Twenty-year-old Sween is the sister of cricketer Dwayne Bravo and owner of Shafek’s Catering, a small business that caters food for weddings, birthday parties and baby showers.“My middle name is Shafeka, and my younger sister Daina Sween came over. It was a Sunday and I had cooked. She was so satisfied with the food she said that this is Shafek’s Catering and that’s how the name came about,” she says of the catering company’s name.

From an early age Sween knew her calling was in the culinary industry. “At a very early age, around five-years-old I enjoyed being in the kitchen. I would take leaves and cut them up and pretend that I’m cooking while playing doll house,” she says with a laugh. “Deep down, I always knew that I wanted to be a chef.

I would even try to persuade myself to become a lawyer or doctor, but in my heart I wanted to become a chef, badly.” Sween attended Barataria South Secondary School (BSSS) where she was the president of the BSSS Hydroblaze Dragon Boat team. Although she knew what career path she wanted to follow, the food and nutrition package offered at the school was not very challenging so she pursued Modern Studies. She subsequently attended the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) and graduated in 2015 with an Associate’s degree in Culinary Management.

During that time she got the opportunity to intern at Sandals Resort, Barbados for six months and Hilltop Restaurant, Chaguaramas. “It is necessary and extremely helpful to gain experience from TTHTI.” When she graduated, instead of going to work in a restaurant, she decided to take a different route. “I always wanted to create my own dream and do my own thing, so I started small with my own business. Shafek’s Catering was registered in 2016 and my first event ‘Que with a Difference’ sold over 350 boxes of food. For a snack box event we hosted, we sold over 250 boxes, so we are definitely establishing ourselves.” But she says she could not have done it alone, and thanks her family for their support. “From the beginning my family was always there for me. Whenever I experimented with food, they would be the first to try it and give their honest feedback. My grandmother Lucian Roberts and Vanessa “Aunty Von” Alexander are very helpful.

They do not hesitate to share their recipes. They pass on so much knowledge to me. I come from a family with a background in food, they would usually cook for family gatherings and small family weddings,” said Sween with a smile.

She says Bravo has had a major impact on her business.

“Dwayne is very supportive and helps me get events (to cater) as well.” Social media too has played a positive role in her marketing plan. “Definitely, through social media and my family because I would post pictures of food I cook at home and people would see it and like it, then they would contact me with jobs. I usually tell my clients that they can buy the ingredients or I can purchase them and make what they desire for a flat price inclusive of labour.” Despite her love for cooking, she admits it is not an easy job.

“It depends on how you look at it. If I had to encourage anyone I would tell them to love it before they start because the culinary world can be trying at times.

You would be on your feet for long hours, you may not have the time to eat a proper meal because your main goal is to make sure your orders go out and your customers are satisfied.

So you always put others in front of yourself, because it’s your job.” But it brings her such joy. “When I make a dish for someone and they are finished, hearing that they are extremely satisfied is an unstoppable joy for me.” Sween plans to go back to TTHTI to pursue her Bachelors’ degree. “As far as God is willing to push me, I am willing to go.

The sky is the limit as long as God is leading me, I am following him.” And she has even bigger plans to follow her dreams.

“I definitely want to open a cross between a restaurant and a bakery. It’s still an idea right now but I know it will turn into reality.” Her advice to anyone who is passionate about their dreams is to go for it 100 per cent. “There are tough times ahead, you would feel like you want to give up but once you’re passionate just go and let no one hold you back.” Shafek’s Catering can be contacted via: Email: shafekscatering868@ hotmail.com and on Facebook and Instagram: Shafek’s Catering.

Mashed potatoes with buttered vegetables and Pepper Jack spinach chicken roulade in a coconut and mushroom sauce.

Pepper Jack Spinach chicken roulade

1 tsp mustard

¼ cup seasoning

1 clove of garlic

Salt to taste

1tsp salt pepper flakes

1 tsp clove powder

1lb spinach

8oz Pepper Jack cheese

Butterfly 6 pieces of chicken breast, wash with flour, salt and lime. Pound it gently till it spreads enough so that it would be easier to roll. Whisk together the mustard, seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper flakes and clove powder in 2oz of water place the chicken in the mixture to marinate for 10 minutes in the fridge.

Sauté spinach with onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Take a chicken breast strip, even it out on a flat clean surface, add one heaping table spoon of spinach onto it, add one piece of Pepper Jack cheese. Roll and tuck breast and secure with toothpicks to hold the roll in place. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Put a large nonstick frying pan on medium heat and sear each chicken breast till all sides are brown (it is okay if the cheese starts to melt). Grease tray with butter then move chicken rolls unto the tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes

Coconut and mushroom sauce

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 large pack of Maggi coconut milk powder mixed in 1 cup of water

2 garlic cloves

½ onion

1 tsp salt

1tsp red pepper

1 tsp Maggi flavour d pot

1 tsp white pepper

5 medium mushrooms (chopped)

Place a frying pan on medium heat, add chopped onion and 2 diced cloves of garlic to heated oil in pan, let simmer down while the onion is translucent.

Add mushrooms to pan for 8 minutes (till brown). Add mixture of coconut milk to pan.

Allow to cook and come to a simmer.

Serve with regular mashed potatoes, Pepper Jack spinach chicken roulade, topped with coconut and mushroom sauce (with a side of buttered vegetables).

(serves 6)

Smart who is said to be on pre-retirement leave is expected to be promoted today to the rank of Major General during a handing-over ceremony at Teteron Barracks in Chaguaramas.

During the ceremony, scheduled to start at 4 pm, acting CDS Captain Hayden Pritchard will be confirmed to the post and promoted to Commodore.

Another officer, Colonel Phillips is expected to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and elevated to the position of Vice CDS.

The rank of Major General is the highest in the military. The elevation means the officer will receive two stars instead of one but there is no increase in salary or gratuity.

Well-placed sources yesterday said Smart is expected to be given a top position in Rowley’s administration.

Sources said the position could very well be that of National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister.

Smart was quoted in a letter sent to UNC Senator Wayne Sturge, a few months ago, as having named his immediate predecessor, Retired Major General Kenrick Maharaj, as the person who organised and approved the October 2016 visit by Attorney General Faris Al Rawi’s son and daughter to Camp Cumuto in Wallerfield.

The minors were photographed handling Army-owned weapons.

Maharaj has challenged that statement saying he had nothing to do with the visit.

On July 20, Maharaj received a formal letter of apology from Acting CDS Pritchard, but is now said to be exploring his legal options.

Williams was found dead on Sunday at about 11.30 pm, at the side of Caratal Road. His brother in law Quacy Straker was also found shot multiple times and is now warded at hospital in a critical condition. Relatives were yesterday reluctant to speak to reporters but police reports indicated they received a report of a crash on Lightbourne Trace, Gasparillo.

When police checked they saw a silver Mitsubishi Lancer and in it, Williams and Straker were found.

Crime scene investigators recovered 15 bullet casings from the scene.

Pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov confirmed that Williams was shot five times.

The pathologist determined that the man was attempting to run away from his assailants when he was shot as entry wounds were found to his back with exit wounds to the chest. On May 22, a man bearing a similar name to Sunday’s murder victim, sought refuge at the home of recently retired ACP Santana saying he had just been shot by a Gasparillo businessman who was chasing after him in his (the businessman) vehicle.

Santana subsequently detained the businessman who has since been slapped with several charges.

During last Friday’s Labour Day II march in Port of Spain, JTUM leader Ancel Roget called on workers to boycott 120 eliterun businesses, saying workers had to “take back power” from the group, which has described themselves during an interview with an international news network, as the “most powerful group” in society.

However, Aboud who is the owner of Mode Alive, said success was “not a crime” and unions should instead focus on corruption.

He identified Petrotrin as one enterprise which required review. However, Warwick in a telephone interview said the issue had nothing to do with race but with elitism and the class structure that exists in this country.

“This is a small group who is exerting influence and power over the rest of society and that is what we are talking about,” Warwick said. He said Aboud’s “diatribe” on success did not take into account workers’ contribution to the success of those businesses.

Regarding the fight against corruption, Warwick recalled the unions held a massive march on December 5, 2014 against corruption in Port of Spain and no business person had closed the doors of their businesses, in solidarity with the unions.

“So for you to come now and talk about being this advocate against corruption, that is a bit disingenuous,” Warwick said.

On Petrotrin, he said Aboud had ignored the contribution to the nation’s purse of approximately $15 billion which had been used in health, education and the development of the nation’s infrastructure.

“And because of the contribution of Petrotrin we are able to have subsidies in terms of the gas pump and in terms of LPG. So Petrotrin has contributed significantly over the years to the development of Trinidad and Tobago.

So for him to pretend that has not happened or did not happen is a bit disingenuous on his part.”

It is believed Knights was killed after intervening in a domestic dispute that involved a woman known to him.

“It is always good to do something good,” said a male relative who asked not to be named. “It was a sad thing that happened, but I would not discourage anyone to help someone or do something good for another person.” According to reports, just before midnight on Friday, Knights was heading to his Oropune Gardens home when he saw a woman he knew and a man in an altercation.

He intervened and separated the fight.

Two hours later, Knights’ mother was awakened by the sound of gunshots and when she called out to him, he responded, saying: “I’m lying right here” When the woman made a check, she saw Knights on the ground in front their house, suffering from gunshot wounds. He died later at hospital.

Relatives described him as a helpful person. He was a landscaper and his child is only nine months old. Pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov told reporters yesterday that Knights was shot five times. No arrest has been made and investigations are continuing.

The man who is from Beetham Gardens was also charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On July 27, the suspect and another man chased after Akeno Thomas, 36, of Lackpat Road, El Dorado.

The chase ended at Pentecostal Road when Thomas was shot in the leg by one of the men, causing him to fall into a drain.

One of the assailants then jumped into the drain and began kicking and stomping on Thomas who suffered injuries to his head and torso. Thomas was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope where he died the next day.

The suspect was was charged by detective Cpl Shawn Jones of the Homicide Investigations Bureau (Region II) yesterday.

Opposition Leader and UNC political leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar led a legal team representing retired police officer Fazal Ghany in that matter. In a statement, the UNC said, Persad- Bissessar restored the protection that the law provides to these officers and their families.

The party also said the ruling has vindicated the rule of law and defended the administration of justice.

Noting the committee is established under the Protective Services, (Compensation) Act, the UNC said it was the former Basdeo Panday administration that was responsible for the passage of this legislation 21 years ago.

The UNC claimed Government’s inaction in failing to appoint the committee over the last two years, “rendered nugatory” the provisions of the Act which was enacted to “provide compensation for officers who each day are called upon to put their lives at risk for our country.”

When Morris-Julien was questioned about the difficulties she observed in undertaking the Arima Volunteer network initiative, she commended the willingness of NGOs and non-profits, to assist.

She however stated, “The only issue that I had was that far more women than men volunteered.” She continued by stating, “I just think our men need to step up a bit and support the different activities taking place.” Morris-Julien in general stated that more persons need to give back as this can help reduce the crime in the nation and promote more love.

Khalid Abdul Malik, 19; Shakeel Hernandez, 19; and Jonathan Lawrence Johnson, 20, stood before Deputy Chief Magistrate Maria Earle Busby-Caddle charged with the murder.

The teens have appeared in court several times since their arrest in 2013, but yesterday’s sitting was the first in which evidence was submitted as the Preliminary Inquiry began.

Prosecutor Angelica Teelucksingh-Ramoutar submitted over ten statements from investigators and witnesses before the court.

Investigating officers Sgt Cornelius Samuel of the Homicide Investigations Bureau (Region II) and former Police Constable, now Regimental Captain Sheldon Quash-Boxhill, were present for testimony but defence attorneys Keston Pope and Abigail Roach-Thomas declined to cross-examine them.

During the opening remarks of the proceedings, attorneys raised issues as to when the date of the second hearing should be scheduled as Pope explained that he would not be in the country until September.

The matter was adjourned to August 14.

The charge alleges that in October 2013, David was chopped and beaten to death.

He was buried in a shallow grave near Maracas Bay.

Pollard of Cocoyea Village, San Fernando has been missing since July 31 and was last seen at his home at 1 pm that day.

On August 4, his mother Alisson Alexis reported him missing to the Mon Repos Police Station. Pollard is described as being of mixed descent, slim built with a dark brown complexion.

He sports a braided hairstyle and was last seen wearing a pair of dark coloured three-quarter jeans, a red v-neck T-shirt and a pair of red sneakers.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Sookram’s brother Stephen said that at about 6 pm on July 29, Shannon left the family’s home at Carolina Village, Couva to visit a neighbour a mere three houses away. He never arrived at the neighbour’s home.

He was seen by passersby walking in the opposite direction.

Stephen said that so far, all checks with relatives and friends and calls to his cellphone have proven futile.

Shannon who is an electrician employed in the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, is of East Indian decent, medium build and dark in complexion. He was last seen dressed in a brown three quarter pants, grey jersey and black slippers.

Ramsingh, police reported, was last seen on Friday leaving a liming spot in Felicity at about 10.30 pm.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the young men is asked to call 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.