“It’s huge. Usually we will get preparation games maybe few weeks in advance so a year and a bit more is great for us so we can gauge where we are,” King said, during a recent interview.

“It’s good (Morace’s approach). It’s a change for us because she is very into details which is great for us. Its just to grasp what she’s coaching and apply it to our style of play,” added the Canadian-born defender.

She spoke about the efforts being made by the TTFA (Trinidad and Tobago Football Association) to push women’s football development at the moment.

“At that age, it seemed more socially acceptable to say I wanted to be a writer whenever family, friends, or acquaintances would ask about my future career,” says Ruby of the shift in interests. Internally, she faced a “battle for truth”; she had always loved English Literature class solely for the curriculum’s plays and the reenactment of them.

It was at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) where she finally blossomed, pursuing a Theatre Arts degree. “The decision to do such was life-changing … and it reaffirmed my belief that this is the path I am to be on.”

This weekend, Ruby stars in the Bagasse Company’s Dan the Travelling Man (final show tonight at the Central Bank Auditorium, directed by Christine Johnston) alongside Aaron Schneider and Philomena Alexis Baptiste (Philo) in her theatrical debut.

According to Ruby, the play is a comedy on “Dan’s twist of fate” when Dan’s many wives from several Caribbean islands coincidentally pay a visit to Trinidad on the same day. “The play is hilarious, it’s women-empowering – with a cast of mostly women, it deals with the ‘taboo’ topic of infidelity, and gives food for thought for those men who genuinely believe they can get away with everything.”

In the play, Ruby plays Cynthia – the “hard-headed”, no nonsense, independent, Bajan woman. “This character and I are both strong women who can smell crap a block away, down the road, around the corner,” she quips of the similarities between she and Cynthia. But while Cynthia is more confrontational, Ruby says in reality she prefers to let bygones be bygones.

She does find that roles for women in theatre in TT are still typified and stereotyped and that rarely do plays with a woman director, producer, and star receive much attention or acclaim.

Describing herself as a passionate feminist, Ruby claims the title that many shy away from and even fear. She explains feminism isn’t about dismissing men’s needs, or saying women are better than men, or even saying men’s voices must be suppressed for women’s to be heard.

“Feminism is the constant fight for equity between women and men, which will lead to equality,” she expands, adding that wanting equal opportunities – and not being denied such based solely on gender – is not something to shy away from or be embarrassed about.

“Not only do I not want to raise children in a society that treats women as lesser than, but I also cannot be constantly living in fear of voicing my opinion against my misogynistic partner, or staying stagnant in a job because I am a woman, and ‘I should know my place’.”

Ruby admits she has experienced sexism within her everyday life; within the industry, in school, and at home. She gives an example of men using some women’s non-confrontational manner to take advantage of them in heightened situations, as opposed to another man who would garner “equal respect”.

She says she is part of a generation of people who feel entitled. “There are too many life examples where boys are taught by the way their fathers treat their mothers, the first matriarch, that women are to be objectified, verbally abused, and disrespected,” she laments of the femmephobic cultures that some young men are entrenched in. She also notes that in other cases, there may be internal disruption based on feelings of abandonment in single parent homes. She points to adolescent years where boys are given more freedom as opposed to girls, with the excuse “he’s a boy.”

“What does that even mean?” says Ruby stonily. “What that tells me is he isn’t going to be attacked, which isn’t necessarily true. It tells me he is more capable of taking care of himself on his own, which isn’t necessarily true!” She believes some parents can take firmer hands in the raising of their sons and instead of only giving them space to rebel, should also offer a safe space for them to air their emotions healthily, rather than repress them to possibly dangerous and violent consequences.

“Obviously, not all men are like this; this isn’t a personal attack on men. It is simply an observation of the constant in the men who disregard women’s lives, bodies, and are misogynistic,” she clarifies.

She says TT has mastered sweeping taboo topics under the rug but believes there are ways individuals and institutions alike can help bring an end to the inhumane inequality of women and the related violence perpetuated against them. Every learned behaviour and ideology starts at home, she says, with the ways parents help their children understand themselves and their emotions, and how those transfer to and affect others. “A home of love creates a child of love.”

She also admonishes that governmental bodies should stop victim blaming and demand that men take responsibility of their lack of control. “Women always blame themselves or (are) being blamed for a man’s reaction but every person is in charge of themselves and how they choose to respond to any situation.” She believes sex education should be made mandatory in nation’s schools – “With that comes the discussion of the word ‘no’” – as well as discussions and education on domestic violence, all forms of abuse, and gas-lighting (manipulating someone into guilt or self-doubt for valid feelings they may have). She advises all: “Don’t run from knowledge because it makes you take personal responsibility.”

She has a passion for equality, equally matched to her passion for life, which inspires her work and her craft. Every person she meets is a character she has or will portray. She tweaks and perfects her characterisation constantly; her goal is that audience members will be reminded of someone they know, or maybe even themselves, within her performance. She describes herself as an observer and her analyses of the lives around her help mould her characters as authentically as possible. She relishes the opportunity to tell someone’s story, whether a family member, classmate, friend, or stranger.

Through authentic work and her progressive ideologies, Ruby hopes to leave her mark in TT – whether by educating others on “taboo” subjects that have been long kept in the dark collecting cultural dust, or through her onstage talent that she has nursed since childhood.

Tonight, she will take the stage for the final show of the first run of “Dan the Travelling Man”. Tomorrow? She may take over the world.

Keisha-Anne advocates for a more compassionate prison system rooted in empathy, healing and true rehabilitation as well as a greater understanding of the inmates’ circumstances to eradicate taboos and believes that by updating the system’s existing structures and encouraging collaborative efforts amongst prison staff, inmates and other parties involved, our local prison system could be more effective.

Having worked closely with a number of prisoners, she’s “tired of seeing good people have their potential go down the drain.” Keisha-Anne, who also runs a private practice that offers services dedicated to psychological and holistic self-improvement, believes that life has brought her to a place where she can help persons who may perhaps otherwise be unable to receive the support that they need.

Through this journey, she has managed

to maintain a close friendship with Nadia Pooran, who was released 11 months ago, after spending 13 years behind bars. Keisha- Anne praises her “survivor spirit” and the fact that, despite the obstacles that she has experienced — jail time included — she has managed to make use of the resources placed at her disposal, having attained a number of passes during her time in prison.

Keisha-Anne told WMN that she and Nadia first crossed paths about nine years ago when she had taken a job as an OJT (On-the-Job training) trainee, interviewing inmates at the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove to gather information for a psychology student’s postgraduate research. Keisha- Anne, herself, at the time, had recently completed her BSc in Psychology at Howard University in Washington, DC

“I realised that there was a lot going on in there,” Keisha-Anne explained, referring to her deep and direct understanding of the close link between abuse or exposure to violence and criminal activity.

“Many of the women [at the prison] had been charged with killing their abusers… [male prisoners] opened up to me as well.” She recalled a story that one of the inmates had told her in which he witnessed his parents gunned down.

Maintaining that her intentions were genuine, Keisha-Anne revealed that she was fired from her job after it was discovered that she and Nadia had continued their correspondence outside of the context of the job. That was when it dawned on her that, in order to truly bring about change as she saw it possible, she perhaps would be better off developing her skills independently.

“I needed a lot more training and know-how,” Keisha-Anne admitted, justifying her decision to go back to school. She pursued her MSc in Clinical Psychology at the UWI, which she completed in 2010. Today, she still works with former inmates towards the improvement of prison system conditions and the inmates’ readjustment into society after release.

From the stories shared by the inmates, Keisha-Anne told WMN that, whether prisoner or policeman, our actions are rooted in a series of common human needs.

“I realised that people [who commit criminal acts] have regular feelings, but due to their being subjected to a lot of trauma, they have lost the ability to maintain that ‘social mask’,” she revealed. She assured that we all have the capacity to lose our cool when placed under circumstances that she refers to as a “pressure cooker effect”, to emphasise some of the difficulties that many inmates have undergone that have led them to lives of crime in the first place.

According to Keisha-Anne, removing the “criminal lens” through which inmates are often viewed can allow their humanity to emerge.

The psychologist spoke of the “ride or die” culture of gang life and membership, referring to the loyal nature of the relationship between gang members as similar to that of a “family unit.”

“People who make the choice to join a gang [are searching for] a sense of identity and oneness,” she explained. She continued, “joining a gang is often the survival mode version of that search for love and acceptance.”

Keisha-Anne realised that many inmates end up “worse off” than when they first began serving their sentences due to the lack of compassion and corrupt practices inherent in the prison system. “Prison is supposed to have a rehabilitative effect, providing you with [skills] to reduce the likelihood of committing a repeat offence,” she explained.

She added that, due to the stressful environment, many of the inmates aren’t allowed to fully benefit from the opportunities afforded them behind bars. “They have to be in survival mode trying to fight against the corrupt system; no one is looking at the human aspect, [ensuring that the system is] geared towards helping people.” To address these deficiencies, she collaborates with Nadia to better understand how the needs of the inmate can be met to create the best possible environment for rehabilitation and self-improvement, making certain that the “human element is not lost.”

With funding from the US Embassy, Keisha- Anne was chosen by the US Department of State to participate in the 2015 International Visitors Leadership Programme, spending three weeks visiting Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana and Washington and interacting with leaders in prison reform and education. “It opened my eyes to how much help is needed locally,” she informed.

The psychologist admires Norway for its exemplary prison system management. “They’re actually closing down prisons over there because of how successful their prison system is,” she told WMN. “A lot of [that success] stems from their looking at the inmates as humans—they don’t use force and they’re not oppressive; they look at the punishment as having your freedom restricted but they’re still treated like human beings, which goes a very long way in helping people to heal.”

She has already made contact with a friend who works with the Norwegian government to organise a visit, hopefully carded for July 2017, so that she can learn more about their best practices and develop ways to adapt them to a local context.

Among the services offered at Keisha-Anne’s Arima-based practice are Psychoeducational assessments — used in the detection of dyslexia, intellectual giftedness or delays, and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), among others — Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) techniques, hypnosis and Reiki, a holistic Japanese technique for healing and stress reduction, rooted in the belief that human touch can bring about this healing.

“No one is a hard-and-fast criminal,” Keisha- Anne says of our local inmates. “Normal people end up in that life.” She continued, stressing the importance of keeping the inmates’ humanness in mind, “It’s easy to be hardened against someone else’s plight when you either can’t connect with their struggle or you are too preoccupied with your own.”

I don’t think as women we know how to say no.

We feel it is our role to be everything to everybody but the truth is we cannot and we only end up losing ourselves in the process. All anyone can ask of us, is that we do the best we can with the circumstances we are given. The rest is just society at large and our own mental scripts beating us down. There is no way we can make everybody happy. Honestly, I’ve stopped trying. I’m not motivated by what others will think of me, I’m too busy trying to _ x my business to be distracted.

One of my favourite new artistes is a young man named Jidenna and in his song Some Kind of Way, he has a lyric: No matter what you say Or where you go or what you do or how you play Somebody’s gonna feel some kind a way About you.

Isn’t that the truth! I can bend over backwards to meet the needs and wants of others and they still won’t be satis_ ed. Devoting your energy to making strangers happy is a real waste. Spend it on your family and friends, or here is a radical idea; how about making yourself happy instead? For all the effort I see some women giving to make a good impression on others I wonder what is the bene_ t. Unless it’s something I can put in my purse or my pot, I can’t be bothered. Many years ago, I read a book on becoming an effective person and the crux of the book is that you categorise things by importance and divide your time and resources accordingly. Things were ranked from one to four in terms of their importance and how urgent they were. In this guava season where women are busy trying to turn dollar bills into rubber bands, being a people pleaser is not important and not urgent.

There was a time in my young adult life when single, debt free and childfree my friends, family and boss felt they had control over my time and many a weekend I was informed that I had been promised for one task or another, or found my cell _ ooded with calls that started, ‘You don’t know me but x, y, or z gave me your number and told me you could help’. For me, in my career at the time, down time and alone time were critical in order to be functional the next day. There is no way I can work day and night and expect to be at my best.

To be on the go all week and then all weekend too (through no fault of my own) was too much. When faced with a lack of respect for the boundaries I set, I would book a hotel room for a weekend, turn off my cellphone and get all the rest I wanted.

Boundaries are another way of saying no to those around you.

It is also important to learn how to say no at work. A pay cheque is not a reason to become a doormat. Yes, everybody has to eat but there is a limit to what a woman should tolerate in the workplace. ‘And other related duties’ is a muchabused line in job descriptions, that employers point to when they are being unreasonable. I have experienced it _ rst-hand. There is give and take and I have in the past, gone way beyond the call of duty for the clients I work with, however I make it clear that this is beyond the scope of duties for the job. A job is a way to earn a living; unless you are an entrepreneur it is not your life. There must be clear boundaries between your work and private life. Be sure you know the duties of your job and what is the industry standard for the post.

Ensure you are well quali_ ed so you have career options and don’t be afraid to say no when you employer crosses the boundaries.

I’m not saying we should all turn into sour prunes and just be running around saying no to everything, even to things that are in your best interest. Far from it. I’m just asking you to think a second or two before you say yes the next time someone crosses your boundaries or asks you a favour or demands something. There is nothing wrong in not being an always accommodating or compliant person and it’s ok to sometimes draw a line in the sand and say this much and no more.

If you really think about it that’s a guaranteed way to be taken for granted and lose yourself and who you are. Don’t keep giving all of yourself, saying yes to everything then wake up one day and say you’ve lost yourself and swing the opposite way.

Balance and reason are good things, don’t let them go.

The whole point of this is to say no is a full sentence on its own. It’s not ‘No, but….’ or ‘No because….’, just no is _ ne. No need for rationalisation, justi_ cation or explanation. No stands on its own and we as women need to learn how to say it without apologising. There’s nothing to be sorry for in protecting your boundaries and putting your foot down. That’s just being smart.

You’re not alone in this situation and it probably will not be the only time (whether you’re the ‘asker’ or the ‘askee’). Many of us have been asked to do something sexually, in or out of the bedroom that may cause us to do a double take or raise an eyebrow. It is also quite possible, that even if you haven’t been asked to do something more often or differently, your partner may have fantasised about it. The truth is, boredom and monotony can be a real issue in the bedroom, as it does in other aspects of our lives, which may lead to frustration, resentment or even infidelity.

So when life is un-interesting and you are really dissatisfied with the drone of work, or life in general, what do you do? Well out of the bedroom, we find new hobbies, join a club or group, do a course, watch movies, party or even try a new look or wardrobe. But excitement, learning and growth shouldn’t be limited to our social, academic or work life. Sex is an area of living that can be just as fun, and adventurous, and still be healthy and safe. Ideally, as a couple you should visit a therapist or sexuality professional, who will assess your intimacy patterns. Identifying how you handle intimacy can indicate how erotic attraction works in your relationship over the long term, meaning, it reveals each person’s willingness and ability to relate sexually. This is then used to determine areas that you need to work on.

Additionally, as a couple, you will need to learn negotiation skills for sexual activity. This will focus on the following five areas:

• Asking for what you want/need

• Setting realistic expectations

• Moving outside of your comfort zone

• Overcoming power struggles

• Compromising

If you’re not quite ready to make that appointment with your sexuality professional (coach, counsellor or therapist), there are a few exciting (but relatively mild) activities that could I would suggest you try, that may actually help to add some spice to your sex life. These would include: A sexier shower time Turn your everyday get-clean routine from humdrum to titillating. Discreet products like vibrating bath sponges and puffs, turn an ordinary loofah into a toy you’ll love. The foam sponge or loofah has a water-proof bullet in it that vibrates, so you’ll increase circulation and exfoliation while making bath time an adventure.

Even if you can’t _ nd these in a store, you can certainly have fun making it! If you’re into small home projects, adding a dual locking handle that holds strong to your shower tiles and a locking footrest that also grips the tiles on your shower wall is another great idea. Together, these two make new wet and wild positions possible! (And the step is also great for shaving legs!).

Sex & Relationship Card Games Sex and relationship card games are fun ways to _ nd out what you and your partner would be comfortable trying. The cards include indirect ways of asking what you always wanted to ask and provide passion-enhancing intimate suggestions that range from mild to wild and from foreplay to intercourse, and everything before and after.

Sexy Coupons Creating sexy coupons for your partner to ‘redeem’ is another way to encourage spontaneous, intimate acts and sexual activity. Your coupons may have the following on them: “I want you to serve dinner in lingerie,” “one erotic massage”, “you get a lap dance today” or maybe even something more risqu?.

As you explore new actions, if your partner proposes an activity that doesn’t quite ‘blow up your skirt’ or ‘drop your jockey,’ so to speak, it’s important to keep communication wide open, honest and non-judgmental. Don’t immediately react with disgust or in any harsh way, and don’t feel obligated to say yes either. Just because you’re asked doesn’t mean you have to agree and though I would encourage thinking outside of the ordinary, you still have to be sure that you are comfortable trying out the new experiences. Try working out a compromise that you and partner would both be happy with.

Don’t pass up the opportunity to take your sex life to the next level. Share and discuss your fantasies with your partner. You may pleasantly surprise each other.

Onika Henry is a Sex Educator and Sex Coach who consults and designs presentations, workshops, training and psycho-educational counselling, to address sexual health concerns.

381-3049 onikahenry@gmail.com

This is the argument I hear in consults with persons looking to improve their lives (while maintaining bad habits). We have to realise that the amount of booze, salts, meat, flour and sugar we throw at (or into) our bodies today in western societies is a thousand-fold percentage increase over the last 200 years .

And human evolution takes place over hundreds of years, not a handful of decades .

Today, sugar, sugar! Firstly, forget anything you heard about oil and fats and cholesterol for now. We want you to look entirely and only at sugar – of which the average Western diet includes 22 teaspoons daily. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine notes: “The American Heart Association_advises_that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily. This is about 100 calories. And men, no more than 9 teaspoons, or about 150 calories from sugar. (This does not include foods such as fruits and vegetables that naturally contain sugar.)” Current consumption gets as high as 500 calories a day from sugar or 31 teaspoons. Impossible? One regular local black ‘soft drink’ or ‘sweet drink’ (the small size) can contain as much as 14-30 teaspoons. One .

Consumption at this rate shows that these persons were twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who limited their sugar intake to 7 percent of their total calories. Added sugar chronically raises insulin levels, which activates the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in increasing blood pressure and heart rates which can put a strain on your heart. Yes, there is a link between sugar intake and heart disease .

So, how else is sugar harming and what can you expect from cutting back?

Skin issues and Inflammation One study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when non-soda drinkers consumed just one 12oz can of soda every day for three weeks, their inflammation levels_increased by 87%!_Low to moderate consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) had effects on LDL particles, fasting glucose, and hs-CRP within just a three-week period in healthy young men. C-reactive protein_(CRP) is a blood test marker for inflammation in the body. Cutting back on those canned beverages and yes, juices to can save your skin and save you hundreds on beauty products too .

Better Mood, Better Sleep A Columbia University study found that women who eat a diet high in added sugars and refined grains are_more likely to experience_anxiety, irritability and mood swings! Note removing sugar, which has very similar markers to a drug in the body, can result in all of these but just at first – till the body’s dependence on it has passed .

Sugar, especially late at night via dessert, or hot chocolate or too much of any sweetened product also triggers cortisol, known as the stress hormone (when it really is just as important as any hormone in the body) but can interrupt sleep and reduce sleep efficacy .

Lose weight (not a limb!) Dumping sugar will help you shed pounds like nothing else can .

Weight management is closely linked to caloric intake as much as it is to a fitness regime, probably more so, so this one is pretty obvious. What also is obvious is that your risk for Type II diabetes (an outright plague now) would also plummet like those pounds on the scale! A study across 175 countries showed that eating 150 calories of added sugar is 11 times more likely to contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, compared with 150 calories from protein or fat from say almonds .

If you take a casual trip to any hospital locally, start counting the number of amputees you see there – as much as you may see in a Veterans’ Hospital – except the only war they had to wage is the war on bad diets and sugar intakes. It’s a war we’re all losing .

Skip the sugar where you can; and kudos on the Ministry of Education’s moves to see the same in our nation’s schools.

That was the consensus of residents of crime-ravaged Enterprise, Chaguanas, yesterday reflecting that most of them, if not all, have lost a loved one by the hands of gunmen who are more “vicious than vipers”.

“We are a people of losses. Most, if not all of us, have lost a loved one for nothing,” said a resident of Dass Trace. “The killings are senseless.

There are people here who are trying but others are trying to fulfil the prophecy. All we want is peace.” Though the area is considered a ghetto, the resident who requested anonymity said it is a civil community with plenty poor and good people.

Four shooting deaths within five days in Enterprise last week resulted in an increased police and army presence as an uneasy calm prevails.

Residents said what used to be a peaceful area appears to be a war-zone and now the lives of innocent and law-abiding residents are at risk.

“All of us used to live nice, nice, nice before,” another Dass Trace resident told Sunday Newsday.

“Imagine we grow up here, and men who we grew up with telling us we are not allowed in certain streets. They (gang members) are more vicious than vipers. It dangerous out here. It mad. It is not as it was before. Before I go anywhere now, I pray (sic).” On Friday, National Security Minister, a former head of the Defence Force, Edmund Dillon, met and engaged an alleged member of the Unruly ISIS gang during a tour with other top ranking officials.

Residents however said they are not convinced a tour will solve the crime as they labelled some police as being rogue elements. Some residents further accused officers of contributing to the problem by supporting “certain gang members”.

Dass Trace is located on the western side of the Southern Main Road not far from the police post at Lion’s Gate. The western side is considered the stronghold of the Unruly ISIS gang. Some other streets are Bhagaloo Trace, Crown Trace and Jackson Street. Unruly ISIS is warring against the Rasta City gang located on the eastern side of the Southern Main Road, home to streets such as Freedom, Enterprise, John and Railway Road.

African Grounds is also located in this area.

When Sunday Newsday visited the popular grounds, scores of children of the Eagles United Sports Club took a break from football practice. Manager Christopher Regis said despite the negative reports about Enterprise there are many positives.

“In this club, we have the Enterprise Girls basketball team,” Regis said. “We have a junior and senior football team. We are here every Saturday, every holiday and whenever we are invited to events. In the Central Zone (football league) for the season 2016-2017, we placed second.” Members are between the ages of four and 15.

Regis called on parents and guardians to focus more on the youths, the future, to have a better country.

“Most of the shootings are not done at African Grounds as reported in the media,” Regis said.

“Despite everything, here nice and it will get back to the way it was before.

The people themselves need to invest more in the youths. We have been in existence for about five years.” He noted that although the membership is dwindling “because of fear” many youths are stilling showing up for practice. He commended other colleagues such as the club’s head coach Curtis James and assistant coach Eric Alfred, for their effort in making the community a better place.

Many persons interviewed yesterday refrained from commenting on the warring gangs but called for an end to the bloodshed.

Councillor for Enterprise South, Ronald Heera, suggested that love and communication are the solutions to the crime in the community.

“We need love and communication because if you look at the videos circulating, these fellas are reaching out and they want somebody to talk to. We have to bring them together,” Heera said.

This was one of three murders yesterday carrying the murder toll to 130, according to a Sunday Newsday count .

At about 6 am yesterday, officers of the Four Roads Police Station responded to a report of a car, a red Nissan Tiida, that had crashed into barriers of the highway in the vicinity of Crystal Stream. The police found the driver, 33-year-old Sherwyn Noel, slumped over the steering wheel .

Upon checking, they found that he had been shot once and there was also a bullet hole in the car .

Noel, of Fuller Street, River Estate, Diego Martin, was self-employed as a plumber/ mason. Police report the motive appeared to be robbery. A suspect is in custody assisting with the investigation .

The area was blocked off by police and drivers were redirected from the highway to the Diego Martin Main Road leading to heavy traffic for more than an hour .

Drivers expressed surprise and dismay when they were told of the murder .

A Crystal Stream resident, who asked not to be named, told Sunday Newsday that it was the first time he had heard of a murder in the area .

“Is a real cool, quiet place. No violence.” Owner of West- Green Vege Mart Sheila Mohammed, 73, said the murder was “not nice at all” .

“This is a quiet place .

Very nice here.” She described the crime scourge as unbearable and “too much” .

A bar patron said the murder “don’t bother me” and “(my) Stag drinking”. Michael Birkett, an 18-yearold employee of a tent rental company, said he has been working in the area for three years and never heard about any murders on the street .

A fisherman, alias Soune, who was selling fish at the corner of Crystal Stream and Morne Coco Road described the murder as “sad” .

“That is somebody family. Regardless if he in (crime) or not in it.” A woman selling with Soune said, “People more concerned about the traffic than the death. It become so normal.” Homicide Bureau is continuing investigations .

In a second incident, Joel “Barber” Alleyne, 39, was found dead at Building 18, Maloney Gardens. According to police, at about 3 am residents reported hearing gunshots and after a search found Alleyne in the bedroom of his apartment .

He had been shot several times .

Northern Division police responded and investigations are continuing .

Details are sketchy in the third shooting but at about 5 pm yesterday a man, identified only as Santo, was driving his white pickup along Johnny King Road, Aranguez when gunshots were heard .

Santo was shot several times through the van and lost control veering off into a drain. He died on the spot .

Officers from the San Juan/Barataria Police Station visited the scene and were awaiting a district medical officer for the body to be removed, up to news time last night .

Residents report police cordoned off the area and instructed them to remain inside .

Investigations are continuing .

He said that was not how he wanted to end his career, but it just happened.

Speaking from his home in Oropune Gardens, Piarco, Cape related his story: “I was diagnosed with cancer in 2014, and it changed my life completely. I had to take care of myself and that has been my focus over the last few years. From now on there will be no more Roy Cape All Stars. I have reached an agreement with the band. They are still functioning, and will call a press conference to announce the new name sometime later.” But somehow Cape’s story seems to have taken a turn which sees him busier than when he was playing with the band. He is now always on the go as an organizer, and chairman of the Roy Cape Foundation. He said the idea of the foundation was sparked in January 2016 by the killing of two schoolboys on their way home from school, and the deteriorating personal security situation in the Laventille community.

“A friend called and informed me of the shooting and suggested that we do whatever we could to initiate a community programme of music education to engage young persons in the joy of learning music as a means of combating the threat of violence and other anti-social behaviour which have seemingly become a way of life in the community.

“I found the idea to be very relevant and timely, and we immediately set about crafting a letter to the Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon offering to donate a set of Marching Band Drums, Woodwind and Brass instruments to initiate a pilot programme of music education in Laventille. The minister’s response was positive and we began collaboration with the Office of Law Enforcement Policy (OLEP), a unit of the Ministry of National Security,” Cape related.

The Roy Cape Foundation’s goal is to bring hope and healing to communities through music education. It was founded in February 2016 and registered under the Companies Act.

According to Cape, the Foundation’s mission is to make music literacy and instrument performance programmes available to interested persons of various ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds in at-risk communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago in preparation for pursuit of possible careers in the Arts, Entertainment and Music Industry. “This is my way, my sense of obligation to give back to the community in the best way I know how; through music,” said a smiling Cape.

Cape said he worked with the Ministry of Culture in 2013 as part of its Music Schools in the Community programme, and loved the idea.

“I always had in my mind a concern for the music in Trinidad and Tobago,” he said. “The theory part of the music fell through the window in the everyday styling.

I know I wanted to do a programme for the children, to teach them, and also at the end to leave the instruments to the community.

Something will happen in Laventille in the near future as we have already given them the instruments.” The Roy Cape Foundation is now working with local social organisations, WAND and FEEL, to expand its programme.

Cape said, “I met Selwyn Ryan and told him about my foundation and he introduced me to his wife Jan Bocas Ryan. She is the founder of Women in Action for the Needy and Destitute (WAND). I spoke to her and she said I was a God-send. WAND’s last Board meeting they were talking about using music in our programme. The Roy Cape Foundation is now working with WAND and FEEL to expand its programme. The collaboration will put the programme in about 15 communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

“I have been writing to the Japanese, Germany, British Embassies and UNESCO about the programme. Even some of my friends are helping to donate instruments to the programme. I have also met with the Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life (FEEL) and I started to get instruments to them in Sangre Grande, San Fernando, YTC, and the St James Police Youth Club.

“We are still in meetings, developing our plans to include schools as far as Toco. Our first project will be in Morvant, but the venue is still to be determined. This will be our pilot project, and we will move on with a module. For now, we will be giving the children four trumpets, three trombones, four saxophones, four flutes and four clarinets. As we go along we will have recorders, guitars, keyboards, violins, electric basses, and cellos. The intention is to have an orchestra in every community, with their tutors and instruments “Tutors will be musicians I have played with through the years. In all it will be 75 tutors, and the instruments will stay with the community organisation. It must be a registered organisation.

We met with the ladies and it feels like the work is already finished, I would like to thank Mrs Jan Bocas Ryan, Elena Sylvester CEO of Feel, and Nicole M Galt for having a similar vision as the Foundation.” About his involvement Cape says: “Dealing with children is a serious responsibility, and I take this very serious.

It’s a task but it is part of my life. This is like me living a dream. We are hoping the first programme will start with 25 children, and will run for two 12- week semesters. After the first one there will be a break and then another semester will start. WAND already has a relationship in the communities so it will be much easier. Something is happening in the music industry as Cordettes, Angel Harps and someone in Mayaro have been calling about the programme.

Ainsworth Mohammed at Exodus has over 100 children in his programme.” Recounting his boyhood days, Cape said: “It is public knowledge that I grew up at the Belmont Orphanage, and the St Mary’s Home in Tacarigua.

In my time, we all went to school within the walls of the institution. The bright guys were able to go to college outside.

Today this is not happening, everybody goes to school outside of the institution.

The children just don’t have time anymore.

Early morning it’s off to school, and when they are back in the evening it’s homework and sleep. St Michael’s Home for Boys also produced musicians but that is not happening anymore.

I feel we are on the right track. The children need things to do to give them a different direction, and music is one thing that is associated with peace, love and happiness.

I still say to the youths, if you have the opportunity and you are doing well in school continue. Get your degree.

“In small countries as a musician the life is rough. In TT we have Carnival, and after Carnival, months pass by without getting any jobs. Education is very important.

If you have your degree you can play music and don’t have to worry about survival.

Athletes all go to university and get their education because of the time factor on their bodies.

Music does not have a time frame, I am 75-years-old and still play, but sports have a time frame on the body so it is import to qualify yourself.” Seeing the music revolution in Venezuela, where youths are all involved in orchestras, gave Cape and his team a stronger belief that they are on to something positive.

The programme is for youths from ages eight to 21, but elders can fall in and try to fulfil their dreams.

Cape is also introducing a new line of instruments to the youths. These instruments are made of plastic: he has a trumpet and trombone. He says if the children can use them it will be less expensive and he will be able to get many more instruments.

The foundation has asked Major Edouard Wade to be their music consultant and he is working on a music manual. Cape said he also had his long-time friend Ron Berridge do a manual, but he is far off in Arizona in the United States.

He did 50-plus pages of music and sent it since November 2013.

“That is how long I have been working on this, but nothing happens before its time,” ended Cape.

Abdullah made the claim as he joined other MSJ leaders at a press conference on the hospital construction site, Teschier Village, yesterday.

“There is absolutely no good reason why work was stopped in this hospital,” Abdullah said.

“Can’t be a question of money as money was found to complete the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.” Abdullah said the stadium will not save lives and will not help a mother who is in the throes of labour.

He added, “It will not help a worker who has suffered an accident on the job and it will not help someone who has gotten into a vehicular accident or a child who is ill.” Abdullah said the PNM government and the Point Fortin Borough have literally turn their backs on the people by abandoning the hospital project which he felt should be a priority. He said the citizens of TT and the entire southwest peninsular – La Brea, Icacos, Cedros and Chatham -are well aware that this project had been on the cards now for over 30 years, since Dr Eric Williams was Prime Minister Abdullah pointed to the numerous energy related industries in the area and the growing population.

He noted that the existing hospital or health facility in Point Fortin was built by United British Oilfields of Trinidad or Shell. Atlantic Energy, he said, is in Point Fortin and this is one of the major foreign exchange earners of TT, exporting huge volumes of gas. He pointed also to the Trinmar operations and major oil producing fields in the country.

Abdullah noted that there is additional work taking place at the Labidco Industrial estate, with the construction of a major petro- chemical plant jointly between the Massy Group and the Japanese company, Mitsubishi, pointing out that persons who may be injured must make the journey to the San Fernando General Hospital.

Abdullah also spoke about the need for a new fire station in the borough saying that the existing one it is old, dilapidated and non-functional.

“You cannot have major industries operating in this borough and not have an up-to-date state of the art fire-station properly equipped and staffed by officers who can act on a moment’s notice in the event of an emergency,” he said.

He said Point Fortin can boast of the popular Clifton Hill Beach Resort where people from all over the country could enjoy recreational activities and this is among reasons for a proper hospital and fire-station.

Abdullah noted that the construction of the hospital started just before the 2015 general election but came to a grinding halt during the last two months. He is calling on government to re-start work immediately and people must be told when is the completion date. He also made a pitch for people in the area to be employed on the project, saying that the borough has the highest unemployment and poverty rates in the country.