12-3

Different & Dynamic. Bigga, Brighta, Betta!

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018 • Website: www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

Tel: 647-669-9320 • Fax: 416-292-2943 • Email: graphiclyn@gmail.com

T20 Cricket Excitement Canada Bound!

West Indians Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo as well as New Zealander Brendon McCullum are three of the exciting international players listed to participate in the first-ever Cricket Canada’s maiden Global T20 tournament to be played here in July.

The three-week tournament, which is scheduled to commence on August 8, has been given the green light by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and will be played at three venues across Toronto. The three venues earmarked are Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club, Sunnybrook Park and Maple Leaf Cricket Club.

According to a media release, the league has been conceptualised, designed, developed and managed by Mercuri Talent Management Pvt Ltd, an Indian company, with Cricket Canada, the official governing body for the sport in the country. The two have entered into a 25-year Master Licensing Agreement which covers not just the Global T20 Canada, but also investment in developing the grassroots for the sport in the country.

With this announcement Cricket Canada becomes the first Associate

member of the ICC to set in motion a Twenty20 franchise league in the lucrative North America market. According to Cricket Canada, president Ranjit Saini, “Twenty20 Major League Cricket has the potential to change Canadian cricket forever. It is a great challenge and Cricket Canada is ready to deliver a resounding success.

Each 15-man squad will consist of four Canadian local players with players expected from West Indies, Pakistan and New Zealand.

Saini also pointed out that it has not been decided if the league will have an auction system with a salary cap or a draft, but that one of the six teams will be made entirely of West Indian overseas players.

“The West Indies is a sponsor of the league,” Saini said. “The ICC approval is based on Full Member participation so one team will be a West Indian team.”

The tournament has also had the blessings of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who participated in a promotional cricket event at a school in Delhi, India during a recent visit there.

Guyana Keen To Expand Hinterland Community-Based Tourism Minister of Business Dominick Gaskin said Guyana is keen to expand the hinterland community-based tourism projects.

The Minister made the disclosure to tourism delegates from South America and the Caribbean who attended the recent (March 21-22) 24th Inter-American Congress of Ministers and HighLevel Authorities of Tourism at the Marriott, Georgetown.

He also expressed the need for Guyana’s inclusion in the crafting of regional tourism plans.

In January, Government announced the restructuring of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and hired US expert Brian Mullis as Director of the agency.

Millions of dollars were being plugged into the authority annually with safaris and shows overseas not quite getting the job done, especially in the absence of a major budget.

Page 2 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Grenada Hosts ECIT Workshop

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Plans for the operationalisation of the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Tourism (ECIT) as the premier blended learning institution for tourism and hospitality training and education in the region, continued to gather momentum as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission recently hosted a workshop in Grenada.

The workshop was conducted by the Grenada National Training Agency. It provided training to member states in competency based education and training (CBET) and the Caribbean vocational qualification (CVQ) for assessors. This follows a similar workshop for Instructors held in Antigua from March 5 – 9, as part of capacity building of member states in curriculum development, instruction, assessment and

accreditation for ECIT. The CBET/CVQ workshop was attended by two representatives from each member state (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines). The OECS Commission is represented by the tenth EDF project officer and administrative officer, as well as its tourism officer, Maria Fowell.

ECIT comprises centres of excellence in nine OECS member states, each offering an area of specialisation in tourism and hospitality training and education. ECIT was established with grant funding from the European Union to the tune of 4 million euros, as part of the tenth EDF Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS Region project.

St Kitts To Host Citizenship

By Investment Summit

BASSETERRE, St Kitts — Prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Timothy Harris, on Monday announced an international citizenship by investment summit expected to attract key industry stakeholders from the Eastern Caribbean and around the world.

The Invest Caribbean Summit 2018 will be hosted by St Kitts and Nevis from 16-19 May, under the theme “Unity in the Age of Division, Emerging Trends of CIPs in an Uncertain World”, showcasing current practices within the growing industry, and what the future will hold for international stakeholders in an era of geopolitical turbulence.

The summit will be attended by heads of state and government officials from all five Caribbean citizenship by

investment nations, international developers, marketing agents, service providers, diplomatic missions, and periphery industry stakeholders in banking, financial planning and technology.

Devised to stimulate discussion on the issues facing the burgeoning industry of second citizenship by investment, conference topics will address topics ranging from climate resilience, transparency versus confidentiality in the sector, and the adoption of new technologies such as blockchain.

CEO of the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit, Les Khan, has encouraged international stakeholders to attend what has been described as a landmark event on the 2018 calendar.

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

Barbados Minister Responds To Unflattering Telegraph Article

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Minister of culture, youth and sport, Stephen Lashley, has responded to an article by Julia Bradshaw in the Telegraph newspaper in Britain that stated “Barbados stinks”, as she described the extent of the current sewage problem plaguing the country that the government has not yet come to grips with.

Bradshaw, who was also a one time resident of Barbados, went on to state that this “is a symptom of the incompetence and perceived corruption of t h e c u r r e n t administration” led by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart’s Democratic Labour Party (DLP), which she claims Barbadians have dubbed the “do-little government”.

Lashley called the article “slanderous” and called into question its timing and tone, pointing the finger at opposition party forces and other political operatives who he feels are behind it.

The Telegraph article went on to deride the Barbados government for its e c o n o m i c mismanagement, citing economic indicators have deteriorated over the past few years.

Bradshaw claimed that foreign exchange reserves are down to less than six weeks of imports, and that “the fiscal deficit is also soaring, foreign direct investment has plummeted…” along with “economic growth has come to a virtual standstill…” and “the country’s credit status has been downgraded to junk in recent weeks, and still the government takes no action.”

She also claimed that: “Because of the stench, tourists are leaving. Many who have not yet arrived are cancelling flights.

‘Snow birds’ – people who come to Barbados every winter to escape the cold and are among the country’s biggest fans – are talking about going elsewhere next year.”

However, preliminary estimates of tourist arrivals up to March, 2018 from the Barbados Hotel Association are not available and there is no way to confirm whether or not Bradshaw’s comments are accurate.

The government, as well as the Central Bank of Barbados, expect a robust tourism year in 2018 and have factored that into their economic forecasts.

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

State Of Emergency For 2nd Jamaican Parish

www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 3

First Female President For T&T

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Paula- appealed to citizens to walk Mae Weekes was on March side-by-side with her in 19 sworn in as the first rebuilding the twin-island KINGSTON, A slew of murders and rampant crime in parts of the … parish of St Catherine has prompted authorities to declare a State of Public Emergency in a second parish since the start of the year.

On the heels of the State of Public Emergency in St James – which was declared in January and has been extended until May 2 – Prime Minister Andrew Holness on March 18 declared a similar state of affairs in the St Catherine North Police Division, for 14 days in the first instance.

A joint Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF)/Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) team was deployed to the area the following day to undertake enhanced security measures, in accordance with the Emergency Powers Act. Police have since reported that 94 people had been detained as of March 19, 24 of whom were later released. Of the remainder, 20 were processed and kept overnight,

while the remaining 50 were being processed with a view to determine whether they will be further detained or released.

In announcing the State of Public Emergency at a press conference, Prime Minister Holness said the move was necessary as crime and violence, particularly murders, had been escalating in the St Catherine North Police Division. The area has recorded 49 murders since the start of the year, mainly due to gang activity.

He advised that the security forces would have the power to search; detain persons without a warrant; and curtail the operating hours of businesses as well as access to venues.

Additionally, all persons using roads leading into and out of St Catherine North and their vehicles will be subject to search.

However, he assured that the security forces’ use of that authority could not be arbitrary or beyond review.

female President and sixth republic which continues to overall Head of State of grapple with crime and other Trinidad and Tobago.A large social ills. crowd,

i n c l u d i n g Speaking to the media after

Government Ministers, the swearing-in ceremony, Members of Parliament, Prime Minister Dr Keith senior members of the Rowley said he was looking judiciary gathered at the forward to working closely Queen’s Park Oval for the with President Weekes, who inauguration ceremony takes over from the retired where President Weekes Anthony Carmona.

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Page 4 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

Global T20 Will Make Canada A Cricket Country Says Ranjit Saini Cricket Canada’s President Ranjit Saini is a man with a vision and one who has armed himself and his Board with a concrete plan towards its realization. As outlined in Cricket Canada’s 20182020 Strategic Plan, the vision of Saini and his Board is for Canada “to be a leading cricket nation through growing popularity, building a sustainable organization, and achieving international success!”

Saini has declared that the Global T20 League, the inaugural season of which is scheduled for this coming July, will serve as a catalyst for the transformation of Canadian cricket into a mainstream sport. Saini’s proud boast was made during a recent one-on-one interview with Caribbean Graphic’s Publisher and noted cricket writer Tony McWatt.

According to Saini, the idea for a Canadian based annual international T20 League was first hatched as far back as 2009, during his initial term as President of what was then the Canadian Cricket Association. His relative lack of market knowledge and experience however, resulted in his adoption of a formula which proved itself to be unattractive to its financial sponsor, the support of which would have been mandatory for its survival.

Saini’s initial concept was for a five team League with a minimum of three foreign players per team. He’d received support for such a League from several international cricket Boards in the form of their commitment to provide the required players. The Title Sponsor that had been secured however expressed fundamental doubts as to the marquee value of a three international player based League in terms of its doubtful capacity to generate the spectator attendance and television audience attractiveness that would guarantee a worthy return on their required financial investment.

Canada’s less than stellar performance in the 2011 ICC World Cup didn’t help either.

It served to underline the unfortunate reality that Canada hardly had eleven good players at the time, let alone the sixty that would have been required for the initially conceptualized five Team League.

Faced with this stark reality, Saini went back to the drawing Board to develop a new model which would have included six international players. By the time he’d done so however, the sponsor’s interests had changed and cricket funding was no longer a part of its marketing budget.

Following the 2011 World Cup debacle, Canadian cricket went into a virtual tailspin. There were no immediately available replacements for the country’s top players who had either retired or departed in pursuit of greener pastures elsewhere. International performance levels declined significantly, so much so that the sport’s global governing body: the International Cricket Council (ICC) eventually withdrew Canada’s status as an Official One Day International playing country. Administratively, Saini was ousted from the Presidency.

In his absence the new Board seemingly had no interest in hosting an international T20 League and as such the plans that Saini had formulated were discarded until his eventual return to the Board, initially as a Director then subsequently for his second term as President. Having been given a second chance and armed with the valuable experience of the impractical first attempt, he was determined to get it right this time around.

His confidence in his abilities to do so has been fueled by his direct involvement, as the developer and implementation activist, for most of the major cricket tournaments that have been held in Canada within the past ten to twelve years. These have included those that were developed under the Maple Leaf and the Toronto & District banners, as well as the four nations international tournament involving teams representing Afghanistan, Trinidad, the US and hosts Canada. The idea for Canada’s hosting of an international T20 League has therefore been for Saini an on a n d o ff p r o j e c t f o r m u c h o f h i s involvement a Canadian cricket administrator.

As Cricket Canada’s incumbent President, Saini’s vision for Canadian cricket is radically different from that held by many of his counterparts on other Boards around the global. Most other parties, including the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have tended to see Canada as a one-franchise country; only capable of sustaining a single Toronto based franchised team.

Saini’s perspective is that with its potential cricket interested population of 12 million plus, coupled with its incomparable

historical record of international involvement, Canada is in fact the Americas second best cricketing country, behind only the West Indies.

It is this abiding belief that has been the foundation of Saini’s lack of interest in and rejection of the numerous proposals he has received for Canada’s hosting of a Toronto based T20 international franchise team.

An arrangement which would generate at best, annual revenues of $150,000 $250,000.

According to Saini, everyone has had a plan for the development of Canadian cricket. His issue is that these plans have all been developed without either Cricket Canada’s input or an appreciation of the realistic financial requirements for the further development of Canadian cricket.

With Canadian cricket spread as it is across ten Provinces and five time zones, sums of $150,000 - $250,000 per year would simply be insufficient to cover any real development costs. Furthermore any such values would not be, in Saini’s view, accurately reflective of Canada’s cricket related revenue generating potential, given its borderless society location within North America, which outside of India is the world’s second largest television viewer market.

Saini’s belief is that Canada’s proximity to both the West Indies and the US, coupled with its ever burgeoning population of residents from cricketing countries, primarily India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, presents it with an ideal opportunity to capitalize on potential spectator interest, television revenues and player development exposure.

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC The People’s Paper, daring to be different.

Website: www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca Tel: 647.669.9320 • Fax: 905.813.9403 Email: graphiclyn@gmail.com

Publisher/Editor: Contributors:

Legal: Accounting: Graphic Design:

Cricket Canada’s reality is that all of its development plans, including A Team Tours require funding revenues. The level of Sports Canada funding it currently receives is approximately $80,000, of which $10,000 is required to be spent towards French Canada player development. The remaining $70,000 is therefore wholly insufficient to fund Cricket Canada’s obligations in one Province, let alone nine others!

The miniscule Sports Canada funding is a reflection of the fact that cricket is currently not part of multi sport international events. Attempts to get into the Pan American Games were unsuccessful and very little actual progress has been made towards cricket again becoming part of the Comm0nwealth Games or even more importantly, an Olympic Sport.

Cricket Canada’s current financial challenge is therefore that with no commercial revenues, insignificant government funding and insufficient ICC financial support. its developmental plans are constantly being compromised in the face of absorbitant costs. The cost of bowling one cricket ball in Canada is probably higher than anywhere else in the cricketing world. In order for national domestic tournaments to be staged at any level, senior or junior, players have be flown in from other Provinces, while accommodation and staging costs including those for grounds and official have to be covered.

The hiring costs for even bare bones professional staff leaves insufficient funding for actual matches. This reality has placed an onerous burden on the volunteer contributions of Cricket Canada’s Board members, some of whom as a result suffer from loss of interest and commitment. Added to this is the fact that with Board elections being held every two years there is a resulting high level of personnel turnover, which significantly undermines continuity and in turn has negative effects on the administration’s efficiency.

Given such an environment, Saini and Cricket Canada’s view is that the single team franchise model is not suitable for Canada. What Canadian cricket needs is a League hosting model that will allow for the reciprocal development of international level players. If Canada is to support foreign franchises then the countries that are supplying players for such franchises will also have to accommodate Canadian players, within their respective Leagues.

As Cricket Canada’s President, Saini now personally views himself as having two fundamental duties and responsibilities.

First and foremost there is an obligation for him to be loyal to the interests of Canadian cricket and to oversee its further development. His second personal duty is to do his very best to be of outstanding individual service to the nation to which end he has chosen his cricket involvement as the mechanism that will allow him to do so.

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Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 5

Guyanese-Canadian Tourism Council Visit Guyana Tourism Awareness Supplement

Canadian Groups Tour Guyana Members of two groups were among those who visited Guyana this month as further examples of increased Canadian interest in Guyana Tourism. On Thursday March 8, a 13 member Transzac Cricket Academy U-17 Squad, under the management of Guyanaborn Coach Sheriff Bodhoo, left Toronto, Canada for Guyana on a ten day cricket tour. Two days later, On Sunday March 11, a twelve member group of Canadian photographers, managed by the Guyanese-Canadian Tourism Council’s President and seasoned Travel Agent Syed Rayman, similarly left Toronto for a ten day tour of Guyana that included visits to several of the country’s interior attractions.

The Tranzac Under 17 team which included Ashton Deosammy, the very promising cricketing son of Guyanese parents who recently represented Canada at the ICC Under 19 World Cup, were scheduled to play eight matches against Guyanese opponents during their ten day tour. The scheduled matches included a fixture against the Georgetown Cricket Club at the famous Bourda Oval, which during its heyday was widely regarded as one of the world’s best cricket grounds.

The Syed Rayman led group of mainstream Canadian

photographers also had a very packed itinerary scheduled, with visits to many Guyana’s well known interior locations. Kaieteur Falls, the Baganara and Iwokrama Resorts and Lake Mainstay were among the attractions listed for visits as part of the touring Canadian photographer’s itinerary.

Page 6 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

Reflex Sun Set For Live Resto Lounge’s Grand Opening Reflex Sun will be performing live at the Live

in the heart of Ajax at 235 Salem Road South, just

Resto Lounge’s Grand Opening on Saturday,

off of Hwy 401.

March 31. Live Resto Lounge is a Caribbean

Live Resto Lounge’s Grand Opening will be a two

owned, family run entertainment Lounge, located

day affair featuring Reflex Sun on Saturday March 31 and additional live shows on the following day, Sunday April 1. Reflex Sun’s performances will include new songs added to their already extensive repertoire.

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Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 7

Guyana, Suriname To Promote Joint Tourism!

Guyana and Suriname are preparing to offer their countries as a joint tourism destination in the near future. Director General of Tourism, Donald Sinclair, at a recent media briefing, said the two South American and CARICOM member countries are in the midst of finalising an accord for the joint promotion of the countries’ tourism destinations.

“You may be aware that last year tourism representatives from Guyana and Suriname worked on a draft tourism accord that dealt with strengthening tourism within the Guianas. The idea is to start with Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyana and then extend it to other countries of the Guyana Shield. That accord has not been signed as yet but as it relates to the text of the accord, there has been general agreement about the

substance of that text.”

In addition, Sinclair said Suriname has confirmed its participation in the 24th Congress of the Organisation of American States (OAS) and will be collaborating with Guyana to address those in attendance.

“There is a presentation that is going to be done by Suriname on the theme of strengthening connections within the Guianas. In fact, it is the plan for that to be a joint presentation between Guyana and Suriname.”

The two-day congress which opened at the Guyana Marriott on Wednesday March 21 was set to focus on the development of the region’s tourism industry. It has been confirmed that OAS Secretary-General, Luis Almagro would be attending the congress.

Page 8 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

Guyana Carnival: Amazon

AMAZON Designer – RandyMadray | Photographer – John Green Lush, wild and exotic. The Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. Minor amounts of the lungs of the earth can be found in Guyana.

Costume Prices Frontline – USD $650 Includes: Monokini, necklace, huge backpack, tiara, thigh pieces, cuffs Backline – $400.00 Includes: Monokini with necklace, tiara, foot pieces, cuffs Add-ons – Feathered collar, feathered legs, USD$50 Male – $350.00 Includes: board shorts, head band, belt, chest piece, arm pieces, leg pieces

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 9

Dhalia Guyana Carnival: Dhalia

Designer – Olympia Small Sonaram | Photographer – Saajid Husani Dhalia - Goddess of Fire.

For the fierce and firey frontline females to set the road ablaze.

Costume Price Frontline – USD $800.00 Includes: Body wear, huge wings, tiara, necklace, feathered legs, arm pieces

Page 10 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

DDL Opens New Warehouse Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge has lauded the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) for its construction of a $340M warehouse that will provide employment for numerous Guyanese.

“The Government will continue to encourage and foster enterprises that undertake plans and initiatives that provide employment in all categories of the labour force and I commend the current investments in the human capital especially regarding, scholarships for employees, young people and women,” Greenidge said, while delivering the feature address during the commissioning of the expanded Rum Ageing Warehouse ‘M’ at Plantation Great Diamond, EBD. The Minister noted that change and competitiveness are crucial if Guyana is to survive in the international market. “DDL has been a leader in many respects and has transitioned into modern times. I commended them for looking down the road and looking up the value chain and seeing improved income,” Minister Greenidge said.

Chairman of DDL Komal Samaroo said the company made a decision last year to expand and $340M was invested in the construction warehouse. However, Samaroo opined that “once filled with rum, the contents in the warehouse will exceed US$10M.” The facility, which has the capacity to hold 30,000 barrels, is an expansion of the existing four warehouses which have a total capacity for storage and /or processing and handling of 90,000 barrels in a given

year.

The new warehouse utilises a section of land, which abuts the drainage canal aback the Diamond Bottling Plant and Diamond Warehouse ‘K’ that was previously left fallow because of poor soil conditions among other issues. By executing significant revetment and earthworks, the land was prepared for the foundation the building measuring 41,625 sq ft.

The warehouse also forms part of the strategic re-alignment of the DDL production facilities east of the East Bank of Demerara public road. By constructing a concrete road with suitable foundation and 20ft width, the traffic connects the Diamond Bottle Plant, Diamond Warehouses ‘K’ and Plant, with a single thoroughfare for access that is better aligned with the public road, and an upgraded secondary roadway for emergency exit.

The Chairman disclosed that that DDL plans to build three other warehouses and has already acquired land for the establishment of these facilities Samaroo also said the company is currently putting together a document to present to the Government for the alignment of the regulatory framework in keeping with international standards and best practices of the rum industry.

Samaroo promised that “DDL will become the pioneer of aged rum on the international market”, The Chairman said that DDL will harvest the remaining of the cane of 2018 and converted for the production of rum and will continue to work the Government of Guyana, the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) and National NICIL to find solutions for the sugar industry.

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 11

Hezron: Reggae’s Next Biggest Thing?

March 2018 marked the first visit to Canada for International Reggae Artist Hezron. After a long awaited CD release (which has seen hit after hit of both love songs and socially conscience tunes), Hezron and his team from Delight Entertainment Canada set about a two week long media and performance tour across Southern Ontario.

The tour had many stops including Hamilton, Toronto, Brantford, Guelph and numerous small towns in between.

Among its many interesting and successful events was Hezron’s involvement in an acoustic songwriter circle which featured many other talented artists, including acclaimed harp player Ruth Sutherland. During the performance Laurie Wonfor Nolan painted a portrait of the artists and the event was followed up by a performance by Hezron with a band that brought people from many communities together for a night of Reggae music.

To celebrate an ending to his successful tour a party, which had many music industry leaders in attendance, was held in his honour. Among those present was Donisha Predergast (Bob and Rita Marley's Granddaughter) who cooked an Ital stew and lead the guests in conversation about the Reggae Music industry.

Each and every city that heard Hezron perform or talk about his musical journey has been moved by his mezmerizing voice and style. Because of his songwriting and enchanting lyrics (with a well tuned balance between sweet harmony in his love songs and a raw soulful passion in his socially conscience music), Hezron has been slated by many media sources as being well on his way to becoming the next biggest thing to happen to Reggae music.

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Page 16 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

GUYALICIOUS Ajax’s Live Resto Lounge Offers Something For Everyone!

“Something For Everyone!” That’s the aim and objective of (Roshun and Nadia) the Maharaj Family, the Trinidadian and Guyanese Canadian, husband and wife Seukaran and Sandra along with Son Roshun and his wife Nadia are co-owners of Live Resto Lounge, Ajax’s newest restaurant offering. The already opened and fully operational family run Live Resto Lounge will be officially launched on Saturday March 31, with live music performances by Reflex Sun. It was during February last that the idea for the establishment of the restaurant was first formulated by Roshun. At that time he’d been searching desperately for somewhere suitable to host a scheduled Carnival Showcase event, after an unexpected cancellation of the originally booked venue. His search had taken him to the Salem Road, location of what had previously been known as Sgt Peppers, Ajax. Having noticed the “Closed” sign, the ideas in his marketing oriented brain, immediately started ticking over.

One thing led to the next and in quick time he was soon presenting a take over proposal to the former Owner. Roshun’s original concept was for a turnkey operation but eventually the decision was made to start afresh with a brand new concept. Always in search of a venue capable of hosting events, Roshun’s marketing background, coupled with his wife Nadia’s event management experience provided the confidence that was required for them to make the required financial investment in creating Live Resto Lounge.

As the latest entry to the always, highly competitive restaurant industry, Live Resto Lounge’s objective is to cater to families, young and old. Mature respectable individuals who would like to go out and have an enjoyable evening in a safe and comfortable environment. According to Roshun, Live Resto Lounge’s goal is to provide a family friendly atmosphere where adults can also come in and enjoy a comedy show, sing some karaoke, have a delicious dinner and experience some live band music, while having a generally good time!

Its very pleasantly appealing décor certainly places Live Resto Lounge in a position to comfortably achieve those very admirable objectives. With a dine in seating capacity of almost 200, Live Resto Lounge’s décor features black wooden tables and cushioned chairs with interchangeable covers. There are also a number of booths capable of seating parties of four or six.

Live Resto Lounge is complete with cameras inside and outside. From its March 31 Official Launch date onwards, Live Resto Lounge will be able to provide live streaming which allow patrons direct views of the kitchen, They will be able to see their food, being prepped, cooked and plated ready to be served. This will be available on phones, tablets, even directly online from home for those who’d like to pre-order meals.

All of Live Resto Lounge’s entertainment shows will also be streamed. The Grand Opening will feature Reflex Sun with their very versatile, diverse, repertoire that should cater to music lovers of all types. Beyond the Grand Opening, Roshun’s vast marketing experience, garnered over the past ten years from his having owned his own Marketing and Advertising Development company, will be used to actively promote and publicize all the exciting happenings that will be taking place at Live Resto Lounge.

“Start the change, if you want regular stuff go to the normal places, but if you want something different come here!”

That’s the challenge Roshun would advocate to Live Resto Lounge’s potential patrons. As such, most evenings and particularly during the Thursday – Sunday extended weekend period its daily offerings will be expected to include a 5-8:00 pm dinner rush, followed by a couple of hours of live entertainment, featuring music bands, comedy shows perhaps even a dance troupe or two and possibly also some spoken word, leading to a 10:00 pm onward availability of popular deejays spinning the very latest dance tunes.

Beyond the events and entertainment though, Roshun’s hopes are that it will be Live Resto Lounge’s cross cultural menu, which features both Mediterranean and Caribbean delicious food fare choices that will function as its major calling card. Among the former are poutiness, calamari, fried shrimp and wantons. The Caribbean offerings feature mainly curries: goat, chicken, duck or shrimp and jerk dishes. Dhal and Corn Soup are also among the many enticing offerings.

While there, I had a chance to sample Live Resto’s Curry Goat, the Calamari and an appetizer tray of breaded shrimp, spring rolls and fried wantons as well. Served with white rice and a garden salad the curry goat was mouth wateringly delicious. The meat was as tender as could be and the curry sauce had a refreshing, not so subtle kick to it that was sufficiently “spicy” as to have left me somewhat watery eyed!

The fried calamari was similarly, enjoyably tender. Likewise, all that could be said about the shrimp, spring rolls and fried wantons, was that they were individually and collectively delicious to the taste.

With daily Specials ranging in price from $6.99 - $13.99 and including such items as fettuccine alfredo. Live Resto Lounge’s Lunch menu should also prove itself sufficiently attractive to those who may be in the vicinity and in search of a quick bite. The restaurant and its menu items have already become a big hit among many of the employees of the Ajax BMW Dealership, which is located, just across the road, obliquely opposite to Live Resto Lounge.

“Something For Everyone” will indeed be on offer at Ajax’s Live Resto Lounge. Sufficiently so for it to be worthy of a visit by any and everyone who enjoys good quality food, well served in an attractive ambiance.

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Programme – Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream

The Ontario Immigration Nominee Programme (OINP) is now inviting persons in the Express Entry Pool, who have at least one year of Skilled Trades Work Experience in Ontario and meet certain requirements, to apply for Permanent Residency under their Skilled Trades Stream.

To q u a l i f y u n d e r t h i s stream, the applicant must have a Valid profile in the Express Entry Pool, qualify for the Canadian Experience class and have indicated an interest in residing in Ontario or “All Provinces and Territories” in their Express Entry Profile and receive a Notification of Interest from Ontario.

The eligibility requirements for the Ontario Skilled Trades Stream are: 1) A minimum of One year Work Experience in Ontario within two years from the date of your Notification of Interest from Ontario. Work Experience must be in a Skilled Trade listed in “Minor Group 633 or

Major Group 72, 73, or 82” of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.

2) Have the required Trade Certification or License from the Ontario College of Trades, if this is required for the position 3) Be Currently residing in Ontario and have a Valid Work Permit 4) Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark CLB in English or French 5) Have e minimum level of savings or income to support you and your family 6) Intend to live in Ontario Before submitting an application or accepting an Invitation to Apply, ensure that you meet the necessary requirements. For more details on the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Programme please refer to the Ontario Immigration website.

Nadine Mahabeer is a weekly guest on “Immigration Mondays” on Nationwide 90FM in Jamaica – Monday mornings at 10am – streaming live on the Internet.

www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 13

Put Technology in Your Financial Corner

Take advantage of digital tools to help manage your money.

LET’S FACE IT: LIFE IS BUSY. Juggling all life’s responsibilities is no simple feat, and that includes managing your money. It takes time and energy, and can sometimes feel like an inconvenience, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

There are a number of great (and free) digital tools designed to help you manage, track and budget your money – whether you want to keep an eye on expenses, pay bills on time or get more disciplined with savings. Some tools are available on the web, or there are apps that can be installed on your smartphone or tablet. Simply search the App Store or Google Play Store on your device to find them.

Mobile banking apps Many banks offer mobile apps that let you bank on the go. These allow you to check your balance, pay bills, make transfers and even deposit cheques whenever it’s convenient for you.

Your bank’s website will provide a link that lets you download the app to your device.

Best for: Ÿ Viewing account balances quickly and securely Ÿ Paying bills and reviewing your payment history Ÿ Depositing cheques through a mobile device Ÿ Finding a nearby branch or automated banking machine Budgeting apps These apps can help track spending, payments, savings and more, allowing you to create a budget and reach your goals faster.

Best for: Ÿ Setting up bill payment or saving reminders Ÿ Creating a budget and helping you stick to it Examples ŸWally (www.wally.me) allows you to create a budget by inputting expenses and organizing them into categories, such as food and drink, transportation, etc. Not only does the app allow you to see where you spend your money by using a GPS, it can populate your budget with the information taken from pictures of your receipts. Ÿ Goodbudget (formerly Easy Envelope Budget Aid; www.goodbudget.com) is basically a collection of virtual envelopes for different expenses. You can assign a balance to each envelope without having to enter your bank account information, and the app keeps a running total as you spend. One neat feature of this tool is that you can add multiple devices to involve your entire

household.

Retirement planning calculators These online calculators can help you figure out how much you’ll need to save for retirement and how you can get there. Some provide savings tips, help you set goals and track your progress.

Best for: Ÿ Figuring out how much to save for retirement Ÿ Preparing for a meeting with your advisor Examples Ÿ Canadian Retirement Income Calculator is provided by the Government of Canada and is a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e a t www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ publicpensions/cpp/retirementincom e-calculator.html. Geared towards those nearing or who have just entered retirement, it helps to determine if your savings will cover expenditures during retirement. Ÿ Retirement Cashflow Planner can be f o u n d o n www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/work sheets/ and is provided by the Ontario Securities Commission. This tool analyzes your retirement savings and is designed to help you plan your retirement cash flow based on your income and expenses.

Small business apps Digital tools and apps can be very handy if you own a small business.

Some of these tools help with filing tax returns, and others simply keep you organized throughout the year so that tax time isn’t something to dread.

Best for: Ÿ Helping business owners issue invoices and track expenses Ÿ Saving time and hassles at tax time Examples ŸFreshBooks (www.freshbooks.com) provides a simple way to manage and track invoices. The app lets you create professional invoices, automatically bill clients for recurring invoices, and track and organize expenses to generate reports. Ÿ Expensify (www.expensify.com) tracks expenses by storing photos of receipts, and tracking mileage through a GPS. The app also integrates with some popular accounting software, which should help at tax time.

Whether your goal is to save for a milestone, get out of debt or make tax filing a little easier, digital tools can help you stay on course to meet your financial objectives. Many more digital tools and apps are available to help you manage your money – these are just a few examples of what is out there. Speak with your advisor to discover which apps might work best for you.

Isa M. Rahamat is an Advisor with Manulife Securities Inc. This content is provided courtesy of Solutions from Manulife. © 2017 Manulife. The persons and situations depicted are fictional and their resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. This media is for information purposes only and is not intended to provide specific financial, tax, legal, accounting or other advice and should not berelied upon in that regard. Many of the issues discussed will vary by province. Individuals should seek the advice of professionals to ensure that any action taken with respect to this information is appropriate to their specific situation. E & O E. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Any amount that is allocated to a segregated fund is invested at the risk of the contractholder and may increase or decrease in value. Manulife, the Block Design, the Four Cubes Design, and Strong Reliable Trustworthy Forward-thinking are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license. 2017

Page 14 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

Pre-Qualified Vs. Pre-Approved – What's The Difference?

What Do You Say When Someone Asks What Your Company Does?

With pre-approval, you will receive a conditional commitment in writing for an exact loan amount, allowing you to look for a home at or below that price level. Obviously, this puts you at an advantage when dealing with a potential seller, as he or she will know you're one step closer to obtaining an actual mortgage.

The other advantage of completing both of these steps – pre-qualification and preapproval – before you start to look for a home is that you'll know in advance how much you can afford. This way, you don't waste time with guessing or looking at properties that are beyond your means. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage also enables you to move quickly when you find the perfect place.

When you make an offer, it won't be contingent on obtaining financing, which can save you valuable time. In a competitive market, this lets the seller know that your offer is serious – and could prevent you from losing the home to another potential buyer who already has financing arranged.

Once you have found the right house for you, you'll fill in the appropriate details and your pre-approval will become a complete application.

Getting Committed The final step in the process is what's called a "loan commitment," which is only issued by a bank when it has approved you, the borrower, and the house in question. This means the home should be appraised at or above the sales price. The bank may also require more information if the appraiser brings up anything he or she feels should be investigated (i.e. structural problems, accessibility issues, outstanding liens or litigation in progress). Your income and credit profile will be checked once again to ensure nothing has changed since the initial approval.

A loan commitment letter is issued only when the bank is certain it will lend, so the commitment date on your purchase contract should be closer to closing than to the date of your offer. (The seller can ask to see that letter as soon as the date has passed, so beware of anyone who tries to put an early commitment date into your contract).

The Bottom Line Be warned. Pre-approved and pre-qualified are not the same thing. Don't assume that the bank will provide your loan until you have been pre-approved. The mistake could cost you your new home, so before you meet with the banks, do your homework by getting preapproved. Another important way to prep for getting a mortgage is researching interest rates.

Doing this could help you save thousands of dollars in interest over the life of your mortgage and gives you some background knowledge when you meet with the banks.

Remember, the future belongs to those who prepare for it.

identify the desirable outcomes your product or service creates.Answering the following questions will facilitate this process: • What specifically does your product or service do for your clients?

• What problems does it allow them to solve or avoid?

• What desirable results does it facilitate?

• What does having your product or service enable them to do?

• Of what efficiencies does it enable your clients to take advantage?

Once you have identified the desirable outcomes your product or service facilitates, you can then describe the situation that would exist without those beneficial outcomes.

You don’t need to oversell the premise of the question. And you don’t need to talk at length. What you say should be very simple. Consider the following examples: Prospect: What do you guys do?

S a l e s p e r s o n : We w o r k w i t h manufacturers like X, Y, and Z to eliminate unintentional inefficiencies that eat up their bottom line.A major concern for many of the manufacturers I’ve spoken to is tying up money and warehouse space with inventories of raw materials they won’t be using for months.Does that ring any bells? Are those kinds of inefficiencies a concern of yours?

Or: Prospect: What do you guys do?

Salesperson: We help attorneys and accountants in the greater metropolitan area generate higherquality leads online. A number of professional services firms I’ve spoken to lately are dissatisfied with both the quantity and quality of the leads generated by their online m a r k e t i n g e ff o r t s . S o m e a r e profoundly disappointed due to the amount of time and money they invested in website design and SEO.If I may ask, how satisfied are you with the quantity and quality of leads your company’s online presence delivers?

TURNING THE CORNER Focusing on developing a powerful 30-second commercial helped Sam to turn the corner.

After working with Juanita for just a few half-hour sessions, Sam was able to come up with a better, more concise, more powerful answer to the question “What do you guys do?” By helping Sam develop and practice that answer, Juanita not only made it easier for him do a better job of communicating with buyers on the phone … she also helped him to generate more leads and referrals in social situations, such as parties and networking events. She gave him a big high-five when he improved his closing ratio … and finished above his monthly quota for the first time.

Rudy LOCHAN

The future belongs to those who prepare for it, American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. Sage advice for homebuyers.

Unfortunately, without proper preparation, many buyers get lulled into the mistaken notion that if a lender pre-qualifies them for a mortgage, it means that they have been preapproved for the home loan. There's a world of difference between these two terms. If you've ever been confused by the two, this Investopedia article will bring you up to speed on how they differ – and why a misunderstanding can mean disaster for borrowers.

The Skinny on Pre-Qualified Getting pre-qualified is the initial step in the mortgage process, and it's generally fairly simple. You supply a bank or lender with your overall financial picture, including your debt, income and assets. After evaluating this information, a lender can give you an idea of the size of the mortgage for which you qualify. Pre-qualification can be done over the phone or on the internet, and there is usually no cost involved. Loan prequalification does not include an analysis of your credit report or an in-depth look at your ability to purchase a home.

The initial pre-qualification step allows you to discuss any goals or needs you may have regarding your mortgage with your lender. At this point, a lender can explain your various mortgage options and recommend the type that might be best suited to your situation.

Because it's a quick procedure – and based only on the information you provide to the lender – your pre-qualified sum is not a sure thing; it's just the amount for which you might expect to be approved. For this reason, being a pre-qualified buyer doesn't carry the same weight as being a pre-approved buyer who has been more thoroughly investigated.

The Skinny on Pre-Approved Getting pre-approved is the next step, and it tends to be much more involved. You'll complete an official mortgage application (and usually pay an application fee), then supply the lender with the necessary documentation to perform an extensive check on your financial background and current credit rating. (Typically at this stage, you will not have found a house yet, so any reference to "property" on the application will be left blank). From this, the lender can tell you the specific mortgage amount for which you are approved. You'll also have a better idea of the interest rate you will be charged on the loan and, in some cases, you might be able to lock in a specific rate.

Robin SINGH

Sam was surprised when his boss, Juanita, called him into her office, closed the door, sat him down, and asked him: “So what is it you guys do?”

This was not the question Sam expected to hear from his sales manager that morning. He was expecting Juanita to start grilling him about his quarterly numbers, which were not anywhere near where he wanted them to be. But when Juanita repeated her question – “I’m serious, what do you guys do?” – he knew he had to take the request seriously. But he still wasn’t quite sure how to respond.

“I’m not kidding, Sam. Pretend I’m a buyer. Pretend you’ve gotten through to me on the phone for the very first time, after weeks of trying. And pretend I ask you that question. What do you say?”

Having finally figured out that he was now in the middle of a role-play session, Sam did his best to answer the question. He started by talking hesitantly about his company’s long and storied history. Then he talked about its most popular products.

Then he talked about the features that made those products great. After about five minutes, Juanita smiled and called time out.

“I think,” she said, “I might have found one of the reasons your closing numbers aren’t where we want them.

Would it be all right if I took a couple of minutes to share some ideas with you?”

PERFECTING A 30-SECOND COMMERCIAL You don’t have five minutes to answer a question like “What is it you guys do?” Your answer should, ideally, consume only 30 seconds, and it should conclude with a question that forwards the conversation in a way that tells you whether or not there’s a reason to keep talking. The answer you give should move your prospects from the “unaware” end of the spectrum to the “solution awareness” end of the spectrum. By asking an appropriate question at the end of your 30-second “commercial,” you can increase the odds that the solutions your prospects will become aware of during the conversation will be the ones you and your company can provide.

First, though, you must provide your own answer to the question, “What do you guys do?” That answer should paint a clear picture of the undesirable outcomes your product or service helps people avoid.

In order to create that picture, you will want to take some time to

Volume 12 • Number 03 • March 22, 2018

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Ontario Masters Softball Cricket On The Move Softball cricket has always been a part of the Guyanese culture in so much that immigrants to North America and especially here in Toronto, Canada, were determined to keep the sport alive despite the usual short summer. After a few pick and play games, softball cricket took off in Toronto in the 90's. As the games became more competitive, some of our expats had the vision to form a league that that caters mainly to the matured players, aged 40 years and up, and in 1999, the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) was founded.

The Masters League started off with four teams, Guyana Sports Club, All- Stars, Silver Knights and Kitty Campbellville Sports Club. As the years have gone by, the OMSCC has expanded as more cricketers have chosen to join an organization that strives to promote the game with integrity and true sportsmanship.

Today, the OMSCC has a whooping twenty-eight (28) teams and counting in competition. Currently there are 20 Over-40 teams another 8 teams in an Over-50 Division that was founded in 2010 to ensure this age group is afforded the

opportunity to continue playing their boyhood games.

Another significant OMSCC milestone which started in 2012 was the introduction of annual intercounty games comprising of players from their Guyanese birth Counties: Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo. During the same year, the OMSCC participated in international softball cricket tournaments that were held in the US and Guyana and for the first time in 2015, the OMSCC proudly hosted a similar and quite successful tournament in Toronto.

With great enthusiasm, plans are now underway for the second Toronto tournament, to be held this coming August 4 - 6, 2017.

Last but not least, the OMSCC is now actively attempting to become far more than being only just about Softball Cricket. It aims to give back to the community. Towards that end two years ago, in 2016, the OMSCC set up a Care Fund for the purpose of making appropriate charitable contributions to those in distress. Although it is not at full capacity as yet, the OMSCC is hoping to raise more for this cause through fund raisers and donations.

www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 15

Two Canadians Among Certified Level 3 Coaches Tw o f o r m e r Canadian national cricketers, Errol Barrow and Zubin Surkari are among twenty-five regional cricket coaches who have been granted Level 3 certification t h r o u g h a collaborative effort between Cricket West Indies and the England and Wales Cricket Board. The list of those receiving their Level 3 Certification also included West Indian fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose as well as former Test players Reon King, Pedro Collins, Stuart Williams and Ryan Hinds.

The eight-day tutored course focused on preparing coaches to work with elite players and teams and is expected to further advance the continued efforts of Cricket West Indies (CWI) to strengthen coaching and ultimately improve the quality of regional squads and players.

According to Cricket West Indies’ Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams“With the Level 3 certification, coaches are better equipped to lead their national teams and the training and experience should provide the tools necessary for more one-on-one coaching while allowing them to better prepare elite players.”

Ambrose, who was delighted at the opportunity to upgrade his technical

knowledge, said, “I want to use this newly-acquired skill as soon as I am able to and I am looking forward to contributing more, soon,” he said.

The team of instructors was led by Tim Dellor from the ECB and he was assisted

by West Indians Tony Gray, Jeffrey Dujon, Hendy Springer and Gus Logie.

The course was completed in Antigua last November while final assessments were done in Barbados and Grenada in mid-February.

The coaches certified included Vinood Maharaj, Terrance Corke, Brendon Ramjal, Robert Turner, Brian Browne, Zubin Surkari, Stuart Williams, Kulbir Jaswal, Raphael Croney, David Bernard, Keith Charlery, Andrew Richardson, Cleton Burnett, Curtly Ambrose, Calvin Waldron, Ryan Hinds, Clay Smith, Pedro Collins, Reon King, Ricky Clarke, Winston Smith, Dave Marshall, Bharat Mangru, Errol Barrow, and Richard Clarke. (SPORTSMAX)