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Black Facts for October 6th

2022 - Why not work from home? - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Trying to balance “true facts” and “false facts” and the new American concept “alternate truths” is like trying to distinguish “industrial action” under the wording of the IRA (which can itself be somewhat convoluted), including a “go slow,” a “work to rule” and “a sickout,” all of which can be regarded as “illegal work stoppages,” but not, at least not formally, one of those protests where everybody in a work unit, one by one, in sequence, takes a “bathroom break.”

Funny old things, words, aren’t they? They bounce and change and play games with your mind. One day they mean one thing, the next day they mean something else entirely.

One day the word “gay” means “song and dance and here we go round the mulberry bush" and a proud designation of the Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, and the next thing you know it has implications about someone’s sexual orientation.

One day, staying away from work after your usual fully paid two-month break is called “rest and reflection” (well, doesn’t everybody?) and the next thing you know someone is telling you that that is against the law for people like you who are regarded as “essential” servants of the country, and who have the future of the country in the nation’s children’s bookbags and laptops.

And to pile Pelion on Ossa, you don’t get paid for the day you didn’t work! Talk about unfair!

It could, of course, be because of the pesky section of that pesky law that states: “Nothing…shall be construed as imposing on an employer any obligation to pay any for any services of a worker that are withheld as a result of strike action taken in conformity with this part.” But if the action is taken not in conformity, as the rest-and-reflection action was, can you nonetheless expect to cry: “Not fair!” if you find your payslip is missing a day’s wages?

Confusing, isn’t it?

And then the Honourable Prime Minister claimed that Trinis are not disciplined enough to work from home! One assumes that he was referring to a mandatory system of public servants working from home.

He tried that with the public service last year and the year before, didn’t he? Off and on? One wonders who advises him in these matters.

[caption id="attachment_978969" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MAIN PHOTOPublic servants head to work at the Inland Revenue Division, Port of Spain when government announced the full return of workers after working from home during the pandemic lockdown in October 2020. File photo/Sureash Cholai[/caption]

There was the working-every-other-day system in the public service that didn’t work, so maybe he was right. There were letters ad complaints on radio talk shows and the press and so on claiming that whole departments in the service didn’t work on either their days on or their days off.

I cannot verify the truth of this, because I am not in that service and so have to work every day. But I can verify that either their phones didn’t work anymore, or no one was there to answer them because I tried.

In the private sector there was a technological trick that people schedu

2022 - Angostura launches sustainable future cocoa project - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Angostura has announced a programme designed to ensure a sustainable future for small scale organic cocoa farmers in TT. The programme will empower small local cocoa farmers while protecting and promoting Trinidad’s prized Trinitario variety, the majority state-owned enterprise said in a release.

Angostura launched cocoa bitters in 2020 as a celebration of the company’s provenance and as part of its commitment to promote local industries. Angostura cocoa bitters uses nibs of TT’s local agricultural treasure – Trinitario cocoa, which is world renowned for its bold, fruity characteristics and depth of flavour and aroma. When combined with Angostura’s blending expertise it creates an award-winning cocoa bitters that is perfect in cocktails such as the Espresso Martini or to enhance the flavour of culinary dishes like savoury sauces and desserts.

The Angostura cocoa bitters sustainable future initiative will focus on farmer education and empowerment to support the survival of the trinitario cocoa variety as well as promote the continued quality of Trinidad’s trinitario cocoa on the world stage captured through digital storytelling and documentary filmmaking.

The first part of the programme sees Angostura partner with Übergreen Organics Ltd to establish three organic cocoa nurseries and clonal gardens. The cocoa plant nurseries will provide healthy, productive, disease and drought resilient varieties of Trinidad’s heirloom trinitario cocoa plants. Übergreen Organics will also deliver training to farms on topics including nursery management, organic certification, and the use of new technologies.

The three cocoa nurseries will produce useful data and specific insights about soil conditions, micro-climates, and other external factors on tree productivity. The nurseries will make over 1,000 plants available each month and increase the income potential of farmers in rural communities.

The second part of the sustainable future project is a documentary –­ The Story Behind Trinitario Cocoa, which explores the challenges and opportunities of the cocoa and chocolate industry in TT. It examines key risks to the industry due to climate change and the younger generations seeking opportunities beyond farming.

Ian Forbes, Angostura acting CEO, said: “The quality of our local cocoa in Trinidad is a source of great pride and is what inspired the creation of Angostura cocoa bitters. We’ve been working closely with farmers from the very beginning and understanding more about the structural issues in the cocoa industry and wanted to help with some solutions to support sustainable farming and growth in the agricultural sector. Cocoa, like Angostura, has been such an important part of Trinidad’s story for almost two hundred years; it’s part of our collective cultural heritage and it’s imperative we protect it.”

Rene Sperber from Übergreen Organics, added: "The extremely low yields of cocoa plants in TT, which is many times lower than the global average, is making farming unsustainable on the islands. The new nursery planting

2022 - Patrice Roberts, Destra Garcia on Nicki Minaj, Skeng’s Likkle Miss remix - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

“Thankful,” that is how soca star Patrice Roberts feels about being a part of TT-born, US rapper Nicki Minaj’s and dancehall artiste Skeng’s remix of Likkle Miss.

The remix was released on October 6 and features an array of female talent including TT soca stars Destra Garcia and Roberts; Jamaican dancehall star Spice, British rapper Lady Leshurr, Jamaican dancehall artistes Pamputtae, Dovey Magnum, Lady Mercedez and rapper London Hill.

The nine artistes are referred to as The Fine Nine on the six-minute, 11-second official audio video on YouTube.

Garcia sings at 4.47 on the track while Roberts sings at 5.18 on the track. Roberts' part was followed by Skeng’s.

The video, at the time of writing, amassed 47,000 views on YouTube. Roberts’ publicist Adanna Asson, who is also part of her management team, said, “The song became live on digital streaming platforms around midnight.”

[caption id="attachment_979136" align="alignnone" width="691"] Patrice Roberts is on US rapper Nicki Minaj’s and dancehall artiste Skeng’s remix of Likkle Miss.[/caption]

She said it has been a couple of weeks since Minaj engaged Roberts directly about being part of a project.

“We did not know of all of the specifics as it related to the song. We knew what song it was. We did not know exactly what she was going to do because it was very tight-lipped.”

Asson said she believed Minaj wanted to surprise everyone. “She just kept saying it was going to be a legendary project. Of course, when she approached Patrice to be a part of the team it was a no-brainer.

“It was something we definitely wanted Patrice to be involved in and something, of course, Patrice wanted to be involved in as well.”

Roberts was sent guidelines which said she needs a verse. Minaj sent the music.

“For Patrice, she might be a little lost for words. Just talking to her this morning, she is just really full of gratitude.

“She is very excited about the fact that Nicki could have looked at her talent and realised that she is someone she wanted involved in the project.  Nicki Minaj really handpicked the women she wanted in the project,” Asson said.

She said this was great for soca.

Asson said Roberts worked tirelessly at her music and craft so she was able to generate interest for herself and the genre.

She said the team could only anticipate what other opportunities might come for Roberts as a result of being a part of this.

“Patrice is very prepared for whatever opportunities may come her way. But she is just full of excitement, gratitude and love.”

Roberts’ verse was written by TT songwriting company Full Blown Entertainment, headed by Kory and Kevon Hart.

On her Instagram page Garcia, who calls herself the queen of bacchanal, said it was no secret how she feels about Minaj and “all she does and keeps doing.”

“But this project right here is giving the true meaning of female power, talent and unity…queens.”

[caption id="attachment_979137" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Destra Garcia is featured on US rapper Nicki Minaj’s and Jamaican dancehal