Today’s semi-finals will see south teams First Citizens Clarke Road United and PowerGen Penal Sports Club in action. Clarke Road play Merryboys in the first semi-final at 3pm and will be followed by PowerGen Penal against Central Sports in the second game of the double-header at 7 pm.

There will be new champions this year as Central Sports defeated 2016 winners Queen’s Park on Saturday when action got going at the Brian Lara Stadium.

PowerGen easily brushed aside Victoria United while Clarke Road defeated Courts Orangefield and Merryboys beat Cane Farm United in the other quarter- final games.

A number of national and regional players will feature in the two semi-finals with West Indies picks Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Andre Fletcher and Delorn Johnson appearing for PowerGen Penal Sports Club.

National and West Indies “A” Team opener Kyle Hope, Yannick Ottley, promising young fast bowler Anderson Philips and Jyd Goolie will feature in the Clarke Road team.

TT Red Force captain Marlon Richards will lead Merryboys while Central Sports will be led by former national player Shazam Babwah and will have Jamaica Scorpions Super 50 player Steven Taylor in their line-up.

Admission to the games are $40 for today’s double-header and $60 for tomorrow’s final.

He topscored with 61 and featured in three useful partnerships as his team overpowered Dreadnoughts Sports Club by 98 runs in the final at the Brian Lara Academy, Tarouba on Tuesday night.

Barrackpore United amassed 187 runs for five wickets in their 20 overs while Dreadnoughts were dismissed for 89 in 18.4 overs.

Rambaran forged a 63-run second wicket partnership with Sylus Cooper who made 54 and dominated the proceedings with four massive sixes and three fours off 27 balls.

The captain and Peter Grimes (25) added 46 for the third wicket and 26 for the fifth wicket with Javed Mohammed who remained undefeated in 20 that included two sixes off 12 balls.

Rambaran’s knock was decorated with four sixes and two fours off 45 deliveries while he returned with the ball to capture two wickets for 12 runs in his four-over spell that earned him two major prizes – “Man of Match” and “Best Batsman”.

Jabari Mills (3/5), Rambaran (2/12) and Darren Beekah (2/14) completed the demolition job for Barrakpore.

Mills collected the “Best Bowler” prize.

Barrackpore United collected the TT CB Championship Division T20 Trophy and $40,000 first prize while Dreadnoughts’ skipper Brendon Delarosa received the runners-up cheque worth $25,000.

Richards is urging President Anthony Carmona to intervene to rein in the service commission which he accused of unconstitutional behaviour.

“On the eve of assessment (for promotion), officers don’t have time to meet these criteria.” At a news conference at their Railway Road, Arouca office on Tuesday, Richards said the service commission, without consultation, had suddenly proposed the superior qualifications as a criterion to amend a list previously agreed to under Prison Service General Order No 22 of 2011.

He vowed to oppose the proposals which, he said, were already causing disenchantment among prison officers.

Richards said many negatives were affecting the service and he wondered if someone was trying to run it down in order to prepare for it to be privatised. “I wonder what’s the real agenda.” General secretary Gerard Gordon urged that prison officers be given their own prison services commission just as there exists a Police Service Commission.

Promotion in the Prison Service Second Division depends on an officer accruing points in several areas including fitness, time spent in preceding rank, special courses, performance appraisal, devotion to duty, knowledge of duty and disciplinary report. However a December 2016 service commission letter proposed to replace the seniority consideration with a special qualification criterion. While the 2011 document said 20 years of service is worth 15 points, the 2016 letter awards those same points by having a Master’s degree. Likewise, to earn 12 points, the old criterion of 15 to 20 years of service is to be replaced by the fact of holding a post graduate diploma, while holding a first degree is worth ten points, compared to nine points at present awarded for 10 to 14 years of service.

He said all Central Bank’s contractor did was erect a security booth at his home.

Rambarran said this was the only thing paid for by the bank and the cost of repairs to his home was paid by him.

He was testifying in a defamation lawsuit against People’s National Movement Senator and University of the West Indies lecturer Dr Lester Henry.

Rambarran has complained of statements made by Henry on June 9, 2014 while he was a guest on the Afternoon Drive programme on i95.5FM.

He is also alleging that the words uttered by Henry were done with malice and without making any attempt to verify the facts when he spoke of Rambarran’s qualifications, experience and appointment as Central Bank governor.

Justice Devindra Rampersad is hearing the matter in the Port of Spain High Court. Under cross-examination by Henry’s attorney Senior Counsel Gilbert Peterson, Rambarran accepted that in the radio interview Henry called for an investigation into the expenditure by the Central Bank at Rambarran’s private residence. He also admitted that any spending by the bank should be transparent and said the expenditure could be found in the Central Bank’s annual report.

He said he chose to return to his private residence six months into his appointment because of family considerations and because the official residence provided by the bank at Federation Park was in dire need of repairs.

This, he said, would have led to significant expenditure to make it habitable.

Henry said in his testimony that while he could not remember all the statements he made during the radio interview, he made them based on information he had that the Central Bank paid for repairs to Rambarran’s private residence.

“I did not know that as a fact,” he testified, reiterating that it was based on information he had. Henry also denied that the statements he made were defamatory.

He admitted that he never sought clarification of the issue by filing a question in the Senate nor did he file an application under the Freedom of Information Act to elicit the facts about the work done at Rambarran’s private residence.

“I conducted an investigation before making the statements,” he said when questioned by Rambarran’s attorney Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan.

Henry said he held the belief that Rambarran was not qualified for the position.

“I thought he was the least qualified of the potential applicants.” Henry said he knew of the other candidates who were being considered by then prime minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar and it was his opinion that Rambarran was not a suitable appointment.

He also said he received a recording of the interview from the radio station but did not disclose it in the case because he did not think it was relevant or admissible.

Rambarran replaced Ewart Williams in 2012 and was fired on December 24, 2015 by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Directions have been given by the judge for the filing of written submissions by the judge who will give his decision at a later date.

Further downstream, approximately three kilometres from the cave, there is a confluence of the Rio Grande and the Cumaca River to form the North Oropouche

This area where the two rivers merge contain energising pools to refresh and situated on the Rio Grande, just 200 metres away, there is a sulphur spring

The river meanders south-easterly passing through uninhabited regions of the Cumaca Valley to supply water to the WASA North Oropouche Treatment Plant for the people of Sangre Grande, Arima, and surrounding districts

A distinct feature of its channel is the limestone rocks which contain deposits of calcium carbonate (CACO3). This action filters the water to create crystal- clear pools. Hindering the view of its course are interlocking spurs which jut out from the sides of each bend. Although the favourite spot for a river lime is at the Valencia Bridge, however, the hidden beauty of the river is upstream where there are fascinating pools and gorges

The expedition to the upper Bathing at Rincon Basin

regions of the North Oropouche River starts with an hour drive along the undulating Cumaca Road to a landmark house known as Bald Head Springs. The walk to the basins will take 35 minutes and is along a distinct open track that leads through the heart of the Cumaca Forest to the river. Further upstream –a ten-minute walk along the Rio Grande– one can discover the sulphur spring. There is the option to return via the same route or do a short circuit hike down the river channel to the Platanal Bridge. Life jackets will be supplied and are necessary for those wishing to explore the river

Assembly: 7 am at the corner of O’Meara Road and Churchill Roosevelt Highway Arima. (next to FT Farfan) Rating: Fair Hiking time: 35 minutes Walking Distance: 2 kilometres to the river

Suitable for kids seven years and up Note: a slow, one-hour drive along the bumpy Cumaca Road

Life jackets provided For more info: islandhikers.com

At yesterday’s PAEC hearing at the J Hamilton Maurice Room, Tower D, Port-of-Spain, Elias cited business confidentiality in a very competitive environment as the reason for declining to give information.

“We don’t want to be exposed to the very competitors we want to terrorise. I respectfully decline,” he said.

Mark responded, “You cannot decline, but you may request we be ‘in camera’ or that you submit it in writing.” Mark repeated his call and Elias repeated his reply.

When Elias again declined, Mark retorted, “We too decline your offer”. Elias said TSTT is legally in a strange position, as it is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act and the Integrity Commission.

He said 51 percent of stock in TSTT is owed by shareholders of the Na tional Enterprises Limited and not the Government.

Elias said TSTT bought Massy Communications without telling the Government. He said the purchase lets TSTT acquire Massy’s 900 kilometres of fibre optics which serve 34,000 homes, plus some 3,500 clients in Massy’s entertainment base.

The deal will save TSTT 18 months of work in laying fibre-optic cables. He said if the Telecommunications Authority consents, the deal will be sealed in the next few weeks.

Elias was very confident of a bright future for the company despite an official disclosing annual losses in recent years of $600 million (in 2014) and $300 million (in 2016), with a $225 million profit in 2016.

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh asked about those losses compared to the company’s $1.5 billion annual operating costs and $3 billion in revenues over three years. CEO Ronald Walcott said the company is dissatisfied with this result and has recalibrated its five year strategic plan to become an agile broadband provider.

Gopeesingh said a past CEO’s monthly salary was $250,000, but Elias also declined to state Walcott’s salary at the hearing but promised to provide it in writing.

At yesterday’s National Symposium on Midwifery at the University Inn and Conference, UWI, Deyalsingh said 2016 was the first time in years that Mt Hope Women’s Hospital recorded zero maternal deaths. He said he has been working on reducing maternal deaths and infant mortality since he assumed office.

He said when there was an incident at Mt Hope, the media labelled it as “Mt Hopeless.” “Do you know what damage you do to the psyche of the doctors who work there? “Let me tell everyone what we have to deal with. We have to deal with the rejects of the private sector. The private hospitals dump those mothers on public hospitals. You receive them without medical reports and we are supposed to provide care.

The private sector feels if they can’t handle this delivery, they will dump it on the public sector and I say that unapologetically.” Deyalsingh also announced that he would no longer be acting as director of women’s health as Dr Adesh Sirjusingh would officially be taking up that post on May 17.

Sirjusingh, he said, was chosen based on job description, qualifications and experience.

“He was the head of obstetrics and gynaecology in Sangre Grande (Hospital). He would be taking all the policy interventions and implementing them across all maternal hospitals and wards. He would ultimately be the judge on two statistical criteria, that is, getting maternal mortality down to first world country status, and the infant mortality should be down to 13 infant mortalities from 100,000 live births.

The US economy grew at its weakest rate in three years. That seemed to result in a lack of confidence by the public, and a conservative attitude towards spending. The reading was that the weak Q1 numbers deal a blow to plans by Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin for growth of three percent or better.

But according to Reuters, the Q1 figures don’t tell the whole story.

“A surge in business investment and wage growth suggested activity would regain momentum as the year progresses. Wage growth in the first quarter was the fastest in ten years as the labour market nears full employment and business investment on equipment was the strongest since the third quarter of 2015.” Adds Reuters: “Also underscoring the economy’s underlying strength, consumer and business confidence are near multi-year highs.” This assessment is consistent with the general picture worldwide, as surveyed by ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and IMA, Institute of Management Accountants, in their Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS). GECS is the largest regular economic survey of accountants around the world, in terms of number of respondents and the range of economic variables it monitors. There were 1,334 responses from ACCA and IMA members around the world, including more than 150 CFOs. The survey shows that global business confidence rebounded in the first quarter of 2017 and is now at its highest level since the second quarter of 2015. The world had looked a bit different six months ago when Donald Trump was elected.

Put into office on platform of heavy protectionism, with the Leave campaign triumphant in the UK in June, and the election of Marine Le Pen of the National Front a real possibility in France, policy in these three significantly sized markets seemed about to undergo major change.

But the mood is different now. The rate of growth of global trade (of all things) is the fastest it’s been since 2015. On domestic spending, the experts surveyed think that there’s a good chance that it could significantly increase in major European economies, as the unpopular but necessary-at-the-time austerity measures come to an end. They’re preparing to unband their bellies a little, even as we in Trinidad and Tobago tighten.

The survey reports clear signs of a synchronised and sustained recovery since 2011, and expects that to continue over the next two quarters. The other side of the US protectionist coin is tax cuts and spending.

So while there had been (and there still are to some extent) expectations of tightened trade, there are also expectations of increased infrastructural spending and tax cuts. Both have contributed to a buoyant business mood, even though little has actually materialised as policy.

Although there’s more glumness than cheer in the Caribbean, increased consumer confidence in the US generally portends good news for the region. If for example consumer spending picks up, some of those dollars would head to Caribbean destinations, at Fyre levels and below.

The Caribbean Tourism Organisation reported visitor numbers of 29.3 million in 2016, up 4.2 percent year on year. Belize, Turks and Caicos, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Guyana, Grenada and Montserrat all recorded double digit increases from the US. Despites the struggles of other sectors of the economy, this is welcome good news for the Caribbean.

Public debt, for example, remains high, especially in the tourism-dependent economies. Since 2010, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Jamaica (twice) have had to default on and restructure their debts. Only two countries in the Caribbean and Central America have successfully achieved a large debt reduction since 1990 without defaulting – Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago is dealing with grim economic news of credit downgrades and the introduction of a new property tax, but it can take some comfort in this.

Cautionary tale, though. There are inflationary fears, with nearly half (46 percent) of firms reporting increasing costs as a cause for concern. Despite this, 22 percent are planning to create more jobs and raise capital expenditure, up from 16 percent and 14 percent respectively in the fourth quarter of last year. Despite the notes of caution, there are signs that the global economy is returning to some health after some tough years. The IMF is expecting global growth of 3.4 percent this year, the fastest rate since 2012.

Follow or ping me a response on twitter, @oringordon.

At 8 am, fire was seen coming from one of the company’s flare stacks.

Residents living along the Guaracara River some 100 yards away from the refinery’s border said they experienced intense levels of heat and felt the earth vibrate which left cracks on the walls of some of the houses.

Residents, unaware of the cause of the heat and shaking, feared the worst. Allister Cephus, a Battoo Avenue resident and representative of the Marabella NGO, criticised Petrotrin’s Health and Safety protocols, saying there was no alarm to warn residents of the flare and Petrotrin took too long to send officials to quell their fears.

“HSE needs to do something. It is 2017. We looking to go into first world status but watch the dilapidated state of the refinery,” Cephus said as he pointed to rusted tanks and pipes in the distance which he said only heightens the fears of the nearby residents.

“If that is the way they keeping the refinery, what about our lives? We need this present government to attend to the people. Dr Keith Rowley, we want you to come and attend to the people please because this thing is getting out of hand.” In a release, Petrotrin described the incident as an “upset condition at the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery accompanied by higher than normal flaring.” Flare stacks are used to burn off unusable gases released by during unplanned over-pressuring of plant equipment.

Petrotrin’s communications department explained to Newsday that th term “upset condition” meant there was an unusually high amount of excess gas to be burned off, thus resulting in the fear-inducing flaring yesterday morning.

Petrotrin said the situation was normalised and company officials were dispatched to the Marabella community in its wake. Asked whether there was the possibility of the flare occurring again and if there was the possibility of any adverse effects for nearby communities, Petrotrin said there were inherent risks associated due to the nature of its business.

But Cephus said the flare was just the latest in a series of woes residents are growing tired of enduring, including oil spills and gas emissions which make some of them sick. He called on the relevant authorities to assist residents in being relocated.

“He was a motivating factor in me deciding to establish Wiljo Enterprises Ltd after his death to be able to expand more in the quarrying industry, through Wiljo’s services,” Nigel says

He explains that after his father’s death and becoming CEO of Wilson’s Quarries Ltd, for a substantial period of time he was forced to rent equipment to continue business operations – an expensive and daunting task in a globally strapped economy

Through the support and backing he has achieved in the Vision Achiever Programme from Scotiabank, he has been able to establish Wiljo Enterprises as the first stepping stone in the solution to the logistical and financial challenges he faced

“Wiljo Enterprises Ltd is a company that engages in the mining aspect of the quarrying industry, as well as the rental of heavy equipment such as excavators, transport services, and the mining expertise involved,” he expands on the services his new startup is providing while solving his internal challenges at Wilson’s Quarries Ltd

“The Vision Achiever Award is a highlight of a great achievement for both myself and for my company; it symbolises the effort and discipline that I put into the programme to better myself in all areas,” he says

The Scotiabank Vision Achiever Programme was launched in 2016, and was developed to provide business owners and entrepreneurs build their management capacities and to provide them with financial solutions

In its inaugural year, the programme partnered with Indira Couch, CEO of ActionCOACH Trinidad and Tobago, a member of a global network that has helped thousands of companies achieve more profits, build better teams, and business owners to work smarter

Wilson says he entered the programme to expand his business knowledge and principles that he could apply to his company for progressive changes and growth, as well as make him a more informed CEO

“I was destined to gain experience from other business associates that participated, and I learned a thing or two from them,” he says of the networking the programme facilitated. He says his focus was never placed on winning but rather challenging himself to push beyond his comfort zone and tap into his full potential – this focus is what he says helped him secure his second-place spot

He reveals his uniqueness as an entrepreneur is based on his extensive portfolio and his determination to succeed, as well as what he describes as a democratic management style, which allows him “the opportunity to listen to others and bear the risk of trying out new techniques which can be beneficial.” After his success in the Vision Achiever Programme, he hopes to continue the implementation, testing, and measuring of new strategies, policies, and measures imparted at both Wilson’s Quarries and Wiljo’s Enterprises

“I’m also hoping to be exposed to other programmes like Vision Achiever so that I can further myself as a professional and wellqualified entrepreneur.” His recent Vision Achiever experience has also given him the desire to share with and educate other potential entrepreneurs, who he sees himself in and who he’d like to help shape. His own learning through the programme has had a significant impact on him, engaging him in new practices to reach his desired business goals

“As a businessman, I’ve learned that learning from others’ mistakes in my industry makes it easier to avoid being held back,” he says of the importance of observation in the marketplace

His prized qualities as an entrepreneur include taking risks at the appropriate times, tough decision-making that results in mild to drastic effects or consequences, and engaging in research, as well as proper testing and measuring of instruments

“The entrepreneurial journey is one that requires change along the way to adapt to new environments,” he comments on another quality that is essential to successful business: the ability to acclimate seamlessly in differing workplace environments and cultures at any given time

He advises other entrepreneurs to not give up in the face of hardships and to always strive to find solutions to their daunting tasks or situations. “There is always a solution,” he says, “but what makes us unique individually? It’s finding the solutions to these circumstances.” He acknowledges that there is strength in individuality as an entrepreneur, and much to be gained from following your instincts in decision-making and problem solving

He commends the Vision Achiever Programme for the business savvy it has afforded him, adding that the programme has played a significant role in his entrepreneurial journey. Of the internal changes the programme has brought about, he says, “[Because of the programme] I will be able to accomplish greater things in the future. It has impacted my goals and the vision that I know I can now reach.” The vision he speaks of is the continued expansion of his business, and its evolution into an organisation that has affiliations with individual companies, creating a workforce and business structure that can handle all aspects of the quarrying and construction industries, following in his late father’s footsteps. “This is my vision, to be able to be part and parcel of creating quality along the way.” Applicants to the Scotiabank initiative were evaluated using ten criteria, including focus on innovation, and sustainability and growth

The 14-week programme for successful candidates included seven sessions of coaching during which they were scored against several qualitative and quantitative criteria to ensure they got the most out of the sessions

Cash prizes were awarded to the top three scoring candidates

A bonus cash prize was awarded to the ‘Social Media Champion’ who received the most online votes

The top three candidates were Jerome Precilla, co-owner of Quick Slice Pizza, Wilson and T’shura Maraj, director of Chemelco East Caribbean Ltd

Maraj also won the social media prize