Memories of calypsonian Kenny J (Kenwrick Joseph) and grief flooded social media following his death.
Kenny J spent what was one of his favourite times of the year, Christmas, at the Augustus Long Hospital, Pointe-a-Pierre, fighting for his life.
After a two-week battle with Covid-19, which saw him being treated in the intensive care unit, Kenny J succumbed to the dreaded virus that has claimed close to 3,000 lives in Trinidad and Tobago.
His daughter, Jesselle Joseph, yesterday confirmed that her father was fully vaccinated. He was 69 years old.
Kenny J was featured recently in a public service announcement video series spearheaded by promoter Randy Glasgow and produced by the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB).
The series comprised short video clips in which artistes and other popular personalities encouraged members of the general public to get vaccinated.
Playing his guitar, Kenny J sang, “Doh hesitate, just vaccinate. Yuh want to go in the mall, yuh want tings get back normal. Yuh want to see Kenny sing…”
Prior to falling ill, Kenny J performed at several Christmas events, including a WACK FM Christmas special and the Parang with Rome concert, where he reminded audiences to get vaccinated and to always be careful.
Honey-dipped voice
A retired police officer, Kenny J won the National Police Services Calypso Monarch title in 1987. From there he began to perform professionally and in 1990 he placed second in the National Calypso Monarch final having sung, “Addicted To Sweet Soca” and “Leave She Alone”.
Kenny J possessed a honey-dipped voice just like Baron and Sugar Aloes, which made him a hit with both men and women.
His quiet manner and infectious smile endeared him to his fellow calypsonians who considered him the consummate gentleman.
Kenny J tried his hand at soca parang in 1993, releasing “The Paint Brush,” a well-crafted double entendre that became an instant hit.
The song became synonymous with Kenny J and the Christmas season, through the years becoming an evergreen classic. He would enjoy the same level of success with two other soca parang releases during the 1990s, “Alexander” and “Hush Yuh Mout,” which guaranteed Kenny J work during the Christmas season for over two decades.
True cultural icon
Kenny J died one day after the calypso fraternity lost Clifton Ryan, the Mighty Bomber, who was 93.\
Speaking briefly with the Express yesterday, president of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association Insp Gideon Dickson extended his condolences to the family of the former policeman.
“We were deeply saddened upon hearing the news today. We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and retired colleagues of Mr Kenny J.
His legacy will certainly live on in his music. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Dickson said.
Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell paid tribute to both men in a social media post: “My deepest condolences to the families of Mighty Bomber and Kenny J.
Thank you for the contribution you made to enhancing our music and for taking Trinidad and Tobago internationally. May you both rest in peace. Folded hands.”
And National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman and calypsonian Winston “Gypsy” Peters, in a Facebook post yesterday, extended “condolences to the family of Kenwrick ‘Kenny J’ Joseph, the fraternity will surely miss you. Rest In Peace!”
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar extended condolences, stating: “Rest in Peace to a true cultural icon Kenny J. Condolences to all his loved ones during this time of mourning.” (Source: Trinidad Express, Jan 2, 2022)

After its closure to the public almost two years ago, the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) plans to reopen its doors in 2022 with a new partner, HADCO Limited.
An official statement issued by Professor Judith Gobin, Chair of the AWNC Board, notes that the Centre’s successfully separated its conservation operations from the ecolodge, paving the way for a new era at Asa Wright
“In September, the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) invited proposals for the operation of the ecolodge at its internationally renowned Spring Hill Estate. The separation of the operation of the ecolodge business will allow the Centre to refocus on its core mission of conservation, education and scientific research,” the release explained.


“In response to the call for proposals, the Centre received a number of proposals from various corporate entities. After a rigorous evaluation and approval process, the Chair on behalf of the Trustees of the Board of the AWNC and the members of the Board are pleased to announce that HADCO Limited emerged as the successful proposer,” it added.
HADCO Limited started in 1992 and “HADCO” has since become a household name in Trinidad and Tobago. While the HADCO Group of Companies is well known for its food and beverage services, within the last five years the group has diversified its business to include two recycling companies. The HADCO Group is now seeking to diversify its business even further, into the ecotourism market.
“The ecolodge at the Asa Wright Nature Centre will be the flagship property of its ecotourism business. AWNC and HADCO will collaborate to transform the operations of the ecolodge at Spring Hill Estate to attain international green certification in sustainable operations,” the statement from the Board revealed.


It added: “Over the next few weeks, the Centre and HADCO will engage in negotiations on the terms of its concession for the operation of the ecolodge. The Centre and HADCO look forward to welcoming our old and new friends and supporters to the Asa Wright Nature Centre and the Ecolodge at Spring Hill Estate in 2022.”
In addition, while the doors of the Centre were closed, it continued its’ conservation work, and the Board believes this important legacy will be preserved for future generations in light of the new partnership.
“The proposed partnership is one step on the path to creating an immersive experience where present and future generations can learn and understand the value of our natural landscape, flora and fauna, The Centre looks forward to sharing some of its ongoing projects and work through its social media platforms in the near future.” (
Source: CNC3  Dec 20, 2021)

Ajamu Crosby has made a habit out of solving problems.
Whether in the classroom or out, the 23-year-old university graduate and Beetham resident believes that hard work and the right attitude are the solutions to any difficulty and is determined to help others realise their potential.
Crosby made headlines in 2017 when he won an additional scholarship in the natural science category after earning top marks in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).
Speaking with Sunday Newsday at his 17th D Street, Beetham Gardens, home on Tuesday, Crosby, spoke about his journey through secondary school, the importance of good role-models and his hope for his community. 
Crosby graduated from The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, last year with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering.
While he admits there are few scholarship winners from Beetham Gardens, he isn’t a stereotype and hoped the national community could one day see Beetham residents as a community like any other.
In the gallery of his family’s home the importance of education is noticeable with a bookshelf stacked with textbooks – past exam papers occupying half the space – and a white board on the wall.
Crosby attended primary and secondary school in Tunapuna at the request of his mother who wanted him to be close to where she worked at the time.
After scoring high marks in CSEC, he went on to attend Hillview College for CAPE, where he was exposed to different cultures and experiences.
“There was a lot of competition because the students were brilliant so that was one of the reasons why I went to Hillview for form six.
“What was interesting attending Hillview was the cultural differences. Being introduced to a lot of the Hindu and Muslim religious customs from the other students, I felt I got a more diverse sense of TT’s cultural diaspora.”
While, he said, the new environment was refreshing, this would be the first time Crosby saw the perceptions of others towards Beetham residents noting that he sometimes felt excluded by other students.
While he was not deterred by this, it was something he thought about.
“There were situations where I felt a little unwelcome, just some students saying certain things. I don’t want to throw dirt on anyone but it had instances where I didn’t feel welcome but the teachers were very welcoming.
“When I attended Tunapuna Secondary before Hillview I didn’t really say where I lived because let’s be honest there is a stigma in the community, I didn’t want to just be known as ‘the guy from the Beetham’, but when I found success it made it more amazing that I came from an area like this and still achieved success in academics, because being from the Beetham Gardens it’s kind of rare.”
Despite this, Crosby said he was strengthened by his mother, Juliana, who encouraged him to continue working hard towards his dreams.
Both mother and son supported each other as while Crosby studied for CAPE, his mother studied for her degree in psychology at the University of the Southern Caribbean.
Crosby’s mother said she always did her best to encourage her son to appreciate the value of education while working through difficult times.
“He was quite supportive of me because when I went into my first semester of the programme, oh my God, I threw my hands up in the air and he was there.
“He said, ‘Mummy don’t worry we will study together,’ and he helped me too because mathematics was a subject I am really weak in and he’s a mathematician.
“I got through, I passed the mathematics class. We fed off of each others strength. One of the things I always told him growing up is to reach one, you have to teach one.”
Eventually Crosby earned high enough grades to be awarded an additional scholarship. This allowed him to study anywhere in the Caribbean.
Crosby said while he originally wanted to be an astronomer, he developed an interest for physics and the application of mathematics in the real world while studying for CAPE and chose to remain in Trinidad, enrolling in UWI’s mechanical engineering programme.
Being the first of his siblings to attend university was a major achievement, but that meant Crosby had to adjust to the pace of work and general university life with little guidance on what was expected of him.
“The university experience was different from secondary school because it’s such a big campus you can get lost in it, so it wasn’t as focused.
“The most difficult parts in UWI was always finding that drive and being consistent in your effort because there were parts where you would fall off with the work and getting tired of it, and it’s just so much to be doing all the time and coming from CAPE where I put out 100 per cent to try and win a scholarship and then heading straight into a three-year programme which is even more work. That was the toughest part.”
Despite the challenges of the coursework, Crosby’s interest in engineering grew, leading him into the field of renewable energy, even focusing his final year project on the energy analysis of a steam power plant, using the now decommissioned Powergen power plant in Port of Spain as a reference.
He took this passion with him to the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries department of renewable energy where he worked as an intern last year before graduating.
Crosby said while passion and interest were important in the fields of applied science, just as important were issues of funding.
Citing the allocation of $6.9 billion to education and training for the 2022 budget, Crosby said he hoped some of these resources could be directed to funding more innovative, cutting edge ideas to push the field forward.
“In engineering we really don’t have a lot of research. We don’t really promote developing new ideas or concepts among our graduates, it’s all about going and doing things like maintenance and upkeep and falling in line with the process.
“There isn’t really any innovation. I want to see funding in innovation, if a student has an idea let’s give him a scholarship or a grant to fund that idea to see how far it can go.
“Things like renewable energy. I’ve seen some final year projects in UWI that blew my mind, I’ve seen solar-powered fridges, solar-powered go-carts, that money should go into those ideas.”
Crosby now works at the Ministry of Works and Transport in the mechanical services division and is also working on a book detailing his journey from Beetham through UWI and hopes it would be the first step towards changing the perception of his community, as he feels Beetham’s residents are merely glanced at but not seen by the national community.
He says part of the difficulties in getting young people in his community motivated to do their best has to do with the lack of positive role-models, something he wants to be.
“You don’t typically look around here and say, ‘Hey my neighbour is a doctor or my other neighbour is an engineer,’ it’s hard for children in the community to see that. That’s why I like to accomplish things like that so someone from the Beetham can look at me and realise that it’s very possible.
“The intention of the book is to open the eyes of children from Tunapuna, Westmoorings, San Fernando.
“When you hear the name Beetham don’t think of that person as a bad person. I want to relay to these people what it’s like without reinforcing some stereotype and bridge a gap between different communities.
“I want to really integrate the community into the rest of society and not just be this thing we stare at and are scared of. I know there are bad elements but there are also good elements and they deserve the attention too.”
Even with good examples available, the difficulties of trying to maintain good grades in less-than-ideal conditions have not been lost on him.
Recalling having to study while using bits of tissue as earplugs to drown out loud music from a nearby house, Crosby says discipline and hard work were sometimes the only solutions to problems. 
“Life isn’t perfect. Sometimes there will be people with more resources than you but that shouldn’t deter you from doing your best.
“If you work hard enough, long enough you will get there.”
Crosby says he understands that while all students may not have the same interests as him, he believed they all had the capacity to achieve their goals and more, once they were prepared to work hard and stay focused.
Facing hard work head on and not giving up the fight has been a part of Crosby’s life, reflected even in his name Ajamu – Yoruba in origin – which means, “Boy who fights for what he wants.” Source:  Newsday, October 17, 2021

Tobago was awarded second place in the Travel Industry Club (TIC) Destination Awards held in Germany on September 13, in recognition of the Tobago Tourism Agency Limited’s (TTAL’s) strategy for the industry in response to covid19 and on-island initiatives aimed at repositioning the destination for recovery.
First place went to the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park in Germany.
TIC is an influential association of travel leaders in Germany – the largest outbound tourism country in Europe and a key source market for many long-haul destinations such as Tobago.
The TIC Destination Award honours a country/island/city/region that has changed in the past months, evolving their tourism development and marketing strategies in areas of hygiene, safety and sustainability since the onset of the pandemic.
Winners are selected after a rigorous pre-selection process and anonymous voting by a jury comprising experts from all segments of the travel industry as well as trend researchers, management consultants, agencies and publishers.
The TTAL’s submission for Tobago was awarded silver in the Destination Award category, surpassing big players such as Germany’s most popular holiday destination, Bavaria, Tenerife and Slovenia and competing long-haul destinations including Colombia.
Tobago’s submission included details on the WTTC “Safe Travels” stamp, tourism sector relief grants, responsive international marketing campaigns and on-island sustainability initiatives, including the Blue Flag and Green Key certification programs.
TIC officials commended Tobago’s award-winning presentation in a congratulatory letter to TTAL CEO Louis Lewis.
“Among a list of established destinations and well-known finalists such as Tenerife, Colombia or Bavaria your application and presentation really stood out and convinced the jury with a well-rounded concept including new trends like sustainability, an approach clearly differentiating Tobago from other Caribbean destinations, a very likeable presentation, and a lot of commitment, also shown by the participation of yourself across time zones,” they said in the letter.
TTAL said this significant recognition by Germany’s Travel Industry Club has placed a positive spotlight on Tobago in it’s second-largest source market. In addition to the island being featured on TIC’s online platforms and promoted within their extensive networks as award winners, this win will help raise the profile of the destination amongst key travel trade influencers in Germany and position Tobago to take advantage of the European country’s booming travel and tourism economy.
The agency’s marketing coordinator Sheena Des Vignes added, “The TIC is a network of influential practitioners in the largest outbound travel market and one of the countries with the largest GDP contribution in Travel and Tourism. They know what they are about when it comes to travel and tourism, therefore placing Tobago top of mind within this network in times of uncertainty helps to build partner confidence, credibility for Tobago and opportunities for recovery.
“It has been difficult to continuously keep the destination relevant with trade and consumers considering our current on-island covid19 challenges, so aligning with this award was one of the many tactical decisions TTAL made to keep Tobago front of mind to the right audience, with the right message, as an investment in current and future plans for recovery.” (Source: Newsday, Sept 18, 2021)

wo Trinidadian students have been awarded the MEXT (Monbu-Kagaku-Sho) Scholarship to pursue their graduate studies in Japan. 
In a statement, the Embassy of Japan in Trinidad and Tobago said the two students will pursue their studies at graduate level for two years - Anastasia Ramjag will be undertaking studies in Linguistics and Intercultural Communication at Waseda University and Avinash Boodoo will be pursuing studies in Coastal Engineering at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
The Embassy said both students are excited to start their studies in Japan, though their original departure schedules were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are looking forward to immersing themselves in the culture while furthering their educational goals.
On October 7, Ambassador Hirayama met with and congratulated both MEXT Scholarship students at his official residence.
During their meeting, they discussed the courses that the students will be pursuing, the Universities and areas of interest to be explored in japan. Ambassador also offered the students encouraging advice and useful information for their stay in Japan.
The Government of Japan, through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, also known as MEXT or Monbu-Kagaku-Shō, offers scholarships to foreign students who desire to study at Japanese universities as postgraduate/research students every academic year.
Successful applicants receive round-trip airfare, exemption from school fees and a monthly allowance.
The Embassy said the MEXT Scholarship Programme offers students an opportunity for exchange, growth, exploration and educational development.
"The Embassy of Japan in Trinidad and Tobago is pleased to state that the programme has contributed to the established bilateral relations between Japan and Trinidad and Tobago and has further strengthened the cooperative relationship and exchanges between the two countries."
For more information visit the Embassy of Japan Website for more information on the MEXT Scholarship Programme and daily activities: https://www.tt.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html 
​(Source: Loop, October 8, 2021)

​Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the world is being reshaped by technology and T&T must figure out how to keep up in order to survive.

In his Republic Day message, the Prime Minister said according to predictions, every aspect of human activity in the world will be reshaped in the coming decade. He urged citizens to shift their outlook from “Me to Us.”

“What is required now is that we take a deeper look at the world of the 21st century, with the realisation that some of our present socio-economic and political perspectives are unsuited to the challenges that are emerging,” Rowley said.

He said one of the troubling questions facing governments around the world was how to prevent a fallout in the job market, how to create sustainable jobs and what happens if losses outstrip job creation.

“As our Republic goes forward, this is just one of the many serious considerations which should be in the minds of citizens, because we have to ensure that we are a people, not of unskilled labour, but a people thrusting forward, learning new skills; a people, who, overall, cannot afford to be on the wrong side of this century’s technological divide,” he said.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged the “sad, dark side” of T&T—including crime, social ills, drug abuse, unemployment and the lasting psycho-social effects of the pandemic.

“The past year has been difficult for all of us. We have had to deal with both the effects of the pandemic and the fall in energy prices, which have meant a reduction in revenue,” he said.

But he said citizens should also be grateful for the positives—including the reopening of the economy and a return to our way of life through vaccination.

“Recently, I said that God is on our side, and we needed to be on His side too. Earlier this week, he showed how much he was on our side with the announcement by bpTT that it had begun production from its Matapal gas project, much earlier than expected.”

He said this project is expected to produce between 250-350 million standard cubic feet per day - just about half of what the company produced on average over the past ten years.

“Whilst this does not solve our gas problems, every little bit helps,” he added.

The Prime Minister also cited the new $500 million Marriott hotel project for Tobago, saying it would assist in solving Tobago’s tourism problems.

He said the return to school for vaccinated students and the country’s open borders are also gifts to be cherished and celebrated.

Rowley admitted he was saddened by the way the country has been forced to commemorate this Republic Day.

“Disappointingly, we are still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which demanded and has extracted so much from us. We have done reasonably well, as a Republic. Scanning the globe, we can cite other Republics, both long-established and former colonial territories, which unlike us have either unravelled or been caught in belligerence and ethnic warfare.”

He said T&T has kept together and claimed some measure of civility and progress but there was much more to be done.

“It is a day like today that we should question ourselves about who we are, our individual roles as citizens, our special obligations to each other, and move to recognise the uniqueness and greatness of our land called Trinidad and Tobago and the melting pot within,” Rowley said. Source:  T&T Guardian, Sept 23, 2021