Sadly it was her last day on this earth.

Hundreds of friends, family and many musicians gathered at the St Theresa’s RC Church in Malick, Barataria, from as early as 8 am on Monday morning for the funeral service of the late singer.

Rogers was eulogised by he daughter Toya who said with a name like Jasmine “Mommy had jazz in her”.

Speaking about a musician and speaking to musicians officiating priest Fr Elton Letang used musical terms in his homily.

The most potent being: “Death’s ringtone interrupts the song of life and it is up to us (survivors) to learn how to deal with this variation on the theme of life”.

He made the statement yesterday as he announced a five-year strategic plan involving a $3.7 billion investment which, he said, will begin to transform the company almost immediately into an agile 21st Century communication company. He said the company looked at its various brands and brand confusion surrounding the marketing of some of its products.

He said the company’s vision was to be the standard bearer for the next generation of communication solutions and services which can enrich the lives of citizens, businesses and visitors.

He added that the company decided it didn’t want to be just a provider of communication services but to provide solutions which could take its customers further, inspire them and help them in achieving their business or personal goals. He said that in order to achieve this, the company devised a robust five year strategic plan which involves a $3.7 billion investment which will transform the company from being a 20th Century telecommunications company into an agile 21st Century broadband communication company. He said that the company’s plan to achieve this is based on four pillars and five major programmes.

The first is retail transformation, which he said meant that whenever a customer interacts with the company it should always be an excellent experience by whatever means they choose to do so; and TSTT should be able to deal with all its customers’ needs, however the customer is dealing with the company. He said that to achieve this, TSTT will remove all of the old, so-called “legacy” solutions it is currently using, and replace them with new point of sale solutions from early next year and was partnering with Ericsson to do so. He said the company will also get rid of all the old “legacy” equipment in its business support systems by next week and replace them with a “robust, fully staffed, fully converged solution” also provided by Ericsson.

On the simplification of the company’s brands, he said TSTT will remain the company’s corporate brand while it will simplify all its other products under the bmobile brand and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) work will be carried out under the bmobile foundation, previously known as the Blink/ bmobile Foundation, which seeks to create opportunities for the development of young people and communities in the areas of education, sport, health and culture.

He said the changes represent a public statement to the country that the company will “significantly improve” the way it conducts its business and that a new TSTT, was being launched at the function. He said the company will spend almost $900 million in capital expenditure this year, adding that it has begun its transformation and looks forward to great things this year.

TSTT Chairman, Emile Elias, said he felt a lot of satisfaction with the company’s progress and said he wanted Minister of Public Utilities, Fitzgerald Hinds, who was present at the function, to take this message back to the Cabinet. Elias urged the public to “Stay with us, we are your national provider.”

“We’ve put in a new IT (Information Technology) system, which I believe has gone into certain media houses, which automates the procedure and the planning of the paper. Based on that, it streamlines the operations and there’s been some cuts there. Beyond that I have not been told about any further cuts,” Sabga told reporters.

Asked again about job cuts at Guardian, including several persons in the sub-editing and archives departments, the ANSA McAl chairman reiterated that he knew nothing of the sort.

“I didn’t say there were cuts coming. You (reporter) said there were cuts coming. I said that the cuts have happened and I am not aware that there are further cuts on the horizon,” Sabga declared.

GML’s unaudited accounts for the ninemonth period ended September 30, 2016, recorded a sharp drop in profit before tax (PBT) compared to the previous year. The company’s PBT as of the the third quarter (Q3) of 2016 was TT $7.8 million, a significant drop from the $36.7 million GML earned in PBT for the same period in 2015. The company also reported a drop in generated revenue, down from $159.6 million last year to $119.4 million as of Q3 in 2016. Without making specific reference to the above financial data, Sabga yesterday said, “It has been a rough year for (GML) and our expenses have jumped significantly.” He then called on GML’s staff to work with management to improve the company’s performance.

“We do need to look at the organisation, to rally the troops to do more, to do better. Understand that we are in a difficult period and call on our staff to help us weather this storm and to continue to improve the organisation going forward.” Asked by Newsday what expenses he was referring to, Sabga replied, “The majority is people.

The headcount swole (SI C) significantly in the last three or four years.”

Nyack Compton’s path to success with the Belmont Estate, for which she will formally receive a TT$500,000 prize, a medal and citation at the awards ceremony in Guyana next May, is documented in a biography posted to ANSCAFE’s Facebook page on December 1; the same day the names of the 2017 Laureates was announced.

The announcement of the 2017 Laureates was made by Professor Compton Bourne, OE, a member of ANSCAFE’s Regional Eminent Persons Selection Panel (EPP), during a press conference held on Thursday at the ANSA McAl Suite, Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of- Spain.

There are four categories for which awards are given: Arts and Letters; Entrepreneurship; Public and Civic Contributions; and Science and Technology.

Winslow Craig, a sculptor from Guyana and Kwame Ryan, a conductor from Trinidad and Tobago are the joint awardees for Arts and Letters while Dr Christoper Arif Bulkan, an attorney from Guyana who is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law, UWI, St Augustine, is the awardee for Public and Civic Contributions.

No one was recognised however for their achievements in Science and Technology.

Questioned about this, Professor Bourne told reporters that while the two nominees in the latter category “were fairly accomplished in their own right”, the EPP’s assessment of their work against the criteria for selection was that, in one nominee’s case, the person was “at a stage in their career development where there was more to be done.

He spoke at a news briefing on Thursday at his Ministry at Park Street, Port-of-Spain, before inspecting the latest additions to the fleet. The nationwide supply of ambulances is being doubled from 25 existing ambulances by the addition of 25 new ambulances, Deyalsingh said.

Also present at the event was Paul Anderson, CEO of provider, Global Medical Response (GMR), a Colorado-based firm, which has run its service in TT since 2005.

Deyalsingh said he had inherited this contract and did not know if it had originally been tendered. Asked if the cost was high, he said it includes training, communications, repairs and other costs.

“What price value do you place on a patient’s life?” he asked.

Anderson, in reply, said GMR must service 1.4 million persons living in every square mile of this country.

“We do about 75,000 responses a year. Last year we transported 53,000 persons to various hospitals. We provide a service every hour of the day, every day of the week for the entire year.

It’s a very high utilisation that continues to go up.” He said there is a cost to providing such service, which he said, he’d anecdotally been told, is less than the cost of the country’s garbage collection.

Bailey-Sobers, speaking at the Ministry’s World Aids Day event held on the Brian Lara Promenade, in Port-of- Spain, said the Ministry continues to do what it can to sensitise the population and reduce the yearly rate of HIV infections.

“As at the end of September 2015, there were 17 million people living with HIV,” Bailey-Sobers said. “However, right now in Trinidad and Tobago, we have 11,000 people living with the disease. However, we’ve made significant progress as a country. In 2012, December, we had 22,085 persons diagnosed with HIV. So we are progressing.

We continue to ensure that people have access to HIV anti- retroviral drugs, and we on our side continue to make sure that people understand the disease, they’re educated about it and they know how to protect themselves.” Bailey-Sobers also pointed out that Trinidad and Tobago is second in the rate of HIV infections to Sub-Saharan Africa.”

The House of Representatives also observed a minute’s silence to pay respects to the late Cuban leader who died on November 25.

In her tribute Annisette- George said, “I am sure many would recall that he took decisive actions and made contributions in the liberation struggles of Angola and Namibia and against the apartheid struggles in South Africa.” Having regard to how much of the world viewed Castro, she quoted the late former South African President Nelson Mandela who said, “One of the mistakes which people make, and political analysts, are that their enemies should be other people’s enemies” in response to scathing criticisms for accepting support from the Cuban government in the liberation of South Africa.

Describing Castro as one of iconic and controversial leaders of the 20th century, she said, there are varying opinions on his leadership style, many see him as a hero, but undoubted was his relentless commitment to the improvements and changes in his country Cuba and in the region.

Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis said on behalf of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago that it was with deep gratitude that TT benefitted from many scholarships in the medical field including veterinary medicine among other areas.

She noted that former PNM political leader Patrick Manning was the beneficiary of the expertise of Cuban doctors and had travelled to Cuba on many occasions for treatment.

Other citizens of TT also benefitted from Cuba’s medical treatment, she said.

Declaring that Cuba will forever remain as a beacon for the people of the Caribbean, she said that despite an economic embargo imposed by the US on Cuba, and other difficulties, under Castro’s leadership he held his own in the Caribbean and in the wider world standing “as a symbol of fortitude and strength.

She noted, too, Canada’s continued relationship with Cuba.

In paying tribute, Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh noted that Castro was a son of a sugar farmer.

He recalled that as young politician he reacted to the dominance of his island by foreign capital interests and created history in 1959 by leading a small group of revolutionaries that seized power from dictator Fulgencia Batista, thereby becoming a hero for the Cuban masses and progressive people everywhere.

“Today the enduring legacy of this man who featured in some of the world’s most iconic dramas will no doubt live on in history as

IF SOUND could teleport one to another space and time, then patrons of the seventh annual Spanish Embassy Christmas Concert were transported to spaces in Barcelona, Granada or Cordoba and right here, in TT.

Composer, flautist and saxophonist, Jorge Pardo accompanied by acoustic bassist, Brad Barrett; percussionist/ dancer/choreographer, Jose Moreno; guitarist, composer and improviser, Juanito Pascual and dancer, Sonia Fernandez brought “Huellas” to Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s on November 22. “Huellas” is Pardo’s 2002 double record that has earned him Best European Jazz Musician awarded by the French Academy. It blends jazz and and flamenco music. The evening’s 70-minute event began promptly at 6.30 pm with host Jessie-May Ventour greeting the audience and calling on Spanish Ambassador, Jose Maria Fernandez Lopez de Turiso, to address the audience. He said to the well-attended event that the annual event filled the embassy with pride and enthusiasm.

Turiso described Pardo as one of Europe’s best jazz musicians.

A video presentation was then done by members of two groups being funded this year: The Mt Hope Renal Youth Group and The Kidney Recipient Support Group of Trinidad and Tobago. With flute in hand at 6.45 pm and dressed in a black suit with multi-coloured sneakers, Pardo opened his performance with an improvisation of the buleria. The notes floating off into the audience, railing from one to the other. Pardo was then joined on stage by percussionist Moreno. The drums and the haunting melodies of the flute frenetically mixing into the distinctly flamenco sound.

Moreno and Pardo were then joined by Pascual, described as the one of the top flamenco guitarist in recent years.

Pascual strummed the guitar, the tones creating mental images of gypsy women standing in a circle clapping hands and dancing to the music. As Pardo and his band of performers moved into the Alegria, they were joined on stage by bassist, Barrett.

During the song, Pardo was seen clapping along with the music, a distinctive style of flamenco. Barrett was seen moving his fingers vigorously along the top of the bass guitar, head bowed, as if in deep reverence to the music.

As the group played the Solea, Pardo shifted his instrument to the saxophone, bringing the “deep and soulful sound” of the Solea alive. There was a constant interplay between Pardo and the other players, each musical energy feeding off of the other. Each instrument and player being given its spot in the flamenco ring. During the tango flamencos, the lights were turned off and a soft light placed only on the players. The black sheets hanging blew gently, giving the appearance of leaves blowing in a gentle ocean breeze. Dancer Sonia Fernandez came onto the stage in her turquoise dress interspersed with light shades of pink. Lifted knee-high and with tipped toes, she danced, challenging the players as if goading a bull in a musical ring.

But the evening’s highlight came when pannist Mikhail Salcedo surprisingly joined Prado and the other performers on stage. With each note that Pardo played, Salcedo matched on the national instrument, much to the audience’s delight. Moreno then sang with Fernandez’s movements giving life to the words. The evening came to a close at 8:30 pm with Moreno joining and dancing for the audience.

It was Bishop’s fourth consecutive win in this annual event, with 167 points overall, just gliding past rivals Point Fortin RC Primary School, who finished with an overall score of 162 points.

Capturing third place were St. Peter’s Private Primary School and Holistic Primary School.

Camille Salandy, Atlantic’s Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications said that the swim meet encouraged young persons to engage in healthy competition and develop all-round skills, and also aimed to fasttrack the emergence of the next wave of Olympic- ready champions.

“The Atlantic Primary Schools Invitational Swim Meet has truly grown to become a significant hub for young swimmers and a well-anticipated event – not only for schools in our home community Point Fortin, but throughout Trinidad and our sister isle Tobago,” Salandy said. “At the primary school level, this swim meet joins other sporting opportunities provided by Atlantic – in swimming, football and cricket – these are all great extra-curricular activities that help develop sportsmanship, discipline and the other traits and qualities of future champions.” Wendell Lai Hing, president of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT ) said that the Swim Meet facilitated participation from children in various parts of Trinidad and Tobago who would not have had access to such a sporting opportunity otherwise.

“I have been a part of the Atlantic Primary Schools Invitational Swim meet from day one and it has become one of the most important developments for swimming– not only for Point Fortin, but for all parts of Trinidad and even our sister isle Tobago,” Lai Hing said. “This initiative will not only promote physical wellness and build capacity, but will also ensure water safety – an imperative for children living in the Caribbean.” Forty-three schools from all around Trinidad and Tobago participated in the annual swim meet, which was also attended by Atlantic Sports Ambassador and five-time Olympian, swimmer George Bovell III, who shared pointers with the young swimmers and also congratulated the winners at the prize-giving ceremony.

The Atlantic Primary Schools Invitational Swim Meet was established in 2009 as an extension of the Atlantic Learn-to-Swim Programme, a community- based initiative to expose primary school children in Point Fortin to the basics of swimming.

Over time, as the potential of the community’s children was recognised, the swim meet grew from a small community event into a national event welcoming children and clubs from all over the country.

Equipment such as bulldozers and excavators were at the site, ready to respond. But the road was impassable.

While aspects of the short-term response are working, questions remain about more long-term issues such as road and infrastructure maintenance, community- level evacuation/disaster preparedness and development planning.

The North Coast has repeatedly been touted as an area prime for development. Whether through the pie-in-the sky plan for a Maracas tunnel to open up access or the more recent request for proposals for the establishment of a Toco/ Tobago ferry facility, there is always talk about the possible gains that could be had nationally.

Development in the region would not only benefit local communities but would also help diversify the economy.

Yet, important questions must be asked about the state of the road network there, the impact of environmentally degrading practices __ both unsanctioned and sanctioned __ that have gone on for years and that have contributed to damage to the road network, as well as the capacity of State-planning agencies to clear the way by more adequately policing development, especially on the seafront.

The fallen bridges, the landslides, debris and blown-off roofs are reminders of the multi-sectoral effort required to develop the area to meet its fullest potential.

This must involve both State action and private sector compliance with standards.

We endorse and echo Rondon’s call for the entire nation to offer support.

It is clear that people will now be homeless, others would have had their properties seriously damaged and would have suffered thousands of dollars in damage.

Fishermen have already said they have lost boats.

Thousands of villagers in these vulnerable rural areas have been left in desperate need of food, water, mattresses, and other supplies.

Yet again, the incident shows up our vulnerability to the serious damage that can be caused simply by torrential rainfall.

The Meteorological Office, in a bulletin issued at 5 am on Wednesday, said the inclement weather conditions were related to local dynamics in a moist and unstable atmosphere.

It urged citizens to be cautious and to pay attention to weather bulletins, but underscored that the country is not under any tropical storm threat, watch or warning.

It is ironic that while the two major political parties were engaging in a war of words over who will control Sangre Grande, nature dramatically pushed that corporation over the edge into disaster.

What is at stake in the battle for control is the viability of the corporation itself; its capacity to better respond to natural disasters and to defend itself from the wear and tear of the forces of nature.

Luckily, there were no initial reports of any fatalities.

We also welcome Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein’s declaration that resources from the neighbouring Arima Borough Corporation and the Tunapuna/ Piarco Regional Corporation will be deployed to bolster those of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation during this time. Every effort must be made to get the region back on its feet.