 To add to his long list of accolades, Slinger “Mighty Sparrow” Francisco will now be immortalised at the Caribbean Wax Museum in Norman Centre, Bridgetown, Barbados.
The life-like depiction of the ‘Jean and Dinah’ singer will be unveiled tomorrow on the premises of The Commercial Credit Division of Consolidated Finance Co. Ltd, Barbados. The unveiling is a merged effort of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Barbados, Corporate & Commercial Credit Division of Consolidated Finance Co. Ltd and the Caribbean Wax Museum. The Grenadian-born Francisco gained the title “Calypso King” of the world through his music. Since 1956, he has remained the only calypsonian to have won the T&T Calypso Monarch title more than anyone else—eight times. He also took the Road March title on several occasions. Fransisco also took his music to the US, Europe and even Africa. For his contribution to the cultural and musical landscape of T&T and taking the art form to the world, the 85-year-old was bestowed several honours, including an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies in 1987, the honourary title of Chief of the Yorubas, Chaconia Gold Medal, Order of the Republic of T&T and the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Of this latest honour, Francisco yesterday told Guardian Media it was a very nice thing for the Caribbean Wax Museum to honour him in such a way. He said he was made aware of this five months ago and had no objection to it. “I have been doing my thing for a very long time. It is good to see this…I wish I could be there to see it,” he said through laughter via a telephone conversation from his US-based home. Asked whether more needed to be done in T&T honour its creatives, Francisco answered, “I think we should continue doing these things.” Meanwhile, Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (TUCO) president Lutalo “Brother” Resistance” Masimba labelled the unveiling as “timely.” Masimba said given that the honour has come during the celebration of Calypso History Month adds a certain “quality” to the celebration and fitted in nicely with its theme—Calypso Beyond Boundaries and Borders. He said TUCO was very pleased with the recognition of one of the Caribbean’s greatest calypsonians of all times. In an email interview, directors at the Caribbean Wax Museum said, “As with everywhere else in the world where Caribbean people have settled, the Mighty Sparrow set the standard against which all calypsonians are judged. Barbados’s Mighty Gabby is in many ways a protegee.” The wax figure of Fransico will join other regional artistes in the soca arena like Barbados’ Alison Hinds and Lil Rick, Barbadian-born US-based R&B singer Rihanna, as well as historical revolutionaries like Che Guevera and Fidel Castro. Source: T&T Guardian, Oct 30, 2020
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 RYAN BACHOO [email protected]
In the midst of the gloom of the pandemic, one T&T writer has found reason to celebrate. Brenda Mohammed received the Prashamshith Pathr (Certificate of Appreciation) from one of the world’s most active writers’ forum, Motivational Strips, and the Indian government’s most respected literary institution, Gujarat Sahitya Academy. It was awarded to 350 prominent writers from 80 countries as India marked its 74th Independence Day on August 15. It’s a phenomenal achievement for a woman who was battling ovarian cancer 15 years ago. Forced to seek medical help abroad, Mohammed travelled to the University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Centre for surgery and chemotherapy. Not only did she fully recover and was able to return to her job at Republic Bank but that journey shaped everything she did after that. As a cancer survivor, many who were ailing sought her advice encouraging her 2013 book I Am Cancer Free. It became very popular among those fighting the disease. “That gave me the encouragement to write more books,” Mohammed said. That’s exactly what she did. To date, she has written 27 multi-genre novels climbing the ladder at various prominent writers groups around the globe. A year after joining the Literary Forum, Motivational Strips, the world’s most active writers’ forum with writers from 163 countries and monthly visitors crossing 7.3 million, she was appointed Regional Director of Operations. In October 2018, she was appointed an Honorary Member of the World Higher Literary Academic Council of World Nations Writers’ Union. Her Prashamshith Pathr award made headlines in several newspapers around the world. “I was delightfully surprised when I saw my name on the list of awardees. This is not just a premium award for me, but more than that, I value it as the success of Trinidad and Tobago writers,” she said. Founder of Motivational Strips, Shiju Pallithazheth said it was “a happy moment to see Trinidad and Tobago shining in the world literary map and Brenda Mohammed crowned as its literary gem.” While it maybe the highlight of her writing career, it certainly isn’t her first award. In January, the Vistabella resident was inducted into The Indie Authors Hall of Fame in the United States —an establishment for self-published authors who have achieved fame. In December 2018, she was awarded the World Laureate in Literature by World Nations Writers’ Union. On August 31, 2019, Mohammed was honoured by the Seychelles Government Accredited Literary Society [ LLSF] for her contribution to world poetry, creativity, and writing expertise. Her genres include memoirs, science fiction, romance, self-help, mystery, children’s books, and poetry. In fact, her self-help book, How to Write for Success, became an important guide for new and aspiring authors. It received a five-star review and a five-star seal from Readers Favorite one month after publication. It also won the gold award in the category non-fiction in Connections EMagazine Readers’ Choice awards 2019 and a silver medal for second place in all genres. It would seem that Mohammed doesn’t need any further inspiration with so many awards and accolades bestowed on her but she says: “This award has given me encouragement to do more work in the field of literature that will benefit the world at large.” Now, as great T&T writers such as VS Naipaul, CLR James and Earl Lovelace have done in the past, she wants to create literature as a form of tourism for this country. “Although this is a literature award, I see this as a way of boosting tourism in Trinidad and Tobago. Motivational Strips is the world’s most active writers’ forum and has writers from 163 countries with monthly visitors crossing 7.3 million. All eyes are now focused on Trinidad and Tobago and whenever the pandemic ends, I hope we will see a flux of visitors to this country.” Though the Prashamshith Pathr award is her crowning achievement thus far, it is by no means the final chapter in Brenda Mohammed’s story. Source: Trinidad & Tobago Guardian, Oct 18, 2020  Born in Trinidad -Judaline Cassidy is changing the construction industry. Watch her explain the program below  Neerja Bhanot was the Senior Flight attendant on the infamous Pan Am Flight 73 of 1986. The plane was scheduled to fly from Mumbai to the United States. Before takeoff four hijackers boarded the plane at Karachi airport in Pakistan and held 380 passengers and 13 crew members hostage at gun point in a 17 hour stand off. When the hijackers demanded the passports of the Americans on board to take those passengers as collateral for a trade Bhanot hid the passports under seat cushions, flushed them down the toilet and threw them down the trash shoot. Unable to decipher the American passengers from non-American passengers the situation escalated as the hijackers began shooting and detonating explosives. Bhanot deployed the emergency escape doors and began frantically guiding passengers out of the plane. One of the last to remain, a hijacker grabbed her by her ponytail and shot her point blank while she was shielding three American children from gun fire. She died at 22 the day before her birthday. She saved the majority of the passengers and the flight crew. Source: Trinbago Golden Memories, Oct 18, 2020  A 109-year-old woman passed away peacefully at her home in Belmont last month.
Her name was Anora Gladdis Trotman-Fraser - singer, dancer and devout Christian. Trotman-Fraser had no formal education but she could read and write. She was not a public figure, nor was she publicly recognised for greatness. But to those whose lives were touched by this simple woman from Port-of-Spain, her memory will live on forever. This is the story of Trotman-Fraser. She was born at the Colonial Hospital, now Port-of-Spain General Hospital, on October 27, 1970 and outlived all of her six siblings. Her mother passed away at age 101. Her great grand daughter, Gerel Baptiste, said Trotman-Fraser lived "in and around" Port-of-Spain all her life. "She lived in and around POS some places to name a few are Que Place, Argle St. Minachy Alley , Carr St, and then Upper St Barbs Road, Belmont where she remained until her death," she said. As a child, Trotman-Fraser loved learning. She was home-schooled by her aunt, a retired school teacher, and then enrolled at the Quarry Street School. She then moved to the Piccadilly Girls School, where she reached Standard Six. "She wasn’t afforded the opportunity to attend any formal high school but was quite exceptional in Arithmetic & Spelling. Back then if you weren’t in school the next best thing was to learn a trade. She tried many but liked none until she was introduced to word of theatre and performing arts," Baptiste said. It was in theatre and arts Trotman-Fraser found her passion, singing, dancing and acting. Her performances at the old Princes Building Grounds were impeccable, relatives recalled. Baptiste recalled how in her late years, Trotman-Fraser would boast of how she performed to sold-out crowds and how young men would climb the trees outside to get a glimpse of her performances. Her favourite dances, however, were ballroom dancing and the waltz. Trotman-Fraser was married to Clifford Fraser, who is now deceased. Baptiste said, "She bore no children for her husband but was the devoted mother of Randolph Lewis (deceased) and her lone surviving daughter, Barbara Baptiste." Growing up with "Granny”, as she was fondly called, was "a great experience", she said. Baptiste said her great grandmother told stories about riding in tram cars and the trolley bus and taking a taxi for six cents. She said Trotman-Fraser lived a simple life and was already ready to give advice to anyone in need. "She had an abundance of love for anyone and was 100 per cent dedicated to God. She always said, God first then her Family came next. She was a woman of faith and a firm believer in prayer. Her love for singing never left her even up to her last days as she spent many hours at nights singing religious hymns," she recalled. Trotman-Fraser worked as a maid, cook and other domestic jobs. She was never ashamed of her employment, relatives said, as these were all honest jobs to provide for her family. The woman had no ailments. In her last days, Baptiste said, Trotman-Fraser would spend her time praising God and singing hymns. She wanted to leave behind something, relatives said, to keep them on the right path. Trotman-Fraser asked them to write it down. She said, “The advice I give to young people in to have love, love for each and every one, and believe in the Holy Spirit of Jesus. Live well with your fellow creature and have respect for each and every one. Give hem peace within themselves. Let them believe in the true and living God. That’s the way. Respect and behaviour for their fellow creatures and the Lord will bless them eternally.” This was her secret, relatives said, to finding happiness in her simple, long life. Trotman-Fraser passed away on September 15, surrounded by her 10 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 17 great great grandchildren. Source: Trinidad Express, Oct 11, 2020  To read about them - click here
Trinidad and Tobago’s Shemika Charles-Campbell attained her third Guinness World Record on Thursday 8, October 2020 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, when she limbo danced under two jeeps that were below a height of 12 inches over a distance of more than 12 feet.  Senator the Honourable Randall Mitchell, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, congratulates Trinidad and Tobago’s Shemika Charles-Campbell on attaining her third Guinness World Record on Thursday 8, October 2020 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, when she limbo danced under two jeeps that were below a height of 12 inches over a distance of more than 12 feet.
Shemika achieved her second Guinness World record for limbo dancing in China in 2016 when she completed the task at a distance of over 10 feet. One year earlier she achieved the record for limbo dancing under a height of 8.5 inches in the United States. Congratulations Shemika! ...A big blow for Chaguanas, says economistTHE closure of MovieTowne in Price Plaza, Endeavour Road, Chaguanas, is going to be a huge loss to the Chaguanas borough and would cause serious economic fallout. So said economist Dr Indera Sagewan, as she noted that it’s a negative step in the development of the country’s business landscape.
Sagewan said the closure of the cinema and entertainment complex would have a ripple effect on businesses in and around the area, which have generated revenue from people flocking to the cinemas. “Employees and suppliers are also going to be affected and that means the unemployment statistics would also go up. Let’s be real. We cannot expect the owner Derek Chin to absorb all the workers at the other branches, as the pandemic has disrupted the cinema industry greatly and it’s going to take a while for the industry to revitalise, post Covid-19.” The economist explained that people living in Chaguanas who may want to head to the cinema when it reopens would now have to go either Port of Spain or South, which is a further cost in terms of gas for the car or public transportation. Sagewan believes that the Government should open up the economy more as there are a lot of best practices that can be implemented to help prevent the spread of the virus. “When you look at other countries, they have put mechanisms in place in order to facilitate the reopening of various sectors. But T&T seems to be stuck in this mode of waiting for the numbers to go down and more needs to be done by the Government,” Sagewan added. Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit said she preferred not to comment, at this time, as the issue was a private matter between the landlord and tenant. Mohit was previously the mayor of Chaguanas. Also commenting on the closure was Chaguanas Chamber president Vishnu Charran, who said it spells bad news for the borough as it means there is going to be less foot traffic and less revenue being earned. “It is sad to see the cinema had to shut its doors, but I understand that the economic impact caused by Covid is very serious and things are not going to get better anytime soon.” Charran outlined that other businesses located in Price Plaza will also feel the pinch, as there will be fewer customers coming to buy their products and more people can be on the breadline, due to this fallout. Source: Trinidad Express, Oct 2020 |
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