“A contractor by the name of Ricky Ragoonanan is helping us out a lot,” said 59-yearold truck driver Robin Seecharan.

“God bless that man and his family. We are very grateful to that man and all the people who donated things to us. Thank you.” Seecharan, together with his wife Raquel Babwah, 38, and their seven children – Brandon, 15; Antonio, 14; Jenel, 12; Christie, 11; Selena, seven; Anna, five; and Crystal, three – were rendered homeless on December 11.

They lived in a wooden two-bedroom home at Springvale in Claxton Bay.

Reports are that residents saw the house on fire at about 7 am while the family was out.

Within minutes, it was completely destroyed and the family lost all their possessions.

“Someone is letting us stay in his house for the next two weeks or so. Thank you everyone for every single bit of help. We are grateful again to Mr Ragoonanan because the flooring of the house is already cast and the frame up. It will be a ply house and we are hoping to move in for the Christmas,” Seecharan added.

After the house is constructed, Seecharan said he is hoping to wire it for electricity.

The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services has also offered help in the form of a Temporary Food Card, valued $700, to be used by month-end.

Ministry officials visited the family days after the fire and also offered counselling

“A further increase in the public debt and the decline in the Ease of Doing Business ranking for TT are worrying indicators of an economic meltdown,” he asserted.

“The recent floating of a TT$500 million six-year bond, now surreptitiously upsized and doubled to $1 billion, makes clear Government’s ill-fated policy of increasing public debt for non-investment and non-productive spending.” Bharath lamented that TT’s debt level is now escalating out of control, having risen $14 billion in the past year alone. He alleged, “The Government’s main policy instruments for raising revenues are increased levels of taxation on an already beleaguered population, as well as increasing public debt”.

Bharath said recent Central Bank data gives a dismal outlook for the economy with declines in the energy and non-energy sectors of 10.7 percent and 10.9 percent respectively, with no economic strategy to restore confidence, stability and growth He said an eight percent drop in the economy in the second quarter of 2016 was the worst ever quarterly contraction in the country’s history, according to the Bank’s November 2016 Monetary Policy Report.

Bharath blamed the energy sector’s woes on continued gas-supply shortages, maintenance shutdowns and weak energy prices. That sector also pulled down the non-energy sector.

He lamented a worsening current account deficit of US$1 billion, plus a worsening unemployment rate of 4.4 percent.

Bharath said economic deterioration will also be fuelled by a decline in the Ease of Doing Business for Trinidad and Tobago.

While in 2014, the World Bank lauded TT as one of the world’s “top 10 reformers”, by 2016 TT had fallen to a rank of 96 with the World Bank saying it is now tougher to do business here.

“Recent reports have stated that with ‘95’ being the break-even point, the drop was enough to knock TT into the half of countries where it is more ‘difficult’ rather than ‘easy’ to do business,” bemoaned Bharath.

He urged serious action to stem any further fall in this ranking is required to ensure that the rank does not further deteriorate, especially in a time of severe economic decline

“We are happy to announce that Phil Simmons is the new head coach of the SKN Patriots,” said Co-Owner and Principal, Uday Nayak. “We expect that Phil’s experience and local knowledge will help the Patriots achieve improved performances in our 2017 Hero CPL campaign, and will bring the ultimate success that our fans and sponsors deserve.” The Patriots owner described Simmons as “the right coaching choice at this very crucial time in the development of our Franchise.” Commenting on his new role, coach Simmons said, “I am delighted to take up the role as Head Coach of the Patriots. I would like to thank the owners and management for offering me this exciting opportunity to lead the squad. I am aware of the immediate challenges we are facing and I will do all possible to ensure that we achieve improved results.” The new Patriots coach expressed his delight that the franchise had just last week signed star batsman Chris Gayle. “I am very pleased with the recent signing of Gayle. This is a major boost for me coming in as the new coach and I look forward to working closely with Chris to bring the desired success to the St Kitts & Nevis franchise,” he said.

Simmons, a Trinidadian, was an explosive West Indies batting all-rounder in his heyday.

He retired from being a professional player in 2002, before embarking on a successful coaching career.

Simmons coached Ireland’s cricket team from 2007 to 2015, a period of significant improvement for Ireland’s ranking in world cricket. Simmons is best known for coaching the West Indies team to victory in the ICC World T20 in India earlier this year.

Peralta was game in defeat, coming out swinging and throwing haymakers with a couple finding the target. Lawrence, however, countered skilfully.

The pattern continued in the second round and Lawrence caught Peralta with a punch that dropped him to his knees for a eight count.

It went all downhill for Peralta after that as Lawrence sensed his opponent was hurt and connected with some combinations of his own to end the second round on top. Saved by the bell, there was no respite in the third round as Lawrence swamped Peralta with some body shots and sharp right hocks to the head. The home corner, realising their fighter was in deep trouble, threw in the towel to give the Trinidadian the victory.

The win improves the Trini boxer’s record to eight wins and one defeat while his Venezuelan rival remains winless after four fights.

After the fight, Lawrence said: “I was not at my best as I picked up a virus the day before the fight an had to conserve energy. I am not going to celebrate Christmas as I am about to prepare further for the FECARBOX (Central American Boxing Federation) and Commonwealth title in January. I am very excited for this fight to represent my country at the highest level.”

The club, founded by Cedric Hazelwood, presented a senior men’s team now called Miscellaneous Laventille United to participate in the Northern Football Association (NFA) First Division in 2016 following a partnership with the Miscellaneous Group in September. This followed after the company’s CEO Sham Mohammed took a special interest in the talent coming out of Laventille during a Football 7s tournament sponsored by the Miscellaneous Group and staged at the St Paul Street Recreational Ground in conjunction with the Inter-Agency Task Force Hearts and Minds Programme earlier this year Hazelwood said that being able to see players and supporters from communities that were at some point warring with each other, turning up at matches supporting one cause and one team was the biggest achievement for him. “They all came together to support one team and for me and all of us here, this is a major success because of this programme,” Hazelwood added.

“What he have seen here is a transformation that was not happening before inspite of the different projects that were tried by the Ministries. We are thankful for all they have tried but I am delighted to see that this football programme is making positive change. People from the different areas are now coming together at the football field and backing each other.

It is something fresh and enlightening for us to see away from all the warring and criminal activities that have plagued our image over the years,” Hazelwood stated.

Shaun Fuentes, who hosted the ceremony, is a partner of Miscellaneous Laventille and he hailed the success of the programme so far which saw the team formed after a participation in the Miscellaneous Footballl 7s tournament at St Paul Street, Port of Spain in August.

“The members of the squad come from various areas within Laventille, from Beverly Hills, St Paul Street, John John, Snake Valley, Mentor Alley, Block 22, Higher and Lower Picton, Soogrim Trace to Despers Centre and other areas,” Fuentes said in his address.

“Now the 25-members of the current club are finding ways to breakdown barriers, coming together from several areas in Laventille.The stage is now set for Laventille United to continue to grow, expand and put the community in a positive light through football and other enriching community engagements,” stated Fuentes, who is also the communications manager at the TT FA.

Mohammed also pledged continued support for the team and will see to the expansion of the team’s backroom staff and other technical support for the 2017 season.

Alexis could not be stopped, winning the girls Under-14 singles, girls U-12/U-14 doubles and the junior mixed doubles. In the singles, Alexis came from a set down to defeat Emily Lawrence 6-7 (4), 7-5, 10-2 before joining forces with Shauna Valentine in the girls U-12/U-14 doubles. Alexis and her partner dropped the first set but rallied to outlast Maria Honore and Chelsea Mukerji 2-4, 4-0, 10-5.

In the Junior Mixed Doubles final, Alexis teamed up with Alijah Leslie and again Alexis found her team trailing but rebounded to defeat Kyle Kerry and Kelsey Leitch 2-4, 4-0, 10-4.

Liam Sheppard, Emma Davis, Joshua Arnold and Leslie all won double crowns. Sheppard dominated the Under-14 category, winning the boys singles and boys doubles titles. In the singles final, Sheppard got past Kyle Kerry 6-3, 6-2 before he teamed up with Leslie to overcome Ebolum Nwokolo and Ethan Wong 6-2, 6-3 for the doubles crown.

Davis was crowned the winner in the girls U-18/U-21 singles with a 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over Anya King. Davis and Victoria Koylass then prevailed in the senior girls doubles, defeating King and Osenyonye Nwokolo 6-3, 6-1.

Arnold won the boys U-18 singles getting past Jaydon Alexis 6-2, 6-2 and then grabbed the senior boys doubles title along with Kobe James, as the duo defeated brothers Ross and Scott Hackshaw 6-1, 6-4.

After press time last night the senior mixed doubles final was being contested.

OTHER RESULTS (All finals): Boys U-10 Singles Jaylon Chapman def Jace Quashie 5-3, 1-4, 11-9 Boys U-12 Singles Shae Millington def Sebastien Byng 4-0, 4-1

Girls U-12 Singles Cameron Wong def Charlotte Ready 5-4(5), 4-0

Girls U-12/U-14 Singles Ella Carrington def Jade Law 6-3

Girls U-16 Singles Jade Tom Yew def Yin Lee Assang 4-6, 6-4, 10-7

Boys U-16 Singles Adam Ramkissoon def Edward Laquis 6-2, 6-2

Boys U-10 Doubles Alex Chin/Alexander Merry def Zac Permell/Jace Quashie 4-2, 1-4, 10-8

Girls U-10 Doubles Zara Ghuran/Jordane Dookie def Jaeda-Lee Daniel-Joseph 5-4, 4-0

Boys U-21 Singles Brandon Gregoire def Jualon Greig 7-6(5), 6-0

Boys U-12 Doubles Thomas Chung/Nicholas Ready def Sebastien Byng/Zachery Byng 1-4, 4-2, 10-1

San Juan North just avoided relegation from the 15-team Premier League competition, finishing 12th on the standings. Queen’s Royal College (13th), Pleasantville (14th) and Fatima (15th) finished in the bottom three and were relegated.

However, Presentation College which finished second in the competition fielded an ineligible player during some of the matches. Presentation’s victories over Queen’s Royal College, East Mucurapo and Fatima were all reversed with the aforementioned schools granted 3-0 wins. Naparima’s win over Presentation was also changed to 3-0.

Assistant Secretary of the Secondary Schools Football League Gerald Elliot said, “there was a situation where they (Presentation) had a boy nine years into the system and as a result he was ineligible to play, as a result they lost points for four games which brought them from second place to fourth place. Pres choose not to appeal their situation and you could consider that matter completed.” If the points are altered, San Juan North will drop from 12th to 14th and will be demoted. QRC will move to 12th, Fatima will be 13th and Pleasantville will be 15th.

The standings may be changed again as East Mucurapo’s use of a player is also in question. Elliot explained, “that was the disciplinary matter that we dealt with since October where they (East Mucurapo) used a player who had been deemed ineligible for not having a minimum four subjects in A Levels. And as a result they’ve lost points for one game which was St Benedict’s who was the team that protested at the time. However, if after they have exhausted all their legal options and everything goes in favour with the league’s decision chances they can lose further points from matches that the young man would have played in.” If East Mucurapo are punished for the use of the ineligible player they will be relegated along with San Juan North and Pleasantville.

A repeat will also be aired on Christmas Day from 9.30 pm.to 11.30 pm.

This year’s Lydians Christmas concert featured selections celebrating love, family and community, centred on the theme of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the birth of Christ. The calabash was a symbol running throughout the production – representing love at Christmas time.

As the story unfolds, viewers are invited to gather together in music as The Lydians sing joyfully of the birth of the Christ child.

The concert will follow a creolised re-imagining of the journey of The Virgin Mary from the holy cradle to the river side, where a community will gather together in celebration to laugh, sing and have a ball in celebration of the saviour’s arrival.

In the first half of the concert, Mary is portrayed as the Holy Queen, Ave Maria, bearer of the “golden calabash” – that eagerly awaited pretty, little baby in a manger who will be rocked tenderly on that holy night In the Caribbean, we celebrate in our traditional ways. “With we calabash” we gather at the river as a community, wading in that life-giving water, dancing, laughing, singing calypsos and parang and rejoicing at His birth.

But who is this Midnight Robber, this cold, frosty mocking pretender? This King Herod/ Scrooge type figure would like to steal our joy. But he too drinks from the golden calabash. His heart is thawed. He is transformed and he becomes a symbol of love, happy and filled with the joy of the season because the golden calabash contains the spirit of Christmas. Mankind is now warm, generous and loving as we affirm that a red and green Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year because love came down to earth to save mankind.

In the second half, The Lydians ring the bells and shout Hallelujah! – steel, tassa, African drums, percussion, musicians and voices raised; all with a riot of colour and movement as banners and standards wave about; the largest one of all flown in above the choir; text proclaiming one word – “Hallelujah”.

Lydians expressed thanks to Wendell Constantine of CNMG/ CTV for his support and partnership with the group and the musical arts of TT.

For more info: email thelydiansingers@ yahoo.com or visit www.TheLydiansTT.com.

The event will be hosted by Reverend Simone Lord Marcelle who is returning to TT from the USA to share her knowledge to help empower people to live the abundant life financially and spiritually. The seminar runs from 10 am to 3 pm.

Marcelle who is a graduate of Bishop Anstey High School is a pastor, inspirational speaker, inventor, entrepreneur and author of five books, the latest being, Financial Freedom by Faith, A Guide to Prosperity.

She has conducted workshops on several topics that are geared to “set people free to live abundant lives”. Topics range from How To Prosper; Manifest Love and Money, Making Millions by Faith and How to Start a Business with No Money.” A media release stated that Marcelle’s “corporate background, journalistic and media career have allowed her to meet and greet with US President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and interview many powerful leaders, Pulitzer Prize winners, artists, literary geniuses and thinkers”.

Marcelle holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brooklyn College, New York, and is the recipient of numerous awards from the United States Congress and Senate, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Office of the Queens Borough President, Mayor of New York, Council of New York and many more. She is currently completing a doctorate in natural medicine, the release said.

Participants in the seminar will learn how to live the prosperous life they have dreamed of, also about their inheritance and how to use talent and ideas to build wealth by activating faith and biblical financial systems. Marcelle will show how this can be done by changing your thoughts and lifestyle.

Entertainment will be provided by Despers Youth Orchestra, Lord Relator, Christopher “Tambu” Herbert and Clive Telemaque. There will be refreshments and giveaways for adults and youth, as well as a book signing.

For more info: peoplesfirstbaptistchurch@ gmail.com or text 489-9430 or www.Simonelord.

org.

This fund-raising concert aims to foster well-being through music that nurtures the soul while shining a light on issues related to the care of TT ’s ageing and ailing population.

On Wednesday, an eclectic cast including Ken “Professor” Philmore, Z4L4, John Michael Thomas & Friends, Tsahai Koo and Imani Miller-Sorzano will entertain from 6.30 pm at the Our Lady of Fatima Church Hall, Bushe Street, Curepe. The inaugural concert brings a diverse cast of performers in terms of age and talent together to address the indiscriminate nature of ageing and illness.

Following recent experiences with caring for a loved one, estuary PR’s Liza Miller, identified an urgent need to create a platform for promoting care, empathy, compassion, kindness and love, said a media release. This fund-raising series was conceptualised as a quarterly production for various beneficiaries who face the trials of “sustaining spiritual, emotional and physical well-being in the face of managing medical challenges”.

Healing with Music – Vol I offers music to soothe the soul in benefit of Martica Thomas’ medical care.

Tickets cost $100 each and are available at Our Lady of Fatima RC Church office and from estuary PR. For more info: join the Facebook (FB) event at bit.ly/HealWithMusic or connect on FB, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @estuaryPR and @Z4L4Music or email liza@estuaryPR.

com or 367-5295.