Starting today, Monday July 5, 2010 the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), in conjunction with the UWI Seismic Research Centre will host a National Consultation on Earthquake Safety in Trinidad and Tobago. This Consultation will take place over the next two days from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm each day at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Max Richards Drive, Mount Hope.

The aim of the Consultaton is to identify the measures necessary to make Trinidad and Tobago earthquake ready, by bringing together stakeholders involved in earthquake safety to assess the current environment and define the way forward. In addition to this, the Consultation will adrress:

- The Earthquake Threat
- Earthquake Risk Reduction
- Existing Framework for redusing vulnerability
- Critical Deficiencies

The target group for this Consultation includes schools, community groups, church leaders and other government and non- government organisations and agencies.

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CREDITS:
- Information provided by Dike Noel of the ODPM
- Photo courtesy the United Nations Development Programme

As the Best Village Unit of the Ministry of Community Development gets set to host the Food and Folk Fair 2010 this Sunday, July 4, 2010 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, here is a full schedule of the day’s activities under this year’s theme: “Something Old, Something New – The Way Forward.”

Programme:

7.00 am - Sale of market produce

9.00 am – Master of Ceremonies: Ms Allyson Hennessy
Praise and Worship service
Divine Encounters
Hardbargain Village Council

10.00 am - Opening Ceremony

• National Anthem
• Welcome Address: Ms. Susan Corbett, Director of Community Development
• Sun Dance: Ah We People Theatrical Horizon (Caroni North)
• Feature Address: Ms. Angella Jack, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Community Development
• Ceremonial Presentation of Food and Blessing by Deacon Lennox Touissant

11.00 am - Folk Village with handicraft displays open to the public until 6.00 pm

A Folk House will be created for the children inclusive of jooking board, coal pot, hammock etc.

11.00 am - Childrens’ Village open to the public until 5.00 pm

Games include: London Bridge, Rabbit the Hutch, In and Out the Dusty Bluebells, The Farmer in the Den, Miss Mary and some Fine Young Ladies and I Lost My Gloves.

Yard Games include: : Making and Flying Kites, Roller/Scooters, Box Carts and Musical Chairs

Side Attractions: Swing and Ting (Bouncy castle), Face Painting, See Saw, Donkey Cart rides, Horseback riding, Chair plane, Ferris Wheel, Video Gaming, Balloon Shaping and May Pole.

Competitions of the Day: Main Stage

A. Papa Rabbit (Male Bele Dancer who may be accompanied by a female dancer “La Belle”)
B. Petite Mamselle (Female Bele Dancer – open to young girls aged six to thirteen years)
C. Miss Folk Fair (open to females fourteen years and over who must present a food recipe)

11.00 am - Other Competitions:
Best Folk Wear, Best Decorated Booth, Best Pone, Paime, Local Wine, Preserves, African Dish, East Indian Dish, East Indian Delicacies, Pepper Roti and Local Drink Best Menu of the Day

The Annual Prime Minister’s Best Village Environmental Sanitation Competition Preliminaries was launched yesterday, Monday June 28, 2010 from 9:30 am in south Trinidad. The first judging took place in the county of Victoria East at Baptiste Church, Robert Village followed by the Princes Town East Secondary School, Bon Intento Community, located at Realize Road and Sahadath Trace.

On Wednesday, June 30, 2010, there will be an educational aspect of the Competition at the Community Development Office in Princes Town, where schools will be invited to participate. Representatives from the Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development, will discuss various aspects of Sanitation and the Environment.

This segment of the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition speaks to the pride and efforts we make to keep our environment and communities beautiful, productive and clean. The competition is committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through individual and community participation.

Communities will be judged according to nine (9) specific categories:

1. Best flower garden;

2. Best kitchen garden;

3. Best kept street;

4. Best kept Community Centre/Meeting Place;

5. Best Environmental Education Programme;

6. Best kept block;

7. Best kept clean and green area;

8. Best local heritage /structure; and

9. Overall Environmental Sanitation of the Community.

The Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition falls under the purview of the Minister of Community Development, the Honourable Nizam Baksh. The Ministry is pleased to be presenting the competition at this time, when the nation is highly sensitive to the environment, as the National Clean and Beautify Trinidad and Tobago (C&B T&T) campaign commenced last Sunday.

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CREDITS:

- Story by Natalie Walters

- Photo by fallenpegasus

British High Commissioner HE Eric Jenkinson paid a courtesy call on the Honourable Nizam Baksh (left), Minister of Community Development at his Port of Spain office today. Permanent Secretary Angella Jack (centre) was also present at the meeting. Discussions at the meeting focused on poverty alleviation, crime and the potential for bilateral cooperation.


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CREDITS:

- Photo courtesy Ministry of Community Development

The Best Village Unit of the Ministry of Community Development will host its Food and Folk Fair 2010 on the drag at the Queen’s Park Savannah this Sunday, July 4, 2010. The theme of this year’s event is “Something Old, Something New - The Way Forward.”

The objective of the fair is to bring together Trinidadians and Tobagonians to showcase and appreciate Trinbago’s “Local Products” including food, craft and indigenous performances, while encouraging the creativity of the people in cuisine, craft and artistic talent. This would in turn, instill a sense of national pride, community spirit and upliftment through healthy competition and social interaction, bringing urban and rural together in one big melting “pot.”

The Annual Food and Folk Fair is a production of the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition, which falls under the Ministry of Community Development. Full details of the programme of events will be released later this week.

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CREDITS:

- Story compiled by Nicola Joseph using information supplied by the Best Village Unit.

- Photo by A Silent Republic