The tournament is set to bowl off on June 24 and will run until July 23.

The 19-year-old Matthews, who is a top-order right-handed batter and an off-spinner, came to the fore during the West Indies Women’s successful campaign at the 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in India.

The Barbadian, who featured during the inaugural Courts Grand Slam Women’s T20 Tournament here in Trinidad (from May 14- 19), mentioned during a recent interview, “obviously you’ll try to go into the tournament with as much confidence as possible. I’m just hoping that we can go (to England and Wales) and perform as well as possible and get a win.

Asked about her form during the Courts T20 competition, the affable Matthews replied, “it wasn’t too bad. It’s obviously a good initiative to get the tournament down here started. I think that’s really good for West Indies Women cricket on a whole.

“Personally I guess I didn’t do too bad. I would have liked to take a few more wickets and score a few more runs but it was okay overall.” Matthews was part of the Barbados team who finished runners-up to Trinidad and Tobago at the 2017 Regional Women’s Super50 competition in St Vincent.

She pointed out, “Trinidad (and Tobago are) always one of the stronger teams. We expected it to be a hard (final) and, unfortunately for us, they came out on top. It (is) a good rivalry between both teams and I think that’s good and healthy for the cricket (regionally).” Looking at the period between now and the World Cup, Matthews noted, “it’s to keep training, working on my skills, working on my consistency, both in the batting and in the bowling departments.” Matthews was also an all-rounder, in the sporting context, as she took silver medals in javelin, at the 2013 and 2014 CARIFTA Games (Under-17 and Under-18 categories), and gold in the 2015 version (Under-18).

But she focuses strictly on cricket, having made her West Indies debut against New Zealand in 2014.

Admitting that this will be her first taste of competition at the Women’s World Cup (50-overs), she reflected on her experience in India last year.

“Going out and playing in a World Cup is big for everyone so nerves was there for me,” she acknowledged.

“It’s good to go into to this World Cup with some experience.” As far as the team’s preparations for the United Kingdom are concerned, Matthews said, “we’ve had a camp a couple of weeks ago in Antigua to get the bunch together and we’ll go into camp in Barbados and then off to England (on Wednesday) for another two-week camp. The preparations seem to be going pretty well so far.” Finally, how has her game improved during the past year? “Playing in the different regions, getting different types of pitches, different types of conditions all over, I guess it helped built my skills,” she responded.

There is going to be legal challenges,. perhaps in all Ayers-Caesar’s. unfinished 53 cases, he said,. and the result could be that “criminals”. could walk free due to a. technicality which attorneys at the. criminal bar can use to seek their. freedom. The senior counsel said. there are accused, as well as victims. in each of these 53 unfinished. criminal cases, and the Chief Justice. has decided these cases would. be restarted before other magistrates,. following a meeting on. Wednesday with Director of Public. Prosecutions Roger Gaspard; Vice. President of the Law Association,. the acting chief magistrate, senior. magistrates, Registrar of the Supreme. Court and members of the. Criminal Bar Association.

Suenath’s view is that the issue. over Ayers-Caesar’s appointment. as a judge whilst she had these unfinished. business as a magistrate,. and subsequent revocation of her. appointment from the bench, “is. a situation that will get worse, before. it is cured”. The effect of the. decision of the JLSC which Archie. heads, Suenath told the Sunday. Newsday, is spiralling out of hand.

He joined with his senior counsel. colleague Martin Daly in calling. for Archie and the JLSC members. to do “the honourable thing”.

A senior magistrate and a judge. of the High Court, also shared their. thoughts yesterday on the ongoing. issue and whilst they were outspoken. in their condemnation of the. JLSC, recommended a cure of how. the magistracy should mend the. crisis regarding the 53 cases without. incurring any constitutional. challenges.

The judge suggested government. revisit the infamous Administration. of Justice (Indictable Proceedings). Act which was branded. Section 34, and re-enact the section. which abolished preliminary. inquiries, and place the burden of. reviewing criminal case files for. High Court trial before a Master of. the High Court.

The People’s Partnership government. in 2011, had initiated the legislation,. and after it was passed by. Parliament, the act was assented to. by former president George Maxwell. Richards.

However, government had to. repeal Section 34 when several. persons filed for discontinuance. of their cases in the magistrates’. court, such as UNC financiers Ish. Galbaransingh, Ameer Edoo and. Steve Ferguson. Section 34 in the. act prescribed a limitation period. of ten years for cases being held up. in the magistrates’ court or it becomes. statute-barred in respect of. certain offences, excluding treason,. murder, kidnapping, rape, assault,. drug trafficking and arms and ammunition. possession.

Another section of the law, however,. would have seen all preliminary. inquiries in the magistrates’. courts being abolished and replaced. by what the law had proposed. as “sufficiency hearings”.

Masters of the High Court were. to be appointed to examine the. evidence of persons charged with. murder, robbery, drug trafficking,. rape, and determine whether there. was sufficient evidence to go before. a jury for trial.

Speaking anonymously, the. magistrate said all that is required. to cure the issue of the part-heard. matters, is for the Government. to go back to the Parliament and. re-enact the particular section that. deals with abolishing preliminary. inquiries and replacing it with sufficiency. hearings. A retired judge,. in agreeing with that view said,. constitutional motions would not. arise on behalf of the accused who. may want to claim abuse of the. process by having to go through. another preliminary inquiry by another. magistrate.

Seunath, who once chaired the. Disciplinary Committee of the Law. Association for over ten years, commented,. “There is no doubt this is. going to get worse. If these 53 cases. have to go before other magistrates,. there is no doubt lawyers are going. to challenge the move. What is of. concern is that people who are culpable. of very serious crimes, may. walk free on a technicality. Men. who commit murder and caught. by the police, walking free and the. persons who would have been responsible. for this would be who?. Ask the Chief Justice and the members. of the JLSC who did not do. their job. At the end of the day, it. was their responsibility and I am. saying, they should all go. Start. with a clean slate.”. Seunath went on to say that it. seems that those who are administering. justice, were least concerned. about the consequences of making. a judicial appointment in the person. of Ayers-Caesar, but who they. ought to have known had unfinished. business in the magistrates’. court, but which runs the risk of. persons walking free for murder. and robbery.

“I say, the Chief Justice is responsible. for this blunder and he must. go. The country is yet to witness. the biggest evidence of this blunder;. wait when persons start walking. f.

The assurance was given to shareholders last Friday during TCL’s 2017 annual general meeting (AGM) at Hilton Trinidad, St Ann’s.

The re-branding question came from shareholder, Peter Permell, who said he recalled reading about it “somewhere”.

While he gave no specifics, there was a March article, published in another local newspaper, which reported on TCL’s alleged intent to change its name to Cemex.

“Is (re-branding) a possibility? If so, I suppose there may be some advantages, in terms of brand equity, going that particular route as opposed to staying with TCL.

What is the likelihood of that happening, in terms of a time frame?” Permell asked.

TCL chairman Wilfred Espinet, speaking from the head table, was the first to respond.

Declaring that, “in today’s news cycle I don’t know what is real news and what isn’t,” Espinet made it clear however that, “from my perspective, certainly there’s no intent to change the brand, anywhere on the table, as we speak today (May 26).” “More importantly,” Espinet added, “we’ve been spending on fullpage ads in all of the newspapers.

Not only here (Trinidad and Tobago) but also in Barbados, the Lesser Antilles and the Windward Islands, where we have been attacked with (imported) Turkish cement.” Espinet reminded that in all of these ads, which warned against using cement more than 120 days old and which encouraged consumers to “keep it fresh” and to “keep it local”, TCL highlighted its brand of products.

“So it would be, to me, not a very sensible thing to spend that kind of money (on ads). So if we were doing that (re-branding), it would be very unlikely.” TCL’s managing director Jos? Luis Seijo Gonz?lez also shared his thoughts on re-branding the company.

“It would be wrong. It would be a big mistake, if we change our commercial brands. We have a very high brand equity.” However Seijo did say that “there are other instances where we could use our new partners (when dealing with) some suppliers in Germany and so on.” CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. (Cemex) is a multinational building materials company head-quartered in San Pedro, near Monterrey, Mexico.

As stated in Espinet’s group chairman’s review in TCL’s Annual Report 2016, “Cemex now owns 69.83 percent of TCL.” He noted that this is subject to final approval by the TT Stock Exchange.

Espinet stated that on January 9, through its wholly-owned direct subsidiary, Sierra Trading, “Cemex revised its offer price” from TT$4.50 per ordinary share to TT$5.07 per share “with the option for shareholders to be paid in US dollars at US$0.76 per share.” “Despite another recommendation to reject the offer by a special committee of the TCL board, again based on an Ernst & Young Fairness Opinion, the revised offer received overwhelming response, taking the Cemex shareholding in TCL from 39.5 percent to 69.83 percent, just short of its initial target of 74.9 percent,” Espinet stated in the report.

Speaking with Sunday Newsday following the AGM, Espinet said, “I know, as a director of the company, we are unaware of any attempt to change (re-brand).” “As I explained, the amount of money we’re spending on our existing brand, it is just nonsense for us to spend that and then after rebrand.” Sunday Newsday also spoke with Seijo, who reiterated, “We don’t have any intention to change commercial brands.” “We do have a very high brand equity, so we don’t want to lose that. So we intend to keep all our commercial brands.” Regarding the use of Cemex’s name with overseas suppliers, he said, “When we speak with some suppliers, for example on the purchasing side, it’s useful to use the Cemex name.” “So we try to leverage that into a bigger purchasing power. That’s why we’re trying to combine both things (TCL and Cemex brand usage).” He explained that “where Cemex has a global agreement, we take advantage of that now.” “Cement equipment is mainly produced in the US and Europe, so that’s where we take advantage of it (Cemex name),” Seijo said.

There is a growing awareness by customers worldwide who are dissatisfied with the lack of transparency by banks with regard to bank charges and fees.

The headline for an article by Sam Dunn in The Daily Mail in September 2014, reads, “Victory over bank charges could open payout floodgates: Court backs customer over hefty overdraft fees.” The article highlights a long-standing customer of Lloyds Bank who won a landmark court victory over unfair overdraft charges which were crippling his account.

This quote from an article by Rachel Reeves in The Times in April 2017, headed “Unfair bank charges are putting our economy at risk,” sums it up: “It’s high time that the banks were also forced to end these greedy practices and stop ripping off millions of customers.” Bankers seem to share the view that charges and fees imposed on customers can be done at their whim and fancy and they should not be called on to provide an explanation. Their charges come at you left, right and centre with the most ridiculous being the monthly fee deducted from a dwindling account, then a fee to withdraw from that account, and a fee to use your debit card. How does that encourage saving? Not to mention all the red tape and trail of documents requested from you to open a new account.

Then, if you require a loan some time later, you go through the entire process again as though they have no records, only this time they ensure that your last relative must pay off your loan if, God forbids, you drop dead from working too hard to pay it.

There is also their practice that a person must be permanently employed for at least a year before being considered for a loan.

Has it occurred to them that someone can be permanently employed at the same company for as much as nine years and subsequently lose their job, so it makes more sense to consider how long that person has been consistently employed? It’s high time that customers realise the great power they have in exercising their right to choose, their right to withhold their services and their right to speak up when they are wronged. After all, banks are in the business of making money by either keeping or lending your money and then charging you exorbitant fees to do so.

However, your greatest power is in your numbers when you stand united, and it wouldn’t take very long for bankers to see that the only reason they can continue as a business is because of you.

VASHTI BOWLAH via email

This is a good sign and one in keeping with this Sunday’s theme of communication. On this day, we remember Jesus ascended to the Father and entrusted to us the mission of communicating the Good News to the ends of the earth. This good news is never a word of war but a word of peace: “Peace be with you.” The movement of US warships in the Korean peninsula, with Japan promising to join in, in response to Kim Jong-un’s threat of missile and nuclear testing, reminds us of those haunting days of the Cuban missile crisis.

Even within the Church at that time communication often turned into suspicion and recrimination.

Then arose a voice for peace, that of Good Pope John (John XXIII), insisting there was another way, asking the US and Russia to think again. And they did. War was averted.

Another Good Pope, Francis, in his message for World Communications Day is easily predisposed to pessimism and violence: “I’m convinced that we have to break the vicious circle of anxiety and stem the spiral of fear resulting from a constant focus on bad news — wars, terrorism, scandals and all sorts of human failure.” The Pope invites us to use different “lens” that will help us to view reality from fresh perspectives.

This is what Mary tried to do in her apparitions in Fatima in 1917. She wanted people to imagine a different kind of world, one not marred by so much violence, so many millions of victims.

There she was, pleading for penance and conversion, to end one war (World War I) so as to avoid another (World War II). On neither occasion did the world listen, and humanity was thrust into the worst atrocities of human history. One hundred years later, her message is still valid: peace must be preferred to war; warmongering must give way to peacemaking.

This is a timely message for Christian evangelists.

The gospel we must preach, of this we have no doubt for Christ commands it. But the manner in which we preach it is just as important. This means we must look at the other not as the enemy to be overcome, the foe to be vanquished, but as a brother or sister who by the witness of his or her own religion must positively impact the world.

We are not the only pilgrims in the world; they are, too, and we trudge different paths in the hope that the one God would finally bring everything to His good purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time (Eph 1:9-10).

Christians, therefore, must be the first witnesses of this “fraternity among brethren”. This was wonderfully demonstrated in the recently renovated burial tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here, Roman Catholics, Armenians and Greek Orthodox–known for their tensions and scuffles–worked together for the greater good. May their efforts be a vivid metaphor for peacemaking in the 21st century.

That sum will go towards his participation at the forthcoming Aruba Open Challenge and the Suriname Open Challenge.

Neblett has been representing Trinidad and Tobago at the international stage for the past four years and also combines his sporting prowess with his role as a security officer.

He had a successful 2016 season – copping a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Mexico, gold at the Costa Rica Open Championships, as well as gold medal and the award for the Best Senior Fighter of the Year at the National Qualifiers.

He was also among the top 10 nominees for the 2016 First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Award. Amalgamated Services, in a media release, stated, “we salute young adults such as Khaidem for their discipline and dedication.

As an officer of our organisation, we gladly support him in achieving his dream of World Championship and Olympic Gold in 2020.”

However, Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal countered that terrorism was in the country long before the People’s Partnership (PP) government took office and there were two attempts to overthrow a government. He said, “and if you do not get your act together and deal seriously with these matters there may be another attempt.” Dillon and Moonilal faced off in the House of Representatives during the debate on a motion brought by Opposition MP Rodney Charles on the “exponential growth” in the crime rate as manifested in murders, disappearance of persons among other crimes.

According to Dillon, Charles was not aware that Life Sport has “Trinidad and Tobago on the world map right now. It is the genesis of where we are in terms of the ratings we receive right now.” Quoting a newspaper article in which a previous PP government minister is reported to have said millions of dollars was paid to the Jamaat al Muslimeen group, which had among its members criminals and ghost gangs, Dillon repeatedly asked, to loud desk thumping, “Did you fund the Cadet Force during that period?” In his contribution, Moonilal said on demitting office, “I warned this Government that we had persons going to foreign lands to be radicalised and it posed the single most critical element of a threat to this country.

We warned you about that.” Terrorism is the single biggest threat to TT, he said, and he thought Dillon would have announced that Government had established a unit to deal with returning nationals who would pose a security threat.

A similar terrorist attack as happened in Manchester, he said, could happen here, but instead Government members were burying their heads in the sand while the rest of their anatomy remained outside.

Earlier, Dillon claimed Government was continuing to bring a sense of security on the nation’s borders through successful patrols by the Coast Guard in terms of illicit drugs, illegal weapons and trafficking of persons.

He said recent patrols led to two major drug seizures with one being the largest haul since 1999.

As recent as Thursday, he said, the Coast Guard made another $2 million drug bust.

Moonilal said while Dillon boasted about the seizures, he did not say the Coast Guard used high speed vessels bought under the last government that could chase down drug-runners in shallow waters and not offshore patrol vessels that move at two miles an hour in deep sea.

Those vessels, he said, could not have been bought by Government which “cannot buy a boat to carry two trucks to Tobago.” Admitting crime detection is not where it should be, Dillon said in addition to training crime scene investigators, the DNA custodian Government hired has completed the review of the software that is required. He said Government was in the process of procuring the necessary software to develop the DNA data base.

Henry and Hakim, sponsored by LJ Williams Limited, took the first prize of weekend stays for two at the Blue Horizon in Tobago.

The duo also earned a day of golf at Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort in Tobago, together with golf bags donated by KPMG. Second place went to Kwesi Hopkinson and Adam Montano, sponsored by TSTT Blink/Bmobile, who won iphones sponsored by TSTT Blink/Bmobile and massage vouchers from Forever Radiant Spa.

Annan Rajpaulsingh and Ramesh Rampersad were third, sponsored by LJ Williams Limited.

They walked away with a weekend stay at Cascadia Hotel and cross pens donated by Stecher’s Limited.

Jacqueline Niles (Grace Kennedy) won both awards for nearest the pin. The best dressed women’s team went to Brenda Clarke and Joanne Bryden (TSTT Blink/ Bmoblie), while Desrond Ambrose and Clint Alfred (Unipet) won the prize for the best dressed men’s team.

Former national footballer Russell Latapy had the honour of the first tee off, after an inspirational address by President of Trinidad and Tobago Anthony Carmona.

The National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) and TSTT Blink/Bmobile were the silver sponsors, Grace Kennedy Money Services, LJ Williams Limited, Massy Foundation and Shell were bronze sponsors. This year’s tournament saw many individual team sponsors as well, while The Guardian Media was the official media sponsor.

The funds raised from the tournament will go to the foundation’s programmes, which helps to provide high quality educational services and opportunities to children from under-resourced families, thus improving their life chances. Among the programmes offered by the foundation are a pre-school, home work centre, annual vacation camp, Primary School scholarships, psycho-educational assessments, therapeutic services, physical education and sports, and character development.

Additionally, The Cotton Tree Foundation engages parents and guardians through parent education/support programmes, to equip families with sound parenting skills and to educate them on issues such as sexual abuse awareness, internet safety and financial literacy.

For further details on the CTF’s 15th Annual Golf Tournament contact the foundation at 623- 5120.

The ARC will hold their annual general meeting at Santa Rosa Park, from 10 am.

Carrabon faces a stern challenge from former management committee member Peter Acham.

But the ARC head has recemntly received high marks for his tenure, especially as he has furnished members with a completed finaneial report.

It is to be noted that it is rare for this financial report is made ready before the AGM.

Carrabon, however, is expected to retain his position in an anticipated close election.

Meanwhile, the ARC will also elect a second vice-president to serve a two-year periodAnd also a management committee to also serve two years.

Outgoing management committee members are 1st vice-president Richard Freeman, Tansley Thompson, Winston Govia and Charles James.

Three members are to be elected to serve on the management

“I wish to emphasise that the actions related to the fixing of an appointment for the said matter before the Court of Appeal outlined above did not depart from the established practice and protocol of the Court in dealing with urgent applications,” Rodriguez wrote in a letter.

On May 19, Justice Frank Seepersad said there is a “strong arguable case” that the Property Tax Act could be struck down, or, the process by which Government is seeking to enforce it, could be justifiably reviewed by the courts.

Seepersad ruled the stay would remain in effect until May 31, until further notice.

The Appeal Court met on the issue on Monday and put it off to June 6.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused Government of claiming to appeal the judgment in Parliament before they had filed the action and threatened a motion that Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert be brought before the Privileges Committee for wilfully misleading the Lower House. Al-Rawi responded, however, that Government had received confirmation that the appeal would be heard on May 22.

Persad-Bissessar reported they had received confirmation from Rodriguez that no appeal had been filed and no emergency session had been convened for May 22.

Rodriguez spoke on the issue in a letter dated May 26, in response to one dated May 21 from attorney Anand Ramlogan, SC, who is representing former People’s Partnership minister Devant Maharaj as the party challenges the implementation of the act, specifically the submission of valuation return forms.

In her letter, she said Maharaj’s decision to publicise Ramlogan’s communication and without giving her a chance to respond would lead the fair minded observer to assume the intent of his letter was to “impute collusion” between the Judiciary and the Office of the Attorney General which is “an imputation I categorically reject.” “Further the allegation has had the unfortunate consequence of besmirching the reputation of the holder of the Office of Registrar of the Supreme Court.” Rodriguez provided a chronology of the events: • May 19: Rodriguez received a call at 6.53 pm from Deborah Peake, counsel for the Commissioner of Valuations, who wished to “move” the Appeal Court on an urgent matter concerning Seepersad’s judgement.

• Peake specified a notice of appeal was being prepared, but in order to be heard that night, she was willing to address the court via oral application.

• At 6.56 pm Rodriguez consulted with the most senior Appeal Court judge – Justice Mendonca – who indicated insufficient reasons were presented to have the court that night.

He instructed that if an appeal notice was filed/forwarded, the appeal would be listed for May 22 at 9 am.

• Rodriguez communicated this to Peake at 7.16 pm.

• On May 20, Rodriguez was contacted at 9.36 am by Ramlogan, who enquired if notice of appeal on the matter was filed.

She said it had not.

• At 5.29 pm that day, Rodriguez received draft notice of appeal via email from Zelica Haynes-Soo Hon (Attorney General’s office). She communicated with Soo Hon and Ramlogan’s attorney (Ms Lutchmedial) confirming the Appeal Court’s date on Monday.

• At 6.59 pm that day, Rodriguez forwarded the notice of appeal to Ramlogan.

She informed Ramlogan that it was settled practice in hearing of urgent appeals for the appellant to notify the respondent of the date and time for hearing but it was never the duty to notify the intended respondent of same. She also reported that on May 22 there were 10 matters listed for the West Court and only two for the East Court and she was instructed by Mendonca on May 20 to list the appeal for the East Court.