There was no eulogy during the funeral service officiated by Deacon Lennox Toussaint and Monsignor Christian Pereira at the Cathedral, but the cultural send-off at the Savannah, hosted by the National Carnival Commission (NCC) was equal to it as “Se?or” was remembered in dance and song, with performances by 3 Canal and Trinidad All Stars, as well as verbal contributions from friends and family.

“Se?or” was one of the leading wire benders (sculptors) in Trinidad and Tobago. For more than 60 years he had been bending wire and making costumes. But he also had a passion for playing sailor Mas. “Se?or” played Fancy Sailor for decades with the Blue Diamonds steelband, as well as with Mt Hope Connection, Belmont Exotic Stylish Sailors (BESS) and Trinidad All Stars. His contribution to wire-bending and sailor mas was such that he was likened to the late great wire-bender Cito Velasquez and sailor mas man Jason Griffith. Via a Ministry of Culture initiative, Gomez gave classes in Mas making at the Belmont Community Centre. His long time friend Francis Delzin told Newsday about his friendship with Gomez. He said, “We played plenty Mas, made plenty Mas, bend wire and he made plenty costumes for children for free.” Delzin also spoke of “Se?or” being a trustee in Blue Diamonds Steelband. He said he was heavily involved in the band playing sailor Mas but apart from his wire-bending, making and playing Mas, “Se?or” and his wife Linda did a lot of work with children in their schools, teaching them to make Mas and how to do the sailor dance.”

Bertram Thomas, a founder of Blue Diamonds said ‘Se?or’ bent wire for most of the popular bands in Port-of-Spain. “He was the most popular wire-bender and he did it for over 60 years.”

At the church a couple of fancy sailors came out in costume as did a midnight robber bearing a wreath for “Se?or”. Gomez, who also gave service to the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA) and the NCC, leaves to mourn his wife Linda, 11 children, 22 grand children and 24 great grand children

Kristian Lutchmansingh was 10 years old when on July 6, 2011 – the last day of school – he was attempting to cross the road at Chin Chin Road, Las Lomas, and was struck by his teacher’s car.

The child attended the Las Lomas Primary School.

Lutchmans i ngh’s mother Dawn Albert took the matter to court against the driver, Donnell Siewnarine, and his insurance company, New Indian Assurance Company Limited.

In their defence, the insurance company claimed the schoolboy suddenly dashed out in front of the vehicle giving the teacher no opportunity to avoid the accident.

They denied the driver was negligent and placed culpability on the child for causing the accident.

The matter went on trial on the issue of “liability” before Justice Andre des Vignes in November and in his ruling he found Siewnarine to be mainly responsible for the accident.

Lutchmansingh was awarded 80 percent of his claim which was reduced for contributory negligence when he darted across the road to the bus.

In his findings, the judge concluded that the teacher knew or ought to have known that the bus would be filled with schoolchildren and while attempting to overtake the bus which was occupying most of the road, he accelerated, driving at an excessive speed, and negligently collided with the child.

He also found that Siewnarine did not sound his horn when he overtook the bus.

The judge further found that Lutchmansingh would have been more than excited to go home on the last day of school so it was highly unlikely that he would have walked across the road slowly and that it was highly probable that the child ran across the road.

The child was represented by attorneys Lennox Sanguinette, Farai Hove Masaisai and Issa Jones.

According to lead counsel Edward Fitzgerald, SC, the former Chief Magistrate should not have continued to adjudicate at the inquiry, especially since the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) had filed disciplinary charges against him.

“There was a risk to the proceedings,” he submitted in arguments before Justices of Appeal Gregory Smith, Peter Rajkumar and Charmaine Pemberton in an appeal filed by John Henry Smith, Barbara Gomes, Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction.

The Piarco defendants have complained of the former Chief Magistrate’s participation in the airport inquiry, alleging that he received significant financial and other advantages and favours from the then Attorney General and as a result his adjudication has been in contravention of their rights to be heard by an independent and impartial tribunal.

They had called on Mc Nicolls to step down from presiding over the proceedings in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court, prior to him committing them to stand trial.

Mc Nicolls refused to step down.

Their challenge was thrown out by the court and they also lost a bid to appeal the three new charges which were instituted by the Chief Magistrate.

The Piarco inquiry, commonly referred to as Piarco 1, had been ongoing for over five years before Mc Nicolls. The eight people and three companies before the court were committed to stand trial on January 7, 2008.

In January, the Privy Council dashed all hopes by the Piarco defendants not having to face trial in the local courts for their alleged involvement in the Piarco International Airport fraud scandals.

“We’re using this money to purchase a school bus to transport the boys to and from school, as well as for events; football training, cricket training, even the choir, sometimes requires the students to stay back late. So a bus would really come in handy to drop students home, especially in far areas such as Point Fortin; we have a lot of boys coming from Point Fortin.” Benjamin, himself a graduate of the secondary school, said Presentation College did have an official school bus but to the best of his knowledge, “the last time we used that bus was in 2002.” Office Co-ordinator of the Presentation College Past Students Association, Navin Rambharrack, (who also attended the school), said after observing other schools getting funding from Republic Bank Limited (RBL) to purchase buses, the association decided to do the same.

“Talk about getting a new bus has been (ongoing) for some years now, so we’re thanking the Lord that we finally got through. We filled out the forms and submitted them to RBL around September or October of last year and we got the good news in September of this year that the funding was approved

The subpoenas were issued to the three who are expected to appear before the court next Tuesday.

The Chamber is also expected to furnish the court with copies of all reports, interviews, inserts, programmes, audio visual clips and CCTV footage in prints and electronic, inclusive of blogs, and commentary pertaining to a breakfast meeting held by the Chamber on November 30, under the theme “The Impact of Industrial Court Judgments on your Business.” At the panel discussion, Mouttet and Ali were critical of the court.

Mouttet blamed the Court for low productivity in the country and described the court as harsh and oppressive in its judgments, favouring workers and unions against employers while Ali called for a lobby for pro-business judges on the Industrial Court bench.

Earlier this week, the National Trade Union Centre issued a statement challenging Mouttet for his statements while head of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget on Wednesday demanded a retraction.

Roget said the comments by Mouttet showed a gross disrespect for the court.

In May, president of the Industrial Court Deborah Thomas-Felix defended the partiality of the Court against claims that it favours workers and said employers lose cases because of “harsh and oppressive” conduct.

She stressed that people may disagree with some rulings of the Court “but to seek to impugn its impartiality or diminish the importance of its role and function, is simply not the way to go.” Employers, she said, allegedly claimed “that the judgments coming out of the court favoured the worker at the expense of the employer and the survival of the business as a going and profitable enterprise”.

Thomas-Felix reported that for the period 2014-2015 there were 2,744 matters and of these 747 were disposed by the adversarial process.

Out of these, 230 judgments, or 30 percent, were in favour of employers.

She also reported that of the withdrawn matters 24.9 percent were withdrawn by unions and therefore the employer won.

“If you do the math it will answer the question whether the judgments of the Court favour workers,” she added.

The total percentage of disputes resolved in favour of employers during the period 2011 to 2015 was 54.9 pecent.

As a finalist in the first-ever America’s Most Inspiring Trainer title from Well + Good / Reebok, he is vying for this much coveted title that will validate his accomplishments as a trainer who motivates persons to be better, while at the same time putting this country on the global map.

Through this initiative led by Reebok and Well + Good, the call was issued in the US for nominations for trainers for the first-ever America’s Most Inspiring Trainer title. After nearly 5,000 entries, the pool of entries was narrowed to 12 finalists.

Voting concludes on December 23.

Howell, a former Fatima College student, left this country at the age of 17 and has made a name for himself not only in fitness but also the corporate world where he worked for several high profile companies.

As the owner of CrossFit Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York, his self-sacrificing journey shows he is well deserving of the title of ‘Most Inspiring Trainer’. By day, he worked as a corporate executive in the pharmaceutical industry.

However, by night, he worked up a sweat every way he could, lifting, spinning, boxing, jogging, and even training friends for free. A decade in, he’d had enough. Maillard started CrossFit-ing in 2010 and never looked back. In his words, it was a life choice to leave the corporate world and open his own gym but it was a much needed leap of faith, for the sake of his mental and emotional well-being.

Today, that gamble has paid off not just for Howell, but also for his clients who describe him as “the definition of following your dreams.” Holding true to his mantra to “Let your work ethic eclipse talent, Let your grit eclipse talent; Let your heart eclipse talent” his diverse client roster is a reminder that anyone can hit their fitness goals and is proud of having trained a wheelchair-bound athlete for the Paralympics Games.

Having plans for expansion, Howell’s sincere desire to contribute to his community sees him training senior citizens, police officers, and youths for free so as to support his community by being the force that inspires each and everyone to invest in their health and well-being. To vote for Howell visit http://www.wellandgood.

c om/ ame r i – cas-most-inspiring-fitness- trainer/ The winner of America’s Most Inspiring Trainer will score an exclusive one-year contract with Reebok and major coverage on Well+Good.

Saintfiet will go into the two international friendlies against Nicaragua on December 27 and 30 without the services of Sheldon Bateau and Belgian-based Khaleem Hyland as their clubs have indicated they would not be released.

Local-based Elton John has been added to the training squad.

Saintfiet was in good spirits after his first session, saying he was pleased with the commitment shown by the players involved.

He touched on what his selection will be based on, saying “I try to always play with the quality we have compared to the opponent because if we have good quality but the opponent has better quality then our quality is not so good as our opponent so I have to choose my tactic.

“In this situation I came to the country which had this year maybe not such a good year… so my first aim is to try to get a tactic to get points. Maybe it is not the most attractive tactic but playing good and losing 4-3 doesn’t bring anything at this moment. We need results immediately for sure against Suriname and Haiti so my tactical choice would be result-oriented,” Saintfiet added.

Stores are filled, people everywhere and caution, sometimes, goes out the air.

For criminal elements it might appear to be open season for them. Extra care and precaution become vital at this time.

It is with this in mind, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has provided some tips on how to be safe during the holiday period.

Vigilance is top on the priority list for safety this season. In its safety bulletin, the TTPS said, “Be vigilant about your surroundings during the daylight hours, just as much as the night time. A crime can occur at any time. Be mindful that criminals are always paying attention to all signs of vulnerability to make their move on the unsuspecting victim.” Wearing expensive jewelry is a no-no this season and it attracts attention and its risks you becoming a victim. It is better, the TTPS advised, to shop during daylight hours and if night shopping is necessary, take a friend.

Carrying large amounts of cash should also be avoided, it advised. Displaying cash while making purchases, the TTPS said, make you a target. It was better to pay with cheque or credit card, if possible.

For extra caution, keep cash in front pockets and avoid placing it in back pockets as, “you [will] have better control over it and more likely to see who is approaching you.” If cards are lost or stolen immediately notify the card issuer. The service said a record of all credit numbers should be stored in a safe place at home.

When shopping avoid overloading with packages. “It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps,” it said.

Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, con-artists may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings. Park vehicles, it added, in proper car parks as, “this will assist in getting you to your car and on your way safely.” Wear your purse across the body to keep your hands free for your keys, both when heading to your car and into your home.

While heading to the car, the TT PS advised, to stay alert. “Talking or texting on your phone or digging in your purse for your keys while walking is a distraction and makes you an easy target. Check the back seat for potential criminals before getting back in your car. Carry your keys in your hand while you are walking toward your vehicle, and pick a parking space that’s easy to back out of so that you can leave the parking lot quickly,” the bulletin said.

Do not expose valuables such as purses, laptops, cell phones, tablets and other electronic items as it makes an easy target for thieves. Before leaving your vehicle in a parked position, please make a check to ensure that your items of value are properly secured. In the age of social media, it advised, be careful what you post on social media.

If in an active neighbourhood watch group, “alert them of when you will be leaving your home to go shopping, or away on vacation.” Otherwise, alert your close neighbours so they can monitor any suspicious activity near your home.

If you are a victim of a crime or witness to a crime being committed against another, report it to the police immediately.

Mondayness falls under the overarching brand of Caribbean Beauties – “a social media platform dedicated to all things beautifully Caribbean”.

What started off as fun for founders, Miguel Mora and Jesus Douglas, Caribbean Beauties has morphed into a growing brand.

Mora, 24, and Douglas, 25 said, “We were just doing this for fun but we love what we do.” Douglas said the brand began when they posted pictures of “beautiful Caribbean women” on their Instagram account.

Their following quickly expanded.

Part of their drive for doing it was because a “lot of people did not know of TT and this was a way of exposing all that the Caribbean is to the wider world.” Mora and Douglas turned Caribbean beauties into a business by doing, “little gigs, saving, and also got investors.” Douglas said “big names” were willing to invest in the venture – although he was reluctant to say exactly who were the “big names”.

The next evolution in Caribbean Beauties is Mondayness – the exclusive Carnival Monday band. Douglas said Monday wear is the new thing that is taking over TT and by extension the Caribbean.

“We did Monday because we want to bring a diverse aspect to Carnival…a super alternative for the masquerader,” he said.

The band will have seven section with an open costume option – allowing masqueraders to create their own costume for a fee, however, they will have to pre-register. Douglas added a lot of people probably want to play mas but don’t want to spend the $8,000 or $10,000 or some could not afford or some want to play mas but have to go away on Carnival Tuesday or Ash Wednesday and there is no alternative.

This prompted the development of Mondayness.

“So we came with the alternative so that you have the option to play for one day. We are not to touch Tuesday at all, it is only Monday. Hence the concept.

Monday night at 11:59 pm we lock everything off.

“Monday wear is actually not a full costume but a more comfortable way to play mas. It is a design that is way more comfortable.

Less backpacks, less feathers.” The band is expected to start its Carnival trek from as early as 7 am and stops its street parade at 6 pm and then readies itself for what it has termed its festival of friends – an after party.

It described this as a two-fold experience called Road Sesh and Night Frolic.

He said masqueraders from other bands would be allowed into the after party for a fee once they adequately dressed.

Douglas said its unique Mondayness concept would be marketed to Carnivals up the archipelago since, “Caribbean Beauties is a brand that has a female committee across the islands.

We will be patterning it in different islands.”

“Believe – The Christmas Edition” concert will take place at the Church of the Assumption, Long Circular Road, Maraval from 6 pm.

This inspiring concert brings to life the message of the Christmas Season—one of peace and joy to all people, within 24 stunning performances by celebrated artistes including: Soul Soprano Llettesha Sylvester, L A Rose, Operatic Tenor John Thomas, Adafih Padmore, Danielle Williams, violinist David Frank, Russel Leonce, Nicole Wong Chong, Tricia Lee Kelshal, Denyse Plummer, Danielle Williams and Kyle Richardson among many more, all coming together to raise much needed funds for The Lady Hochoy Homes.

For more info: 687-4796, 498- 9057, 357-5183, 484-7033.