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00:00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:00:16 And a very special good morning, Trinidad and Tobago
00:00:18 and the rest of the world.
00:00:19 I'm Marlon Hopkins.
00:00:20 And as always, welcome to "The Morning Edition."
00:00:22 It's Monday, May 27.
00:00:24 And thank you very much for joining us this morning.
00:00:26 So the Met Office announced that the rainy season has begun.
00:00:31 Yeah.
00:00:32 So that's good news, right?
00:00:33 But let me ask you something.
00:00:35 How many of you were up this morning
00:00:38 because of the strong winds?
00:00:41 Boy, that was-- to me, any little wind above average
00:00:46 is a bit concerning to me.
00:00:47 But I witnessed the winds this morning.
00:00:49 You know, I was not very happy about them.
00:00:52 But it's something that comes with the weather.
00:00:55 So I guess the advice is you need to go up on your roof
00:00:59 and start fastening the screws and nails and so on.
00:01:02 All right?
00:01:03 So I understand it's going to be an active rainy season, too.
00:01:07 So please take all precautions to protect yourselves.
00:01:10 You know, don't wait on the corporation.
00:01:11 If you have to clean the drain, well, then do that.
00:01:14 But before we move on, I have some not very good news
00:01:18 for you this morning.
00:01:20 And what we are being told is that there
00:01:23 was a major accident last evening in the Chagoramas area.
00:01:31 So this incident reportedly occurred at around 9 o'clock
00:01:36 on Sunday opposite O2 Park, Western Main Road, Chagoramas.
00:01:40 And it is said a vehicle veered off into the sea.
00:01:46 Yeah?
00:01:47 We don't know what would have led to that.
00:01:50 And there were two people in the vehicle, one a 25-year-old
00:01:58 woman and the other a 28-year-old man.
00:02:03 And from what we are told is that the victims drowned.
00:02:06 Yeah?
00:02:08 There is video on social media showing persons
00:02:14 who were in the vicinity of the accident.
00:02:16 You know, in that area, you always
00:02:18 have people fishing and liming and so on.
00:02:21 Well, a number of persons would have gone into the sea
00:02:24 to rescue the couple.
00:02:25 However, the bodies were recovered,
00:02:28 and the victims didn't make it.
00:02:30 All right?
00:02:30 So I don't want to give you the names as yet,
00:02:33 because when these things happen,
00:02:36 you still have to check and double check and triple check.
00:02:39 All right?
00:02:39 But that's what happened last evening.
00:02:42 Yeah?
00:02:43 So investigations are continuing into that incident.
00:02:46 And we'll try to provide more information to you
00:02:49 throughout the day and for sure in the news this evening.
00:02:52 OK?
00:02:53 So here's what.
00:02:54 Let's check out to see what's happening in the Daily Express
00:02:56 this morning.
00:02:57 On the front page, "No faith in cops.
00:03:00 Tobago residents lament that TTPS don't care about them
00:03:04 as crime rises.
00:03:06 Folly.
00:03:07 Social war on the island.
00:03:09 Senior cop, we're hoping to rebuild trust and confidence.
00:03:12 And sisters in saris.
00:03:14 UNC elections, race for deputies is on.
00:03:18 Indian Arrival Day celebration.
00:03:20 Sisters Felicity Lewis and Jyle Maharaj
00:03:23 smile as they pose in their saris at the Nallis and Mahatma
00:03:27 Gandhi Institute for Cultural Corporations
00:03:29 evening of cultural performances in celebration
00:03:32 of Indian Arrival Day.
00:03:34 All right?
00:03:34 Let's check out some sport now.
00:03:35 Whitewash, confidence booster ahead of T20 World Cup.
00:03:42 Westernies continue to build momentum for the T20 World Cup
00:03:46 sealing a 3-0 T20I series sweep against South Africa
00:03:50 following a clinical eight-wicket win with 37 balls
00:03:54 to spare in the final game at Sabina Park in Jamaica
00:03:57 yesterday.
00:03:58 And KKR claim IPL title.
00:04:01 Another scalp, Kolkata Knight Riders.
00:04:03 Andrew Russell celebrates for dismissal of Sunrisers
00:04:06 Hyderabad's Aiden Makram during the Indian Premier League
00:04:10 final in Chennai, India yesterday.
00:04:12 Russell took three wickets to help KKR
00:04:15 to an eight-wicket victory.
00:04:17 Yeah, this is cricket season, boy.
00:04:19 Yeah?
00:04:20 All right.
00:04:21 So it's time to remind you about Trinbago, your nice feature.
00:04:23 Remember to participate.
00:04:24 What's up?
00:04:25 Your videos or images to 737-3778.
00:04:29 What do we have for our viewers this lovely Monday morning?
00:04:34 Yeah?
00:04:35 What did you call that again?
00:04:36 Ginger Linney?
00:04:39 Yes, man.
00:04:41 Yes.
00:04:42 Not so?
00:04:45 Yes, I think so.
00:04:46 To our viewers, I believe so.
00:04:48 We had one of those plants many, many years ago.
00:04:50 You know what?
00:04:51 I'm going to have to call my mother and ask her.
00:04:54 Because I feel it is so.
00:04:57 All right?
00:04:57 So a very special good morning to all of you.
00:05:00 Again, you have your coffee, your tea, get something to eat.
00:05:03 We're coming back, everybody.
00:05:04 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:05:07 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:05:10 Hey, Toby, look.
00:05:29 I got you your dog chow.
00:05:32 New mouthwatering recipes.
00:05:36 Sensational.
00:05:37 Dive into new tasty experiences.
00:05:45 Hello, variety.
00:05:47 Hey, Toby, ready to eat?
00:05:50 Improve your dog's quality of life
00:05:52 with the satisfying nutritious flavors of dog chow.
00:05:55 Hey, love.
00:06:03 You excited for date night tonight?
00:06:05 I'm seeing you at 5, right?
00:06:07 Of course, babe.
00:06:08 I'll see you at 5.
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00:08:01 Welcome back, everyone, and a very special good morning,
00:08:19 special Monday morning to you.
00:08:21 All right?
00:08:22 We need to get up and get and walk with some purpose
00:08:24 this week, right?
00:08:25 So a very special good morning to all of you again.
00:08:27 So major developments in local politics
00:08:29 recently, including the Patriotic Front's decision
00:08:32 to contest the next general election.
00:08:34 Of course, the party is led by Michaela Pandey,
00:08:36 the daughter of Basdev Pandey, a former prime minister
00:08:39 and founder of the UNC.
00:08:40 Then you have the June 15th internal elections of the UNC
00:08:44 and the June 17th by-election for Queen Anne, Mon Diablo.
00:08:49 Joining us this morning is political analyst Dr. Mukesh
00:08:52 Basdev.
00:08:53 Dr. Basdev, good morning.
00:08:55 Good morning.
00:08:56 Good morning, Marlon, to all your viewers
00:08:58 and all your various platforms.
00:09:01 Yes, Dr. Basdev, it's always a pleasure speaking with you.
00:09:04 And we wait with bated breath for your perspectives
00:09:08 this morning.
00:09:09 So let's begin with the Patriotic Front.
00:09:13 How significant is this to the local politics
00:09:16 of Trinidad and Tobago, and more so the next general election?
00:09:21 Well, the announcement by Ms. Pandey
00:09:24 to contest the upcoming 2025 general elections,
00:09:31 it is significant because it is--
00:09:34 what we will find is that another political party,
00:09:38 untested, will be in the race, joining
00:09:43 the two major political parties, those
00:09:46 being the People's National Movement and the United
00:09:49 National Congress.
00:09:51 Based on the reporting of her meeting
00:09:54 that was held over the weekend, she
00:09:56 has indicated the intention to contest all 41 of the--
00:10:01 all the 41 constituencies in Trinidad and Tobago.
00:10:07 Yeah, but Dr. Basdev, the throwing of the hat
00:10:13 in the ring by Michaela Pandey, of course,
00:10:17 when it comes to other new political parties,
00:10:21 that Pandey name has some level of significance.
00:10:26 And it may be more significant for persons
00:10:30 who are members of the United National Congress, you think?
00:10:37 There are-- it is going to have some significance.
00:10:40 But seeing that the party has not been tested in an election,
00:10:45 the party was formed in 2019 on the hope, on the aspiration
00:10:50 that it would have contested the 2020 general elections.
00:10:55 Since then, what we have seen is that there
00:10:58 have been pronouncements by the leaders, the leaders,
00:11:01 the leaders of this political party, of contesting.
00:11:05 Now, if we take into consideration between 2090
00:11:08 to where we are today, there have been a number
00:11:11 of what we call elections that were held.
00:11:13 You have the general elections of 2020,
00:11:15 then you have the local government elections
00:11:18 within this period of 2020 to now.
00:11:21 So you had a number of instances of where
00:11:23 the party could have contested.
00:11:25 And if we look into the consideration
00:11:27 that there have been a number of possibly by-elections
00:11:30 in the local government arena, but the party did not
00:11:33 field any candidates in those elections.
00:11:37 So we have these issues there.
00:11:40 So that's why I use the phrase like "untested"
00:11:44 in the context of the local--
00:11:45 in the context of the electoral politics
00:11:47 in Trinidad and Tobago.
00:11:49 The question is that what will the party's performance
00:11:53 be in an upcoming general election is yet to be seen.
00:11:57 And, well, there's little data to go by to say
00:12:00 that we can say that, you know, unlike, let's say,
00:12:03 a party led by Philip Alexander who had contested elections,
00:12:07 there's data that we can use and measure.
00:12:10 In this context, it will be something
00:12:12 that we can only operate on speculations.
00:12:14 As to the name of the candidate, the leader,
00:12:18 whether or not you have what we call purchasing power
00:12:22 because of the name, the name brand of the party,
00:12:26 the name itself, these are only speculations
00:12:29 that I think I can use now to determine
00:12:33 what will be the performance of the patriotic front
00:12:37 in an upcoming general election.
00:12:39 But Dr. Bazew, she's not necessarily
00:12:41 a political neophyte, right,
00:12:43 her being a former member of parliament.
00:12:46 She did contest the 2007 general elections.
00:12:50 She had won a seat on a UNC ticket,
00:12:53 and she was in the parliament for that period,
00:12:56 2017 to--2007 to 2010.
00:13:00 And, well, the rest is political history
00:13:03 if we look at it in this context.
00:13:05 But I'm saying it augurs well for the politics
00:13:08 that you have, because you're going to have
00:13:10 another party entering into the race.
00:13:13 But what we will need to see is that, you know,
00:13:17 who will be these persons that is going to emerge
00:13:21 as candidates in an election,
00:13:24 and the 41 constituencies that will be contested
00:13:29 by the patriotic front.
00:13:31 Will we see elements of, let's say,
00:13:34 for the splintering, or what we'll say,
00:13:36 of the United National Congress?
00:13:38 Will you find persons moving across
00:13:41 to this political party?
00:13:42 As we have seen in many instances
00:13:44 of the United National Congress,
00:13:46 since its formation, there have been many parties
00:13:50 that have splintered away with leaders.
00:13:54 What about the legacy of her father?
00:14:00 You think that that could have some impact
00:14:03 and some benefit to Miss Pandy and the political party?
00:14:08 Well, it is yet to be seen what can actually
00:14:13 emerge out of this.
00:14:16 Reported in the Express, we talked about
00:14:18 some of the persons who were there,
00:14:21 prominent persons who were part
00:14:23 of the United National Congress in its formation,
00:14:26 Mr. Sharma, Mr. Humphrey, were persons named
00:14:31 in the article that attended this press briefing
00:14:37 by Miss Pandy.
00:14:39 So that's what I'm saying is that between now
00:14:42 and, let's say, the general elections,
00:14:45 are we going to see more persons actually coming out
00:14:49 who are current members of the United National Congress?
00:14:52 Will they be gravitating across to the political call
00:14:55 of Miss Pandy?
00:14:57 And this is where we need to look at.
00:14:59 Can the patriotic front be seen?
00:15:02 Where is it going to draw its electoral support from?
00:15:06 Is it going to be across the political divide,
00:15:08 let's say, the political spectrum,
00:15:11 where voters who are in one form or another
00:15:14 would have voted for a political party
00:15:16 in the 2020 general elections
00:15:18 and would decide to move across
00:15:20 to let's say to throw their electoral support
00:15:22 behind the patriotic front?
00:15:24 Where will these voters actually come from?
00:15:27 And the question you alluded to is that I think
00:15:30 whether or not the patriotic front will be able
00:15:32 to actually draw electoral support
00:15:35 from the United National Congress electoral base,
00:15:38 this is where it is yet to be seen.
00:15:40 - Yes. - Whether Miss Pandy
00:15:41 will have the ability to pull that support
00:15:44 away from the United National Congress.
00:15:47 - Yeah.
00:15:48 I guess the proof is in the pudding, Dr. Basdev,
00:15:50 but let me just, if you'd allow me to just quote
00:15:53 some things that she would have said
00:15:55 at the launch of her political party.
00:15:58 "Fresh faces in the political arena
00:16:00 "would be accomplished through the constituents
00:16:02 "choosing their own candidates.
00:16:04 "Because we are committed to a politics
00:16:06 "where power resides with the people
00:16:08 "and not with any elite,
00:16:10 "our candidates will be chosen by the people
00:16:13 "of the constituencies they will serve.
00:16:16 "The party," she said, "would not engage in mudslinging
00:16:19 "and practices that divided the nation,
00:16:21 "but instead would provide hope to the nation.
00:16:24 "We are a humanitarian party founded first and foremost
00:16:28 "on the bedrock of compassion, empathy, justice,
00:16:30 "equality, integrity, and honesty."
00:16:33 All right?
00:16:34 So the question I'm asking, Dr. Basdev,
00:16:37 judging from what Miss Pandy has said thus far,
00:16:40 you think that is going to resonate with people?
00:16:45 - Well, I think what Miss Pandy is actually proposing
00:16:48 is to have what we call a populist approach
00:16:51 in the selection of, let's say, candidates.
00:16:53 So in that context, we need to know that
00:16:56 the party would have to have the structure,
00:16:58 the institutional structure,
00:17:00 to actually enter into these things.
00:17:02 That if it is that the members of the party
00:17:06 are going to select their candidates,
00:17:09 so then it would mean that the structure
00:17:11 would have to be set in place whereby
00:17:13 the constituency groups will basically,
00:17:16 if we are taking it into context,
00:17:19 if I can think about it as proposing a populist approach,
00:17:22 then are we going to have something similar
00:17:25 to the US presidential election process,
00:17:29 where you have what we call persons putting up their name
00:17:32 and what we refer to as the primaries,
00:17:34 and they actually vie to become
00:17:36 what we call the party's candidate in an election.
00:17:39 Are we going to find what we call a system devised
00:17:43 around these primary elections
00:17:45 where candidates put up their name for 41 constituencies
00:17:49 and there's internal, let's say, debate
00:17:52 on who will emerge to represent the party
00:17:55 in the general election
00:17:58 as become one of the 41 candidates.
00:18:00 So it is a very novel, it's based on the US.
00:18:04 If I'm going to interpret it
00:18:06 as being based on the US primary election system,
00:18:09 but then this is the approach
00:18:11 that Spandey is proposing in this context.
00:18:14 What is going to happen is if you try such a method
00:18:18 is that you tend to find that the individual
00:18:21 represented in these constituencies
00:18:24 would become much more democratically,
00:18:26 I would say democratically linked
00:18:29 to what we call its electoral base.
00:18:32 - She has promised to contest elections in the 41 seats.
00:18:37 You think that it is maybe,
00:18:43 and this is a question, overly optimistic.
00:18:46 Is she being overly optimistic?
00:18:49 - Well, when the party was launched in 2019,
00:18:53 there was hope on us that she would have contested
00:18:56 the 2020 general elections.
00:18:58 And under the support of her father,
00:19:03 that did not materialize
00:19:06 for the 2020 general elections.
00:19:08 And we all are familiar that the general election of 2020
00:19:11 was basically held under the COVID pandemic
00:19:14 and there was certain restrictions.
00:19:17 However, she decided to opt out
00:19:20 of the 2020 general elections.
00:19:22 And now we are seeing more over the weekend,
00:19:26 the news is that now she has decided
00:19:28 that she's going to contest the 2025 election.
00:19:32 So it's yet to be seen to see based on this pronouncement,
00:19:35 are we going to see meetings being held
00:19:39 in the public domain by the patriotic front?
00:19:42 Are we going to think about the screening process?
00:19:44 Because the two dominant political parties
00:19:47 have already indicated and said they have started
00:19:51 the process of selecting candidates
00:19:54 for the upcoming general election,
00:19:56 which is due in about over less than a year's time.
00:20:01 - Yeah.
00:20:02 Dr. Bazzi, you know how we could be in Trinidad and Tobago
00:20:06 whenever we hear about a new political party,
00:20:10 there is always the claim by some politicians
00:20:14 that this is meant to divide votes.
00:20:18 With the introduction of the patriotic front
00:20:21 into the run up to the general election.
00:20:25 And we did discuss this morning
00:20:27 that really the proof is in the pudding.
00:20:30 But you think that the party poses a real risk
00:20:36 to the other political parties?
00:20:38 - Politics is quite fluid if you look at it.
00:20:44 The move is like a wave.
00:20:47 And I'm not saying that the patriotic front
00:20:50 will not be able to be successful in an election.
00:20:54 But when we look at the past,
00:20:57 let's say electoral history of Trinidad and Tobago,
00:21:00 where you have fluid parties,
00:21:02 apart from the two parties that entered the race,
00:21:06 the major political parties.
00:21:08 We have had situations like with regard
00:21:11 to the Congress of the People
00:21:14 that contested the 2007 general elections.
00:21:17 You had going back to the 2001 general elections
00:21:21 with Team Unity, there was also a splinter
00:21:24 that broke away from the United National Congress.
00:21:27 You have the electoral results of that.
00:21:29 You have in 1991, you have what we call
00:21:32 the NAR, the UNC and the PNM that contested.
00:21:36 And so the history is there with regard to three parties,
00:21:40 three major parties and what the results were at.
00:21:43 In the 1991 general elections, the NAR did win two seats,
00:21:49 but these were the two Tobago seats,
00:21:51 held by Ms. Pamela Nicholson and Mr. A. R. Robinson.
00:21:54 So there have been instances of where parties have shown
00:21:58 that they can hold on to seats,
00:22:00 but it suffered a major defeat of the NAR
00:22:02 coming out of the 1986 general elections.
00:22:05 So there have been instances of that.
00:22:07 So you have the 2007 election results
00:22:10 with the COP as another major.
00:22:12 We could go all the way back to 1981 with the ONR,
00:22:16 which is another major party that emerged
00:22:18 on the political scene.
00:22:19 And that back then by Mr. Carl Oxford Phillip,
00:22:22 it did have a very good showing in the polls.
00:22:25 However, those results did not materialize
00:22:28 into say, let's say, having an MP
00:22:31 in the House of Representatives.
00:22:33 So you have the history to show.
00:22:35 So the question is that where will the picture up front
00:22:39 be able to draw electoral support?
00:22:41 Is that electoral support are going to come from persons
00:22:44 as we say, sitting on the electoral fence
00:22:47 who have not made up their mind,
00:22:48 who are disenchanted with the existing political party
00:22:52 and who maybe attracted to the political statements
00:22:59 or the political, what is promised by the picture up front.
00:23:03 So we need to see that.
00:23:04 And the only way that that can happen
00:23:06 is that we need to monitor how this party moves
00:23:10 within the time period towards the general election.
00:23:13 Will we be seeing meetings?
00:23:15 Will we be seeing individuals,
00:23:17 possible persons that can become possible candidates
00:23:21 in the election?
00:23:22 So it's yet to be seen that based on the announcement
00:23:25 over the weekend is to just to watch and to listen
00:23:30 and to be able to possibly gauge the attention.
00:23:33 Now the picture up front will be operating
00:23:35 against the backdrop of the two major political parties,
00:23:37 the UNC and the PNM.
00:23:39 So how these parties actually perform,
00:23:42 and you have the incumbent PNM as the governing party
00:23:46 in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago,
00:23:48 you have the UNC, which is another incumbent,
00:23:50 holding seats in the Parliament.
00:23:52 So it's yet to be seen that the politics
00:23:54 in these two parties, will it benefit the patriotic front
00:23:59 in the next 12 months?
00:24:02 - Yeah.
00:24:03 So you do have a young political leader
00:24:05 for the patriotic front.
00:24:07 And judging from the words of Miss Pandey on the weekend,
00:24:10 it would seem that there is going to be a major focus
00:24:13 on the youth.
00:24:14 In fact, she says, "Youth is the lifeblood of any nation,
00:24:17 "carrying within them the energy, idealism,
00:24:20 "and innovative spirit necessary for progress.
00:24:23 "Their fresh perspectives and adaptability allow them
00:24:26 "to drive technological advancement, social change,
00:24:29 "and economic growth," according to Miss Pandey.
00:24:34 Doctor, could we look a little bit about,
00:24:38 as it relates to the youth involvement in elections,
00:24:43 and what part do they play?
00:24:45 Are they really interested in elections?
00:24:48 Do they go out and vote?
00:24:50 How significant is this youth vote?
00:24:53 - The youth vote is significant in that,
00:24:59 what you tend to find is that,
00:25:01 who do we classify as youth?
00:25:03 If we use, let's say, a bandwidth of persons
00:25:05 who have entered or become, let's say, voters at 18 years,
00:25:09 and we use the bandwidth of, let's say, 24 years,
00:25:12 or if we want to go further, let's say, 25 years,
00:25:15 and we classify that the youth voters
00:25:17 will fall within this category, 18 to 25.
00:25:20 If we go back to 2020, then we would have persons
00:25:25 who have voted in the 20 elections,
00:25:27 and the possibility of, are they going to vote
00:25:30 in the 2025 elections?
00:25:31 Some may decide they're not going to vote.
00:25:33 They would have exercised the electoral franchise
00:25:35 way back in 2020, but may have been disappointed,
00:25:38 disenchanted with the political parties and their choice,
00:25:42 and they may shift.
00:25:43 I think what Ms. Fand is actually trying to say
00:25:45 is that the youth voters are the ones that,
00:25:49 persons entering to the labor market
00:25:53 who has aspirations, who have life aspirations,
00:25:56 looking to actually carve out something
00:25:59 within the revenue problem in this country
00:26:01 called Trinidad and Tobago,
00:26:03 and they are the most likely
00:26:05 who would have not been influenced
00:26:07 in any way or form or fashion at voting before,
00:26:11 so they're fresh onto the electoral,
00:26:13 let's say, slate or campaign,
00:26:17 and the ability to actually woo these young voters is there.
00:26:21 So, yes, I'm saying that,
00:26:23 and then if you have persons who would have voted
00:26:25 in the 20 elections who are disenchanted,
00:26:27 then the choice of actually shifting allegiance,
00:26:31 you have to understand there are different voters
00:26:33 can be classified.
00:26:34 You have voters who basically identify themselves
00:26:39 with a political party,
00:26:40 and that may be come from another sociological reasoning
00:26:44 of why they would identify family-oriented,
00:26:46 they vote in a particular way,
00:26:48 and the young voters are more in a greater tendency
00:26:54 to shift allegiance across political parties.
00:26:59 So they may have voted in 2020 for one political party,
00:27:02 there's a likelihood they may vote in '25
00:27:04 for another political party,
00:27:06 and between '20 and '25 in the local election,
00:27:08 they may have shifted in the 2020
00:27:10 and in the last local government election,
00:27:13 or they would have stayed away,
00:27:15 because if you use the local elections,
00:27:17 the last local election,
00:27:18 as let's say, as a way of gauging
00:27:21 how voters actually behave,
00:27:23 we had what we call a significant decline
00:27:25 in voter participation,
00:27:26 or there's a local government election,
00:27:28 but it was there.
00:27:29 So are we seeing from the results of the local election
00:27:32 that the likelihood that the 2025 election
00:27:35 may not draw that amount of persons onto the scene?
00:27:39 So yes, the patriotic front is targeting
00:27:42 a significant, let's say, part of the voter population
00:27:46 that may be much more inclined
00:27:48 to shift that political allegiance
00:27:51 to, let's say, what Ms. Pandey is offering,
00:27:55 the electorate in Trinidad and Tobago
00:27:58 for the 2025 election.
00:27:59 Yeah, and Doctor, if you'd allow me now,
00:28:03 after much controversy earlier this year,
00:28:05 well, the United National Congress
00:28:07 finally announced that its internal elections
00:28:10 are going to be held on June 15th.
00:28:12 In fact, this evening,
00:28:13 according to reports this morning,
00:28:15 the opposition leader, Kamala Prasad Bissessa,
00:28:17 will launch her slate.
00:28:18 Of course, Rushden Parry has launched his slate also.
00:28:23 The United Patriots,
00:28:24 he has said that he wants a healthier UNC.
00:28:28 As we look at all of this, Doctor Basdew,
00:28:31 what's your perspective?
00:28:34 Well, the internal elections at the UNC
00:28:36 has always brought some, let's say, attention.
00:28:39 And one can say that it's the buildup
00:28:43 to the announcement of the date of the election.
00:28:45 When the date was announced a couple weeks back,
00:28:47 that it would be held on June the 15th,
00:28:51 one has to go back to see where and how
00:28:55 we arrived at June 15th.
00:28:57 And that announcement was basically set against
00:29:00 the backdrop of the internal, let's say,
00:29:03 rumbling within the opposition party.
00:29:05 Is it normal?
00:29:06 It has always been the case for me
00:29:08 to go back to when Miss Kamala Prasad Bissessa
00:29:13 entered onto the scene as a political leader
00:29:15 going back to 2010.
00:29:18 In that election that was held in January of 2010,
00:29:21 there had been much, the slates were broad,
00:29:24 and therefore you had in this context
00:29:26 the result of the elections, the internal elections,
00:29:28 where that did bring forth controversy.
00:29:30 But it did launch Miss Kamala Prasad Bissessa
00:29:33 as leader of the party
00:29:34 and to win the general election of 2010.
00:29:37 Following the defeat in 2015,
00:29:40 we had another internal election, but this time,
00:29:42 where a number of candidates actually
00:29:44 vied for political office.
00:29:46 And you had what we call the controversy involved there.
00:29:50 So it is not strange to see that since 2015,
00:29:54 in the internal elections that were held
00:29:57 within the party, both for political leader
00:29:59 and for the national executive,
00:30:01 there has always been some degree of controversy.
00:30:04 And based on what has occurred over the weekend
00:30:08 with the launch of one slate
00:30:10 and the launch in tonight of another slate,
00:30:12 and the statements of the exchange of letters,
00:30:15 invitation letters and so forth,
00:30:18 it is clear that yes, we are going to see
00:30:22 what has basically been an indication
00:30:26 of opposition style politics
00:30:28 is going to find its way into the media
00:30:31 from now until the results of June the 15th,
00:30:34 and possibly after June the 15th
00:30:36 is also going to continue to be
00:30:38 what we call those internal rumblings.
00:30:40 - Yeah.
00:30:41 What do you think the outcome is going to be?
00:30:44 Of course, there have been rumblings
00:30:46 within the UNC for a while now
00:30:48 concerning these internal elections.
00:30:50 Rushton Parry has been really at the forefront,
00:30:55 of course, launching his slate, United Patriots.
00:30:58 As we said, tonight, Mrs. Kamala Prasad Vicesa
00:31:01 will launch her slate, but her slate has a number of,
00:31:05 how do I say, experienced faces,
00:31:09 such as Jolene John, Rudal Munila, Khadija Amin,
00:31:13 Barry Paddourath, of course, you have Mr. Parry's slate.
00:31:17 They do have some known faces, yeah,
00:31:21 but maybe not as much experience
00:31:24 as the slate of Mrs. Prasad Vicesa.
00:31:28 How do you see the outcome of this election going?
00:31:33 Do you think, is there going to be support for Mr. Parry,
00:31:38 or do you think that there's going to be
00:31:40 greater support for Mrs. Prasad Vicesa's slate?
00:31:45 - In this case, there's advantage
00:31:48 when you say you vote for a slate
00:31:51 or putting up a slate for an election.
00:31:54 As a voter in the UNC, if you have voted slate
00:31:59 and you support Mrs. Pandey,
00:32:01 automatically the candidates on the star slate,
00:32:04 what you may find is that the voter just tick
00:32:08 on all the persons that represent with the star,
00:32:11 and that's the advantage.
00:32:12 You vote for a slate.
00:32:13 If you support Mrs. Pandey and Mrs. Prasad Vicesa,
00:32:18 then what you're going to have is that all the persons
00:32:21 that she has endorsed on this slate
00:32:23 will automatically gain that support.
00:32:26 It's not to say that we may see that there are a number of persons
00:32:29 that are individual candidates,
00:32:31 but that is, we're going to see whether or not
00:32:33 that's how that person actually basically gained the support
00:32:37 of the voters within this internal elections.
00:32:41 For Mr. Parry, it is clear that there are support.
00:32:46 There is support within the rank and file of the UNC.
00:32:49 The question is how will that support be transferred
00:32:52 into what we call whether or not any members of his slate
00:32:56 are going to actually win a seat on the national executive.
00:32:59 As the campaign, as the launch of the state,
00:33:02 we are going to see the campaigning.
00:33:04 We have two weeks of campaigning, as we would say,
00:33:07 to the lead up of this internal election.
00:33:11 The nature of the campaign, is it going to get,
00:33:14 let's say, as we say, politically nasty?
00:33:17 Is it going to remain in what we call and maintain
00:33:20 some level of political etiquette?
00:33:22 It is yet to be seen, but as I can judge from it,
00:33:27 given the exchange of letters and responses over the weekend,
00:33:31 we are in for, let's say, two weeks of, let's say,
00:33:34 political excitement, as that is what occupied the media.
00:33:39 - Dr. Bazdew, I think that you have put it
00:33:41 quite succinctly this morning,
00:33:43 and quite accurately, political excitement.
00:33:46 Dr. Mukesh Bazdew, it's always a pleasure speaking with you.
00:33:49 Thank you very much for joining us this morning,
00:33:51 we do appreciate it. Bye for now.
00:33:53 - Thank you so much, Marlon, for having me.
00:33:55 - All right, so it's time for a quick break.
00:33:56 We're coming back, everybody.
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00:36:35 I grew up in a country,
00:36:37 a small little town called Bougman Atras in Santa Cruz.
00:36:41 Very special place to grow up in.
00:36:44 And now as an adult,
00:36:46 I think of those children in Trinidad and Tobago
00:36:49 who do not have a safe place,
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00:37:54 - All right, so welcome back, everyone.
00:37:56 So, Prisons Commissioner Deu Passat Ramoutar
00:37:58 is set to retire on October 30th.
00:38:01 After 36 years, he joins us this morning
00:38:03 as he reflects on his long career.
00:38:06 Commissioner, good morning.
00:38:08 - Hi, good morning. Good morning, Marlon.
00:38:09 And good morning to you, Elizabeth and viewers.
00:38:12 - Yes, Commissioner, it's always good to speak with you.
00:38:15 Well, Commissioner, let's reflect a bit, if we could.
00:38:17 Let's look at some of the successes
00:38:21 as you look at your career
00:38:23 and also some of the challenges.
00:38:27 - Sure.
00:38:29 I believe I would have made inroads
00:38:32 into the focus on the rehabilitation.
00:38:36 While rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates
00:38:40 is our mandate,
00:38:42 we sort of score very highly in security.
00:38:48 So we have two mandates-- security and rehabilitation.
00:38:51 Our motto is "take hold and treat."
00:38:54 So we have done very, very good in holding.
00:38:58 The treating part, I decided to focus on that
00:39:03 to be more consistent.
00:39:05 This is my skill set.
00:39:07 I am highly trained in social sciences.
00:39:10 I tell myself that coming as a commissioner,
00:39:14 I should use these skills towards rehabilitation.
00:39:17 Given that security is--
00:39:19 I can't really describe the meaning.
00:39:21 In the literature, documents,
00:39:24 you can sell out securities,
00:39:26 barbed wire, fences, guns, locks, cameras, you name it.
00:39:32 However, to rehabilitate someone,
00:39:35 behavior modification, mindset,
00:39:38 it's a big challenge.
00:39:40 Make it personal, it's the same.
00:39:42 It means I'm dynamic.
00:39:44 I want to be able to work for one person.
00:39:46 I may not work for the other person.
00:39:48 So you have to be dynamic.
00:39:50 I believe I would make a note in retraining staff
00:39:55 or using the word "retooling."
00:39:57 Every month, we have the officers
00:39:59 who are from the program department.
00:40:01 Every month, we have workshops for them
00:40:03 where they were trained in social sciences,
00:40:06 topics, audiology, sociology, terminology,
00:40:09 and management, critical things, you name it.
00:40:12 And it was done in-house,
00:40:14 meaning we have officers who are very competent in the area,
00:40:17 and they were used to train the officers.
00:40:23 It was my observation, too,
00:40:26 that we have some staff members who need healing themselves.
00:40:31 They have personal problems in their life,
00:40:34 and it affects their job.
00:40:35 So we have to heal officers, too,
00:40:38 because all of our inmates come into the system,
00:40:42 and they are broken.
00:40:44 I believe that's the determination by the court.
00:40:47 They are broken spiritually, psychologically, physically,
00:40:51 and they come to us for healing or repair.
00:40:54 So we have to have our staff members
00:40:58 who are fully competent and function in all cylinders
00:41:04 to treat the inmates.
00:41:06 So I believe I would make a note
00:41:09 and put in a higher focus on inter-rehabilitation.
00:41:13 I would have--every opportunity I got,
00:41:17 I would have spoken that the lifers,
00:41:19 inmates who are with us for over 50-something years,
00:41:22 up to 40 years,
00:41:24 and have been determined by the prison service
00:41:26 to fit for reentry should be considered.
00:41:29 I would have spoken all the time.
00:41:31 I get a mic in front of me to speak on for the reintegration.
00:41:39 We need to set an example.
00:41:41 When we have young inmates who come into the system,
00:41:45 we speak about rehabilitation.
00:41:46 We need to see it work.
00:41:47 We need to see that when you embrace the program
00:41:50 and reform yourself,
00:41:51 there is an opportunity for you to be released
00:41:54 so you can give them hope.
00:41:56 But, Commissioner, I think it is safe to say
00:42:01 that, yes, you have focused a lot on rehabilitation,
00:42:07 and there may be some, Commissioner, who say that
00:42:11 you really adopted a softer side as it relates to the people,
00:42:19 the persons who are within the nation's prisons.
00:42:23 Of course, Commissioner, you would remember recently
00:42:25 there was a fraca between prisoners and your officers,
00:42:32 and you were criticized publicly in the news,
00:42:36 on social media and so on,
00:42:38 because I think the day after,
00:42:42 you really extended to the prisoners an olive branch.
00:42:49 At that time, it was seen, well, how could the Commissioner do this
00:42:53 when this fraca had taken place between your officers and prisoners?
00:43:02 Yes, Marlon.
00:43:04 He said it may be seen as a softer side,
00:43:07 I would say a more effective side.
00:43:09 Maybe my methodology is too advanced for some prisons.
00:43:15 How can someone be really criticized for using words like "apology"?
00:43:23 I didn't apologize for the fracas that took place.
00:43:27 I apologized for the last 35 years that I have been in the service.
00:43:32 Incidentally, that incident was very close to my comments,
00:43:37 and my comments were made on a Holy Tuesday,
00:43:39 right after His Archbishop washed my feet, kissed my feet,
00:43:43 and we did prayers and so on.
00:43:45 So I, likewise, at the head of the service,
00:43:48 did what I thought was appropriate in the spirit of forgiveness and so on.
00:43:54 You know what is ironic?
00:43:57 An inmate would have died out of the incident,
00:44:03 and how I handled the situation.
00:44:08 The officer didn't fall after that,
00:44:13 which may have been the normal scope of things years gone by.
00:44:20 So all those who are criticizing my methodology in reaching out to people,
00:44:27 touching their emotions, and looking to get a better outcome,
00:44:32 they should think twice in criticizing my methodology.
00:44:34 It's working.
00:44:36 Officers can walk the streets, can walk in the mall, can hold their family's hand.
00:44:41 Maybe they should be careful and look over their shoulder
00:44:43 that somebody is looking for revenge.
00:44:47 Yeah.
00:44:50 Commissioner, let's deal with that,
00:44:53 because your experience in the prison service,
00:44:59 I mean, we have seen a number of challenges over the years, Commissioner,
00:45:04 whether it deals with the state, the physical state of the prisons.
00:45:10 We have expressed, when I say we, members of the public have expressed,
00:45:15 and your officers have expressed attacks, hits coming from within the prisons.
00:45:23 Recently we saw on social media that one of the members of your executive,
00:45:28 they are being threatened, and there's a video showing high-powered weapons
00:45:33 and the name of one of your deputies in that social media post.
00:45:40 Of course, there's trafficking by some prison officers,
00:45:45 and the list goes on and on, Commissioner.
00:45:48 Commissioner, is there a resolution to these issues?
00:45:57 A better resolution means that you are trafficking.
00:46:01 I think that's a hard, hard resolution to achieve,
00:46:05 because other than those who are in countries, those who are in prisons,
00:46:09 there is trafficking with all the technology there is.
00:46:12 What I would say, Marlon, and to the public,
00:46:14 is that the statistics will show that it's pretty less, significantly less.
00:46:22 My tenure as Commissioner, prior to my tenure, when we switched prisons,
00:46:27 we get 100, 200 phones.
00:46:31 Now we are getting 10, 20, 30 more.
00:46:36 Yes, we have the German system,
00:46:39 but that system will not be there anymore.
00:46:45 However, phones are not just to make phone calls.
00:46:48 Yes, I agree, too, that we have crooked officers,
00:46:54 and the only reason we know that they are crooked officers is because we are working.
00:46:58 We are working with the police to identify them and arrest them.
00:47:02 We are not getting much assistance after being arrested,
00:47:06 because I have spoken to that.
00:47:09 We often get bail.
00:47:10 We always get bail the same day.
00:47:12 I don't get them to come in the prison and spend a night in the same cell
00:47:16 as a Bulgarian contraband in Medford.
00:47:19 And they are assisted by persons, by crafty lawyers,
00:47:24 to get their freedom and then laugh at us.
00:47:27 We put hundreds of man hours in apprehending crooked officers.
00:47:32 Technology now sees that they are bringing in community drones.
00:47:35 We have some countermeasures, even with drones,
00:47:38 but they are still trying, they are experimenting, they are relentless.
00:47:43 One of the countermeasures we have is we simply search the prison every morning
00:47:48 before inmates are let out.
00:47:50 We find drops that drones have made.
00:47:55 So that's working.
00:47:57 I suppose after a while it becomes non-effective and they stop doing it.
00:48:03 There are some other security mechanisms that I cannot speak about.
00:48:08 The last video I spoke about, I am only able to comment on that.
00:48:12 I am saying we, at least the prison services at large, what is that about.
00:48:18 If I were to guess, it's the same thing we did.
00:48:22 We have TAMs to our hearts, but we are not TAMs.
00:48:26 We are officers. We will do our jobs.
00:48:29 Let me speak for the senior level.
00:48:31 We will do our job. We are TLS.
00:48:34 We will go TAMs favor.
00:48:36 So I suppose the police will tell us more when that is possible.
00:48:41 Yeah, but Commissioner, surely the job of a prison officer is not for the faint-hearted.
00:48:48 How do you continue to keep the morale of prison officers high
00:48:54 when over the years we have seen so many of your officers killed
00:48:59 because of hits that would have come from within the prison walls?
00:49:07 It's working. I focus on the relationship between inmates and officers.
00:49:14 That's working pretty well.
00:49:15 I don't know if you were able to listen to the radio program yesterday that was done.
00:49:20 Let me say I-95.5, inmates give testimony on the relationship that I, as a leader,
00:49:28 have with the inmate population, and it goes deeper down to the rest of officers.
00:49:36 The program, like I said earlier on, I am a senior professional scientist.
00:49:41 I know that if you want to help somebody, move them in a better place,
00:49:46 you get to their emotions, you listen to them, you show them love, you show them kindness.
00:49:51 So that is a soft approach. I would say it's an effective approach.
00:49:55 So I would have had visits from family visits.
00:50:00 You increase the quality of that visit by calling it a picnic-style visit.
00:50:06 That families are allowed to prepare meals at their home and bring it to the inmates,
00:50:11 sit around a table and have a quality meeting and visit.
00:50:14 Inmates gravitate to that. They love that.
00:50:17 That type of visit is not an entitlement.
00:50:21 We have visits of another dispensation that is an entitlement.
00:50:26 So this is a privilege.
00:50:27 This privilege can be curtailed if you behave badly in the prison.
00:50:32 Inmates' behavior in the prison for the last two years has been commendable.
00:50:37 Let me say that.
00:50:40 Given that this is a prison, it's not one of the regular Boy Scout associations
00:50:48 or some cricket club or football club. It is a prison.
00:50:52 We will have incidents. We will have clashes.
00:50:56 We have guns. We have guns in the prison.
00:50:58 We have to do separation. Sometimes we can't take place.
00:51:02 So it is a prison.
00:51:03 But we have significantly improved the relationship between inmates and officers
00:51:08 such that the only prison officer that was attacked was the Inmate of Children's Group
00:51:14 for the last two years and two months.
00:51:18 Commissioner, I just have a few minutes again before we must take a break.
00:51:22 I have about two minutes, I'm being told.
00:51:25 But, Commissioner, do you feel that there have been improvements?
00:51:29 Do you think that enough has been done to protect the lives of prison officers?
00:51:38 Significant improvement has been made in protecting the lives of prison officers.
00:51:42 Certain laws have been passed.
00:51:44 And we in the prison service at the executive level have done all that we could have done
00:51:50 given the resources we have.
00:51:54 Some people think that we should sit down and tingly our thumbs and wait for resources.
00:51:59 No. We have to wait for resources that we are requested.
00:52:04 We have to do and make the best of what we have.
00:52:07 If we understand that there are limited resources,
00:52:10 then we can be more tolerant and appreciate what we have.
00:52:13 So the inmates are along with us.
00:52:15 The inmates, I walk to ground with my officers.
00:52:18 I meet with the inmates. I explain to them challenges we have.
00:52:21 And they are understandable.
00:52:23 We have made public, open statements many times that the prison cannot run smoothly
00:52:30 until you have the cooperation of the inmates.
00:52:33 How can you get a human being to cooperate with you?
00:52:35 You must treat them properly.
00:52:38 You must treat them--show some love.
00:52:41 It's a professional love.
00:52:42 And you get their cooperation, and we will do away with all the negativity
00:52:46 and the harm that officers could potentially experience when they're outside.
00:52:51 Like I said, for the last two years that I've been here, it's working.
00:52:54 Officers are not being seen as an object of attack or hate anymore.
00:52:59 It's subsiding.
00:53:01 Commissioner, as you leave us this morning, I remember the Frank Sinatra song, right?
00:53:06 You did it your way, right?
00:53:08 Yes. Yes, I did.
00:53:10 I have not changed anything. I have not changed anything that I have done.
00:53:14 I had the chance.
00:53:16 Commissioner, it was always a pleasure speaking with you.
00:53:19 Of course, you prepare to retire on October 30th.
00:53:24 Commissioner, we wish you all the best, and thank you very much for your service.
00:53:29 Thank you.
00:53:30 I'm presenting to the prison officer and all the inmates who we wish him the best.
00:53:34 All right. Bye for now, Commissioner.
00:53:36 All right, so we are going to a very short break, everybody.
00:53:38 We're coming back.
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00:55:35 [music]
00:55:38 Good morning. I'm Urvashi Tumori Rupnirain with your morning news update.
00:55:43 Urupuj East MP Dr. Rudal Munilal is repeating his call for a specialized police unit
00:55:48 to deal with extortion of business people by gangs.
00:55:52 He says it is at crisis level and desperately needs attention.
00:55:57 We're gang members are asking businessmen in Central Trinidad and St. Augustine,
00:56:01 Tanapona, along the corridor for as much as $30,000 per month for "protection."
00:56:08 When they fail to do that, when they refuse to do this,
00:56:12 then their families are exposed to kidnapping.
00:56:15 They're exposed to murder, to being shot.
00:56:18 And this is a crisis we face now, and we call upon the TTPS
00:56:22 to establish a specialized unit to deal with extortion by gang members.
00:56:27 Dr. Munilal says there needs to be legislative changes,
00:56:30 and his party is willing to do what it takes to pass necessary laws.
00:56:34 We will look at this to ensure that we create new offenses
00:56:38 with heavy jail sentences and so on, to deal with extortion, to deal with home invasion.
00:56:45 [music]
00:56:49 Now for a look at the weather.
00:56:52 You can expect generally hot, sunny, hazy, and breezy conditions
00:56:56 with a low chance of brief isolated showers.
00:56:59 Temperatures are expected to get up to 34 degrees Celsius in Trinidad
00:57:04 and 32 degrees Celsius in Tobago.
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01:01:51 Alright, so welcome back everyone.
01:02:07 So we do have two initiatives of the Ministry of Youth Development and National Services this morning for you.
01:02:13 And we do have in studio Mr. Neil Lane, Technical Director of the Industrial Apprenticeship Program,
01:02:18 Ministry of Youth Development and National Service.
01:02:20 And we do have Atalia Samuel, Technical Coordinator of a Music Production and Life Skills Initiative for Youth.
01:02:28 And it's called Amplify. Ladies, thank you very much for coming this morning.
01:02:31 And thank you for having us. Thank you for having us, yes.
01:02:34 Alright, so Atalia, let's begin with you. Sure.
01:02:36 Tell us about the Music Production and Life Skills Initiative for Youth.
01:02:40 Well, what happened is the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service, as you mentioned before,
01:02:46 we run so many initiatives when it comes to young people.
01:02:49 And, you know, you can't have so many things in the sector and not have something for everybody.
01:02:55 And that is what our minister has been doing thus far.
01:02:58 So Amplify coming out of the Woodworks in 2021.
01:03:02 Now they had a little lull between everything, but now we're back bigger and better, of course.
01:03:09 So where we had 100 people back then, now we are providing spaces for 450 applicants.
01:03:17 So it's very much a big thing. And I look forward to seeing how much they get to learn under this initiative.
01:03:24 Now, what Amplify is actually doing instead of actually just running music and music production,
01:03:30 we are actually doing auxiliary courses, which are like supplement courses to the industry.
01:03:37 So, as you know, we have a lot of persons who would be doing like singing.
01:03:41 Not everybody can, you know, do the voice and everything else when it comes to performing.
01:03:47 So now we have the persons in the industry, the videographer, the photographer, the graphics person.
01:03:52 We now see them traveling with our artists, traveling with our persons who are involved in the music industry.
01:03:59 So this is what Amplify is actually doing.
01:04:01 So we started off there before we actually got into like persons who are doing DJing and live sound engineering.
01:04:07 So that part of the aspect which I have fell like deep into because, you know, coming from the entertainment and media.
01:04:15 So it's now a broader span. Instead of just music, we are now doing music, entertainment and media.
01:04:22 Yeah. Who is this program for? The age group?
01:04:25 So the age group is between 18 and 35 years old. In fact, we pushed it back a little bit more, which is 16,
01:04:32 because we want to get the persons who are involved in youth on the stage, which is also another initiative.
01:04:37 The ministry right now is very busy. So that is actually. Yes.
01:04:43 That's the reason why both of us are here this morning.
01:04:46 Let's speak a little bit before we bring in Danil.
01:04:51 Let's talk a little bit about some of the modules concerning this Amplify project.
01:04:56 Right. So we have digital photography introduction to video production, introduction to graphic design, voice training.
01:05:04 That is for our singers who are involved, especially in the youth on the stage.
01:05:08 But we are also inviting other persons to give them a chance to actually experience and not just experience, but be certified with CUSTAD.
01:05:17 Right. So we also have stage presentations. We have some persons, even though you're on the stage and you're pushing yourself,
01:05:23 you're doing a thing, you're not moving with the flow. So this is what stage presentation actually helps you with.
01:05:28 And then we have the voice presentation and life skills.
01:05:31 Now, all of our initiatives have life skills as part of what we are doing.
01:05:36 However, the voice presentation in this aspect, we are doing it here.
01:05:40 We're on TV, we're talking, we're doing interviews. So it actually coaches you how to do exactly this.
01:05:46 Yeah. All right. We will return to the Amplify project. All right.
01:05:50 But let's bring in Danil because Danil has something different for us. It's a drilling rig initiative.
01:05:58 Yes. So the drilling rig operations program, which we have called DROP, you know, as a cool name for the young person to identify with.
01:06:07 Yes. So the drilling rig operations program was designed for young nationals between the ages of 18 to 35
01:06:15 to gain technical vocational skill training in the drilling rig sector.
01:06:21 So it's going to offer four options for persons who wish to apply.
01:06:25 So it's a drilling rig rustabout, a drilling rig roughneck, and for persons who want to involve themselves in drilling fluid and system management,
01:06:33 as well as drilling safety management operations. Yeah. What's the criteria, though?
01:06:39 So persons wanting to apply, the basic minimum is that you have to be a national of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:06:46 You have to be between the ages of 18 to 35 years old. You have to have at least a minimum of two CXC passes.
01:06:53 When you're applying, you must provide a letter of recommendation as well as a COC, which is a certificate of character from the police.
01:07:01 And you also have to not have a fear of heights because you will be going up at least 10 meters into the air.
01:07:07 Yeah, that's very, very important. That's very important. I don't know how anybody could do that, boy.
01:07:13 That's why I'm doing amplifying. But let's speak a little bit about experience,
01:07:19 because I get the impression that you don't have to have experience in the field, right?
01:07:25 No, you don't have to have any experience in the field.
01:07:27 What it is that we want persons who are so inclined to probably use their hands to be able to apply to a program like this
01:07:35 for the to upskill yourself in a technical vocational area.
01:07:40 Yeah. So how long is the training?
01:07:42 So the training will be two months long and it starts on June 18th.
01:07:46 And then what happens after the training? Is it that the ministry is going?
01:07:50 I don't mean to put the ministry on the spot, but is it that the ministry is going to assist the graduates,
01:07:57 the persons who have received this training with jobs?
01:08:01 So that is the ministry's intention. So the first and foremost is that once you're successful,
01:08:05 what it what it actually does is it increases your employability capabilities.
01:08:10 You know, so that that is our mandate. We want to help students, participants to be able to increase their employability status.
01:08:18 And then following that, it is our intention as the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service to assist persons through the industrial apprenticeship program,
01:08:25 which is what I am the coordinator of, is to assist persons with job placement.
01:08:31 How much people are you looking for?
01:08:33 So for this particular program, we're looking at 80 persons. 80? 80, yes.
01:08:37 Males and females? Yes. So the industrial apprenticeship program has at least six programs underneath it.
01:08:42 And so each one of them has a varying number of 80.
01:08:46 So the IMAP program, which was the Industrial Mechanical Apprenticeship Program, which we launched late March, had 50 persons in it.
01:08:54 And the EHOIS program, which we are actually in fact launching today, has 50 persons in it.
01:08:58 The drilling rig operations will have 80 persons in it.
01:09:02 We have a program called FUSE and that will have 50 persons in it.
01:09:07 And we also have one called PIPE and that one will have 100 persons in it.
01:09:11 So we do have a number of programs that are more towards leaning towards the industrial sector.
01:09:17 Well, and this actually falls within my remit as a petroleum engineer.
01:09:21 So we really want to get persons into that aspect of the nation building through the industrial sector.
01:09:30 Is there still time for people to register?
01:09:32 Yes. So registration closes on June 2nd. So you have some time.
01:09:37 And how can people register?
01:09:38 So you can register by going to www.nydns.gov.tt.
01:09:45 And on the website, there will be a website banner for you to click on.
01:09:49 You will see all the sign up here button.
01:09:53 And then you will see some frequently asked questions that you could browse through.
01:09:57 Yeah, I'm just thinking, where were all of these programs when I was younger?
01:10:01 A old man like me, I can't do this again.
01:10:05 I mean, feeling young is one thing, but actually falling in the age bracket is a problem.
01:10:10 Yeah. Atalia, let's get back to Amplify. Is there a cost for this?
01:10:15 No, actually it's free for all applicants. And that is something that the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service actually always try to do.
01:10:23 Ensure that our youth comes into these programs without any type of stress at all.
01:10:29 So this is why I feel so compelled to sit here today to say, you know, you have to take advantage of these types of situations.
01:10:37 Because you're saying yourself, you would love to have had this type of initiative back then.
01:10:43 So now it's open. It's open for everyone to actually take part.
01:10:47 Yeah. What I find is that a lot of organizations, including your ministry, they're really giving the young people the roadmap.
01:10:56 You know, so you don't have to think anymore. Well, you know, there's there's no hope because there are so many opportunities.
01:11:05 And more so from your ministry, where are these classes going to be conducted?
01:11:09 Right. So these classes are to be conducted in Custat. Now, Custat has so many different branches.
01:11:16 Yes. But the first segment, now the cohort is big. So it's split into two. So I call it segment one and two.
01:11:22 So segment one is only at the North Campus, which is Alcazar Street.
01:11:28 And that now creates for six years, six of all six of the modules.
01:11:35 However, when it reaches the segment two, it goes to three instead of the six.
01:11:40 So the first three, what we actually going to push in segment two,
01:11:45 it actually now pulls you into the music industry after because we're going to bring more courses.
01:11:52 Where they could actually take that initiative and put it into full use.
01:11:56 Come forward. And if you want to go into, you know, expanding the horizon, which most would say you could actually take up that with Custat.
01:12:07 And you could continue your studies there because that is where I actually did communications.
01:12:11 So if you want to push that, you could go into it full on.
01:12:14 Yeah. These are part time classes and all a part time classes, six weeks long.
01:12:20 And they not section of it only has the graphic design. So even if you are in segment two, you actually still have to go north for graphic design.
01:12:30 There is also central and there is a south. And, you know, this is to ensure that we have so much more for all the people,
01:12:37 inclusivity to have all of them involved because we can't keep everything in the north all the time.
01:12:43 So now we said, you know what, let's have something central as well and also push to see if we can have some stuff in the south as well.
01:12:51 Is there an opportunity for a person to do more than one module?
01:12:59 Oh, at this point in time, no, you could only choose one module.
01:13:03 However, it doesn't stop you from let's just say you want to pursue another course with the ministry.
01:13:11 Once you're done, you can actually try again for something else.
01:13:14 So it doesn't like take away from you wanting to get more out of the ministries.
01:13:20 I want to speak about the expertise of the people who are going to be providing training in your case to the 80 young people.
01:13:30 Right. So this is being done in collaboration with the NSE Technical Institute and training will actually take place at the NSE Technical Institute campus
01:13:40 at St. Madeline. Yeah. Yes. This is to me a highly specialized field.
01:13:48 I don't know how you all feel, but I feel that that is it. It's a highly specialized field.
01:13:54 Is it that after this training, you feel that people would have gotten the required skills so that they can perform adequately and efficiently?
01:14:06 Yes, definitely. So the NSE Technical Institute is quite skilled and capable with training persons up to that level.
01:14:13 We have worked with them prior and I have known about the Technical Institute for some time.
01:14:18 And they do train persons up to a level where they can enter into a private sector oil and gas company and perform very well.
01:14:27 Yeah. How does the employer feel about someone who is having this training?
01:14:34 Is there an interest by the employer to hire this person who is newly trained?
01:14:40 Well, we are an oil and gas economy. Yeah. So there would always be a need for persons to come in on that level.
01:14:49 These are more, I don't want to say lower end, but they're introductory into the oil and gas sector.
01:14:55 So a drilling rig rustabout and a drilling rig roughneck, you'll be training for about 120 to 140 contact hours.
01:15:04 So I wouldn't say that you would be the most experienced after learning.
01:15:08 But just as everything, when you come out of school, you wouldn't be at the top of the experience level.
01:15:15 But once you go into a company, of course, they will train you as per that specific company's level of training.
01:15:23 Level of well, executing their work. Yeah.
01:15:27 Atalia, let's speak about the expertise of the tutors concerning the Amplify project.
01:15:33 Well, because that has been providing great work and services for a number of years.
01:15:38 So I don't like take away from what they have either. I actually want to add to that.
01:15:43 In fact, I want to amplify that. Yeah. So I'm using that.
01:15:47 I'm getting creative this morning. So to be honest, they have some of the best teachers when it comes to the industry,
01:15:56 when it comes to media. And I really and truly want to highlight the fact that they have also been like on the ground,
01:16:04 trying to ensure that they have the right teachers, the right courses, because they do work with us back and forth.
01:16:10 And to know that they were so interested in even upgrading their lab to ensure that this is done for the youth,
01:16:17 because they have had like some technical issues from before and they were like, no, we have to get this up and running.
01:16:25 And then in all of that, they actually pushed to have the lab ready in time just for them.
01:16:31 So I must say kudos to Custart and all the work that they have been doing with the ministry thus far.
01:16:37 But Atalia, you're looking for 450 people. Is there still time to register?
01:16:42 Yes, there is time. It closes on June 2nd. Same with Hoist and one, two of you.
01:16:49 Drop. Yes. So there is time. And what we actually are trying to do.
01:16:56 First of all, Amplify has one of the largest amount of persons in the ministry when it comes to applying.
01:17:07 So we have had over 100 people in two days. So I have no fear that 450 people between last Friday and today, Monday.
01:17:17 It has probably risen tremendously. So I am sitting by my phone because they get to call me
01:17:24 and I answer each and every person once they call to ask any questions.
01:17:29 Did we speak about the criteria for this? It's the same. It goes across the board in the ministry
01:17:35 because we want to ensure that the standard stays the same.
01:17:39 And again, the ministry at the end of this initiative will try to assist students.
01:17:45 Yes, of course. And everything that the ministry does, we always try to ensure,
01:17:49 especially when it comes to graduation or even the launch, we invite employers to sit in.
01:17:57 And they get to see first-hand the persons who apply and they get to see first-hand,
01:18:02 even after they have graduated, we have, of course, top awards and certifications.
01:18:07 So, I mean, it's only right because the initiative is to ensure that we have a lot of entrepreneurs involved.
01:18:15 You must see yourself building a career in what you are signing up for.
01:18:20 Yeah. Danille, speak a little bit about how these programs are chosen because you don't want to have a situation.
01:18:27 And I know that there has to be some investigation and people on the ground really listening to what the demands are from the community
01:18:34 because you don't want young people to apply for this.
01:18:38 They do get the training and then at the end of it, there is no demand for what they have trained in.
01:18:45 Right. So, of course, no, we do not want that at all.
01:18:47 We, of course, would expect that we have the capability to assist the young persons who are successful
01:18:55 to place them into a company that is relevant to their specific training that they would have received.
01:19:03 So what would have gone into it really would be that we would have touched base with a number of other some private sector,
01:19:11 some governmental organizations and touch base with them to understand exactly what is their need for in this particular sector.
01:19:19 So that's what would have caused the development of particular courses.
01:19:24 Yeah. Atalia, anything else you'd like to share with us before you leave us this morning?
01:19:29 I really want to encourage you to take advantage of this initiative,
01:19:34 all the initiatives that the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service provides.
01:19:38 Because, I mean, as you mentioned earlier, if you were of the age, you would really want to dive into it.
01:19:45 Atalia, thank you for having me feel old this morning.
01:19:48 You know what? You know what? I did not try anything.
01:19:52 However, I really want to encourage them because you only get to live once, you're young once.
01:19:58 And the same way you take up the phone to look at everything else, you can actually take up the phone to better yourself.
01:20:03 So bet on you. I always say that all the time. Bet on you.
01:20:06 Because if you can't have the belief in you, I can't always take hands and walk with you to a destination.
01:20:13 You have to see yourself there as well. So I don't know if you have anything.
01:20:17 So I just wanted to point out that drop is also at no cost to the participants.
01:20:23 So I just wanted to let that be known that I'm just going to steal Atalia's amplifier.
01:20:29 I said don't drop the ball.
01:20:31 The ladies on the ball this morning.
01:20:34 Yes, do not drop the ball because this is an amazing program that I will encourage anyone to apply for,
01:20:40 especially if you're interested in entering the oil and gas sector.
01:20:44 You know, it really gives you an opportunity to start at the very entry level position and climb your way up.
01:20:50 And I think hard work is something that is very rewarding.
01:20:53 So I really do encourage persons to apply. There is still time to apply.
01:20:58 Just make sure and get all the things that are required of you when you are applying and fill out the application well.
01:21:03 And, you know, yeah, make sure the sky's the limit. Everybody.
01:21:07 Ladies, before you leave, just remind us where people can get additional information.
01:21:12 Again, the social media presence, the website and so on.
01:21:15 Well, everything is on the social media. We have our social media presence at my DNS, Titi.
01:21:21 And of course, the website, my DNS dot gov dot Titi.
01:21:26 And we have our phone number, which is six one two nine three six seven.
01:21:31 And my extension is five zero zero seven. So that's for Amplify.
01:21:35 I minus six thousand and seven. And we also have eight zero one one for other support systems.
01:21:41 Yeah. Yeah. And we also have your contact information there.
01:21:46 Please make a note of of them. Ladies. Yes.
01:21:49 It was a pleasure speaking with you all this morning. And thank you for the good work that your ministry continues to do.
01:21:54 Thank you. Bye for now. All right. So it's time to take a break.
01:21:57 But first, we have this for you. It's a photograph from a viewer.
01:22:01 Yeah. We're coming back, everybody.
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01:24:07 It's okay to be open-minded, you know. Not so open-minded that your brains fall out.
01:24:13 But being willing to listen and even try new ways and methods of doing things that can help create a better family environment is not only your way or the highway.
01:24:29 Being open-minded as a parent can help you understand and appreciate your child's unique personality and perspective.
01:24:37 You are not always right and you can learn new things even from your children.
01:24:43 Teaching children to be open-minded can help them be respectful and tolerant of other person's views and approaches even if they go against what they feel and believe.
01:24:55 At the end of the day, do your best. Share if you found this useful. Like and follow CTA's profiles for more parenting tips.
01:25:07 The letter of the day is O, open-minded.
01:25:12 [Music]
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01:25:24 [Music]
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01:25:34 [Music]
01:25:58 [Speaking Spanish]
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01:26:17 [Speaking Spanish]
01:26:23 [Music]
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01:27:09 [Music]
01:27:29 Alright, so welcome back everyone. So we are talking about now the Cipriani Labor Colleges inaugural walkathon.
01:27:36 And we do have on the line this morning Paula Innes, Deputy Director, Student Affairs, and Natasha Kuru, Registrar, to tell us more about the colleges inaugural walkathon.
01:27:47 Ladies, a very special good morning to you and thank you very much for joining us.
01:27:51 Thank you so much. Good morning, Mr. Hopkinson. Thank you for having us. Good morning to your viewers.
01:27:56 Of course. Ms. Kuru, let's get right into it. Please tell us about the inaugural walkathon.
01:28:01 Certainly. So if you don't mind, just a little bit about CCLCS. Of course.
01:28:06 So the Cipriani College of Labor and Cooperative Studies, or CCLCS as we fondly call it, has a very rich legacy of over 50 years dedicated to empowering working people.
01:28:19 And we were established as a vocational institution, the purpose of which would have been to enable its representatives and workers to participate more effectively in the development of the country.
01:28:31 Today, we are an accredited institution with offering six competency based programs and those branch into several other programs from the introductory level all the way up to the bachelor degrees.
01:28:49 So in terms of our walkathon, this year, we would like to. We're looking at several initiatives to assist students and by way of offering scholarships, and we have several other things in train that we wouldn't invite if you have to share.
01:29:10 Right. So I would leave that alone for now. So about our walkathon, the walkathon is scheduled for the 30th of May, which is the Corpus Christi holiday.
01:29:19 It begins at 630 in the morning, and we are inviting anybody who is interested at all in whether you're an alumnus, whether you are somebody who has just a big interest.
01:29:33 But we want to assist our students by offering scholarships to offset their school fees. And so the walkathon has been planned as well to look at just getting the Cipriani brand out, letting other persons who because a lot of persons say, we know the building, but where are you located?
01:29:54 So we want people to know that Cipriani is here. We have a lot to share and the walkathon is to aid us in that step.
01:30:02 Yeah. Ms. Kuru, let's speak a little bit about how important these funds are going to be when it comes to assisting students with their scholarships.
01:30:16 Sure. So what we would have recognized, and I think that's not just our institution, but several others, when COVID hit, it hit a lot of persons hard.
01:30:26 And we would have had several students who, whether they were workers who, I forget what we call them, the essential workers, or persons who just at that point in time needed to place their funds elsewhere.
01:30:47 We would have had students who just had to put their education on pause for a moment. As a result of that, we are dealing now with students who are trying to pick back up where they would have left off.
01:31:02 And we recognize we're in a, you know, the economy is tough at the moment. And so we just want to do our part to ensure that the goal of attaining education is not one that has to be placed on the back burner any longer.
01:31:18 And to assist as best we can as a college community.
01:31:22 Yeah. How many people do you plan to assist?
01:31:27 Well, honestly, it is as the funds allow. So what we would have done, we have as many persons who wish to apply, may so do.
01:31:39 And based on the funds, we will then be able to see how many persons we'd be able to assist.
01:31:44 I would have alluded to the fact that we do have several other projects in train.
01:31:49 And so this is just phase one in several that we would like to accomplish in the next academic year.
01:31:57 So, again, as funds allow, which is why we would like as many people as possible to come out and join us.
01:32:05 Yeah. Let's speak about registering for the walkathon.
01:32:09 Sure. So we do have flyers that are out in the public, but we also on our college's website, which is www.cclcs.edu.tt.
01:32:25 The link to get which carries to the registration form together with the requisite payments is available.
01:32:33 Do you wish to share the cost to participate in the walkathon?
01:32:39 Sure. So we've got several different tiers.
01:32:43 Yes. Recognizing again that, you know, times are not what they always were.
01:32:49 So we've got the individual cost of $100. That would be for adults.
01:32:56 We are looking at persons who are 16 and younger at half that cost.
01:33:04 So that's $50. But we also have family packages and we have corporate packages that would incorporate different numbers of people.
01:33:15 So the family package has a total of five persons.
01:33:19 The corporate package has allows for as many as six persons, and we are willing to work with teams as far as possible.
01:33:29 If any one shows interest and there's anything that we can do to also encourage and assist them to participate with us.
01:33:38 All we're asking is that persons make contact with us.
01:33:41 We've got an email address, studentcare@cclcs.edu.tt. That information is also available on our website.
01:33:50 It's just a matter of emailing us or calling us and we'd be happy to share information and assist as best as possible.
01:33:57 Yeah. But Ms. Karou, this event is in the next few days.
01:34:02 It certainly is. And there's, you know, I'll tell you this.
01:34:06 When we were going into it, we didn't realize until we really, you know, placed both feet into the project,
01:34:14 how much work is involved in pulling off an activity such as this.
01:34:19 And we say it's an inaugural event because we would like to make this an activity that occurs for the college every year.
01:34:29 But it really is a lot of work. And as much as it's just a few days away, we're pretty much where we want to be.
01:34:35 We're asking and praying that the weather holds up because, of course,
01:34:38 we're noting what is happening with the notices coming out of the Met Office.
01:34:44 But it's a few days away and we're about ready. Yeah. So the response has been good thus far?
01:34:52 It's been OK, but given the purpose of the activity, given that the more persons who participate,
01:35:00 the more funds we'd have to be able to offset some of the or to create these scholarships,
01:35:05 I would say that we can do much better. We can do better.
01:35:10 Yeah. What's the route that the walkathon is taking?
01:35:15 The route is just on the south side of the campus. So for persons who haven't heard of Cipriani College before,
01:35:24 Cipriani is located on the Churchill, well off the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in Farsing.
01:35:31 It's just after Nestle and it's a beautiful campus. The activity now is taking place on the south side of the campus.
01:35:40 So for those of you who drive under the walkover,
01:35:47 we would be crossing that on foot and then heading on the south side of the campus.
01:35:53 Yeah, it's a pretty, I would say, even for persons who may not be as fit as others, it's a pretty calm, simple route.
01:36:08 And we do have children and some of our more senior citizens who have signed up.
01:36:17 And we do expect that there isn't going to be anything that would be too strenuous that would debar persons from wanting to participate.
01:36:26 All right. So I think it is safe to say that the walkathon is for everyone.
01:36:31 So, yeah. So on May 30th, what time do people arrive at the venue?
01:36:39 The walkathon takes place, we start the walk at 6.30. We do have a warm up at 6.15.
01:36:46 We have a beautiful field on the campus that faces the Northern Range.
01:36:51 And so we have a warm up. And from there, we start at 6.30 on our walk.
01:36:57 Yeah. Ms. Garu, any other details that you wish to share with us before you leave us this morning?
01:37:04 Well, while the walkathon is just a few days away, as you rightly said,
01:37:12 we do today and tomorrow, we will be doing registrations in person.
01:37:19 So persons who are desirous of participating can actually come onto our campus in Val Same today between the hours of nine to five.
01:37:30 And we'd be doing in-person registration and our registration packages would then be distributed right there.
01:37:36 And then the time tomorrow will be just slightly shorter. We will end by four o'clock.
01:37:43 So it's not too late. So whether persons wish to register online or in person, we've got everybody covered.
01:37:52 Yeah. So there is that opportunity to register online. We do have some contact information on our screen this morning.
01:38:03 Is it possible, Ms. Garu, that you can just repeat for us how do people register online?
01:38:11 Sure. They can go to our college's website, www.cclcs.edu.tt, or you can call our number at 609-3064, extensions 300 or 315.
01:38:31 Yeah. Ms. Garu, it was a pleasure speaking with you all, with you this morning rather.
01:38:36 And we wish you all all the best for your event. Bye for now.
01:38:39 Thank you very, very much. Thank you so much for having us.
01:38:42 Of course. Bye for now. OK, so it's time for a quick break. But first, we have this for you.
01:38:47 It's an image from a viewer. We're coming back, everybody.
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01:41:30 [Music]
01:41:48 All right, so welcome back everyone. So Providence Girls Catholic School is back with its second Flavor Fest.
01:41:54 So to tell us more about the event is Miss Chriselle Gorin. She's the acting principal.
01:41:59 Miss, good morning. Thank you very much for coming.
01:42:01 Good morning. A pleasure to be back. Thank you for having me.
01:42:04 Of course. But let's talk about this Flavor Fest that you're having.
01:42:08 Yes, yes. It's quite exciting.
01:42:10 Now it's the second annual Flavor Fest, but we have had food festivals before for about 10 years.
01:42:18 Last year was the first year in this new format and it was quite successful.
01:42:23 Patrons were pleased. So what we have this year is a small plate concept for our food festival.
01:42:32 So with the ticket costing 300 patrons will get seven mini plates and three mini desserts.
01:42:41 They're going to be a complimentary hot and cold beverage.
01:42:44 And we have some giveaways. All right.
01:42:47 Because, of course, people love when they come to the event and they get something free.
01:42:51 So we have those planned. And it's an opportunity to really taste a range of foods.
01:42:59 So we have several categories. Of course.
01:43:03 Some of them, river lime from the sea, street food, dining out.
01:43:09 That's just some of our categories and a variety of small plates within those categories.
01:43:15 So you come, you choose what you want. I think that might be the hardest part.
01:43:19 Yes. Deciding what it is you want. If you're into seafood, we have a whole tent for that.
01:43:26 So you're lucky there. So it's all inclusive.
01:43:30 Most inclusive. Most. We don't have a bar, but we do have a little wine sample as you come in.
01:43:41 Just to upscale it a bit. Let's get to the, I suspect, the most important part.
01:43:49 What's the what's the objective behind the Flavour Fest?
01:43:53 I mean, it's not just for people to taste the food and so on, but I'm sure there has to be a wider picture.
01:44:00 Why you all are. This is your second one. It is. It is second in this format.
01:44:05 But really, it's maybe close to 15 now.
01:44:09 So as a school, I'm sure you and the nation would be aware that you're always looking for funds.
01:44:17 Of course, we are an assisted school and we are very grateful for the contribution that comes from the government.
01:44:22 But as I tell my parents and my students, we also have to assist ourselves.
01:44:29 There are things that we do and we want to maintain our standard of service to the students in terms of the academics, our activities, etc.
01:44:40 So this is the second of our two major fundraisers.
01:44:45 We do have a lot of little ones. And aside from paying the bills and of course, repairs and all those things which a school must do regularly, there's always something broken.
01:45:00 Right. We want to really two main things. We want to install projectors in all the classrooms.
01:45:08 We have in about two thirds. We have to service some, but we want to outfit all the classrooms with an overhead projector because, you know, coming from the pandemic where everything was technology, we don't want to go back to just chuck and tuck.
01:45:23 Yes. And we have maintained as a school a high focus on ICT. So we want to really enable that with all the students.
01:45:31 Another thing would be interventions. So, again, we acknowledge that that significant impact that the pandemic had on all our lives.
01:45:42 And the fact that we have several groups whose major source of school was, well, at home.
01:45:49 Yeah. So when they come back out, those soft skills, the social skills, even all the literacies, we have to do those with them.
01:45:58 And, you know, programs have a cost. We do acknowledge a lot of persons who do stuff free.
01:46:03 We're very grateful for that. But there are things conflict resolution, decision making, communication, etiquette.
01:46:10 You know, we want them to get a really strong handle with the ICT because that's where the world is moving.
01:46:16 Of course. So these are just some of the many things we want to do for the girls.
01:46:21 And, well, this is, as I say, one major fundraiser to assist with that.
01:46:26 Yeah. For some people who may not be too familiar with your school, what's the student population like?
01:46:37 And you're saying it's it's a girl's school. All girls school. Yeah.
01:46:41 All girls. So we have about 570 students, staff of about 40, teaching staff.
01:46:47 And we are, as our school song starts, we are nestled in the hills of Belmont.
01:46:54 So when you drive into Providence, it's almost like you're isolated a bit from the world.
01:47:00 All right. You see the backing of the trees, the beautiful landscape.
01:47:04 And it's a fairly small school. It's contained in one main area.
01:47:10 I think that we at Providence, staff and students, do experience a degree of peace and a degree of comfort.
01:47:19 It is really a second home. We're very caring there. And, well, as you can see, the initiatives that I put forward,
01:47:27 it's really to extend that level of caring to the students. But it is tough in recent years.
01:47:35 The funding, I heard a speaker just before speak about the funding, where you work a ton and so.
01:47:41 And it has been tough. So we find that we have had to do more and more fundraisers.
01:47:46 A lot of little things for the students, try to target various areas of the community.
01:47:51 A lot of writing because things just cost more. Yeah. Yeah.
01:47:57 But judging from what you are also telling us is that the initiatives that you that you are planning or what you have done in the past,
01:48:10 it's really aimed at providing a sort of holistic type of education for the student. Right.
01:48:20 So not only the academics, but the social side, too. Yes. And cultural.
01:48:26 So let me speak to that a bit, because that is in our mission and so a holistic development.
01:48:33 And we have a wealth of talent at Providence that we, of course, encourage assiduously the arts, the culture.
01:48:40 So one of the things when you come to our Flavor Fest, we're going to have some entertainment.
01:48:45 So we have some student performances and some from our community, some of the schools, for example, parents, etc.
01:48:53 We have our steel ensemble, our PGCS steel that would be performing twice.
01:49:00 And Providence has really been working a lot with our steel pans.
01:49:08 So it will certainly be an experience for patrons. Yeah.
01:49:11 So not only are you getting food and drink, but you have entertainment, too, right? Yes.
01:49:16 So the event is on Saturday, 1st June. That's this Saturday. That's this Saturday.
01:49:21 When do people arrive? Six. So we begin at six. Food is served from six to nine.
01:49:28 Parking is, of course, very limited at the schools.
01:49:31 So with the grace of Belmont Secondary, patrons can park there and we'll have a shuttle service to the school.
01:49:39 And it costs $300. You can call us at school 624-1429 to secure your ticket.
01:49:49 Tickets are sold at the school, but if for some reason you're unable to get there, you call and we have online.
01:49:55 You can pay us online, transfer the funds and we can secure your tickets.
01:49:59 Yeah. You all have a social media platform, too? Yeah.
01:50:03 We are on Instagram Providence Girls Catholic. We are on Facebook Providence Girls Catholic School.
01:50:08 Just search up and we have we have a lot of stuff there.
01:50:11 And you can see on Instagram, too, a lot of our recent activities.
01:50:16 Very exciting time. Miss Gorin, anything else you'd like to tell us before you leave us this morning?
01:50:21 Well, again, just to reiterate, it's an opportunity to really sample a variety of dishes while experiencing the entertainment from our talented students.
01:50:36 And as with any event at Providence, it's an opportunity to just really share in the warmth of the Providence community.
01:50:47 Once once you come in, that's it. Your family. All right. Good way to put it.
01:50:53 Miss Gorin, thank you very much for coming this morning. Wish you all the best for your event.
01:50:57 Thank you. So we are going to a very short break. We're coming back, everybody. Stay.
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01:52:45 Join us every Monday morning at 830 a.m. right here on TV six.
01:53:03 Good morning. I'm over. She to worry.
01:53:05 With your morning news update or a pooch East MP Dr. Rudol Munilala is repeating his call for a specialized police unit to deal with extortion of business people by gangs.
01:53:16 He says it is at crisis level and desperately needs attention.
01:53:21 We're gang members are asking businessmen in central Trinidad and St. Augustine, Tanapona along the corridor for as much as $30,000 per month for quote unquote protection.
01:53:32 When they fail to do that, when they refuse to do this, then their families are exposed to kidnapping.
01:53:39 They are exposed to murder, to being shot.
01:53:42 And this is a crisis we face now and we call upon the TPS to establish a specialized unit to deal with extortion by gang members.
01:53:51 Dr. Munilala says there needs to be legislative changes and his party is willing to do what it takes to pass necessary laws.
01:53:58 We will look at this to ensure that we create new offenses with heavy jail sentences and so on to deal with extortion, to deal with home invasion.
01:54:10 Now for a look at the weather.
01:54:13 You can expect generally hot, sunny, hazy and breezy conditions with a low chance of brief isolated showers.
01:54:20 Temperatures are expected to get up to 34 degrees Celsius in Trinidad and 32 degrees Celsius in Tobago.
01:54:31 All right, so the Criminal Bar Association has repeated its call for the nation's highest award, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, to be given posthumously to late Senior Counsel Dana Sita Hal.
01:54:47 And just to tell you, you know that Anna Mahes passed away on Friday. Her funeral will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Tunapuna, the Aramalea Presbyterian Church in Tunapuna.
01:55:02 All right, so that's going to do it for our program for today. It's Monday, everybody. Yay!
01:55:07 See you tomorrow, everybody. Take care until then.
01:55:10 [Music]
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