Black Immigrant Daily News

Tobago

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, right, buys a scented candle from Melissa Sylvan, left, of Exotic Bath Creations by Mel at the opening of Shaw Park Food Hub on Monday. Photo by David Reid

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine told a gathering of small entrepreneurs on Monday that they must always practise good customer service when selling their products to locals and foreigners.

He was delivering the feature address at the opening of the Shaw Park Food Hub. The theme of the event was All Things Tobago.

The hub, on Orange Hill Road, near the Shaw Park Cultural Complex, is meant to be a centre for commercial activity not just for local, agro-processed products but also for art and craft, indigenous cuisine and entertainment. It is a collaboration between the Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Tobago Agri-Business Development Company.

Augustine said customer service is critical to the success of the hub.

“I pray to God that the food hub does not adopt traditional market-vendor behaviour… that we are able to evolve in the way we treat people,” he said. “Treat every Tobagonian that comes to your stall the same way you will treat a foreigner or – let me put in plainly – treat every Tobagonian that comes to your stall the same way your would treat a white man with a foreign accent.

“And be reminded that every Trinidadian that walks through this space is in fact a tourist too, and they must be treated as tourists.”

Saying Tobagonians and Trinidadians may not always agree “on the political side,” Augustine added, “You see, when it comes to our space, we must treat them with dignity and treat them with love and keep them coming back, because they are tourists too, and deserve our best customer service.”

He told the entrepreneurs they should not be discouraged by low sales.

“I encourage you to keep pressing on. There will be days that you will come here and the sales will be very low. You might come here a day and wouldn’t make $100 or $200…But there will be days you will come here and be overwhelmed and all your goods will be sold.”

The point, he said, was: “Good entrepreneurs stick to it.

“Keep consistency with the quality of your product. Keep producing every bene ball, every pone, loaf of bread, produce it with all the love you can put into it, so that when you are giving that product you are giving the best of yourself.”

He said they should always bear in mind that the patron with whom they are interacting will be getting an example of what Tobago has to offer.

“You might be their only impression of Tobago.”

Augustine said the Shaw Park hub will bring some liveliness back to Scarborough.

“For a while, Scarborough became a place where you catch a car to go somewhere else to the action. But what this is doing is providing avenues in our capital that people will want to stay and engage each other.”

Vendor Lydia Joseph, of Lyd’s Products, displays her homemade seamoss and wines at the opening of the Shaw Park Food Hub. Photo by David Reid

He added the initiative is in sync with the global trend of gastronomic tourism (travellers visiting for the sake of sampling new foods characteristic of that place),

“That has become a signal component of tourism the world over, because you recognise that gastronomic tourism provides visitors with opportunities to create unique and memorable experiences that will highlight kitchen cultures and local and regional foods.”

Augustine said gastronomic tourism also promotes an understanding of different cultures.“There is no better way to share your culture with people than with a plate of food. In one plate of food, someone can understand so much about a people.”

He said it is emerging as one of the most important sub-sectors of the tourism industry globally.

The hub, which is 80 per cent complete, will soon offer facilities for dirt-oven baking. Bleachers are to be built on its periphery for outdoor events

Augustine suggested provisions be made for Wifi access and wide-screen monitors for patrons so that they can enjoy sports, especially with the World Cup just around the corner. He also suggested a playpark for children.

Similar food hubs are being planned for Roxborough and Mason Hall.

Augustine said the division is preparing to rehabilitate the Botanical Gardens in Scarborough.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

An analysis of Guyana’s coronavirus numbers has shown that 31,329 persons contracted the virus for the year thus far.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony shared statistics on Monday during the COVID-19 briefing, where he highlighted that January saw the highest spike, at 19,900 cases. By February, the number dropped to 2570 cases.

The following months showed 379 in March; 267 in April; 1686 in May; 2715 in June; 2456 in July; 1032 in August; 287 in September and 37 for October thus far.

Presently, only 47 active cases are being monitored by the Health Ministry, but he maintained that this might be an underestimation of the actual situation.

“There are still people who are infected with COVID and while we have been tracking 47 cases, this is probably an underestimate because there are lots of people who might have flu-like symptoms and they might mistake those symptoms for flu. They can easily infect other people. The idea is that if you want to remain safe, you should wear a mask, especially if you’re in a crowded area and in indoor environments,” Dr Anthony relayed.

A breakdown of active cases reflects one in Region Two, two in Region Three, 25 in Region Four, one in Region Five, 10 in Region Six, five in Region Seven, one in Region Eight, one in Region Nine and one in Region 10.

To date, Guyana has recorded 71,404 confirmed cases. Only one infection was reported in the Health Ministry’s dashboard on Monday. No cases are being monitored in the Intensive Care Unit.

There are two persons in institutional isolation, 44 in home isolation, and two in institutional quarantine. To date, deaths remain at 1281 while recoveries are pegged at 70,077. Since the pandemic was detected locally, 32,726 males and 38,678 females contracted the virus.

In the meantime, vaccines are still offered countrywide at the various sites. Sinopharm, Pfizer, Moderna and a limited number of Johnson and Johnson vaccines remain available.Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough, tiredness, diarrhoea, pains, sore throat and loss of taste or smell. The more serious symptoms are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain and loss of speech or movement.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy.

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Construction work is continuing on the Kingstown Port Modernization Project, as Government seeks to modernize and improve port services in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves provided an update on the project as he presented the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, which passed in Parliament yesterday.

The Minister says the Bill seeks the approval of Supplementary Estimate number one of 2022, amounting to 70.4 million dollars.

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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said discussions on the Port Modernization Project began in 2009 with officials at the Caribbean Development Bank.

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Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Godwin Friday is hopeful that regular updates will be provided on the Port Modernization Project.

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Scotty’s Car Rental St Andrew Lions surrendered a two-goal lead and bowed out of the Barbados Football Association (BFA) Republic Cup.

Playing last Saturday evening at the Rices playing field, the Lions needed a win in their final encounter to advance to the playoffs.

What seemed like an easy request, turned out to be a 2-3 defeat at the feet of Division Two outfit Greens United.

The result left St Andrew Lions on nine points from five matches, one point behind second-place Fitts Village.

Leading Zone 1 into the knockout round is Paradise FC, who easily brushed aside Technique FC last Sunday evening at the Friendship playing field to finish with an unbeaten record which included four wins and one draw.

Tournament favourites Weymouth Wales wrapped up Zone 5 with their fifth consecutive win. The Carrington Village representatives hammered FC Byde Mill 7-0 at Briar Hall.

In the battle for second-place Pinelands edged Caribbean United 2-1 on Saturday evening, to secure the final playoff spot from Zone 5.

Ellerton SC enhanced their goal average by eleven goals as they put 11 unanswered goals pass bottom-placed team College Savannah FC, to top Zone 4.

In Zone 8, Deacons FC fought off a courageous challenge from the youthful and dynamic Carlton Red & White, defeating them 2-0 to claim pole position.

Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame finished at the top of Zone 3, as they defeated Parish Land FC 3-1 at Valery playing field on Sunday and Pride of Gall Hill progressed from the group with an easy 6-0 victory over Villa United.

The Premier League clubs exercised their dominance on their way to the knockout phase.

Abraham United Silver Sands defeated Dayrell’s Road 4-2, The University of the West Indies (UWI) Blackbirds were 7-0 winners over Beverley Hills FC, Empire secured their fifth win in a row, by defeating Cosmos FC 4-1 and Wotton also secured maximum points from Zone 7 with a comfortable 3-0 win over Eastern United.

In other matches, Bagatelle defeated Hothersal Turning FC 3-0, Youth Milan FC fell to Mavericks FC 0-5 and Whitehall FA capped off their Republic Cup campaign with a 9-2 victory over Chickmont FC.

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