Last Year the band presented All Gold Everything. This year’s production, A Sailor’s Fantasy, will depict its own version of traditional and fancy sailor mas.

Bandleader Sommer Seebrath says the band is aiming to provide “an intimate, fun-filled, epic-vibes experience” at an affordable price.

“I felt hurt that we as Trinbagonians and the global leaders of Carnival, could not afford our own culture. My goal is to make people feel comfortable, sexy and gorgeous in their own skin beyond the bikini and beads and more traditional costumes without isolating plus-sizes and the younger generation,” Seebrath said.

The band hires and supplies everything locally from bathing suits to costume materials. Indulgence’s target demographic is between the 25 to 40- year range.

“We cater to the masquerader who wants to be comfortable in an affordable costume or veteran masqueraders who want to enjoy the ambience and freedom that come with being out on the road Carnival Monday and Tuesday,” Seebaran said.

Indulgence has two sections – “Contemporary/Fancy Sailor” (red) for the trendier sailors and “Traditional Sailor” (blue) for the more conservative sailor. The costumes were conceptualised by Seebrath and designed by Darrel Bulze. For more info: indulgence.carnival@gmail.

com, www.indulgencecarnivaltt.com, Facebook: www.facebook.com/indulgencecarnival, IG: indulgence_carnival www.carolyncorreia.com

Douglas Horton BECAUSE individuals including women, men and children from within different strata of society are inundated with a number of challenges on a daily basis, some often seek refuge behind their silent curtain to re-coup.

In most instances they literally remove themselves permanently from mainstream society depending on the extent of their circumstances.

Some people, in particular women, prefer to carry their burdens alone, especially if they have had negative experiences which led them to that point. Our belief Sandrine Rattan system and primary socialisation are usually major influences in how we respond to issues.

Many have expressed deep concern to the IWRN on their disappointment regarding negative and or lack of feedback in response to promises made for different things. Each one of us has our own silent curtain where we hibernate at some point in our lives when we need to reflect and introspect on what we are experiencing at the point in time, however, remaining there for lengthy periods and not reaching out for assistance and support are indeed troubling. All of these behaviours contribute to depression, stress and emotional turbulence.

Breaking these emotional barriers requires renewed mind-shifting and self-perception that you are a unique individual with your own capacity and will-power to address these issues.

Being the real you requires shifting the curtains aside and removal of the emotional masks, because as long as you are alive, co-existence on this earth would always be filled with challenges…our expectations of people would always be less than we expected, promises would always be broken and the list is endless… Remaining behind the silent curtain and changing our personalities to please the world would only add to the pot of stress which you must stir on a daily basis. Being fearful is also not an option. What needs to happen is for you to look at life and continuously affirm that you can conquer all and any challenges which knock at your door. Unfortunately, some allow others to tell them that they can’t do this and can’t do that, and once that rhythm continues, you would eventually believe that you can’t and quickly seek refuge behind your silent curtain. The time has come for every individual, particularly women, to be self-assuring and assertive and change your rhythm from weak to strong.

Acquire the necessary coping skills at the conference– “The power within: Love Your Body, Love You” on January 26.

For more info: 638- 1083, 268-6078 and 684-6982.

Sandrine Rattan is a communications branding consultant, author and president of the International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN) Contact: thecorporatesuitett@ gmail.

com or intlwomensresourcenetwork@ gmail.com

Since your integument acts as the first barrier against the harsh environment, then it only makes sense that it is also the organ that will manifest the early physical symptoms of external trauma or, an underlying body condition.

Your scalp and hair are main members of the integument system and function as the thermoregulator and protector of your head, which houses a major organ: your brain.

Now, consider what will happen if you suffer from a major hair and scalp problem that has caused too much damage both in appearance and self-esteem? Today I will continue to discuss matters about cicatrical alopecia, particularly lichen planopilaris (LPP).

Lichen planopilaris is a form of lichen planus, an autoimmune skin rash that occurs usually in the mucous membranes, but may also appear on other parts of your upper and lower extremities.

When you say autoimmune, it means your body is unable to recognise an organic normal cell from a foreign body.

So, your immune system attacks, even your healthy cells and organs, causing inflammation that may or may not be visible to the naked eye. In the case of LPP, which is more prevalent among middle-aged women, the lesions or rashes are confined to the head.

Common signs and symptoms of LPP include significant hair loss, scaling, itching, tenderness and a burning sensation.

It primarily affects the hair follicles, and what makes this a worrisome condition is because of its lesions. If the area continues to be itchy, you will have the tendency to scratch it deliberately, causing more lesions that will inhibit hair development.

Diagnosis of LPP include a scalp biopsy and a series of blood tests.

It is important that you understand that this condi tion only occurs if there is a more serious underlying disorder like lupus. So, if you are experiencing any of the signs, such as excessive hair shedding and itching, you should first seek help from your trichologist.

If an underlying issue is identified, you will be referred to a medical practitioner who will perform several diagnostic procedures to identify the main cause.

Medical treatment of LPP depends on the severity of the rashes and how quickly the condition progresses. Since this is associated with an autoimmune disorder, most of your medications would be anti- inflammatory such as steroids.

You can also do simple home care treatments to alleviate the discomfort.

For example, you must maintain proper hygiene, and be aware that scratching the area with dirty hands may cause infection. Also important, observe proper diet and hydration. This will keep your hair and scalp cells nourished, even under this condition.

The most important thing that you have to consider is to keep your resistance at its optimum. Autoimmune diseases are triggered when your body is weak. So, keep yourself healthy – eat right and do right.

Germaine Williams Beckles is a doctor of trichology (DT) and nutrition consultant (NC) https://www.germainewilliamsbeckles.

com, 627-4659. Email us your questions to info@drgees.com

According to reports, at about 2.30 pm, Anthony Sammy was at Sammy Lane Bourg Mulatresse in company with a female friend when three men, one armed with a gun, burst through the front door and shot Sammy several times.

He ran a short distance away where he collapsed and died.

Officers of the North Eastern Division Task Force, as well as homicide officers, went to the scene and carried out enquiries.

Officers later searched Sammy’s apartment and allegedly found a quantity of marijuana.

Police believe that Sammy’s death was linked to drugs.

His killing pushed the murder toll to 20 for the year thus far compared with the same period last year when there were 26 murders and 24 for 2014.

Yesterday Homicide officers told Newsday that additional manpower has been added to the Homicide Bureau to speed up murder investigations.

Yesterday he appeared before Magistrate Kerianne Byer in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court, charged with stealing four gallons of dishwashing liquid from CamQuip ICS Limited in Plaisance Park, St Margarets Village, Claxton Bay.

Sooknanan pleaded not guilty to the charge and made an application for bail. The court police prosecutor, Sgt Krishna Bedasie, objected, saying that he (Sooknanan) had chalked up 18 convictions for petty criminal offences, as well as for possession of marijuana. Sooknanan, the prosecutor submitted, has nine similar cases pending in the criminal justice system. In making his plea, Sooknanan complained to the magistrate that he had been kicked in the ribs by security guards and he needed medical attention.

He also told Byer that he lived nine houses away from the St Margarets Police Station.

Byer granted him $20,000 bail.

PC Kaveeta Ramjattan laid the charge.

In the same court, Anthony Stoute pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of White Oak and a bottle of Black and White Scotch Whisky, a block of cheese and a rack of pork ribs from a resident’s home at Plaisance Park, St Margarets.

He pleaded guilty to the charge laid by Corporal Brian Singh.

Byer ordered that Stoute attend drug treatment clinics at Presentation College, San Fernando and he is to reappear before her on February 13.

He had 17 silver packets containing the drug, the court was told. The officers, at the time, were conducting a road block exercise in the area. He was one of two “priority offenders” appearing before a magistrate in the Couva court yesterday.

The other offender, also 23, who had in his possession 26 silver packets of marijuana was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison with hard labour. A 19 year-old first offender, who the court heard had one small packet of marijuana in his possession, was ordered by the magistrate to do community service. The exercise on Friday was led by Sgt Thompson of the Couva Police Station.

CWU Secretary General, Joseph Remy, says “this decision definitely flies in the face of logic and conveys to the CWU that (TATT) is lacking of testicular fortitude to take action against CWC, as contemplated by the conditionality’s outlined in the approval notice dated March 25, 2015.” Remy then quoted from section D of the approval notice, which stated that CWC “shall ensure the complete divestment of the 49 percent shareholding in TSTT within the time frame stipulated by the Authority, namely one year of the date of communication of this reconsidered decision, or such extended date as may be approved by the Authority in writing, such extension to not exceed a maximum of six months.” Remy added that TATT “went on to stipulate at D. (iii) that (it) shall take all steps as are available to it under the law in the event of any breach of these conditions by the Applicants or CWC, their agents or representatives.” In 2014 CWC began the acquisition process of Columbus Communications, parent body of Flow, a direct competitor to TSTT in the telecommunications market.

Within 12 months of the approval date of February 2015, with a provision for a 6 months extension, CWC was to have divested of its TSTT shares.

In a statement issued on December 29, 2016 Remy denounced the fact that it wasn’t until CWU “went public” in August 2016; 18 months after the concession was granted, that CWC still had not disposed of its TSTT shares as mandated, that TATT then gave a further extension to CWC.

TATT then gave CWC until December 31, 2016 to dispose of the shareholding, “failing which the TATT would use the powers enshrined in the Act to act in the best interest of the country. All this time, Cable and Wireless continued to benefit from dividends from both companies,” Remy said last month.

Now, three weeks later, Remy has issued a statement expressing the union’s disappointment in TATT’s aforementioned decision to grant yet another extension to CWC.

“The CWU is totally opposed to this latest extension that was cowardly granted to CWC,” Remy declared.

“We recall CWC boasting about its grand acquisition and its joy in having the opportunity to sell off its 49 percent shareholding in TSTT, which it considered a backward Company and one with a stubborn Union. Why then are they so hell bent on retaining their 49 percent shareholding and in the process, benefit from Dividends from TSTT, the same TSTT that they say was a disaster?” Hence the union’s demand on Friday (January 13) that TATT invoke the provisions as set out in its communication of March 12, 2015 and March 26, 2016 and in the process, “reject the application by Columbus Communications for a change of Control of its concession.” Remy made it clear the union was “tired of our independent national institutions pandering to foreign multi-nationals who do not have any interest whatsoever in the development of TT.”

At the same time, Caribbean Development Company Limited (CDC) and the NUGFW agreed to grant a six percent wage increase to the company’s weekly and monthly paid workers for 2016 to 2019.

Addressing journalists at the signing ceremony at the CDC headquarters in Champs Fleurs, company officials said the CDC had also agreed to withdraw an appeal against an Industrial Court judgement on behalf of workers for the period 2013 to 2016 and had resolved the matter at a sixteen percent increase.

Ian MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer of both companies, said CBL had decided to honour an Industrial Court judgement which had awarded the monthly paid workers a thirteen percent wage increase for the period 2011 to 2015 and the two sides had agreed to settle at thirteen percent for the weekly paid workers, the agreements accounting for outstanding as well as future contracts.

Christopher Streete, First Deputy President General of the NUGFW, said the union and the workers were happy with the settlements and both sides had committed themselves to show mutual respect.

He said no dispute would remain unresolved as long as the parties showed mutual respect and had the commitment and the will to settle it, although he admitted that in a negotiation neither party would get all that they wanted.

MacDonald said the companies decided to withdraw the appeal because they wanted to forge a partnership with the union but declined to say how much the settlement would cost the companies.

He said the companies expected to be able to pay backpay by the end of the month. In response to a question he acknowledged that the economy was difficult and admitted that the companies were being affected by it but declined to say to what extent sales was being affected though he said that because of the challenging economic conditions it was important for the company to forge a partnership with its workers and the union.

Asked how much the settlement would affect the bottom line of the companies, MacDonald said the companies were more concerned with having an engaged and unified workforce that with the impact on its bottom line.

He added that the companies were confident of the future especially now that it had a sound relationship with its employees.

Rakesh Goswami, TSTT’s Executive Vice President Strategic Alliance, Enterprise & Tobago Operations, said “The telecommunications industry is constantly evolving at rapid speeds and all users – operators, consumers and the business sector – are faced with daily challenges. As the only local, full-service telecommunications services provider, we have recognised and embraced the importance of our pivotal enabling role in a demanding digital society.

Our Connect @ bmobile Technology Conference and Exposition is a new experience which provides a rich exchange of ideas and solutions with multiple industry leaders from across the world, all focused on how an investment in technology will stimulate innovation, increase collaboration and drive growth, productivity and economic transformation towards national prosperity.” The conference will feature Senior Technical Director, Product Innovation and Big Data Expert from AT&T, Learie Hercules, who will help attendees discover how to use Advanced Analytics like any Fortune 500 compan

“For over 20 years we have been seeking a place to house a Community Centre and a playground,” said Christopher Supersad, an executive member of the Village Council and spokesperson for the group. “All we are asking for is a place for our children to play on, and a place for our elders to celebrate occasions like Divali, Emancipation Day, and Christmas.

Our children have been playing in the road.” Supersad said that the land was last promised to them by the former People’s Partnership (PP) government.

Across the road from where residents want the Community Centre and playground built, houses are sprouting up on land that was given to old Caroni workers after the company was closed down. The growing community, said Supersad, further justifies the need for a Community Centre and playground. However, he said, the land where they want the Community Centre constructed was not given to workers and still belongs to the state, but people have been “landgrabbing” and putting the land for their personal use without government permission.

Newsday contacted Member of Parliament for Couva South Rudranath Indarsingh for his response to the residents’ charge that the land was promised by the former PP government. “Since this government has been in power,” said Indarsingh, “I cannot recall any delegation coming or writing any letters about this issue. They are saying that there is an issue of private citizens moving on to the state land, but I would prefer to see what is happening first myself before commenting on it.” Asked whether the Council approached his office prior to the Peoples National Movement’s assumption of office, Indarsingh said, “I am trying to jog my memory here.

I cannot say for sure, but I know that the construction of Community Centres and playing fields are things that Village Councils usually advocate for.”