Hours after the High Court dismissed the UNC’s election petition, the opposition party held a meeting and forum in Couva, rallying supporters for the upcoming local government elections.

Addressing the hundreds gathered at the party’s Couva South regional office on Friday night, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar described the ruling as a victory.

“I can feel it, I can taste it and I know victory is ours tonight!” she said. “Today I declare victory in the UNC election campaign!! Let no one fool you.”

“This is like the police lock up a man for buying ganja, but after they lock him and bring him to court, they find out he consumed the ganja already, so the police say you break the law but since you use it up already, you can go home. How can you break the law and still end up with something that is legal?”

“That is why I said earlier today, we will challenge that part of the judgement which upheld the results.”

Dozens of local government nominees were announced throughout the night and Persad-Bissessar praised them for their willingness to serve. 

“The young, the not-so-young, spanning the length and breadth of Trinidad and Tobago. Over the past weeks, we have screened hundreds of candidates who are willing to serve you and I say you have the greatest power in your hand and that is your vote. You have to vote them out in the local government elections.”

Persad-Bissessar was critical of the PNM administration, saying they had done nothing since taking office on September 7, 2015. 

“The Rowley Government has failed to deliver on anything they have promised, reports are coming in from all over this country that the Rowley Government is a do-nothing government,” she said.

Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie, also lashed out at the Government.

“Nothing has been happening. No economic activity, no actions, or decisions and with that, no confidence in a positive economic future and therefore what we have is a standstill economy headed for decline,” he said. 

“No activity or action or direction from Government. A hold-strain perspective from the private sector. The result is loss of jobs, downward movement of business profit, no new jobs being created, no new investment, restraint on business expansion, stifled entrepreneurship, more social and economic stress on more people.”

A single parent, Charles, who has a son entering Form Two in Fatima College, has to spend $3,959.44 on the book list alone. He needs additional money for school uniforms, shoes, book bags and other necessities to equip his son for the school term.

Charles has four other children, one in pre-school, two in primary school and another attending a government secondary school in Port-of-Spain. In total, he estimates that he spends more than $20,000 to send his five children to school.

He often takes credit union loans, which he spends the year paying back.

“It’s a sacrifice that I have to make but if I don’t get everything my children are at a disadvantage,” Charles said.

Even with the Ministry of Education promising to supply textbooks, Charles still purchases all of them.

“Last year, I got a book list and it was shorter because the teachers said the ministry would supply books but by the middle of the term the teacher asked me to buy them, so I want to be better prepared.”

This year was different. The book list was longer because reading books usually provided by the ministry for primary schools were back on the list.

Estimates from approximately 30 book lists viewed by the Sunday Guardian show the costs of textbooks from ECCE to secondary school level can range from around $300 to over $4,000. 

A social worker at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital said they are getting more requests from parents for help getting textbooks.

“From the last couple years, it really looked like there were a lot more textbooks,” the social worker said.

“In the past the book lists weren’t so big, it was mostly stationery. We deal with really poor people, and they say they can’t afford copybooks or a pencil for their kids.”

The cost to send a child back to school doesn’t only vary according to the child’s level of education, but is also determined by the type of school.

At schools where foreign languages are on the curriculum and at prestige schools, back-to-school costs can be high. One parent shopping for books said she had to purchase three textbooks at around $200 each for a single subject.

Government secondary schools, which traditionally offer less subjects, usually have shorter booklists.

Candace Persad, mother of an eight-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son, said usually her children got one or two of the required books from the school.

“This year I had to purchase all and that is in addition to the money parents have to spend on shoes, book bags and uniforms. In my child’s primary school, the physical education uniform changes every year they advance.” 

Persad said her son, who is in second year, had to get nine textbooks and she spent about $1,500.

“It affected my finances a little because my husband work slow up real bad and I had to dip into my savings,” she said, adding that it was difficult getting the books at local bookstores.

Annually, the Guardian Neediest Cases Fund gets requests for assistance with schoolbooks. Administrator of the programme, Maria Ann Sam, said requests have almost doubled this year.

“Last year we had 17 requests for help with schoolbooks, but mostly copybooks and notebooks and book bags and school shoes,” she said.

“This year we had 33 requests and it goes up every day. The majority of parents are asking for help to purchase textbooks.”

Book lists from some secondary schools are two pages long and the average price for a textbook is $200.

The costs for textbooks for a Form Two student at Lakshmi Girls’ College is $2,170.30. For an ECCE pupil the required list of items amounts to $265.63, while a Standard Three pupil’s book list amounts to $872.30.

Cost of books

ECCE—$350 to $500

Primary Infants—$600

Primary Standard One to Five—$1,000 to $1,500 

Secondary—$2,150 to $4,000

Garcia responds

Education Minister Anthony Garcia said Cabinet intends to top up textbooks by ten per cent and he expects this to be done before the start of the new school term.

“There have been no changes to the textbook distribution programme. The Government has purchased approximately $40 million worth of textbooks for primary and secondary schools,” he said.

The minister said the ten per cent is based on the need determined by principals and school supervisors.

“The principals were contacted and they were required to do a check and the information that came back to us suggested that we needed to top up by ten per cent.”

Garcia urged parents to be patient.

“The procurement process is on its way. EFCL has been given that responsibility,” he said.

Two years after it was closed due to structural flaws, the National Academy for Performing Arts (Napa) remains closed and is not likely to reopen anytime soon. 

GML Enterprise Desk obtained an inspection report on the facility commissioned by the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism which reveals several structural flaws that could present public danger and which must be corrected urgently before the facility is reopened. 

The facility cost taxpayers half a billion dollars and remedial work will cost taxpayers millions more.

The report identified structural deficiencies in almost the entire building, including the UTT facility, catwalk, stage area, roof and ceiling. 

They include incomplete welding, braces for key beams are only tack welded, some beams are welded on one side only, screws and bolts embedded in some welds, fabrication cuts on the webs of beams, main beams joined using reinforcing plates and were not butt welded, and plates were used to fill spaces between some beams.

In December 2014, BBFL Caribbean Limited was contracted by the Ministry of Arts and Multi Culturalism in December to conduct a condition survey on the building and found “several defects” which required further investigation by a certified welding inspector. 

The company retained the services of Certified Welding Inspector-Non Destructive Testers Limited (NDT) to so the necessary tests.

NDT concluded that none of the welds inspected were acceptable to code due to weld profiles, undercut and the porosity beyond allowable limits. 

With specific reference to the UTT attic, it was found that bolted connections between primary members were connected by single bolts per joint and the bolts were not tightened. 

In the catwalk area, the ceiling above the audience area was said to be suspended from the structure by quarter-inch threaded diameter steel bars. The steel bars, according to the report, were connected to the structure by tack welds.

The structure at the proscenium—the arch from which the stage curtain comes down—consists of beams, pipe braces, which are connected by welding but “none were acceptable to AWS D1-1 visual inspection criteria due to unacceptable weld profile, porosity and undercut.”

In the catwalk stage area the fire curtain is tack welded in position. 

No welding bolts were observed at connection points of the four-inch diameter beam to support the brace. 

The report also pointed to “incomplete welds on various components” and stated that “of all welds inspected, all are unacceptable” in keeping with internationally accepted criteria.

Sources said joints were not properly welded and over a period of time this could present a danger to the public, as there could be a partial collapse of the structure in the event of a strong earthquake. 

Full joint penetration welds should have been used to ensure the safety of the structure, but instead fillet welds were used which is inadequate in a structure of that size.

$10 million repair bill

Well-placed sources told the GML Enterprise Desk that the inspector recommended that all the welds be replaced, but the contractor, Shanghai Construction, was seeking to reduce the scope of remedial work because of the cost.

The GML Enterprise Desk was told by a well-placed source that only 20 per cent of the recommended remedial work has been done and that has already cost close to $10 million. 

However, there is still a significant amount of work to be done to correct the structural deficiencies identified in the report.

Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly admitted that the corrective work “will cost millions of dollars,” but she could not give an exact figure.

“The final cost has not yet been tabulated,” she said.

The minister said taxpayers will not have to foot the entire repair bill since “some of the cost is being borne by Shanghai Construction, who is correcting the defects which was as a result of their work.” 

Shanghai would not bear all the costs because there were two issues, she said, including “structural deficiencies where some of the welds did not stand up to inspection and lack of maintenance.”

“In order to ensure the safety of everyone” it was agreed “that the welds be redone.” The minister said substantial work has already been done on defects identified on the roof. 

She said corrective work started late last year involving both Shanghai and some local contractors.

Gadsby-Dolly said while she had been assured that the work will be completed this year, she could not give a time frame for completion. 

JCC: It’s a shame

President of the Joint Consultative Council James Armstrong said: “Napa is a relatively new building and should not have had so many deficiencies. It is clear that something went wrong somewhere.”

He said that the situation with the structure “is a concern that we have raised in the past, which is why we are stressing that the State should not bypass the experience which we have and enter into government to government arrangements.” 

Armstrong said he was not aware that “any local contractor had been approached to rectify the problem, since no member had indicated that were had been approached.”

Shanghai Construction was given the contract to build Napa by Udecott. There was no tender for the project. Armstrong said projects of that magnitude “should be out for tender and allow local contractors to submit bids.” 

He said industry stakeholders have the expertise and wherewithal and “we are aware of what capacity we have, so if it is beyond our capacity then we can say let’s find a joint venture partner who we can engage. But what is happening is that the way these request for proposals are issued, they lock out local contractors on technical issues.”

Armstrong said it is not the intention to “lock out anyone” but they believe “the local industry can perform and make contributions to these mega-projects.”

He added that there needs to be a “conscious policy of the Government to engage local companies and give them the opportunity, so they can generate employment.”

Efforts to contact Michael Zhang of Shanghai Construction Limited for comment were unsuccessful.

ABOUT NAPA

​Napa was built under an undisclosed government to government arrangement with China. There was no competitive tender for the project and the contract was given to the Shanghai Construction Group by Udecott.

The facility was opened with much fanfare in 2009 and was expected to play a significant role in the development of arts and culture. Prime Minister Patrick Manning had praised the facility as being "world class."

However, The Artists Coalition of T&T (ACTT) was not impressed. President Rubadiri Victor said the facility was woefully inadequate. Among the short comings he identified were no loading area for the main stage, poor construct of the stage floor, flawed dance studios, no costume rooms, a defective orchestra pit and hundreds of problems with lighting and sound fixtures and equipment, no showers, no dressing rooms, and two rooms which were said to be smaller theatres had no seats.

Victor estimated it would cost $80 million to fix the problems.

By 2014 the building’s flaws were coming to the surface and the facility was closed after several problems with air quality and structural issues were uncovered. It was subsequently closed for non-compliance with OSHA Regulations.

Then Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Lincoln Douglas said it would have cost an additional $100 million to fix the building. Among other things, he said screws and bolts used on the facility were unique to China and had to be imported, in addition he said tiles were falling off the building, there were plumbing failures and the foundation began failing, in terms of its design and filtration system, the moving stage showed major defects and the support stands for the stage were crumbling.

The facility was closed and the UTT classes were relocated. Caution tape was placed across the building. However part of the facility was used as recent as July 8 for the public viewing of the body of former prime minister Patrick Manning.

T&T has a major problem with homegrown terrorism and the terrorist group Isis has a foothold in the country, says Professor W Andy Knight, former director of the Institute of International Relations (IIR), at the University of the West Indies. 

He said based on high-profile information, T&T has become a recruiting ground for Isis and al Qaeda and Isis sleeper cells have already been established locally. Evidence of this, Knight said, is the fact that T&T has the second highest per capita rate of extremist travellers in the western world, second only to Kosovo. 

Through research here at home, Knight and his Canadian colleague, John McCoy, have found that Isis was utilising a combination of recruitment and propaganda tactics. Apart from slick media productions, the terror group has been using social media and the dark Web to convince young people in this country that they are winning the war against the United States and its allies in the Middle East. 

“Isis recruiters paint a picture of a well-run caliphate, a just and fair society governed by Shariah law and they project an ideal state, which they claim is based on the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. They portray the West, including Trinidad and Tobago, as morally corrupt, overly sexualised, and decaying in values,” he said.

Knight is urging the Government to “beef up” security intelligence by training people in the tactics of countering violent extremism and dangerous radicalisation. He and his colleague are developing a counter-violent extremism (CVE) programme in Alberta, Canada, which they hope can be tailored to other settings, like T&T, to deal with foreign fighters who are returning to their home countries. 

“Transforming the terrorist world view is a challenge but this form of counterterrorism must become the next strategy in the war on terrorism,” he said. 

Knight teaches international relations at the University of Alberta in Canada, while McCoy is an expert in homegrown violent extremism and newcomer integration in Canada. 

Isis sympathisers

infiltrating the system 

The people most susceptible to Isis recruitment in this country are largely from marginalised communities, said Knight. 

“Several of them have felt excluded from the mainstream of Trinidad and Tobago society for some time. Some of them are recent converts to Islam and have very little grounding in the religion. Many Isis followers in Trinidad and Tobago are targeted by so-called imams who preach a brand of Islam that mainstream Muslims in the country reject.”

He said T&T has an established Muslim population that is well-integrated into the society and are contributing members in all sectors of the society. He described them as peaceful citizens who viewed Isis’ vitriolic rhetoric as “anathema to the basic tenets of the Muslim faith.” Despite this, Isis sympathisers are still able to blend into this already well-established Muslim community and infiltrate remand centres, prisons, schools and mosques to spread their propaganda of hate. 

They promise people who show interest in joining substantial rewards in the Islamic State as well as in the after life.

“They make youth believe that they are joining a purposive movement that is important, morally right, and larger than themselves. In addition to the well-made videos that are all over the Internet, Isis has a media arm that produces an online English language magazine called Dabiq which publishes well-written articles and reports that glorify the Islamic State.”

It was in this magazine that Trinidadian Abu Sa’d al Trinidadi was featured last month.

Threat is real, attack can happen anywhere

The growing link between terrorism, gangs, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and money laundering has had an impact on the Isis threat which Knight described as real.

T&T has a major problem with criminal activity which has perpetrated different levels of the society and Isis takes advantage of countries that do not have a good handle on crime, said Knight. He explained that if the group was unable to strike at the US homeland, it might decide to go after soft targets in the Caribbean because if its proximity to the US. 

“The threat of Isis is real. Extremists can target oil facilities and infrastructure. They can target stadiums during well-attended football matches and cricket tournaments. They can target hotels and restaurants. They can target Carnival and all-inclusive fetes. They can target businesses and university campuses.”

He said ISIS has attacked before in countries such as France, Germany, Belgium and Bangladesh. 

“Why would they not try to do something similar in this hemisphere?” he said. 

Imam: Hard to change people’s minds 

An Anjuman Sunnat ul Jammat Association (ASJA) cleric said technology is the key to becoming involved in the militant group.

Imam Ayoub Latchan of the St John’s Village Masjid on the outskirts of San Fernando, said extremists are giving good Muslims a bad name.

“Their way of life is not our way of life. I will not agree with what is happening. What they’re doing is not benefiting anyone or helpful,” he said, adding that opposition was not about fighting but winning and encouraging people.

Latchan said: “We need to level the playing field and know a lot about people on the whole. What we see happening is that once someone sees or hears it is a Muslim who does something wrong, the media fraternity pastes Islam and the entire community as however they feel.

“Even though we might take a position and say we disagree, how could I send a message to a particular individual who might be there and he has his own mindset?”

Latchan said Islamic leaders can send many messages against Isis but if a person’s mind was made up, it would be difficult to make that person change.

“Those who want to go and do that will go and do it,” he said.

The cleric said Isis fighters know “all the good things” but is was no turning back since he described it as “a mindset thing.” In the midst of all the negativity against Islam, Lalchan said his personal practice is to speak to his congregation about the upcoming Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, and the sacrifice (Eid-ul-Adha).

He said killing others makes no sense and he called on people to go beyond thinking that such a practice is noble or honourable.

“The world has gone Islamophobia. Muslims are under so much pressure already. Some people have so much difficulty travelling from place to place. They are leaving us with a bad name,” he said.

Defending 2012 London Olympic Games javelin champion Keshorn Walcott failed to repeat his feat and had to settle for the bronze medal during the men’s finals at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last night.

Entering the 12-athlete finals, Walcott, 23, carried the hope of T&T with him to secure at least one medal. In a display to show that he accepted the challenge, the Toco-born athlete threw the javelin 85.38 metres in his second of six attempts. 

In his efforts to defend his title and match his qualifying throw of 88.68 metres on Wednesday, the T&T Olympic hero recorded throws of 83.45, 85.38, 83.38, and 80.33 before fouling his next two in his quest to bring Olympic glory to T&T and the 32-member Olympic contingent.

The gold medal was won by Thomas Rohler of Germany who threw 90.30 in his fifth attempt to outdo Julius Yego of Kenya, who had to settle for silver with 88.24 metres. Yego had anchored the gold medal position with his opening throw, while Rohler placed himself in second place with his first effort of 87.40 metres.

However, after fouling his second attempt and then passing up his third throw, Yego fouled his fourth while going for a big heave, seriously injuring his right leg. He was taken away for treatment. In his absence Rohler unleashed the longest throw of 90.30 metres in his fifth attempt and secured the gold medal.

Meanwhile, in his final effort to bring Olympic glory to T&T, Walcott fouled the attempt and surrendered his title.

Now is the time to build a stadium in Toco in honour of double Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott, says chairman of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation Martin “Terry” Rondon.

Rondon made the statement to the Sunday Guardian moments after Walcott won a bronze medal at the Rio games. It is the only medal this country has won at this year’s Olympic games.

“Now is the time to get our stadium. Now is the time to have a proper place for training our athletes in Toco. Now is the time, let’s use this win in order to get a stadium in Toco,” Rondon said.

He said since Walcott won the gold medal at the London Olympics there has been an increase in young athletes in the village.

“Keshorn’s achievement is for the youngsters. That is for the youngsters, those youngsters in Toco. Since four years ago athletics in Toco has gone so far you can see the development of athletics in the Toco area. If you go to the secondary school you will see how many trophies have been won by those children and now with this we can expect even more athletes will come out from Toco,” he said.

Rondon said Toco plans to welcome home their hero in fine style.

“We are keeping a celebration. We are going to welcome him home in Toco style. We have put everything in place for it. We will meet him at the airport when he comes back and celebrate in style,” he said.

President of the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) Brian Lewis described Walcott’s back-to-back Olympic medals as a “tremendous effort.”

“Keshorn dug deep for his country. He is only 23 years old. He has a bright, bright future, God willing he stays healthy. Tremendous effort to be a back-to-back medallist in javelin. I congratulate his coach and physiotherapist the Cuban connection. We salute Keshorn,” Lewis said.

“He fought like a champion. Winning Olympic medals aren’t easy. I hope Trinidad and Tobago sport fans realise and acknowledge that. Hail Keshorn,” he said.

Double Olympic silver medallist Marc Burns said Walcott delivered an amazing performance despite the pressure placed on him.

“Keshorn pulled off a big, big performance seeing that people thought it was a bit of a dismal Olympics for Trinidad and Tobago and to come back-to-back at that age, 23 years old, that is amazing to stand up on the big stage once again when the chips were stacked against him with the pressure of bringing home a medal,” Burns said.

“He stood up to that pressure and that was a big, big performance on his part,” he said.

With respect to the disqualification of the Men’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams on Friday night, Burns said they put up “valiant efforts.”

“I know Trinidad and Tobago is rightfully a bit disappointed in the performances but athletes always go into competitions with one goal on their mind and that is to do their best. Especially when it comes to country, that is no better obligation to an athlete to perform, so tough luck for them but they left it out on the track there and although the turnout was not what we hoped for as a country it was still a very valiant performance by both teams despite the disqualifications.”

At 1.08 am on a Tuesday, I’m in the passenger seat of my car, while my friend drives past the departure entrance of Piarco international airport as I attempt to gather items from various pokestops for the Pokemon Go game we are both playing.

I hold both phones and he, already familiar with the locations, drives to other stops in and around Arima so we can stock up on pokeballs and play the game. 

We’ve stopped at a statue of Lord Kitchener near the Arima Velodrome. I’ve been to Arima many times before and never knew it existed. 

We stop at a water fountain that I had previously ignored and we drive past a Penguin monument near Queen Street.

I smile, impressed with myself. For the first time in a long time I’m seeing things, noticing things, and it feels good.

On Wednesday I get into a car accident. It isn’t Pokemon Go related. Don’t panic. 

I feel stressed, though. I had gone for a run but I only like running when I can easily hit a stop button and get off a treadmill. 

I remember I have some eggs to hatch in the game and pull on my trainers and a pair of tights. I add a tee shirt.

I get in my busted vehicle and drive for five minutes to Lange Park’s community field. I turn on my Pokemon Go app. 

Someone has set up a lure at the bandstand. Was that bandstand always there? I head over. 

There is a man sitting nearby with his eight-year-old son. The man’s name is Daniel. 

We start a conversation about the game. He is not impressed that I’m a level eight. 

He is impressed that I captured an Electrobuzz in Mayaro with a combat power of 383. 

We chat for a while. I speak with other people too—some runners, a young couple, a grandmother and her granddaughter. 

We are all doing the same thing. For the first time in a long time, I’m interacting with strangers and it isn’t scary.

If I lost you with my references to Electrobuzz, pokestops and combat power, you probably aren’t playing Pokemon Go. That’s okay.

You’ve probably heard of the game though. 

It’s everywhere. Whether it’s receiving text messages from mobile providers promoting Pokemon Go plans, watching the popularity of Woodford Square increase dramatically, or watching people play the game while walking in the street, the game is wildly popular. 

On Tuesday I joined a Pokemon Trinidad Whatsapp group, where 256 people shared photos, locations of pokemon types and other useful information.

What is Pokemon Go?

The game’s creators at Niantic say Pokemon Go is a location-based augmented reality game developed for iOS and Android devices. Players use a mobile device’s GPS capability to locate, capture, battle, and train virtual creatures called Pokemon, who appear on the screen as if they were in the same real-world location as the player.

The game has been downloaded by more than 130 million people globally.

But what is Pokemon Go really? It’s a flashback for ’90s kids who first saw Ash Ketchum try to be the very best at his passion, catching Pokémon and becoming the best Pokemon trainer in the world. The anime was addictive, resulting in a cult following and stories of demonic possession by Pokemon and other strange occurrences.

Today, the game is no less controversial. On one hand, it’s credited with positively affecting the growth of local businesses. It also encourages physical activity and an awareness of the environment.

Pokemon Go has a darker reputation though, credited in the United States as a facilitator of robberies, deaths and physical injury.

In T&T, that aspect of the game hasn’t yet reared its head, despite warnings from local police and newspaper columnists. 

Locally, the game has been used to drive business, with Facebook groups hosting events to draw people out of their homes and engage with other like-minded gamers.

Christian Salloum, social media manager for Carigamers, an association for gamers in T&T and the Caribbean, calls the game a phenomenon that more and more people are becoming a part of.

Salloum, known in the local Pokemon Go community as Professor Poui, a localised version of the anime’s Professor Oak, created a guide for players which he shared with the T&T Sunday Guardian.

“The number one thing is that at pokestops you get items for free and every five minutes the pokestops refresh. The ideal situation is a location where you have three pokestops overlapping. 

“The only place like this is Movietowne Port-of-Spain and maybe Gulf City Mall in San Fernando,” Salloum said.

“There is an item called a Pokemon lure and what we do is put the lure on the pokestops and this causes rare Pokemon to spawn at these locations.”

Carigamers hosts events based on placing lures at pokestops.

“Our event centres around this. We put lures at the venues and people come and lime. That’s essentially what works. Other than the events, people drive all over the country to find Pokemon.”

It might be easy to understand people downloading the game due to nostalgia, but many people playing the game are completely new to Pokemon.

New Pokemon trainer, Kwai Ward, started playing the game two weeks ago with her husband.

“My husband is really the person who follows Pokemon. We follow anime as a whole and he was interested in the game. I am not actually a gamer traditionally,” said Ward while hunting for a Snorlax near Club Zen in Port-of-Spain.

“It was interesting to me, the idea of having to walk around, and we saw a lot of enthusiasm about the game abroad. I like the idea of coming together as a group with my friends, that makes it interesting.”

Ward and a large group of gamers spend many of their evenings outdoors, something that prior to the game’s launch in T&T didn’t happen.

“It brings people together. People are becoming so sociable about it. We get to a pokestop and people gather around and become more friendly. We tend to be busy everyday. We see people we don’t see very often. With the game, we met new people, Pokemon trainers. It’s a friendly atmosphere.”

Ward is already on level 21 and has 250 Pokémon in total,

“Where we go to hunt now, that particular spot, I didn’t know about that park Siegert Square. We didn’t know about it really and that is where we go and hunt Pokemon.

“After I leave work I tend to want to go home immediately. Because of this game we go places we don’t usually go and see things we don’t usually see,” Ward said.

One day after National Reforestation workers protested for the second time over unpaid salaries, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat is promising they will be paid by August 26.

Responding to queries from the T&T Sunday Guardian, Rambharat said pay sheets for the workers are being processed. 

Some 2,300 workers have not been paid for six consecutive fortnights.

On August 12, after one group of workers sent out an appeal to Rambharat for their monies, he said the pay sheets were being processed. 

Yesterday, he reiterated this, stating: “Pay sheets are being processed by the ministry. I have assured the workers that all payments will be completed by August 26, 2016.” 

Asked whether the salaries will be paid in a lump sum or in increments, Rambharat said: “After each payroll is processed, payment will be sent to the bank, so it’s in batches. 

“Reforestation workers have different pay dates. All are not paid on the same fortnight...so payrolls for each fortnight are processed and payment sent to the banks for distribution to accounts.”

On Friday, approximately 30 of the workers staged a protest on San Fernando Hill calling for their salaries to be paid. 

They complained that they were unable to buy food for their families, pay utility bills, or buy books for the upcoming school term.

Over $200,000 in cash went up in flames yesterday as fire destroyed a bar in Chase Village, Chaguanas.

Two employees narrowly escaped injury after bolting from the building. 

According to reports, around 2.30 pm, two employees of Club Samkiss at Southern Main Road, Chase Village, saw sparks coming from the building’s high voltage electrical connection from the roof. 

Eyewitnesses said within seconds the roof of the bar caught afire. As the fire quickly spread, the employees and 

customers at the bar evacuated. No one was injured. 

By the time fire officers from the Chaguanas Fire Station arrived, the building was already engulfed in flames. 

Fire officers also immediately began to douse water on Gable X, a plastic manufacturing factory located next door, to prevent the fire from spreading. 

When the T&T Guardian visited the scene, several residents said they heard a loud explosion shortly after the fire had started. However, fire officers suggested that the noise came from when the bar’s roof collapsed. 

In a brief interview, the bar’s owner Ramcharan Jankie said he was shocked when he received news of the fire. 

“I was very surprised because we did major electrical work here about three months ago,” Jankie said. 

Jankie estimated his losses to be approximately $3.75 million as he said he had over $200,000 in cash and $300,000 in stock, stored in the section of the building that was completely destroyed. 

Jankie, who said that the business was his family’s for several decades, said they would seek to rebuild as soon as the property was cleared by fire inspectors. 

“Samkiss is a landmark in central Trinidad. People from all over Trinidad does lime here,” Jankie said.

Southern Division police now believe nine-year-old Seon Paul was executed and not hit by a stray bullet as they initially believed. 

Paul, of Byron Street, La Romaine, was shot shortly after 9 pm on Friday and initial reports stated he had been struck once by a stray bullet. 

However, yesterday police said Paul was shot four times, twice in his back and twice on his shoulders. Paul was a pupil of the La Romaine RC School and was expected to move up to Standard Two when the new term opens in September.

Police are working with the theory that the shooter was a professional, as Paul’s cousin, Kenika Smalls was not shot, although the two were walking together when the incident occurred. 

On Saturday, Kenika told the T&T Guardian that she and Paul were going to buy hot dogs when they heard gunshots and ran. 

She had said they ran until Paul cried out and collapsed and then she realised he had been shot. 

He was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital by police but succumbed to his injuries during emergency surgery. 

The motive for Paul’s murder is believed to be an ongoing turf war for drug blocks in the area.

An autopsy is expected to done on Paul’s body today at the Forensic Science Centre in Port-of-Spain. 

Ungrateful.

That was the word used by Keshorn Walcott’s mother yesterday, as she lashed out at social media critics of her son’s Olympic bronze medal effort at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday night.

“People are ungrateful. It’s a medal, it’s the only one. It would have been so much happier if he had gotten gold,” Beverly Walcott said during an interview at her L’anse Noire, Toco home.

Walcott became T&T’s last hope of securing a medal at the Games after the women’s and men’s 4x100 metres team failed to medal and the 4x400 metres relay team failed to advance to the final on Friday night.

Family members gathered yesterday to continue the celebrations, which began after Keshorn achieved Olympic glory for T&T with a throw of 85.38 metres. Germany’s Thomas Rohler won gold with a throw of 90.30 metres while Kenya’s Julius Yego took silver (88.24 metres)

“This medal may look darker than his gold medal but it is a medal which he won and was the only one for T&T. I am proud of my son as this is his second medal that he has won at the age of 23,” his proud mother said.

“When you go for something, take what you get and thank God. Keshie has done well and made us proud. I am very happy on his performance.”

Walcott’s aunt, Anna Stewart, said, “People in T&T always have high expectations and when it does not happen, they are disappointed. People should be more patriotic.” 

She said Keshorn called the family after his throw and said he did his best and said, “‘For me, this time was bronze. What is for me, is for me.’ 

“We are all excited for the bronze medal but in Trinidad some people only passing on the boy,” Stewart said

Stewart said some people are putting negative connotation on his achievement, saying only bronze, instead of showing appreciation. 

Keshorn’s cousin, Faith Tinto, also a promising athlete who is working on gaining a spot on team T&T at the next Olympics in the long jump, said Keshorn had inspired and motivated her and many of her classmates. She said Keshorn’s determination for his sport was tremendous and had also inspired many of the youths in Toco and environs.

After Keshorn stunned the world in the London 2012 games, getting a gold medal for his 84.5 metres throw, Tinto recalled she was travelling in a maxi taxi and heard someone saying that Keshorn’s throw was a fluke. 

“Even the social media will bash him, saying went to the Olympics and bring back bronze, but it’s a medal. I am proud of him. Everything is God’s will,” Tinto said.

Keshorn’s grandmother, Joycelyn Walcott, said she spoke to her grandson the night before the competition and wished him all the best.

“We laugh and I said to him ‘We waiting on gold,’ but my wish did not come true, but he still won a medal, which is considered gold for me.” [See story back page]

Bronze is the new gold. 

This is how neighbours of Keshorn Walcott described their feelings on his third-place finish in Saturday’s javelin event at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Walcott’s 85.38 m attempt was not enough to beat Germany’s Thomas Rohler, who won gold with 90.3m and Kenya’s Julius Yego, who copped silver with 88.24 m. 

Speaking with the T&T Guardian outside’s Walcott’s house in East Grove, Valsayn—a gift from the Government for copping the gold medal in the event at the 2012 Olympics in London, J-Lynn Roopnarine said that the entire community were closely monitoring the competition from their televisions on Saturday night. 

“Those who were not at home were following his progress on the community’s WhatsApp group. We were very excited because we always knew that he would be our best chance of winning a medal,” Roopnarine said. 

“We are so proud that he did this for our country once again. We were really hoping he would get gold again but at least he got a medal, that is good enough for us,” she said. 

Roopnarine and other residents all described Walcott as friendly and humble.

The Rio Games is not the end of T&T’s Olympic dream, says Prime Minister Keith Rowley, in his congratulatory message to bronze medallist Keshorn Walcott.

In a statement yesterday, Rowley said while the team may have suffered mixed fortunes in Brazil, the nation can be justifiably proud of our athletes who were able to reach the finals in several disciplines. 

“We must also remember that for the first time Trinidad and Tobago also competed in boxing, gymnastics and rowing. Swimming, sailing and cycling also continue to give us hope for medalling in future Olympic Games. This is not the end of our nation’s Olympic dream. It is only the beginning,” the statement said.

In the next four years, the release stated, T&T will shine at Tokyo.

“We have to start our preparations early and the Government stands firmly behind all our athletes. We thank you for your effort and look forward to even better results in Tokyo,” it added.

Singling out Walcott, Rowley said: “I wish to congratulate Keshorn Walcott for winning the bronze medal in the men’s javelin event at Rio 2016. Keshorn and all the members of the Trinidad and Tobago 2016 Olympics Team deserve our congratulations and ongoing support for doing their best at the Rio Games, among a very strong field of international competitors.”

Yesterday, a voice recording on Sport Minister Darryl Smith’s cellphone stated it was “temporarily unavailable” while he did not respond to two emails.

Communications and Public Administration Minister Maxie Cuffie said he preferred that Smith address all questions about Walcott.

Two teenagers were killed in an accident in Tobago yesterday. 

Police identified them as Lariann Perez, 19, of Signal Hill, and Shi-ann Thomas, 13, a student, of Glen Road.

The accident took place shortly after 4 am on the Auchenskeoch Buccoo Bay Road, Carnbee, near Republic Bank.

Perez, who was the driver, was heading south in her friend's silver Almera, when she ran off the road, struck a traffic sign and ended up in a drain. 

Police said Thomas was thrown from the vehicle while Perez suffered head injuries. Both died on the spot.

Investigators said Perez obtained her driver’s licence less than one month ago.

Autopsies are scheduled to be performed today.

Old Grange Police are continuing investigations.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the work of Trinidad’s first internationally renowned artist Michel-Jean Cazabon is so unknown in this country that it’s embarrassing.

He said at least 95 per cent of students did not know “anything about Cazabon, far less his history and our history tied up in what Cazabon represents.”

At the Octagon Room of the Diplomatic Centre on Saturday, 49 paintings depicting T&T’s iconic landscapes, nature, people and buildings were unveiled to guests. 

Some of the names in the collection include Old Woodbrook Estate, Pine House, House in Trinidad, East Indian Girl, Dry River, Port-of-Spain, River Scene and Maracas River. 

Rowley, during his address in the ballroom before the unveiling, said it was around 2005 that he encouraged former prime minister Patrick Manning “who willingly agreed to be encouraged” to have the country buy several pieces of paintings that were on sale in London and repatriate them to T&T. 

He said they were kept at a museum but he always felt they should have been made available to the public.

“They were not presented to the people as they should,” he said.

But later on, and during a difficult economic period, the PM said another batch of Cazabon’s paintings were being offered for sale. This time, as Prime Minister, he encouraged the Cabinet to make the purchase. 

“This evening is an opportunity to present them, firstly to you,” he said at the launch of the “Cazabon Legacy Exhibition.” 

Last year, the Government announced the purchase of 12 Cazabon paintings which cost close to $3 million via auction by Christie's Auction House of London. That decision was met with criticism from the Opposition and union leaders who said the money could have been spent on other priority items. 

The exhibition is open to the public until September 24. It is the first time the Diplomatic Centre will host such an exhibition.

Rowley said 19th Century Cazabon should be embraced and that children needed to know their history. Cazabon was born on September 30, 1813 and died on November 20, 1888. He is buried at the Lapeyrouse Cemetery. 

Rowley said: “Look at the paintings and transpose yourselves from there to where we are now.” 

He said if there was any sense of hopelessness or disillusionment, look at the paintings and see the progress.

“We are on the way to a brighter future,” he said.

The Prime Minister said every day in the news there were reports of violence, even in his own constituency where four people were killed recently.

“And some people would want to think that is what we are but there is a much wider canvas.”

Rowley said the behaviour of the country could change if children were exposed to the work of the artist.

In her remarks, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the one-month exhibition was also a celebration of Emancipation, Independence and Republic Day. 

She said: “It is a time of taking stock of national introspection, a time when we think about who we are, where we are, where we are going and how we are going to get there.”

Guests were treated to performances by the National Steel Symphony Orchestra which received high praises from Rowley. 

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According to Cazabon’s biography as written by curator Geoffrey MacLean, the artist was sent to England at the age of 13 to attend St Edmund’s College in Ware.

He studied art in Paris. Cazabon returned to Trinidad in 1848 and in 1851 produced a series of 18 lithographs—Views of Trinidad. In 1857, he published a second series—Album of Trinidad and in 1860, contributed to two other series—Views of Demerara and Album Martiniquaise. 

MacLean wrote: “Cazabon’s oeuvre is extensive; his work shows a wide knowledge of media —oils, watercolourist, gouache, gesso. Although he was primarily a watercolourist and landscape artist, both his formal and informal portraits are highly valued, and his illustration for the newspapers of the day are of important historic significance.”

Cazabon married Louise Rosalie Trolard in Paris and had three children.

Plans are afoot by the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) to reclaim the historical Chaguaramas Hotel and Convention Centre, which was leased to an investor by the former People’s Partnership government.

The move is being initiated by CDA’s chairman Anthony Pierre, who admitted that the authority has been negotiating with the local investor to get back the property under the State’s control at no cost to the Government.

The property was leased in 2014 for 30 years.

“I can’t say why the centre was put into the hands of an investor. What I can tell you is that we have been negotiating with the investor. So far, it seems positive. It seems CDA will be able to get back the centre. In a month or two we should be able to negotiate something. We are trying to broker a deal.” 

Pierre refused to identify the investor who paid $30 million which was the value of the centre.

Once the CDA and the investor come to an agreement, Pierre said, the authority would take it to Cabinet for approval.

“That was the premium they were supposed to pay for the property, but in fact, they did not pay all of it. I think they paid one-third of that figure,” Pierre said.

Pierre said CDA was trying to hammer out an arrangement with the investor, who was being offered another property in exchange for the centre.

In 2012, the People’s National Movement which traditionally used the centre to host its annual political party convention had to shift its venue to the Queen’s Park Savannah after they were informed that the building was under repair.

Initially, Pierre said the PP government wanted to demolish the centre.

Why is the CDA looking to recapture the property which was in a deplorable state and not generating money?

Pierre said the property, which belongs to the CDA, should remain a historical site.

He said the centre was where the Chaguaramas Treaty was signed establishing Caricom, while it was also considered the capital of the West Indies federation.

“We are saying that a building of such significance and heritage should not be dealt with like an ordinary building. We would like to see it restored. While the government may not have the money to preserve the building right now, the CDA can enter into a private/public sector arrangement to have it refurbished and operate it as a hotel. But we will not destroy it.”

Pierre was unable to say how much it would cost to have the building restored.

“Once we have completed negotiations to get it back into our hands we will put out an expression of interest.”

Whoever expresses an interest in the property, Pierre said an arrangement would then be worked out, in that, the CDA would not put any money towards the centre’s refurbishment.

“We would just remain the landlord. That would be the investor’s responsibility to finance, refurbish and operate it. We have to make it economically viable for whoever the private sector will be.”

Tewarie: Hotel never made money

Former minister of planning and sustainable development Dr Bhoe Tewarie, under whose purview the CDA fell, said if the board was renegotiating with the investor they were within their ambit, but stated that this had implications for other things, which he refused to elaborate. He said the idea of putting the property in the hands of an investor was due to the fact it never made money.

“It has never been economically viable. It has gone through periods of renovation, upgrading and perpetual deterioration over the course of time.”

Tewarie said the investor, whom he too refused to identify, would have commercialised the hotel and be driven by profits.

“They would have had most likely to bring in an international operator to do that. The idea was to link the new convention centre facility which would have been a hotel facility with the hotel school. So there would have been some synergy between our education strategy into tourism and our divestment of the burden of subsidies from the convention centre.”

He said this was part of the PP’s government tourism thrust for the northwestern peninsula.

Valdeen Shears-Neptune

The parents of eight-year-old Kaj Romain, who underwent life-saving brain surgery in Florida, United States, earlier this month, say they are making all attempts to find evidence to show that they did apply to the Government’s Children’s Life Fund in 2013 and was turned away.

They have taken this route rather than submit a new application, as advised by Dennis Cox, interim chairman at the Children’s Life Fund.

Najja Romain and Deena Gonzalez spoke to the T&T Guardian from their son’s bedside at the Florida Hospital for Children, last week, insisting that they were overlooked in 2013, shortly after being told by doctors that Kaj required corrective brain surgery.

At age four, Kaj was diagnosed with epilepsy due to a congenital brain malformation.

His parents claimed that staff at the Life Fund’s offices at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, had told them that his condition was not life-threatening, and he was unable to qualify.

On August 12, Kaj underwent surgery after the family received donations from Republic Bank, First Citizens and close friends and family.

“Doctors say it (surgery) was successful. This surgery does not typically offer seizure freedom, but a reduction in his seizure burden which was about 6 to 8 dropping episodes a day even while medicated. Since surgery he has not had any seizures but has developed weakness on his left side and a loss of tone in his neck. He regains strength daily...actually his doctors and therapists are truly amazed,” said Gonzalez. 

The couple said they also tried to get help with Kaj’s monthly and educational expenses.

“We have tried all avenues, the Government Special Needs grant turned us down also, citing that they could not ‘establish a financial need’. Then we tried for help with his school fees, which amounted to $4,500 a term and I am still awaiting a response since last year September. You know they really fail sometimes in helping people who really need their help...it just takes too long,” Gonzalez said.

She said Kaj’s expenses continue to exceed the family’s joint income.

It is also ironic, she said, as she is awaiting months of outstanding salary, because the company she works for is currently owed payments from a government agency. Kaj’s medical costs has reached as high as US$1,100 a month. His education had been scaled down to three months a year, because of the frequency of his seizures then, which amounted to sometimes as many as eight “falling down” episodes daily. Kaj had to wear a helmet to protect himself from serious injury. As for their recent request for assistance with travel to Florida, Gonzalez said they were told by staff at the Health Ministry’s office that they do not “offer assistance related to medical travel.”

The Government, though, she said, is very much aware of Kaj’s needs, as a letter seeking assistance, sent in May, had been acknowledged. “We really don’t know who in government to turn to next. But with Kaj’s medical expenses from the surgery still to be determined, we really are drowning here. We know we are going to have massive bills when this is over. I put on a smile for him, because we are happy he had the surgery, but we are living by God’s good graces right now,” she said. 

Kaj has been transferred from the Florida Hospital to nearby Nemours Children’s Hospital for inpatient rehabilitation, which includes physical therapy.

In the meantime, Gonzalez continues to lend support to other families through her initiative, Epilepsy Today Foundation TT. It was through her foundation, fundraisers and assistance from family, friends and well-wishers, they were able to raise a substantial amount of the required US$156,000.

“Thanks to Republic Bank and First Citizens for their assistance, our close friends and family. The journey is not over and we are thankful for their support,” she said.

The family expects to return by October 7.

• Anyone willing to assist can contact the family at 678-4224.

It appears as though the Ministry of Health’s sole focus is to collect statistics on the number of people who have contracted the Zika virus in T&T. The public is constantly updated on the number of confirmed cases, especially as it relates to pregnant women. However, very little is being done beyond this.

The fact that there are 254 confirmed cases of Zika and speculation that there are thousands of unconfirmed ones is a clear indication of the utter failure of the Insect Vector Control Division and the Ministry of Health to adequately protect citizens from mosquito-borne diseases. 

As it stands, only select communities have been fogged and sprayed but people throughout the country have been affected. 

The Insect Vector Control Division and the Regional Corporations should be most visible and vigilantly working with members of the public to ensure that the Aedes Aegypti mosquito population is kept at bay. 

All lives are equally important thus all communities should be properly maintained and sprayed. 

The Minister of Health needs to step up and adopt a proactive approach to dealing with this Zika outbreak. Let’s not wait until we have one thousand confirmed cases to admit that we have a problem. 

K Thomas

Couva

A video depicting known gang leaders, some of whom are in currently in jail, is engaging the attention of Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit (CGIU) and the Strategic Services Agency — this country’s main surveillance unit, as they gather information on suspected criminals.

Police said last night that the video, which is being shared on WhatsApp, clearly identifies Rasta City gang leaders from Beetham Gardens, Sea Lots, Maloney, L’eau Place in Port-of-Spain, Maracas, Point Fortin and Caroni, among other areas.

Police said the video was used primarily as a recruiting tool to lure new members by giving the impression of a glorified life of crime.

In the video, gang members display a host of high-tech guns from their arsenal, including the Mach 10, Uzi, Tec-9, AK47 and AR15 rifles.

Gang warfare between the Rasta City gang and what police have labelled as the Muslim gang has claimed lives of scores of young men from major crime hot spots across the country. 

Homicide Bureau officers said yesterday the war was mainly among young black men for control of drug turfs, Government contracts and the right to extort money from legitimate business people in exchange for protection. 

Statistics from the Crime and Problem Analysis Unit of the Police Service have shown over the years that gang murders accounted for the majority of the people killed each year. 

Between 2008, when there was a record high of 550 murders, and to date, close to 3,300 people have been murdered, with the detection rate well below the accepted standard. 

Police admitted they have stepped up patrols in known crime hot spots, identified in the video and have been carrying out sweeping raids with “varied success.” 

The extortion racket has grown over the years, particularly in central Trinidad, after a wave of kidnappings for ransom between 2002 and 2007 sparked fear and panic among members of the business community, police said.

One of latest causalities in the ongoing war was Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis, who police said controlled the Central region with the help of crooked cops. 

Alexis, 52, was shot dead one month ago outside his Enterprise car wash and mini mart. Kevin Escayg, of San Juan, and Escayg’s four-year-old son were also shot in that incident. 

The boy alone survived, while one of Alexis’ assailants, Thomas “Hamza” Sharpe, was also killed in the gunfire. 

Suspects under watch

The video at the beginning identifies slain gang leader Merlin “Cudjoe” Allamby, 40, as the general of the Rasta City gang. Allamby was shot dead in July 2008 with two other people during an ambush in Aranguez, San Juan.

Unlike other videos of a similar nature, the men in the video made no attempt to conceal their identities.

Police said the men in the video appeared to be posing with authentic assault weapons in known locations in Trinidad, while other guns featured in the two-minute, 12-second video were taken off the Internet.

CGIU officers said yesterday the video first appeared last year and recently resurfaced. Officers said the people identified in the video by their aliases are being monitored and profiles are being built on them. They insisted, however, that the information being compiled was not sufficient to convict them for any crime.

A soundtrack accompanying the video describes methods of murder, including the dumping of bodies in Caroni. It also shows a decapitated corpse with what appears to be bullet wounds to the chest area. Police could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the body.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Stuart Young, who was provided with a copy of the video yesterday, said: “Material of this nature is obviously cause for concern. It has been passed onto the relevant authorities for verification/authentication and any investigation that is deemed to be necessary.”

National Association of Athletic Administrations (NAAA) president Ephraim Serrette believes better systems must be put in place for local athletes to make a mark on the world stage.

He made the comment yesterday as he said he was disappointed with the result of the performances of the majority of Team T&T at the just concluded Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Despite having the largest contingent of Olympic athletes ever, many of whom were from the track and field discipline, only javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott got on the podium with a bronze performance.

The overall team’s effort has been much maligned by some quarters of society, with many taking to social media to vent their frustration at the other athletes’ inability to bring home more medals.

Yesterday, Serrette admitted much was expected of the team.

“Expectations were high when you compare how much medals T&T won in Beijing and back in 2012 in London,” he said. 

“Track and field gets most of the pressure because it is the one sport that has been bringing medals, so it is expected that people were hoping for more success. But proper systems need to be implemented if we are to compete against world class athletes.”

After winning one gold, one silver and a bronze medal in London, there was hope of more success in Rio in athletics. This time around though the highly favoured sprinters Richard Thompson and Keston Bledman, both former Olympic medallists, and Rondel Sorrillo failed to advance out of the individual semifinal heats in the men’s 100 metres event. They were joined by Emmanuel Callender for the 4x100m relay but the team was disqualified.

“People seem to have forgotten that the 4x100m men finished fourth in London, but won a bronze because a team (Canada) was disqualified and then the American doping issue saw them upgraded to silver,” Serrette said. 

The men’s 4x400m relay team of Jarrin Solomon, Lalonde Gordon, Deon Lendore and Machel Cedenio suffered a similar fate, as they were disqualified in their semifinal heat after finishing third. It was later learned that it was due to a lane violation.

Cedenio did well in making it to the final, clocking 44.01 to break the previous national record held by Ian Morris for the past 24 years, but placed fourth. Sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye took some of the spotlight by reaching both the women’s 100m and 200m finals.

“Let’s put things into context, both Ahye and Cedenio have done much better than last year in their times. Ahye made two finals, placing sixth, and Cedenio broke the national record, finishing behind season competitors who have all ran 43 seconds.”

If T&T wants success, preparation for the Tokyo Olympics must start now, he added. 

“The development of T&T athletes must begin now for Tokyo 2020, not in 2019,” said Serrette. 

“Japan is hosting and they are making sure that their athletes are at their best when that time comes around. A combination of things need to happen, which include the athletes and coaches for us to be at a better stage at the next Olympics.” 

He said local fans must also not compare T&T to Jamaica, since that country has a far better programme which feeds its teams. 

“People like to compare us to Jamaica, but Jamaica has a great programme, as well as the British system. Look at GC Foster College in Jamaica that has home-grown, home-trained Jamaican athletes that can compete with the world’s best. 

“Our junior system is not transitioning well to senior level. We have basically the same group of relay runners from 2008, so clearly some of them cannot follow through and make a successful transition.”

From here on out, Serrette said, performances at the Games should be analysed and moving forward the association is calling on everyone to get involved.

“I’m speaking overall now. All sporting organisations, the Government and TTOC (T&T Olympic Committee), we need to develop a system to chart a path to 2020.

“To be podium ready, we need to form a track and field national programme.”