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Hummingbird gold medal recipient Martin Terry Rondon at Saturday’s National Awards ceremony, NAPA, Port of Spain. – SUREASH CHOLAI

Unexpected but greatly appreciated was how several awardees described receiving a national award after two years without a ceremony due to the pandemic.

The National Awards ceremony took place at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port of Spain on Saturday night, with 63 people from all aspects of society getting awards for their contributions to TT.

Martin Terry Rondon, the longest serving local government representative in TT, received the Hummingbird gold medal, after 27 years of public service.

The former Sangre Grande Regional Corporation chairman and councillor for Valencia East/Toco, was beloved by his constituents and was known for his assistance to other elected officials, NGOs, and citizens throughout TT.

Rondon told Sunday Newsday he “felt great” about the award and dedicated it to the people from Matura to Matelot for their support.

“I dedicate it especially to the people of Matelot, where I was born and raised, and who gave me that spiritual upbringing, who taught me how to share and give, and have respect for the elderly.

“I am humbled. I never thought I would one day reach a stage where I would be rewarded with something like this. Everything I was doing, I did it from my heart. I always pray for my people and ask God to give me so I could give to and help people because it’s a joy to help others.”

He said he had surgery on his spine earlier this year and he was having pains but that would not stop him from going to receive his award. He also planned to go to Matelot on Sunday to see what could be done about the landslide blocking the road there. He refused to let anything stop him.

Marina Salandy-Brown, founder and president of Bocas Lit Fest received the Hummingbird silver medal.

The journalist, broadcaster, and cultural activist founded the country’s only annual literary festival and had been involved in the development of TT’s literary and cinematic arts for years. As a result, many local and regional writers received support and recognition, and went on to be published and win international prizes.

Salandy-Brown, a Newsday columnist, said she was a bit surprised about the news as journalists were often overlooked for such awards because they said difficult things, but she was pleased.

“I’m pleased that the work we have been trying to do is recognised. I know many people recognise it but this is a kind of official stamp of approval. I very much don’t see this as an award to me alone, but an award to all the people I’ve worked with over the past 12 years who, without them, nothing would have happened.”

Sharon Rowley, wife of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, greets Dr Gabrielle Hosein, recipient of the Medal for the Development of Women at NAPA, Port of Spain on Saturday. – SUREASH CHOLAI

She congratulated the past and present members of the Bocas Lit Fest team saying they believed in the work they were doing and worked very hard at it. She also expressed appreciation for committed and supportive directors and sponsors.

She said TT’s society was not one that read a lot so it was difficult to convince people of the importance of words. But, people had recognised the importance of the lit fest.

“People think we’re a good thing and they support us and that’s great because it encourages us to get on with it. It’s a wonderful thing.”

Dr Gabrielle Hosein, senior lecturer at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, UWI, St Augustine, received The Medal for the Development of Women, gold, in the spheres of public education and advocacy.

She was surprised by the award and glad because she was nurtured, taught and mentored by many women.

“I am the product of a village of women who came before me so I was glad their decades of advice and patience and mentorship allowed me to achieve this much. I hope it made them proud.”

She wanted to honour the spirit of gender activist and former president of the Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women, Hazel Brown. She said the award made her feel like she was waking in a path Brown cut.

She said the award honoured the legacy of the women’s movement and feminists who made women’s rights part of TT’s national agenda. It also recognised the continuing work to advance those rights and create a better country.

“What I hope the awards does is inspire others to know that the work for women’s rights is important, that it deserves to be recognised and can inspire others to get involved and see it as part of a national contribution.”

She added that she was happy to represent the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, a “Caribbean feminist scholarly activist institute,” in the context of women’s right and development in the global south.

Also receiving the same award was president and founding member of the Network of Rural Women Producers of TT, Gia Gaspard-Taylor in the spheres of public service.

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PARAMARIBO — Wanneer de Carambolafruitvlieg in Nickerie volledig is uitgeroeid, kan de export van manja’s en ander fruit naar Europa

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Dr Gordon Rohlehr –

RETIRED parliamentarian and agriculture minister Jarrette Narine, UWI Prof Emeritus Gordon Rohlehr, and restoration architect Rudylynn DeFour-Roberts were among the seven individuals awarded the Chaconia silver medal under the Republic Day National Awards.

The second highest Chaconia medal, according to the Office of the President’s criteria, “may be awarded to any person (citizen as well as non-citizen) who has performed long and meritorious service to TT tending to promote the national welfare or strengthen the community spirit.

“It may be awarded posthumously, but a deceased recipient does not become a member of the (Distinguished Society of TT),” an exclusive group for TT nationals who have earned a national award.

The Chaconia medal is awarded in gold, silver or bronze “in accordance with the assessed value of the service rendered.”

Narine was awarded for his contributions to public service, while Rohlehr was awarded for contributions to literature, culture, history and education, and DeFour-Roberts for her contributions to built heritage, conservation and preservation.

Retired registered nurse Joycelyn Hackshaw was also awarded the Chaconia silver for her contributions to nursing, healthcare and public service; artistic director and playwright Victor Edwards for his contributions to theatre, culture and education; retired UWI dance coordinator Hazel Franco for her contributions to the performing arts; and Claire Gittens, co-founder of the Rape Crisis Society of TT and of the Coalition Against Domestic Violence, was awarded for her contributions to social work.

A statement from the President’s office noted that Narine “enjoyed a long and illustrious political career,” serving on the St George East County Council for eight years before contesting the General Elections in 1991 as the PNM’s Arima North representative.

“While holding significant ministerial portfolios, Mr Narine served his constituency well, overseeing the refurbishment of the Surrey and D’abadie Community Centres, rebuilding of the Arima West Government Primary, and building of the Lopinot Community Centre, among others,” the President’s statement read.

Narine, who won all seven general election seats in which he contested, was honoured to be included among the distinguished society of TT.

His daughter, Kavita Narine, who received the medal on his behalf, told Sunday Newsday her father was humbled upon hearing the news.

“He has worked very hard in public life but also community service,” Narine’s daughter said.

“Before settling into politics, community service was always part of his life.”

Narine, 78, is enjoying his retirement and according to his daughter, is “okay, just getting on with age.

“He’s not sickly, he’s just not as (active) as he used to be.”

Rohlehr, another awardee of the Chaconia silver medal, is credited for having designed and taught the first course in West Indian Literature at the UWI.

“He pioneered the academic study of calypso and traced its historical development and social relevance,” the President’s office noted.

“He has researched and authored many ground-breaking publications on the social, historical, linguistic and political currents undergirding Caribbean reality and is considered to be a leading authority on calypso and Caribbean culture.”

Meanwhile, DeFour-Roberts was celebrated for a number of achievements, including the establishment of the Architects for Conservation in 1982 and is now called the Citizens for Conservation, which has advocated for the restoration of the heritage houses around the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

“Ms DeFour-Roberts is recognised as the country’s most authoritative voice on all matters of restoration, conservation, and preservation of built heritage,” the statement noted.

Hackshaw served as director of Institutional Nursing at the Ministry of Health from 1987-1990 and director of the College of Nursing at NIHERST from 1990-1995, where she oversaw the introduction of the associate degree in nursing programme as well as the inclusion of sign language in the curriculum.

She has also served as chief nursing officer, president of the TT Registered Nurses Association, and president of the Caribbean Nurses Organisation.

Edwards, the President’s office said, “immediately set about expanding its influence and scope” of the Secondary Schools Drama Association when he became president in 1988.

“He secured important sponsorships which facilitated training workshops on theatre skills to teachers and students throughout TT.”

The statement said that because of his influence, theatre arts was formalised as a CXC subject in 2003 and included as an option for a national scholarship in 2005.

Franco, chief architect of the certificate in dance education and bachelor’s in dance at the UWI, “has been involved in professional training and choreography, research, production, mentorship and arts coordination for six decades, and has presented on the history of folk dances of TT at national, regional and international conferences,” the President’s office statement read.

“She is, at present, documenting the history of dance in TT.

And, Gittens, co-founder of the Rape Crisis Society of TT and of the Coalition Against Domestic Violence “has (over the years) conducted numerous sensitisation lectures and community engagements throughout the country, championing the rights of women and girls.”

As director of Family Services at the Ministry of Social Development, the statement said, Gittens “continued her advocacy, giving increased focus to the rights of children, particularly against all forms of child abuse.”

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Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, front right, and Deputy Chief Secretary Dr Faith BYisrael, front left, with other assemblymen on Monday. – David Reid

TOBAGO stakeholders are hoping that the THA, in Monday’s national budget, will receive a significant allocation to carry out its affairs during the next fiscal year.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert is expected to deliver the presentation from 1.30 pm at the Red House, in Port of Spain.

Last year, Tobago received an allocation of $2.357 billion, which represented 4.5 per cent of the national budget.

But in his presentation of the Tobago budget in June, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine requested $3.97 billion from central government to manage the island’s affairs for fiscal 2022-2023.

He said, then, that the sum was predicated on an anticipated national budget of $54.7 billion.

Augustine said he hoped the figure will also reflect 6.9 per cent of the national budget, in keeping with the upper end of the Dispute Resolution Committee’s recommendation.

Of the $3.97 billion, Augustine said $3.07 billion will be for recurrent expenditure and $900 million for development expenditure.

On September 14, Augustine and a THA team had a meeting with Imbert and ministry officials in Port of Spain.

Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Diane Hadad supports calls for an increased budget allocation for the island.

She believes significant sums are required to develop Tobago in a particular way.

“The Tobago House of Assembly must be allowed to develop the island by putting funds in a particular direction for development,” she told Sunday Newsday.

In tandem with this, Hadad is hoping to see measures to stimulate the economy, which she believes is still reeling from the effects of the covid19 pandemic over the past two years.

“We have seen that as time goes on after the struggles of a fallout in tourism and then a pandemic for two years that the financial sector has done nothing special and there has been nothing from our Central Bank to induce or inject something that stimulates the economy and, therefore, the Ministry of Finance has a serious responsibility there as we continuously see foreclosure notices and judgements going to court for business models that have not been able to stand up to the two years of the pandemic shutdown.”

She is also anticipating an announcement of concessions for citizens, many of whom have experienced reduced earning capacity or lost their jobs during the pandemic.

Hadad said, “There needs to be some special concessions looking at oil and gas and therefore the fuel prices because we seem to feel that we just need to put more pressure and punitive measures unto the citizens of the country. I believe the government needs to use the budget to create some measure of ease and not continuously put hardship on the citizens because a number of people lost their jobs.”

Finance Minister Colm Imbert during the budget debate in 2021. File photo/Office of the Parliament –

Barring this, she believes a number of social initiatives, some of which are already in place, such as the schools feeding programme, could be run more efficiently.

“Funding must be allocated and it must start in a timely manner.”

Measures to ensure the free flow of passengers both on the sea and airbridge should also form part of the budget, she believes.

Hadad also said there needs to be an emphasis on entrepreneurship and skills training, especially among young people.

“So we need to look at if there needs to be more vocational work being done so that we can actually develop people differently and get a more holistic approach to our people.”

This, she said, will assist in boosting the skills of individuals across several sectors.

Hadad is also hoping to see the Land Licence Act repealed.

“We have been asking for that to be repealed for the longest while.”

Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association vice-president Carol-Ann Birchwood-James also wants the island to receive a bigger chunk of the budget.

“Usually when they give us money, we only get about $300 million to do any kind of development. That is not enough,” she said.

“This island is surrounded by water and there are so many development projects that we need to do. So I think that we should have more money on our development because most of the money that we get is for recurring costs.”

Like Hadad, Birchwood-James said attention must also be paid to air and sea transport, particularly during holiday periods like July-August vacation and Christmas or special events such as the upcoming Tobago Carnival.

“That is when we really get pressure on the airlift. So we need to do something substantial there because we cannot ignore the fact that there are problems on the airbridge. This is something that we have to concentrate on because Tobago is a tourism island.”

She said a portion of the hotel tax that hoteliers and guest house operators pay to government could be used to assist with marketing for the island’s tourism sector.

“While hotels and guesthouses pay it, airbnb, villas, some of the small establishments, they don’t pay because by law, if you have less that six rooms you don’t pay. But the amount of money that goes into that hotel tax, many millions of dollars to the government, we are saying you can use ten per cent of that hotel tax and give us for marketing.”

Tobago Business Chamber chairman Martin George is hoping that the government expands the Cepep and URP programmes to create what he called dedicated agro-industry sections which can serve as organised structured government farms.

“We’d like to see this as part of an agrarian awakening for TT. So let’s create a Cepep agro division and a URP agri-sector by utilising our fertile lands and our rich soil to harness the talents of our people. Let’s use the science, the technology to create super-productive farms throughout TT.”

George said the workers’ wages will have to be increased in a manner linked to increased productivity and agricultural output.

He said the chamber would also like to see Tobago “weaned off of the financial umbilical chord by which it is tied to central government.

“This will require a medium to long term plan but we need to make a start.”

George reiterated the chamber’s call for the immediate and unconditional repeal of the foreign investment act and the creation of a VAT-free zone in Tobago.

Of the latter, he said, “This will lead to a massive influx of foreign exchange and investment and business in Tobago. Tobago will become the retirement capital of the Caribbean in much the same way Florida is the retirement state of the USA.”

Newly-elected PRO of the Tobago Agricultural Society Hollis Alexander said the organisation would like to see a greater focus on youth in agriculture.

He said grant funding is currently available for young people in Trinidad to the tune of $100,000.

“We would like a separate one for Tobago,” Alexander told Sunday Newsday.

He said the society also wants to see a better land distribution policy for “serious” farmers.

“I think the access to land is a bit difficult for many who might be interested especially the young ones. I think there should be a larger amount of land space made available for young people to do farming.”

Alexander said money should also be allocated for developing the technology within the sector in areas such as hydronics and aquaponics.

The organisation, he said, would also like to see more funding for access roads and further agricultural land development.

Alexander said research grants for pest and disease eradication to produce higher-yielding crop varieties such as cassava, potato and other farmers may choose to invest will also be welcomed.

He said funding is also needed to establish a proper data base within the sector.

Agriculture has traditionally received one of the lowest allocations in national budgets.

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