For just over seven months, the Eagle Eye project has been working to help deter and detect crime, and stakeholders are focusing on expanding the network nationally.
Although based primarily in North East and Eastern Trinidad, the joint project between the Greater Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GTCIC), the Tunapuna Police Station Community Council (TPSCC) and the police service has a network of some 400 cameras which feeds directly to the police command centre.
President of the TPSCC and director of the GTCIC Neil Boodoosingh said the project focuses on putting cameras in locations not typically covered by the national security services' network.
These, he said, are placed at businesses and in communities. The monthly cost for businesses is $199 for two cameras and for residential customers, $99 for one camera. He said it also comes with signage, which has been working as a deterrent for criminal elements.
With its heaviest concentration of cameras in Tunapuna, Boodoosingh said reports from police indicate a significant increase in crime detection and deterrence there since the project was launched in February.
"That speaks for itself."
Giving an example of the effectiveness of the system, which is not used for financial gain, TTPS liaison for the project Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Richard Smith said police were recently able to use it to identify a body.
"We found a body in the Arouca district and we found a receipt in the pocket of the deceased person. We were able to track back where the person went and purchased some stuff and get the footage. We got a still shot from it and we were able to place it on Beyond the Tape and other social media platforms and we found the relatives.
"That is just some of the successes. We also have it for robberies, larcenies and all these things. Even with vehicles that might be passing on the roadways that might be stolen. We have ways of identifying these vehicles as well and even tracking where they came from."
Boodoosingh believes one of the project's biggest advantages is that those who sign up help monitor the network, which allows for almost immediate reporting of faulty cameras.
"If they wake up in the morning and on their smartphone they not seeing the camera working, they can now highlight it to us and we'd have it back up and running in 48 hours.
"The government system, because it is almost impossible for somebody to look at all the cameras at the same time, it's only when they go to use the camera when an incident happens, then they realise it not working."
The latest entity to sign on is the Owner Dealers' Association. President-elect of the group, which represents the interests of gas station owners and the property they are built on, Reval Chattergoon told Newsday the group signed on to the project as crime poses a serious threat to their businesses. 
He said the association signed on as a proactive approach to combat the scourge. Gas stations have also fallen victim to criminal elements. Earlier in September police killed a bandit in a shootout after he robbed a 24-hour gas station in Charlieville.
"It's like almost having a police officer in your station all the time, 24 hours. The larger perspective is that should any crime occur in your street or community, it could give the TTPS an advantage to log on to see."
ODA was formed in August and currently represents 18 of 57 owner dealers in the country.
Chattergoon said seven dealers are expected to instal Eagle Eye cameras in the coming week and two gas stations, which don't qualify to be members, are also interested in it.
With gas stations often operating 24/7, Boodoosingh said having the association on board will bolster the project's strength.
"It is an asset to the Eagle Eye Project and a great encouragement when you have these associations coming onboard."
ACP Smith described gas stations as "watering holes" which would be crucial in tracking criminals through the network.
"You hunting in the forest, where is the most common place animals will stop? To drink water.
"If you use that analogy to vehicles, vehicles must go in gas stations, so it's a good area where we could have these cameras placed so we can capture vehicles."
Boodoosingh and Smith also encouraged people to come on board to help build a more robust security network.
"We look forward to what is happening in Tunapuna to take place throughout the country," Boodoosingh said.
"Eagle Eye has been working in Tunapuna. We have been getting the element out of Tunapuna. The problem is, Tunapuna has now become a hard-target city and the element is going to go into the more vulnerable areas and we intend to make every area in this country a hard target."
He said negotiations are ongoing with the Couva and Chaguanas chambers of commerce, East Gates Mall and Republic Bank Ltd. Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce head Kiran Singh told Newsday he met with the Southern Division's senior superintendent last week to discuss introducing the project among its members.
TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Kiran Maharaj said the chamber supports any initiative that would positively affect the reduction of crime, improve detection rates and result in convictions given the spiralling crime rate. While she said the chamber believes it's a good initiative, it is also critical that action is taken to take the perpetrators into custody and subject them to the law.
Boodoosingh said he hoped the government could also invest in the project. He said for $1 million a month, 5,000 cameras can be installed across the country and, unlike those under the Ministry of National Security, they would be monitored and maintained. (Source: Newsday, Sept 15, 2024)

by RIHANNA MCKENZIE
Soca stars and producers from Japan and Trinidad and Tobago have come together for an anthem celebrating the countries’ 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
The song is a collaborative effort between the Japan-TT Friendship 60th Anniversary Executive Committee (JT60) and the Embassy of Japan in TT.
Japanese soca singer Angella Giustini (Ann G) and TT soca star Lyrikal (Devonn Martin) are featured on the song, called Oideyo (The Island), which is produced by Ryan Alexander (DJ Private Ryan) and Keshav Chandradath Singh.
The song, which was released on August 30, will be the theme for the 60th-anniversary celebration and will be featured during a Japanese cultural event scheduled for September 20-23, at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, Port of Spain, a release said. It also said the song will be used to promote travel to TT and the wider Caribbean.
“Oideyo is the Japanese word for ‘come to’ or ‘come over.’ So we are saying to the people of Japan, come over and experience TT, meet its people, taste the food and share in the culture,” said Ann G.
Ann G has been visiting and performing at TT Carnival for ten years and has participated in the International Soca Monarch competition, placing in the semifinal and final rounds.
In the statement, Ann G said, “I always tell anyone that will listen in Japan that you must go and experience Trinidad Carnival at least once in your lifetime. It’s unlike anything they have seen before. Yes, we have Trinidad Carnival culture growing in Japan, but nothing beats having the original as a reference point.”
Speaking to Newsday about the song, she also said music breaks down barriers. “Being part of Carnival has shown me that soca music isn't just a genre. It's a way of life that…unites people from all over the world.”
Ann G revealed Lyrikal will not attend the Japan Soca Weekend (JSW) in Tokyo in September, but said, “Even though he can't be here, I can't wait to bring the energy of our collaboration to the stage.”
JSW is a five-day event in Tokyo at which patrons enjoy a range of events, including tours of the city and anime-themed soca parties that all end in Japan Caribbean Carnival (JCC) – a TT Carnival-style parade of the bands. 
Ann G said working with DJ Private Ryan and Lyrikal was a memorable experience.
“Lyrikal is a phenomenal artist and working with him has been incredible. It was amazing to see how (he) brings energy and creativity to the process. I’m excited to see where this song will take us and how it will help spread the love and joy of soca music to the world.”
Keshav also responded to Newsday via e-mail about the collaboration. The producer/songwriter said the song blends traditional instruments from Japan and TT, including the shakuhachi flute, koto harp (or zither), the
shamisen (a plucked stringed instrument) and
taiko drums from Japan alongside traditional TT rhythm-section instruments.
“It’s essential to use the traditional instruments of any culture when you create a communicative and collaborative piece of music. Those sounds are the calling cards of the nations they represent.”
He said, in addition to traditional instruments, the song also incorporates elements of Noh, a form of Japanese folk music.
“Of course, when we’re talking soca, we have iron, steelpan, brass, rhythm section and our inevitable sense of lavway, or call-and-response. (Using this) foundational approach…we can then bring the whole thing into the now and into the future."
Ann G added the merger of sounds was their way of paying homage to the musical roots of both cultures as well as to push the boundaries of what soca could be. 
Keshav said, “Working within new markets takes you out of the comfort zone of your pond, but to cross these oceans the brave work of immersion must take place. This happens through food, language, liming and observation. This is what I’m currently doing in Japan for just under a month.”
Keshav also talked about his personal connection to Japan through his father, Chandradath Singh, who served as TT's ambassador to Japan from 2011-2014. As a result, he said, he feels strongly about bringing the two cultures together.
“Steelpan and calypso have long been familiar art forms in Japan, but it is soca’s time now. For the last couple of years, I’ve been really happy to work with Japanese artists and my friend DJ Daiky (Daiki Shimozato), who I’ve co-produced a few records with. The goal with that material is to bring some tangibility to the already-existing exchange between our two cultures.
“I have noticed that soca, made with the right references, can have an impact on Japanese pop culture and we’re working on that bit by bit. I have also observed, within event spaces, there is a demand for our style of Carnival culture, which brings both a contrast and a familiarity to the already-popular Jamaican reggae scene. Japan Caribbean Carnival (in Tokyo Prefecture), the Japanese steelpan community and our presence in the traditional Yosakoi festival (in Kochi Prefecture) allow us to put contemporary roots down in Japan. The exchange is more visceral than ever before, so making records with both Japanese and Trinidadian artists makes sense for the expansion of soca globally.”
Keshav is currently touring in Japan ahead of the JCC at the end of September.
“I did the Soca Magic Riddim with DJ Daiky last year, which featured Japanese artists Mickey Rich, Ann G and Ayakohime. We also did a Jus Now collaboration with Daiky called Inna Circle.”
Singh is best known as half of the production and percussion duo Jus Now and has contributed to hits like Bunji Garlin’s Big Bad Soca and Machel Montano’s Junction.
Keshav said he met Ann G years ago in Trinidad and they have been in the studio a few times, but have not had the opportunity to put out music together until now. He said he has also been working in the Japanese advertising and corporate sectors alongside DJ Daiky for the past three years.
“My father…was in the foreign service for over 45 years and during his posting to Beijing, China, he was also accredited as the Ambassador to Japan. He even met and presented his credentials to Emperor Akihito, to officiate his role as overseer of all Japan-TT business and exchange. The picture of that meeting is amazing,” he said proudly. He added that having a father working in the foreign service allowed him a unique opportunity to be exposed to music from all over the world.
“My father is an incredible musician and my years growing up as the son of a diplomat allowed me to jam with musicians from literally everywhere from a very young age.”
In the release, Private Ryan said he worked remotely with Ann G and Lyrikal on the song.
“It was amazing working with this team. Bridging the gap in cultures is important to me as we seek to diversify soca and its impact worldwide. This is only the beginning.”
In the release, Lyrikal said the song is an opportunity to promote TT culture and elevate soca music.
“When I engage in these types of collaborations, it’s always about more than just me. I think about how many more people we can reach and introduce to our unique culture and sound.”
The JT60 committee and the Government of Japan have declared 2024 the Japan-Caricom Friendship Year. The statement said since establishing diplomatic relations in 1964, Japan and TT have collaborated in many economic and social endeavours, including education, culture and business.
“Co-operation has also extended to the multilateral sphere within an international framework, including the UN system, to address common issues such as disaster prevention, climate change, the environment and sanitation,” it said.
In May 2023, former Japanese minister of foreign affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa visited TT and met with Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne. At the meeting, the two countries agreed to expand and deepen their relationship with each other and the wider Caricom region. (Source: Newsday, September 8, 2024)

GARY PETERS, acting Deputy Auditor General, swore the oath of office to act as auditor general before acting President Nigel de Freitas in a ceremony at the Office of the President on August 12.
The position has been held by Jaiwantie Ramdass.
A statement from the Office of the President said, "After graduating from Mc Gill University in Montreal, Mr Peters began in 1991 what was to be 33 years’ experience in the public sector.
"After five years as a labour relations officer in the Ministry of Labour, he joined the Auditor General’s Department and by 2013 had worked his way up to be Assistant Auditor General, a position he still holds.
"His Excellency congratulated Mr Peters and wished him every success in the new position," the statement concluded.
Newsday contacted former attorney general Anand Ramlogan to ask the whereabouts of his client, Ramdass.
He replied, "She is fine. She went on vacation. That's all."
Ramdass has been at loggerheads with Finance Minister Colm Imbert for refusing to accept further documents submitted late by the ministry for her audit of the 2023 Public Accounts.
The Government had asked her to consider its inadvertent $2.6 billion omission from the accounts, and got Parliament to grant her a time extension to submit the corrected accounts and her report on them.
Imbert initiated an investigation under retired Justice David Harris into the imbroglio, although critics fear it risked the Government's intruding on the independence of the constitutionally-protected office of Auditor General. (Source: Newsday, August 12, 2024)

Happy 83rd Birthday to our legendary Masman, Peter Minshall!
Peter Minshall was born on July 16th 1941 in Georgetown, Guyana and his family migrated to Trinidad & Tobago in the late-1940s. He grew up in Port of Spain, where he was exposed to Carnival from a young age. He attended Queen's Royal College before leaving to study Theatre Design at the Central School of Art and Design in London.
After graduating, he worked in costume design and mas. He became part of the multi-ethnic West Indian Theatre, as well as Notting Hill Carnival, where he was one of the first persons to design costumes.
When he returned to Trinidad and Tobago in 1974, he brought these experiences with him to create the “From The Land of the Hummingbird” costume for his sister Sherry-Ann Guy (Coelho). This costume showcased one of his earliest innovations: the articulated bird wing.
In 1976, he designed his first full Carnival band “Paradise Lost” which won that year’s Band of the Year title. In 1978, he produced “Zodiac”, followed by 1979’s “Carnival of the Sea,” which won Band of the Year in all categories.
His monochromatic “Danse Macabre” (1980) and “Tan Tan and Saga Boy” (1990) showcased his creativity in movement, with the two towering, 15-foot dancing mobiles of Tan Tan and Saga Boy being moved by just two individual performers.
Minshall appreciated the value of mas as a form of creative expression, and his Carnival creations and trademark dancing mobiles garnered international acclaim. He was invited to design and direct segments of the Summer Olympics in Spain in 1992 and in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996, followed by the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002. He also presented his artwork at international art exhibitions throughout Europe and the United Kingdom.
In 1982, Minshall was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Trinity Cross in 1996 for Art and Culture, and T&T’s first Emmy Award for his segment in the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
This photo showing Peter Minshall is courtesy of the Trinidad Express Newspaper, Nov 12th 1996. This newspaper is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Newspaper Collection.
References: Bastien, Elliot, and Sandra Bernard-Bastien. World Class Trinidad & Tobago: an Area of Abundance: Profiles of Performance. Sekani Publications, 2006.
Pacifique-Marshall, Virginia, et al. The Carnival Suite: a Collection of Traditional Carnival Characters of Trinidad and Tobago. StarApple, 2014. (National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago, July 16, 2024)

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Trinidad and Tobago mourns the loss of calypsonian Wilfred “Young Creole” Barker, who passed away on July 22 at age 87.
Young Creole, celebrated for his humorous calypsoes and dynamic stage presence, is known for hits like “Doh Jealous Them” and “Shave Me Barber Man,” and his dramatic rendition of the Mighty Sparrow's "Slave"
His contributions were recently honored by the National Action Cultural Committee. \(Source:  IEnt Live, July 24, 2024)

​Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has announced that children from hurricane-ravaged regions in Grenada, and St Vincent and the Grenadines will be allowed to enter T&T and seek refuge with their families.
The decision was made yesterday in reaction to the pressing need to help and support the hundreds of individuals in the wake of Hurricane Beryl’s devastation and deaths on the islands. Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines faced significant devastation.
“Given the level of total devastation experienced on these islands, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, acknowledging the deep familial ties between these islands and Trinidad and Tobago, has offered to allow school-age children from the devastated zones to be allowed into Trinidad and Tobago if they have family here who may wish to house them during the school holiday period that is upon us at this time,” the PM said.
Back in 2017, Dr Rowley offered accommodation to Dominicans who were left homeless following the passage of Hurricane Maria. At the time, the usual immigration requirements necessary for entry into the country were waived.
(Source: The Guardian, July 3,2024)

The Ministry of Energy confirmed in a June 13 release that a fresh hydrocarbon discharge had been discovered coming from the overturned vessel off the coast of Cove, Tobago.
On February 7, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) received a report that a ship about 150-200 metres south of Cove had capsized and was spewing a thick, oil-like substance which was washing up on the nearby coast.
Investigators later identified the vessel as Gulfstream, a vessel that had been towed by a tugboat called the Solo Creed.
Earlier on June 13 the Office of the Chief Secretary (OCS) of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) said a large amount of fuel was found to be coming from the boat.
A media release from the OCS said Chief Secretary Farley Augustine held an emergency meeting with stakeholders to discuss the latest spill.
In that release the OCS said it believed wave swells and high tides may have disturbed the vessel, resulting in more oil being discharged.
Thursday's Energy Ministry release said the substance might be dissipating because of the sun and the waves.
Technical staff at the ministry, along with TT Salvage, a local salvage and marine firefighting service provider and QT Environmental Inc, a global oil spill response consulting company, were said to be ready to deploy contingency measures should the discharge get worse.
“These contingency measures include the use of the NOFI current-buster technology at the affected area offshore,” the release said.
It said work on removing the hydrocarbons from the vessel is continuing, with about 30,617 barrels of hydrocarbons being removed to date.
At a press conference in May, Energy Minister Stuart Young said the clean-up had cost about US$12 million up to that time, but estimated the entire exercise could cost US$30 million. (Source: Newsday, June 14, 2024)

He gave the world what some might term the quintessential rum song: Drunk and Disorderly.
But now a brand of rum will actually bear his name.
The Mighty Sparrow: Aged Rum with Spices was introduced on his Facebook page on May 14. However, the Mighty Sparrow is not the one behind the rums, although they bear his name.
US singer/songwriter Lane Steinberg and US producer, director and screenwriter Lenard Dorfman are the rum’s founders.
Four images of bottles were posted and visitors to his page were asked to give their opinions on the bottles and labels. Sparrow reposted them on May 19 asking for more responses.
The product’s website was launched on June 8. The producers said were looking for partners to bring the product to market and all the details were available on the website. The rum falls under The Mighty Sparrow Company, headquartered at 10 Center Street, Irvington, New York.
In a brief phone interview on Wednesday, Sparrow confirmed he had granted permission for his name to be used for the brand.
“I thought it was something good and I am waiting on my contract,” he said.
Sparrow said he was approached three years ago with the idea.
The calypsonian was baptised at the Linden Seventh Day Adventist Church in New York in 2022.
Asked if the rum bearing his name was in conflict with his religious beliefs, Sparrow said, “As long as we have to go along those lines, we have to remember, moderation is the name. It is the key, and not because somebody is sponsoring something that they have to find themselves completely out of it.
“Whatever you are doing, you have to do things moderately.”
Sparrow said he was not deeply involved, and wished the founders success.
The website describes the rums as being “blended with rare TT rums that have been aged in ex-bourbon, American Oak casks. Of this blend, 51 per cent is aged for ten years, and one per cent is aged for 15 years. This age profile is unique and unprecedented for the category.”
It said most spiced rums use an “unaged, neutral base spirit” and added flavourings to mask “harsh-tasting inferior-quality spirit.” However, this rum’s producers were taking a different approach: it was blended at 80 proof, and was complex, deeply rich and with a “velvety, smooth finish.”
The “ultra-premium blend” was then infused with a big, bold taste, it said.
The history of the rum is told on the site: it said Steinberg discovered that Sparrow – his childhood idol – lived nearby. He picked up his guitar and knocked on Sparrow’s door in the hope they could sing together.
“Before long a friendship developed that evolved into a musical partnership. Together, along with Sparrow’s band they performed to enthralled fans throughout the world, until covid19 struck and put an end to the sold-out performances.”
Steinberg was a senior sales executive at an alcohol spirits distribution company and would often share industry tales with his childhood buddy Dorfman.
“Since their formative days spent in the south Florida sunshine, Dorfman went on to be an acclaimed internationally recognised commercial director and marketer,” the website said.
It added that late one night during the pandemic, Sparrow, Steinberg and Dorfman were talking about their mutual love for aged rum and how “there is not a delicious-tasting premium spiced rum on the market.”
Sparrow agreed and shared memories of “big, bold, delicious-tasting, high-quality, aged rums he tasted travelling through the most exclusive Caribbean hotspots.
“Following in the footsteps of the King of Calypso, we created the ultra-Premium, Mighty Sparrow Aged Rum with Spices,” it said.
Other celebrities involved in the spirits industry include Machel Montano, US singer Ciara and French rapper and producer Joey Starr.
Newsday contacted the founders for more details on the brand and company and Dorfman said they would be interested in an interview next week.
​ (Source:  Newsday, June 12, 2024)