Trinidadian calypsonian, David Rudder was among four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals who were conferred with the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC) at the opening ceremony of the recent 43rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The other honorees were: Former CARICOM Secretary-General, Amb. Irwin LaRocque; cricketer extraordinaire Sir Vivian Richards; and Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados, Dame Billie Miller.
The Georgetown, Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said the honorees joined a cadre of distinguished persons who are honored for making outstanding contributions to the development of the Community.
The award is given to “Caribbean nationals whose legacy in the economic, political, social and cultural metamorphoses of Caribbean society is phenomenal,” said the Secretariat in a statement.
“I’m deeply humbled,” said Rudder after receiving the award. “Thank you, Caribbean Community.”
Later, he told the Canadian-based Caribbean Camera from his home in Ajax, Ontario, Canada that he was very surprised by the award.
“It felt like a dream,” Caribbean Camera quoted Rudder as saying. “It also felt great. You know, you always want to know how much of an impact your work, your art, is having beyond your normal sphere of living. This gives me a sense of how far I’ve progressed in life.”
Rudder, who was born on May 6, 1953, is renowned by his rallying cry for Caribbean fans to support the West Indies cricket team, with “Rally ‘Round the West Indies,” which has become the team’s anthem.
He is said to be “one of the most successful calypsonians of all time,” according to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia.
It said Rudder performed as lead singer for the brass band Charlie’s Roots, and that, nine years later, he “stepped outside the band, entering the calypso tent as a solo calypsonian in 1986, which was followed by an unprecedented rise to fame.”
“Almost overnight, he became a national hero of the order of Marley in Jamaica, Fela in Nigeria and Springsteen in New Jersey,” wrote Daisann McClane, American journalist and Worldbeat correspondent for Rolling Stone Magazine.
Wikipedia said Rudder’s music quickly became the subject of music critics around the world: “From New York to London to Tokyo, where the Japanese have released a CD of Rudder’s greatest hits complete with lyrics translated into Japanese, Rudder has been described as modern calypso’s most innovative songwriter.”
The CARICOM Secretariat said the OCC was first conferred in 1992. The first awardees were Dr. William Demas, former CARICOM Secretary-General; Sir Shridath Ramphal, former chief negotiator of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM), and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, chairman of the West Indian Commission and former Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI); and Derek Walcott, distinguished and internationally-acclaimed poet and playwright, and 1992 Nobel Prize recipient for literature.
Over the years, the Secretariat said the list has expanded to encompass a range of other persons, including former Heads of Government, sports personalities, regional creatives, representatives of the legal fraternity, members of academia, economists and members of the medical profession.
Rudder told Caribbean Camera that he was awed to be in such “august company,” stating that the award “means a lot to me.”
“I sometimes feel that the arts do not get the respect it deserves,” he said. “I feel that this allows me to feel that it [my award] represents all those who have something to say. So, I accept it on their behalf.
“You know, I reached a point where I was getting a bit jaded and not as eager to produce at the same level to which I’m accustomed,” Rudder added. “But this award tells me that I should go on.” (Source: Caribbean Life, July 27, 2022)

The Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed Calypso King of the World, was baptized on Saturday at Far Rockaway Beach in Queens.
According to the Searchlight newspaper in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sparrow, 87, whose real name is Slinger Francisco, was “taken into the water of Holy Baptism by Vincentian Seventh Day Adventist Pastor Claudius Morgan.” Morgan, a former calypsonian, carried the sobriquet “Samaritan Singer.”
The paper said that Sparrow, who now resides in Queens, was “dressed in all white” for his water baptism.
“He is now known as Brother Francisco (and is) a member of the Linden Seventh Day Adventist Church in New York,” the Searchlight said.
While celebrating his 87th birthday in July, the legendary Mighty Sparrow told the Trinidad Express newspaper that the felt “wonderful.”
The publication said that Sparrow, who was born on Jul. 9, 1935, was expected to spend his special day listening to a radio i95.5 FM tribute, dubbed “Sparrow Day.”
The Express said the musical buffet, hosted by presenters John Gill and John Wayne, featured “a slew of (Sparrow) classics,” like “Jean and Dinah”, “Sa Sa Yea,” “Both Of Them,” “Drunk and Disorderly,” “Survival, Capitalism Gone Mad” and “Education.”
Sparrow, who grew up in Port-of-Spain, the Trinidad capital, was born in the fishing village of Grand Roy, Grenada.
He moved to Trinidad and Tobago as a one-year-old with his mother. His father had relocated there in 1937.
Sparrow, who is also a songwriter and guitarist, is regarded as one of the most renowned and most successful calypsonians.
He has won Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival Road March competition eight times, Calypso King/Monarch eight times, and has twice won the Calypso King of Kings title.
In reflecting on his life and career, during his 87th birthday celebration in July, Sparrow told the Trinidad Express: “Everybody gone (passed on) and left me. Winsford Devine (celebrated songwriter who wrote some of his megahits).
“I was just looking at a video with Kitch (short for Kitchener, whose real name was Aldwyn Roberts) and I. We were dancing and carrying on on stage,” Sparrow said. “Now he’s gone.
“I was looking at another video, ‘We Are The World’. It has a host of performers like Shadow (Winston Bailey). Now he’s gone,” Sparrow added. “Guitarist George Victory, and artistes like De Fosto, Rootsman, Brigo and Penguin passed on.
“Sugar Aloes and Cro Cro are in the video. They are still here,” Sparrow continued. “It was a beautiful experience to work with all of them.”
In July 2010, the United States Congress listed Sparrow in its Congressional Record.
As the Caribbean community in New York, on Jul. 9, 2010 celebrated Sparrow’s 75th birthday, Caribbean American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke said that she ensured that Sparrow was listed in the Record.
“It is important that the entire nation know what the Mighty Sparrow has done for us,” Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, told an honor ceremony at Brooklyn Borough Hall, downtown Brooklyn, organized the entertainment company, Dee Vee International Productions, owned by Grenadian-born, Brooklyn resident Derek Ventour.
“So, we have entered him in the Congressional Record,” added Clarke, representative for the then 11th Congressional District in Brooklyn. She now represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn.
Reading from the Record, Clarke said then that Sparrow had entertained audiences “from the Caribbean to Asia and all points in between,” in a career spanning over 50 years.
The Congressional Record states that “The Birdie,” as Sparrow is also called, had found success early with his hit, “Jean and Dinah,” at the age of 20.
“Not satisfied with early success, he followed up with a rapid succession of hits, including ‘Carnival Boycott,’ ‘P.A.Y.E.,’ ‘Russian Satellite,’ ‘Theresa,’ ‘Good Citizen,’ ‘Salt Fish’ and ‘Penny Commission,’ just to name a few,” it says.
The Record says that Sparrow’s songs cover a “broad range of socially conscious topics, including education, tyranny in Africa, animal cruelty and the welfare of his home of Trinidad and Tobago.”
The Mighty Sparrow’s accomplishments include multiple Trinidad and Tobago Road March Competition titles; multiple Calypso Monarch titles; an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies; and general contributions to music and society, with then New York City Mayor Ed Koch, proclaiming Mar. 18, 1986 “The Mighty Sparrow Day,” the Congressional Record notes.
In presenting a citation, then New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sparrow “touched the lives of countless listeners.”
Former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said, in jest, that he became a “Trini,” short for Trinidadian, from Tunapuna, because of the Mighty Sparrow, stating that Sparrow’s “Congo Man” was one of his favorite songs.
“It is wonderful that you can understand his music and his words,” said Markowitz, declaring Jul. 10, 2010 “The Mighty Sparrow Celebration Day,” before presenting a citation to Sparrow’s daughter, Nicole Robinson.
Former New York State Assemblyman Nick Perry – the Jamaican-born, ex-representative for the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn, currently United States Ambassador to Jamaica – said Sparrow’s history, as the Calypso King of the World, is “unchallenged and undisputed.”
Perry, who also presented a citation, during the celebration, described Sparrow’s achievements as “extraordinary” and “unique.”
In saluting the calypso maestro, erstwhile Grenada Prime Minister Tillman Thomas said very few artistes from anywhere can boast of an on-going career that has spanned in excess of five decades.
“Indeed, you have made significant contributions to Caribbean and world culture, politics and story-telling, through your tremendous wit, extensive breadth of topics covered and unsurpassed propensity to build on, innovate and capture new rhythms across genres,” said Thomas at the time in a statement.
With his baptism Saturday as a Seventh Day Adventist, it is uncertain if the legendary Mighty Sparrow will ever again sing calypsos to his legions of fans worldwide. (Source: Caribbean Life, Sept 8, 2022)

Winston David “Dave” Elcock, one of the most beloved radio personalities that Trinidad and Tobago ever produced, died on Aug. 25, of natural causes in Brooklyn, his son Marc David Elcock confirmed.
Funeral Service was held on Sept. 3 at R. Steven Legall Funeral Home on Avenue N in Brooklyn.
Elcock’s body was cremated 10 days later at Greenwood Cemetery in Newark, NJ.
Marc told Caribbean Life on Thursday that his dad’s ashes are currently in the family’s possession and that the family is yet to determine a final resting place.
Marc said his father became known throughout Trinidad and Tobago as “Big Brother Dave”.
“He was dubbed the Dean of Broadcasters for his versatility and dominance of the early morning airwaves,” the obituary says.
Elcock was born on Sept. 20, 1943 on Duncan Street in Port-of-Spain, the Trinidad capital.
He was one of four children born to Jonathan and Sybil Elcock. His siblings were Lloyd Elcock, Victoria Vidale (deceased) and Gloria Rodriguez (deceased).
Elcock received his primary education at two schools, first St. Agnes E.C., and then St. Crispin’s E.C.
He then attended Queen’s Royal College (Q.R.C.) for his secondary education.
In 1962, he joined the staff of 610 Radio, which, at the time, was called Radio Guardian, as a trainee announcer.
“Over the next 10 years, [he] began to establish his name in the field of broadcasting,” the obituary says, stating that Elcock first launched “The David Elcock Show”, which ran for 10 years until 1972, when Elcock made a slight career change by joining the advertising firm of Christiansen and Belgrave, working there for three years.
During that time, however, Elcock continued doing the Sunday Hit Parade, “which had become very popular under his watch,” the obituary says.
In 1976, Elcock returned to 610 Radio, “and Elcock in the Morning was born, a show which would top all the annual radio surveys for almost 15 years,” according to the obituary.
“He created a number of characters, which became household names in Trinidad and Tobago, and the population looked forward on a daily basis to hearing from ‘Leggo Beas’, ‘Granny’, ‘Mr. Bitter’ and ‘Jose Joropo’, among others,” it says.
In addition to being recognized as one of the twin-island republic’s leading broadcasters, Elcock emerged as one of the “most in-demand Masters of Ceremonies of his era,” the obituary says.
“This afforded him the opportunity to welcome onstage international entertainers like Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, King Curtis, Ray Charles and Redd Foxx,” it says.
During his time at 610 Radio, the obituary says Elcock pursued a course in Television Performance at New York University.
“This prompted him to try his hand as a television host,” the obituary says, adding that, in the 1970s, Elcock’s night-time music and talk TV show, “T&T Tonight”, aired for two seasons on Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT).
On it, the obituary says Dave featured entertainment by and chats with leading local artistes, as well as with visiting entertainers, sports personalities and even government officials.
In 1988, Elcock married Juliet Mangal, with the union producing two children, Marc and Amanda.
Sadly, Juliet passed away in December 2019.
Elcock also had a son, Jason, from a previous marriage to singer Mavis John.
In November 1990, when Neil Giuseppi was appointed managing director of the Trinidad Broadcasting Company, one of his first acts was to launch Radio Tempo (105.1 FM), the first all-local music station in Trinidad and Tobago.
The obituary says Giuseppi was able to persuade Elcock to leave 610 Radio, where he was “an institution for so many years,” to join the Tempo team.
“On Jan. 1, 1991, Radio Tempo hit the airwaves and Dave Elcock’s voice was the first ever heard on the station,” the obituary says.
“For the next few years, he became the voice of Radio Tempo, as he had been for so many years at 610 Radio,” it adds.
After Giuseppi left the Trinidad Broadcasting Company in 1994 and established his own company, Communications Specialists Limited, Louis Lee Sing, chief executive of the International Communications Network, (610 Radio and TTT), approached Giuseppi a year later.
According to the obituary, Lee Sing “wanted to bring back ‘Scouting for Talent’, which had been off the air for several years.
“He asked Neil (Giuseppi) if he would be prepared to produce it,” the obituary says. “He agreed and, a few months later, the new ‘Scouting for Talent’ hit the airwaves.
“In putting the show together, David Elcock was approached to serve as presenter, and he readily accepted,” it adds. “He hosted the show in his very professional style for the first three years that it ran until he migrated to the United States.”
Though semi-retired, the obituary says Elcock, a Born-Again Christian, took his talent to Internet medium, on Radio KYSO in the United States.
“That station seeks to attract music lovers worldwide with Trinidad and Tobago’s unique gifts to the world, calypso and steel band,” it says.
In 1990, during the National Awards, Elcock received the Humming Bird Medal (Silver) for Public Service.
In 2019, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Trinidad and Tobago United Community Association in New York for his “valuable and outstanding service to country and community.”
“David Elcock has always owed his success in radio to some of his predecessors who, in an interview with the Trinidad Guardian in 2009, he called the ‘deities’ of Trinidad and Tobago broadcasters, legends like Ed Fung, Frank Hughes, Leo de Leon, Bobby Thomas, Sir Trevor McDonald, Sam Ghany, Bob Gittens, Errol Chevalier, Clyde Alleyne, Desmond Bourne and Carl Redhead,” the obituary says.
Marc told Caribbean Life that his father’s radio programs were “an integral part of the morning routine in many a household of Trinidad & Tobago.
“He was a pioneer, a trailblazer, a passionate man of the media industry, with a healthy dose of humility and gratitude for all of his life’s blessings,” said Marc, who works as an administrator for lawyers at an unidentified music company in Manhattan. “He was my biggest inspiration when I decided to pursue my own career in media here in New York, and I would ask for his insight countless times.
“As a father, he was caring, loving and supported me in all aspects of my life, even when I didn’t believe in myself,” Marc added. “And it is his unshakable positive outlook and faith that I will use as a template for my life going forward. I will miss him dearly.”
Elcock is survived by his children – Jason, Marc and Amanda; grandchildren – Rachel, Jonathan, Joshua and Avirae; and his brother, Lloyd Elcock, Esq. (Source: Caribbean Life, Sept 16, 2022)

A chance knock on the front door of Trinidad-born Nestor Jasper’s Canarsie home in Brooklyn almost two years ago, is the tale of a retiree cashing-in on a little piece of Hollywood.
The former diesel mechanic who worked at National Grid, on Long Island for 21 years, can now call himself a movie star extra since he and his house have been featured in elements of three seasons of the hit series “The Godfather of Harlem,” starring award-winning actor Forest Whitaker.
Jasper told Caribbean Life on Sept. 14 outside his 95th Street resident during the filming of the 10-episode season 3, critically acclaimed drama, that he had signed a contract for the crew to use the façade of his house that is the best resemblance of a structure in the sixties where late civil rights leader Malcolm X, once lived.
“The Godfather of Harlem” series, produced by ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios, and premiered on Epix in 2019, tells a story inspired by infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from eleven years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles.
The series features segments of the life of late Malcolm X, and according to Jasper, the façade of the house was re-painted to an aged brown color, to replicate the home of the civil rights leader.
He added that, the crew eventually moved into the living area of the house where some of the scenes were filmed. His backyard and surrounding areas were used as a corridor to facilitate the filming.
Jasper, who has lived in the small flat with his wife and two grown children, his daughter a physical therapist and his son an entrepreneur, for more than 15 years, did not seem too starstruck about the whole idea that a Hollywood series was using his home as a movie location. As a matter of fact, he was more pleased that his house was the recipient of movie dollars.


After the first filming that began some 18 months ago, he said the process was smooth. The crew would call two weeks in advance to alert him that they would be returning to film another episode, which he readily accommodated. He noted that last week was the fourth time that the street was abuzz with dozens of movie crews, cameras, big trucks, and curious residents.
Jasper who migrated some 40 years ago, from the oil-rich village of Palo Seco in Saint Patrick, of the twin-island said lead actor, Forest Whitaker who was seen acting out his role as crime boss Bumpy Johnson graciously posed for a picture with him (Jasper).
Whitaker, an incredibly, talented actor who have been featured in scores of movies, said in an Internet news outlet. “I’m thrilled to be returning to my show, working alongside our truly incredible cast, crew, and writers, as we tell this unique and powerful story. I can’t wait to get back to set, he said and thank Michael Wright, Epix, ABC Signature, and dedicated fans for their support.
According to ‘Deadline News” online, “’Godfather of Harlem’ is that rare show that is both addictively entertaining, and deeply relevant,” said Michael Wright, president of Epix. “Forest Whitaker, Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein have crafted a series that deserves all the acclaim it has received, and it grows more compelling every season.”
Season 3 will find Bumpy Johnson continuing to battle for control of Harlem, with other aspirants to the throne, namely the Cuban Mafia from neighboring Spanish Harlem. Taking on the Cuban mob will put Bumpy, his loved ones, and his community in the crosshairs of not only the rival Italians, but ruthless Latin assassins and, ultimately, the CIA.
Godfather of Harlem is a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history, according to the internet news outlet.
Catch Forest Whitaker in “Godfather of Harlem” acting outside Nestor Jasper’s home. The series is streaming on Epix via Amazon Prime Video Channels. (Source: Caribbean Life, Sept 19, 2022)

Welcome the newest beverage from CARIB Brewery - Rockstone Tonic Wine. 
The bold new drink was unveiled at a media conference at the ANSA McAL Hospitality Suite at the Queens Park Oval, Port of Spain on Thursday. 
While it's an alcoholic drink, as a tonic wine it's fortified to boost your energy for the party and after party. 
Rockstone boasts its trademark Powaroots™ Blend - Horny Goat Weed, Bois Bande, vitamins, fortified Iron Complex, and natural roots extracts like Maca and Sarsparilla Bark.
The smooth, natural-flavour drink can be enjoyed as a thirst quencher, a revitaliser and even a chaser. The tonic wine's versatility was on full display at the unveiling with guests treated to Rockstone infused cupcakes and sno-cones.
Natalie Lewis, Brand Manager - Stouts, said Rockstone has already been met with positive reception from the local market.
Rockstone Tonic Wine is gluten free and is available in 200ml non-returnable bottles, as well as 4 pack and 24 pack cartons. 
Available locally in TT.  (Source:  The Loop, Sept 6, 2022)

As Trinidad and Tobago celebrates the 60th anniversary of its independence today, the country’s future is at a critical crossroads, President Paula-Mae Weekes said in her independence address to the nation last night.

Describing the country as restless, President Weekes said the immediate landscape appears to be that of a wilderness, with increasingly brazen animosity; ugly, divisive politics; rampant unemployment, distressing reports of child abuse and troubling poverty.

President Weekes said there was a time when all Trinis could carry themselves with unbridled pride.

“There was a time, not too long ago, when as a nation, we were full of pride in ourselves, boasting an enviable literacy rate and booming industries, a place where respect for others and office was the default position and where integrity, decency and compassion were not unfamiliar— justifiably the envy of our Caribbean neighbours. Not that we were without our problems and issues; there has always been lawbreaking, corruption, societal dysfunction and ethnic division, but not to the extremes that now exist. For many years after Sniper first sang ‘Portrait of Trinidad’ in 1965, we citizens sang along lustily, without hesitation or reservation,” she said.
She lamented that the realities of Trinidad and Tobago today, however, were not what the architects of our independence intended.

“Those who have lived through all or most of this intervening period would be justified in asking —however rhetorically—how the France we get here? Mercifully, this junction also affords the nation the opportunity to look back at some of its former ways—with a view to revisiting the more salutary behaviours and practices which we may have unwisely abandoned,” the President said in her address.

“The significant and wonderful thing about a crossroads is it offers options—a choice of paths for the onward journey. The selection must be made with utmost care and caution. Trinidad and Tobago desperately needs to find where the good way lies and walk in it, and we do not have a moment to spare.”

The country’s head of state called for honest introspection by each and every citizen to return the country to some of the glories of its past.

“As a people, we have had more than enough time to put aside childish things—our laissez-faire attitude, intolerant viewpoints and perspectives, irrational conspiracy theories and appetite for the latest bacchanal; to stop the blame game, social media character assassinations, the pointless rehashing of old grudges, none of which has yielded any result other than increasing bitterness and disaffection,” President Weekes said.

“This is the point at which we must take up our precious Georgie bundle of enduring and admirable national qualities and legacies—creativity, diversity, generosity, resilience, energy and passion, among others—hoist it on our shoulders and set course for the future.

“To make Trinidad and Tobago a better place, each of us must look at ourselves and then make a change—a “Man in the Mirror” approach. Our fortunes cannot improve unless we first take ownership of our part in creating the present malaise and make the necessary adjustments to our thinking, attitudes and behaviour.”

Saying today would be a good day to set aside some time to envision and manifest our future, President Weekes added, “Just imagine what we could achieve if, on their next working day, whatever their personal circumstances, every public servant, every journalist, every police officer, every member of parliament, every CEPEP worker, began the day saying and meaning, “I am a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. I have and I take direct responsibility for its affairs.” And went to their job with purpose, with pride, with integrity, with discipline, without cynicism, without hidden agenda, without skulduggery, without partisanship.” (Source: The Guardian, Aug 30, 2022)

​Did you know that the guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) was named after a British born naturist by the name of Robert Guppy who migrated to Trinidad?
Robert John Lechmere Guppy was born on 15th August, 1836 in London, England . In 1859 he came to Trinidad to join his parents and brother who had migrated to Trinidad some years before . Robert John Lechmere Guppy contributed much to the geology, palaeontology and zoology of the West Indian region, in particular Trinidad.
During one of his field surveys, he noticed a fish, which was called the “millions fish” at the time, but would later be named the “guppy’”. Intrigued by the small creature, he sent samples in 1866 to the curator of the British Museum, the legendary ichthyologist, Dr Albert Carl Ludwig Gotthilf Guenther.
Guppy was also the founder of the Victoria Institute (now renamed the National Museum) in Port-of-Spain at the time of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887, and he served as the Institute’s president for years.
Angelo took the last photo in 2015 and was saddened by the state of neglect and disrepair of Robert Guppy's burial site in San Fernando , a man considered as one of the Icons of T&T. (Source: Patricia Bissessar, Aug 7, 2022)

Calypso icon David Rudder was conferred with the Order of the Caribbean Community, considered the highest award in the region.
The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs said in a statement that Rudder received the Order at a ceremony at the Diplomatic Centre in Port of Spain on Wednesday (August 10), following a decision taken by CARICOM Heads of Government at the 43rd CARICOM Heads of Government Conference held in Paramaribo, Suriname in July 2022.
The Ministry said Rudder had been unavailable to attend that event and so the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, together with the CARICOM Secretariat, conferred the award at a special function on Wednesday.
Allison Drayton, Assistant Secretary General of Human and Social Development of the Caribbean Community praised Rudder for raising the spirits of the region. She noted that everyone felt Trini to the Bone as a result of his music.
In a pre-recorded address, Surinamese president and Chair of the Caribbean Community Chandrikapersad Santokhi thanked Rudder for his sterling contribution to calypso and to the region.
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne presented  Rudder with the award and delivered from the podium a detailed Citation that praised his stellar contribution as a "cultural icon to the social fabric of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean as a whole".
The Minister lauded the wide span and longevity of  Rudder’s work, and included specific reflections on the profound impact of  Rudder’s seminal work in 1986 when his album “The Hammer” broke into the consciousness of Trinidad and Tobago and the world.
Dr Browne’s presentation also highlighted that the clarion call of  Rudder to Rally Round the West Indies remains cemented as an emotional anthem for West Indies cricket to this day.
In accepting the award, Rudder sincerely thanked the Caribbean Community and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for the honour and admonished young people to continue to learn and never to give up.
Background on the Order of the Caribbean Community
Initiated in 1987 during the Eighth (8th) Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, the Order of the Caribbean Community is conferred upon nationals of the Caribbean whose contributions to the development of the region are considered to be outstanding.
At the 43rd Conference of the Heads of Government held in Paramaribo, Suriname, three other awardees were conferred the Order of the Caribbean Community, namely, Irwin LaRocque, former Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community; Sir Vivian Richards, cricketer; and Dame Billie Miller, former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Barbados.
The Order of the Caribbean Community represents the highest award in the region and is bestowed with great pride and joy. The award can only be held by 15 living awardees at any time. Prior to 2022, the OCC had not been conferred in 10 years.
Privileges and Entitlements:

• The Members of the Order of the Caribbean Community enjoy the following privileges and entitlements, amongst others:
• The award confers the styling The Honourable upon the recipient and Post-nominals OCC.
• Members of the Order are accorded the privilege of free movement among Member States of the Community and are issued with a travel document which is assigned similar status to a diplomatic passport.
• The right to reside in and be gainfully employed in any Member State, as well as the right to acquire and dispose of property, as would citizens of Member States. 

(Source: The Loop, August 11, 2022)

​Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - World Steelpan Day was celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago with the official opening of a new pan manufacturing facility.
The Musical Instruments of Trinidad and Tobago Company Limited (MITTCO) opened its doors in the e-Teck Industrial Park in Diamond Vale, Diego Martin on Thursday evening.
MITTCO is the brainchild of Akua Leith, the Artistic Director and Conductor of the National Steel Symphony Orchestra of T&T.  {source Pan4forlife.blogspot.com  Aug 13, 2022}

Have you ever tried using alternative flour (root flour) to bake, and your cake or bread just didn’t come out right? You’re not alone. When using root flour, there are tricks to ensure your cakes, cookies or other baked goods and breads come out looking and tasting yummy.
Chef Susan Thomas, who was introduced to root flour in 2019, has the tips you need to make your perfect treats with root flour.
Last month, Thomas’ doubles made with cassava flour was a hit at the National Marketing Development Corporation’s (Namdevco) root crop demonstration at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.
The great thing about root flour, Thomas said, is its diversity. “Root flour can be used for making baked products as well as drinks such as smoothies, punches, ice cream, etc. It maintains its nutritional value throughout. You can combine different types of root flours for the texture, layer or flavour to get your product to a particular outcome,” Thomas said.
Thomas has successfully made dumplings and saltfish, various breads, cookies, punches, ice cream, brownies, pone, various cakes, sweetbread and doubles, all using root flour. She said, “When you are using root flour, sift the flour at least six times to allow as much air to be trapped within the flour to allow your product to turn out lighter.
Once you follow Thomas’s advice, you will be baking like a root flour pro. Thomas explained, “Add a ­quarter-cup more liquid, eggs, etc, to the flour, and allow it to sit for a little while, about three to five minutes, to rehydrate and gain more moisture to facilitate a greater yield.”
She added, “Add a little more rising agent, whether it is baking powder or baking soda, to the root flour depending on what you are making because the root flour tends to be heavier,” Thomas said.
Thomas went on to explain the types of root flour and what they can be used for, specifically in baking. Cassava flour, she said, is a dense flour and tends to become gelatin-like when a dumpling is being boiled, but it makes a great fruit cake.
If you are opting to use breadfruit flour, then this alternative flour is light and fluffy, and works well in making cakes, pancakes, crepes, waffles and breads.
She said dasheen flour is a dense flour and is great for sweet bread or pone, and green banana flour has a dark, rich colour and is perfect for brownies or any chocolate-like dessert. It is also perfect for making smoothies, as one tablespoon will thicken your smoothie. It also produces great wraps and is very diverse.
She said sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, so one must be careful when using them to make traditional items like pone, sweet bread or brownies. This, she said, “is important, especially when producing items with recipes that call for sugar to be added”.
“You must reduce the amount of sugar by at least half a cup or the product will be overly sweet,” Thomas said.
The chef said root flour is a very interesting flour to work with. “The health benefits in comparison to our traditional all-purpose flour can hardly be argued against. I would advise people to experiment with these flours and have fun doing so. It is indeed exciting and provides a very clear understanding of the flour itself and its very wide-ranging applications in the field of cooking,” Thomas said.
Thomas said there are times when root flour must be mixed with regular all-purpose flour, but not to panic, because the nutrition content you are looking for will not be compromised.
About Susan Thomas:
Thomas obtained her degree in culinary management and trained to become a chef at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI), commonly known as the Hotel School. She worked as a culinary arts teacher at SERVOL, then left to open her own catering business, Baked Home Style Caterers. She specialises in both local and international cuisine, as well as various traditional and non-traditional breads and cakes. She enjoys cooking and loves creating her own unique foods.
(Source: Express, July 8, 2022)