The athletes are all members of WAKO Trinidad and Tobago (Tatami Division) and the PKATT (Point Kickboxing Association of Trinidad and Tobago).

In the Point Fighting category, Aidan Boodansingh is ranked 10th in the Under-37 kilogramme division, Navindra Ramsarran is ranked sixth in the Under-57kg, Derrian Gomes is ranked 16th in the Under-79kg while Ryan Ramoutar is ranked 17th in the Under-84kg.

Also in the Point Fighting section, Keah Johnson – in the Over- 47kg – is ranked fifth while Saifullah Ali is ranked third in the Under- 47kg and Michael Garcia is ranked 10th in the Under-63kg.

Ramoutar also has the distinction of being among the rankings in the Light Contact category, as he is ninth in the Under-84kg.

Kurell Quamina is ranked third in the Under- 50kg and Derrian Gomes is ranked 18th in the Under-79kg.

These rankings were a result of Trinidad and Tobago’s performances at the 2016 WAKO Pan American Championships, from October 26-30, in Cancun, Mexico. TT were ranked 47th out of the 65 participating nations at the event.

According to a media release, “at a meeting held at the Golden Eagle Gym on Sunday, the WAKO TT (Tatami Division)/PKATT SMA president Martin Mc Clashie congratulated the team on the fantastic performance and thanked the coaches Junior Kistow and Mr Russell, assisted by Jason Walled, for doing their bit in contributing to keeping the Trinidad and Tobago colours flying high

Played under humid conditions, opposite the Botanical Gardens (the game was two halves of 15 minutes), Paul got the first try for St James in the sixth minute when she avoided a couple of challenges to race clear.

And Husbands extended the lead a couple minutes later to put St James 10-0 up midway in the first half.

The energetic Arissa Romany trimmed the lead to 10-5 late in the first half, breaking free in the middle of the field and racing clear to score unchallenged for Bishop Anstey ‘B’.

But Paul ensured that there was no way back for the Bishop ‘B’ squad in the 20th minute, as she found room on the right flank and sped to the goal-line to complete the scoring for St James.

Following the game, Husbands said she was proud of her team’s success. “Overall it was exciting because the team (was) a fairly new team. It was good, being a part of the team that started from scratch because they are all mainly new players,” she said.

Husbands added: “We all grew as a team.

It was great overall, the experience was nice.

Working with them individually, off the field and on the field, was amazing.” Reflecting on the tournament on a whole, she said, “The tournament overall was good, the referees were good, the linesmen, the coaches, interacting with the other teams, it was an overall good experience.” As far as her player/ coach role was concerned, Husbands admitted it was taxing on her to conduct both duties while also focusing on her school work.

“It could be a bit challenging, juggling school and coaching at the same time. But it also helps me to balance my time, with time-management, and it gives me a wider view on life,” she said.

The Lower Six St James Secondary student is looking to continue in the sport for as long as possible.

“I hope to be on the national women’s team soon, but that’s a process,” Husbands said, “I don’t mind taking it up professionally but, after Form Six, I would like to go into Sports Management and hopefully become an ambassador for the sport.”

The initiative is being spearheaded by former Minister of Sport Manohar Ramsaran with assistance and co-operation from various sports organisations including the Monroe Road Cricket Club, and the Monroe Road Masters team.

Ramsaran said that medals and trophies will be at stake in a variety of track and field events including a 5K distance event comprising 10 laps around the cricket field. He added that there will also be the exciting and traditional events like tug-o-war, egg and spoon, needle and thread, three-legged and sack races.

“We are encouraging everyone to come out and participate in this day of fun and engagement with members of our close-knit community.

We have also invited participation from all the schools in the Monroe Road area,” said Ramsaran.

The action is expected to start at 1.30 pm and run into the evening which should not pose any problems said Ramsaran since the ground is floodlit

Belcon is currently the leading scorer in the National League Premiership Three-Day tournament but has not played for the national team in 10 years. The right-hander has scored 334 runs in seven innings this season, at an average of 55.67 with four half centuries. His highest score of 98 came against defending champions Queen’s Park in round two.

The Red Force selectors made six changes to the team that will play Barbados Pride in round nine of the Professional Cricket League Regional Four-Day tournament, starting tomorrow in Barbados.

The six players chosen ahead of Belcon are Kjorn Ottley, Akeil Cooper, Roshon Primus, Tion Webster, Ewart Nicholson and Amir Jangoo.

Cooper, Webster and Jangoo have all earned first time call ups.

Belcon said, “I am not disappointed I was omitted, I am disappointed I was never considered, I was never called. It is a hurtful thing to have the most runs in the country, the stats are there for everyone to see.

Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board has a new system in place that all scores go over the internet.

“The men who getting picked are nowhere near me in runs and right now Trinidad needs an opener. It have nobody could bat fast bowling like me now.” Belcon said rumours seem to have reached the TT CB that he is not interested in four-day cricket which he quickly dispelled.

“It is even more hurtful for my scorer to call me just now, and tell me that he was in contact with an official (named) and he told my scorer that I said I am not interested in four-day cricket… Why would I be unavailable or not interested in playing four-day cricket, but still participate in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board three-day tournament? Does that make any sense?” he asked.

Belcon said some persons are claiming he has a discipline problem, which he also denied. “They say (I have) discipline problems, which discipline problems? I would like them to bring it forward.” Belcon recalled incidents where two national cricketers had issues of indiscipline in the past while playing club cricket, and since then they both went on to represent this country.

The 30 year old has played a total of eight matches in the T20 and 50- over formats for Trinidad and Tobago between 2006 and 2007, but has not been considered since then.

“Right now I am in the form of my life. The scores are there I just did not score a hundred. I got 98 in the Oval, if you check my stats this year I have scored runs against everybody from since the bell ring.

“I have always had ambitions to represent my country, this is the reason why I play. This is the reason why any young boy will join any sport is to reach the top. I am being overlooked, no reason is given.” Contacted yesterday, Chairman of the Red Force selection committee, Raphick Jumadeen, said, “If he’s scoring runs late in the season, what can we do? We are going to look at his performance in this year’s (club) competition, and we certainly will take note of his performances and we will do justice next year.”

TT RED FORCE SQUAD: Marlon Richards (captain), Kjorn Ottley, Isaiah Rajah, Akeil Cooper, Yannic Cariah, Roshon Primus, Tion Webster, Imran Khan, Bryan Charles, Ewart Nicholson, Sheldon Cottrell, Khary Pierre, Amir Jangoo.

In the last few years, a number of high profile Caribbean players declined central contracts from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), leaving them under no compulsion to appear for national duty. One of the diktats of the WICB that has irked the players is being asked to play the Regional Super50 in order to qualify for selection for ODI squad. Considering the aforesaid players all feature in domestic T20 leagues like the Big Bash, which clash with the Super50, they have refused to sign the binding WICB contract.

Richards insisted that the situation has come to pass only because members of the WICB have done a “lousy job” in creating an environment where players feel treasured by the national set-up. “When you have an arrogant administrative unit, guys are going to pick and choose,” Richards told ESP Ncricinfo in Mumbai yesterday. “We must remember that many of the players come from humble backgrounds. I have no qualms in saying this, some of these administrators think they are as important as the players on the field. They are not. It is all about the attraction of the environment that the players on the field would have created for them to be in an administrative position.

“I think it is a bigger issue than about the guys playing in our domestic competition. Most of the guys played there when they first started out, that’s what they wanted to do. But when you get an administration who thinks that they are the most important entity where West Indies cricket is concerned, they better wake up. The players have done their bit in terms of their representation. We lost a series in the UAE recently [in 2016 against Pakistan], now we have lost the T20 series in West Indies to Pakistan.

All this after winning the last World T20. That sends a message in my opinion that all is not well with all the players who are representing West Indies at this stage.” (ESPNcricinfo

The blue and gold is Trinidad’s only native large macaw and has a pure white face lined with greenish- black feathers, a green forecrown and a black throat. Like all other macaws it has a massive bill and strongly graduated tail. Despite its harsh calls it has managed to become a highly sought-after pet with its impressive ability to mimic speech and bond closely with its owner. Unfortunately most owners do not consider the fact that macaws are not domesticated animals and far are better suited for life in tropical forests, savannas and palm swamps. The life of a captive macaw is quite different from a wild macaw.

Unlike caged macaws, wild macaws travel vast distances to find food and will set out in search of sustenance the very instant the sun rises. Blue and gold macaws are seed predators which means they have the potential to increase tree species diversity in tropical forests by hindering the breeding success of more common species.

Bird owners tend to mostly feed their pet macaws seed blends, but their diet in the wild includes fruit pulp, young leaves, flowers, bark and even insect larvae. Their dietary flexibility allows macaws to switch to leaves and bark as fruits become scarce. Furthermore macaws may travel outside of their habitats to find additional food resources.

In Trinidad we are fortunate to have a population of these macaws at the Nariva Swamp where they feed on moriche palm, cocorite palm, balata, cajuca, wild guava, and hairy pois doux. Unfortunately palm swamps across the island are under threat from fire and farming. Macaws within these swamps are therefore more likely to come into contact with humans, sparking conflicts and increasing their chances of being captured and traded as landscapes are altered.

Between feeding sessions the flock usually gathers on the same tree to rest and preen. Pairs use this time to strengthen their bond by preening each other (allopreening) and playing, remaining almost constantly together.

Sometimes they briefly separate to preen themselves (autopreening) or climb to another branch. Allopreening and courtship feeding increase leading up to the breeding season, which runs from December to May. Blue and gold macaws are able to reproduce at three to four-years-old. They primarily rely on dead royal palm and moriche palm for nesting cavities. After about five years dead palms fall to the ground making nest site availability a serious concern for their survival, since they reoccupy nests in consecutive breeding seasons.

Both male and female inspect and use their beaks to remodel cavities making them comfortable and cosy. The pair will not hesitate to physically defend its nest from non-breeding macaws.

Trinidad’s blue and gold macaws in particular may face competition for nest sites from non-native species; scarlet macaws (Ara macao) and green-winged macaws (Ara chloropterus) that have escaped captivity or been released on purpose.

During this time males feed the females, which triggers a hormonal cascade, resulting in the laying and incubation (28-34 days) of two to four round white eggs.

Although all eggs may hatch only one to two chicks survive. Consequently reproductive output is low for large macaws.

It is amazing how macaw chicks go through developmental milestones just as human children do.

Chicks are born featherless and blind with large feet. They grow baby feathers which at first gives them a spiky look but as they grow into adults the feathers lay smooth. Over time their white facial patches will also age and wrinkle. Both parents are involved in preening and females feed them by regurgitation. Their large feet allows them to be fed without toppling over. Parents communicate with their young using their calls; over 500 sounds are used by wild macaws, as well as gesturing with a foot, wing or beak to communicate where to walk or what to eat.

They have soft calls that overtime change into the loud squawks that we anticipate whenever we see a macaw.

Playing with small sticks and leaves gives them the muscle co-ordination needed to manipulate food with their feet. They climb trees, learn to socialise with other macaws through play fighting using their feet and beaks and beating each other with their wings by hanging upside down and flapping.

At three months the young macaws are able to leave the nest for very short distances. By this time parent macaws begin to provide less food and they are encouraged to fly further away from the nest until they establish daily flights between the nest and feeding areas.

Parents show them where to find food by initially leading them to trees that have small fleshy fruits which young macaws will find easy to manipulate and eat.

After about a year they leave their parents and spend more time with the flock.

Blue and gold macaws are strong and intelligent birds.

They help keep our natural areas healthy, radiant and rather noisy.

Indeed we should safeguard this treasure and give them the respect and understanding they deserve.

Photos by Vishal Rangersammy For more information on our natural environment, contact the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club at admin@ ttfnc.org or visit our website at www.ttfnc.org and our Facebook or YouTube pages.

When most people finish using their plastic fork, they toss the used fork into the trash without a second thought. After all, what could you possibly do with an old plastic fork? It turns out, there’s actually quite a few things you can do with used plastic utensils, especially in the garden. Keep reading to learn why you might want to plant those utensils instead of tossing them in the trash: Keep the pests at bay: It turns out that plastic forks do a good job of keeping pests away from your precious gardens. Yes, this includes the family cat that you love. The author of Danger Garden recounts her experience, “I figured I would at least buy clear plastic, less visible than white.

And it is! I had to get down even with the ground to capture these next pictures of the cutlery art in my garden. So far it seems to be working. Oh and when you want clear…you get the whole set.

Forks, knives and spoons…but they’re all good. What furry little kitty bum wants to be caught crouching over a knife?” You can remove the cutlery once the plants come up. If you choose clear cutlery, the look isn’t too bothersome.

Label your plants: Use plastic forks as a cheap labelling device.

Use as decorative labels: You can also make those ugly plastic utensils look pretty by painting them.

Use as a decorative and functional fence: Wash those used plastic forks and line them up in the soil as a fence.

Make it into garden decor: Turn boring plastic into chic garden art. Yes, this includes pretty flowers from plastic spoons or plastic spoon sunflower: Turn it into garden arts and crafts for the childen: like these plastic spoon dragon flies.

(DIYeverywhere.com)

The journey to this location was mesmerising as Hikers Inc encountered beautiful emerald pools, one after another, along this stretch of the Limon River. It was a gloriously sunny day and this picture taken by Reverand that day of this plunge pool is the most iconic photo to date of this location.

The sun lit up the pool, revealing its sublime majesty. Hikers Inc decided to call this location Mystery Pool and this name has remained to this day.

Mystery Pool Easter Adventure on April 16 Rate: Moderately challenging Assembly: Cor O’Meara and Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Arima, Sherwin Williams car park area Time: 7.30 am Depart: 8 am Note: The hike involves a river walk of approximately one hour and 15 minutes in duration, one way.

For more info visit hikersinc.com or www.facebook.com/

Located at the top of Mt Hololo and northeast of the capital its grandeur is visible from miles around.

The significance of St Ann’s Peak goes back to the days of cocoa when Santa Cruz which was known as Holy Cross Valley comprised of estates.

These plantations called Pastora, Cantaro, Gasparillo, Little Couroucaye and Grand Couroucaye, transported their agriculture produce over the Hololo Mountains.

At the time, to pass over the rugged hills of the Saddle or La Silla was long and arduous.

Therefore the preferred route to the town was over Mt Hololo, and along the path, there is an old concrete milepost.

In 1852, the government granted improvements to the roads in Santa Cruz, and through the craggy terrain of La Silla, a passageway was constructed.

Several routes from the St Ann’s Valley lead to the summit, which is accessible from Lady Chancellor Road, Ariapita Road in St Ann’s, or from the Hololo Mountain Road. The expedition starts 6 am at the bottom of Lady Chancellor Road and continues through the forest along the Fondes Amandes Ridge to the mountaintop.

Overgrown shrub sometimes block the trail and regular maintenance is required.

Saturday’s journey to Maracas Bay is north over the Hololo and Santa Cruz Mountains. The estimated distance is 20 kilometres and to complete the journey it will take six to eight hours or depending on one’s walking pace. The course is divided into two legs.

Leg One: Lady Chancellor to Santa Cruz.

Hiking time three to four hours.

The trek starts from Lady Chancellor Road along the Fondes Amandes Ridge to St Ann’s Peak. At the top, the journey descends to the Santa Cruz Valley on the Mt Hololo Extension Road where hikers regroup for refreshments.

Along the way are spectacular views of Port-of-Spain, Cascade, Lady Young, Chancellor, and the Paradise Estate or Queen’s Park Savannah.

In the dry season, the St Ann’s region is vulnerable to bush fires and to preserve and beautify the landscape pine trees are planted.

The pine trees can withstand the fire and at the same time prevent soil erosion.

Leg Two: Santa Cruz to Maracas Bay. Hiking time two hours.

From Mt Hololo Extension Road via Santa Barbara Boulevard to Gasparillo Road and over the hills to the beach.

Assembly: 6 am at the bottom of Lady Chancellor Road Walk starts at 7 am Finishing location: Maracas Bay Hotel Maxi pick-up from Maracas Bay starting at 2 pm Rating: 7 –long and challenging Parking at Zoo car park and Flood Street next to the Archbishop House The cost includes return transportation and light refreshment Note: Bring at least a litre of water. Long pants preferred since trail may have razor grass.

For more info: www.

islandhikers.com

Country representative for the organisatin, Tom?s Bermudez, said he wanted the IDB to be seen as “more than just a bank”, since its role of providing technical expertise was just as important.

This as the multi national is about to publicly release its Country Strategy for 2016-2020.

Bermudez said in retrospect, the flood alleviation initiative may have been a bit too ambitious given the Ministry of Works flood unit’s ability to implement it.

Another programme, this ti me one focused on health, has been scaled down to focus only on combatting the high incidence of Non-Communicable Disease in TT.

Bermudez said the IDB and government had come to terms with the very present reality of lower global commodity prices.

The eff ort to rationalise this country’s loan portfolio and related projects is therefore reflected in the current country plan.

Estimated loan approval over the 2016-2020 period is projected to amount to US$200 million, while US$360 million in disbursements is expected from the active loan portfolio. The country can expect to see a decrease in its debt to the IDB, from 2.6 percent of GDP to 2.5 percent.

The plan’s three main areas of focus are also dedicated to areas that will improve this country’s ability to earn revenue, cut expenditure and enhance human capital. These are strengthening public sector institutions and governance of the country, promoting private sector development and fostering human development.

On strengthening public sector institutions and governance of the country, Bermudez told Business Day, “Here, where we would like to work with government is in trying to mobilise existing and new sources of funding to improve tax legislation and reform expenditure policies. We are also trying to make expenditure more efficient, particularly in social programmes, as well as expenditure for transfers to state enterprises, which is a big drain in the budget right now.” A recently signed agreement for a US$40 million loan to improve the public financial management system is part of this effort.

Regarding the second area, promoting private sector development, Bermudez said, TT has one of the most vibrant private sectors in the region, drawing reference to companies like Massy and Bermudez.

current recession.

get people to work get a construction permit, the recession could be over by the ti me developers are ready to work. This is the kind of thing you could fi x, and put a lot of people to work.” “Things like construction permits,” he said, “It shouldn’t take years to do that. Property registration shouldn’t work the way it is working. Customs.

Those are things that are not too difficult to fi x, if there is will to fi x them. It is not expensive to do it, particularly property rights and construction permits.” The issue of political will came up several times during the interview. Bermudez commended Planning and Development Minister, Camille Robinson Regis, who he said had to make difficult decisions in their programme of cutbacks for projects.

He also praised Finance Minister Colm Imbert for taking “courageous, important, political decisions” to reduce expenditure in the face of the country’s significant loss of revenue.

But as the IDB’s country rep, he worried that expenditure could go back up to pre-recession levels if the country was not careful.

“Now that you have made the big reductions, how do you sustain these going forward? I think the country is at a level right now where they can target a fiscal consolidation for the medium term now,” he said.

More important than this, said Bermudez, were considerations of where expenditures should be increased if this was needed.

Weighing in, the IDB rep told Business Day that he believed increases should be on capital expenditure and investments, rather than transfers.

In the country plan’s third pillar, human development, the IDB wants to align this country’s performance in certain social sector metrics with its position as a relatively high income earn. Bermudez said the country was putti ng in “sub-par” performance on its infant and maternal mortality as well student educational performance when PISA scores were considered.

He told Business Day that the gap between formal education and the employment skills that the private sector needs has also engaged the attention of the IDB.

“We are graduating a lot of people, but not necessarily with the right skills. Bridging that gap is an important task.” Increasing access to quality, affordable housing, water and sanitation services is also on the agenda. Bermudez said this may ultimately mean working along with the state agencies responsible for providing these services to improve delivery.

WASA, in particular, he told Business Day, was not sustainable in the long run.

“We would like to able to work with WASA in things like metering, addressing the issue of non-revenue water and trying to improve the corporate governance of WASA and its labour issues.” He said government transfers to WASA currently equal one percent of the country’s GDP.

The IDB country strategy for 2016-2020 should be publicly available within the next few weeks.