Magistrate Aden Stroude, presiding in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court, committed the six men — Rennie Ramcharan, 42, and his son Narcail Ramcharan, 21, both of Hill Top Drive, Maraval; brothers Darren Rogers, 42, and Collin Rogers, 41, both of Petit Valley; Ronald Moze, 20, of Las Lomas; and Kirby St John, of Maraval.

The six were charged by Acting Corporal Ricardo Nicome with causing grievous bodily harm to PC Dave Boxhill.

The charge stemmed from an altercation along the Western Main Road, Chaguaramas, on October 18, 2009.

Boxhill, an officer then assigned to the Police Highway Patrol Division, was driving east along the Western Main Road, near the Sailing Association in Chaguaramas. When he stopped there was an exchange of words between him and a group of men and he was attacked.

Sharma said he was out of the country for Carnival and on his return he read about the issue in the daily newspapers.

“I believe Dr Liverpool has shown his arrogance when he refuses to apologise for ridiculing the Hindu community in his composition,” Sharma said, adding that there have been marriages between men and women of all ages in all the religions of the world and in many countries of the world.

He emphasised the fact that Secretary General of the Maha Sabha, Sat Maharaj was targeted was totally wrong.

Sharma went on to say he is of the view that the age of consent should be eighteen.

On this topic he said, “When a national entertainer could target one ethnic group and score high then the nation should really take a second look at the way it is progressing,” he said, adding that it is distasteful when one leader is singled out after so much debate on the topic of Child Marriage.

Liverpool, on Carnival Sunday night this year, became the first calypsonian to win the Calypso Monarch title nine times. He took home the $700,000 prize money for his composition which condemned the much debated issue of child marriage.

The bodies of the well-known mother and daughter were found in an advanced state of decomposition at their home located at the corner of Gonzalez Street and SS Erin Road, De Gannes Village, Siparia on Carnival Monday night.

Police believe the women may have been killed a few days earlier as residents reported not seeing them and were subsequently attracted by a foul stench emanating from the two-storey mansion.

An autopsy has since revealed that they died as a result of multiple stab wounds. Because of the lingering stench at the house, relatives were forced to conduct a wake at the Siparia Community Centre.

Despite a number of persons being questioned and statements taken, no one has been detained in connection with the gruesome killings.

Yesterday, senior investigators said their enquiries remain at a “sensitive stage”. He said, “We continue to do all our background checks and are pursuing all leads.” It is believed the women’s death may be linked to legal matters involving property as the mother of four owned a number of commercial and residential properties in and around South.

The costume of each king and queen of the bands parading the Savannah stage is, unashamedly, designed around a Minshall idea. What has only to be decided is which of his costumes is the most copied.

As the sky is blue and the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, The Sacred and the Profane king costume and his butterflies (Papillon,1982 ) are always portrayed, year in year out, in both children’s and adult portrayals of TT Carnival. And, after all these years, his Man Crab (1983) is still holding centre stage and every single year we have a Humming Bird (1974).

Brian MacFarlane’s dedication to detail has always been described as “coming closest as possible to Minshall.” This is the truism of MacFarlane’s many successes. Looking like a Minshall mas is what defines a successful costume in any of the years of Carnival. Nearly, in reality, is even more than a mile away in TT Carnival costume design.

I say to Peter, wait until Carnival 2018 and laugh your head off when the imitators cross the stage in copies of your hastily edited out “spirit mas” of 2017.

That was the only new idea in costuming set to cross the stage.

In 2018, spirit mas might well be “ghosting” everywhere as Minshall imitators have no shame.

Lynette Joseph Diego Martin

No way someone like Junia Regrello, a major figure in the steelband fraternity, could state such defeatist nonsense.

Imagine where south steelband would have been, indeed pan in general, if more people adopted that regressive view than what currently exists.

So younger people aren’t as involved in ole mas as older folks. Why? What conversations has he had with them? More importantly, what did he do to encourage greater participation on their part? When people are leaders and not just in positions of leadership, that’s what they do — use their imagination and their office to effect progressive change.

But is it that the ole mas is dying out on its own or is it an assisted “death”? A long-running sentiment among old masqueraders, including those from a band I am currently writing a book on, is that there have been influential people in the San Fernando City Corporation who became displeased with the ole mas side of J’Ouvert because they consider it too political in its portrayals and that the irreverent way political figures and parties were made the objects of ridicule in the streets. It didn’t matter that all figures are lampooned, the fact is that certain sacred cows must never be touched.

Ole mas in Trinidad Carnival was the principal way people who had and still have little political representation expressed what affected their lives. This was freedom of expression at its finest and as one old masqueraders argues, the purest form of democracy. Politically correct, however, it is not, nor should it be.

To the trained eye, it also provides very useful windows into TT ’s social history and sociology as interpreted by ordinary people, some of whom can’t even spell sociology, but had powers of understanding far more insightful than some intellectuals I’ve encountered.

I’ve followed ole mas in San Fernando for years and saw the rise of “jersey” bands following music trucks that essentially had little artistry and even less in the way of social commentary or any kind of commentary.

This has had an (un)intended(?) consequence of shifting the younger people away from the ole mas where many of them were actually playing.

A similar thing occurred in the early 20th century with the rise of pretty mas; evidence points to it being undertaken to depoliticise the “jammette” portrayals which evoked disgust among the elites and which was seen as subversive.

Whatever the current reason, if the mayor takes the position he seems to be taking, then he had better know that if ole mas dies, eventually so too will J’Ouvert itself and then, with the revenue from that drying up, he’ll be in an even more difficult position.

So Mr Mayor, be careful what you call for.

Corey Gilkes La Romaine

It is not about men and women with their bottoms pushed out, wining on each other, wearing last year’s “tiny” boring costumes.

Why would foreigners pay to come to TT to see that? Is it the alcohol or that they have never been taught how to behave in public? And the cameramen are no better, taking pictures of them.

Are the revellers all drunk, with a total lack of decency? Added to that is the lack of innovative in costume design.

Why wasn’t Peter Minshall’s band this year televised for us and the whole world to see? That would attract visitors to our island.

The stands are empty because the Carnival show is boring and the crime rate is high.

Patricia Blades via email

Rambharat was speaking as he led volunteers in Nature Seekers’ Annual Beach Clean-up in Mathura last Sunday in preparation for the start of the turtle season. “It should be members of the community, NGOs and the like, taking the lead in clean-up activities,” he said, “and Mathura in particular is a close community that in preparation for the turtle nesting season is doing a great job” in marshalling the forces together to clean up the beach. The minister said it was extremely important to preserve the leatherback turtle, adding that the work of the Game Wardens supports the preservation efforts. Nature Seekers’ 2017 theme is “Nature is everyone’s responsibility” and the annual clean-up sought to create an opportunity to inspire a new generation of thinkers and doers in society to connect with nature and take action to support environmental conservation.

One of the highlights of the day’s activities included a Sand Turtle Competition in which 15 teams took part, with the first prize being awarded to Trinidad and Tobago Youth Ambassadors.

Shane Rampersad,35, appeared before Senior Magistrate Cheryl Ann Antoine in the Couva Magistrates’ Court to answer to the charges of possession of 80 grammes of marijuana and 26 grammes of cocaine. He pleaded guilty to the charges laid by police constable Naipaul. Sgt Wayne Waithe told the court that on July 20, 2012 police executed a search warrant for arms and ammunition at Rampersad’s home at Perseverance Village, Couva. The court heard that no weapons were found however, police found in a room, two bags containing the drugs. Rampersad was arrested and taken to the Couva Police Station where he was charged.

At his first appearance in 2012, the accused man had entered a not guilty plea. Yesterday, however, he indicated to the magistrate that he wanted to change his plea to guilty. The charges were reread to the accused. The drugs were also produced before the court. The court also heard that Rampersad had two previous drug related convictions from 13 years ago.

In pleading for leniency, Rampersad told the magistrate he was trying to stay out of trouble and focus on his work as a landscaper to help his family.

The magistrate was not impressed and indicated that she believed Rampersad was involved in “drug pushing”. On the charge of possession of marijuana Rampersad was fined $12,000 in default three years imprisonment. On the charge of possession of cocaine he was fined $18,000 or in default will serve three years imprisonment.

Rampersad was given seven days to pay the fines.

Dookeran’s comments were contained in a recent interview with the Latin America Advisor – a publication of the Inter- American Dialogue.

He was asked about those areas in which Government should focus given the Barbados- based Caribbean Development Bank’s projection of 1.7 percent regional economic growth this year among its lending countries although this country’s petroleum-based economy is expected to continue to contract in 2017.

“The ‘magic’ of steady macroeconomic metrics is losing its potency in this hydrocarbon-rich economy. Getting the balance sheet right in a period of the global financial crisis of yesteryear and the more recent price slump of oil and gas prices have stalled the growth momentum,” Dookeran said.

He said the fiscal stress has created “cash-flow bottlenecks” which, coupled with foreign exchange jitters, has placed the economy “on the edge.” “In spite of being on a cliff, fiscal space is being increased by borrowings in the capital market— possibly because of the safe debt ratios for now—which has buffered the social balance sheet and a political wage policy,” Dookeran said, adding, “To promote better growth, public policy must harness the surplus liquidity in the banks and promote private-public sector partnership in a strategic way.” “In addition, immediate action to complete a major highway that has been at a standstill, and to open credit lines for food and agricultural production, would ignite a growth path and spur diversification,” Dookeran said.

He said the state enterprise sector had to embrace a program of public offerings with a focus on productivity gains and the sharing of ownership while the energy sector had to focus on reducing the risk of shortage in gas supply which was critical for the expansion of the downstream energy sector.

Dookeran said this country has been buttressed by sound banks, credible credit ratings and a tested investment climate which has “shaped the level of business confidence, at a time when there is local fragility and global uncertainties.”

The tour will see stops throughout Tobago this week at Signal Hill Secondary (today), Scarborough Secondary (tomorrow), Bishop’s High (Thursday), Pentecostal Light and Life High (Friday) before shifting to Trinidad where they will visit International School of Port of Spain (March 13), Princes Town West Secondary (March 14), Fatima College (March 15), Mucurapo East (March 16), Queen’s Royal College (March 17) and the Brian Lara Promenade (March 17).

Mason Hall students were treated to a Flatland show featuring TT’s very own Keegan Alves and Kestrel Roopnarine as well as David Peraza (USA) and Romell Bourne (Barbados).

Bourne, 29 years old, said he was delighted to be a part of promoting the sport in the Caribbean.

“I’m enjoying it really good. This is a really good initiative. We don’t do anything like this in Barbados so coming in Trinidad to push BMX is really a good thing. The amount of kids we’re coming into contact with is amazing. It’s very exciting to come showcase my skills,” he said.

Asked how he fell in love with BMX freestyling given its lack of popularity in his homeland, Bourne indicated: “I’ve been involved in a multitude of sports. I don’t like team sports because of a bad experience. But through video games I did skate boarding, roller blading but had more creative freedom in BMX.” Hall, TT’s first BMX freestyler, thanked his sponsors and those who’ve assisted in making this year possible. He hailed the new generation of BMX freestylers and likes the direction the sport is heading.

“The schools are the core market.

We’ve seen significant growth and our focus has always been with the kids. What we’re pushing is our message and engage them to let them know it’s something to stay focused. Keegan’s been inspiring a lot of the up and comers. In July (last year) he placed first in a (NASS) contest in the UK,” he pointed out.

“We’re real happy that Paramount is on board. The ramp is the most difficult to move around but now it’s possible to go around the schools and get kids to see the sport. Malta is our drinks sponsor with Crystal Water. Thanks to First Citizens, they go way back thanks to Dexter Charles. The City Corporation, THA, Sport Company and Ministry of Education Anthony Garcia.” Other sponsors include Flow Sports, Strategic Alliance Security Services and Monar Industrial Services.