NPTA calls on more SEA students to sign up for remedial classes

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

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Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, right, and Minister in the Ministry of Education Lisa Morris-Julian during a recent press briefing. – ROGER JACOB

President of the National Parent/Teacher Association (NPTA) Kevin David wants more parents to enrol their children into the Ministry of Education’s Vacation Revision Programme (VRP) which starts on Monday.

He said the programme will be beneficial and advised parents that he will be visiting the classrooms to ensure everything is order.

The programme was created in an attempt to better prepare 9,000 SEA students that scored under 50 per cent for secondary school, but only around 2,700 applied.

At a media briefing on July 1, Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said 19,079 pupils had written the exam and noted a decrease in performance from 2020 to 2021.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said results like these were expected based on the disruption of learning caused by the covid19 pandemic in 2020.

He was speaking at a press conference at the Piarco International Airport on July 2. He added that he would’ve been surprised if the results were better that that of last year. This comes as schools were the first set of institutions to be closed during the lockdown in addition, to the lack of devices that would have disrupted virtual learning.

Newsday also contacted Antonia De Freitas, president of the TT Unified Teachers’ Association who said she is hopeful that the numbers will pick up.

She also wanted to remind people that the programme is voluntary and said she would prefer if the ministry had more of a say.

Gadsby-Dolly did not respond to calls and a text message seeking comment.

In a statement on Friday, the Education Ministry said this educational programme will take place in 33 centres nationwide from Monday and until August 12 with walk-in registration to be accepted from Monday to Friday.

The ministry created this programme specifically for those under-performing students and and will provide the support in the form of revision in mathematics, English language arts and writing. Students will also be given the opportunity to participate in activities involving music and drama. The release said all students will be provided with meals during the course of the programme.

The ministry said the teachers selected for the programme received guidance from the Curriculum Planning and Development Division in the areas to target.

The ministry assured that the teachers selected for the programme received guidance from the Curriculum Planning and Development Division in the areas to target. Students and parents are also provided with psycho-social support through the VRP’s student support services division.

“As an added bonus, the ministry is piloting an ‘edutational’ caravan themed, ‘Turn Up, Don’t Give Up,’ aimed at inspiring students in the VRP to stay the course and push forward despite whatever academic, social or economic challenges they currently face.”

This caravan will work together with social media, entertainment, sporting and community-based influencers to share their journeys to motivate and inspire the students. It will also allow students to engage with the influencers, win prizes and be educated on volunteer groups within the community to further development themselves.

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PM to host media conference on Monday following Cabinet retreat

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, left, Attorney General Reginald Armour SC, centre, and Finance Minister Colm Imbert at the Cabinet retreat, Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s on Friday. – Photo courtesy OPM

The Prime Minister will host a media conference on Monday at 10.30 am at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, the Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement on its Facebook page on Saturday. It gave no further details.

But the news conference is likely to address issues discussed at the two-day Cabinet retreat, which ended on Saturday at the Diplomatic Centre.

The government last held at two-day retreat at the Diplomatic Centre in February.

The retreat came on the heels of Dr Rowley’s return from the 43rd regular meeting of the Caricom heads of government in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Government sources said the meeting primarily a strategic one where the entire parliamentary arm was invited.

It was held against the backdrop of several simmering national issues, including spiralling crime, rising food prices, outstanding wage negotiations, the recent discovery of the omicron BA5 variant among the population and concerns that the country may be heading into a recession.

Over the past few weeks, there also have been calls in several quarters, including the Opposition, for the Prime Minister to fire Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, over his role in a United States civil asset recovery case related to fraud allegations in the construction of the Piarco International Airport.

On Friday, a no-confidence motion filed by a group led by attorney Kiel Taklalsingh, failed during a debate of the Law Association at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain.

Out of the 1,040 lawyers that were eligible to vote, 317 voted against the no-confidence motion against Armour, while 234 supported the motion. Of the 317 attorneys who voted against the motion, 32 voted physically while 285 voted virtually.

Attorneys were also asked to vote on a call Armour to resign as Attorney General. A total of 241 attorneys voted for that motion while 310 voted against it.

A statement from the association late Friday said both motions failed.

At a news conference on July 7, the Prime Minister said he took full responsibility for Armour’s appointment as AG.

On that occasion, Rowley said Armour was a man of high distinction.

“Mr Armour is not a pick-up-side person who was brought into the Cabinet as attorney general. Mr Armour is a person of high distinction who functioned in this country as a judge on the bench and certainly when he was offered the position, the question of him not continuing his business as a practitioner would have been understood and agreed to,” he had said.

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Banks to regulate mask-wearing for customers

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

–

The Bankers Association of TT (BATT) says each bank will establish its individual mask-wearing guidelines after the removal of mandatory mask-wearing in public effective July 17.

On July 6, Health Minister Mr Terrence Deyalsingh announced the lifting of the mask mandate on July 17, except for visits to healthcare facilities.

In a release on Saturday, BATT advised members of the public to visit their bank’s website and social media platforms for further details.

“BATT would like to take the opportunity to caution customers to continue practising other safety measures such as hand sanitisation as the covid19 virus is still present.”

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World Champs: Adelle Tracey out of 1500m final Loop Jamaica

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News
Loop Sports

37 minutes ago

Jamaica’s Adelle Tracey (in yellow top) failed to qualify for the 1500m at the World Atheltic Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA as she finished in a time of 4:06.96. (AP photo)

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Adelle Tracey failed to advance to the final of the 1500m at the Eugene, World Athletics Championships after finishing 9th in her semifinal in a time of 4:06.96.

Tracey needed to have placed no lower than fifth to advance to the final.

Her semifinal time was slower than the 4:05.14 she ran to place sixth in the heats.

The race was won by Kenya’s Faith Kipyegun in 4:05.98 while Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha was second in 4:04.05 and Sinclaire Johnson of the United States third in 4:04.51.

The 29-year-old Tracey who will also contest the 800m, is wearing the Jamaican colours for the first time.

She is the daughter of Jamaica College quarter miler Nicholas Tracey and a British mother.

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PM BROWNE: 93 cents reduction in gasoline and 46 reduction in diesel

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

Prime Minister Gaston Browne says there will be a 93 cents reduction in gasoline and 46 reduction in diesel. Listen to him here make the announcement: https://youtu.be/XqGr7ajz_MM CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP

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121 leerlingen OS Bofokule opgevangen door OS Godo

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: De Ware Tijd Online

door Samuel Wens BOVEN SURINAME — De leerlingen van de Openbare School (OS) Bofokule die al een week onderwijs ontberen zullen opgevangen

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Poing contre poing avec MBS, Biden a abîmé…

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Martinique FranceAntilles

Moins de vingt-quatre heures en Arabie saoudite auront suffi pour écorner, sans doute durablement, l’image que veut se donner Joe Biden sur le plan diplomatique: celle de grand patron des démocraties et des défenseurs des droits fondamentaux.

La vie de tout responsable politique est émaillée de promesses qui reviennent comme autant de boomerangs quand elles butent sur les faits.

Pour le président américain de 79 ans, il y a désormais l’engagement, pris pendant sa campagne, de traiter l’Arabie saoudite en “paria”.

Ou cette déclaration du 4 juillet 2021 sur la place des Etats-Unis sur la scène internationale: “Nous menons en montrant l’exemple, pas en montrant notre force. Nous faisons partie de quelque chose qui nous dépasse. Nous sommes une boussole pour le monde”.

Comment réconcilier ces mots avec les couvertures de la presse américaine samedi, alors que Joe Biden concluait une visite éclair dans la monarchie pétrolière ?

Sur beaucoup, la même photo: le “fist bump”, salut poing contre poing de Joe Biden avec le prince héritier Mohammed ben Salmane, qui l’a reçu vendredi dans son palais royal de Jeddah.

Celui-là même que les Etats-Unis, sous l’impulsion de Biden, ont désigné comme le commanditaire de l’assassinat en 2018 du journaliste critique saoudien Jamal Khashoggi.

– Distanciation –

La Maison Blanche a bien tenté de déminer une rencontre qu’elle savait être explosive. Le Washington Post, journal pour lequel écrivait Jamal Khashoggi, a publié avant le départ une tribune du président s’expliquant sur son voyage.

A l’entame de sa première tournée au Moyen-Orient, qui l’a emmené en Israël, dans les Territoires palestiniens et en Arabie saoudite, l’équipe de communication a expliqué que Joe Biden prendrait des précautions sanitaires supplémentaires en raison du Covid-19.

Des journalistes avaient immédiatement soupçonné une volonté d’éviter une poignée de main avec le réel homme fort du royaume.

Le président, d’un naturel expansif, ne s’est guère tenu à ces consignes lors de sa chaleureuse visite dans l’Etat hébreu, multipliant poignées de mains et accolades.

Mais à Jeddah, il y eut donc ce salut poing contre poing, censé être plus sûr face au virus. Mais qui n’a pas immunisé Joe Biden contre l’orage médiatique.

C’était “pire qu’une poignée de main”, a déclaré le PDG du Washington Post, Fred Ryan, dans un communiqué. “Cela produisait une impression d’intimité et d’aisance qui donne à MBS la réhabilitation inconditionnelle qu’il voulait tant”.

Les journalistes présents dans le convoi de Joe Biden n’ont pas vu la scène: à leur arrivée aux portes de l’imposant palais saoudien, le président américain était déjà rentré.

Mais les médias officiels saoudiens ont rapidement diffusé cette image, immédiatement devenue virale, puis d’autres clichés des deux hommes.

Les journalistes accrédités à la Maison Blanche, cantonnés dans une petite pièce du palais, n’ont eu accès vendredi qu’à une réunion des délégations américaine et saoudienne, lors de laquelle le président et son hôte ont fait de courtes déclarations.

Mais impossible de les entendre: les reporters, tenus à bonne distance de la grande table de réunion, n’avaient pas été autorisés à emporter de micros perche, ceux utilisés en télévision et en radio pour mieux capter les sons.

L’exécutif américain a ensuite organisé en toute hâte vendredi un bref point presse.

– “Goutte de pétrole” –

Joe Biden, tendu, a dit avoir évoqué l’assassinat “au début” de sa réunion avec le prince héritier. J’ai fait savoir “clairement ce que j’en pensais à l’époque et ce que j’en pense aujourd’hui”, a-t-il assuré.

Samedi, ce président qui veut mener le combat des démocraties contre les autocraties, a aussi déclaré, lors d’une réunion avec MBS et des dirigeants arabes: “le futur appartiendra aux pays (…) dont les citoyens peuvent remettre en cause et critiquer leurs dirigeants sans peur de représailles”.

Mais Joe Biden avait dit, en Israël: “Je ne me suis jamais tu quand il s’agit de parler des droits humains. La raison de ma venue en Arabie saoudite est toutefois bien plus large. C’est pour promouvoir les intérêts des Etats-Unis”.

Ce qui implique de renouer avec un vieil allié stratégique de Washington, gros consommateur d’armement et indispensable fournisseur de pétrole.

Joe Biden a besoin d’une production plus abondante de brut pour faire baisser les prix élevés de l’essence, qui plombent les perspectives de son parti avant des législatives en novembre.

“Les autocrates ont le sourire, le soutien de Biden aux droits humains peut être vendu pour une goutte de pétrole”, a commenté samedi sur Twitter Kenneth Roth, directeur exécutif de Human Rights Watch.

Yasmine Farouk, du Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, estimait récemment lors d’un débat: “S’il y a un pays qui peut obtenir de l’Arabie saoudite un quelconque progrès sur les droits humains, ce sont les Etats-Unis. (…) S’ils décident que c’est trop risqué, ou trop chronophage de parler avec les Saoudiens de valeurs et de droits humains, personne d’autre ne le fera.”

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Blake avoids media after failing to qualify for 100 final in Oregon Loop Jamaica

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

EUGENE, Oregon: After another tough result at a major championship, 32-year-old sprinter Yohan Blake didn’t make himself available for an interview after failing to advance out of a semifinal heat in the men’s 100m on day two of the 2022 World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field on Saturday.

“Not in the mood,” Blake told Loop News in the mixed zone. When pressed further, the 2011 world champion, who won silver at the 2012 Olympics, said he would make himself available after a change of clothes before walking into the post-event control room.

He was noticed speaking to himself and shaking his head while looking at a monitor inside the post-evet control room before making his exit.

Blake finished his semifinal race in fourth place in a time of 10.12 seconds, 23 days after he turned back the clock at the Jamaica trials to win the 100m in 9.85 seconds, his best time since 2012, when he beat Usain Boltat the Olympic Trials, took second to Bolt at the Olympics and became the second-fastest man in history at age 22.

His time of 10.12 seconds was the ninth fastest in a field of 23 competitors, meaning that he just failed to secure the eighth and final spot for the medal round.

It was the second straight time that Blake failed to click in a global championship. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was staged in 2021, Blake also failed to qualify for the final after clocking 10.14 seconds to finish sixth in a semifinal heat.

Yohan Blake’s countryman, the promising 20-year-old Ackeem Blake is also out after finishing fourth behind inform USA sprinter Fred Kerley in the second semi-final heat.

Kerley, who ran a sensational heat-winning 9.79 seconds in round one on Friday, came through the semifinal with ease in 10.02 seconds. Ackeem Blake clocked 10.19 seconds.

Oblique Seville will be the lone Jamaica in the final, which is scheduled for later tonight. Seville won his semifinal race in 9.90, the quickest time going into the final at 9:50 pm Jamaica time.

Kerley led a quartet of US sprinters into the final. Marvin Bracy (9.93), Trayvon Bromell (9.97), and defending champion Christian Coleman (10.05).

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World Champs: USA sweep podium of 100m final; Ja Seville finishes 4th Loop Jamaica

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The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News
Loop Sports

1 minutes ago

Jamaica’s rising star, Oblique Seville after finishing fourth in his first major final in 9.97s at the World Athletic Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA on Saturday, July 16. (Photo: Marlon Reid)

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The Americans swept the podium places in the men’s 100m finals at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon Saturday night.

Pre-race favourite Fred Kerley won in 9.86 seconds, besting Marvin Bracy in 9.88 and Trayvon Bromell also in 9.88.

Track and field analysts had predicted a clean sweep for the Americans, who had consistently run the fastest times this year.

Fred Kerley of the USA copped the gold medal. (Photo: Marlon Reid)

Jamaica’s rising star, Oblique Seville was fourth in his first major final in 9.97s.

He was the only Jamaican to qualify for tonight’s final.

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July 16, 2022 10:08 PM

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Comedian, veteran calypsonian Mac Fingall calls it quits Loop Barbados

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

Veteran entertainer and emcee Mac Fingall carried out his last duties as emcee last night at the First Citizens/Digicel De Big Show tent.

While hosting De Big Show tent last night, Fingall took a moment to share his intention to make the night’s show his last as MC.

“There comes a time when you just have to stop. You can’t continue all the time. I made a decision that this tent tonight is my last,” he said to the audience.

Fingall went on to reminisce about his start in the Untouchables Calypso tent alongside then tentmate, Red Plastic Bag, who coincidentally also made an appearance on the night.

As he made the announcement, members of the audience could be heard begging him to reconsider but Fingall went on to explain: “I did 40 years. I enjoyed it with you and I enjoyed it all to the max. We had the Untouchables Calypso Tent that we formed back then and it worked well. There were times that it was hard and sometimes I could not get creative. [I] could not write and then, fortunately at Lodge, I could get long leave and that helped me get myself back together.”

He indicated that he realised it was becoming a little harder for him to do what he did and so he had made the firm decision to call it quits. As he sat perched on one of the black monitors on the stage, applause erupted from the packed auditorium in appreciation.

Fingall, who is known for his witty humour which leaves audiences in stitches, did not disappoint last night as he hosted the calypso tent in the auditorium of the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. He was in fine form as MC.

In addition to his customary humorous banter with audience members, he also performed two songs on the night. He started the first half with Ent Got Nothing and in the second half, he performed a catchy Blues-inspired Somebody Knows for the judges which chronicled a break-up with a lover who wished to reunite.

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