His casket was draped yesterday in a sheet bearing the Sabga family crest. Sabga said that all of the males in the family decided to wear his father’s signature red tie, “to honour his passion for life and because today is not for mourning but to celebrate his story. Dad loved life and he lived it fully,” he said.

He added that despite being born into poverty and having to flee his home and family in Syria, due to religious persecution, his father dreamed.

“Despite these crippling circumstances he arrived on these shores with hope. The hope of a new beginning and opportunity and armed with the determination to go after what he wanted.” He said his father was a pioneer and an entrepreneur like no other and was even labeled, “the man with the Midas touch.” He said his success in the business world took vision and foresight but most importantly fortitude. “Dad failed many times but with each failure he got back up and kept on dreaming.

He used these dreams to fuel him further and further until he reaped the fruits of his efforts.” He recalled the pride his father felt when the University of the West Indies conferred on him an honorary doctorate of laws in 2015.

“This was the only academic certification dad had ever received in his life and he cherished it.” He said that despite all his achievements his father remained humble and was quick to credit his achievement to others and give credit where it was due.

He said that his father and mother Minerva shared “true love”, and Minerva, “stood with dad through every step of his journey on Earth.” “You were his largest fan and his biggest critic. Your love was honest and true and dad would be the first to admit that he was the man he was because he had you at his side,” Sabga said.

He said that his father’s greatest source of pride was his family and in his later years he spent time focusing on his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The funeral was attended by scores of people from local and regional politics, business and media.

Sabga is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

IF John Holt’s premise is accurate, then the students of St George’s College, Barataria, are becoming very active learners. Some of its upper six students, ten (six girls and four boys) to be exact, recently returned from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Associated Schools Project Network trip where they visited Norwegian school, Den Norska Skole in Spain.

This is, however, not the school’s first visit to Norway or Spain but rather its eight. Schools across TT began participating in the programme some 20 years ago.

The ASPNET programme as it is called was created in 1953 and was formed to, “promote the ideals of Unesco as expressed in its constitution and to further peace and international co-operation by promoting education, science and culture in schools…” The programme has four main study areas which are; world concerns and the role of the United Nations system, education for sustainable development; peace and human rights and inter-cultural learning. The latter being the theme chosen by St George’s College which is located at Sixth Avenue and Tenth Street. One of the initial co-ordinators of the programme Jason Ganpat, a former St George’s College teacher as well, explained to Newsday how the exchange began: “In 1997 through the local national commission for Unesco and a Norwegian school.

The two teachers [its founder here, Monica Regisford-Douglin] met at a UN conference in New York and the explored the possibility of having the student/teacher inter-cultural learning exchange.

The school in Norway paid the first visit to us in 1997. It started happening after that, schools from TT visiting Norway. The visit is every two years.” Ganpat said he became involved through his wife, Gail Ganpat, also a former teacher. She then worked at El Dorado East Secondary [the pioneer school for the programme]. He said they got involved when they hosted the two Norwegian teachers who visited with the first group. “We actually hosted the two teachers who were in charge, who came from Norway.

At that time the groups used to be pretty large, 20 students and about four or five teachers,” he said.

Although this year’s group dwindled to ten students, Ganpat said many schools were used to participating in the programme, something he believes should be looked at.

“During that period 1997 to 2004/2005, several exchange visits took place. From Norway it was one upper secondary school, from TT we had several secondary schools participating. After El Dorado East, there was St Stephen’s College, Princes Town; St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain; and St Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando, Signal Hill form Tobago and Bishop’s High School from Tobago.

“After a while a number of these schools dropped out of the programme…” Ganpat could not say why less schools were participating but only that, possibly, “teachers changed.” When Ganpat and his wife who has since retired, moved to St George’s College in 1998 and then 2002 respectively, the Norwegian teachers moved to Spain and the students there began visiting the school in Spain.

“When my wife and I moved on to St George’s College, in 1998 and 2002, at the same time the teachers in Norway got the opportunity to transfer to Spain to work at a Norwegian school there.” “They invited us to come to Spain …that happened in 2008. We paid the first visit in the year 2009.

This recent visit is our fifth to Spain. They have made four visits to us already and their fifth one will be next year.” For Ganpat and the current co-ordinating teacher, Larrisha Nunes-Charles, such exchanges are positive for students since they provide a different perspective.

“We think that it continues to have a very positive and strong effect on both sets of students. For example, when our students go across to Spain, they have to know that it is a different community, a Norwegian community living in Spain, in a Spanish environment, so that is two things they have to become accustomed to…,” Ganpat said.

The students experience Spanish and Norwegian customs.

Nunes-Charles said the students also learnt that the Norwegian children and their experiences were not far removed from their own. “For some of the children some of their expectations is that these people are Norwegians they are so far away from us, they kind of expect a lot of differences but when they meet students their own age they realise they have so much in common…so they can just start coming together and sharing immediately.” The group visited Berlin in Germany for three days and then spent the rest of its time in Madrid, Spain. Nunes-Charles said, “This year we decided on the UN’s theme for this year which is sustainable tourism, for development.

Based on that team, the visiting group would have to prepare presentations to share with the host.

Within that we looked for things that would showcase our culture, naturally. We did festivals, music, a taste of Trinidad and Tobago. We did the natural environment because the tropics is quite different to what they are used to. Linked to the theme, we looked at the benefits of sustainable tourism, which is kind of what we were living at the time….” The group funds its own way to Norway and that is one of the criterion used to choose the students who attend as they must pay their own way. Students’ discipline and grades are also taken into consideration. This was why only upper-six students were chosen.

However, the school in Norway has asked the group to consider forms five for the next trip as they might be able to get a bigger contingent.

Ganpat said: “The group that went in 2013 was 20 students and five adults. It was big up to 2013 but Norway being an economy based on oil and gas and things started to go down. We found that less students who were attending the school in Norway, their parents could not afford to send them so the school is actually downsizing at that age group.” For the students, Nunes-Charles said, lifetime memories and friendships are formed from the experience.

“Even though there is a school [component] involved, the memories and relationships that they form, last. Some of them become really good friends afterward.

Then some of them discover the environment and decide to study, abroad. Some of them think they want to be there..,” she said.

Ganpat added: “Some of our people who were involved in the beginning, in 1997, are still in touch with their friends who they met at that time.

“I believe it is really very important…

We become sensitised to the whole programme. The students and the families we have to fund it ourselves and then expand it. There were a lot of schools involved in the beginning. They need to look again and see what was the reason for the fallout. It is a very valuable learning experience.”

I called in to point out that I feel the same way you feel and that as prime minister, I’ve set about doing something about it.” He recalled his government’s colloquium at the Hyatt Hotel, Portof- Spain a few months ago, at which the riot act was read to all heads of State agencies, on a lack of timely financial statements for submission. “We gave them a deadline.” Rowley said he instructed Minister of Finance Colm Imbert to mandate in writing that all State enterprises submit their financials by March 31, regardless of the documents’ condition. “Nearly all have complied in submitting financial statements.” He said the Ministry will go through all reports and any non-compliance will incur serious consequences.

“We’ve been paying people handsomely to manage agencies, they’ve been spending taxpayers money but even when the law requires them to report to the Parliament they would not do that.” Some disregarded their duty to report to the Ministry of Finance, Rowley added.

“We intend to draw the line. And what you’re seeing in the Auditor General’s Report is a synopsis of the situation.” Asked about TSTT’s $255 million purchase of Massy Communications, he said much misunderstanding exists in the public domain.

“It is not correct to say Cabinet was not informed. TSTT is a very strange company in that it is not wholly State-owned. The State owns 51 percent and an international company owns 49 percent.” He said TSTT faced a serious threat from external and internal forces and so detailed its budget and future plans to Cabinet. Rowley related that in one case, Cabinet advised TSTT to consider using the Corporation Act to make its case.

“TSTT’s Strategic Plan has been approved by Cabinet. What is not expected to happen is that TSTT will be micro- managed.” He said the buying of Massy Communications was not unusual in the corporate sector, adding “It is not correct to say it is wrongdoing.” Asked why TSTT did not tell Cabinet about buying Massy, he replied, “The Strategic Plan that we approved pretty much covered that kind of action.” He said Massy is listed on the TT Stock Exchange so any wrongdoing would cause all in the firm to have to account to the Securities Exchange Commission (SE C), but that is not happening.

“So this is somebody looking for a story when one doesn’t exist.

Cabinet is not complaining.”

As the video is about to end, a boy is seen flying through the air to land a kick on the victim, who unable to see the blow, takes it unflinchingly and squarely in his back.

The attack resembled that of a mob tearing into its victim. Students not involved in the attack either stood by and cheered on the violence or took out their cellphones to record the images.

Past students who contacted Newsday, said this form of bullying is a right of passage in which a student must endure physical violence in order to be welcomed as a full member of whatever group or clique of students that is operating in the College at any given point in time. There is a group, the past students said, for each form right up to the A Level classes. Students who represent the school in the secondary school football leagues are sometimes, leaders of these cliques and order the violence on students wishing to join the ‘tribe’.

The other video shows a student hitting another in the face while the latter sat on a chair in the classroom.

The situation escalated into a fight which was quickly broken up by another student.

When contacted, a school official acknowledged knowing of the incidents and the videos circulating on social media but directed all queries from Newsday to the Ministry of Education.

President of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai said although he did not see the footage on social media, the union is strongly condemning any and all act of violence and bullying in the nation’s schools.

“If the incident took place at CIC, it demonstrates that indiscipline and violence is not only confined to government secondary schools but even these so-called ‘prestige schools’,” Doodhai said.

“Any incident such as fights among students in or out of school, is condemned by TTUTA and at the same time we hope that a zero tolerance approach will be taken from within schools and the perpetrators dealt with in a very decisive manner.” Efforts to reach Education Minister Anthony Garcia on several occasions yesterday proved futile as calls to his cell phone went unanswered.

In a message posted on YouTube, Khan not only defended his share ownership at St Augustine Private Hospital (SAPH) he reiterated his belief that the attack by Deyalsingh was inspired by someone within the Opposition United National Congress, of which Khan is a member.

“The Minister of Health indicated that I had 250,000 shares in St Augustine Private hospital which I’ve had since 1999. I’ve always declared that to the In tegrity Commission,” Khan said adding, “It’s unfortunate that it was used to say that I should not be signing licenses as an administrative duty as a Minister for hospitals in this country.” He continued: “I delegated that to the Chief medical officer because I recused myself from everything occurring at St Augustine Private Hospital when I was Minister of Health.” Khan said he also resigned as a director after becoming Health Minister and had allowed the board of directors to deal with the shareholding assets.

“I declared everything to the Integrity Commission so to be hit like that is unfortunate,” he said. “However, as Mr (Basdeo) Panday always said, the PNM is the enemy however you have to be careful of the people around you because somebody obviously fed that to the PNM to deal with me in some manner”.

At 2.45 am, Sangre Grande CID police were on patrol when they saw movement inside the Guaico Service Station off the Eastern Main Road.

At the time, the gas station was locked for the night. The intruders removed the metre from the service station which caused the electricity to go out.

Police radioed for back-up and the gas station was surrounded.

They subsequently arrested the two men who are said to be in their early 20s.

In the course of investigations, police discovered house-breaking implements and a bag containing a quantity of cigarettes and other items taken from the gas station.

Gas station owner Roopnarine Gajadhar was contacted and later thanked officers for arresting the burglars.

Police said the suspects will be placed on ID parades as they are believed to be part of a ring of burglars operating in the Sangre Grande and Guaico areas.

The device which has since been sent for testing was found attached to a timer, with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping and with a hand written note stuck on it. The note, investigators said read, “there is another one” on the compound.

According to police, at about 1 am yesterday, a security officer on duty was patrolling the compound of the courthouse when he made the discovery.

Reports said he observed the device in the yard near the western side of the building.

Reports further stated that upon further investigations, the security officer spotted the timer on the device and immediately contacted police from the Chaguanas Police Station. The station is located a stone’s throw away from the courthouse.

Police, along with officers from the Bomb Squad and K9 units, visited the courthouse and searched the compound. The device was removed and is being thoroughly investigated.

A senior officer told Newsday that whoever planted the device was “up to mischief to cause panic or have a case postponed.” Police are also reviewing footage from CCTV cameras.

Yesterday, court started at 9.30 am however, prisoners from the Remand Yard were not brought and all cases were adjourned in absentia

Throughout our lifetime we experience either physical and or emotional pain and how we embrace and treat with it is totally dependent on our psyche and of course, the circumstances, which only the person feeling that pain can explain.

Because pain is influenced by other emotions such as guilt, anger or even hurt, for many of us it does not land well.

Similar to positive emotions, negative emotions draw us closer to who we are, and also a stronger understanding of the external environment.

Deep introspection as well as research show that pain is one of life’s greatest teachers and therefore, thinking laterally, presents a unique opportunity for us to embrace pain together with its pleasurable dissimilars.

Pain also broadens our spiritual IQ, which is the beginning of our personal growth which can be painful at times.

There are two distinct phases that are imminent as you grow through pain.

Firstly, due to our passive nature, pain is usually experienced in the sub-conscious; however, as we grow older our understanding as well as our response to pain is different and perhaps unpleasant.

Some of our pain is felt from afar depending on our alignment with the particular situation –events such as war and physical conflicts present this experience.

We grow and learn through the pain felt by the death of a loved one, or the murder of a human being particularly if it is a child. Pain hits harder through family ill-health and broken relationships with someone you truly loved.

When these occurrences take place, our psyche changes immediately with a different level of self-awareness and personal growth.

Opportunities knock for a renewed thinking that says to us, life is constant and would never be the same day to day.

Many of us live our lives with the belief that every day is and should be the same but that is near impossible as our lights must shine differently if we are to be innovative and creative beings.

The effects of pain symbolises the fact that opposites must exist simultaneously, positive must be paired with negative, and happiness with sadness. Stop for a moment and reflect on some of your past painful experiences and there would have been some opposite elements.

Remember pain offers us tremendous opportunities to not only grow but to also uncover new potential.

Sandrine Rattan is a communications/ branding consultant, author and president of the International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN) Contact: thecorporatesuitett@ gmail.

com, intlwomensresourcenetwork@ gmail.com or contact 283-0318.

The team also included Spicemas Corporation chairperson and CEO Jocelyn Sylvester- Gairy and Kirk Seetahal, Grenada Tourism Authority’s (GTA ) Delran A T Andrews and Roger Augustine, and Radisson’s Grenada sales manager Arleen Redhead. Officials from several other hotels in Grenada were also on the trip.

Spicemas takes place August 14 – 15 and is the last carnival in this part of the Caribbean.

The contingent met with the media, travel agents and others interested in Grenada as a destination.

At the first meeting at the Radisson, Wrightson Road, Portof- Spain, last Tuesday, Hood said: “Our culture is part of who we are and we must always preserve and protect it.” She said that Grenada was a safe destination and Trinidadians must come and be a part of it.

Grenada’s Ambassador to Caricom Dr Patrick Antoine also spoke to the gathering. He said: “People who come to Grenada experience the safest Carnival ever, there is a sense of security as there is none safer. You can enjoy the spirit of love and unity in an island that is extremely peaceful.

We want you to enjoy the uniqueness and diversity of the Grenadian product. I want Trinidad and Tobago to walk this walk with us, come to Grenada and share with us.” Antoine said he knows all about Carnival as he has been around with his family, Mike Antoine in Legends [Legacy] in Trinidad.

Sylvester-Gairy said: “Carnival is a deeply creative event celebrating years of history. It gives visitors an opportunity to gaze back through a time lens while giving nationals renewed pride and ownership as its architects.

“Carnival opens up occasions for rebirth through masks, costumes, music, and pageantry; sending older folks reminiscing back in time and giving younger folk the chance to learn, experience and reclaim history. Each is allowed the freedom to own and enjoy the uniqueness of Grenada’s carnival.” Grenada boasts about the best and most unique jab jab in Carnival and has now put a strong hold on the beauty that is Monday Night mas.

Once there is a constant flow of people to and from both islands, there will be an immediate improvement in human relations — love, peace and togetherness would evolve.

For too long there has been talk about a sea bridge but that has always collapsed. We are a country of talkers and not doers. We are just babbling our mouths that we are the best in this and that, with no concrete evidence to show.

Tobago is anti-Trinidad and vice versa ever since Dr Eric Williams (deceased) made statements that I will not repeat.

Tobago is closer to Grenada than Trinidad.

It is practically in Grenada’s territorial waters, and was once a ward of that country.

Likewise, Trinidad is much closer to Venezuela than Tobago. Just visit Cedros (Icacos) and observe.

If something is not implemented sooner than later, Tobago is going to secede from Trinidad as soon as it receives all that it needs, which is not far away. But Tobago will run into a roadblock — there is no oil. Tourism will always be the economic factor of Tobago.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, the ball is in your court. Start the ball rolling.

EARL MARTIN Trincity