Renaldo, a native of Sangre Grande, competed in the Under- 19 category. In the boys doubles finals, Renaldo, along with his partner Stefano Bedasie, had to overcome Mikael Joachim and Nathaniel Khillawan, as they squeezed past the pair 21-18, 12-21, 22-20. In the mixed doubles category, Renaldo teamed up with Nelida Bedasie to win in three games against Khillawan and Ralitsa Wong, this time coming from one game down to register a 14-21, 21-14, 21-13 victory.

In the marquee boys singles, Renaldo, who will be presenting Trinidad and Tobago at the Pan American Championships in Canada in July, defeated Khillawan 21-18, 21-14 to sweep all the top honours in the age group.

A similar story unfolded in the Under-13 category, as Travis also took top honours in all three categories in which he competed.

In the boys doubles, he paired with Seth Mollah to defeat Andrew and James Babwah 21-9, 21- 5. Travis returned later to team with Sonja Cassie to beat Seth Mollah and Jada Smith, 21-10 21-8 in the mixed doubles final.

His final win of the night came as he defeated Mollah 21-6, 21-5 to be crowned singles champion of the Under-13 division.

In the Under-11 division, Barnes beamed from the podium as she collected trophies after victories in the girls doubles, mixed doubles and girls singles categories.

In the girls doubles finals, Barnes and Yelena Lewis got past Kara Ashley Robertson and Amara Urquhart 21-10 21-19. In the mixed doubles category, she paired with Jace Smith to defeat Nadav Singh and Sanna Guria 21-13, 21-18, and completed the triple crown with a hard fought win over rival Amara Urquhart 9-21, 21-19, 21-19 in the singles.

OTHER CHAMPIONS
Girls Doubles U-19: Chequeda Deboulet/Ralitsa Wong (Shuttleforce)
Girls Singles U-19 Ralitsa Wong (Shuttleforce)
Girls Doubles U-17: Shania Lee/Eban Sandy (Samurai)
Boys Doubles U-17: Leon Cassie/ Josef Gonzalez (CBAC)
Mixed Doubles U-17: Leon Cassie/Sandhya Cassie
Girls Singles U-17: Chequeda Deboulet (Shuttleforce)
Boys Singles U-17: Vance Juteram (FMT)
Girls Doubles U-15: Zharia Hinds/Cathline Ramroop (Samurai)
Boys Doubles U-15: Reece Marcano/Zion St Rose (Shuttleforce)
Mixed Doubles U-15: Reval Jaggessar/Sadhika Jaggessar (CBAC)
Girls Singles U-15: Cathline Ramroop (Samurai)
Boys Singles U-15: Reece Marcano (Shuttleforce)
Girls Doubles U-13: Amara Joachim/Danae Mootoosingh (Southern Stars)
Girls Singles U-13: Amara Joachim (Southern Stars)
Boys Doubles U-11: Jamahl Mason/Nadav Singh (Southern Stars)
Boys Singles U-11: Jace Smith

According to the fourth report of the Public Accounts Enterprises Committee (PAEC) on an examination of CEPEP’s financial statements from 2009 to 2014, the committee said written evidence from CEPEP showed, “In 2016, CEPEP’s cost pertaining to contractors and the Government’s subvention were $36,662,000 and $40,000,000, respectively.” However, the PAEC observed that this year, while the total cost with respect to contractors remained constant, Government subvention decreased by $5,000,000 which resulted in a deficit. In light of this, the committee recommended that CEPEP should conduct an immediate review of the quantum paid in management fees. The committee also recommended that CEPEP “take immediate steps to monitor, evaluate and review all contracts and management fees.

In its report, the PAEC noted that CEPEP moved its head office from Chaguanas to Ste Madeleine in 2016. The committee said this was “a very cost effective move” because the rent at the facility in Chaguanas began at $288,154 a month in 2009 and increased to $422,173 by 2012. It added that the building in Ste Madeleine which CEPEP now occupies “is free.”

And while sources say an estimated 20,000 gallons of bunker fuel was accidentally released from the company’s storage tank on Sunday evening , Petrotrin via media release on Sunday night stated, “ Initial estimates at 8.00 pm indicate some 20 barrels of fuel oil would have escaped the company’s containment.” Petrotrin, in a media release yesterday issued by the Corporate Communications Department, stated, Petrotrin’s response teams and operations personnel were working with the regulatory bodies and the Energy Ministry engaged in clean-up and recovery efforts at Pointe-a-Pierre.

“In addition to escalating its ongoing containment, monitoring and testing activities, personnel were engaged in the conduct of aerial surveys to ascertain the extent of the spill. Specialist cleaning contractors have been engaged and as a precautionary measure, booms have been deployed,” the release stated.

On Sunday, after the discovery, Petrotrin officials notified regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the Institute of Marine Affairs as well as the Energy and Energy Industries Ministry.

In 2013, residents of La Brea and environs faced one of the worst oil spills. But yesterday, president of the La Brea Fisherfolk Association Alvin La Borde said there were no signs that any of the chemicals had reached the community.

“So far everything is normal and we hope it remains so. No oil came down this way. We see officials from the IMA, EMA and Petrotrin visited the area this morning and were checking to see if they discovered anything,” said La Borde.

Chief Education and Research Officer at the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union Ozzi Warwick said “comrades” of the union were preparing reports on the issue.

Once completed, he promised the union will issue a formal statement on the matter.

Sources revealed that a senior officer contacted his colleagues in the Eastern Division and assured that attempts are now being made to relocate officers as an option or to speed up the refurbishment work.

The close to 60 officers have been complaining about the excessive heat and dust blowing in their faces.

They have also complained about the lack of washroom facilities and proper place for them to have meals.

The Police Service Social and Welfare Association yesterday urged Deputy Commissioner of Police Deodath Dulalchan who is in charge of all police stations to remedy the situation or possibly face action by the officers.

Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon has also been asked to intervene.

Even as Coast Guard divers and Air Guard officials continued to search, relatives yesterday told Newsday they would not give up until Sammy John of Henry Street, Orange Valley, is found.

Police said John and another man went out to sea in a pirogue and then transferred to a trawler to do repair work.

A rope which fastened the boat to the trawler became loose and John jumped into the sea to stop the pirogue from drifting away. He got into difficulties and disappeared.

John’s sister, Samantha Gayah-Lallo, said yesterday her brother’s disappearance came as a shock to the family. She said only a few months ago their mother had suffered a stroke and now she is not coping at all.

“She can’t sleep at nights; she keeps crying. We did not expect this as all. I can’t believe he is gone.

This really hurts,” Gaya-Lallo said.

She said all the family wants now is to get closure. “We just want to find his body to put him to rest.

This is all we want and we will not give up the search until he is found,” she said.

Permanent Secretary of the Gender and Child Affairs Division of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Jacqueline Johnson announced this at the opening of a workshop on the CDAW (Convention in the Discrimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) at Cabildo Chambers in Port-of- Spain on Sunday.

Speaking on behalf of Minister of State in the OPM Ayanna Webster-Roy, Johnson said Government’s commitment to CDAW is highlighted in its Vision 2030 document which was laid in the House of Representatives last Friday. “We all need to look at that document closely to see what we have to do in order to achieve gender equality by 2030,” she stated. Citing rape and domestic violence as hurdles to gender equality, Johnson said, “We all know this because we see it regularly in the newspaper.” She said Government takes the view that, “One case of rape or domestic violence is too much in society.” Johnson said while many girls and women are taking advantage of educational opportunities available to them, “Many of our women have to contend with sexual harassment on our streets and in the workplace.” She said several policy and service initiatives already started, “will soon be made public in a bid to remedy this area in both the public and private sector.” Johnson added there is also a need to ensure “There is parity in remunera- tion such that women receive equal pay as their male counterparts for work of equal value.” Saying gender equality is not something which any government can achieve on its own, Johnson said Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to achieve this objective. Working Group on Discrimination Against Women (WGDAW) chairwoman Alda Facio said the placement of gender equality in any nation’s constitution does not guarantee it. Facio said this was an obligation which all states must fulfil. Facio added that discrimination in the world will never be eliminated as long as there is a single instance of violence against women.

Equal Opportunities Commission chairwoman Lynette Seebaran-Suite said there needed to be a proper definition of sexual discrimination.

She also said the CDAW spoke to issues such as child marriages and the establishment of a national gender policy which are critical to ensuring this country meets its obligations under the Convention.

Before the debate resumes, Opposition Senator Wade Mark will pose questions to Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Attorney General Faris Al Rawi on measures to improve this country’s gross domestic product and Government’s timetable in carrying out the death penalty, respectively.

The House of Representatives sits at 1.30 pm on Friday at Tower D to continue debate on a motion filed by Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh about the economy.

This week at the British High Commission we are celebrating the 91st birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

This is a milestone in itself.

But February 6 also marked Her Majesty’s Sapphire Anniversary, 65 years since she acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom.

This makes the queen the longest- serving monarch in British history and the world’s longest- reigning living sovereign.

As we celebrate both of those anniversaries this week, it strikes me that the sapphire connection is particularly apt.

The qualities of wisdom, virtue and resilience which Her Majesty embodies have served Britain, the Commonwealth and the world well during the last 65 years.

Her wisdom derives in part no doubt from long experience.

She has after all seen 13 British Prime Ministers during her reign. Her wisdom also comes from a dedication to a life of service to the public in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, during which she has visited over 100 countries.

We also take this moment to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s virtuous commitment to charity.

During her reign she has supported more than 600 charities, from national military and sporting bodies, to local associations, to organisations championing children’s rights, faith, education and the arts. Her Majesty’s support as a patron has been unwavering, highlighting the value of active engagement in society and service to community.

The queen’s steadfast resilience has seen the people of Britain and the Commonwealth nations through times of great change and uncertainty, as well as those of peace and tranquillity.

At the British High Commission we take inspiration from these qualities shown by our “Sapphire Queen.” Wisdom, virtue and resilience provide an excellent guide as we go about our work in developing the partnership between our two countries. Whether in supporting much-needed criminal justice reform, a drive to tackle the cancer of corruption in our countries, efforts to tackle gender- based violence or our support for local charities.

I am delighted that a number of our partners in this country, including bpTT , G4S, Angostura, First Citizens, Atlantic LNG, Oxford Motors, Shell Trinidad Ltd, Unilever, Massy Wood Group and the TT Fine Cocoa Company, are supporting us in making this year’s celebration of Her Majesty’s birthday particularly memorable.

Queen Elizabeth has particularly fond memories of her visits to TT , most recently in 2009 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, an event which Britain is proud to be hosting in 2018. Her Majesty asked that I send her warm greetings to His Excellency the President, the Government and people of TT as we celebrate her birthday this week.

TIM STEW British High Commissioner

The industry overlaps with many other sectors including tourism; the storage and transport of fish, meats, fruit and vegetables; the industrial sector; the medical sector with respect to operating theatres, the storing of vaccines, and even the morgue.

“When you think about it, AC and refrigeration is way more than just sitting in a cool room. It underpins a lot of the sectors that drive our economy or at least allow it to be stable,” said Dr Marissa Gowrie, Deputy Environmental Manager and National Ozone Officer in the Environmental Policy and Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning and Development.

Gowrie told Newsday that in August 1989, Trinidad and Tobago signed on to the Montreal Protocol which addressed the depletion of the Ozone Layer and set obligations for countries under the Protocol.

She explained the ozone layer was basically a UV filter, and that unfiltered UV rays could cause illnesses such as skin cancer, cataracts, and weakened immune systems. The hole in the Ozone Layer is a result of gases released into the atmosphere, including refrigerants such as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs); the fumigant Methyl bromide; Halon, a fire suppressant; and more.

“The countries came together in the 1980s and agreed to phase out these ozone depleting gases but the gases affect the ozone differently.

The Montreal Protocol addressed the worst ones first. However, in doing so, there was a time lag so all the others started to be used in so much quantity that their effect was just as bad. So the Montreal Protocol brought up the phaseout date for some of these gases.” Therefore, the National Ozone Unit has helped develop support systems and framework to assist TT in meeting the obligations of the Montreal Protocol, as well as safeguarding the country.

She noted that in 2007 the use of CFCs were phased out, the process of phasing out HCFCs began in 2013, and in 2015, TT banned the import of all assembled air condition (AC) and refrigeration units that use HCFCs.

Also, in collaboration with the TT Bureau of Standards, the Ozone Unit developed labelling standards for refrigerants coming into the country ; a license is now necessary to import all refrigerants; national guidelines for AC and refrigeration practices was developed; and the Unit was also in the final stages of developing an equipment labelling standard.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION One of the more recent steps was the Professional Certification for the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry which was launched on April 12 this year at the Hilton Trinidad.

Gowrie said the Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Association (ARIA) noticed a lack of professionalism and accountability in the industry.

The organisation felt it critical to address these issues given the various sectors it services and so approached the Ministry.

“For many years ARIA has been voicing that they were seeing a lot of practices they would not endorse. Because of the very rapid changes in technology and refrigerants, a technician needs to be kept abreast, must keep themselves current, and, let’s face it, as a consumer you assume the technician would give you the best technical advice because you don’t know better.”

In reply to queries by Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim, permanent secretary in the ministry Suzette Lee Chee said the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio is now 60 percent and is expected to rise to 63 percent this year. She said the ministry’s target is to never exceed a ratio of 65 percent.

“We want a zero deficit by 2020,” Lee Chee added, explaining that while the State owes significant payments for this year, she hopes for an increase in GDP – a measure of economic activity of which an increase would lower the debt-to-GDP ratio to better levels. Lee Chee noted that the debt-to-GDP ratio excludes the non-guaranteed debt also owed by the State.

Karim asked what are the effects a worsening ratio in future.

Lee Chee replied that this could cause Government to be unable to finance its projects, plus a higher cost of borrowing. “You can get to a point where you don’t have a level of autonomy and independence.

More and more of your revenue will be constrained to pay for debt servicing. You have less and less to grow your economy.” Lee Chee repeatedly emphasised that a Government must look at the quality of its debt, that is, has the borrowing been to pay recurrent (consumptive) expenditure or to invest in capital projects that will generate a revenue.

JSC chairman David Small lamented that the State Enterprises which have created the highest debts among the $19 billion in guaranteed debt do not earn any revenue. He listed these as Udecott ($4 billion owed), Nipdec ($3.1 billion), Nidco ($1.5 billion) and Caribbean Airlines Limited ($825 million).

Earlier Government Senator Dr Lester Henry revealed that BWIA has a debt of $9 million, down from $18 million due to a $9 million payment on principal in November 2016.

Asked of plans to manage this debt, Lee Chee said State companies do not have revenue streams but their projects could stimulate the economy.

Saying the National Gas Company (NGC) is using debt to fund its operations, Small asked if this scenario is an economic red flag.

Lee Chee said this all depends of many factors such as if the borrowing is used to bring a return and or the tenor of the debt such as if it is short-term which tends to be riskier than longer term debts.

She said the ministry is holding preliminary discussions to consider re-financing Petrotrin’s 2019 bond.

“We’d look at a potential partial re-financing on the domestic market, but have taken no decisions as yet.” Asked if the debt-to-GDP ratio of 60 percent is okay compared to other nations, Lee Chee replied, “We are in a very good position.

We have sufficient buffers.

Amongst these buffers, she listed the US$5 billion Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, some ten months of import cover plus money in a sinking fund. The ministry’s director of economic research Hayden Manzano said some Caricom countries have debt-to-GDP ratios of 100 percent and 120 percent.

Lee Chee in reply to Karim said scheduled inflows of revenue from Clico to the State will likely soon help reduce the State’s need to borrow.

Asked by Newsday if the $34 billion debt was a cause for worry, economist Indera Sagewan-Alli replied, “Of course.” She said, “We should be concerned, just as is reflected in the recent downgrade of TT from Standard and Poor’s which measures TT’s credit worthiness and the level of risk in lending to the country.

“The downgrade reflects a very worrying situation regarding accelerated borrowing.” On top of the debt itself, Sagewan-Alli said are no signs of anything happening on any front to turn things around economically.

Citing the energy sector as the country’s economic mainstay, she said the ongoing serious shortage of natural gas has affected downstream industries to the extent that two methanol plants have recently had to shut down, even as other petrochemical facilities are operating way below capacity.

Alluding to Venezuela’s Dragon Field which is due to supply gas to Point Lisas, she said, “We are relying on an arrangement with a very volatile government for gas. It will not come in the short term. Anything could happen.

We could be digging a hole and throwing away our money.” She was also concerned for the oil-sub-sector. “Even if the world oil-price goes back up, we are not producing. We don’t have the volume to benefit from a rebound in price. The energy sector is not a very bright picture, and there is no other sector that is promising.”