F.O.T.T. Friends of Trinidad & Tobago , ready to assist

Farouk Hydal

Friends of Trinidad & Tobago continue to assist the community in resolving Issues at the Toronto Consul Office.

Farouk Hydal is approaching 74 years old in December has become the liaison officer between the public and the T&T Consul General office.

Farouk Hydal is the Public relations officer of F.O.T.T. and has been serving the community for many years. His relentless pursue of resolving Birth Paper and Passports issues has made him the go-to-guy when there are matters requiring an Ombudsman.

Farouk is in contact with key personnel at the Consul General Office and Can help you .

To reach Farouk Hydal please call him at 647-271-6358 or email him at faroukhydal1937(at)hotmail(dot)com or you can email FOTT at fott(at)live(dot)ca

Confident T&T: National team off to Guyana for Regional Super 50

Trinidad and Tobago will be looking to dominate the 2011 Regional Super50 Tournament in Guyana over the next two weeks and prove they are still one of the top teams in the Caribbean.

National coach Kelvin Williams said his team remain focussed and confident they can regain the limited overs title, insisting they will have to be ruthless in their approach in order to lift the newly-named Clive Lloyd Trophy. “Of course we are quietly confident going into the competition,” Williams said.

The coach noted that T&T usually do well in Guyana, which is where they won their last two 50-over crowns in 2008 and 2009, and is confident his players have the talent and experience to do well again.

“I still believe we have the experience in the team to overcome that. Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra We have been playing cricket so I am not concerned that our practice matches were rained out. We just came back from India (where they played in the Champions League T20), the guys have been training and we have one day of practice in Guyana on Wednesday to fine-tune so I am sure we will be ready,” Williams added. The T&T coach also highlighted the importance of the competition for his players.

“It is a tournament we need to put up our hands and win. It eluded us last year and it is important for us to go to Guyana and play the type of cricket that the people of Trinidad and Tobago know we are capable of playing. It is about success and that is important, especially with how we finished in India. We have a lot to play for. The players know that and they need this one.”

And the coach said the absence of team regulars Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Ravi Rampaul, Kieron Pollard and Denesh Ramdin-- all on duty with the West Indies squad in Bangladesh--only opens up new opportunities for the other players to step into the team and make a name for themselves.

Some of the players coming into the T&T side include Windies Under-19 all-rounder Derone Davis and wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo, as well as off-spinner Sunil Narine and medium pace all-rounder Kevon Cooper, all of whom are yet to represent T&T in the 50-over arena.

“I think it is a perfect opportunity for some of these players to put up their hands and assume the mantle of responsibility. That is why they have been selected. They have that air about them, they can shoulder the responsibility and I am confident that when needed, they will put their hand up,” said Williams.

The Regional Super50 bowls off on Wednesday October 19, with the  day/ night semi-finals, on October 26 and 27, and final on October 29 to be broadcast live on ESPN from Providence, Guyana.

Victory for T&T

William Perkins

The semi-final door was virtually shut on defending champions Chennai Super Kings as they lost the crunch Champions League Twenty20 Group A clash by 12 runs to Trinidad and Tobago, in Chennai on Sunday October 2.

Chasing a small target of 124, all Chennai could manage was just 111 for six as batting was extremely tough on the MA Chidambaram wicket.

Off-break bowler Sunil Narine emerged as star performer for T&T as  be bowled exceptionally well, claiming three wickets and giving away just eight runs in his four overs.

Coming into the crucial, Chennai did well in the first half by restricting the rivals to a paltry 123 for eight but the target could have been less had they not conceded 49 runs in the last five overs.

T&T managed those 49 runs largely on the back of a heroic innings from Kevon Cooper, who hit a 10-ball 28 with the help of three sixes and a four.

Opener William Perkins (34) top scored for the T&T while Adrian Barath (23) also played a useful knock.

Australian paceman Doug Bollinger (3/30) and spinner Shadab Jakati (2/18) bowled well for Chennai in the first half as they shared five wickets between them.

The target was not too big but batting was not easy and the small score proved quite difficult to achieve for the Chennai, who now have lost two of the three matches played.

Dwayne Bravo was top scorer for Chennai with his unbeaten 32 but that only reduced the defeat margin.

Now Chennai need to win their last match against New South Wales Blues on Tuesday and hope that a mathematical miracle help them make the cut for the semi-finals. 

Mumbai are at the top with five points.

Chennai needed 61 runs from the last five overs as they managed only 63 runs before that, having lost five top-order batsmen.

Bravo and Mahendra Singh Dhoni were at the crease but the skipper became third vicitm of Narine, who had earlier dimissed Murali Vijay (6) and Suresh Raina (2).

Strokemaking was not easy although Bravo did his bit by smashing an unbeaten 22-ball 32 and Albie Morkel managing 18 of 12 balls but that proved insufficient in the end.

Chennai did not have a great start as they lost Vijay, Raina and Michael Hussey (13) within the power-play period and with just 27 runs on the board.

By the half-way mark the hosts had also lost Wriddhiman Saha (8), leg before to Cooper, needing another 76 runs. Only four runs had reduced from the target that S Badrinath (15) ran himself out in a mix up with Dhoni.

Earlier, Cooper helped his side go past the 100-run mark as he reeled off three sixes and a four in his 10 ball knock before getting out in the last ball of the innings.

Runs did not come freely for the Caribbean batsmen after deciding to bat as Bollinger and Albie Morkel bowled tight.

Ganga bats for Sarwan as Windies captain

Trinidad and Tobago skipper Daren Ganga believes Guyanese batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan was not given a fair chance to captain the West Indies team.

In 2007, Sarwan succeeded the retired Brian Lara as captain of the regional team but the stylish righthander’s stint at the helm of the Windies was cut short during the second Test against England in May 2007 with a shoulder injury.

The injury was serious enough to rule him out of the remainder of the tour and for a further ten months. Sarwan returned to the West Indies side in 2008 for the home series against Sri Lanka, as vice-captain to Chris Gayle and was never given a chance to lead the team again. 

His career has been in a mini-slump recently and was dropped from the team for the Pakistan series at home following a poor performance at the 2011 ICC World Cup.

“It is baffling to me that there was a guy like Ramnaresh Sarwan who was always playing second fiddle as vicecaptain and yet he was never given a fair chance to lead West Indies.

“I can recall him playing under Carl Hooper and Brian Lara and being vice-captain for years. He hasn’t been given that opportunity to lead even in two or three consecutive series. There is no structured manner and clear philosophy and guideline in terms of selecting a captain and players,”  he said.

Ganga has been repeatedly overlooked for selection on the team in recent years despite being touted as an excellent captain. His form with the bat has been cited as not good enough to warrant a place in the regional squad even though his leadership qualities were recognised.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has, however, seemed to renege on their previous criteria for selection in appointing St Lucian Darren Sammy as captain.

Sammy has a modest batting record of 16.32 in Tests and has taken 46 wickets from 16 matches. His batting ODI record is poor with an average of 20.30 and 46 wickets from 63 matches. Commenting on the apparent hypocrisy of the WICB selectors, Ganga was hesitant to state his feelings.

“I don’t like to comment too much on guys who are given the opportunity to lead, because I don’t know the premise of the board in terms of decision making and what their intentions are,” he said.

Machel & Rikki Jai to return to Trinidad’s Calypso Monarch

Machel Montano & Rikki Jai

Reigning International Power (Soca) Monarch Machel Montano and defending National Chutney Monarch Rikki Jai will compete in next year’s National Calypso Monarch Competition.

They made the joint announcement of their return to competition which served as the foundation for their careers at Sunday’s staging of Saute Trinbago, produced by Cloud Nine Promotions at the NCC Carpark at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.

Montano hinted that his selection for the competition was likely to be The Youngest Veteran, while Jai’s will per Machel Montano & Rikki Jai form Love, Family, Life. Contacted for comment on this development, reigning Calypso Monarch Karene Asche welcomed the news.“By all means. The competition is open to everyone and I don’t see why not. It would be interesting,” she said, chuckling.

Brother Resistance (Lutalo Masimba) president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (TUCO), also hailed the return of Jai and Montano to the competition, describing it as “very good.”

“Machel and Rikki Jai are very much welcome. We look forward to the vibration they will bring. The Calypso Monarch competition is open to all artistes from T&T. It will bring a sense of excitement to the competition. That’s where they started. Machel was a former Junior Calypso Monarch. I could understand the calling,” he said.

Young calypsonian Chucky (Roderick Gordon) was delighted by the news. Chucky, who described himself as a young artiste in the calypso genre straddling the generation gap, said the presence of Machel and Jai would draw the attention of a younger audience to the competition. 

Jai and Montano were winners of the $2 million first prizes awarded to the Soca Monarch and Chutney Soca Monarch competitions this year.

Man fined $7,500 for chopping wife

Carol Brereton testified, on Monday October 3, that for 20 years she lay in bed in fear of her husband who kept objects under his pillow and threatened to chop her.

The husband, Wayne Brereton, was found guilty of maliciously wounding his wife, and fined a total of $7,500. The trial of Brereton was heard before San Fernando Magistrate Alicia Chankar.

On October 4, 2009, Brereton chopped his wife on the face and left hand at their home at Tarouba, San Fernando.

Carol Brereton testified that she was married to her attacker for 25 years and spent 20 of those years living in fear.

She described their relationship as “sad”.

“Every night I go to sleep, my husband will have something under his pillow. I was scared. He will tell me he will kill me and chop me up. This was going on for over 20 years,” Brereton cried.

The couple’s daughter Canissa Brereton, testified as a State witness. She said she intervened during the attack, but her father choked her when she tried to take the cutlass. 

Wayne Brereton brought his mother to testify in his defence.

The 63-year-old grandmother denied there was any argument that day. Brereton also testified, claiming that his wife was cut with a cutlass she brandished during a fight with his mother.

But Chankar found him guilty of the offence.

Asked if he had anything to say to his wife and child, a tearful Brereton told his wife he was sorry. She accepted the apology.

He held his daughter, kissed her on the cheek and told her, “I love you.” The daughter had testified he never told her he loved her before. 

Chankar fined him $5,000 for wounding the woman. He was given three months to pay the money or serve 12 months, with hard labour. He was also ordered to pay his wife $2,500 in compensation or spend six weeks in prison.

“I could have sent you to jail, but sometimes that does not help. You need to pay for what you did. You need to get some help. I think one of the greatest steps is that your wife forgave you,” Chankar said. 

20 years jail for rapist

A Diamond Vale man who brutalised and repeatedly raped a woman and threatened to kill her and her father was, on Monday October 3, jailed for 20 years.

Aaron Hendrickson entered a formal guilty plea on September 27 before Justice Malcolm Holdip in the Second Criminal Court at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain. 

Hendrickson, who was 19 at the time of the October 18,1999 incident, was sentenced to 30 years with hard labour for rape, five years hard labour each for serious indecency and attempted buggery, two years hard labour each for kidnapping and assault occasioning bodily harm and seven years for robbery with aggravation. 

The sentences are to run concurrently.

Due to his guilty plea, Holdip waived the 30 year sentence, giving him a 1/3 discount off his sentence and also sparing him stroke from the birch. The judge also ordered that upon completion of the sentence, Hendrickson be made to register with the Sexual Offences Registry and be medically examined.

In passing sentence, Holdip noted that rape is a serious offence which is quite prevalent in society.

Stating that this was not Hendrickson’s first brush with the law for a sexual offence, Holdip further made reference to three matters currently before the courts where women were sexually abused and raped.

He also noted the age of the men charged with the offences.

Describing rape and sexual assault as “a grave and serious crime and an extreme form of violation,” Holdip said the “courts must impose the sentiments of the community”. He said the use of violence and force further leads to an abhorrent feeling in communities. 

The High Court judge said arguments from individuals that a lesser sentence should be passed because of the age and immaturity of an offender should not be reason enough to alter a sentence.

Holdip said sentencing should instead reflect the severity of an offence and also serve to protect the public from offenders and also deter wouldbe offenders.

“Let it be known, this court is mindful of the public outcry over the past few weeks in dealing with the situation of multiple rapes,” Holdip said.

Adding that Hendrickson took responsibility and spared his victim the trauma of re-living the events by testifying in court, Holdip said the aggravating factors — the nature of the offence itself, the number of times the victim was raped (eight times), threats made while she was being raped, having a knife, scissors and claw hammer against her neck and head (while being raped) wiped out any form of mitigation.

He said although he did not have the victim’s statement, he has been “in court long enough” to know that rape and sexual offences of violent and grievous nature have an adverse effect on the victims.

During his plea in mitigation, Hendrickson’s attorney Richard Mason said his client was 19 when the rape occurred and though this was not an excuse, he hoped the court will take the guilty plea into consideration. 

Mason said his client has been making “good use of the time spent in jail and is doing an electrical course”. The State was represented by deputy director of Public Prosecutions, Kathy-Ann Waterman-Latchoo.

It was the State’s case that the victim was at her Diamond Vale home with her fiancé when she heard a knock on the door. Upon opening the door, Hendrickson and another man asked for her father. She told them he was not at home and closed the door. Hendrickson and the man, armed with a knife and piece of wood, barged into the house. Hendrickson demanded that the victim remove her clothes. When she refused, he cut off her underwear and proceeded to rape her. The victim’s fiancé in an attempt to defend her was stuck on the head with the wood. The accomplice, who then proceeded to rape the victim, died before start of the trial.

Hendrickson and his accomplice, the court heard, ordered the victim to leave the house with them. When she refused, Hendrickson dragged her by the neck out of the house, up a hill and then to an abandoned house where she was further raped. Following more than three hours of assault, Hendrickson gave the victim a bottle of water telling her to wash herself off. The victim was able to make her way to a nearby house where the police were called and a report made.

Curfew murder in Diego

Jeffery Joseph, a 38-year-old father of two was found murdered in Diego Martin on Monday October 3. The murder occurred while the curfew was still in effect.

Joseph’s relatives — sister Sophia Joseph, cousin Eastlyn Farrell, niece Teneisha Joseph and aunt Sylma Maughn — reported that they were contacted shortly after 8 am and told that “Green Man’s” (Joseph) body was found at an abandoned house at Agostini Trace, Diego Martin.

Police and relatives reported that there were chop wounds to Joseph’s head, face, hands and upper body. An autopsy found that he died as a result of the wounds. Joseph’s family said that on September 20 he got into an altercation with some persons over a cellphone and was beaten later that day. Joseph was at home washing clothes on Sunday when he left his Green Hill home at about 3 pm saying he was “going to make a spin”. 

When 11 pm reached and Joseph did not return home, his relatives became concerned but did not think anything bad had happened.

Residents of Green Hill reported hearing someone crying out at about 2 am yesterday but they did not investigate because of the curfew.

At about 7 am persons in the neighbourhood made checks and found Joseph’s body at the abandoned house. The police was subsequently alerted.

National Security Minister John Sandy said, on September 28, the National Security Council met to discuss the curfew which was first introduced when the government announced a State of Emergency in the country on August 21.

The curfew was introduced then from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. but was later shortened to 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Sandy said the curfew was being reviewed constantly and it could be adjusted again to the original 9 p.m.  to 5 a.m. timeframe or it could be removed.

“There is the possibility it could even be removed,” he said.

October 22nd : Lalchan Rafi Singh coming to Toronto for Tribute

Lalchan Rafi Singh

Lalchan “Rafi” Singh has achieved National and International recognition as the Mohd. Rafi of the Caribbean.

He was born on May 22, 1948 to Girwar and Sumaria at Pasea Village Tunapuna the northern part of Trinidad & Tobago in the West Indies.

He started singing at the age of ten, whilst attending satsangs and religious functions with his father. Narsaloo Ramaya who was the leader of the Naya Zamana Orchestra, heard the sweet and captivating voice of young Lalchand, and without any hesitation invited him to join the Naya Zamana.

He remained a member of the Naya Zamana for approx. 20 years. In 1968 he entered the Mohd. Rafi Singing Competition which was held at the Himalaya Club. He undoubtedly went on to win the first prize with his brilliantly moving performance of “Madhuban Mein Radhika Naache Re.”

Mr. Kamaluddin Mohammed observed that for this competition Lalchan dressed and sang like Mohd. Rafi thereby dubbing him “Rafi.” Consequently he has since been called Lalchand “Rafi” Singh. In 1971 he entered and won the first prize in the Mastana Bahar Competition, with his incredibly melodious and unforgettable rendition of the song “Lapak Jhapak” from the movie “Boot Polish.”

Lalchan has toured extensively throughout Guyana, USA, Canada and India. He was indeed very fortunate to have been able to sing at Prasanthi Nilayam, for Sri Sathya Sai Baba in South India. In 1996 he migrated to the USA where he performs as a freelance singer with many bands. Over the years he has done a number of recordings including a CD in Memory of Mohd. Rafi. Lalchan continues to stand apart from his contemporaries with his consistently brilliant and exciting performances.

His tribute will be on Saturday October 22 at The Centre in Mississauga as part of the Divali Nagar.

Trinidad & Tobago roar into Champions League main draw

Winning the Caribbean T20 wasn’t enough this time, but former finalists Trinidad & Tobago roared back into the Champions League main draw with a walloping of the England champions Leicestershire on Tuesday September 20.

Lendl Simmons and Adrian Barath put together T&T’s highest partnership  in Twenty20 cricket, and the bowlers strangulated the Leicestershire batsmen into throwing their wickets away on a slow track.

T&T came across as the more aware side: while T&T batsmen exploited slow legs in the field (Leicestershire’s average age is 30.4), the Leicestershire top order didn’t appreciate the fact that Samuel Bardee doesn’t turn the ball. Badree cleaned the stumps up twice while bowling the most economical four-over spell in Champions League history, 4-1-7-2. The Leicestershire attack offered lengths batsmen could get under and the pace to use, whereas the T&T opened the bowling with spin, and apart from Ravi Rampaul there was no pace on offer.

Leicestershire would have known pace was not going to work from the way their captain Matthew Hoggard sent the first ball of the day through to Paul Nixon on the second bounce. Simmons went too hard at the start, survived the odd miss-hit, but stayed long enough to hurt Leicestershire.

The key feature of his innings was the way he put behind him the misshits and plays and misses. In the first four overs he survived a bottom edge and a top edge, but he also kept hitting fours to reach 25 off 20.

Barath was more orthodox and correct in his effort, opening up only in the ninth over when he lofted Claude Henderson’s left-arm spin for six over long-off. That took him to 27 off 22; Simmons had reached 40 already.

The next eight overs featured more hard running, the odd boundary, fifties for both, and at 139 after 17 overs T&T were set to tee off. Both fell to top edges off successive deliveries, but Darren Bravo averted the hat-trick and lofted two exquisite sixes in the last over. Despite those two wickets, T&T managed 29 in the last three.

Joshua Cobb began the chase with a four first ball, but Andrew McDonald summed up the effort. Twice he was cramped up by Badree’s sliders before he went back to cut, and was bowled. Rampaul continued his good form, taking two in his two overs: one a hole-out to deep cover, and the other a wild swing from Wayne White, leaving the stumps exposed. Will Jefferson too played Badree for the turn and lost his leg stump.

Sunil Narine, on the surface an innocuous little off-spinner, bowls a smart leg-cutter, flicked almost like the now-famous carrom ball. The leg-cutter got rid of Paul Nixon, and 20 for 5 in the sixth over left too much of a task even for the quintessential Twenty20 player, Abdul Razzaq.The talented James Taylor fought for 56 off 47, but there wasn’t much he could have done to reverse the result.

Brazil president accepts invitation to visit T&T

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has accepted an invitation to visit Trinidad and Tobago.

Rousseff is the first woman to be elected president of Brazil.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Rousseff as well as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a number of women global leaders all participated in a side meeting at the United Nation’s 66th General Assembly—” Women’s Political Participation: Making Gender Equality in Politics a Reality” on Monday September 19.

Following this meeting Persad-Bissessar held a press conference where she expressed thanks to all persons who played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the meeting and also disclosed Rousseff’s acceptance of the invitation to visit this country.

She noted Brazil’s advancement in its energy sector and Trinidad and Tobago’s own 100 years of experience in the field.

“Most of our traditional trading partners are in the North, it is very vital for us to cultivate South relationships,” said Persad-Bissessar.

She noted that she had visited Brazil earlier this year to discuss a partnership with Trinidad and Tobago in the energy sector.

“When I was there I spoke to Petrobras... I had talks about an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) in the energy sector that had been there for many many years but had never been implemented and we agreed that we will review that MOU, given what is happening in Brazil now, with the energy sector and our expertise in the energy sector in Trinidad and Tobago. We will review that MOU and make changes such that there may be and move towards implementation,” she said.

Nicki Minaj pleads guilty

Nikki Minaj

Nicki Minaj, who headlined Reggae Sumfest in Catherine Hall, St James, on Saturday July 23, has been charged with indecent language. The Jamaica media reporting that Nicki Minaja whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj, was served with a summons by the police as she exited the venue

following her performance Sunday morning.

Senior Superintendent Linette Martin Williams gave a confirmation and noted that the Trinidad-born rapper is scheduled to appear in court sometime this week.

The rapper, who did not appear in court, was represented by local attorney Hugh Thompson, who entered an ex parte guilty plea on behalf of his client and paid the corresponding fees for the use of the expletives.

Entertainer Minaj fined $1000 for indecent language, according to police, her court date was set for Thursday, July 28. Her lawyer made an appeal for the matter to be put forward. He then pleaded guilty on her behalf and was fined JM$1,000.

It is not certain whether or not 28-year-old Minaj was in the island when it the matter was being dealt with in court.

On Saturday night she rocked a capacity audience attending the final night of this year’s staging of Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay.

Her performance, a first in Jamaica, contained many of her popular tracks, but was peppered with expletives accentuated by sexually suggestive dance moves.

For her troubles, Minaj earned the admiration of a Jamaican audience, as she easily eclipsed superstars like Wayne Wonder and Jah Cure.

As her set began to come to an end, Minaj swept into Hold Yuh, a remix of the mega-hit from Gyptian. The crowd was almost on the stage at this point.

Another interesting moment came when Minaj took a back seat to her dancers and allowed them free reign to tackle some of dancehall’s more enduring dance tunes. When the dancers showed they could do the ‘Dutty Wuk’, the crowd was more than a little appreciative.

Minaj did her fair share of dancing and acting as well, playing out parts that told the stories of the songs she rapped. Again, the audience appreciated what was a well rehearsed set. The artiste later gushed on her Twitter page, “I had the time of my life at Reggae Sumfest... Jamaica I fell in love tonight,” she tweeted.