The Community Development Division of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs is pleased to launch the 2010 version of its Handicraft Development Skills Training Programme. This programme is being offered to interested members of the public free of charge. Persons desirous of entry into this series of programmes should apply at any one of the Community Development District offices located nationwide.

Registration has started and closes on Friday May 14, 2010. Classes will commence from Monday May 17, 2010 an will be held at community centres, civic centres, churches and other stated venues for the period of approximately three months.
Some of the courses being offered to ommunities include:

-Balloon Decoration/Artistry;

-Floral making and arranging;

-Soft Furnishings;

-Wedding décor and planning;

-Natural Jewellery making;

-Crochet;

-Mehendi Art;

-Glass Painting;

-Woodcarving;

-Tie-Dye and batik;

-Hats and Bag Making; and

- Airbrushpainting

This Programme is just one of the many programmes hosted by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs as this Ministry seeks to champion the two developmental pillars of Vision 2020: ‘Developing Innovative People’ and ‘Nurturing a Caring Society’.

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CREDITS:
- Story by Natalie Walters
- Photo by Sir Mervs

The speculation is over. Dunga gave the list of the 23 footballers summoned to play at the World Cup in South Africa and left out were the very experienced players Adriano, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos, as well as del Santos Neymar and Ganso.

The surprise inclusion was Grafite of Germany's Wolfsburg who Dunga tried out in February in a friendly against Ireland. The Brazilian coach decided not to yet divulge a parallel list of seven substitute players.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) opted to announce these after a news conference by the coach so as not to fuel media speculation.

With 31 days before the start of World Cup 2010 in South Africa, Wayne Rooney's health is of great concern to Fabio Capello and all of England. And so it will be until everyone sees the Manchester United forward once again among the 11 players to grace the field on June 12, 2010 when England opens its World Cup campaign playing the United States in Rustenburg, South Africa.

Yesterday, the English goal scorer had to leave the field after 22 minutes into the second half with an injury, apparently near the groin. It was his team's last game of the Premier League, which it won 4-0 against Stoke City.

Rooney will recuperate in time for the game so that he can play with the English team that will go to the World Cup in South Africa, Manchester United official Mike Phelan was quoted as saying. He will be fine. All concerns can dissipate, he said.

Manchester United Coach Alex Ferguson said he was confident that Rooney's state was nothing to worry about. He said Rooney aggravated a past leg injury but that it was nothing serious. He will be fine in time to play for England at the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, he assured the media.

The Office of the President of Trinidad and Tobago wishes to refer to the headline which appeared at page 6 in The Daily Express newspaper of Wednesday 5th May, 2010 – “President ‘guilty’…of delay in filling Integrity Commission posts.”

For the sake of clarity and in order to put the headline in a proper context, the Office states as follows:

The matter before the courts was the claim by Mr. Devant Maharaj, head of the Indo-Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC) in his constitutional motion against the State that “his right to the protection of the law under Section 4 (b) of the Constitution has been violated by the delay in the appointment of the Integrity Commission.”

In the judgment handed down on Tuesday 4th May, 2010, High Court Judge, Mr. Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh said inter alia “while I am also mindful that delay in conducting investigations can lead to prejudice to the proper determination of a complaint, I do not think that there is sufficient evidence before me to come to the conclusion that the appointed Integrity Commission on account of the delay in this case will be unable to deal properly with the issues, make a proper judgment or give the benefit sought by Mr. Maharaj…..Looking at the complaints, I think that a fair investigation is still very possible. I also think proper conclusions and action can follow.

I do not find therefore that there has been a breach of protection of the law clause in this case, even though I find there has been unreasonable delay in the appointment of the Integrity Commission. The declarations sought are accordingly refused and the claim dismissed.”(Emphasis added).

It should be of interest to note that the word “guilty” does not appear anywhere in the judgment.

Japan's Kama Chinen who was the world's oldest lady according to the book of Guinness World Records has died at 114 years old.

As water levels at the nation’s reservoirs continue to be low, the Water and Sewerage Authority is reminding the public that current water conservation rules remain in effect across the country, despite the recent increase in rainfall.

Here are some steps you can take to save water:

- Don’t leave the tap running while washing dishes, fill your kitchen sink instead

- Use a broom instead of the hose to clean your driveway

- Don’t defrost foods with running water. Place frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost setting on the microwave

- Shorten your showers to between 3 to 5 minutes

- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth

- Use less soap when washing and cleaning, since more soap requires more water to rinse

- Fix leaking faucets and plumbing. A small drip from a faucet can waste as much as 20 gallons of water a day

- When using your washing machine, wash only full loads

- Use laundry rinse water for wetting plants

- Use a bucket instead of a hose to wash your car

- Repair leaking toilets. Add some food colouring to the water in the tank. If colour appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak

- Water plants during early morning hours or at night when temperatures are cooler, this reduces evaporation

- Install float valves in your water tanks to ensure that existing valves are working properly. Float valves shut off the water supply to the tank when it is full, preventing wastage.

WASA says let’s save water together. Water Conservation....It’s a partnership.

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CREDITS: Information sourced from brochure published by WASA
Photo by: darkpatator

The Industrial Relations Committee of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce will be hosting a Half Day Workshop on the “Rights and Obligations under the National Insurance System” on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cara Suites Hotel and Conference Centre, Southern Main Road, Claxton Bay, Trinidad.

Topics include:

• Your function as the EMPLOYER

• Dealing with queries, compliance and employees examination of payment of contributions

• Self-Employed, Contract of Service, Contract for Service and Payment of Voluntary Contributions

• How to file and conduct an appeal against NIB’s decision on claims for benefit through the National Insurance Appeals Tribunal

• Definition and Rights of Spouses in Common-law relationships

• The 10 benefits payable in respect of Employment Injury

The facilitator will be Hubert Dolsingh, H.B.M (Gold), a national insurance consultant.

Attending the workshop will cost approximately TT$1,000 and targets business people.

This Wednesday and Thursday, April 27th and 28th NAPA Fest featured winning schools from the 29th Biennial Music Festival at the School Matinee Shows which have been taking place from 10:00 am at NAPA. These free Schools Martinee segment of NAPA Fest fall under the “Musical Festival Highlights”, where school participation both at primary and secondary level is at the forefront of the Performing Arts.

The Matinees for schools hope to be the ideal arena where dreams and desires to produce excellence are germinated. Student audiences will also have the opportunity to hear the best of the music festival. In addition to their scholastic counterparts, they will witness the excellence of adult and semi-professional artists at their best.

Among the performers for the School Matinees include names like Holistic Music Choirs, Bishop Anstey High School and Tamika Joseph.

About the Bishop Anstey High School East

Bishop Anstey High School East & Trinity College celebrates 10 years in September 2010.
To this day, the band has won quite a few titles including the NGC Folk Festival in 2004 and 2005, and has been Music Festival Winners/Finalists in past festivals. They were again seated in winners’ row at this year’s Music festival.

The Band continues to play at all major functions, and is at present, planning a trip the Cuban School of Music in October, 2010

About Tamika Joseph

A 19 years old graduate of St. Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain Tamika won an award of an Additional Scholarship for Business Studies from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago based on her CAPE results. She has been part of a choir and entered the Music Festival since at the age of twelve in the solo, duet, trio and choir categories. Whilst at St. Joseph’s Convent she also participated in the International Youth and Music Festival Vienna, Austria in the summer of 2005 and the 5th International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition & Festival Wernigerode, Germany with the school’s choir. Tamika is currently a member of the Marionettes Chorale since September 2008. She has also exposed to training with June Nathaniel. Tamika plans on pursuing singing professionally and to acquire a degree in music.

NAPAFest will continue during May 15th and 16th with the production entitled "Genesis in Steel" which will feature the National Steel Symphony Orchestra (NSSO) on the 'G' Pan.

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CREDITS:

- Story by Natalie Walters

- Photo courtesy UDeCOTT