Bomber Salman Abedi, a beast in human form, was enjoying the welcoming life offered by the British after his parents escaped from Libyan tyrant Col Muammar Gaddafi to find solace and civilisation in the UK.

The British have been forced to declare the highest level of alert and armed forces are on patrol in the expectation of another terrorist attack.

Many events have been cancelled including visits to Parliament and the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace.

The political parties have suspended campaigning for the June 8 general election to respect those who died at the Manchester Arena where 22,000 people attended a concert featuring American teenage idol Ariana Grande.

The British people are very resilient and resourceful and are determined to carry on their way of life in spite of this attempt and others recently to derail them and corral their spirits.

The Islamist ideology that spawns this type of fundamentalist aggression and barbarism will be under intensive scrutiny from now on to stem the tide of suicide bombings in this welfare state that is about to break away from the European Union.

British intelligence is working full-time to unearth the cell that mounted this attack in the home of Manchester City and Manchester United Football Clubs as they believe terrorist Abedi did not act alone, given the sophistication of the disastrous bomb carried in a hand-held case and which he exploded in the foyer of the concert hall after the show ended, scattering nuts and bolts to maim and kill.

Condolences to the bereaved families who lost their rosebuds and others who will not bloom again but not weaken the indomitable spirit of the British people.

STEPHEN KANGAL Caron

I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

— Simon & Garfunkel, 1970s American folk-rock singers THE TEARS flowed freely through the silence.

Hundreds gathered at St Ann’s Square in Manchester, England; they cried, prayed and stood in solidarity for those who died, for their sense of loss. I didn’t want to watch any more, but the incessant droning of local politicians and self-important morning talk-show hosts sent me back to the BBC.

The obvious pain felt by those crying in the square forced my own tears. I didn’t know the people who died, but I couldn’t help thinking that the little eight-yearold girl who perished could have been one of my relatives; surely her own family is now left to deal with the torture of her passing.

Intellectually, I am not immune to the imbalance of global media coverage. Human pain and suffering in the Western world occupy priority of time and space. The abduction of hundreds of girls by terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria needed the superstar power of Michelle Obama and other famous names to keep attention focused on their plight.

Children in Syria are no longer startled at bomb explosions, but their story is not told consistently, while, according to UNICEF, some 150 million children worldwide are still forced into child labour, predominantly in less-developed nations. Closer to home, global media are long bored of the struggles of Haitian people, even though a great deal of their struggles were exacerbated by Western aid agencies. Still, emotionally, the minute of silence affected me. In a world drowning in physical and Internet-based noise, silence is powerful.

Interestingly, as noted by the Independent newspaper, as early as 1910, the death of King Edward VII was marked by a minute’s silence.

“So was the news of the sinking of the Titanic, in 1912.” Artists know the power of silence, using it for effect in films, the dance world and in music. Silence is a dramatic contrast in the performance, allowing for reflection and to emphasise what was just portrayed.

Silence as a form of respect emerged in prominence after the First World War, 1914-1918.

There seems to be some debate, but sources indicate that in 1919, South African politician Sir Percy Fitzpatrick recommended that victory in the war should be commemorated by an action typically reserved for honouring the dead.

He felt that quiet reflection would be better than boastful joy.

The gesture was later made official by King George V on November 17, 1919, by proclamation.

“On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, there may be for the brief space of two minutes a complete suspension of all our normal activities. All locomotion should cease so that in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.” After the Second World War, 1939-1945, the two-minute silence was extended to remembering the dead of both wars, now called Remembrance Day.

I believe the moment of silence caused me to think of all the fake news we turn into national issues, and the chaos and corruption threatening to cripple any chance of us becoming a functioning nation.

I’m sure I’m not the only citizen that would like to silence politicians, talk-show hosts, social media pundits and special interest lobbyists. In the perfect stillness today, I searched for answers. Like the people in Manchester, nothing came, except tears.

Dara Healy is a performance a r t – ist and founder of the N G O , the Ind i g e – n o u s Creative A r t s Network – ICAN :

The young Calypso Girls netballers will be off to the World Youth Netball Championships in Botswana starting July 8.

The 12 selected players along with two reserves and the seven officials headed by coach Rhonda John-Davis will be at the Stadium.

According to information, the Under-21 Calypso Girls netballers will leave for England on June 25 to participate in a series of warm-up games before going off to Botswana on July 4.

The Under-21 netballers are in Group C, along with England, Fiji, Wales and Grenada, at the Championships.

Her complaint was made under Standing Order 32(2).

She alleged the AG’s statement had diverted the House from its business, was irrelevant and was an abuse of the privilege of freedom of speech in Parliament.

Persad-Bissessar also contended that the AG’s actions were “reckless” and were a “wilful and deliberate misleading of the House”, alleging he had said things he knew or ought to know to be untrue.

Earlier, she said two top court administrators had refuted ministerial claims that a court appeal was fixed for hearing on the said Monday at 9 am. She alleged the AG’s failure to apologise for his recklessness is an offence against the dignity of the Parliament and one which has brought this Honourable House into odium and ridicule.

“Madam Speaker, in light of the foregoing, I submit that the Honourable Attorney General has committed a contempt of this Honourable House and with your leave, I hereby request that this matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges for its consideration and report.”

Coach Dennis Lawrence has conducted evening sessions at the facility as the players go through the process of becoming acclimatised to the conditions in Colorado.

Lawrence is expected to name his final squad next week but will be assessing the players currently in camp before doing so.

Lawrence and his staff have been monitoring the fitness levels of the players through the GPS Tracking system being operated by Stephen Bradley, the team’s football scientist currently with the contingent in Denver.

The low humidity in Colorado keeps the air dry, like the desert.

As altitude increases, performance decreases and Bradley is keeping Lawrence posted on the levels.

According to the experts and other sport officials here in Denver, a major factor when playing any sport here or wherever there are higher altitudes, is the reduction in the pressure of oxygen.

Acclimatization at higher altitudes can range from a few days to multiple weeks for the body to be able to regulate when exercising.

The Match venue in Denver is located 5,280 feet above sea level and where the team is currently training at, the Prenup Field, is actually higher at 5,430, feet above sea level.

Carlos Edwards, who is five caps away from 100 international appearances, said the sessions in the first couple days was necessary for the players to start adapting to the high altitude with the air being dryer and thinner.

“So far, so good. The guys have been put through their paces over the last few days.

It’s been tough but, at the same time, it’s work well-planned and I think the guys are relishing getting acclimatised to the conditions,” Edwards said in an interview on the TT Football Association (TT FA) website yesterday.

“It was a good blow for 45 minutes in the first session. The guys have stuck to what has been put forward to them. The breathing has become easier as the days have gone along. I felt it a bit in the warm up (on Thursday). The first day was a bit challenging but things have eased up a bit as the days went along,” added the veteran defender/ midfielder.

“The cohesion in the camp is second to none and this will make the bond a bit stronger.

There are a few guys who will have to leave camp and some will join is but everyone is focused on giving their best at the moment.” At age 38, Edwards intends to keep going.

“First and the foremost is to help TT qualify for World Cup 2018.

I would like to play as long as possible but obviously the body will eventually say differently but right now I am here to put my best foot out there for the country and the team,” Edwards noted.

Police sources said while Garcia’s condition has been upgraded from critical to stable, he needs to remain in hospital under supervision by doctors as he is still very weak owing to major blood loss.

On Monday night, four men including a 17-year-old, forced their way into the couple’s home and chopped them.

The attack came after an altercation broke out between Garcia and one of his attackers over beach chairs. The four were arrested hours after the brutal attack and they remain in custody at four different police stations assisting investigators. A file is expected to be sent this weekend to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The men could face charges of murdering Lewis and the attempted murder of Garcia. Once charged, they will appear in the magistrates court.

Following the arrests, police raided the suspects’ homes. A car with bloodstains on the inside has since been impounded.

The singers are aiming for the grand, nostalgic sound of the big band with the multiple-instrument orchestra affectionately called the JunctionQ Jammers, which will be accompanying them. The Jammers represents an all-star line-up of musicians from various genres including soca, jazz, and classical orchestras. Altogether, they will match the eclectic spirit of QED TT and bring the music of Down Memory Lane to life.

Leading the group is musical director Richard “Charsu” Ahong, who has over 30 years experience.

A multi-award-winning producer and a songwriter, Ahong has over 30 jingle awards both internationally and nationally, with multiple COTT music and soca awards.

He has collaborated with many top Caribbean artistes such as Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, H20 Phlo, Blazer, Lil’ Bitts, Shurwayne Winchester, Edwin Yearwood and Ziggy Rankin. He will now apply his hit-making prowess to the award-winning voices of QED TT.

The quintessential brass line of the JunctionQ Jammers will comprise well-known musicians Philo Neptune and Demetrius “CP” Fraser on trumpet, along with some classy women of brass: Kensa James on trombone, Martina Chow on alto sax and flute and Michelle Marfan- Urquhart on tenor saxophone.

Supporting the band on drums and percussion will be Richard Joseph with Johanna Chuckaree-Lohmeyer on keyboard and the versatile Dean Williams on guitar. Innovative and energetic tenor pan soloist Johann Chuckaree joins the JunctionQ Jammers with the vibe of the national instrument.

Down Memory Lane – the Soundtrack to your Life! will feature a pre-show in the foyer with the Success Stars Ensemble, the pan students of the Success Laventille School, at 5 pm. Showtime at 6 pm.

Tickets are available at the Queen’s Hall Box Office..

For years, the elder Abraham had carved a niche for himself as a master showman, known primarily for his comedic antics, famously declaring in an insecticide commercial, “Det kill dem dead.” But up until his death on May 16, reportedly from complications relating to Alzheimer’s disease, the clergyman’s connection to the endearing calypsonian remained largely, a little-known fact.

And for those who did know that he was Brigo’s son, it seemed a remote possibility, Abraham, 46, said in a Sunday Newsday interview at the Regional Seminary, Mount St Benedict, on Thursday.

“A lot of people were not aware,” he said of the response of many mourners to the news that Brigo was his father, after last Monday’s funeral at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Portof- Spain.

“Some people knew but I realised on that day that a lot of people did not know. They were coming up to me and asking, ‘You are Brigo’s son.’” Abraham said, though, his father never missed a beat in telling people that one of his sons was a priest.

He said members of the Catholic community also knew of his journey into the religious life after it was publicised in the print media about a decade ago.

“It was in the newspapers in 2007 when I was ordained a deacon and in 2008 when I was ordained a priest,” Abraham said.

Abraham recalled that years before, in 1999, late Archbishop Anthony Pantin also told a Catholic conference in Miami about his decision to enter the priesthood.

“There was a special conference every year in Miami and that year, he knew that I was going to enter the Regional Seminary, and at the conference, he said, ‘Just imagine, even Brigo’s son is going to become a priest.’ Trinidadians there were in uproar.” Days after administering final rites on his father, Abraham said he was shocked by reports which claimed that Brigo had fathered 36 children. “That is not accurate,” he declared, laughing. “He has ten children, seven with my mother and then he had three with Lynette Huggins (deceased). So, I don’t know where they got that 36 from.

“In his life, I don’t know if he had other children. My hope is that if there are 36, the others will come forward at some point.” Abraham said although his father told them about the three children he shared with Huggins, they only got to meet them late in their lives.

A priest at Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the island of St John, Virgin Islands, with responsibility for Catholic renewal and youth, Abraham grew up in Freedom Street, Pinto Road, Arima.

He described his father as the greatest storyteller.

“He was big on these sayings, ‘If crab know his back not strong he should not go below rock’ and ‘What sweet in goat mouth does sour in the bam bam.’ As a child, you always were excited to hear the stories that daddy will tell,” he said, adding his father also brought gifts for them from his many travels abroad.

Abraham said many people also did not know the late calypsonian was an excellent cook. “I don’t think the nation knows but some of his close calypsonian friends who travelled with him knew and we always looked forward to daddy’s cooking, even more than mummy’s. He had that sweet hand.” Blessed with a big heart, Abraham said his father always exhibited unconditional love for people from all walks of life, especially the poor man.

He recalled that one time, during a performance in Guyana, Brigo befriended a man named Wilbert Williams, who expressed an interest in visiting Trinidad.

“My dad simply said, ‘Fine, I am going to help you.’ He came for two weeks and spent about 15 years living at our home. That was the kind of man Brigo was.” His father, he said, also was a disciplinarian “I didn’t like it one bit but he was big on respect,” Abraham joked.

“One of the stories he would always tell us is about this mother and son. The mother did not discipline the child who was Death Row for a series of crimes.” “The child called the mother and said he had something to tell her and when she came, the child bit her on the ear, saying, ‘Mummy, if you had disciplined me, I would have never been here.’ “Daddy used that to say, ‘I am not sparing the rod and spoiling the child.” Although he had kept in touch with Brigo during his many years of ministering in the Virgin Islands, Abraham it was only when he returned for a month-long visit, last October, that he witnessed, first hand, the extent of his father’s physical deterioration.

In fact, during the funeral, he called on calypsonians to look out for one-another, suggesting the offering be used to assist the artform’s ailing exponents.

Abraham said he learnt at the funeral that another well-known calypsonian, Black Stalin (Leroy Caliste), would have been at the service, if he was not ill.

“He would have loved to be there.” Abraham said he had planned to make a special presentation to Stalin’s wife, Patsy, at the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian’s Organisation’s (TUCO) tribute to his father, last Thursday night at Kaiso Blues Caf?, Woodford Street, Newtown The presentation, he said, would have been a symbolic gesture to celebrate artistes who have contributed to the development of the artform but would have fallen on hard times in one form or another.

Saying he told TUCO president Lutola Masimba (Brother Resistance) that his father had sacrificed his family for calypso, Abraham said he was deeply pained by the treatment that was meted out to him within the last few years.

“My mother sacrificed so much to raise us when daddy was not there and then to be treated like that. I spent a month with my father in October and only one man came to see him – Funny (Donrick Williamson),” he said. “TUCO also looked out for him. But there was so much that was needed.” Saying the experience was an eye-opener, Abraham has since resolved to move steadfastly in preserving his father’s legacy, a process which began years ago.

He told Sunday Newsday that while studying for the priesthood, he had done a thesis celebrating Brigo’s work.

“I think getting into my father’s music really helped me appreciate him and that was a real eye-opener because sometimes in the Christian eye people see calypso as evil,” he said.

“But when I really entered his songs, I realised that my father was very spiritual and that he was the one who taught me about spirituality. That, for me, was very important.” The priest said he learnt that his father also was a prophet.

“As I listen more and more to his music, the man was a prophet in the artform.” He said one of the judges who spoke at the tribute also had seen his father in this light.

“He apologised, saying that when daddy sang Green Lime in the tent, they did not understand the depth with which he was singing,” Abraham said of the judge.

“I also learnt that every night when he sang that song, daddy wept because I guess he was seeing the direction in which the nation was headed and he was feeling it. So, that made it very powerful.” Abraham began studying for the priesthood at age 19 but his journey to the religious life started years before, through a series of turbulent experiences which culminated in him trying to commit suicide.

“In my early years, with the brunt of life and daddy not being there, at the age of 16, I attempted suicide,” he recalled.

Abraham said although his father and relatives had visited him at the Port-of- Spain General Hospital, the response of two nurses to his suicide attempt touched him deeply.

“One of them looked very frightened and she came to me and said, ‘Mr Abraham, there is someone who loves you and his name is Jesus.’” The other nurse, he remembered, spoke to him about how God was able to see her through a personal crisis.

“That stirred my heart.” After his ordeal, Abraham said he left school and went to Grenada for some time “but when I came back, I knew that something was missing.” Abraham said a visit to the Word of Life Ministries, Green Street, Arima, transformed his life phenomenally.

“I did a Life In the Spirit seminar there and that changed my entire life.” Drawing parallels between his life and the problems young people often encounter, Abraham told Sunday Newsday: “I am not ashamed to share my testimony.

I understand what people go through in a really deep way.” He later recalled walking into the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to find out more about the priesthood.

“(The priest) gave me the qualifications, which were five O’Levels. But I had three at the time. And I began doing the work that was necessary to the point where I eventually entered. But before I entered, I had a youth group in the Santa Rosa RC Church in Arima and attended a mission to St Croix and Martinique.” He said while in St Croix, a priest invited him to return to do missionary work there. Abraham said he left local shores some 18 years ago for the Virgin Islands “because at that time I felt I was more needed there.” “I remember in my journey recognising that I am loved by God and created for a purpose.” Moving ahead, Abraham has decided to preserve his father’s legacy and support ailing artistes through the establishment of the Brigo Cultural Theatre.

“Helping artistes who are sick, I want to be instrumental in doing that because of my experience with my dad and the aloneness that I have seen him experience.

It has fired me up to really help. That is the work that I do in the Virgin Islands – helping those in need.” Asked about his greatest challenge as a priest, Abraham said: There is a scarcity of priests now. There is serious work to be done because priests now are overworked.” He said many people also do not realise that priests are human beings.

“There is a selfishness in us as human beings that it is always about me and we are not thinking about other persons.

“In Brigo’s calypsoes, he highlighted that, love for God, love for neighbour, because that is what Jesus preached.

“You take nothing with you when you die. In spite of that big dream house that one might have, at the end of the day, you stand before God alone.” In the interim, Abraham said he will be in Trinidad until the end of the month.

He said the family will meet in New Jersey within the ensuing months to discuss other ways to celebrate Brigo’s legacy.

The tour takes place in July and is being used as preparation for the 2018 ICC Under-19 Youth World Cup from January 12 to February 4 in New Zealand.

West Indies are the defending champions and the two surviving players from the World Cup winning squad have been appointed to leadership roles in the team.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Emmanuel Stewart of Grenada has been named captain and all-rounder Kirstan Kallicharan from Trinidad and Tobago is the vice-captain.

The other players from Trinidad and Tobago selected in the team are batsmen Keagan Simmons and Cephas Cooper along with all-rounders Te-Shawn Alleyne and and Matthew Patrick.

All five TT players have been busy preparing for the tour and will be using the North/South Under-19 Classic to get much needed match practice.

“The squad is well balanced with a number of ‘multi-dimensional’ players, which will provide depth in all departments.

This team is still very young in comparison with the previous squad, but its already a very united group that works well together and has a great desire to learn and improve,” said West Indies Under- 19 coach Graeme West.

He continued, “First and foremost, we are going to give 15 talented, young players the opportunity to represent the West Indies, experience touring overseas and play ‘Youth’ International Cricket. We learnt a great deal about a number of the players in the WICB Regional Super50 Tournament. This will be another opportunity to find out which players have the skill-sets to perform consistently at this level and establish who is going to stand up when put under pressure by quality opponents.” The Under-19 World Cup winning coach noted, “We want to win both series and establish the patterns of play and combinations that will be taken into the World Cup. We will want to see growth and improvement in every game we play and we will want contributions from all members of the squad, so it will be important that the team acclimatises quickly and gets off to a good start.”

SQUAD: Emmanuel Stewart (captain), Kirstan Kallicharran (vice-captain), Te-Shawn Alleyne, Alick Athanaze, Joshua Bishop, Cephas Cooper, Mykile Louis, Darren Nedd, Matthew Patrick, Joshua Persaud, Jeavor Royal, Kegan Simmons, Jeavier Spencer, Bhaskar Yadram, Nyeem Young.

ITINERARY West Indies Under-19s to South Africa – July 4 – Tour Match vs South Africa Under-19 XI – Varsity Oval, Durban July 6 – Tour Match vs Kwa-Zulu Natal Academy – Varsity Oval July 9 – First Youth ODI – Chatsworth Oval, Durban July 12 – Second Youth ODI – Pietermaritzburg Oval, Pietermaritzburg July 14 – Third Youth ODI – Pietermaritzburg Oval July 16 – Fourth Youth ODI – Pietermaritzburg Oval July 19 – Fifth Youth ODI – Chatsworth Oval West Indies Under-19s to Zimbabwe – July 23 – First Youth ODI – Venue to be decided July 26 – Second Youth ODI – Venue to be decided July 29 – Third Youth ODI – Venue to be decided

Gloves Not Guns!” at the Dass Trace Recreation Ground, Enterprise, Chaguanas.

Action will begin at 3 pm and will feature 10 action-packed bouts, including Paul, who featured at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Fans will have little to worry about as there will be free entrance to the day’s proceedings, while security will be provided at the venue.