regional public and private sectors, through innovation and technology. In this regard, it is considered in many quarters as a valuable Caribbean asset.

Housing state-of-the-art equipment, complemented by experienced and knowledgeable staff, CARIRI is highly capable of serving a wide range of industries; which includes the petrochemical, biotechnology, environmental, manufacturing, agri-business, tourism and ICT sectors, among others.

The Centre for Enterprise Development (CED) is a flagship development of CARIRI aimed at facilitating research, development and innovation capacity building and fostering business creation and expansion through the incubation process. It is what can be deemed a central node in the innovation ecosystem since it provides the space, both virtual and physical, for thoughts, ideas and inventions to be transformed into products and services. It constitutes a unique environment in which hi-tech entrepreneurs, world-class business people, academics, researchers, venture capitalists and people with ideas can meet, network and grow.

The CED houses a business hatchery which hosts a series of workshops for budding and growing entrepreneurs over a duration of three months. The business hatchery works with early stage entrepreneurs helping them to further develop their project initiatives, which entails, in a number of instances, advancing from proof of concept to proof of business over the three months.

Cycle eight commenced on the January 14.

After the business hatchery, graduates can choose to branch off on their own or go into the next phase of CARIRI’s support network in the form of a business incubator, which caters for both in-house (providing a space for business owners to conduct their work from a set location) and virtual tenants. The business incubator takes place over a 12-month period and clients, referred to as “incubatees”, have access to technical and business support supplied from a pool of highly qualified consultants and specialist mentors in relevant fields of expertise. Through a comprehensive support base, clients can access a network of national, regional and international experts and skilled human resources.

CARIRI also houses a mobile applications lab, referred to as mCentre. It is the only mobile applications development and testing laboratory and accelerator in the region which incubates high potential mobile app projects. The lab provides world class business and technical training to individuals in mobile application development, and entrepreneurship, across all platforms, viz. Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows. Always looking for new and exciting ways to promote app development, CARIRI’s mCentre is involved in the Caribbean Mobile Innovation Project (CMIP), which is a regional mobile app development programme designed to promote this sector within the Caribbean region. The CMIP provides handson training, skills-building and mentorship to developers from across the region, as well as access to investors. There are currently hubs in six Caribbean countries which ensure start-ups across the region benefit fully from the Programme.

Also housed in the CED compound is the Microsoft Innovation Centre (MIC).

CARIRI and Microsoft Trinidad and Tobago have partnered to establish the MIC in Trinidad, with the potential to establish links throughout the Caribbean. This facility was established with the primary objective of contributing to the diversification of the country’s economy through the development of a local software industry, thereby fostering new business creation and strengthening existing SMEs in specific industry verticals.

CARIRI also has a 3D printing laboratory at the CED. The 3D lab serves to promote, and facilitate access to, rapid prototyping technology and 3D modelling services. The lab affords the opportunity to demonstrate the innovative capabilities of the machinery and software.

A technology incubator is also housed at the CED. This consists of partitioned bays that house food processing equipment for demonstration of different process lines. Each process line can be licensed to suitable investors under a Technology Package. The package includes, but is not limited to, product formulation, plant layout, equipment specifications, potential equipment suppliers, packaging specifications, profitability analysis, etc. At present, some of the lines catered for at the facility are: oyster mushrooms, cassava based breakfast cereal (Cassola), garlic and soy.

One of the newest additions to the CED’s activity base is the Idea Advisory Service (IAS). The IAS is a programme implemented by CARIRI with technical support from the Danish Technological Institute (DTI). It is modelled along the lines of the DTI’s Inventor Advisory Service (IAS).

DTI has been providing this service in Denmark in excess of 40 years. Many great ideas are not commercialised because of a disconnect between the idea, what the market wants and how the product or service is evaluated by the market. The IAS seeks to close this gap by working with ideators/ inventors to establish novelty and market validation, as well as proof of business. Once proof of business has been established, there are two available pathways to commercialisation, ie via business start-up or licensing.

Under the IAS, CARIRI is committed to assisting the potential entrepreneurs in pursuing either of the pathways.

CARIRI has been able to establish the link with DTI through its membership in the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) which is headquartered in Malaysia.

CARIRI is a founding member of WAITRO and its chief executive officer currently holds the position of second vice president of the association. Membership in WAITRO affords CARIRI access to the technical know-how, experience and breakthrough research of over 160 Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) from over 70 countries.

As a follow-up to the establishment of the IAS, CARIRI, recognising the critical need to contribute to fostering Innovation capacity building in the private sector, as an integral part of its innovation facilitation thrust, is in the process of implementing an Innovation Gap Analysis Programme (IGAP).

The programme, which entails reaching out to companies to assist them in developing/ implementing innovative project initiatives, is being effected with additional support from the DTI.

In this regard, select members of CARIRI’s staff are being trained to go out into companies; ascertain the status of innovation activity; undertake gap analyses; identify and shortlist interventions, in collaboration with the company’s senior management personnel; and assist the companies in implementing the identified innovation interventions in their organisations. Thus far, research conducted has shown that a sizable number of companies are interested in accessing the service, with some of them having plans to implement innovative project activity. This notwithstanding, a number of companies are constrained in so doing, in terms of resource accessibility and mobilisation; and this is where CARIRI is seeking to bridge the gap.

Overall, CARIRI has been affording priority to enhancing its contribution to economic diversification and, through its close involvement with the private sector, can be a model for publicprivate partnership.

By focusing its efforts on Innovation Facilitation, CARIRI is leading the way in effecting technological advancement and economic transformation and thus fulfilling the role of a central node in the innovation ecosystem; a role that will redound to the benefit of the citizens and businesses of Trinidad and Tobago and, by extension, the entire Caribbean region.

For more information, please contact us at 299-0210 ext 5048 or via email at awilliams@cariri.com or check any of our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Instagram, Youtube

Politics can take the form of policies, regulations and directives. Is it possible to solve political problems with technical answers? Sometimes I get into a distressed state over our circumstances. Our political experiments with national public transportation for the last 50 years have failed miserably.

The first national transportation study report submitted in 1967 by Parsons Brinckerhoff (and still the only accepted transport planning study to date) concluded that an integral part of the transportation plan was the development of a bus service as the primary mode of public transport. Their solution was simple: starting with a required fleet size in 1968 of 360, flood the market with new buses every year from 1969 to the study year 1985 with additional buses totalling 1,540, and make some slight bus terminal improvements at Port-of-Spain and San Fernando to facilitate these measures. There was no analysis or description of the geographic distribution of these services and their phasing, nor was there any explanation of the operational and management issues.

Since that time no agency of Government has been responsible for monitoring, controlling or co-ordinating the operations of the public transport industry. The Public Transport Service Act, which created the PTSC, the stated-owned bus company, in 1965, did not give them responsibility for regulating taxis, or maxi-taxis. The Transport Division of the Ministry of Works was responsible for (and still is) the licensing and inspection of taxis, and later, maxi-taxis. Amazingly, PB found that arrangement was satisfactory and should continue. Further, their study made no attempt to integrate land use planning and transportation planning; they just forecast the traffic and planned the roads for the projected traffic capacity. There was no plan for the development of public transport. Small wonder we are in the crisis we are in today.

There has been an explosive growth in vehicle ownership. The ratio of population to car ownership in 1965 was 21:1. This ratio has dropped drastically to only 4:1, according to the Central Statistical Office (CSO).

(It appears to be more like 2:1). Even though private car ownership is high in this country, the reality is that the majority of the population do not have access to a private car. Evidence of this may be seen every morning and evening with persons, particularly women and children, desperately awaiting some form of public transportation, including PH taxis and PH vans. In other words, access to transportation is difficult for non-car owners, and made increasing more so by the traffic congestion caused by car owners.

The voiceless, car-less, captive-toany- type-of-transport nationals of TT have never demanded rapid rail, mass transit, or any exotic transport. They are into the basics, including:

(a) minimising their limited disposable income on travel,

(b) frequent and reliable with published schedules,

(c) available for all classes of userdisability,

(d) effective, serving a wide range of origins and destinations,

(e) responsive to changing travel needs and patterns of activity,

(f) safe and secure, especially at terminals and waiting areas, providing a travel experience that is not blighted by fear of assault, attack or other anti-social behaviour throughout the journey.

But the emphasis of successive Governments has been on making the ownership of cars cheaper and facilitating their use by progressive road capacity improvements. How many lanes of roadway are adequate to keep the rapidly expanding traffic volumes at acceptable speeds, and for how long? The correct technical approaches are often not acceptable for several reasons, including:

1. They are politically unpopular, and the fear of being voted out becomes a concern; and,

2. They require a long lead-time for implementation (including planning and preparation) and successful testing.

The solutions to transportation problems are not obvious. If they were, then we would have had them addressed successfully long ago. The transportation system in any country comprises both related and unrelated components which influence the system and are influenced by the working of the system itself. The components of a transport system are

(a) people, including pedestrians and riders;

(b) vehicles;

(c) parking facilities, terminals and other passenger transfer locations;

(d) routes, including roads and intersections;

(e) co-ordination of items (a) to (d), also called operations; and the sub-systems of maintenance, and information and control.

The more organised the set of components, the better will the transport system respond to the demands placed on it in a desirable manner.

Every Government since our Independence has focussed exclusively on only items (b) and (d) above; that is, vehicles or modes of travel, and roads and intersections, including interchanges. Yet, every single one of us is dissatisfied with the level of service of the transportation system in our country.

I think that an affordable, convenient, and integrated public transport, with effective public information, would be very influential with the voting public. Any takers? e-mail: info@ccost.org

The murder victim, Nicholas Simon, 18, was set upon by gunmen riding on two bicycles as he accompanied the 12-year-old friend, an SE A (Secondary Entrance Assessment) student across the borderline in Enterprise after she complained about being shot at several times earlier that day.

Simon’s bullet riddled body was found sprawled with his hands across his chest near the African Grounds in Enterprise, an area which police said is controlled by members of the “Rasta City” gang. Simon lived on the opposite side of the community which according to reports is patrolled by members of the “Unruly Isis” and remains at war with members of the “Rasta City”. According to sources in the area, Simon had been warned by those in “Rasta City” about crossing into their territory. The girl –who police asked not to be identified– was allegedly shot four times in the arm and remains warded in stable condition in hospital. The primary school student turns 13 in September and is due to write SE A in May. She was said to be a close friend of one Simon’s sisters and often visited their home.

On Monday evening, relatives said she stayed longer than normal and had complained that she was afraid to go home alone because of a shooting incident which occurred earlier in the day. Relatives said Simon considered the girl as his sister and this was why he did not hesitate to escort her home although he knew it was dangerous.

“She said was afraid to go home alone,” said Simon’s distraught sister Kimberley Joseph, 17, who explained the girl had told them that while on her way to visit them, someone fired shots at her and a cousin who was accompanying her.

Joseph continued: “He has a younger sister, and if that had happened to her he would want someone to look out for her as well.

Nicholas died trying to protect her. He tried to shield her from the gunmen and picked up all the bullets instead.” Joseph said her brother was shot in the face and eyes.

Relatives yesterday denied that Simon, a Servol trained plumber, was involved in any gang activity, saying instead he was always focused on gaining employment.

“He was your typical 18-year-old, he was not bad child,” his grandmother Joycelyn Mathurin, 50, told Newsday at their Johnson Street, Enterprise home yesterday as as she and her four other grandchildren struggled to come to terms with Simon’s death. She said her grandson was shot at 18 times. The girl who was also shot remains warded at hospital.

As they searched for answers to the killing which they described as senseless, relatives felt it could be linked to a recent “like” on his Facebook page by a girl who lived in Rasta City. The relatives said he had been warned by others about the girl.

Another relative disclosed: “The other day they ‘raff ’ him and tell him that they know him from Facebook and warned him about crossing the border line. But he was not on that girl as he has a girlfriend.” On Tuesday moments before leaving to drop the young girl, relatives took a picture of him. “It’s the same clothes he had on when he was killed,” one relative revealed.

According to a BBC article published yesterday (Tuesday), “nearly 50 factories (were) allegedly manufacturing fake versions of widely used food seasonings and sauces…The plants were using ingredients unfit for human consumption, like industrial salt, in seasonings including soy sauce and vinegar, the paper (Beijing News) said.

The products were labelled with brands including Maggi, Knorr, and Nestle.” The BBC report continued, “the seasonings, which include spices and chicken stock, are commonly used in Chinese cooking and can be widely found across Asia.

China has been rocked by various food scandals in recent years, with tainted milk powder killing six babies in 2008 and making more than 300,000 children ill.” Contacted by Newsday, Nestl? Trinidad and Tobago Limited’s Corporate Communications Manager Denise d’Abadie, said the company “condemns any counterfeiting of food and beverage products.

We take reports of potential counterfeiting in China, including Nestl? products and brands, very seriously.” “Nestl? China is working closely with the authorities to identify and take action against counterfeiters in order to protect consumers. Our experts are helping the authorities distinguish authentic Nestl? products from counterfeits. The alleged counterfeiting is limited to China and does not affect other countries,” d’Abadie stated.

BBC, citing Beijing News, said “Chinese food brands such as Totole and Donggu whose products were also faked, said they were either assisting investigations or conducting their own probes.”

For this reason, Robinson- Regis said, it is essential to capitalise on the opportunity presented to the country in the form of the GSSP. “At the height of its (GSSP) execution,” she said, “it will offer a multitude of opportunities for employment and for business creation.” She continued that, “the programme intends to combine the strengths and capabilities of both the public and private sectors toward improved ICT (Information and Communication Technology) service delivery and exports locally, regionally and internationally.

“These sectors will therefore be provided with innovative methods to develop human capital, re-imagine export strategies, and stimulate investment.” Ultimately, Robinson-Regis stated, the GSSP is focused on helping with the economic transformation agenda of Trinidad and Tobago.

Another goal of the GSSP is to develop the IT sector so that in the future, these services could be exported, thus becoming a significant source of revenue for the country. Robinson-Regis also said that as the country progresses, more private sector involvement is needed in programmes like the GSSP and less government involvement. The launch took place at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.

Attendees included Minister of Trade, Paula Gopee-Scoon and Public Administration and Communications Minister, Maxie Cuffie.