He was speaking with the media during the Police Service annual sports day held at the Police Training Academy, St James on the weekend.

Williams was asked by Newsday about the first four months of 2017.

He responded: “It has been a struggle.

While we have realised a drop in serious crime, around 16 per cent, the public really not interested in those numbers.

Robberies are on the decrease, break-ins are on the decrease, larcenies are on the decrease but that’s not what they interested in.

So we have to as a society address the issues around violence.” “The officers are committed.

We are rallying, we are pushing, we are working, we are reaching out to the public and saying the fight against the violence in Trinidad and Tobago it is a societal team effort.

And it is not about a police service by itself (but) it is about all the law abiding citizens rallying together so that we can make a difference.” Williams in his opening speech thanked his officers for their dedication and hard work over the last year.

“And as we continue in 2017, struggling in areas but exceedingly performing

“The official opening of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday points the way to the dawn of a new era for sport in Trinidad and Tobago,” Lewis stated. “That said, it will be equally important that we learn from lessons of the past and ensure that well thought out maintenance and utilisation plans and strategies are put in place for this brand new facility.

“There is a significant opportunity now for Trinidad and Tobago to go after the hosting of international and regional sports events that can be a major contributor to the economy. This will require not only the identification of opportunities to host sports events, but also the development of skills required for bidding and hosting international sport events.

“Simultaneously we must also build and develop crucial relationships with international, continental and regional sport federations.” The veteran sporting administrator ended, “any sport tourism strategy must align to the broader national priorities for economic diversification, and sport and recreation.

“Critical success factors will include clarity as to who should be driving the process, who should be funding it and clear benchmarks for success.”

The Judiciary plays an indispensable role in this type of political system since an essential pillar of democracy is the rule of law. Political morality can never be aspired to, far less claimed, without regard to the paramount importance of the rule of law.

The legitimacy of the institutions of the legal system in a democratic system of governance is intimately intertwined with the perceived importance of the rule of law.

The latter comprises a number of principles of a formal and procedural character, which addresses the way in which a community is governed (Stanford). If we acknowledge that there are norms to which we must adhere, and which pertain to how society is governed, then the inescapable reality must be that there are commensurate procedural principles that must be adhered to with equal vigour and by which these norms are administered.

These procedural principles, if they are to be followed, require institutions such as courts and an independent judiciary that are perceived at least to be credible.

So, on the one hand, we have a prospective judge plucked out of many others like her, through a process that is as opaque as an aged cataract, by a handful of retirees who seem to have bungled the process.

On the other, those responsible for the process of selection have presented a “matrix of fact” through which they attempt to convince the citizen that it is the “product” that is tainted while the process was impeccable.

Citizens recognise clearly that the process was inherently and patently sloppy and find it difficult to internalise the nature of the defect ascribed to the product. After all, in the specific circumstance, it is akin to being presented with an automobile that has no wheels.

And the Prime Minister, whose quintessential concern ought to be the nurturing of Aristotle’s “good citizen,” shrugs off the debacle with stultifying indifference by simply telling the nation that “the Government will have no probe?” That is the type of arrogance that emanates from a head that knows nothing of governance but everything about power for its sake.

STEVE SMITH via email

Granderson, of Queen’s Royal College, won gold in the boys 16-19 category, finishing ahead of Jonathan Thompson of Maple Leaf (silver) and Dario Omiss of St Anthony’s College (bronze).

Grosberg, of St Joseph’s Convent (SJC) Port of Spain, was the winner of the girls 16-19 category, while her schoolmates Noa Shepherd and Kristin Scott were second and third respectively.

Zahra Gaskin ensured it was not a clean sweep for St Joseph’s Convent Port of Spain in the girls 14-15 category grabbing the silver medal behind Convent’s Kirsten St Omer. Ashleigh Scott of SJC was third.

In the boys 14-15 category, Liam Trepet of Trinity College (Moka) won gold ahead of Marvin Gillard-Bruce of St Mary’s College (silver) and Ethan Miller, also of Trinity (bronze). Jorja Jalim of SJC made it an excellent day for the school, capturing the girls 13-and-Under category. Jade Doopan of Holy Name Convent was second and Kaya Rankine-Beadle of St Augustine Girls High School was third.

St Mary’s dominated the boys 13-and-Under category, with Stefan Stuven and Graeme Waithe-Toussaint finishing first and third respectively.

Rowan King of North Gate was second.

The TTT F believes they are moving in the right direction by encouraging more national participation as well as developing more girls in the sport.

The TTT F saw two new girls schools competing in small numbers which heightened the competition among the girls.

Those schools were Holy Name Convent and St Augustine Girls High School.

Some of the schools that have started to show an interest in triathlon include Trinity College East, Trinity College (Moka), Bishop Anstey East and North Gate.

The series has come to an end and the TTT F will announce the top schools in the near future.

The new series will start in the new academic school year in September with an aquathlon event.

Referring to a Trinidad Express article which claimed that Economic Advisory Board chairman Dr Terrence Farrell that that Central Bank should not be telling commercial banks to prioritise foreign exchange to manufacturers, Imbert said some commentators piggy-backed on Farrell’s alleged comments, “without thinking for themselves.” As he explained this practice is not something that “fell from the sky,” Imbert quoted a March 2, 2009 aide memoir from the Central Bank which supported this position. “At least for the last eight years, the Central Bank has been telling the commercial banks what to do with the foreign exchange that it injects into the system,” he said. Imbert then quoted from a November 15, 2010 letter issued by the Central Bank, under the then People’s Partnership government.

In that letter, Imbert said the manufacturing sector reported at that time, “it was experiencing acute difficulties in obtaining foreign exchange.” He added that the Central Bank requested seven years ago that commercial banks give priority for foreign exchange to manufacturers. “I want to put that to rest,” the minister said.

Imbert then disclosed he got a lot of letters about property tax from Opposition United National Congress (UNC) members.

When Opposition members queried this, Imbert replied, “Anand Ramlogan is not UNC? Gerald Ramdeen is not UNC?” Former attorney general Ramlogan is leading a legal team representing former transport minister Devant Maharaj and UNC activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj, who are challenging the tax’s implementation.

Imbert reiterated that this country’s property tax is among the lowest in the world and “no less a person” than his immediate predecessor Larry Howai described property tax as “a fair and equitable tax” in 2014. Turning to gambling, Imbert reiterated Government’s intentions to properly regulate the gambling sector in TT. While he said he, “does not know what the inside of a casino looks like,” Imbert said Opposition MPs in the House of Representatives were very “gung ho” in telling him about casinos which operate in their constituencies.

Jabloteh defeated Haiti’s Racing FC 2-0 in the first game of the opening double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo to top Group B, before Central FC, who defeated Trinidadian rivals W Connection in the last two CFU Club Championship title matches, shook off an early deficit to dispatch Antigua/ Barbuda’s Grenades FC 3-1 to lead Group A.

Nathan Lewis, for his fifth goal of the 2017 campaign, fired the 2003 Caribbean champions Jabloteh ahead five minutes into the second half before a Joseph Mitchelson’s own goal 16 minutes from time put the game out of the Haitians’ reach.

Central, though, needed a Jason Marcano equaliser, a cannon- of-a-strike by Carlos Edwards, and a 25-yard Nathaniel Garcia cracker to get past Grenades after the Antiguans had taken the early lead through striker Tevaughn Harriette.

Harriette had the simple task of slotting home from close-up against the run of play, in what turned out the only real attack on the Central goal, after the defending champions new goalkeeper signing Ryan “Godda” Thompson was hung out to dry by his defence who failed to cut out a squared pass across the area by Grenades captain Rakeem Henry.

In the 38th minute Marcano put Central – who received a bye to the final round as defending champions – level with a wonderful volley off Englishman Lloyd Bannister’s cross from the right.

Carlos Edwards, a TT 2006 World Cup player and former England- based defender, then hammered past Michaud Barrett to give the 2015 and 2016 Caribbean champions the lead for the first time a minute from the half.

The 39-year-old former Wrexham and Sunderland player, turned back the clock from just inside the top of the box after running onto a sumptuous feed from Sean De Silva.

But still, the newlook Central, due to a number of new player personnel changes, were nothing of the side that only two months ago recorded the historic Digicel Pro League three-peat although getting business done against the Antiguans.

It was not until five minutes from time that Garcia finally knocked the fight out of Grenades with his strike from distance.

Earlier, Jabloteh were the better side against Racing, but only took the lead on 50 minutes when Lewis, who combined brilliantly on the left with Kion Joseph, evaded two defenders before sending a low finish beyond the Haitian side’s goalkeeper Maurisseau Bergeot and into the far bottom corner.

And, in the 74th minute, Mitchelson inadvertently directed a Keithy Simpson’s dangerous ball across the area past his own goalkeeper, Bergeot.

Racing and Grenades will wrap up their second and final group fixtures today — at the same venue — against Jamaica’s Portmore United (5.30 pm) and Dominica Republic’s Cibao (8 pm), respectively, while Jabloteh and Central will complete group play against Portmore (5.30 pm) and Cibao (8 pm), respectively, on Thursday.

(ttproleague.com)

West Indies seemed to be hanging on for a draw on Sunday, but Gabriel decided to swing hard at the last ball of the penultimate over in the match and was bowled by Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah. Pakistan won the match by 101 runs and clinched their first Test series victory in the Caribbean.

Gabriel battled for half an hour with centurion Roston Chase (101 not out), but could not survive until the end.

Khan said West Indies need to play smart cricket and show more match awareness. “(We need to) play more smart cricket. For example, with one over to go, that was not very smart in terms of Shannon Gabriel’s dismissal. We got to be able to appreciate situations and be able to adapt to situations and play more smart cricket.” The current manager of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) outfit Amazon Warriors believes the regional team could have held on for a draw because Chase is a recognised batsman and was set at the crease.

“(It was) a lapse of concentration, it happened. We got to be mindful of the fact that there is one over to go. You must be aware of what is happening around you and be smart about it. If you defended that last ball, the last over of the game Roston Chase (would be facing), who is recognised. He would have done the job and we would have at least drawn the series.” Despite Gabriel’s lack of judgement at the end of the series, he was one of the bright sparks for the West Indies with the ball, grabbing 15 wickets in the series.

His best bowling figures came in the Second Test in Barbados when he snatched five for 11.

Khan is glad to see Gabriel developing into a top fast bowler and, along with Alzarri Joseph, is optimistic about the future.

“It is good to see Shannon Gabriel coming good. Shannon is now one of the pillars on the fast bowling attack and with Alzarri Joseph there is some hope with the fast bowling area.” Khan said legspinner Devendra Bishoo needs to be more consistent with his line and length and try to be more penetrative.

Chase was the West Indies top batsman in the series scoring 403 runs with two centuries and two half centuries. His highest score was 131 and he averaged 100.75 during the series.

“He (Chase) has demonstrated that he could play at the highest level of the game consistently well. He is consistent which I hope he continues to be. That is what we need, someone in the middle who could hold the batting together after we lost someone like (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul.” Khan said he was disappointed with opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who struggled throughout the series.

However, he is hopeful about the batting going forward with the emergence of Chase along with Shai Hope and Brathwaite, and the eventual return of Darren Bravo. Bravo is currently out of West Indies colours due to his dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Finance Minister Colm Imbert said his ministry had requested the Central Bank to give priority to manufacturing and trade whenever it “intervenes” in the market.

If the truth be told, the bank has always had this prerogative to redirect the disbursements to the area where they are needed.

In 2015, we recall the outcry when parents were unable to access foreign exchange to pay tuition for their children at foreign universities.

The then PP government was advised that this mechanism could be utilised to alleviate the concern and anxiety and was an ideal opportunity, pre-election, to show the population it really was interested in the betterment of all citizens.

Sadly, it chose to do nothing but instead allowed the perception that payment for goods and services to North and Central America was of greater importance.

Perhaps that’s one of the reasons it lost the election and why it is now confined to languish in a forlorn state in opposition.

The Minister of Finance can never be accused in the last 20 months of having any idea of how to move the economy forward, instead choosing to blame the past administration for its misdeeds.

This proposal at least warrants deliberation as, for the first time, support is being directed to the productive sector to encourage growth. In the worse case, if it does not have any positive benefits it can always be withdrawn.

In fairness, praise should be given to the minister for at least keeping his promise to assist the manufacturing sector to access foreign exchange. Trying something is better than the nothing done over the past months.

I have always had the highest regard for the opinions of Farrell but his displeasure about the proposed system may expose the fact that he has missed the point of how to kickstart the economy and this can only happen when incentives are given to the productive sector.

Unless he can offer a good reason why foreign exchange should, for example, be given preferentially to import a new car rather than for raw material to produce locally manufactured goods, then he should be quiet and support the proposal.

R BALLARD Diego Martin

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on the weekend announced his intention to effect this change at all public hospitals, after observing the prominence and dominance of soft drinks and juices with a high sugar content compared to water and flavoured water in vending machines at the Maternity Ward of Port-of-Spain General Hospital and at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital (MHWH), Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.

Out on Mother’s Day to visit women who had given birth that day, reporters observed Deyalsingh chatting with officials at both hospitals about reducing the number of sugary drinks in the vending machines in their waiting rooms. Questioned about this after his second and final stop of the day at MHWH, Deyalsingh said, “The same way there’s a drive to make our schools healthy zones, when I look around public facilities like this and see the amount of products on offer that are not conducive to good health…I’m not saying we’re going to take away all the sugary drinks but instead of having over 20 varieties, let’s trim it down.”

The minister recommended increasing providing “a better space” for water, natural fruit juices and coconut water. He reminded that, “Part of the NCD (non-communicable diseases) plan is to start to encourage public spaces that are under the management and control of the Ministry of Health, in the first instance, to see how they could offer healthier options.”

“We want to (promote) healthy options because if we don’t do this, we will have to build a hospital in every community to treat diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol and then everything becomes acute and chronic. We want to change the paradigm through simple changes in behaviour,” Deyalsingh told reporters.

No time line was given though on how soon the public can expect to see a wider variety of healthy drinks stocked in hospital vending machines.

Today, with the brand poised for international expansion, Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters has launched a new, redesigned packaging, supported by an advertising campaign — “Live Love Be” — which communicates the brand’s core attributes to its many consumers.

The new packaging, designed by Good Creative UK, retains the striking lemon and lime colour palette that is intrinsic to the brand, while elevating the iconic Angostura logo to the head of the design, making it a key focal point.

“The packaging redesign strengthens the connection between Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters and its ‘mother brand,’ Angostura aromatic bitters, through elements such as the yellow tab,” says Angostura CEO Genevieve Jodhan.

“The effect of this will be to reinforce the fact that Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters is the only carbonated soft drink in the world that contains Angostura aromatic bitters,” Jodhan adds, “Our goal is to align the look and essence of the brand in all of our markets as we build the brand globally.” In-depth consumer research guided the brand’s Live Love Be campaign, which recognises that Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters consumers are socially active and focused on the enrichment of life and inclusiveness.

“The Live Love Be campaign includes a well-rounded combination of media and promotional activity and a very strong presence in our trade channels,” says brand manager Lawn Davis, “It reflects the personality of Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters consumers: They Live by being aware and involved in every actual, waking moment; they Love whole-heartedly and go for it with all that they’ve got and Be, by staying true to who they are.” The new packaging and advertising campaign rolled out on May 11