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Over 100 Trinidad and Tobago nationals were expected back home last evening, as the Government continued its repatriation exercises for the Christmas period. In fact, over 400 nationals, some of them stranded abroad by the COVID-19 virus since the borders were closed in March, will be back before home before Christmas Day - although they will have to spend the festive season in quarantine.
During a COVID-19 media briefing yesterday, Principal Medical Officer Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards explained that several repatriation flights had been scheduled before Christmas Day. She assured that the exercises to bring nationals back home will not burden the parallel health care system, as there are available spaces throughout state quarantine facilities. She said at present, the Ministry of Health had 13 state and state-supervised facilities with two of the facilities being reserved for high-risk populations such as the elderly and persons who may not be able to quarantine amongst typical population. According to Abdool-Richards’ timeline, hundreds of nationals from high and medium-risk countries were expected to be granted border exemptions over the coming days. “It is important to note that we have three repatriation exercises scheduled for the next 5-6 days. This evening (yesterday), we have a repatriation exercise of approximately 132 persons from New York City. On December 18th, we have another repatriation exercise with persons from Barbados and yet another exercise on the 19th from Miami.” Abdool-Richards said another exercise has also been planned to repatriate nationals from Canada. Meanwhile, there is still no confirmation on which COVID-19 vaccine will be procured by the Government despite the fact that it is already making preparations for its arrival. Abdool-Richards said consultations were ongoing over which treatment will be the most effective. Through the COVAX facility, the Government had allocated US$9 million to secure over 450,000 vaccines. A number of manufacturers have already begun rolling out vaccines but there are particular specifications that must be met before Government makes a purchase. “The effectiveness of the vaccine will be dependent on the WHO and PAHO’s certification of that vaccine, so in summary, the Ministry of Health will be guided by the WHO for the selection of a vaccine. At present, the Ministry of Health has not ordered any vaccines so that will be dependent on advice for the WHO regarding several factors.” Abdool-Richards added that there was currently no authorised over the counter COVID-19 test kit. Her comment came as US regulators recently gave the green light for home test kits to be made available on pharmacy shelves without prescription. In its daily update yesterday meanwhile, the ministry said there were 17 news cases reported over the period December 13-15. This took the number of cases reported since the virus hit these shores in March to 6,917. It added that there were now 564 active cases, 259 cases at state quarantine facilities and 497 people in home self-isolation. The overall death toll remained at 123. Source: Trinidad Guardian, Dec 17, 2020
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 Concept render of Cape Class Patrol Boat for Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (Image courtesy Austal) The Ministry of National Security has confirmed that Australian shipbuilder, Austal Limited, has launched the first of two Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) Cape Class vessel into the water.
The vessels are intended to enhance the border protection capabilities of the country in conjunction with the existing Coast Guard fleet. In a news release issued this morning, Minister of National Security, Stuart Young, MP stated: “This launch is a significant step, bringing us closer to taking delivery of these naval assets for our Coast Guard. We look forward to the continued progress in the journey of getting these assets to Trinidad and Tobago.” Designed and built by Austal, the Cape Class is a 58-metre all aluminium monohull patrol boat, specifically produced to combat the full range of maritime security threats. According to Austal, the vessel has a long 4,000 nautical mile range and 28-day patrol cycle, with a crew of up to 22 persons. The vessel also supports two high speed 7.3 metre Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats used for intercepting other vessels. Back in 2018, experts from the TTCG, including the Chief of Defence Staff, had spent a week in Australia observing and testing the Austal Cape Class Vessels, with the assistance of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The TT Delegation subsequently recommended that Government consider purchasing that type of vessel, which would be suitable to work in the waters of Trinidad and Tobago, and also could be integrated with the six (6) Austal vessels and the Damon vessels owned by the Coast Guard. In 2019, Austal was awarded the contract to build the two patrol vessels for this country. The TT Government had requested that the purchase be supported by a financing package (the Defence Export Facility) through Export Finance Australia (EFA)—which had been approved and announced in December 2018. Austal then began construction on the vessels with a metal cutting ceremony at the Company’s Henderson shipyard on 8 April 2019. That ceremony was attended by Captain Douglas Archer representing the GORTT Coast Guard and Australian Defence Export Advocate, the Hon. David Johnston. https://guardian.co.tt/.../austal-launches-first-ttcg.  On November 18, 2020, Dennis Spangalang Hall was honoured by the naming of the street to enter Skinner Park after him. Source: Naigum Joseph, FB post
 In April, we featured Dr Raulnel Neptune, one of the few male paediatricians in Trinidad and Tobago. In his seven years as a doctor and his time as a paediatrician, he has treated children suffering from a myriad of conditions. So, why Paediatrics? According to Tobago-born Dr Neptune, "after completing the mandatory internship, I realized at that time that job satisfaction was more important to me than money. Paediatrics provided me with that satisfaction. The ability to continuously see positive results by managing children, gave me great job satisfaction and that’s what sealed the deal for me." He told us, "I love my job and I love making a difference. The public has a notion that a Paediatrician is simply a doctor who plays with children, feeds them and changes them. This is very far from what we actually do. As a Paediatrician, we rarely see children who are well and healthy: most are very sick. In fact, nurturing a child back to health is not only about giving medication to make the child feel better but it is about understanding the family structure and incorporating the emotional aspect into the caring of the child." Dr Neptune recently opened his practice, Paeds World in Tobago, where he is now based. Congratulations Doc and best wishes! The children of Tobago are in good hands. Source: MENtions-Stories About Us, Sept 10m 2020
 A 109-year-old woman passed away peacefully at her home in Belmont last month.
Her name was Anora Gladdis Trotman-Fraser - singer, dancer and devout Christian. Trotman-Fraser had no formal education but she could read and write. She was not a public figure, nor was she publicly recognised for greatness. But to those whose lives were touched by this simple woman from Port-of-Spain, her memory will live on forever. This is the story of Trotman-Fraser. She was born at the Colonial Hospital, now Port-of-Spain General Hospital, on October 27, 1970 and outlived all of her six siblings. Her mother passed away at age 101. Her great grand daughter, Gerel Baptiste, said Trotman-Fraser lived "in and around" Port-of-Spain all her life. "She lived in and around POS some places to name a few are Que Place, Argle St. Minachy Alley , Carr St, and then Upper St Barbs Road, Belmont where she remained until her death," she said. As a child, Trotman-Fraser loved learning. She was home-schooled by her aunt, a retired school teacher, and then enrolled at the Quarry Street School. She then moved to the Piccadilly Girls School, where she reached Standard Six. "She wasn’t afforded the opportunity to attend any formal high school but was quite exceptional in Arithmetic & Spelling. Back then if you weren’t in school the next best thing was to learn a trade. She tried many but liked none until she was introduced to word of theatre and performing arts," Baptiste said. It was in theatre and arts Trotman-Fraser found her passion, singing, dancing and acting. Her performances at the old Princes Building Grounds were impeccable, relatives recalled. Baptiste recalled how in her late years, Trotman-Fraser would boast of how she performed to sold-out crowds and how young men would climb the trees outside to get a glimpse of her performances. Her favourite dances, however, were ballroom dancing and the waltz. Trotman-Fraser was married to Clifford Fraser, who is now deceased. Baptiste said, "She bore no children for her husband but was the devoted mother of Randolph Lewis (deceased) and her lone surviving daughter, Barbara Baptiste." Growing up with "Granny”, as she was fondly called, was "a great experience", she said. Baptiste said her great grandmother told stories about riding in tram cars and the trolley bus and taking a taxi for six cents. She said Trotman-Fraser lived a simple life and was already ready to give advice to anyone in need. "She had an abundance of love for anyone and was 100 per cent dedicated to God. She always said, God first then her Family came next. She was a woman of faith and a firm believer in prayer. Her love for singing never left her even up to her last days as she spent many hours at nights singing religious hymns," she recalled. Trotman-Fraser worked as a maid, cook and other domestic jobs. She was never ashamed of her employment, relatives said, as these were all honest jobs to provide for her family. The woman had no ailments. In her last days, Baptiste said, Trotman-Fraser would spend her time praising God and singing hymns. She wanted to leave behind something, relatives said, to keep them on the right path. Trotman-Fraser asked them to write it down. She said, “The advice I give to young people in to have love, love for each and every one, and believe in the Holy Spirit of Jesus. Live well with your fellow creature and have respect for each and every one. Give hem peace within themselves. Let them believe in the true and living God. That’s the way. Respect and behaviour for their fellow creatures and the Lord will bless them eternally.” This was her secret, relatives said, to finding happiness in her simple, long life. Trotman-Fraser passed away on September 15, surrounded by her 10 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 17 great great grandchildren. Source: Trinidad Express, Oct 11, 2020 Trinidad and Tobago’s Shemika Charles-Campbell attained her third Guinness World Record on Thursday 8, October 2020 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, when she limbo danced under two jeeps that were below a height of 12 inches over a distance of more than 12 feet.  Senator the Honourable Randall Mitchell, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, congratulates Trinidad and Tobago’s Shemika Charles-Campbell on attaining her third Guinness World Record on Thursday 8, October 2020 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, when she limbo danced under two jeeps that were below a height of 12 inches over a distance of more than 12 feet.
Shemika achieved her second Guinness World record for limbo dancing in China in 2016 when she completed the task at a distance of over 10 feet. One year earlier she achieved the record for limbo dancing under a height of 8.5 inches in the United States. Congratulations Shemika! ...A big blow for Chaguanas, says economistTHE closure of MovieTowne in Price Plaza, Endeavour Road, Chaguanas, is going to be a huge loss to the Chaguanas borough and would cause serious economic fallout. So said economist Dr Indera Sagewan, as she noted that it’s a negative step in the development of the country’s business landscape.
Sagewan said the closure of the cinema and entertainment complex would have a ripple effect on businesses in and around the area, which have generated revenue from people flocking to the cinemas. “Employees and suppliers are also going to be affected and that means the unemployment statistics would also go up. Let’s be real. We cannot expect the owner Derek Chin to absorb all the workers at the other branches, as the pandemic has disrupted the cinema industry greatly and it’s going to take a while for the industry to revitalise, post Covid-19.” The economist explained that people living in Chaguanas who may want to head to the cinema when it reopens would now have to go either Port of Spain or South, which is a further cost in terms of gas for the car or public transportation. Sagewan believes that the Government should open up the economy more as there are a lot of best practices that can be implemented to help prevent the spread of the virus. “When you look at other countries, they have put mechanisms in place in order to facilitate the reopening of various sectors. But T&T seems to be stuck in this mode of waiting for the numbers to go down and more needs to be done by the Government,” Sagewan added. Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit said she preferred not to comment, at this time, as the issue was a private matter between the landlord and tenant. Mohit was previously the mayor of Chaguanas. Also commenting on the closure was Chaguanas Chamber president Vishnu Charran, who said it spells bad news for the borough as it means there is going to be less foot traffic and less revenue being earned. “It is sad to see the cinema had to shut its doors, but I understand that the economic impact caused by Covid is very serious and things are not going to get better anytime soon.” Charran outlined that other businesses located in Price Plaza will also feel the pinch, as there will be fewer customers coming to buy their products and more people can be on the breadline, due to this fallout. Source: Trinidad Express, Oct 2020 |
T&T news blogThe intent of this blog is to bring some news from home and other fun items. If you enjoy what you read, please leave us a comment.. Archives
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