She said most citizens wrongly assume falling is a normal consequence of ageing.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of the National Fall Prevention Programme held at the Diamond Vale Community Centre, Diego Martin, Rauseo said it is a free programme to address the problem of falls in older adults.

During her research, Rauseo said there is no national statistic on falls.

She said falls could lead to injury and the fear of falling which leads to loss of independence, increased financial strain, depression, anxiety, and even a shorter life span.

“No longer it is okay to sit in the gallery and watch life pass you by just because you are old,” Rauseo said.

“Getting old should be about independence, integration and mobility. Falls are not to be taken lightly, and one in every four elderly people over the age of 65 will fall each year. Falling once double your chances of falling again.” Rauseo said the programme is extremely important because “Trinis” do not speak about falling.

The programme is expected to also enhance the quality of life for older adults by attempting to reduce their risk of falling.

“You are our older adults, our source of wisdom, experience, and historical identity, not only about our country but about ourselves.

You are the bridge between how it was then and how it is now, and if that bridge collapses we are stranded into today without a sense of where we came from or who we are.

“For too long our older adults have been an undeserved community and it is time to change that.

Rauseo said Total Rehabilitation Centre Limited has joined forces with the Physiotherapy Association of Trinidad and Tobago, students from the Physical Therapy Department of Springfield College, USA, and the Orange House Foundation to pool their expertise to create the programme.

Bourne, who is visiting this country for the second time, said he is hoping BMX freestyle riding grips not only the nation but the entire region.

“I will love to see the industry grow and be a recognised sport in the Caribbean and there to actually have a circuit so people can compete. How there is CARIFTA Games and what not, something like that for BMX throughout the Caribbean and for Latin American (riders) to come and compete,” he said.

Bourne spoke of the challenges faced by him and other Bajans who are interested in the sport.

“In Barbados, because it’s not recognised, you have to take your own resources to build something (a ramp) and someone does not see the importance of it and quickly it can be broken down or stolen. It’s not seen as an obstacle (course) for sport but just a piece of wood. If you’re out in the street riding or jumping down the stairs, people see you as a nuisance and not doing something positive,” he said.

Peraza, who is in Trinidad for the third time, said he is enjoying the experience so far especially taking BMX to the various schools.

“Obviously promoting the sport is a very good thing. I always love to show the youth what BMX is about, going to all these schools lately has been great.

They just see us do a single jump and they go crazy so when they see a black flip they go crazier and just love it. It gives them motivation to try BMX and get into something,” he said.

Peraza explained that he got into the sport because of his father and said the sport came easy to him as he had the support of both parents.

Camacho, speaking through a translator, said he loves this country and particularly the BMX family headed by TT’s first professional freestyler Trevlon Hall who invited him.

“I love the people out here, hanging out with the BMX family and showing what BMX is about.

In Ecuador the BMX thing is definitely growing. I have a huge influence in that happening and lately it’s been doing a lot better.” He noted though that it is difficult to make a career out of the sport in Ecuador as compared to other countries as sponsors are reluctant to come on board.

We Love BMX Tour Schedule: Today – Princes Town West Secondary Tomorrow – Fatima College Thursday – Mucurapo East Friday – Queen’s Royal College and Brian Lara Promenade

Jabloteh finished with maximum nine points and ahead of, in descending order, Guadeloupe’s Club Sportif Moulien (six points), System 3 Sport Academy (three points) and Saint Maarten’s Flames United (zero points), to join another Trinidad and Tobago Pro League side, Central FC, in the Final Round to be hosted in Trinidad from May 14 – 21.

Central FC, the twotime Caribbean holders, received a bye to the final round as defending champions.

Jabloteh became the latest team to qualify for the Final Round after Haiti’s Racing FC (Group A), Dominica Republic’s Cibao FC (Group B) and Antigua/ Barbuda side Grenades FC (Group C).

Puerto Rico Islanders, Jamaica’s Portmore United, Cayman Islands’ Scholars International and Suriname’s SV Transvaal will tackle each other in Group D in Puerto Rico from today until March 19 for the sixth and final berth into the Final Round which will be contested in two groups of three, each headed by Central FC and Jabloteh.

Both Final Round group winners will contest each other for the Club Championship title and Caribbean’s spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.

Teams finishing second, third and fourth in the Caribbean Club Championship will join 13 Central American teams in the newly launched club championship tournament – set to begin in August – to battle for a trophy which guarantees the winner a place in the CONCACAF Champions League where they will join 15 other teams.

“We want it to be an all-Trinidad and Tobago final (again),” said San Juan Jabloteh coach Keith Jeffrey, looking ahead to the 2017 Final Round.

“We want to continue doing well in the tournament and we want to wish Central the very best also in the big six (Final Round).

Jabloteh were in control of Group E, with wins over Flames United and Moulien 9-0 and 4-1 respectively, ahead of Sunday’s final game against the hosts System 3 Sport Academy who, backed by their home supporters, did put up a valiant effort according to Jeffrey.

The decisive item arrived on 64 minutes for Jabloteh when Tyrone Charles, for his second goal of the tournament, headed into the back of System 3 Sport Academy’s net off an Elijah Manners corner.

A win for Hillview and enough bonus points will hand them the crown, dethroning 2016 champions Fatima.

Shiva Boys will be desperate for a win in an effort to stay in the Premier Division. Shiva Boys, currently seventh on the eight-team standings are trying to move out of the bottom two. The bottom two teams at the end of today’s final round will be relegated to the Championship Division.

Second-placed Fatima can still win the title as they are only four points behind Hillview.

If Hillview lose to Shiva and Fatima defeat fourth-placed Naparima, Fatima will be crowned champions.

Today, Fatima and Naparima will play at Fatima Ground in Mucurapo.

If Hillview and Fatima finish on the same number of points, Hillview will be crowned champions because Hillview defeated Fatima in round five.

In other matches today, Carapichaima East and relegated Trinity East will face off at the Beaucarro Recreation Ground in Freeport, while Barrackpore West and Presentation Chaguanas will battle at the Barrackpore West Ground.

TODAY’S FIXTURES – Fatima vs Naparima, Fatima Ground, Mucurapo; Hillview vs Shiva Boys, Honeymoon Park, El Dorado; Carapichaima East vs Trinity East, Beaucarro Recreation Ground, Freeport; Barrackpore West vs Presentation Chaguanas, Barrackpore West Ground.

Points Standings – Hillview 95; Fatima 91; Presentation Chaguanas 68; Naparima 67; Carapichaima East 61; Barrackpore West 57; Shiva Boys 39; Trinity East 29.

According to wellknown boxing personality Boxu Potts, the event will mark a significant turnaround in the sport, focusing on education and training which it is hoped will create a platform for a booming boxing industry.

Potts, director of the WBC Caribbean and Central America Youth and Amateur Programme (under whose auspices the workshop will be held), said the local boxing board, under its chairman Dr Barry Ishmael, must take credit for the vision and foresight in conceptualising the ground-breaking event.

The other members of the TT BBC are businessman Symon De Nobriga, medical practitioner Dr Rochelle Mohammed, retired policeman Terry Young, and Cleopatra Borel, this country’s most outstanding field athlete specialising in the shot put.

The Games, which is scheduled to start on Saturday, would see Special Athletes from around the world representing their respective nations.

Newsday caught up with the TT team at the Piarco International Airport, just before they left for Austria.

Head of Delegation, Special Olympics TT , Candilla Bermant- Harper, said, “we have been doing well in Special Olympics all the time.

“For the past 24-odd years, our athletes have brought back gold, silver, bronze (medals) and ribbons as well.

We expect this team to do very well, and we ask them to do their best and nothing else.” The team would be representing TT in indoor floor hockey but, had initial plans been successful, SOTT would have carried at least one more team.

“We would have liked to also carry a Unified Floor Hockey team but we could only take one team this year because funding was not sufficient,” said Harper.

She explained that, even though more funding would have made it possible to carry another team, the corporate sponsorship from Atlantic LNG, Royal Bank , Caribbean Finance, The Ministry of Sport and other small donations was extremely appreciated by SOTT .

The Games would be shown on ESP N 2 and ABC.

The team’s other support staff includes head coach Drupatee Samaroo, coaches Devan Mahadeo, Ron Wiltshire and Claudia Francis, as well as assistant Head of Delegation Clayton Williams.

Special Olympics Ambassador, NFL wide receiver Dale Moss, has been selected to march with the TT team at the Parade of Athletes.

Set an improbable 375 for victory at the National Stadium, Volcanoes folded for 202 in their second innings with the 32-yearold Khan picking up five for 67 – his 16th five-wicket haul in First Class cricket. He received great support from off-spinner Bryan Charles with four for 79 in only his second First Class game and second in two years.

Veteran opener Devon Smith failed to convert his overnight 41 into a score of substance, falling for 49 and it was left to Shane Shillingford with 46 to give the total some respectability. Rookie Taryck Gabriel added just eight to his overnight 24 while wicketkeeper Sunil Ambris got 24.

Resuming the final morning of the sixth round clash on 68 for one, Smith and Gabriel extended their second wicket stand to 80 before being separated, when Gabriel departed in the 10th over.

His dismissal set in train the slide which saw three wickets fell for 10 runs in the space of 18 deliveries.

Ambris then propped up the innings in a 36-run fourth wicket stand with captain Liam Sebastien (21) but Khan struck just as the partnership was threatening, removing both batsmen in successive overs. Tottering on 134 for six at lunch, Volcanoes were lifted afterward by Shillingford who went on the attack, smashing two fours and four sixes in a 65-ball knock. He put on 34 for the eighth wicket with Delorn Johnson (five) but once they were separated, Red Force quickly wrapped up the tail. (CMC)

Kellar, now 40 years old and representing Team Foundation, won the keirin event for elite and junior men ahead of Thireef Smart of Breakaway and Sei Daniel of Arima Wheelers.

Campbell, of Team PSL, who won numerous medals for TT as a junior cyclist, won the women’s equivalent. Finishing behind Campbell were Dahlia Palmer of Team Drive Phase Sport and Unattached cyclist Cheyenne Awai.

In the endurance events, Gavyn Nero and Edwin Sutherland were the top cyclists on the day. Sutherland, of Heatwave, won gold in the 15-lap tempo race for elite one, two and invitational cyclists. Also earning places on the podium were Lorenzo Orosco of Team Drive Phase Sport and Enrique De Comarmond of Heatwave, finishing second and third respectively.

Sutherland had to settle for bronze in the 10-lap snowball event for elite one and two riders. Winning the event was national endurance cyclist Nero, while fellow national cyclist Adam Alexander got silver.

Cyclists will be busy for the coming weeks as they prepare for the International Easter Cycling Grand Prix on Easter weekend.

OTHER SELECTED RESULTS – Elite and Junior Women Raffle Sprint: 1. Dahlia Palmer (Team DPS); 2. Cheyenne Awai (Unattached); 3. Adrianna Seyjagat (Arima Wheelers).

Elite and Junior Men Raffle Sprint: 1. Sei Daniel (Arima Wheelers); 2. Chaquille Henry (Arima Wheelers); 3. Haseem Mclean (Unattached).

Elite and Junior Women – Two Laps: 1. Teniel Campbell (Team PSL); 2. Dahlia Palmer (Team DPS); 3. Cheyenne Awai (Unattached).

Sessions will be interchanged between the Stadium’s main field and training pitch going into the Panama affair.

Central FC midfielder Leston Paul spoke about the influence Lawrence and assistant coach Stern John have had on his approach, particularly in Friday’s 2-0 win against Barbados at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

“Both Dennis and Stern have been encouraging me to play my game which is taking control of the ball. They gave me freedom to play and said okay don’t be afraid to express yourself and go forward because you can do it and if a mistake happens you can recover. That settled me a bit and I think the performance was decent but of course we still have work to do and improvements to make,” Paul said.

Now in its seventh year, the prize recognises books in three genre categories — poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction — published by Caribbean authors in 2016.

In the poetry category, the judges have named books by three younger Jamaican writers: House of Lords and Commons, Kingston Buttercup and Cannibal.

Ishion Hutchinson’s House of Lords and Commons is a meditation on home and abroad, personal and communal history, with a rich verbal register and intense engagement with the past literary canon. Ann-Margaret Lim’s lyrical Kingston Buttercup has a deep grounding in the landscape of Jamaica, whether the penetrating poems address the persistent legacy of slavery, Lim’s relationship with her mother, or the complications of contemporary Kingston.

And Safiya Sinclair’s debut Cannibal is haunted by the character of Caliban from The Tempest, as it explores Jamaican childhood and womanhood, and otherness in a strange place that may be the United States where the poet now lives, or language itself.

“We were delighted to read a set of poetry collections remarkable for their range of focus and poetic method,” write the prize judges.

“Each entry made its own claims on us in terms of originality, appeal, and ambition. Throughout our discussions, all the collections impressed upon us the vitality of today’s voices in contemporary Caribbean poetry.” The fiction category includes novels by two Jamaicans and one Trinidadian. In his debut novel The Repenters, Kevin Jared Hosein tells a transgressive, almost Gothic tale of violence and punishment, exploring the darkest side of Trinidadian society and family history.

Marcia Douglas’s magical realist novel The Marvellous Equations of the Dread is set at one of the bleakest moments of Jamaica’s recent history, after the deaths of Bob Marley and Emperor Haile Selassie, and coveys a sense of both history’s dread and the hope born of human creativity. And in Augustown, Kei Miller offers a historical epic ranging over 60 years of Jamaican history, with its complexities of class, ethnicity, religion and language.

“Due to the excellence and range of so many of the works, selecting a shortlist was extremely difficult,” remark the fiction judges in a media release.

“We were impressed by the high quality of the entries drawn from a range of new and established writers across the region and beyond.

The immediacy of their respective concerns for their culture and their pride in the richness of its history are obvious. They’re digging deep.” The longlisted books in the non-fiction category, are all historical studies. Angelo Bissessarsingh’s twin books Virtual Glimpses into the Past and A Walk Back in Time, considered by the judges as two volumes of a larger work, collect vignettes from the history of TT, offering an effortless read for those for whom the past is a forgotten country. Bissessarsingh, a selftaught historian who passed away in early 2017, during the judging period, won a devoted following among Trinidadian readers for his enthusiastic style and passion for research.

Barbadian Hilary McD Beckles’s The First Black Slave Society: Britain’s ‘Barbarity Time’ in Barbados, 1636–1876 is a compelling history of the first 140 years of the colonisation of Barbados, “with great resonances for contemporary debates about reparatory justice for the crimes of history,” say the judges.

And, in Inward Yearnings: Jamaica’s Journey to Nationhood, Colin Palmer tells the story of Jamaica’s struggle to define an identity that embraces both its African heritage and its Anglophone western past. “Palmer’s prose immediately immerses you in sympathy for the people, events, and organisations that make this history,” the judges note.

The winners in each genre category will be announced on March 27, and the prize of US $10,000 will be presented to the overall winner on April 29, during the seventh annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest in Port-of-Spain. Two category winners will receive US $3,000 each.

The judging panels for the OCM Bocas Prize bring together distinguished Caribbean and international writers, academics, and publishing professionals.

David Dabydeen, the celebrated Guyanese writer based in the UK, chairs the poetry panel, which also includes Cuban poet and translator Nancy Morejon and London-based agent Peter Straus. On the fiction panel, chair Susheila Nasta, founder and editor of the journal Wasafiri, is joined by New York– based agent and editor Malaika Adero and St Vincent-born, Canada- based writer H Nigel Thomas.

Jamaican Kim Robinson-Walcott, editor of Caribbean Quarterly and Jamaica Journal, chairs the non-fiction panel, which includes scholars Aaron Kamugisha of Barbados and Patricia Mohammed of TT.

The overall chair of the 2017 cross-judging panel is the eminent Jamaican poet and scholar Edward Baugh. Judges will attend the festival, April 26 – 30 at Nalis and the Old Fire Station in Port-of-Spain.

The 2017 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature longlist: Poetry House of Lords and Commons, by Ishion Hutchinson (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) Kingston Buttercup, by Ann-Margaret Lim (Peepal Tree Press) Cannibal, by Safiya Sinclair (University of Nebraska Press) Fiction The Marvellous Equations of the Dread, by Marcia Douglas (Peepal Tree Press) Augustown, by Kei Miller (Weidenfeld and Nicolson) The Repenters, by Kevin Jared Hosein (Peepal Tree Press) Non-fiction The First Black Slave Society: Britain’s “Barbarity Time” in Barbados, 1636–1876, by Hilary McD Beckles (University of the West Indies Press); Virtual Glimpses into the Past: Snapshots of the History of Trinidad and Tobago/A Walk Back in Time: Snapshots of the History of Trinidad and Tobago, by Angelo Bissessarsingh (Queen Bishop Publishing); Inward Yearnings: Jamaica’s Journey to Nationhood, by Colin A. Palmer (University of the West Indies Press) For more info: www.bocaslitfest.

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