The two defending champions fell by the wayside in last Saturday’s TSTT sponsored Pan in the 21st Century and Pan Down Memory Lane competitions held at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

The audience was intoxicated with a “Pint of Wine” delivered by bpTT Renegades appearing in position number ten. The nine-time Panorama winners started their performance at exactly 11.30 pm and were a hit from the very first note as the crowd rose from their seats with several couples dancing. Up until then, bpTT Renegades was the best sounding band in the Pan in the 21st Century competition. Before them, Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars, playing in position six, also had the audience in the North Village and Grand Stand singing along as they played “How Great Thou Art” arranged by Neville Jules.

World Steelband Champions and 2003 Panorama winners Exodus gave a good account of themselves with a Pelham Goddard’s arrangement of  “What The World Needs Now”. Other good performances came from BWIA Invaders with “Make Love To You”, Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove with “Dancing Queen” and defending champions Excellent Stores Silver Stars who played “Walking In Rhythm”. In the Pan Down Memory Lane competition, La Horquetta Pan Groove gave a fiery and energetic performance of Duvonne Stewart’s arrangement of Earth Wind and Fire’s “Fantasy” and had the audience going.

The defending champions Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz  appeared in position eight, two behind La Horquetta but was not able to live up to the standard set by the eventual joint winners. Ace arranger Clive Bradley came on stage with Laventille Serenaders for his arrangement of John Lennon’s “Imagine” and they too thrilled the audience with their performance. Laventille Pashphonics brought the competition to a fitting climax with their rendition of Kareem Brown’s arrangement of “Careless Whispers”. Following is the final placing in both competitions:

HEALTH MINISTER Colm Imbert has slammed certain sections of the media for being grossly irresponsible in spreading “alarmist” reports about the presence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Trinidad and Tobago. Imbert declared that to date there has been no evidence of SARS in the country.

Speaking to Newsday following yesterday’s People’s National Movement (PNM) General Council meeting at Balisier House, Imbert said Chief Medical Officer Dr Rampersad Parasram briefs him virtually on a daily basis and is the leader of a special team established to ensure that all the necessary steps are being taken to deal with the virus. Parasram was to address the nation last night on “our current state of preparedness”, the symptoms of a person infected with SARS and what steps should be taken to treat such an individual. “I am satisfied that Dr Parasram’s and his team’s approach is a competent approach,” the Minister stated. Parasram also has full authorisation to update the media on any and all developments regarding steps being taken to deal with SARS.

However Imbert lamented: “What I am a bit disappointed at however are the alarmist stories in some of the newspapers where it’s an obviously a deliberate attempt to create panic and hysteria and it’s totally unnecessary. “I would ask people to just cease and desist from that kind of thing. We have not had any cases of SARS so far. When I read these stories that there is a suspected case here and a suspected case there and when we investigate, we find that the person does not have it, does not have the symptoms, in the case of the lady on the paper yesterday (Saturday). The person did not even have a fever. If you don’t have a fever, how on earth could you have SARS? Its not healthy, this situation.”

Symptoms of persons infected with SARS include a high fever (over 38 Degrees Celsius), coughing or difficulty in breathing. He also indicated that reports concerning the hiring of Keith Toby as the North-West Regional Health Authority’s (NWRHA) new human resources vice-president had been dealt with by NWRHA chairman Dr Patrick Watson. Imbert dismissed the Medical Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago’s contentions that the country’s doctors were now “twice as poor than we (doctors) were in 1981” and the improved compensation packages now being offered to doctors could not satisfy their financial needs.“ From my information, that is not correct,” the Minister said.

It is quite possible that SARS can be imported into Trinidad and Tobago.

This was the sentiment expressed by Dr Rampersad Parasram, Ag CMO in his television address to the nation last night. He wished to inform citizens of the measures put in place by the Ministry of Health to respond to an outbreak of SARS if one was to occur. Representatives of CAREC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are among the members of a task force, appointed by the Ministry, which has developed a response plan. Dissemination of information, surveillance at ports of entry, screening at health facilities, and isolation and management of probable cases are the essential components of the plan. “The plan is in effect and will be adjusted as necessary,” said Parasram.

Parasram referred to the WHO travel advisory against travel to Toronto and China and the SARS Declaration Forms which the Ministry hopes will reduce the risk of importation. Airlines are presently in possession of these forms and are expected to distribute them to passengers during flights. Forms are to be filled out by passengers and collected by the crew on landing. Before passengers are allowed to disembark, the forms are to be reviewed by a Health Control Officer who will determine whether or not there are any probable cases of SARS on the flight.

Based on the opinion of a Medical Officer 1, the suspected case will be quarantined or referred to one of the major hospitals via Emergency Health Services Ambulance. Parasram said, “This is part of our enhanced surveillance to prevent SARS.” He made a call for all persons who suspect that they may have contracted the virus, to contact a health centre or hospital, inform staff members of your reason for visiting and have anyone with whom you were in close contact seek medical advice. Parasram reassured the nation that there are no confirmed cases of SARS in the country and said, “Members of the public will be informed as to any new developments.”

One of the biggest problems faced by teachers today is that of motivating students, and in today’s “Heroes,” we examine the radio programme and newspaper articles as influential teaching tools.

Without motivation, learning cannot be optimised. Heroes of the School System has proven to be an excellent help for teachers in this area as many persons tape the radio sessions, which are then developed into 5 to 30 minute presentations, exploring the principle of positive role modelling as a means of motivation. It is believed that students’ self-esteem was being further enhanced through the medium of the programme. Many teachers listen to the programme live and are similarly able to develop lessons along the same lines while helping to facilitate discussions which can help in the development of debating and other social skills.

One of the areas which needs urgent development in many of our students is the area of literacy because if students cannot read, they experience problems in accessing critical areas of the curriculum. The printed version of the programme is playing a very important role in this aspect of the curriculum, as it was discovered that many schools were having the Monday Newsday delivered to their respective institutions. According to President of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) Trevor Oliver, “The material, which is exciting and vividly, brings life to the hero, encourages the students to want to read. “In addition to enhancing the skills of the students, the article helps in the development of skills and competencies in essay and short story writings,” claimed Oliver.

Many lessons in comprehension have also been facilitated by these articles, Oliver stated, adding that “This is a very excellent example of the media being utilised as a facilitator of quality education, and is a positive step in media-related education.” In issuing a clarion call to teachers throughout the country to avail themselves of this excellent opportunity to develop quality lessons for their students, Oliver cautioned that the task of educating “our young charges” was enormous, and that “every opportunity must be grasped in pursuit of this noble gain.”

He stressed that the Heroes programme could be utilised in schools from infants to Form Six, as teachers will “of course know how to deal with the material at various levels”. He urged parents to also get in on the action, as they can use both the radio programme and newspaper articles to help in the education of their children. Oliver concluded that the production of this programme was yet another caring gesture by TTUTA towards the children of the nation, as they (TTUTA) “are an organisation not only prepared to talk, but act decisively in revolutionising the education in TT with the help of concerned stakeholders,” while urging all teachers to participate in this bold endeavour.

The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) yesterday took its struggle for constitutional reform one step further when its leader, Basdeo Panday ann-ounced that parliamentarians would totally boycott all legislation from the ruling PNM Government. Panday told his UNC audience there will be total non co-operation with the Government on legislation.

In his feature address at the party’s 14th anniversary celebrations at Centre Pointe Mall, Chaguanas, Panday sent the message to his supporters that the battle cry is “constitutional reform.” He hinted that soon the party would launch an intensive struggle which he said would cripple the Government. Panday called on all his MPs to set up shadow information centres throughout Trinidad and Tobago. The objective he said, was to deal with all complaints from the electorate, particularly those in which people were being treated unfairly and unjustly. The “Command Centre” manning the operations of the constituency centres, he said, will be the new offices of the Opposition Leader, located on two floors in Port-of-Spain. Panday told his supporters that soon his offices would be equipped with the staff to handle all complaints. Panday is setting up a complaints desk as well, the operation of wich is all tied to the UNC’s struggle for constitutional reform.

Panday said it was the result of the unwillingness of the PNM Government to initiate constitutional reform, which he said was needed in a society that was so divided in many ways. “The PNM has shown that it is not interested in constitutional reform. We will employ every legal means to force it. And to that end, there will be non-co-operation in all legislation in order that we can end the injustices in this society,” Panday declared.  At yesterday’s ceremony the party handed out awards to many of its stalwarts. Among them were John Humphrey, Wade Mark, Dr Roodal Moonilal, John Agitation, and John Jaglal.

THE POINT LISAS INDUSTRIAL Port Development Corporation (Plipdeco) has entered into a joint venture arrangement  with Svitzer Wijsmuller (Denmark)  aimed at improving Plipdeco’s financial result and assist the company to deliver  increased value to its shareholders.

Stating this was Neil Rolingson, President of Plipdeco, at a ceremony which was organised to name two vessels (The Apollo and Zeus 1) on Thursday afternoon at Plipdeco’s Boardroom. In his address Rolingson highlighted “the positive contribution that Plipwijs (joint venture between Plipdeco and Svitzer Wijsmuller) has been able to make to the economy of Trinidad and Tobago.” He explained that since 1997 the joint venture status had been in existence and the Apollo and Zeus 1 had now expanded the fleet to four.

“These vessels have significantly increased domestic capacity to handle marine towage and salvage opportunities, which previously have been satisfied in a very costly manner by very temporary foreign importations,” Rolingson said. He noted that with the specialised nature of the on-going operations at the ALNG Terminal “there has been a wholesale transfer of technology to our local qualified personnel.”

“Today we are celebrating a local success story born of a vision of openness and mutual respect between equal parties,” Rolingson said. Touching on the Iraq War, the Plipdeco President said that “it is very unlikely to have any direct effect on the LNG Business in the medium term and even the indirect effects of energy prices and economic growth will do little to dent the healthy prospects of the local  industry’s growth.” Other speakers included Capt. Rawle Baddaloo in charge of the Harbour  Management of Plipdeco, Peter Pietka, Senior vice president, Corporate Affairs and Strategic Development of Svitzer Wijsmuller, and Richard Cape, President of Atlantic LNG.

Two children, Kieon O’Connor, 11, and his sister Daniella, 13,  are planning to sue both the management of Strand and Globe Cinemas through their attorneys Samantha Lawson and Joseph Otley for false advertisements and breach of their rights as children under the Children’s Act.

The children’s contention is that they are too young to see movies advertised for adults — 14 years and over. But too old when they go to pay the “Children’s” price for movies advertised for all ages. Their father,  Elvis O’Connor, also an attorney, explained the children’s dilemma. He said, recently he and his two children went to the Globe Cinema in Port-of-Spain to see a movie, but on reaching there he was informed it was for “Adults —14 years and over”.

Some days later,  he took his children to the Strand to see another movie which had advertised for all ages. The pricing of tickets said: Children $9. Adults -$12.  He then went to purchase two children tickets, one for his 13-year-old daughter and the other for his 11-year-old son. But before selling the tickets, the cashier inquired the children’s ages and then told,  informed the O’Connors that they would have to pay “adult” prices for the two children. The O’Connors objected and were  sent to see the manager.  The manager, they said, explained that under the cinema laws any individual over ten years of age was considered an adult. However, he was willing to compromise for the 11-year-old boy and sell him a ticket at the “Children’s” price. The children’s parents protested and left.

They decided to take the children back to Globe, which was now showing a movie advertised for “all ages”. The children’s father said, there too, they were faced with the same situation, except the ticket vendor was a bit arrogant in that when they informed him of the Children’s Act, he called to another employee saying: “Hear de stupidness this man talking bout — Laws of Trinidad and Tobago — we operating by the cinema law.” The family left and the children did not see the show. The children are claiming that under the Children’s Act, a child is 14 years and under, and not ten as the cinemas would want to suggest. Therefore why they should be required to pay  “Adult” prices instead of “Children’s” prices  for movies advertised for “All ages”.

It was also noted by the children’s father that the Cinema Act is silent about who is a child and who is an adult. The only authority is the Children’s Act. His argument is that children 14 and under must be allowed to pay the “Children’s” price for entry into cinemas. Capil Singh, an employee at Strand, recalled the  O’Connor’s visit. He told Newsday that the pricing structure at cinemas, not only Strand,  but throughout the country have been the same way from ever since.

One of the largest crowds in recent years flocked to the seaside village of Buccoo on Tobago’s south west end ‘Easter Tuesday’ for the 78th running of the popular, annual Buccoo Goat Races. The all-day festivities got going with a colourful street parade from the Buccoo/Shirvan Road junction down to the Race Track, culminating in a vibrant cultural display in the area where the goats would later take centre stage.

Addressing the formal opening, Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Orville London stressed he was very concerned that the villagers of Buccoo were still not necessarily benefiting from the event after 78 long years. Simultaneously, he, like several other speakers, paid special tribute to “all who had anything to do with the Goat Race Festival”, particularly noting the efforts of longstanding president of the Goat Race Committee, Sonny Murray. Said London, “78 years is a long time, and we must take time out to congratulate those who have stuck together to bring the Festival to where it is today”. He, however, added: “I am still concerned that after all this time the residents of Buccoo still do not necessarily benefit from the event”.

In his turn, William McKenzie, THA representative for the area and Secretary for Community Development/ Culture, appealed to the organisers and members of the business community who have been supporting the event over the years, to continue to work together. Noting that the Festival had kept on growing through the years, McKenzie commended the dedication and effort of the organisers, as he, too, paid special tribute to Sonny Murray. With the formalities out of the way, it was time for the goats (and their “jockeys”) to run. And how they ran! When the excitement and dust subsided, “Nuclear Rocket” (KJoseph) emerged Champ of Champs, followed by “Easter Music” (L Kerr) and “Catch De Buck” (D Adams).