A MEDICAL centre will be the first institution to benefit from a newly commissioned natural gas pipeline which runs through the Westmoorings area. This was the word from engineers of the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) as they wrapped up work on the six-inch line which parallels West Mall. NGC Project Engineer Eugene Hoyte told Newsday one option for the line will be its extension to serve industrial areas in Diamond Vale. However he said that in the next six to eight weeks, the Bayshore Medical Centre will be the first institution to benefit from the supply of natural gas the line would provide. Hoyte said yesterday’s exercise involved removal of nitrogen from the line and replacing it with natural gas . The process was followed strictly in accordance with guidelines laid down by the United Kingdom-based Institute of Gas Engineers. He said there was no risk to the community or the environment during the exercise and all stakeholders were properly educated before work started on the pipeline. NGC Head of Environmental Safety and Security James Trim said police and firemen were on hand at all times during the commissioning to ensure there were no mishaps.

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning in appealing to religious bodies to do more to curb increasing crime and degenerating moral standards and warned against religious extremism. Manning did not name any particular religious group but while addressing members of the Beth’aleel Fundamental Baptist Church of Drayton Street, San Fernando yesterday, he said nearly all religious groups in our society share the basic concept of truth, right action and moral values. “So there is no basis for conflict,” he explained. “At the same time, however, extremes of religious conviction and behaviour could lead to another level of chaos and confusion among people and groups in their relations one to another and with each other.”  Saying that such religious extremism was not what he was advocating, Manning warned that the country could not afford a religious conflagration. Manning was invited to deliver the feature address at the church’s anniversary celebrations.

URGENT CALLS for the preservation of the natural environment from the pollutants and desecration that threaten to destroy mankind were made yesterday by representatives of several religious bodies during an inter-faith service held by the Environmental Management Authority, at the Bandstand in front of President’s House, to launch of a week of activities to commemorate World Environment Day. World Environment Day is commemorated annually on June 5. At the inter-faith service, greetings were brought by Aloma Scott-Burgin on behalf of the Christian faith, Bilal Abdullah of the Islamic Resource Society, Joseph Berment-Mc Dowald of the Bahai religion and Pundit Sandanan Ramnarine of the Hindu faith. Abdullah explained that the Quran tells us that “we are responsible for looking after the eco-system that supports our earthly existence.” He said this very serious task must be dealt with effectively, if “we and the future generations are to enjoy the benefits so generously provided by the Creator.”

Abdullah explained that everything on this earth has a purpose. The Quran, he explained, urges us to contemplate the various physical signs of creation to acquire wisdom. He noted that mankind appears to have conquered much of nature without having a correspondingly high degree of respect for nature.  “Modern man seems to think that our knowledge makes us independent of nature, whereas our advances in knowledge should make us much more intimate with the rest of creation and increase our gratitude to the creator,” he explained. Abdullah said greenhouse gases, acid rain and chemicals that deplete the ozone layer are a problem that is being experienced globally. The harm of these pollutants often appears hundreds of thousands of miles away from the source. He cited an incident in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1997, where the city was covered in smoke from uncontrolled forest fires in Indonesia. “Mankind’s work should be like a beautiful necklace that adorns the earth, rather than like scars that disfigure her,” Abdullah said.

Pundit Ramnarine said the “Vedas,” one of the world’s oldest books, stated that “a man should contribute to improving the environment, in measure to the amount that he has contributed to polluting it.” Ramnarine said nature is polluted by several organisms. The impurities that come from our bodies through our nostrils, our skin and colon are our personal contributions to environmental pollution. The advances we make in technology cause our air, water and food to be toxic and militate against good health. In addition, nuclear waste and acoustic pollution play a part in destroying the environment. Activities will continue on Thursday, with the Green Leaf Award Ceremony at Wild Flower Park, from 5 pm and on Saturday with a fun and family day at Queen’s Park Savannah, Opposite Whitehall, from 2 pm to 6 pm. World Environment Week activities are being hosted by the Environmental Management Authority.

PROMOTERS of the Caribbean Comedy Marathon, which took place at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah on Friday night, promised new and original approaches to the art form. However, most of the routines featured the usual, predictable range of sex and internet jokes. The few comedians who opted for different topics stole the show. They included Learie Joseph, Jamaicans Ity and Fancy Cat, the Barbadian comedian Bus Stop, Louis Antoine, Tommy Joseph and Rachel Price. Learie Joseph was at his hilarious best with his vagrant act. Another Joseph, Peter, joined him for a joke shoot-out and Learie walked off the stage as the crowd pleaser. However, Peter stayed on to ask questions for musical replies from the DJ and this went down well with the audience. Jamaicans Ity and Fancy Cat were entertaining with their routine about telephone conversations between spouses and how they change as years go by, or in sticky situations.

But it was Louis Antoine, portraying an abused husband, who stole the show. He had the audience in stitches when he said he was the victim of domestic violence and described how his wife beat him on the streets, in taxis and in front of his friends. Tommy Joseph as Private Stand Up appeared on stage in full army regalia and claimed he had just returned from the Iraqi war armed with things the Trinidadian would need in times of war. These included an oversized water gun, a big stone, a cutlass to cut ‘Bush’ and a Trinidad flag to be recognised and not shot. Errol Fabien joked about the birth of his new baby and babysitting, while Damien Melville spoke about the many reasons why he wants a Catholic woman. This routine, though it was done throughout the Carnival season, still had the audience in stitches. Veteran Guyanese comedian Habeeb Khan was one of the casualties of the evening. His routine went sour and he was clapped off the stage. However, a spicy act by Mairoon Ali and Nikki Crosby, portraying ladies of the night, got good response and Crazy Catholic (Sheldon Narine) and his drama group were fairly entertaining with a skit about an inter-racial marriage proposal. After the intermission, the second half opener fell flat as extempo artistes Black Sage, Big B and Lingo failed miserably to move the crowd and were clapped off the stage. Closing the show was Rachel Price who dealt with The Gladiator, BWIA and was well received.

THE Folk Fair is an ideal opportunity to intensify the drive to change undesirable mind sets about employment and job creation. This was the view expressed by Minister of Community Development and Gender Affairs Joan Yuille-Williams in an address to officially open the annual Food and Folk Fair at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain yesterday. “My ministry is committed to providing information that will foster a consciousness that anyone could be an employer or become self-employed,” she said. “Already, our field officers are being provided with the relevant stock of information for assisting members of communities to access increased knowledge about entrepreneurial and business development. To this end, we have received the commitment of the National Entrepreneurial Development Company (NEDCO) for the development of outreach programmes in the communities.” On the minister’s arrival at the venue at 11.15 am under blue skies and brilliantly hot sunshine, she was greeted and escorted to the main stage by the “Real Mokos,” a group of stilt walkers from Point Fortin who performed recently at the Black Circus in America, along with several East Indian and African dancers and tassa drummers.

Yuille-Williams indicated that over 175 communities had registered for booths, in which to showcase their foods this year, which was an increase from last year’s figure of 140. “The Folk Fair has grown by leaps and bounds because it satisfies important social and economic needs of thousands of people,” she contended. “It provides a widely anticipated meeting place for many friends and families in the annual rural-urban reunions.” Eulalie James, Minister of State in the Ministry of Community Development and Gender Affairs, reminded that the Folk Fair had survived and expanded over 40 years, which, she determined, was “a genuine cause for celebration.” Several villages, including Tobago, participated in the simple ceremony of Presentation of Traditional Foods or “laying of the ancestral table” to the beat of tassa drums. Yuille-Williams announced that in keeping with the ministry’s commitment to change and continuous development, next year there will be additional Folk Fairs in Tobago and San Fernando, as well as expansion of the event to three days. “The expansion of the Folk Fair should increase the level of participation and encourage greater support for the community-centred enterprises,” she said.

“The tradition of Folk Fair, which you are now enjoying, will also be expanded over a period of three days, with a full day being set aside for activities for children. “Folk Fair 2003 is therefore a transition to a phase in the celebration of our folk traditions which will enhance the status of the Best Village Programme on the calendar of national events.” The all-day event was scheduled to close with a cultural programme titled “We Ting,” starting on the main stage at 6 pm. Hosted by Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall, the programme’s playbill featured performances by reigning National Calypso Monarch Singing Sandra (Sandra DesVignes), Shadow (Winston Bailey), Baron (Timothy Watkins), Maximus Dan, Shammi, Johnny King, Heeralal Rampartap, Bomber (Clifton Ryan), Pink Panther (Eric Taylor) and Brother Valentino (Emrold Phillip).