Among the topics discussed during the conference were entrepreneurship and the entrepreneur mindset, using creativity to design and construct the business idea, protecting the business idea and funding a business venture.

The purpose of the conference was to educate local stakeholders about the importance of sport as a powerful economic tool and how to maximise its potential here.

Feature speaker Dr Terrance Farrell stressed to an attentive audience the magnitude of the global sporting industry not only in terms of fans but its monetary value.

“Sports are an essential part of our lives, whether as spectators or participants. Competition resonates with the human spirit whether it is the drama of a close game of cricket, a last minute goal in soccer, the thrill of a Formula One race, the tactics of a marathon or a game of chess, or the sheer brutality of an MMA contest,” he said.

The former Central Bank Deputy Governor continued: “Sport is also business. Indeed, sport is a very big business. Estimates of the size of the global sports industry vary widely depending on what is counted — gate receipts, media rights, merchandising, sponsorships, infrastructure, software, etc. FIFA is one of the biggest businesses in the world. So is the National Football League and the NBA in the United States, the English Premier League, Formula One racing, and professional tennis. Participants in those sports are able to earn substantial salaries in careers which may span 10-15 years but which, assuming no injuries, can set them up for life.” He pointed out that it’s not just the athletes who make a living off sport but all stakeholders – club owners, managers, doctors, coaches, lawyers, advertising agencies etc.

Discussing the importance of local sporting bodies being self sufficient, president of the TTO C Brian Lewis said, “There is the belief that Government has a key role to play in terms of the funding of sport.

I am saying that the reality is that sport has to strive to become self sufficient and to do it we must be entrepreneurial.

The core business of the new sport organisation is about service and it is about being market oriented.” Chairman of the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago Michael Phillips encouraged those in attendance to start “small” when trying to organise sporting events.

Phillip also encouraged those in attendance to provide reports on their events to become more accountable.

Also speaking about accountability, Je Anne Borneo, group risk manager at Sagicor Life said, “Most of the time sponsors want to see what value you are bringing to their brand. We need to account to the people that gave us, so that they will have some loyalty in us and some confidence in what we are doing so it won’t be a one off thing.” Borneo explained that after an event, sports organisers must show sponsors their return on investment, profitability, and the attendance at the events to encourage investors.

Carina Cockburn, who is an economic development professional from Jamaica, said the Caribbean needs to capitalise on the popularity of athletes such as the selling of merchandise.

Fashion week will also seek out tailors/cutters, pattern makers, leather, craft and jewelry artisans for the building of a manufacturing space for local and Caribbean orders.

Since its inception the event has given exposure to various labels in its thrust to better grow this sector. This year organisers plan to continue this drive by blending the local output with regional and international fashion emerging brands.

The event also seeks to position its practitioners, “not only to increase their visibility but to promote the enormous economic potential within the sectors to create self-employment,” the SFFWTT said.

The SFFWTT production will be staged in three-parts with the first instalment to be launched next month while the other two will be revealed “throughout 2017”, according to the SFFWTT.

The production committee said the “format of Freedom Expressions 2017 will turn the spotlight on imagination, expression in fashion and design and freedom to articulate one’s specific yet unique fashion/design identify”.

Fashion week was created to “showcase, support, improve fashion and design market content to appeal to the steady increase of consumers who want to buy local creative goods.” The SFFWTT’s producers have launched a Design Show Creative Space Store Front, in San Fernando and has opened doors for retail business.

This venture continues to successfully function making designer pieces readily available and easily accessible to the public and a medium of reach to designers in attracting business and appealling to a wide range of consumers with varying fashion design appetites, the SFFWTT said.

On April 3 an even titled Mirror Image takes place at the Royal Hotel in San Fernando.

Designers and models will present trending styles in time for Easter, Spiritual Baptist Day, Mother’s Day, Emancipation and the graduation season.

Designers representing Boston, St Kitts/Nevis and Trinidad will unveil exquisite, colourful and affordable collections which will be available for purchase at the event and also at the Design Store at 139 Main Road Marabella.

For more info: sandofashionweek, Twitter and Instagram, 335- 4155 or 722-6059.

Opening for Rudder was Keithson Cruickshank who began with Eddie Lovette’s version of Gypsy, then followed it with Rete, a French Caribbean number, before returning home for a classic Kalyan hit, Can You Love Me.

Ironically, the singer admitted he was too young when the song was released but as he started to sing, most of the audience was singing along with him.

Cruickshank’s next selection was one with an Asian flavour, Rasheeda, which he followed with Mr C, a reggae number, and Aye, an African song.

He continued to mix his tracks, delivering Baron’s Doh Rock It So, Fleetwood Mac’s Everywhere and Marvay’s Know the Face before closing with Michael Jackson’s Human Nature.

At 2 pm, the man whom the 85-per-cent female crowd had been waiting for came on to welcoming applause, to entertain for an hour and 40 minutes.

Backed by Kenneth Baptiste on keyboard, Barry Howard on drums, Albert Bushe on bass and his musical director Wayne Bruno on guitar, Rudder began with It Doesn’t Get Too Much Better Than This.

The audience agreed and immediately got into the music by singing and dancing.

Because of the “niceness” that pervaded the event, Rudder called on a young drummer from Cuba, Javier, to join the band, which he did, even soloing when asked to by Rudder during his singing of Calypso Music.

He followed with Trini to the Bone and after singing Sweet, Sweet TT , the last line of the song, he quipped: “That was TT 14 years ago.

Welcome to Trinidad!” and that prompted to band to begin his 2017 offering of the same name.

Rudder continued with Long Time Band and Nuff Respect, which by this time had the audience all around the caf?. The slowing of the pace and lowering of the music proved very effective, and he connected with the crowd more than usual.

Rudder then started toying with the crowd, saying, “If you talk to half the men in Trinidad they had the experience.” He then sang Tuesday Night Lover, about a young man having the time of his life with a woman and sure they both felt the same way. However, the following day, Ash Wednesday, he got a rude awakening when he saw the same lady in the bank, who pretended not to recognise him.

Rudder’s delivery had the audience in stitches and the men reminiscing about similar experiences.

He then raised the tempo and sang Song for a Lonely Soul, but obliged the audience’s request for Mad Man’s Rant, sung with the same passion with which he first sang it.

To the opening bars of The Hammer, Rudder opined that this year’s Panorama had been one of the best in years, then sang: “Hold dem and rock dem/ Trinidad, good morning, show meh how yuh does jump up….All Stars get away,” he said with a grin – then launched into his finale, comprising The Hammer, Dus in Dey Face and Madness, after which he closed with High Mas.

Patrons left in high spirits and vowed to return, should there be a repeat.

Dean Ackin, returning co-host of Le D?ner en Blanc promised the event will bring magic and mystery with over 800 “guests” anticipating the reveal of a new and secret location.

Last year’s inaugural picnic attracted some 600 participants to the Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s venue.

Another “unforgettable evening of elegance, beauty and charm”, is being planned at a location to be revealed minutes before the event begins.

Launched in Paris nearly 30 years ago, the original essence of Le D?ner en Blanc remains friendship, elegance and gallantry.

Today, more than 100,000 participants from around the world give this event a platform for participants to exhibit their fashion sense, showcase their fine taste for design/elegance, and share their gastronomic delights.

However, guests must observe certain requirements: Registration to participate takes three stages: Phase One is for members who attended the previous year; Phase Two is for new members who are referred by Phase I attendees and Phase Three is for people who signed up on the waiting list via portofspain.dinerenblanc.

com/register.

Once confirmed, each guest’s participation becomes mandatory regardless of weather conditions.

This is a rain or shine event.

A dress code of elegant and white only is in effect and originality is encouraged as long as it is stylish and tasteful.

Table setting is also all white.

Diners will meet at assigned departure location to be escorted by volunteers.

Other requirements include a table, two white chairs and a white tablecloth.

Also, participants must bring a picnic basket comprising fine food, proper stemware and white dinnerware or there’s the option of a catered picnic basket to be collected on site, for which advance reservations must be made.

And, to crown it all, champagne and/ or wine are the beverages of choice as beer and hard liquor are prohibited.

When it’s all over and done with, diners are also required to leave with all their belongings, leftovers and litter.

“I decided to take the comedy fest to another level by writing a play about a normal typical family,” Supersad said, adding laughter is the best medicine and there is need for people to come together as one and enjoy good jokes.

He said his skit tells of the likes and dislikes of a protective father. Chutney singer Sally Sagram takes on the role of a daughter who troubles her father on everyday issues. The skit also focuses on “the village ram” from San Juan and gives patrons a lot to laugh at.

Other actors are radio announcer Jairaj Singh, Indarpaul Beharry, Errol Fabien and Learie Joseph.

The Ramsingh Family will be staged tonight at Enchanted Gardens, New Grant, tomorrow at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya and on Sunday at Centre Point Mall, Chaguanas at 8 pm.

Produced by Randy Glasgow Promotions the comedy fest will also feature Macco Meter Crew, Hott Like Fire, The Dancing Midgets, Sharuk Khan, Pepper Seed, Mumbai Indians, Big Papa George and Knuts Landing.

An autopsy would later reveal she was manually strangled.

To date, her killer remains at large.

Yesterday __ International Women’s Day – the teen’s relatives revealed to Newsday, that Rachael secured three passes with distinctions as CSEC results were released by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC). Last May, Rachael who was a student of Northern Eastern College in Sangre Grande, sat her Math and English A exams, for which she obtained Grades I with distinctions.

On January 10, the Form Four student sat her Principles of Business (POB) and Social Studies exams, for which she obtained Grade I (with distinction) and Grade II respectively. Tragically, Rachael did not live to bask with her family, in the joy and pride on seeing the fruits of her hard scholastic work.

Grandmother Kamla Ramkissoon said the teen wrote the Social Studies exam three days before she was murdered. On January 13, a hunter stumbled upon Rachael’s body at Balata Trace in San Raphael. Ramkissoon sobbed as she read the CSEC results for Newsday. She added that her granddaughter had a bright future ahead of her and was working towards acquiring a scholarship at CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination), to further her studies.

“Rachael was such a brilliant girl. She was always in her books.

She was the bright star and great hope of our family. I knew she would have done well in all her examinations,” Ramkissoon said.

“She told us she wanted to sign up to write four more subjects in January which were PoB, Social Studies , Human and Social Biology and Office Administration.” Anything Rachael put her mind to, she succeeded at, Ramkissoon said.

“She would study night and day and put in the work. My little girl got another distinction in POB, but she was robbed of the opportunity to write the HSB and Office Administration examinations because someone squeezed the life out of her,” the elderly woman cried.

And as the nation observed International Women’s Day yesterday, Ramkissoon said the day is meaningless as too many women in this country, too many girls, too many innocent people are at risk of being kidnapped, raped, assaulted or murdered.

“Women can no longer walk the streets without fear. Girls can’t walk to school anymore. I can’t celebrate Women’s Day knowing this is the state my country has reached, knowing that for the rest of my life I have to live with the pain of Rachael’s murder, when she should have been protected.

Imagine she missed her school bus and ended up dead,” the woman cried.

Rachael would have celebrated her 17th birthday on August 23.

Grieving father Toba Ramkisson told Newsday his daughter’s CSEC results did not come as a shock to him.

“Rachael was a brilliant girl and I only expected excellence from her. She always placed first in test from since primary school and into secondary school. I wish she was here to see the results of her work,” he said.

The father of two said he remains confident there would be justice for his daughter’s murder.

On the morning of her death, Rachael missed the school bus and contacted a relative who also attends North Eastern to ask the bus driver if he could wait for her as she had studied late into the night and got up late.

The driver reportedly refused to wait and the teen had to seek public transportation. The girl’s relative claimed she only travelled with drivers she knew prompting police to believe that the person who murdered Rachael may have known her. Senior police officers said the case remains open as they continue to pursue all leads.

Sgt Maraj of the Homicide Investigations Bureau Region II is leading investigations.

This resulted in in some ports of entry being unmanned, officers who showed up for work having to double up on and in some instances, having to work excessively long hours to ensure Carnival activities were properly manned.

The mass absenteeism resulted in concern being expressed by acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and Gold Commander for Carnival 2017, Acting DCP Deodath Dulalchan. A post mortem on Carnival 2017 is expected to take place shortly and the Police Social Welfare Association (PSWA) is asking for it to be a part of the examination process.

PSWA president Inspector Michael Seales yesterday said a lot of problems were experienced by association members during Carnival, which is what prompted the PSWA’s call to be a part of the post mortem. Seales said that based on reports from liaison officers in five areas, where Carnival activities took place, the PSWA received reports of sour (spoiled) lunches being provided to police by caterers; a lack of rest rooms for female officers; extremely difficult and long working hours ordered by seniors and other issues.

Seales said if the 600 absenteeism figure is accurate, all is not well when it came to planning for Carnival.

“The Association looks at this issue in the context that the Service has to do some introspection because if that tally is correct, you have to consider the wellness of the organisation. It is a worrying figure at a time when a national event is being hosted,” Seales said.

It is understood some officers who did not turn up for duty are officers who were on vacation leave and who ignored the directive to return to active duty for Carnival, which began on Fantastic Friday and ended at midnight on Carnival Tuesday.

The Association feels that those officers on vacation should not have been called out in the first place.

Newsday was told that reports from PSWA liaison officers who visited officers on duty in where Carnival activities were heavily concentrated, revealed several problems. At the John Donaldson Technical Institute off Wrightson Road, lunch served to officers was declared spoiled and officers were forced to buy their own lunches.

At NAPA, absenteeism was noted and officers who turned up complained about accommodation.

Meals were also served late. At the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau, the 90 strong regular staff was whittled down to 50, which left various ports of entry either unmanned or understaffed.

Sources revealed that the absenteeism resulted in a shortage of manpower at the Piarco International Airport.

Liaison officers from the PSWA have since recommended to Association executives that for Carnival 2018, there should be the introduction of a three shift, eighthour system to avoid officers being overworked; a quality and quantity review of meals provided; toilets placed at areas manned by police officers for their use only among other recommendations.

“I am amazed that today is universally declared as International Women’s Day. But where are the women in Trinidad and Tobago,” he asked. “Where are the women who got Mr (Raymond) Tim Kee (former Port-of-Spain Mayor) fired because he made some comment about some skirt? Where are all the women who were marching calling for somebody’s neck because Shannon died somewhere on Charlotte Street. Where are they today?” Bakr said the mothers of the young women who died because of abusive relationships should also have been a part of International Women’s Day observances. “Where are the mothers of these children who disappear every week? Every week teenage children disappear, where are the mothers of these children? Where are the people who are supposed to mobilise for some kind of collective action against this heinous crime of abuse against women?” Yesterday’s march, which included scores of placard-bearing Muslimeen women and children, began at Woodford Square and proceeded along Frederick Street and onto Independence Square. The walk then ventured to Duke Street and back at Frederick Street before culminating at Woodford Square.

There, the Muslimeen leader lamented the absence of public officials in the march. He said many of them were “wrapped up in politics” at the expense of meaningful activism. As an example, Bakr said he invited Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez to address the children before the start of the march but he declined.

“The mayor was entertaining some people with a tea party and we asked him to come and talk to the children but he said he was too busy to come and talk to the children who have come out here to make a statement against the abuse of women. He had something more important to do,” Bakr said. Saying that he has been married for more than 46 years, Bakr claimed his children have never seen him hit his wives. Pointing to his son Fuad, who was in the march, Bakr said: “He cannot say that in his 29 years of life, he has ever seen me quarrel with his mother. Now, she is not an angel, but he has never seen that. So, he don’t know nothing about abuse to women,” Bakr said. Bakr said any society where men abuse women is a failed state. “The first thing in rebuilding that society is respect for women,” he said.

“In chapter four of the Quran, God says to Muslim men that they are the protectors of women. We have a mandate. It is an instruction from Allah to all Muslim men that they are responsible for protecting women,” he said. Bakr said the Jamaat Al Muslimeen will do all in its power to bring abusers of women to justice.

“The buck stops here! Where you are seen as a predator, we will hand you over to the police. We will find you…all abusers of women. You will pay for your atrocities against women,” he declared. Bakr said society had too many talkers. “All we do is talk, talk, talk. As one calypsonian say, ‘We fed up of the lip service’.”

Hosein said during the lunch break at the Carapichaima ASJA Primary School on Tuesday, his son Eshan Hosein was playing with his friends when a nine-year old classmate with a history of bullying students attacked the group.

Also speaking with Newsday with his father’s permission, Eshan said “he come and push all of us around and then he push me on the ground and beat me up and jump on my arm.” The incident is strikingly similar to last month’s alleged bullying attack against nine-year old Tristan Khan of the Mayaro Government Primary School. Khan’s alleged attacker also jumped on his arm until it broke in several places and threatened the future use of his dominant arm. Khan has still not returned to school, though his parents have happily reported the return of movement in his fingers after doctors feared he would lose the use of his arm.

“All I want is for all children like my son’s bully to get the help they need,” said Hosein.

“As for my son, he is in serious pain, but all we can do for him is give him the best care and love so that he could recover.” Eshan’s left hand was broken and he is set to return to the San Fernando General Hospital next Tuesday for a prognosis.

Hosein wrote to the minister of education yesterday, copying the president, prime minister, attorney general, ASJA’s president, the school’s principal, and the three daily newspapers. He wrote that his son’s school does not provide specialist training to teachers to equip them to treat with students such as his son’s attacker. “I plead with the minister of education to provide special care and treatment of (name called) in a school designed to treat with such behaviour.” Newsday could not reach Education Minister Anthony Garcia for comment.

We are past the time of throwing up our collective hands and shouting “how awful,” but must strategise how to remedy this society’s crisis of masculinity. Why are our boys and men failing and what’s to be done about it? Yet again, we urge policymakers to reacquaint themselves with Prof Selwyn Ryan’s report, “No time to quit: Engaging youth at risk” (2013), which names positive influences as family, school, sport and a proposed national service, and negative influences as the drug trade, gangs, and anti-social music.

Amid this country’s general social breakdown, young males face specific challenges.

The phenomenon of young male failure has also affected societies such as the United States and United Kingdom, which can surely offer us some insights.

“Why society is failing young boys,” a 2012 article in the Huffington Post, largely blamed male failure on an absence of male role models for young boys who instead draw comfort from endless hours spent in front of a screen titillated by video games and/or online pornography.

The article was written by psychologist Dr Philip Zimbardo and artist Nikita Duncan, who found that males are getting conflicting messages — from media, institutions, parents and peers — about what it means to be a male, that is, what is acceptable and desirable male behaviour.

The authors note the “loser” stereotype of young men often portrayed by American movies, and we would be equally concerned at the mindless lout stereotype portrayed by Jamaican dancehall music, each equally unrealistic and unhealthy role models. The Huffington Post authors say the lack of role models is harming young males in their ability to succeed.

The US, like Trinidad and Tobago, has a high rate of fatherlessness.

“While moms are great at giving unconditional love regardless of their child’s performance, dads motivate sons to try harder, not to give up, to work for success.” The report laments that even a boy with a dad spends just half an hour a week in one-to-one conversation with his father, compared to 44 hours a week spent in front of a television or computer screen.

“Without better male role models in real life, guys become confused about what constitutes acceptable male behaviour. They don’t recognise the images presented in video games, movies, television, and porn as caricatures.” The article said research by one Maya G?tz and Dafna Lemish said boys are more vulnerable than girls to absorbing the messages of media.

Elsewhere, evidence strongly suggests that the excessive playing of video games can alter the function and indeed the very architecture of the human brain, producing boys bereft of social skills and detached from reality. The Huffington Post authors urge a calculated community effort in the home, schools, churches, athletics clubs and elsewhere, to mentor and coach youngsters in a healthy value system. Indeed, similar prescriptions have been suggested for TT from Prof Ryan. The solution does not lie in more prisons, more laws or more police, but in all of us as parents and communities cultivating better youngsters by a rescue mission for our young males. We trust this forms part of the work being done by the Office of the Prime Minister to reshape the behaviour of this country’s male population.