N Touch

Ambassador not alarmed by attacks on Chinese

Despite an increase in attacks against Chinese nationals in Trinidad, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Song Yumin says he is not particularly alarmed by such incidents, as they have not occurred on a frequent enough basis to be considered a serious threat.

Newsday spoke to Yumin following his feature address at celebrations marking the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain on Tuesday evening. He said while he was concerned over a recent spate of attacks against Chinese, he was confident in the abilities of the TTPS and assured that they were not being targeted by criminals.

“From what I understand with my correspondence with the local police, there is no trend to indicate that the Chinese are being singled out or targeted any more than any other group in Trinidad. We also look at the amount of Chinese living in T&T who have not been the victims of crime in contrast those who have and the figures show that they are isolated incidents.

He said that intense discussions with officials within the National Security Ministry and the police service have yielded results and was optimistic that both parties were working towards ensuring a safer future for both citizens and visitors.

Newsday also spoke to Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon who agreed with Yumin, adding that reported incidents of violence against Chinese nationals represented a minority of crimes adding that the Ministry remains committed to securing T&T for all inhabitants.

Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon delivers his address at the 68th Anniversary Celebrations for the Founding of the Peoples Republic of China at the Hyatt Regency on Tuesday evening.

“The Ministry is always concerned, by all reports of crime, however there is no upsurge in crime against Chinese nationals. All you need to do is look at the number of Chinese living in T&T who have not been the victims of crime in contrast to those who have been victims and you will see that they are isolated events.”

During his address, Yumin said that both T&T and China have enjoyed a rich history of close diplomatic ties and looked towards the future in strengthening relations in all aspects of life, from national security, education and healthcare, citing discussions with Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh to increase the number of Chinese doctors in T&T.

Dillon said that in the past, the Chinese government has been of invaluable support to T&T and it’s efforts to secure maritime boundaries adding that government was ready to further its partnership through trade and infrastructure into the next era.

Precious Paintings on show

The 101 Art Gallery is hosting its exhibition Precious Paintings from Private Collection 2017 which opens from 5pm to 8 pm on Sunday.

Precious Painting is an annual exhibition showcased by the gallery where the visitors can enjoy rarely seen art works by famous masters of TT art such as Cazabon, Atteck, Leong Pang, Carlisle Chang, Geoffrey and Boscoe Holder, Greenidge, as well as some rare pieces by famous, internationally-renowned artists.

Works have been gathered from many private collections in TT as well as abroad.

This year two very special art works will be in the exhibition, one by Camille Pissarro and the other by Frida Kahlo. Also on display will be numerous watercolours etchings and lithographs of the 1800s, showing scenes from around the Caribbean which are of historical value.

The power of Transformational Leadership

I had the distinct pleasure a few months ago, to be part of a series of community-based discussions around the issue of transformational leadership where the objective sought to decipher the question, “What type of leaders do we need in Trinidad and Tobago?”

Though the question may seem open-ended, the use of skilled moderators with a keen understanding of the topic of transformational leadership added to the rich outcome of these discussions, and additionally to a personal renewal of hope for a community-based governance model with a national outlook.

Transformational leadership according to www.langston.edu, is defined as a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems. In its ideal form, it creates valuable and positive change in people and systems. Enacted in its authentic form, transformational leadership enhances the motivation, morale and performance of followers through a variety of mechanisms. In terms of personality traits transformational leaders pursue the betterment of their environment, get to know their team well, give people the tools to succeed, influence people positively by their life, are courageous, build consensus and help people to pursue common goals, find solutions to problems, help others to achieve the impossible, build the next generation of leaders, listen actively, increase followership, and bring about permanent change through co-creational, humanizing, aspiring, navigating, generating, expressing and synchronising conversations. (Judith E Glaser).

The series of discussions hosted in five specific communities resulted in fertile discussion, fuelled by the genuine concern for the current national trajectory. This concern, not solely political in nature, stems from a genuine need to strengthen the fabric of leadership and its indicators toward a stronger and more effective means of governance at all levels. Lance Secretan tells us that transformational leadership is ‘leadership with passion and purpose, higher ground leadership, new story leadership, leadership that satisfies the spirit or essential self rather than the ego, leadership that is lived not learnt, more about who we are than what we do, a powerful integrity-centred passion rather than a self-serving social self-function. He goes on to add, this type of leadership asks –How can I serve? How can I make the world a better place for people? It is about leaders who assist people to maintain balance and focus when the environment is turbulent, are concerned with helping people to identify, realise and sustain a dream, leadership that produces joy and satisfaction and touches the whole human.

The outcome of this first series of sessions saw respondents presenting the following as their idea of a transformational leadership style required of their leaders: owning up to and taking responsibility for their mistakes, leaders who are accountable for their actions, are down to earth (humble, able to interact with persons at all levels), are interested in the needs of people especially the grassroots people, leaders who remember they are there to serve the people, understand the changing dynamics of Trinidad and Tobago, are brave enough to spearhead major constitutional changes such as proportional representation, would do what is right for the country as opposed to their personal interest, are accessible to their constituents, have what it takes to make difficult decisions, can build self-policing teams, can co-create an inspiring vision of the future, who train and cultivate other leaders, can build self-policing teams and co-create an inspiring vision of the future.

This attempt to encourage the people of Trinidad and Tobago to embrace Transformational Leadership as a means of unlocking the power of developmental possibilities for our country will continue soon. You are encouraged to participate in this ground-breaking revolution in our developmental pathway.

Nicole Dyer-Griffith writes a weekly column for the Business Day.

Petrotrin: an unfinished story

The history of Trinidad and Tobago contains some parallels with the history of our energy sector, which is over 160 years old, and one with which we as citizens identify ourselves. One may even argue that this identity is the reason for the seeming inability to diversify our economy.

In 1857 the first well was drilled for oil in Trinidad – 61 metres deep in the vicinity of the Pitch Lake by the Merrimac Company. In 1908 commercial oil production began near the Pitch Lake in La Brea and in 1910, the first export cargo of crude oil was shipped by tanker at Brighton, La Brea. Years later, in 1993, the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, otherwise known as Petrotrin, a local state-owned oil company, was established by the merger of Trintopec and Trintoc, two other State-owned oil companies. A third company, Trinmar Ltd was merged into the company in 2000. As a State-enterprise, Petrotrin is under the direct control of the Minister of Finance acting as the Corporation Sole, and the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries is the line ministry that provides specialised technical analyses and statutory approvals for the company’s operations.

In an address to the nation in January, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley noted that Petrotrin was experiencing a dramatic slump in crude oil prices, combined with an ongoing decline in refinery margins and declining local oil production. He said this resulted in a more than 50 per cent decrease in the company’s revenues, from TT$37 billion in 2012 to TT$16 billion in 2016. The situation was further exacerbated when the union served formal strike notice on Petrotrin in January. It is important to note that Petrotrin has more than 5,000 employees, with an annual wage bill of $1.9 billion, which is close to 50 per cent of its total annual operating costs. Additionally, the Finance Ministry has had to pay for imported oil to keep the refinery going, only to have Petrotrin sell the refined products at a loss.

Traditionally, Petrotrin has been a net earner of foreign exchange, approximately $250 million per year in 2015 and 2016. It is also an important contributor to government tax revenues and a guarantor of the country’s energy security. For many years, however, high international oil prices masked a range of fundamental weaknesses in Petrotrin’s operations. Among the main structural problems were a steady decline in domestic oil production, low productivity, escalating manpower costs and steadily increasing operational and capital costs, due to inadequate controls, questionable management practices, ageing assets and infrastructure, and higher levels of employment than needed for an oil company that size.

A new Board was recently installed at Petrotrin with a mandate to make Petrotrin sustainable and profitable in the next two to three years and to restructure it in the best interest of the national community taking into account all the competing interests and challenges. According to reports, Petrotrin has found itself in a distressing financial state with a US$850 million debt due in 2019 which the company would be hard-pressed to pay.

As the sole refinery in the country and the provider of the fuels that keep people and goods moving on the nation’s roads and on our seas and the earner of foreign exchange the future of Petrotrin is of direct interest to all members of the national community and the sustainability of the company has direct implications for our macroeconomic situation. Concerns about the financial viability of Petrotrin – and its heavy debt burden – directly affect the overall confidence of international investors in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as our international ratings.

Petrotrin also has an important role to play in the availability of US dollars and is a very important source of tax revenue for the government. Petrotrin paid a total of $6.6 billion dollars in 2014 and $4.1 billion in 2015 respectively in taxes to the government. Additionally, Petrotrin’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts must also be recognised as the Company invested an estimated $15 million dollars in community projects across Trinidad and Tobago for the period 2014/2015. The company is also key to any short-term effort to reverse falling national oil production. While deep-water exploration has the potential for significant new oil production in the longer term, the reality is that any more immediate increase in oil production is likely to come from the mature acreage under the control of Petrotrin – both onshore and in the Gulf of Paria.

This is a national company, facing issues that have implications for all of us, our way of life, standards of living and ability for us to provide for our children’s future. Let us ensure we pay attention and let our voices be heard about the issues and the unfinished story of Petrotrin.

Time to tap maritime services

In March 2017 the Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) presented a draft Diversification Strategy and Roadmap which is intended to articulate the Vision 2030 Development Strategy and Plan formulated by the Ministry of Planning and Development. The Diversification Strategy and Roadmap arises from a recognition that the negative economic impact of the sharp fall in oil and gas prices since mid-2014, as well as the decline in the production of both crude oil and natural gas, makes it imperative that this country develops alternative sources of foreign exchange earnings.

The goal advocated for the Diversification Strategy and Roadmap is to achieve 40 per cent of total exports in 2030 as non-energy exports, that is, excluding crude and refined oil, LNG and petrochemicals but inclusive of services exports. Trinidad and Tobago is currently at about 15 per cent non-energy exports and preliminary projections suggest that non-energy exports will have to grow at an average annual rate of about ten per cent to achieve that target. EDAB identified seven industries that would be targeted for growth. These include food and beverage manufacturing sector, digital platforms and ICT-enabled services, maritime aviation, creative industries, energy services, tourism and nearshore financial services.

Currently, the Trade and Industry Ministry is seeking to boost the maritime industry, which it sees it as one of the non-energy sectors with potential to contribute to economic diversi­fication. The Ministry views yachting services as a significant opportunity, given that Trinidad lies below the hurricane belt, and has world-class yacht repair, maintenance services, and storage capability. The Ministry is currently collaborating with the industry to develop a yachting policy 2017-2021 that will include a review of regulations and legislation, facilitation of entry and departure from TT, through the use of a single form, customer service training, and the implementation of standard operating procedures for border agen­cy officers at ports of entry. The plan also aims to improve the infrastructure of the yachting sites, certification of the human resource base, and a marketing and promotional plan to promote the sector internationally and locally.

On the other hand, transportation shortages are taking a toll on Tobago’s tourism industry. Trinidad and Tobago’s ferry crisis, which escalated with the collapse of the sea bridge in May when the TT Express developed mechanical problems, has forced some hotels in Tobago to put staff on a three-day workweek, according to the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association. Trinidad and Tobago nationals account for 80 per cent of tourism in Tobago, and the Seabridge problems are gravely impacting the sector. The inter-island transportation shortage has caused a decline in guesthouse occupancy to 22 per cent. Hotels are running at 34 per cent occupancy, with breakeven an estimated 52 per cent. Regional occupancy meanwhile stands at 68 per cent. The hotel sector has lost US$3.7m since the onset of the ferry crisis, prompting hotel operators to require clients to state if they have an airplane or ferry ticket before booking the reservations. Hired car operators and restaurants have been hit hard also. Operators are now facing possible delays in payments of their utility bills and bank loans. The recent spate of hurricanes that have been inundating the Caribbean islands have severely crippled the economies of some and completely destroyed others.

The Caribbean, however, is still a prime destination for tourists from colder climates. There is opportunity here for the tourism sector of Trinidad and Tobago, especially since it has been identified as a sector that will assist in diversifying the economy. If we ever hope to be serious about our economic growth as a nation, diversification, paying attention for example to maritime issues could prove advantageous at this time, with short term gain a real possibility. Developing a maritime strategy should be considered.

This editorial appeared in this week’s Business Day.

PM shows his caring side

THE EDITOR: Dr Keith Rowley has shown that a compassionate persona lies beneath a rough exterior. The Prime Minister has indeed made members of the national community proud by his selfless act of immense magnitude in his humanitarian approach to the people of Dominica.

Rowley has rightly ignored his critics who say his offer to Dominicans to come to TT is empty and only made to deflect from conversations of “oilgate” and “ferrygate.” His caring knows no bounds as he was able open the pots and homes of Trinidad to Caribbean neighbours even as he knew that thousands of nationals do not know from where their next meal is coming from.

Rowley was able to blank from his thoughts that rampant local crime may put Dominicans in danger of being mugged or murdered. He has the confidence that Education Minister Anthony Garcia will find school places for the visitors, notwithstanding that Fatima is overcrowded and other schools cannot be repaired in time.

Rowley knew that even those who suffered the effects of recent bad weather because they lived in lagoons were still willing to share their tarpaulins and sponge mattresses with their Caribbean neighbours

Rowley has enduring faith that members of his Government and party will make their homes readily available and Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister Stuart Young will communicate this message as a command from the esteemed leader. His Government and party will show that action speaks louder than words and he will take the opportunity to show up DOMA and MSJ’s David Abdulah as blowhards. It must certainly pained Rowley that he could not accommodate any Dominicans in his home of Tobago, as the island continues to suffer more than if a category five hurricane had hit it.

Keith Rowley is the man of the moment.

MARGARET MOHAMMED, Penal

Let’s restore pride and dignity to national flag

THE EDITOR: Wherever I journey throughout our nation, the red, white and black always captivates my attention. Unfortunately, many times I look upon a worn and/or torn flag and I become disturbed.

With much zeal, I desired to know more about the flag and its rules. My enquiries revealed many violations of the rules, including height inconsistencies, displaying the flag at night, worn and/or torn flags etc.

The national flag when it is flown in a group of other flags, such as those belonging to institutions and organisations, should be at the centre and at the highest point in the group.

No other flag should be displayed above or to the right of the national flag, ie, the flag’s own right or the observer’s left. All other flags flown together with the national flag should be placed to the left of it. It is also important to mention that all franchises must ensure compliance with the height rules at all their branches.

There are only two occasions when other flags can be flown at the same height as the national flag. Firstly, with the President’s Standard on special days and secondly when the flags of two or more countries are displayed.

The flag should not be flown after sunset, except inside a building. However, on important ceremonial occasions it may be displayed in the open after sunset when it should be floodlit, if possible.

I have noticed worn and torn flags that are still on display. When used in this manner it brings the flag into a state of disgrace. A potential solution to all stakeholders is to have a new national flag in reserve.

The national flag represents us as a multiracial, multicultural and multireligious nation. It also represents all the emigrants from various nations who attained citizenship in the country. It represents the various financial classes of people. It represents all political and labour parties. It represents us as a sovereign democratic nation when we became independent from England on August 31, 1962. It represents us as a republic State attained on August 1, 1976. The flag represents all the emblems on the coat of arms, the anthem, the pledge, the song, the flower and the national instrument. Finally, it represents the colours and their meaning.

Educating the children on the importance of the flag, the colours and meaning is valid. Participation in the hoisting and lowering of the flag will instil pride and respect for it.

Manufacturers of authentic flags (meaning the sewn one and not the printed one) should have the responsibility to include an information manual for its care. This is mainly where the abuse of the flag originates. All citizens have the right to purchase the flag, but not everyone has knowledge about its care.

Is there a committee to champion the cause of the flag? Is there a group of people with the authority to enforce all the rules of the flag? If not, we need such a committee urgently. This is a matter of national interest and it should not be taken lightly.

DONNA-MARIE PAUL-POON YING, via e-mail

Tears at murdered teacher’s funeral

“We must take a stand or we will spend our days mourning the loss of our loved ones,” Canon Ronald Branche said on Tuesday as he delivered a spirited homily at the funeral of murdered primary school teacher Henry Mack, at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port of Spain.

Branche said Mack’s murder created a gap not only in the staff at the school, but also in the community as he cited Mack’s years of service to his neighbourhood by providing lessons to children free of charge.

Pupils of Escallier Primary School sign a poster memorial in honour of their late teacher.

“Teachers are hard to come by. Male teachers are especially scarce. We should never underestimate or take for granted what teachers have to offer. Just like the artist has his canvas and the sculptor his stone, the materials of teachers are living, breathing material fashioned in the image of the creator.”

Branche called on the public to take a stand against the criminal element and said despite recent responses to rising crime, criminals continue to run amok. “All over the country there are people marching for peace in the communities and yet there is mayhem. When some senseless thug comes with his foolishness to take out a teacher we must let our voices be heard.”

Scores of past and present students of the Escalier Government Primary School in Morvant attended Mack’s funeral to pay their final respects to the man many affectionately referred to as ‘Teach’.

SORROW: Gwendolyn Welch hugs her grandson Kristoff at the funeral service for Welch’s son and Kristoff’s father Hasley Mack on Tuesday at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

A long-time friend and colleague of Mack, said students are still struggling to come to terms with his death. “He was like a surrogate father to many of the children whom he taught. The school is located in a socially depressed area and they either come from single-parent households or from homes where both parents work two jobs to try and make ends meet. He was always there for them, and it’s sad to see that he is gone.”

Mack, 47, died in a drive-by shooting while leaving a mini-mart on Lady Young avenue at around 7.30 pm last Tuesday. Another man, 24-year-old James Julian, was also killed, and a third, identified as Jhamali Haywood, was wounded.

Disaster Management hotlines established

Disaster Management hotlines have been set up within the 14 Municipal Corporations. Members of the public are encouraged to call these toll free numbers to report emergency incidents resulting from natural disasters and inclement weather that directly affect their households.

In a release, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government said this was the first time in the history of the Ministry, that such a direct and constant connection with the public has been established.

The ministry said the hotline numbers will be managed by the individual Disaster Management Units in each municipality and are available on a 24/7 basis, with an active listener ready to take the report and dispatch the appropriate response as quickly as needed.

Calls coming in after 4 pm will be automatically routed directly to a dedicated mobile number for the Disaster Management Unit of the Corporation.

Minister Haji Kazim Hosein says “We continue to work diligently to improve our first response to the burgesses of the country in times of crisis. The inclement weather we have experienced during this rainy season has revealed areas where we can improve, and we have been making these improvements so that citizens can access the necessary facilities and resources when they most need them. This year we filled the position of Disaster Management Coordinator at the Ministry, to manage all fourteen (14) Corporations in order to launch the most cohesive effort.”

The numbers are:

  • Diego Martin Regional Corporation 800-DMRC (3672)
  • San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation 800-SLRC (7572)
  • Arima Borough Corporation 800-2ABC (2222)
  • Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation 800-TPRC (8272)
  • Port-of-Spain City Corporation 800-PSCC (7722)
  • Sangre Grande Regional Corporation 800-SGRC (7472)
  • Chaguanas Borough Corporation 800-DCBC (3222)
  • Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation 800-CTTC (2882)
  • Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation 800-4MRC (4672)
  • Princes Town Regional Corporation 800-PTRC (7872)
  • Point Fortin Borough Corporation 800-PFBC (7322)
  • San Fernando City Corporation 800-SCDU (7238)
  • Penal/Debe Regional Corporation 800-PDRC (7372)
  • Siparia Regional Corporation 800-SRDU (7738)

bmobile to host Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisations’ HR and ICT Conference

bmobile will be hosting the 2017 Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisations’ (CTO) Human Resources and ICT Conference on November 14 and 15 in Trinidad.

Created in August 1901, CTO is the oldest and largest Commonwealth membership organisation in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and plays a special role in coordinating the Commonwealth’s engagement in the global ICT agenda, assisting member countries in areas such as technical support, capacity building and knowledge sharing. Gilbert C Patterson, chairman of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) was elected as chair of the CTO Council and Executive Committee in September 2016, and said he was delighted that Trinidad and Tobago was elected as CTO chair.

ICTs are an important contributor in the social, economic and human development of a country and impact all aspects of governance and all sectors of business. Understanding the unique human resources needed in the ICT age is a constant challenge for human resource professionals. Launched in 2007, the annual CTO Human Resources and ICT Conference is specifically designed for human resource professionals in the telecoms, media and technology sectors, as well as ICT public policymakers. The two-day conference aims to help HR practitioners plan, procure, develop and retain appropriate human resources, as well as to understand the benefits of ICTs in human resource management.

Carol David, TSTT’s executive vice president Human Resources, Industrial Relations and Corporate Support Services will be speaking at the conference and said, “Human Resources are an important source of competitive advantage, and effective human resource management (HRM) plays an essential role in building and retaining the pool of highly skilled human capital required to sustain this advantage. ICTs are important enablers of this HRM function and continue to have a positive and large impact within organizations.”

David continued, “As a local and regional market leader, bmobile is proud to be the sponsor and host of the 2017 CTO Human Resources and ICT Conference which will provide insightful keynotes from thought leaders and innovators, provide practical advice from experts in the sector, share best practices, as well as new technologies and innovative ways to improve organisations’ performance.”

The theme of the 2017 conference is “The Impact Of Big Data On HR” and key topics include: harmonising big data; modernising HR management by incorporating ICTs in HRM and analytics driven HRM; the predictive power of big data HRM; the impact of big data on HR strategy planning; ensuring big data security in the organisation; ethical and legal challenges of using big data; the use of social media in the workplace; social recruiting – using social platforms to source global talent; and outsourcing, insourcing and sharing services.

The 2016 CTO Human Resources and ICT conference was held in Kingston, Jamaica under the theme Human Resources for the Information Society and focused on the following issues: The ICT landscape of tomorrow; ICT reshaping the concept of work; enhancing knowledge and management through ICTs; using ICTs to streamline the recruitment process; from human resource to human capital development; and using ICTs to transform: from performance evaluation to performance management.

Registration is now open for the annual conference. Interested persons may contact Robert Hayman, manager International Events on 44 (0) 208 600 3800 0r events@cto.int or visit the website at www.cto.int/events/upcoming-events/hrict-2017/

Ministry pledges to work with CXC

The Ministry of Education is ensuring students are given the grades they deserve with the provision of reliable and valid results from the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC). “The Ministry saw it best to invite CXC officials to TT so that we can have a face to face interaction with the council to share with them our concerns and at the same time give them the opportunity to explain to us what transpired,” said Minister Anthony Garcia at his office, in Port of Spain.

Present at the meeting were Ministry of Education officials; Minister of State in the Ministry of Education Lovell Francis, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Harrilal Seecharan, Acting Permanent Secretary Lenor Baptiste-Simmons and CXC officials- Glenroy Cumberbatch- CXC’s Registrar and CEO, Director of Operations- Stephen Savoury and Executive Administrative Assistant Amril Gittens.

Some of the issues addressed were the late release of results, online registration, review of the exam process, grade changes, e-testing and queries pertaining to the two major examinations; Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

“CXC’s examination body is a regional body and as we go further in Caribbean integration everything must be done to secure the integrity of the council and every effort must be made so that the general public would have confidence in CXC, as all concerns will be dealt with expeditiously,” said Garcia.

Cumberbatch said that CXC is very concerned about providing reliable test scores and ensuring that their systems, committees and other elements are set up to guarantee that students get valid and reliable results.“We (CXC) are making sure that the processes we use can stand up to scrutiny, CXC qualifications are accepted any part of the world and every effort we make is to ensure that candidates get the scores they earned and deserve as all our systems are set up in a way to produce that,” said Cumberbatch.

“Based on discussions we have had in areas of challenges, systems are already being put in place to deal with them,” said Seecharan.

“As it pertains to the late release of results, CXC has advised that the problem resulted from challenges with the service provider. As such they (CXC) have changes their service provider to help mitigate the issue,” he continued. The issue of on-line registration was also addressed.

The number one solution for getting more clients

I was looking at an episode of “The Profit” on CNBC hosted by Marcus Lemonis. Lemonis is the chairman and CEO of multibillion-dollar corporation – Camping World and when he’s not running the company, he’s searching for struggling businesses in need of cash. He tries to help turn each company around by offering cash for a piece of the business and a percentage of the profits.

In this particular episode he was asking the owner of a candle making company about profit, debt and how many customers he had. Quite a bit of debt was racked up at $29,500 versus the $600 liquid assets available. At the time of the show, this outfit had near zero funds but at the very least the owner was committed to the cause.

Marcus then told the owner that he was more or less a startup. The guy got very defensive!

At startup stage you are actually searching for a repeatable and scalable business model.

If you’re in debt, not making a profit and without customers and repeat business then you don’t have a real business… yet!

If what you’re in feels more like a rollercoaster then you need a solution fast.

We all know the feast and famine cycle: one minute you’re feeling on top of the world. You’re busy busy, working on a project, income is flowing and you feel in control. As the project winds down you start getting anxious. You aren’t sure where your next client or project is going to come from. You feel anxious and more than out of control. You need to get another paycheck – yesterday!

To avoid this roller coaster you need to look at a couple things:

If things started off going well for you, but business is starting to dwindle it might be time to go back to the drawing board and look at what you’re offering and to whom. Clarity is almost always a wise first step. You need to be clear on the offer. If you’re getting more “I’m not interested”, or “that’s not what we want” comments, then your offer might be wrong.

You need to figure out who your ideal clients are. What are the problems that they are having? This is simpler than you think. You just need to ask people. Once you know what they’re experiencing and what their real needs are then you can figure out which services and solutions would be the right ones to offer.

Another option is to keep your offer but focus on another market. Your ideal client may not be the ideal client for what you’re offering.

Michael Zipursky a coach to elite consultants says that marketing isn’t about ONE action. It’s a series of steps and actions you take which are orchestrated to win the attention of your ideal clients.

The number one solution that allows you to build a sustainable and profitable business is to start working on creating a marketing system: a process that consistently attracts qualified leads and opportunities. As Michael shares, “you need a system that puts your well-honed message in front of your ideal clients and instantly resonates with them.” The result: Real buyers take notice and raise their hand saying “I’d like to learn more about that….let’s talk.”

Every month that goes by without you getting a client is costing you money. If you’re too busy working in your business and not able to spend enough time working on your business then you are going to suffer. The time it takes to drum up new business, depending on what business you’re in can be significant. For some weeks, for others…it can take month! And when you don’t have enough client business then your mind starts to play tricks on you. Self-doubt usually creeps in. You doubt yourself, and your ability. Before long you are in a place of desperation, taking projects and doing work that’s not best suited to you, but now it becomes all about paying bills and meeting expenses. This is not a productive place to be, and one that will reap very little profits long term.

If you haven’t started, it’s time to begin today, creating a system to fill your pipeline with opportunities and potential high valued customers interested in talking to you and learning from your expertise and guidance.

If you’d like help with this send an email to possibility2profit@gmail.com for the FREE guide: “Turn your marketing into profits”

Giselle Hudson writes a weekly column for the Business Day paper.

Khan goes to Russia

Energy Minister Franklin Khan is expected to be appointed alternative chairman of the Gas Exporting Companies Forum (GECF) executive board at the 19th ministerial meeting of the GECF in Moscow, Russia. The meeting takes place from October 3 to 7.

This means that Khan, who will lead the TT delegation to the F meeting, will miss the presentation of the 2017/2018 budget in Parliament on October 2 He will also miss Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s response to the budget on October 6.

In a statement yesterday, the Energy Ministry said Khan’s appointment means that TT will host the annual ministerial meeting in 2018.

The GECF is considered the gas equivalent of the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC), with its member countries accounting for approximately 67 per cent of the world natural gas reserves.

The Fourth GECF Gas Summit is scheduled to take place in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on November 24. This is a biennial meeting of heads of state and government of GECF member countries. Current members of the GECF include Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, TT, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

Azerbaijan, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Oman and Peru are observers.

First Citizens celebrates 24

First Citizens’ customers at branches around the country were invited to celebrate with the Bank its 24th anniversary. Celebrations took place from September 18 – 22 and group representatives distributed tokens, refreshments at the branches where, in some cases, there was light entertainment. In photo, First Citizens deputy CEO, Jason Julien, centre, stands with representatives of the Chaguanas Commercial Business Centre and customers.

CDA partners with private sector to increase food security

The Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) has partnered with privately owned Chaguaramas Farms Ltd/Caribbean Chemicals and Agencies Limited (CFL/CCL) to develop 55 acres of lands at Tucker Valley, Chaguaramas, into an Agro Park for sustainable crop production activities.

This follows a negotiated agreement between the CDA and CFL/CCL to make available to the Government, approximately 40 acres of prime, fertile lands with agricultural infrastructure from its original 100-acre mega-farm project. It is one of many new initiatives being undertaken by the CDA as part of a more holistic development plan for the Chaguaramas Peninsula.

The Agro Park will be allocated to registered farmers on a lease arrangement for agricultural production, and is expected to become operational by October 15. Farmers utilising the Agro Park are expected to benefit immensely from a facility that integrates all facets of the agricultural value chain, from pre-production to actual production, post harvesting and marketing. In addition to the commercial production areas on the Agro Park, there will be areas reserved for training and demonstration purposes with respect to the range of production technologies available and their outcomes. Technical support to the farmers and the CDA for the project will be provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and the private sector.

This public/private partnership is consistent with the CDA’s mandate to develop Chaguaramas lands in the interest of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and is expected to play its role in contributing to Government’s efforts of improving the nation’s food security, reducing the overall food import bill and providing opportunities to farmers who are key to developing and maintaining local food baskets.

Pure Grenada supporting Caribbean tourism industry

Pure Grenada, Spice of the Caribbean is assisting its Caribbean neighbours impacted by recent hurricanes while supporting the tourism industry in the Caribbean. Grenada’s Minister for Tourism, Dr Clarice Modeste Curwen recalled how Caribbean nations swiftly came to Grenada’s aid after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and she was pleased to announce that her government pledged over US$300,000 (EC $1 million) toward the relief efforts in the region.

The Minister stated that Grenada’s seaports are open and ready to assist any vessels seeking safe haven. She said, “Our marinas offered shelter and services to a number of yachts while Pure Grenada also warmly welcomed an unscheduled call from Carnival Fascination on Tuesday. We are happy to assist.”

Also as part of the regional response, CEO of the Grenada Airports Authority (GAA) Wendy Williams reported that Pure Grenada and the Maurice Bishop International Airport offered shelter to more than 20 aircraft in the past few days. “We are ready to offer a safe haven to as many aircrafts as we can”, said Williams. The GAA CEO said Dominica can also expect technical assistance from the GAA as well as relief funding channeled through the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).

Grenada will host the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2017 from October 9-13 and this Caribbean Tourism Organisation conference is now more important than ever. CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) Patricia Maher said that Grenada is gearing up to host tourism stakeholders from across the region and beyond. She said, “SOTIC 2017 is an opportunity to show the world that the Caribbean is not all impacted by the hurricanes and that together as a region we are stronger”.

In the spirit of CARICOM

In the life of a nation, 41 years as a Republic is still relatively young. The commemoration of Republic Day in Trinidad and Tobago has always been somewhat low-key, when compared to our Independence pomp and pageantry. This year, for the first time, the National Awards was hosted on Republic Day – September 24. Hopefully this will serve to foster a greater appreciation of the significance of this landmark holiday. On that note, the TT Chamber extends congratulations to all awardees, for their outstanding service towards nation-building.

Trinidad and Tobago may be described as a maturing society, and our journey from Independence through Republicanism, has been marked with many positives. Despite the disturbing crime situation, TT remains a nation that is peaceful, for the most part, with a stable, democratic political system and a population that is generally respectful of differences.

We continue to make our contribution, as part of Caricom – one of the longest-surviving integration movements for developing countries. This is demonstrated through our functional co-operation in education, health, culture and security, along with a commitment to the Single Market and Economy.

Within recent times the concept of co-operation has become a focal point when we consider the devastating impact of natural disasters upon the region. Hurricanes Irma and Maria have caused massive damage to life, landscape and property in Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica and several other islands within the region. The long-term impact is mind-boggling and the re-building process will take several years, while running into billions of dollars. With little to no revenue-generating activity, affected countries are likely end up in dire economic straits. No doubt, they will be forced to re-negotiate international loan arrangements, and the like. That is without even starting the discussion about the psychological impact upon the people.

As part of Joint Chambers, the TT Chamber is engaging in the relief and rebuild efforts of these affected Caricom islands.

Joining the cause are NGOs such as: Living Water Community, the Love All Serve All initiative and the Halo Foundation of Antigua and Barbuda. Our combined efforts in collaboration with One Caribbean Media (OCM) and last Sunday’s One Island concert, have produced this aid initiative.

We are asking every member of the public to assist in sending relief items to the islands.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has also indicated a waiver of immigration restrictions to allow for Dominicans to seek refuge in our country for a period of six months.

Judging from the premature and divisive comments from a few citizens upon learning of the PM’s offer, it is evident that absolutely no thought was given to what would happen if Trinidad and Tobago were to suffer a similar fate as our neighbours.

While the lifting of restrictions to entry will require close monitoring, the TT Chamber is of the view that the Government’s gesture ought not to be politicised at the expense of rendering service, shelter and sustenance to our Caricom neighbours.

If you are serious about assisting our affected neighbours, we encourage you to link with legitimate organisations only, to donate cash and in-kind items. Please check your daily newspapers and news outlets for more details or call the TT Chamber. Let’s do our part right now to assist.

The TT Chamber writes a weekly column for the Business Day paper.

Man Callaloo going to Cipriani

Man Callaloo…The Making of a Perfect Trini Man goes to Cipriani College for its final two nights on September 29 and October 1.

The play is being staged RS/RR Productions, the company which presented plays such as Mary Could Dance, Scandal, One Night Stand, Love Thy Neighbour, Real Housewives of Port of Spain, Looking For Mr Big, Men Are Dogs, Bailout, Eat Ah Food and Hotel 21.

The play premises a night of craziness, laughter and fun as audiences will be in stitches over the attempts to find the perfect Trini man. The cast includes Nikki Crosby, Richard Ragoobarsingh, Debra Boucaud Mason, Penelope Spencer, Bradley Logan and Aaron Schneider. The play is directed by in-house Boucaud Mason and Richard Ragoobarsingh. There will be no show September 30.

For more info visit RS/RR Productions on Facebook.

NAGICO remains resilient

Hurricanes Irma and Maria wreaked havoc in the Caribbean region, causing loss of lives and significant damage to properties, with some being deemed uninhabitable, resulting in many persons being displaced. NAGICO gives the assurance it will honour its obligations to each of its policyholders and settle their claims in a timely manner in accordance with the policy conditions.

The shareholders and Board of Directors of the NAGICO Group reassures its stakeholders, in particular its policyholders that NAGICO is a financially strong and stable institution, and maintains an exceptional reinsurance programme backed by the world’s largest and strongest A rated re insurers. In a release, the company said, “We are proud of the NAGICO team that has been very proactive and diligent with the management of the hurricane claims, having established and communicated multiple channels for customer reporting, including an online platform which was available to clients immediately after the passage of the storms.

“Our dedicated staff, agents and brokers, despite also suffering losses, have been working relentlessly to satisfy our customers’ needs and our team of adjusters are also actively visiting our clients as we deliver on our promise of fast and fair claim settlement. The NAGICO Group remains steadfast in its commitment to help its policyholders and the Caribbean region rebuild.”

Caribbean, Central America urged to increase disaster insurance

The management of the CCRIF SPC (formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility) is appealing to Caribbean and Central American governments to increase their insurance coverage with the facility to help mitigate the cost of devastating natural disasters. The facility, created in 2007, provides financial support within 14 days to territories hit by hurricanes, tropical cyclones and earthquakes. Initially targeted at Caribbean countries, in 2015, it was expanded to include countries of Central America.

Dominica, one of the most seriously affected countries of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, is set to receive an initial payment of US $19, 294.800 on insurance policies held with CCRIF SPC following the passage of Category 5 Hurricane Maria on September 19.

The payment to Dominica is being made under its tropical cyclone coverage, but Dominica also has an excess rainfall policy with CCRIF SPC and the organisation is assessing whether that policy was also triggered by Hurricane Maria.

Dominica was not the only island to benefit from the CCRIF. After the widespread damage and destruction caused earlier in September by Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history, CCRIF SPC made about US$15.6 million (EC$42 million) in payments to the governments of Antigua & Barbuda, Anguilla and St Kitts & Nevis under their Tropical Cyclone policies. Antigua & Barbuda was expected to receive US$ 6,794,875 (EC$ 18,346,163) Anguilla: US$ 6,529,100 (EC$ 17,628,570); St. Kitts & Nevis US$ 2,294,603 (EC$ 6,195,428) for a total of US$ 15,618,578 or EC$ 42,170,161. According to a statement from CCRIF SPC, Anguilla and St. Kitts & Nevis also had Excess Rainfall policies and if it is determined that these policies were triggered by the rains from Hurricane Irma, the islands would be entitled to a second payout under those policies.

CCRIF SPC noted the payments would bring to US$50.7 million the amount paid out to affected regional territories in the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season and to US$120 million the amount paid to affected islands since the CCRIF SPC’s inception.

Chief executive officer of CCRIF SPC, Isaac Anthony said, “While we are saddened by the devastation from both tropical cyclones Irma and Maria, we continue to be pleased to support our member countries in their time of need and are encouraged by the annual renewal of policies by our members. This provides some strong evidence that our model is a benefit to the region as well as a template that can be adopted and adapted by other regions of the world.”

Commenting on the utility of the facility in early September when he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Association of Caribbean States at the ACS Secretariat, Sweet Briar Road, Port-of-Spain, Anthony said immediate access to liquidity is critical for governments following a disaster and while the international community provides relief, those funds are often slow to be released, taking as many as six to 12 months. Government borrowing and reallocation of funds in their budgets also takes time and smaller governments such as those in the Caribbean and most of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with their high debt burdens, can no longer afford to self-finance disaster risk. He said the facility is an excellent financing option for the region in which countries can invest in national catastrophic risk insurance to cover the cost of recovery from natural disasters, noting that the CCRIF operates as a not-for-profit mutual organisation and all the residual profits made by the facility goes back to members.

CCRIF was developed under the technical leadership of the World Bank and with a grant from the Government of Japan. It was capitalised through contributions to a Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) by the Government of Canada, the European Union, the World Bank, the governments of the UK and France, the Caribbean Development Bank and the governments of Ireland and Bermuda, as well as through membership fees paid by participating governments. In 2014, an MDTF was established by the World Bank to support the development of CCRIF SPC’s new products for current and potential members, and facilitate the entry for Central American countries and additional Caribbean countries. The MDTF currently channels funds from various donors, including: Canada, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; the United States, through the Department of the Treasury; the European Union, through the European Commission, and Germany, through the Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development.