作者： admin

A vibrant new therapeutic facility on Ramsaran Street in Chaguanas represents a significant advancement in specialized care for children with disabilities across Central and South Trinidad. The Caribbean Kids and Families Therapy Organisation (CKFTO) has inaugurated its second satellite clinic, strategically positioned to eliminate extensive travel burdens for families previously commuting weekly from distant regions like Mayaro and Moruga to access services in St James.

This meticulously designed clinical environment features brightly colored therapy rooms equipped with soft mats, organized play materials, and specialized pediatric rehabilitation equipment. Beyond its cheerful appearance lies a professionally configured therapeutic space where children pursue developmental milestones through occupational, speech, and physiotherapy interventions, complemented by art therapy and psychoeducational assessments.

The clinic’s operational capacity received substantial enhancement through a $10,000 USD contribution from Marubeni Power International Inc, presented during a December 2025 facility walkthrough. Mo Majeed, COO and Managing Director of Caribbean Operations at Marubeni, emphasized the company’s commitment to equitable healthcare access: “Our support reflects Marubeni’s dedication to meaningful, long-term community partnerships that create tangible impact for families. We’re helping ensure children across Trinidad receive international-standard therapeutic care.”

CKFTO General Manager Krista Hamel-Smith detailed how the funding enabled procurement of specialized Cuevas Medek Exercises equipment, traditional physiotherapy tools, and sensory-friendly resources. “Our team maximizes each child’s progress within an enjoyable, evidence-based environment,” Hamel-Smith explained. “We simultaneously support the broader network through family support groups and training sessions for parents, caregivers, and educators.”

The organization’s holistic approach extends beyond clinical walls through community outreach initiatives serving migrant children and abandoned children with disabilities at Mt Hope hospital. Additional support from Price Club director Shamshad Ali and the Digicel Foundation of TT facilitated the clinic’s establishment, with CKFTO actively seeking ongoing public and corporate partnerships to sustain its mission of delivering essential care closer to patients’ homes.

The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) is organizing a mass demonstration amid growing frustration over unresolved salary adjustments for educators. Union President Crystal Ashe confirmed the planned rally after revealing that no communication has been received from the Chief Personnel Officer or Finance Ministry regarding the status of revised compensation packages.

Ashe disclosed that despite previous agreements, the Education Ministry’s Finance Department has not received instructions to implement new salary calculations as of January 8. Furthermore, the crucial Cabinet Note required to authorize these payments failed to gain acceptance, creating an administrative impasse.

The current dispute stems from an agreement made under previous TTUTA leadership, where a five percent salary increase for the 2020-2023 period was accepted just days before the April 28 general election. Ashe expressed cautious optimism despite the deteriorating situation, noting that January 13 marked the critical payroll calculation date when officials typically finalize monthly compensation.

The union president revealed concerning contradictions in public statements, noting: “While I didn’t hear him say it, I read somewhere that [the Minister of Finance] said he is unaware of any money to come to us because he didn’t make any such promise or arrangement.”

TTUTA has initiated visible protests with educators adopting red attire as a symbol of solidarity. The union is pursuing formal communication channels through written appeals while simultaneously seeking official permission from the Commissioner of Police for a mass rally. Ashe emphasized that teachers continue fulfilling their duties despite working under outdated compensation structures, stating: “They are dedicated to the children of TT, even in light of all the developments.”

The union maintains that protest actions will continue indefinitely until salaries reflect the promised adjustments, combining public demonstrations with behind-the-scenes advocacy through official channels.

A Corinth Hills family is confronting unimaginable grief following the sudden death of their three-year-old son, Omarie Richins, who passed away in his sleep during the early hours of January 12. The tragic incident has sparked urgent conversations about child sleep safety and parental vigilance.

Medical authorities at San Fernando General Hospital conducted a comprehensive autopsy revealing that young Omarie succumbed to a combination of cerebral edema (brain swelling), aspiration pneumonitis, and lower respiratory tract infection. Professor Hubert Daisley, who performed the examination, noted that aspiration pneumonitis occurs when gastric acid is inhaled into the lungs, causing severe inflammation. Additionally, toxicological analysis has been ordered following reports that the child had consumed potentially contaminated drain water, which might have contained pesticide or herbicide residues.

The child’s father, 58-year-old Anderson, recounted the heartbreaking sequence of events during an emotional interview at their Demeter Lane residence on January 13. He described how the family had shared a pizza dinner earlier that evening—Omarie’s favorite meal—during which the toddler consumed approximately four and a half slices along with sharing a bottle of mauby with his father.

Following a domestic disagreement between parents that night, Omarie had retired with his mother. According to Anderson’s account based on his wife’s testimony, the child awoke around 3 am complaining of headache, abdominal discomfort, and presenting with mild fever. Mistaking these symptoms for simple indigestion from overeating, she applied Vicks VapoRub and attempted to soothe him back to sleep.

Tragically, when she later discovered Omarie was unresponsive, immediate CPR efforts proved insufficient. Anderson, drawing on his experience as a former volunteer firefighter, performed emergency procedures including manually clearing vomitus from the child’s airways. Paramedics arrived promptly and transported Omarie to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

In his profound grief, Anderson has chosen to focus on spiritual acceptance rather than blame, stating: ‘I am not God, so if God sees it fit to take him from us, all I have to do is just ask God to strengthen me.’ He has become an unexpected advocate for child safety, urging parents to maintain vigilant watch over sleeping children: ‘When you have young kids and they eat, even though you’re going to sleep, you must still get up and check. Put your hand by their nostril, put your hand on their stomach.’

The grieving father emphasized that tragedies can occur without warning, advising parents never to take their children’s wellbeing during sleep for granted. While not attributing fault to his wife, he acknowledged that different sleeping arrangements might have altered the outcome.

The comprehensive autopsy results are pending toxicology reports, which will determine whether contaminated water consumption played any role in this devastating loss. The community now awaits these findings while mourning with the Richins family.