As disturbing, Al Rawi said, was that the girls were between 11 and 17 years, and some of the men they married were 36, 46 and 52 years.

Contrary to beliefs that child marriages were “Muslim and Hindu” practices, Al Rawi said that “child marriage has no religious boundary. It is across the board.” He disclosed that of the 3,478 child marriages, 1,156 were civil marriages which included Christian or non Christians, 526 were Muslims, and 1,796, Hindus. At the start of consultations on child marriages last year, Al Rawi had given statistics that covered 2006 to 2016. Also contrary to popular belief that child marriages were common in rural areas, he said, they were in fact more prevalent in urban areas. Noting that religious reasons, in terms of pregnancy and live births, were the most powerful arguments given for child marriage, Al Rawi said that between 1999 and 2015 girls giving birth to children was “quite startling.” During that period, he said, girls gave birth to 15,231 children.

Reported abortions between 2011 to 2015 were 743.

For 2016, he said, the Ministry of Health has confirmed that 168 girls between the ages of 11 and 16 became pregnant, and 12 girls between 11 and 16 years. A total of 159 girls gave birth to children in 2016. “That is one year only,” he said.

He said that in the past no government has put these figures in the public domain.

He said he was giving information to the public as legislation should be informed by the position in Trinidad and Tobago.

Very often, he said, statistics were quoted from external sources rather than from the local jurisdiction. In the issue of the marriage contract, he said, “is the issue of the voice of the child, the protection of the child and what society must do to balance the interest between religious belief and the protection of its most vulnerable.” He said, “When we look to this kind of statistical information, what we see is that we have been turning a blind eye to an issue for a very long time.” During the consultations, he said, there were those who called for change and those who strongly opposed any change.

The year’s version of the competition is the largest to date with over 50 competitors (both male and female).

There will be over eight male competitors in each category competing in six weight classes (66kg, 74kg, 83kg, 93kg, 105kg and 120kg) both in the open and equipped divisions.

The female competitors will also be competing in six weight classes (56kg, 57kg, 63kg, 72kg, 84kg and 84kg plus).

All athletes will be vying for spots on the Trinidad and Tobago powerlifting team which will be competing in several events later in 2017such as the prestigious North American Championships and Commonwealth Championship scheduled for September 2017.

Vying for top honours this weekend will be 2016 North American Championship (NAC)men’s double gold medallist (Junior and Open 105kg) Rondel Hunte; NAC Open 74kg class gold medallist Adrian Knox, NAC Masters 93kg class gold medallist Marlon Belfon and NAC 105kg class gold medallist Adrian Brown. The women will also be well represented by NAC Junior 57kg class silver medallist Lutchmi Sookram and NAC Open 72kg class bronze medallist Syanna Andrews.

Powerlifting is not yet an Olympic sport but has a tremendous following with sheer power, technique and form on display. All nine local medallists (both male and female) who competed in the North American Powerlifting Federation’s competition held in St Croix in August last year will be on show this weekend.

The winner of a weight class is determined after each athlete is judged individually on each of the three categories which are Squats, Bench Press and Dead Lift, after which a total of the three scores is added for an overall total.

Police, batting first, went gungho but lost wickets regularly to be dismissed for just 133 in 18.5 overs. Police’s Clifton Halls struck an even half-century on the night off 37 balls which included two sixes and three fours which proved the backbone of the innings. Sunil Beepath contributed 38 runs off 33 balls to chip in to the total but there were no other meaningful contributions.

Demerara’s Cohen Ismond and Derwin Christian both claimed two wickets, as they went for 18 runs from three overs and 28 runs from four overs respectively.

In reply, Demerara never looked like they were struggling even after they lost three wickets in one destructive maiden over bowled by Rajiv Singh who went for 19 runs after his four overs. Rajiv and the other Police bowlers had no answer for Gajanand Singh who is yet to be dismissed in the tournament. Gajanand struck nine fours during his time at the crease and made 56 runs not out off 48 balls. Keemo Paul partnered with Gajanand Singh to help steer Demerara to the victory target for the loss of just four wickets. Paul cleared the boundary ropes four times and had one four as he made his way to 41 runs off 24 balls. Derwin Christan also assisted in the detention of Police as he scored 26 runs off 19 balls which included five fours in the process.

Demerara move into the first semi-final and face Club Crusoe today at 6 pm. The second semi-final is scheduled for tomorrow at the same time and location and the match would feature Cane Farm and Merry Boys in action.

Summarised Scores: POLICE 133 all out (18.5 overs) – Clifton Halls 50, Sunil Beepath 38, Cohen Ismond 2/18, Derwin Christian 2/28 vs DEMERARA 137/4 (16.1 overs) – Gajanand Singh 56 not out, Keemo Paul 41, Derwin Christian 26, Rajiv Singh 3/19.

Semi-final fixtures Demerara vs Club Crusoe (today) Cane Farm vs Police (tomorrow) Matches start at 6pm.

Those defeats to Nicaragua and Suriname who are both ranked outside the top 100 as well as to Haiti heaped pressure on Saintfiet with the Belgian on Wednesday deciding to walk away from the job.

Haiti are top in the Caribbean (69th) while Suriname have jumped 22 spots to 128th after beating TT 2-1. TT are surprisingly below Faroe Islands (82nd) whose team consists of a number of semi-professional players.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Sports Minister and former national youth player Darryl Smith weighed in on the football drama taking place and also discussed this nation’s chances of resurrecting the 2018 World Cup campaign.

While staying clear of the administration aspect of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s (TT FA) business, he stated he would be pleased if the new coach is local.

“I will always always push for local. I think Trinidad and Tobago has the talent here. We are a very talented people and passionate.

Again, it’s not my call but I will always push for a local coach because I feel we have qualified people. They’re just as qualified (as foreigners) (but), may not be the best of experience, I don’t want to call any names but I will always be for going local,” he said.

On the calamitous situation of Saintfiet resigning one month after his appointment, Smith added: “I know football is going through it’s challenges now. I know TT FA is dealing with some challenges.

Whether the new coach was fired or resigned, I’m hearing two different stories but whichever one, we have to dust ourselves off and be optimistic and move forward and get ready for the Panama and Mexico (World Cup qualifying) games. I’m hoping that Mr (David John) Williams the (TT FA) president and the team at TT FA are able to do that. They don’t have much time, they have to hire a new coach soon, I don’t know who they have in mind but whoever they do (appoint) I hope they are up for the job.” Although acknowledging the slide in the rankings, Minister Smith says he is not too worried about the FIFA table but moreso the next two World Cup qualifiers in March. He noted that time is extremely limited for the next national coach and it will be a different challenge from when Dutchman Leo Beenhakker replaced Bertille St Clair and took TT to the 2006 World Cup.

“Last time we went to Germany we were in the same position but we hired a coach and he had more time.

Beenhakker was at a level and quality as one of the best in the world. He had some world class players with experience in Shaka Hislop, Russell Latapy and Dwight (Yorke).

This team, I don’t know if we have anybody at that level of experience.

We have a lot of players playing in Europe and out of the Pro League in other leagues around the world but I mean Russell and Dwight and Shaka were world class players — Stern (John) was one of the highest scorers.

“I was very disappointed in the team (performance). We had been playing well prior to the losses…I think we have to work more on our fitness because once your fitness gone it’s your mental gone too. I’m still optimistic. In 2006 we are at the same point and did it. So I really wish them the best and hope Mr Williams and the team get the right man for this crucial time.”

The WICB rejected the PCB’s proposal for the tour after receiving advice on security from the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations. The WICB has also cancelled an expected security recce, which was planned for later this month. The two boards, however, continue to discuss the possibility of two T20 internationals in Florida on March 19 and 20.

It is understood that earlier this week the West Indies Players Association wrote to FICA, seeking advice on the current security situation in Pakistan.

FICA reportedly gave WIPA the latest security advisory from its security consultants, Eastern Star International, who provide security for various international boards including the ECB, Cricket Australia, New Zealand Cricket and the ICC.

In the report, FICA warned that the risk level in Pakistan remains “at an extremely elevated state” and that “an acceptable level of participant security and safety cannot be expected or guaranteed”.

Earlier this month, FICA’s report on player safety and security strongly discouraged players from traveling to Lahore for the Pakistan Super League final, scheduled for March 5.

According to the proposal, Lahore was likely to host the two matches on March 18 and 19, followed by two matches in Florida, which are still being discussed and are likely to go ahead.

On Wednesday, the WICB released the schedule of Pakistan’s seven-week tour of the Caribbean, beginning from March, which comprises two T20s, three ODIs and three Tests across five venues.

As per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), four Tests had been originally slated for this series, but one Test was dropped from the itinerary to accommodate the proposed tour of Pakistan and the T20s in the USA.

West Indies are the third team – after Ireland and Sri Lanka – to reject travelling to Pakistan in the last two years.

In 2015, Zimbabwe became the first the first Test-playing nation to tour Pakistan since 2009, when an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus resulted in the suspension of international cricket from Pakistan.

The ICC, however, had refused to send its match officials for the series. The PCB appointed its own match officials, and hoped the Zimbabwe series would serve as a stepping stone to reviving international cricket in the country.

That ambition, however, suffered a setback when a suicide attack took place near the Gaddafi Stadium during the second ODI.

Zimbabwe, though, played the third and final ODI two days later and completed the tour.

The PCB remains firm in its plan to host the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore on March 5, and has drawn up contingency plans to replace those overseas players unwilling to travel to the country due to security reasons.

The board has decided to hold a new draft in the last week of February to bring in foreign players who will be willing to travel to Pakistan in place of those who will opt out.

Two days ago she was nominated for a Victoires de la Musique award, dubbed the French Grammy Awards and the Brit Awards for music. It is one of the major awards in France.

The actual show is scheduled for February 10, and Rose who is currently in New York was nominated for the “Music Album in the World” category following the successful release of her 2016 album Far From Home that went gold in France, a first by any local artiste. Other nominees in the category are Acid Arab for Music of France and Rokia Traore for Do So. Victoires de la Musique is an annual French award ceremony where the Victoire accolade is delivered by the French Ministry of Culture to recognise outstanding achievements in the music industry that recognises the best musical artistes of the year.

Celine Dion, whose album Another Night, the second biggest hit of the year in France, was ignored in all categories of the awards.

Rose will be attending the 32nd edition of the prestigious ceremony, after which she performs at a couple other shows in France before arriving in Trinidad on February 15 for two major Carnival events, one of which will be her own full-length concert on February 24, at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.

At that concert Rose will have highly popular artistes guest with her on stage, along with her road musicians Drew Gonsalves, a TT/ Canadian, Corey Wallace (TT/ UK) and Jamba Eguema (Africa/ France).

No doubt patrons can look forward to hearing some of Rose’s big songs over the years, as well as her current hits including “Abatina”, “Tempo”, “Fire Fire”, “Israel By Bus” and “Senior Citizens Day”. It is hoped that the calypso queen will also give her fans “Her Majesty” and “Thanks”, the two numbers that gave her, her first National Calypso Monarch title in 1978, and of course her current mega hit, “Leave Me Alone”, that features Manu Chao on the original and Machel Montano on the remix.

Shortly after her local performance Rose is expected to fulfil other engagements outside of TT.

Her manager Jean Michel Gibert told Newsday yesterday that Rose is booked solidly for performances in Europe and South America from March till September 2017.

Karaoke, according to livinglanguage.

com, comes from a Japanese word, a blend of two words “kara” (which means empty) and “oke” (which means orchestra). The site noted that the first karaoke machine was developed in the 1970s. “The machines started to show up in hotels and bars. During the early days, karaoke was presented to people as a diversion that enhanced the experience of drinking and socialising. In other words, karaoke was not a main attraction, it was more of a gimmick that allowed people to have fun while ordering more drinks.

“In the ‘80s, the karaoke box business started. When this happened, people were able to convene in a small, private room.

These private rooms also offered guests the option to order food and drinks from a menu.

The karaoke box fundamentally changed how people understood karaoke. Karaoke became the main attraction.

“The karaoke machine itself has changed a lot, too. When the karaoke machine was introduced, it was an enhanced cassette tape player. By the late ‘80s, karaoke players started using Laser Disc technology,” the article said.

The karaoke industry is estimated to be worth approximately $8 billion euros, according to a 2013 article by INA Global.

For some in TT , karaoke is a form of relaxation and allows them to fulfil dreams they’ve always wanted to achieve. Joan Jackson has been singing karaoke for approximately three years now. Jackson has always had dreams of being a singer but more importantly karaoke has been her form of relaxation for those years.

She said in a phone interview with Newsday: “Whenever I feel down karaoke makes me feel good about myself. The karaoke host that I follow is one of the best and I get a lot of inspiration from her. If you’re going off-key she would whisper to you to get you back on course. I just love karaoke.” Similarly, for Keith Thomas, as a former band member, it gives him the opportunity to enjoy the music he has always loved. Keith is often accompanied by his wife, Joan, who sings occasionally but attends the weekly karaoke session at the Nu Pub, “to dance.” For Helen Kennedy, a regular karaoke follower, her, “ability to share my crazy performances with the world and bring a smile or sometimes laughter to people who are unknowingly severely burdened is probably the greatest benefit which I’ve derived from karaoke. I’ve made a lot of friends through my involvement in karaoke and it has also enhanced my presentation skills (use of humour to lighten very intense material). I actually recommend karaoke to my undergraduate and post graduate students who are lacking in confidence. I could write a book on my karaoke exploits, both at home and abroad!” For Claudia Trim, karaoke is also a stress reliever too and Alicia Randall states karaoke leaves you, “feeling like a star for every song you sing.” Karaoke hostess, Natalia Ramjohn said she has seen a lot of people come and grow over her ten-year span in the karaoke business. “Karaoke to me is a form of relaxation.

It is also a form of enjoyment and entertainment for some.

The people I have met over my ten-year tenure as a karaoke DJ/ host simply loves to sing or loves music in all forms. “I have met so many people who like karaoke but they are often scared to take the microphone and sing in front of people….strangers or friends… some say they need more drinks…or some simply need a little encouragement or even a partner on the ‘stage’ with them….their fear eventually fades…I was once like that,” she said.

Ramjohn said she too was once shy about karaoke but discovered the magic of carrying one’s own key in 2004. Before her karaoke career, she sang calypso competitions, “getting stage fright and forgetting my lyrics.” But karaoke took that away since, “lyrics were there to guide me to ensure I sang the right words and didn’t look like a fool.” For her karaoke is something to be done by most people who have an open mind. While some might think of it as boring or being unable to listen to people they find sing badly, Ramjohn pointed out an important aspect of karaoke – it is very easy on the pocket.

For karaoke DJ Quacy Cooper hearing different voices and talent is something he enjoys.

So when you are on the look out for some good, wholesome and affordable entertainment find a karaoke spot and carry your own key.

Aaron Duncan – “A Youth’s Pledge” Banjela (Addelon Braveboy) –

“Wind of Change” Calypso Prince (Henson Wright) –

“Belt Tightening” Dale Ryan –

“Last One” Devon Matthews –

“D Journey” Dilly Suede (Dillon Thomas) –

“Doh Take Dem Back” Dr Will B (William Bannister) –

“Power to the People” Ezekiel Yorke –

“The Upholder” Fireball (Rohan Richards) –

“Calypso Music” Jadee (Jerry Dane Sellier) –

“Play Nice” KC (Kyle Cowie) –

“Hail the Chief ” Ladies Man (Mark Eastman) –

“Trinidad Wake Up” Marlon Edwards –

“We Need Love” Mba (Gary Thomasos) –

“Look in the Mirror” Mr King (Marvin Lewis) –

“Legacy Music” Nicholas Ashby –

“Ancestors’ Freedom Prayer”

Orlando Octave – “Single”

Sekon Alves – “Trinbago Forever”

Sheldon Nugget (Sheldon Bullen) – “Voices from Beyond”

St Nick (Nicklas Gosine) –“It Ain’t Right”

 

National Calypso Queens competition to be held on February 13 at the Queen’s Hall Auditorium, St Ann’s from 7.30 pm.

THE 20 finalists are as follows:

Alana Sinnette – “Skeletons”

Allison Bernard (Warrior Empress)– “True Honour”

Eunice Peters – “A Country to Rebuild”

Fabikur Fraser – “Civilised”

Genisa St Hillaire – “MarketPlace”

Georgia Mc Intyre – “We Can’t Afford to Stop”

Giselle Fraser-Washington – “The Argument”

Jermeeka Mundy – “Prisoner”

Kerice Pascall – “The Black Equation”

Kerine Williams-Figaro – “Fight for Black Power”

Lesley Ann Ellis – “Social Jammer”

Makeda Darius – “Baptism”

Malaika Ballantyne – “Calypso and Country”

Morisha Ransome – “Chief Servant”

Natasha Nurse (Sexy Suzie) – “Negative Progress”

Sasha Ann Moses – “The Main Witness”

Stacey Sobers – “A People of Substance”

Tammico Moore (Spicey) – “Missing You”

Terri Lyons – “The Unfortunate Phrase”

Wendy Garrick – “Fly Trinbago”

ITEC is a programme which trains and build people professional capacity in different countries. It is also a programme which is unique in civilian and defence courses which take place in different parts of India.

Two students who participated in the ITEC programme give a summary of their stay and experiences in the country. This year two more students will travel to India on the ITEC programme.

Addressing the scholars were Minister of Public Administration Maxie Cuffie, Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez and past ITEC scholars.