February 10, 2017:

The following is the Feature Address by the Honourable Minister of Trade and Industry at the Tour of Tamana InTech Park on Friday 10th February, 2017:

SALUTATIONS

• The Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development and Member of Parliament for Arouca/Maloney
• The Honourable Maxie Cuffie, Minister of Public Administration and Communications and Member of Parliament for La Horquetta/Talparo
• Senator the Honourable Dennis Moses, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs
• The Honourable Glenda Jennings-Smith, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of National Security and Member of Parliament for Toco/Sangre Grande
• The Honourable Brigadier General Ancil Antoine, Member of Parliament for D'Abadie/O'Meara
• Heads of Diplomatic Missions and other members of the diplomatic corps
• Professor Kenneth S. Julien (Emeritus),  Chairman, University of Trinidad and Tobago
• Mr. Imtiaz Ahamad – Chairman, e TecK and Directors of the Board of e TecK
• Ms. Janelle Penny Commissiong, Director, InvesTT and other Directors of the Board of  InvesTT, Limited
• Ms. Maureen Singh, Acting President, eTecK
• Ms. Stacy Adams, Acting President, InvesTT
• Senior officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry,  e TecK and InvesTT
• Heads of Business Chambers & Associations
• Members of the Media
• Other Specially Invited Guests
• Ladies and gentlemen   

Good morning

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honoured to welcome you to the Caribbean’s largest science and technology park –Tamana InTech Park (TIP). This Park, which spans 1,100 acres of land, is guaranteed to increase Trinidad and Tobago’s visibility on the global map as a commercial centre primarily for technology and innovation. 

History of Tamana InTech Park

Ladies and gentlemen, as you may be aware, it was the People’s National Movement that had the foresight and that first envisioned a fully developed Science and Industrial Park with state-of-the-art infrastructure and support systems, where new technologies could flourish and companies in high value manufacturing and services could operate.

In fact, the concept for this Park was originally put forward in the 1980s as part of Trinidad and Tobago’s National Physical Development Plan, which was meant to serve as a catalyst for entrepreneurship, research, development and innovation. Subsequently, critical research and analysis, as well as in-depth feasibility studies were conducted, to ensure that the Park was developed in accordance with international best practices. Several areas throughout Trinidad and Tobago were considered to house the Park, including San Fernando and Chaguaramas. However, Wallerfield was selected because it met all the criteria that are critical to the success of a Park of this nature. Construction commenced in 2006 under a PNM Administration and now, over a decade later, we are here to fully realize that vision of a world-class Science and Industrial Park. 

In 2010 when the PNM demitted office, over 75% of the Project was completed.  From 2010-2015, the former Administration sought to outfit the Flagship Building (which was largely completed by 2010) with little or no emphasis placed on developing lots for the tenanting of companies and this is why we are here tday.

In September 2015, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, through theEvolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Limited (eTecK) prioritized the completion of Tamana InTech Park, and in particular, the civil engineering works on 21 lots (over 74 acres) and the fiber optic network and electrification of the Park. I am pleased to say that all of these Works are complete, and all within budget.

Current Status of TIP 

Today, the Tamana InTech Park can boast of the following:

• A completed and partially tenanted Flagship Building with 130,000 sq. ft. of office space
  • 21 lots ranging from 0.35 to 8.38 hectares each
  • Natural gas supply
  • Street lighting and a 132 kilo-VoltAmps T&TEC substation
  • A Utility Building
  • Potable water
  • A Waste water treatment plant
  • Telecom/Fibre Optic infrastructure
  • Road and drainage network

Impact of Tamana InTech Park

With weaker energy prices and increased competition, there is an urgent need more than ever to diversify the economy. But today’s diversification is different from diversification decades ago. The key differentiator is perhaps science and technology. Science and technology not only allow for increased efficiency and productivity for existing firms and sectors, but in and of itself, is a vast and growing industry that can attract invaluable foreign direct investment. This is important for developing countries, but especially important for an energy-exporting economy such as Trinidad and Tobago.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is on this basis that we see the critical role Tamana InTech Park plays in the advancement of Trinidad and Tobago. This Technology Park is a great step in becoming an innovation-driven economy. It is envisaged that TIP will be home to major technology players and perhaps a place where groundbreaking innovative ideas emerge. Very importantly and in line with the top Science and Technology Parks in the world, Tamana will have a unique blend of environmental appeal along with industrialization. To reinforce the appeal of the Park, one of its largest tenants, The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), which may commence operations in the Park as early as September 2017, will offer research and development facilities, as well as a pool of industry specialists who can be harnessed to attain the highest standards of performance required to be globally competitive. Furthermore, the presence of UTT at Tamana will create the necessary synergies between industry and academia required for cutting-edge research and managing innovation and intellectual property. Remember, while Tamana’s core objective is to act as a catalyst for national economic development, it also serves to facilitate the knowledge transfer from universities to companies, and vice-versa.

Business Opportunities

While Tamana InTech Park will be one part of our proposed national Special Economic Zones regime, it will unequivocally be the focal point for advanced industries that bring together innovation, high-value products and services, premium quality investments—both domestic and foreign, that will transform our national economy and raise our profile internationally. In addition to Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Tamana will offer unique investment opportunities in other ICT areas such as Software Development and Animation, as well as High-value Manufacturing .These are areas that in some instances are new or nascent to Trinidad and Tobago, and we recognize the need to provide tailor-made incentives and terms and conditions to attract the best and most promising firms from across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Business Process Outsourcing

In the area of BPOs, some countries have a long history and are better positioned than others. Those that have sustained success in attracting diverse investments in BPOs have an advantage by complementing traditional BPO skills with the requisite soft skills that machines cannot replace. Trinidad and Tobago definitely has the necessary prerequisites to develop a robust and attractive BPO sector, which is indicative of investments by companies such as Scotiabank in recent years.  

Animation

The size of the global animation industry was about USD244 billion in 2015 and one of the fastest growing industries today. Very promising for Trinidad and Tobago is the rapidly expanding outsourced computer animation production market, which is increasingly being tapped by North American and European film and television program producers. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago intends to tap into this lucrative market and is investing strategically to develop our already advanced human capital.  

IT-enabled Services

Given the complexity of the global economy, the high level of competition among and within countries for foreign direct investment, the need for developing countries to fully exploit their human potential, and the growing demand for services, policy-makers have an important role in providing the space and infrastructure to facilitate firms in the area of ICT, and in particular, Information Technology-enabled Services. To take advantage of these opportunities, I am pleased to indicate that the Ministry of Trade and Industry is working with the Ministry of Planning and Development on an IDB-funded programme – the Global Services Promotion Programme. This Programme is designed to advance Trinidad and Tobago’s positioning as a renowned location for global provision of IT-enabled Services (ITeS) and is expected to increase exports and employment within the ICT sector.

To underscore this Government’s commitment to diversification and more specially, the IT-enabled Services sector, significant effort and resources have been directed to visualize, create and operationalize TIP, among other strategies being applied holistically to the sector. This Park not only reflects our resolve to create a space in which firms can confidently and comfortably set root and grow, but it also underscores our commitment to create opportunities for our highly skilled and educated population.

Ladies and gentlemen, the main goal for the TIP at this time is to ensure its full operationalization through tenanting. In this regard, as part of the thrust to diversify the economy towards industries outside of the energy sector, the core activities of TIP will be focused around the following sectors:

        ·            ICT – 4 lots have been provisionally allocated;

        ·            Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) – 2 lots have been provisionally allocated;

        ·            Data processing / centres – 4 lots have been provisionally allocated;

        ·            Animation and software development – 3 lots have been provisionally allocated;

        ·            High value manufacturing / assembly – 3 lots have been provisionally allocated; and

        ·            Financial Services – 5 lots have been provisionally allocated. 

The Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago has agreed that the tenanting of TIP will be led by invesTT, which has recently completed a new strategic plan for the period 2017-2020.  It is envisaged that invesTT will be restructured to more effectively facilitate investors’ needs.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen, as I close, I am sure you will all agree that the diversification and strengthening of the non-energy sectors is critical to the future of Trinidad and Tobago. The aim of TIP therefore is not only to be the catalyst for economic activity and growth within the ICT sector, but aid in the ultimate goal of diversification, while placing Trinidad and Tobago as the premier investment destination of the region.

END

For further information, please contact:

Senior Corporate Communications Officer

Ministry of Trade and Industry

Tel: (868) 623-8480/623-2931 ext. 2722 

February 13, 2017:

The civil engineering works on 21 lots (over 74 acres) of the Tamana Intech Park (TIP) and the fibre optic network and electrification of the Park have been completed and all within budget. This announcement was made by Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry at the Tamana Intech Park, Wallerfield on Friday 10 February, 2017 prior to a tour of the Park.

In her Address, the Trade and Industry Minister assured the audience that ‘the Park which spans 1,100 acres of land, is guaranteed to increase Trinidad and Tobago’s visibility on the global map as a commercial centre primarily for technology and innovation. It is a great step in becoming an innovation-driven economy’. The Minister noted that ‘it is envisaged that TIP will be home to major technology players and perhaps a place where groundbreaking innovative ideas emerge. Very importantly and in line with the top Science and Technology Parks in the world, Tamana will have a unique blend of environmental appeal along with industrialization. … one of its largest tenants, The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), …will offer research and development facilities, as well as a pool of industry specialists who can be harnessed to attain the highest standards of performance required to be globally competitive. Furthermore, the presence of UTT at Tamana will create the necessary synergies between industry and academia required for cutting-edge research and managing innovation and intellectual property’.

In addition to Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Tamana will offer unique investment opportunities in other ICT areas such as Software Development and Animation, as well as High-value Manufacturing. The Trade and Industry Minister stated that ‘the main goal for the TIP at this time is to ensure its full operationalization through tenanting. In this regard, as part of the thrust to diversify the economy towards industries outside of the energy sector, the core activities of TIP will be focused around the following sectors: ICT – 4 lots have been provisionally allocated; Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) – 2 lots have been provisionally allocated; Data processing / centres – 4 lots have been provisionally allocated;               Animation and software development – 3 lots have been provisionally allocated; High value manufacturing / assembly – 3 lots have been provisionally allocated; and Financial Services – 5 lots have been provisionally allocated’. The Trade and Industry Minister expressed confidence that the Tamana Intech Park will aid in the ultimate goal of diversification, while placing Trinidad and Tobago as the premier investment destination of the region.

The Honourable Maxie Cuffie, Minister of Public Administration and Communications and Member of Parliament for La Horquetta/Talparo in his Address indicated that ‘the Tamana Intech Park represents a significant thrust in the direction of economic diversification. This can be our Silicone Valley, where innovation and ingenuity can abound, where creativity and collaboration would collide to produce new, high-paying, sustainable careers for a population that was being gifted, simultaneously, with the University of Trinidad and Tobago’. Professor Kenneth S. Julien (Emeritus), Chairman, University of Trinidad and Tobago in his presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the plans for the UTT Campus which include ICT, state of the art sporting and residential facilities. He underscored that the UTT’s areas of focus were predicated on the development objectives of the country.

Also delivering Remarks were Mr. Imtiaz Ahamad – Chairman, e TecK and Ms. Janelle Penny Commissiong, Director, InvesTT. In attendance were the Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development and Member of Parliament for Arouca/Maloney; the Honourable Brigadier General Ancil Antoine, Member of Parliament for D'Abadie/O'Meara;        Heads of Diplomatic Missions and other members of the diplomatic corps and Heads of Business Chambers and Associations.

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**Click the here to view the full feature address by Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry**

For further information, please contact:

Senior Corporate Communications Officer

Ministry of Trade and Industry

Tel: (868) 623-8480/623-2931 ext. 2722 

February 10, 2017: 

Following several months of discussions with leaders of the Muslim community, the Minister of National Security, Major General (Ret’d) the Honourable Edmund Dillon has formally established a round table group of leaders representing most of the Islamic organizations in Trinidad and Tobago. This initiative also involves the Government of the United States of America. This latest collaboration will assist the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to chart a way forward, to treat with issues pertaining to terrorism and terrorist activities in a cooperative and collaborative manner.

The first meeting in a series of engagements was held on Friday 10th February, 2017 at the Ministry of National Security, Port of Spain. At the meeting, Minister Dillon gave the assurance that the Government remains committed to working with the Muslim Communities. He commended the leaders present for their willingness to collaborate with Government in countering the threat of terrorism.

The Minister underscored the importance of the positive voices in treating with crime and criminality. He urged the leaders present to encourage their organizations to speak with a united positive voice whilst taking action to root out and displace the criminal elements. He reiterated that persons leaving Trinidad to enter areas of conflict are a minority and underscored that the vast majority of the local Muslim population are law-abiding citizens. He reiterated that this country prides itself with the harmonious existence of all its citizens.

Minister Dillon indicated that the Government is addressing its anti-terrorism agenda utilizing a two-pronged approach of legislative reform and operational mechanisms. He stressed the need for heightened awareness among members of the Muslim Community, as with all communities, and urged persons to share information if they suspect nefarious activities in their community. The Minister sought to challenge the leaders to assist in the identification of potential terrorist recruiters and those who choose to enter into areas affected by conflict.

Mr. Hafeez Khan from the National Islamic Counselling Services, who led the delegation of Muslim organizations expressed his concerns about the negative image being conveyed in the local and international domains about Trinidad and Tobago and the Muslim Community. He further noted that in addressing this perception the Muslim Community is committed as a collective body to self-regulation as well as working with the Government in support of countering the threat of terrorism including the exchange of critical information.

Officials of the United States of America Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago were also present at today’s meeting commended and assured both the Government and the Muslim leaders that the United States Government is a part of this approach to counter terrorism and the associated crimes. An undertaking was also given by the US Delegation to provide reliable research data to the Ministry including identifying the possible causes that attract locals to conflict zones abroad.

Today’s meeting was held to bolster awareness among the groups in attendance and present an overview of the cooperative agenda. Subsequent meetings will focus on building the relationship between the Government and Muslim Communities. Organizations represented at today’s roundtable discussion included: the National Islamic Counselling Services; Islamic Resource Society; National Muslim Women’s Organization of Trinidad and Tobago; the Anjuman Sunnat-Ul-Jamaat (ASJA) and the Trinidad Muslim League.

Other Faith Based Organizations will be included in future roundtable discussions.

Event Photos:

Photo Caption: Minister of National Security, Major General (Ret’d) the Honourable Edmund Dillon (centre); Mr. Hafeez Khan, National Islamic Counselling Services (left) and Mr. Dexter Payne, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy (right).

Photo Caption: Minister of National Security, Major General (Ret’d) the Honourable Edmund Dillon speaks with Muslim Organisations at the Ministry of National Security’s roundtable discussions. (Photos Courtesy: Ministry of National Security).

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For further information, please contact:

Manager, Corporate Communications Unit (CCU)

Ministry of National Security

Tel: (868) 624-5771/ 623-7881 Ext. 12277/12800

February 11, 2017:

In an effort to further prevent instances of coastal degradation in Chaguaramas, the Ministry of Planning and Development with the Chaguaramas Development Authority has enlisted the expertise of the Coastal Protection Unit of the Ministry of Works and Transport to develop a plan of action. 

At a meeting and site visit on February 11^th, the Macqueripe Beach Facility has been identified as showing the effects of coastal erosion where a sinkhole has occurred due to the action of waves undermining the wall near the man made path leading to the shoreline.  This is posing no threat to visitors, but the CDA is taking no chances and has cordoned off the area while exploring the interventions available to prevent further damage.  The cooperating agencies are treating this with a sense of urgency.

The Coastal Protection Unit of the Ministry of Works and Transport is conducting an assessment and will provide a full report with recommendations for solutions which the Ministry of Planning and Development through the CDA will implement.

Chagville Beach is also being assessed for revitalization since this is a popular beach for bathers, boaters, wind surfers and people who come to generally relax on the beach.  The Authority is also imploring citizens to do their part to protect the natural beauty of the peninsula through proper disposal of garbage and waste reduction practices.

END

For further information, please contact: 

Corporate Communications Unit

Ministry of Planning and Development

Tel: (868) 612- 9700 ext. 2073/2074

February 12, 2017:

On behalf of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago and on his own behalf, Dr the Honourable Keith Rowley has extended heartfelt congratulations to the Calypso Queen of the World, Ms Mc Cartha Sandy-Lewis, Calypso Rose, for her historic and outstanding achievement in winning the “Album de Musique de Monde”, World Music Album of the Year Award at the French “Victoires de la Musique” Award ceremony held on Friday 10th February 2017 in Paris, France.

Calypso Rose’s winning album Far From Home was released last year (2016) and continues to enjoy phenomenal success both in Trinidad and Tobago and abroad. The Prime Minister acknowledged Calypso Rose’s remarkable achievement of being the first soca artiste to attain the prestigious award while noting that, “Calypso Rose has consistently delivered high quality music and entertaining performances to a wide variety of audiences during her long career. Trinidad and Tobago is justifiably proud of her latest accomplishment”.

The single Leave Me Alone from the winning album is one of the most popular songs circulating on the airwaves and played at Carnival fetes this year.

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For further information, please contact:

Communications Unit

Office of the Prime Minister

Tel: (868) 622-1625 Ext. 4013

February 11, 2017:

The following is an Address by The Honourable Randall Mitchell, M.P., Minister of Housing and Urban Development at the Formal Launch of Victoria Keyes (Vic Keyes), Diego Marting on Saturday 11 February, 2017.

WELCOME TO VICTORIA KEYES

Let me also take this opportunity to welcome you all to this long awaited Victoria Keyes development. This project has been 12 years in the making and today it is finally complete and ready for occupation. And isn't she a beautiful property. Well situated in one of the most sought after areas in the Country. Steeped in the tranquil atmosphere amidst bustling suburbia. With sweeping panoramic views of the Western Peninsula and the Gulf of Paria. As an individual with a keen interest in Real Estate, in Architecture, and Property Development, I can truly appreciate the beauty of this project. The amenities and the modern living that it offers. And I’m sure we all can.

WE SECRETLY PINE
But as a member of this PNM government, as the Minister of Housing, I must confess that a part of me pains deep down inside, as I am sure it pains the Prime Minister and other members of government. Let me explain why.  In 2002, the PNM introduced a new Housing Policy which we still uphold to this day. And that Policy is based on 3 Pillars: Affordability, Accessibility, and the Improvement to the Quality of life for Low to Middle Income Earners.

For this reason, the then PNM Govt, led by Dr. Rowley as Minister of Housing was up and down the country building houses for those most in need of Affordable Housing.
And here in Diego Martin, this project was conceptualised back in 2005 in accordance with that philosophy. 264 modest apartments to be constructed here to satisfy the Housing needs for the low and middle-income applicants on this part of the island.

THE CHANGE, THE DISADVANTAGE
This project was substantially completed in 2010, but remarkably, sometime in 2011 a new philosophy was adopted by that government, and the HDC was instructed to modify the scope to enlarge the apartments, and to include a multi-storeyed car park, pool, club house, tennis court etc. A project that was supposed to have cost just about 250 Million dollars is now expected to cost over 652 million dollars when all is accounted for. Clearly out of the reach of the low to middle income earners this project was intended to reach. And who have been waiting on this project for all these years.

HARD DECISION
On assuming office, we had to make a hard decision. With respect to his project, we needed to bring it quickly to a state of completion and we needed to recover from this departure from government policy, recover from this fumble - these excesses by offering these units for sale on the Open Market so that the proceeds of sale can go on toward constructing Affordable Housing opportunities for low and middle income earners. Those for whom Government's housing policy and programmes are intended. This is the true benefit of the decision we've made and this is the message we must take away. We are recovering from these excesses of the last government, so that the proceeds of the sales of these units can go on to fund our housing construction programme, and to reduce our debt to Contractors.

EVERY EFFORT TO SELL
And this is what is going to drive us to use every effort, every cost effective method to sell these units as quickly as possible. This now becomes our main focus at the Ministry of Housing and the HDC. At this development, there are 264 units.

Open Market
206 units on Floors 3 to 8 will be offered for sale on the open market at open market prices determined by expert valuers. The cost of the units range from $1.4 million dollars up to $4.5 million dollars for units sized from approximately 800 sq ft to 2900 sq ft. The units are 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. The purchase of these units are subject to an application process which is essentially on a first come first serve basis. There will be a sales office situated on site to facilitate an easy sales process with sales staff who are only too happy to assist.

Rent to Own
There are 48 units on the ground and first floors of every tower. These include units on the first floor that are targeted toward the physically challenged. We have reserved these units for allocation through our Rent to Own Programme. We are giving the opportunity of home ownership to those HDC applicants at the uppermost band of earners on the database. Those applicants, who may be professionals, and their families will have a chance to own one of these sought after units. These are persons who may not have the ability to qualify to purchase a unit now, but who will surely be able to in 3-5 years from now. These units will be subject to the usual HDC qualifying criteria.

Retained Units
The remaining ten units will be retained by the State for its use.

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
The project will be marketed in the usual way. There will be advertisements in the Print and Broadcast Media. More so, we will also be heavily dependent on Online and Viral Marketing. Going live now, there is the website VictoriaKeyes.com. There will also be a Facebook page, and you all would have received flash drives with all the videos. On the website, you will see all the videos and information pertinent to this project. You will also be able to access Virtual Tours of all the units from the comfort of your office or your home. This amazing technology was provided to us by our partner, Mr. Shane Correira of Trinidad Realtor. So Please Share. Please share all the videos on the Flash Drives. We need this to go viral.

Of Course, we also are dependent on Word of Mouth. Bankers, Captains of Industry. Everyone here. You will not find as much value elsewhere today at these price points and at this location. And I'm sure you will agree when you see the well appointed units. And for that we thank partners for allowing us the use of their goods and services to stage the units.
So bring them; come! We are open for Business. And remember, the 356 Million dollars that we expect to realise will be used to ensure that low and middle income earners are given opportunities for affordable housing.

THANK YOU
So allow me to express my sincerest thanks to all those who made this launch possible. Thank you, Honourable Prime Minister for your foresight and vision for the Public Housing Sector. I need to thank the Chairman of the HDC and the Board of Directors for your persistence in bringing this project to a close. Thank you to the Acting Managing Director, the management and staff of the HDC. All employees, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Housing Partners.

To our Partners who would have been so generous enough to allow us the use of your goods and services to make this event a success. We could not have done it without your generosity.
The Lewis Brothers from Lewis Appliances, Mr. Andy Pathik from Nova Lighting, Mr. Aboud, Mode Alive, Mr. Adam Sabga, Standard Distributors, Ms. Pierre, Pear tree Consulting, Ms. Parsons, Advanced Dynamics, Mr. Shane Correira, Trinidad Realtor. Thanks to Andrew Gabriel for your ideas and creativity.

To all the State Regulatory Agencies who worked with us to get this project completed; WASA - Mr. Romney Thomas and team, TTEC - Keith Sirju and team, Ministry of Works. Thank you to the Contractor, KEE CHANONA, for accelerating the delivery of this development. And to all others would have had a direct involvement in this launch. My sincerest Gratitude to you.

VIDEO
So I now have to pleasure to introduce to you the man under whose direction this project was initially started. But before that, allow me to introduce you intimately to Victoria Keyes, through a short 3 Minute Video.

Thank you ladies and gentlemen!

END

For further information, please contact:

Corporate Communications Unit

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

Tel: (868) 623-4663 ext 2202

February 13, 2017:

On November 3rd, 2016, the High Commission for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in Ottawa, Canada won the People’s Choice Award at the Annual Embassy Chef Challenge event that raised $75,000.00 for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Chef Resa Solomon – St. Louis, Chef and Owner of Baccanalle Catering, of Trinidad and Tobago heritage and international repute successfully defended her title with a creative dish inspired by Tobago’s popular curried crab and dumpling titled Lobster Two Ways, Lobster-filled Cassava Dumplings in a Coconut Curry Sauce accompanied by a Lobster Souse. Her entry captured the audience’s nod of approval despite stiff competition from ten (10) other chefs representing the Embassy of Belgium, the British High Commission (United Kingdom), the Embassy of France, the Embassy of Guatemala, the Embassy of Honduras, the High Commission of Jamaica, the Embassy of Kazakhstan, the High Commission of Pakistan, the High Commission of Malaysia and the Embassy of Spain. 

His Excellency Garth Chatoor, High Commissioner for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to Canada commented that “it was heartening to see everyone enjoy Resa’s dish, her People’s
Choice Award is testament to the explosion of flavour synonymous with Trinidad and Tobago’s cuisine and is a prime example of how our food can transcend borders and reflect who we are as a diverse culture.”

In 2015, Trinidad and Tobago’s Chef Resa was awarded First Prize in the Embassy Chef Challenge by the international panel of judges, defeating her counterparts from the United Kingdom, Moldova, Spain, Philippines, Thailand and Hungary to take home the trophy. The High Commission for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Ottawa was proud to participate in the competition, which was hosted by the International Bowel Disease (IBD) Foundation, an Ottawa based charity that raises awareness and funds to assist persons living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The prize money would assist in providing new treatment rooms for IBD patients.

Event Photo:

Photo Caption: Lobster Two Ways: Lobster-filled Cassava Dumplings in a Coconut Curry Sauce accompanied by Lobster Souse. (Photo Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs)

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For further information, please contact:

Manager, Corporate Communications Unit

Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs

Tel: (868) 623-6894 ext. 2154

February 13, 2017:

The Ministry of Education has embarked on an initiative to address the issue of underperformance among secondary school entrants. The initiative is being spearheaded by the Curriculum Division of the Ministry of Education. Speaking on its merits, the Honourable Anthony Garcia, Minister of Education said the Form One Initiative was conceived in response to data from the 2016 Secondary Entrance Assessment Examination which identified several students about to enter the secondary school system with numeracy and literacy deficits. These students are spread across 56 secondary schools in the seven education districts.

Diagnostic testing was conducted to identify the specific content and skill gaps among students in Mathematics and English Language Arts inclusive of Creative Writing. The results revealed a total of 2,478 students with English Language deficits, 2,619 with Mathematics deficits and 1,794 with both English Language and Mathematics deficits. Teacher training has also been conducted to equip teachers with skills and strategies to help students fill the knowledge gap. This followed workshops with principals, teachers, school supervisors and district teams aimed at sensitising stakeholders to the various needs of the individual learners as well as their role in re-tooling the students.

Minister Garcia said, “We are in the business of education and it is our mandate to ensure that every child in this country, who is of school age, has an opportunity to access quality education. If we are to ensure that our children benefit from the quality education that we are supposed to give to our students, there must be certain things in place.” Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan added that the initiative is aligned to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2015 – 2030, one of which is to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all.” The initiative will produce more non-traditional techniques for content delivery and will modify the curriculum to make it more relevant to the 21^st century learner.

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February 14, 2017: Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, met on Monday February 13 with Ancel Roget, President General of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) and other executive members of the OWTU (Carlton Gibson – Executive 1 st Vice President, Rickey Benny – Executive Vice President, Himraj Basdeo –Executive Trustee, Richard Lee – General Secretary and David Abdulah) to discuss matters relating to Petrotrin.

The Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister – the Honourable Stuart Young and the Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development – the Honourable Camille RobinsonRegis, were also present at the meeting, which took place at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair. Recently, the OWTU served a strike action notice to State-owned Petrotrin in response to a breakdown in wage and salary negotiations for the period 2014-2017/2018.

The strike was averted following extended conciliation talks at the Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development. After prolonged discussions between the company and the OWTU, parties agreed to a payment of 5% and conciliation would continue at the Industrial Court.

The Government will be putting together a seven (7) man team to review and examine Petrotrin’s operations, which will report to Cabinet with respect to the restructuring of Petrotrin.

The Union will nominate two (2) members to this team and it is expected that this team will report to the Cabinet within three (3) months.

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For further information please contact:

Office of the Prime Minister

868-622-1625

February 13, 2017:

Trinidad and Tobago’s state-owned oil company, Petrotrin and the state-owned oil company of Suriname, Staatsolie, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a formal framework for mutual cooperation between both companies on commercial and technical fronts.

The MOU, signed at Pointe-a-Pierre by executives representing both companies, focuses on both the Upstream and Downstream arms of the crude oil value chain. Upstream, Staatsolie has several nearshore blocks ranging from exploration through appraisal and development, for which opportunities for partnering with Petrotrin exist. The Company is also interested in applying enhanced oil recovery (EOR) strategies in onshore blocks to improve oil recovery and this represents another area where Petrotrin will share its experience and expertise.

Downstream, both Companies are expected to explore business opportunities for crude and product sales and/ or swaps, product blending and bunkering. There will also be the sharing of technical knowledge and experience in refinery operations, engineering and procurement. Staatsolie, like Petrotrin, is involved in Exploration & Production and Refining & Marketing.
The Company is also involved in retail product sales, commercial power generation and gold mining. In 2016, Staatsolie commissioned a new refinery with a capacity of 15,000 barrels per
day.

With the signing of the MOU signaling the start of the cooperation exercise, technical teams from both companies look forward to forging deeper relationships based on mutual synergies in the future.

END

For further information, please contact:

Manager, Corporate Communications

Petrotrin

Tel: (868) 658 5285

February 15, 2017: The Water and Sewerage Authority (the Authority) advises customers in parts of North-East Trinidad served by the North Oropouche Water Treatment Plant that there will be an interruption in their water supply on Friday 17^th February 2017, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

This has become necessary in order to carry out electrical maintenance works at the Plant.

Areas affected include:

• Sangre Grande Town
• Vega De Oropouche
• Toco Road, Sangre Grande
• Sangre Chiquito
• Manzanilla
• Coalmine
• Guaico/ Guaico Tamana
• Malabar Phases 1, 3 & 4
• Tumpuna Road/ San Rafael
• Brazil
• La Horquetta
• Carapo/ O’Meara Road
• Signature Park/ Mausica Road
• Maloney
• Five Rivers
• Oropune Gardens
• Millennium Park/ Sunrise Park
• Golden Grove Road

The Authority further advises that it may take up to 12 – 24 hours for the service to normalize to some affected areas following resumption of production at the facility. For further information or assistance, customers can contact WASA's Call Centre toll free at 800-4420/4426.

The Authority apologises for the inconvenience and thanks customers for their understanding.

For further information please contact:

The Corporate Communications Department

Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago

868-662-2301/7

February 15, 2017:'What do we do … what are the things that we are going to do in order to bring more planting materials to our farmers’? – answers to these questions should be the outcome of today’s session said Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries at the Workshop, titled ‘Achieving Food Security through the Provision of Adequate Planting Material to Farmers’ on Wednesday 15^th February, 2017 at the Sugarcane Feeds Centre, Longdenville, Chaguanas.  Sharing the context for the hosting of this Workshop, Senator Rambharat said ‘I asked for the best and the brightest minds in the industry to come together to solve this issue [and] develop a protocol or a plan so that we can assist the farmers in food production since this is the business that we are in.  We must provide the farmers with the materials that they need!’

‘Agriculture is a business and must be treated as such’ said Dr. Alleyne, a visiting Agronomist from the United States of America (USA).  Dr. Alleyne, a former Ministry of Agriculture employee, brought an international perspective on the issues of technology, germplasm conservation, retrofitting nurseries, developing human capacity, research and bio-security.  He noted particularly that ‘agriculture significantly contributes to economic and social stability, rural welfare, and environmental sustainability’.

Senator Avinash Singh, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries shared that he was pleased to be part of the day’s Session and‘congratulated the Honourable Minister for his vision for calling on the key players and technical staff to collaborate in hosting an event of this nature’; saying that‘the outcomes of this Workshop have the potential to impact positively not only on the country but the entire Region.  Let us see this Workshop through and let it bear fruit’.

‘How can we put the systems in place in Trinidad and Tobago to improve the supply of seeds and plants?’ asked Greg Rawlins, Representative, Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).  While, the Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Mr. Barton Clarke stated that ‘this issue of planting material is critical for us to be addressing at this time if we expect to meet the challenges of food security’.  ‘We need to recognize the role of farmers and their rights’ he further shared; reminding the audience that sharing of planting material is what accounts for the Region enjoying produce such as breadfruit and citrus.

Presentations were delivered by Ms. Albada Bekham, Director – Agricultural Services Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries; Dr. Annika Minott, Scientist, CARDI; Ms. Deanne Ramroop, Deputy Director – Research (Crops), Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries; Dr. Kurt Manrique, International Specialist in Agricultural Innovation, IICA; Dr. John Alleyne, Agronomist; Mr. Felix Clarke, Citrus Farmer; Ms. Kay Parkinson, Technical Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries; Dr. Laura Roberts-Nkrumah, Senior Lecturer, UWI; Mr. Selwyn Brown, Research, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries; and Mr. Ramdeo Boondoo, President, Roots and Tubers Producers Association.

Topics covered included Capacity to meet Farming Needs of Citrus, Avocado, Breadfruit and Coconuts; Results of Planting Materials Survey; Regulatory Requirements; IICA Experience with the Movement of Germplasm – Case Studies in Coconut; Improving Germplasm Reservoirs and Planting Material Production Systems; Capacity to supply planting material – status on citrus (key issues, industry perspective), status on breadfruit (key issues, potential varieties for multiplication in Trinidad and Tobago), status on coconut (key issues, production of planting material – regional perspective), status on avocado (key issues); Root Crops Planting Material.  The Session closed with the development of an Action Plan for Increased Capacity to Provide Planting Material to Farmers.

This Workshop was hosted in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI); and focused on strategies for supplying planting material for coconuts, citrus, breadfruit and avocado with the intention that the approaches adopted for these commodities can be applied to other commodities in Trinidad and Tobago.

In attendance were Mr. Claudelle Mc Kellar, Deputy Permanent Secretary; Ms. Patricia Maharaj, Chief Technical Officer; among others.

Produce displays by the Agricultural Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries.

For further information please contact:

The Communications and Events Unit

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

868-622-1221

February 16, 2017: Minister of Works and Transport, Senator the Honourable Rohan Sinanan gave remarks at the opening of the Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines, on Tuesday February 14, 2017. Sinanan attended the opening on behalf of the Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, MP.

In his remarks, the Honourable Minister acknowledged that Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have enjoyed a history of close fraternal relations, whose ties have continued to develop over the years. In addition, mutual interests and opportunities for bilateral cooperation in areas such as capacity-building, culture, education, health, security and trade continue to be as strong today as they have always been.

Minister reaffirmed that Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have coordinated positions on several issues at international fora like the United Nations and Commonwealth, and continue to work closely with CARICOM. Minister reminded those in attendance; “As developing countries, we are mindful that robust and concerted efforts are required if our voices are to be heard on the international stage”.

Sinanan stated Trinidad and Tobago lent financial support to the construction of the Argyle International Airport in 2008, as it recognized the potential of the Argyle International Airport to transform the Vincentian economy, boost its tourism industry, and promote economic diversification.

In closing, Minister Sinanan expressed that the ceremony could not be more opportune, and looked forward to the Argyle International Airport playing an important role in facilitating the strengthening of bonds of friendship and cooperation between our respective peoples and countries. 

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For further information please contact:

The Corporate Communications Unit

Ministry of Works and Transport

868-625-1225 ext 10811/10813

February 16, 2017: Georgetown, Guyana - Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley met on Wednesday 15th February, 2017 with His Excellency Brigadier David A. Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and members of the Guyanese Cabinet at State House, Main Street, Georgetown, Guyana. Prime Minister Rowley was accompanied by Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Senator the Honourable Dennis Moses and Press Secretary Ms. Arlene Gorin-George.

President Granger's team included the Hon. Carl B. Greenidge, 2nd Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Raphael G.C. Trotman, Minister of Natural Resources and the Hon. Noel Leroy Holder, Minister of Agriculture. Talks focused on strengthening the relationship between the two countries and the exploration of mutually beneficial development opportunities.

The leaders identified a number of areas where agreements between the two countries existed, but were expired or not fully operationalized. These included the renewal and furtherance of an expired Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2013 for cooperation in energy and energy-related matters; full recognition of Caribbean Airlines as Guyana's national air carrier, as well as initiatives in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors with a view to attaining food security.

It was further agreed that, in an effort to ensure agreements between the two countries are effectively implemented, a high-level joint committee is to be resuscitated. The first meeting of the committee is expected to be held by March 30th 2017 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The committee will be expected to meet at least twice per year, alternately in each country, with the provision that either party could request additional meetings as deemed necessary.

Following the meeting, Prime Minister Rowley and his team were hosted to lunch by President Granger.

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For further information please contact:

The Corporate Communications Unit

Office of the Prime Minister

868-622-1625 ext 3020

February 16, 2017: In addressing a room filled with avid horse racing stakeholders at the Arima Race Club Jetsam Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 15 February, 2017, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry congratulated the winners in the various categories and acknowledged the valuable contribution the industry continues to make to the economic landscape of Trinidad and Tobago.

She told the audience that the Government is cognizant of the challenges which the industry is encountering and is committed to the enactment of the Gambling (Gaming and Betting Control) Bill which will ensure that there is a modern legal and regulatory framework for gaming, gambling and betting.  She underscored, however, that there is much more to be done by stakeholders.

Senator Gopee-Scoon indicated that ‘the current economic climate constricts the Government’s ability to make cash injections.  The development in the industry however needs more than direct financial support. It is well noted on any balance sheet, that the industry is healthy, owning valuable property.  Those who love the sport and are committed enough are added to those who hold responsibility, meaning the Boards of the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Associaton and Betty Levy Board must take horse racing seriously if the industry is to be sustained and grow.  I am trusting that the racing fraternity will not relinquish the objective of developing Trinidad and Tobago as the horse racing centre of the Caribbean but what certainly must not go unnoticed, are the proposed plans, which are already in the public domain, for further development within other parts of the region’. 

Senator Gopee-Scoon affirmed that the Ministry of Trade and Industry stands ready to support the industry’s efforts and called on stakeholders to place greater effort in advancing the sport of horse racing.      

Mr. Linford Carrabon, President, Arima Race Club noted that the presence of stakeholders at the Awards Ceremony indicates their passion and commitment to the development of the sport. He said ‘like the national economy, horseracing is also facing some challenging times and what we do in 2017 will determine the future of racing. The changes we make this year will be necessary if we want the sport to continue and remain alive’.

The Jetsam Awards are named after the famous creole racehorse and sire of the 1940s. It is reputed by many to be the greatest creole horse ever bred in Trinidad and Tobago.

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For further information please contact:

The Corporate Communications Unit

Ministry of Trade and Industry

868-623-8480

February 16, 2017:

The Honourable Stuart Young, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, hosted the Post Cabinet Press Briefing today (Thursday 16th February, 2017) at the Diplomatic Centre, St. Ann’s, Port of Spain.

During the briefing the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Health announced that Cabinet has approved funding for two important health initiatives:

February 17, 2017: Regional security, tourism and the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) are some of the key issues on the agenda at the 28th Inter-Sessional meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which began on February 16 in Georgetown, Guyana.

Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Keith Rowley heads the Trinidad and Tobago delegation in Guyana for the two-day meeting. During the opening session Secretary General, Caribbean Community, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque identified several issues which require the leaders’ attention.

These include economic development, crime and security and international relations. LaRocque indicated that the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas outlines the requirements for the establishment of the CSME. He stressed that the CSME is the best vehicle to promote overall economic growth and development throughout the region. He pointed out that while some progress has been made towards CSME, there was still more work to be done in that area.

Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government, Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica and Chair of Conference of Heads of Government and His Excellency Brigadier (Ret’d) David A. Granger, President of Republic of Guyana also gave brief remarks at the opening session.

Also on the agenda for discussion is the ratification of decisions from the 37th Regular Meeting Conference (July 2016, Guyana), Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT) and other regional matters.

Prime Minister Rowley and his delegation will return to Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday morning following the close of the conference on Friday (February 17) evening.

Minister of Finance the Honourable Colm Imbert is acting as Prime Minister until Dr. Rowley's return.

-END-

For further information please contact:

The Public Information and Communications Unit

Office of the Prime Minister

868-622-1625 Ext. 4045

February 17, 2017: The Ministry of Works and Transport wishes to advise the general public that due to a depression in the middle lane before the lighthouse, westbound into Port of Spain, there is a backup of traffic in this area.

Motorists are advised to use alternative routes into Port of Spain.

The Ministry has contacted the relevant authorities to assist in returning the lane to its normal operation in the shortest amount of time.

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For further information please contact:

The Corporate Communications Unit

Ministry of Works and Transport

868-625-1225 Ext. 10815

February 16, 2017: The Water and Sewerage Authority (the Authority) wishes to assure its customers and the general public that the water it produces meets and exceeds guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for potable or drinking water quality.

This assurance comes following statements reportedly made during the sitting of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Enterprises Committee on Wednesday 15^th February 2017, which raised issues of alleged lead contamination at the Caroni Water Treatment Plant in particular.

The Authority wishes to underscore that there are several mechanisms in place to ensure that water produced and distributed from the Caroni Water Treatment Plant is potable and meets WHO standards including:

• A rigorous treatment process. Lead is a heavy metal contaminant which is easily removed from water during WASA’s coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation processes.  In addition, there is disinfection to eliminate dangerous pathogens.
• Regular water quality testing at the Plant’s onsite laboratory in keeping with WHO Guidelines.
• Water Quality Monitoring System (WQMS) to monitor water quality parameters in the Caroni River Basin and provide real-time water quality data to the Plant from several locations upstream of the Caroni Plant.  This system measures six (6) water quality parameters which are key indicators of different types of pollution that can impact the Plant’s output.

Over the past few years, the Water Resources Agency (WRA), SWMCOL and UWI have been working together to improve the water quality in the Guanapo River, by reducing the volume of leachate from the Guanapo landfill entering the River, through measures such as:

-          The terracing of the landfill

-          The construction of three ponds within the landfill to control runoff

-          Pumping of the ponds and the removal of the leachate

-          Construction of an artificial wetland to assist with bio treatment of the leachate.

The Authority is aware of the challenges posed by various issues such as the Guanapo landfill, quarrying as well as agricultural and other runoff upstream of some of our surface water treatment facilities. In this regard, WASA continues to engage in dialogue with various stakeholders including SWMCOL, Environmental Management Authority (EMA), Quarries Association and others to come up with sustainable solutions to many of the problems that impact on raw water quality in various watersheds.

The Authority wishes to reiterate that the water supply from the Caroni and other Water Treatment Plants meet the WHO Guidelines for drinking water quality and is therefore safe to drink.

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For further information please contact:

The Corporate Communications Unit

Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago

868-662-2301/7

February 18, 2017: Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, and other regional leaders have approved a draft roadmap for the region’s single Information and Communications Technology (ICT) space. The decision was made on Friday February 17 at the second and final day of the 28th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, in Georgetown, Guyana.

This single ICT space will allow for harmonised policies, legislation, regulations and technical standards; create affordable networks and universal access; positively affect roaming rates across the region; and address spectrum and broadband matters. This was identified as critical to accelerating the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and will be a driving force for social and economic development in the region.

While its implementation will not happen overnight this initiative will be of tremendous benefit to Caribbean consumers and businesses. At Friday's meeting, heads of Government also pledged their support for the establishment of an Interim Tourism Working Group comprising members of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC).

This group will prepare a pilot, region-wide public relations and marketing initiative and include mechanisms for financing by the public and private sector. CARICOM heads also received an update from the President of Guyana, His Excellency Brigadier (Ret’d) David A. Granger, on the ongoing border dispute between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. President Granger acknowledged the efforts of former United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, for his work in finding a way forward under the Geneva Agreement. CARICOM leaders also expressed support for the critical role of the Organization of American States (OAS) in resolving the dispute arising from Guatemala’s claims on Belize.

They further called on the international community to continue supporting the OAS in this matter. Finally, the Honourable Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados, assured leaders that preparations were well underway for the 13th edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA), which will be hosted in Barbados from 17th – 27th August 2017. It was also agreed that Trinidad and Tobago will host CARIFESTA 2019.

Several other relevant issues were dealt with by the leaders in caucus and will be discussed at tomorrow's media conference at the Diplomatic Lounge, Piarco International Airport which will be hosted by Prime Minister Rowley from 10:30 am.

-END-

For further information please contact:

The Communications Unit

Office of the Prime Minister

868-622-1625 Ext. 4045