This is according to the academy’s director Samuel Pascal who will be leading the quartet of himself, Kadeem Vasquez, Malique “Volt” Campbell and Prince-Murray Cato.

Last year a group of five from the academy, a first for TT, took part in the competition which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Even though they did not win the coveted prizes, they got a standing ovation from a receptive crowd.

Pascal and the team will leave the country today to take part in the event which starts on Monday and runs until August 12. They will be taking part in the All Styles and Popping categories.

Since they have entered dance competitions at the national level, Pascal said they have placed either first or second and seldom third.

The four have said dancing is their life and their passion which they pursue with fervency because of the discipline and enjoyment dance brings to their mental and physical well being.

Malique said, “Dancing has not only significantly changed the perception I had of myself but also my outlook on life. I am now a more positive person spreading love instead of hatred to those whom I encounter on a daily basis.” Pascal and Yvette Isaacs, who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree is in Theatre and Dance from the University of the West Indies tutored Kadeem, Malique and Prince who competed in the local leg of Hip Hop International Dance Competition earlier this year where they took first places in the Popping, duet All Styles and Mega Crew categories.

Pascal, who teaches students from four years to adults said Plan B Academy was also the first ever TT crew to enter Varsity Division World 2016 prelims and finals in the USA. Pascal, who has been teaching hip hop for the past six years, introduced the hip hop dance programme at Plan B Dance Academy four years ago.

To take part in competitions and raise their standards in performances, Pascal said the members have to raise their own funds. They do so by taking part in flash mobs and hosting dance concerts. In the past, he said they have sought sponsorship but without success.

That’s the word from South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) psychiatric/mental health services regional manager Pooran Sankar who said there has been an increase in mental illness nationally and internationally.

“We are well aware that mental illness is rising in the global burden of disease and, as I said in 1998, unipolar major depression was number five, in 2020 it is expected to be number two and in 2030 it is expected to be number 1,” Sankar said. “So generally, there is an increase in mental health illness. We are seeing 100 persons coming into our departments for mental health services. This is a normal thing that is happening but we are responding and making a difference in terms of treatment.

“The major mental health issue is depression and unipolar major depression. One in four people will require mental health services at some point in their lives.” Asked whether this was local statistics, he said “This is an international World Health Organisation issue, so the research is coming from them.” The Global Burden of Disease study is the most comprehensive worldwide observational epidemiological study which describes mortality and morbidity from major diseases, injuries and risk factors to health at global, national and regional levels.

Sankar was speaking with reporters after the launch of the TT Association for the Improvement of Mental Health at the San Fernando Hill Conference Centre yesterday.

Meanwhile SWRHA acting chief executive officer Gail Miller Meade described the challenge of dealing with mental health issues as a worldwide phenomenon.

“Around the world, the challenge of dealing with mental health issues is growing,” she said, and cited a recent study published in the Daily Telegraph which indicated that some 38 percent or 165 million Europeans suffer from depression, anxiety, insomnia, dementia or other mental and neurological illnesses.

Sankar said the association would also attempt to “heighten the level of awareness and to ensure that people are well aware that if, perchance, there is abnormal behaviour, help is available and there is treatment available.” “We are going to represent their interests. For example, we had a number of our patients who were shot. We haven’t heard many voices, not that we are blaming anybody, but the fact is we have to be more aware of what is happening in this society and how best to deal with these volatile situations,” he said.

In a moving testimonial, former secondary school teacher Caron Asgarali recounted her struggles with depression after having survived being shot in her face, chest and shoulder in an attempted robbery in 2013. She said the first nine months after the incident, she had focused on her physical healing but found she needed professional help for her mental healing.

“I went to the NIS and I had to answer a question and, there and then, in the middle of a public building, I started to cry. And if you know me, I am not a person who is easily moved to tears.” Asgarali said she was diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder but, with professional help, was able to deal with the illness.

The mini mart was supposed to be the start of a legacy for Seepersad and Jordan’s sixyear- old daughter, Isabella, and their unborn baby.

But on Thursday night, gunmen shot dead Jordan and 20-year-old Dillon Samuel, of Rabindranath Trace, Kelly Village, Caroni, in the same mini mart.

At the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday, Seepersad said the business has to continue operating so Jordan’s dream of providing for his children could live on.

“That was always his goal in everything he did,” Seepersad said. “Even if today or tomorrow something happened to him, his children would have something. He was always set on making something for his children.” Seepersad said they had been buying goods and stockpiling the shelves of the mini mart since last weekend. Up to Thursday, hours before he was killed, Jordan and Seepersad were sourcing goods.

“He took pride and wanted everything to be in the mini mart. As fast as we got money, we would turn it over and get goods. He was the kind of person that believed if he was going to do something, he would do it to his best ability.” Reports are that Jordan and Dillon were sitting in the shop when, at about 9.30 pm, a Nissan Tiida car stopped at the parlour and gunmen emerged.

They opened fire on the two, killing them on the spot before escaping in their vehicle.

Up to press time yesterday, police were trying to ascertain a motive for the killings. Seepersad said her husband was someone who always stood up for what was right, and that may have been the cause of his death.

“He has a lot of partners that would be there for him, but there are others that found his presence was too strong.

He always stood up for what was right, and some people did not like that. They wanted him to conform and he did not conform. He would stand his ground. Other than that, he was respected in the village. There were falling outs with one or two people in the village, but I don’t know if those falling outs had anything to do with his death.” Relatives of Samuel, who worked at Car Search in St Augustine, believe he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. They described him as a quiet person who mostly kept to himself.

Samuel, they said, was accustomed to visiting Jordan to lime.

“He went there last night and was sitting in front and eating KFC when they pulled up and started shooting,” said one relative.

“He wasn’t involved in anything.

He never gave that kind of trouble. I used to have to talk to him, the same as any other young boy, but he was never disrespectful or anything like that.”

The $5000 first prize saw several teams from throughout the nation competing for the title.

At the end of it all, More Fire and Fight Spirit emerged the champions with a gripping tie in points atop the leaderboard.

Stating that the Paharry Sports and Cultural club focuses on developing the youths of the community, founder Denezel Pierre said, “This cricket tournament is just one way in which we hope to provide a platform for youths in the community to demonstrate their skills.” With the club being around for more than five years, Pierre has goals to make the one day cricket event one of the most prominent community tournaments in the country.

Sisnarine Heeralal dropped his lucky Freeport man would drive away with a brand new Hyundai Elantra motor car from Massy Motors.

Sisnarine Heeralal dropped his lucky entry form at Bhagwansingh’s Changuanas branch.

The draw took place yesterday at Bhagwansingh’s Hardware in Sealots. It was an elated Heeralal who answered his phone yesterday when Bhagwansingh’s group marketing manager Baliram John called him to deliver the happy news.

“At first I couldn’t believe it. I felt really excited, I felt like ‘wow’,” said Heeralal, who works for a tele-optics company.

Heeralal said he was yet to reveal the good news to his family.

“My wife and two sons are in Canada at this time. I am just waiting for them to take out the photos and I will send them to her later,” he said. John said the competition was a promotion with Black and Decker, DeWalt and Stanley.

“We worked an alliance with them whereby we brought in tools at special prices to the customers of Trinidad and Tobago and at the same time we gave out vouchers for every purchase of $200 for a chance at winning this competition,” he said. The promotion ran for two and a half months at all branches of Bhagwansingh’s, including Dansteel, and John estimated that they received about 7,000 entries.

The entry forms were kept in locked tanks and were emptied into a barrel where the winning voucher was drawn in the presence of the public. John said all requirements were met by the National Lotteries Control Board.

“It was a successful promotion because we would have sold a lot more tools because people would have wanted to have a better chance at winning and that would mean more entry forms,” he said.

At the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s on Thursday, Imbert said those fees were in the order of $250 million and not $3 billion.

Imbert said Browne’s latest unsubstantiated claim was that the $3 billion figure was contained in the Government’s affidavits in its application to the court to appoint provisional liquidators for CLF.

“This latest statement on his part is again untrue since nowhere in the Government’s affidavits is any such figure mentioned,” he said. Imbert indicated that the cost of professional fees for the Clico/CLF bailout was not quantified in any affidavit of the Government.

Imbert said it was inexcusable that, having been called out for making a false and reckless claim on this matter, Browne continued with his $3 billion misrepresentation.

On Thursday, Imbert said the liquidators would be investigating the true value of CLF and the leakage of some $1.1 billion from CL World Brands that was apparently used to settle debts owed by companies within the conglomerate.

After attending her son’s graduation on July 14, Thomas visited the Mt. Hope Hospital complaining about a pain in her legs.

The 34-year-old mother of four from Belmont then called and told relatives she was on her way home from the hospital but has not been heard from since.

Calls to Thomas’ phone have gone unanswered and a police report was made on July 18. Since her disappearance, Thomas’ children, whose ages range from 16 to five, have been living with their grandmother at her Belmont home.

More importantly, Malcolm’s life can be described as exemplary; from a humble upbringing in Marabella, to nothing short of a scholar and a gentleman.

For those who had the privilege of knowing him on a personal level, they would have experienced first-hand, the soft-natured, loving, father-like person that he was.

Malcolm saw no class distinction within his circle of friends; as he embraced closely and treated with equal respect, anyone who interacted with him on a social basis. Outstanding in my mind, as one of his former subordinates at Petrotrin, was his keen attention to matters that revolved around groups or persons who were less fortunate.

I recall on several occasions, in the midst of his busy days, he would give uncanny attention to discussions that would eventually result in assistance being provided to many NGO’s and charities.

This was always a priority to him. While he would be rightfully lauded for his contribution to the energy sector, it is important that his legacy also reflects his sterling humanitarian contribution to society at large.

This contribution will continue, I am sure, as his children, one a medical doctor and one an engineer like his father, will demonstrate the qualities and values that were instilled in them by both Malcolm, as a dedicated father, and also by his dear wife Brenda.

I extend my deepest condolences to Mrs Jones and her family and I hope that God may grant them solace in this time of great loss and bereavement.

May your primary focus be on God and let everything else be incidental!

Arnold Corneal via email

In a press release, the ministry strongly cautioned individuals and organisations against making unsubstantiated claims about the nation’s schools as these statements can be deemed libellous and would be dealt with accordingly.

The ministry the statement made by Eshean Arjoon, CEO of Mothers Against Drug Abuse, is unsubstantiated and can cause unwarranted concern throughout the country “The ministry treats with all reports of drugs in schools through the principals, Student Support Services division, School Supervision division and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. The Ministry of Education underscores that no report or information has been received from the Mothers Against Drug Abuse organisation.” The ministry said it also wished to inform the public that no organisation or individual is permitted to enter a school compound and engage with students without the approval of the chief education officer. The ministry said any organisation given such approval and which also wishes to interview students must get permission from parents.

“Such reports would be received at the office of the chief education officer which has oversight of the ministry’s ECCE, Student Support Services and School Supervision divisions which have all explicitly stated that no such correspondence has been received.”

This, in my opinion, has intensified even more due to climate change. While in the past, you had a fair understanding of the weather condition especially in the rainy season, it is not uncommon to miss in your predication.

In layman language “rain coming out of nowhere without warning”.

To make matters even worse, what we have been having is a lot of landslides throughout the country.

My main concern though is the Maracas area which to me has an increase in traffic in July and August.

These landslides could one day cause serious injury to our citizens and visitors heading to the beach.

So far we have not had any major disaster of this nature but, we must not take it for granted. The signs are there for an impending calamity and these should not be ignored.

I will like to suggest to the authorities who look over these issues to see if it is possible to build retaining walls etc in the places most prone for these landslips.

I know that it can take some doing and everywhere cannot be done but there are some areas frequently visited by both citizens and others which are always under attack when the showers come. Probably people skilled in this area can be consulted.

I would not like to see lives lost in any unfortunate incident we do have many footage of this type of disaster all around the world.

Arnold Gopeesingh San Juan