分类： society

NAOMI ANDERSON

PORT OF SPAIN – In the vibrant culinary landscape of Trinidad & Tobago, Unicakery has established itself as a pioneering force in artisanal baking education. Founded by seasoned pastry expert Naomi Anderson, this innovative studio has demystified the art of brioche-making for home enthusiasts through its structured workshops.

The distinctive characteristics of brioche – its golden crust, tender crumb, and subtle sweetness – originate from its enriched dough composition. Unlike conventional breads, brioche incorporates substantial quantities of eggs, butter, and milk, creating a hybrid texture that bridges the gap between traditional bread and pastry. This versatility allows for both savory applications like gourmet burgers and sweet preparations such as French toast.

At Unicakery’s professional facility, brioche serves as a fundamental teaching tool for introducing students to enriched dough techniques. The studio’s systematic approach begins with precise measurements: three cups of all-purpose flour combined with granulated sugar, instant yeast, and salt form the dry base. The wet components – warm milk and two large eggs – are carefully whisked before incorporation.

The mechanical kneading process, executed using stand mixers with dough hooks, spans approximately ten minutes until achieving optimal elasticity. Critical to success is the gradual incorporation of softened unsalted butter, allowing each increment to fully emulsify before adding subsequent portions. The resulting dough should present as smooth and slightly tacky without excessive stickiness.

Shaping techniques involve dividing the dough into uniform portions hand-kneaded into spherical forms. After placement on baking trays with adequate spacing, the buns undergo a 30-minute proofing period until achieving 50% volume expansion. Baking at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes produces the characteristic golden-brown coloration.

Anderson emphasizes technical adjustments: “For novice bakers, incremental flour additions can correct overly hydrated dough. An egg wash application pre-baking enhances visual appeal through glossy surface finishing.” The completed brioche buns demonstrate excellent freezer stability and can be refreshed through gentle reheating.

With twelve years of professional pastry experience, Anderson has cultivated Unicakery into both a specialty dessert destination and educational hub. Her pedagogical philosophy prioritizes technical understanding and confidence-building, enabling students to replicate bakery-quality results in domestic kitchens. The institution continues to expand its culinary outreach through community classes and creative mentorship programs.

For additional information regarding baking courses and schedules, visit www.unicakery.com or follow @unicakery across social media platforms.

The Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) has raised significant concerns regarding the exclusion of visually impaired citizens from the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) 2025 housing allocation program. Despite the distribution of over 120 housing units this year, not a single blind or visually impaired individual benefited from the national initiative.

In a December 25 media release, the advocacy organization emphasized that housing represents far more than mere shelter—it constitutes a fundamental component of independence, dignity, safety, and social inclusion. The association highlighted the particular vulnerability of blind and visually impaired individuals, who frequently encounter persistent barriers to employment, income stability, and accessible living environments.

The TTBWA articulated that persons with disabilities possess equal rights as citizens and legitimate expectations to benefit from public housing programs, especially when vulnerability and extended waiting periods are recognized as qualifying criteria for housing assistance.

The organization has called for deliberate inclusion measures in future housing distributions, improved tracking mechanisms for disabled applicants, and enhanced collaboration with disability representative organizations to develop truly inclusive housing policies. They emphasized that national progress should be measured not merely by the quantity of homes delivered, but by the inclusivity of that progress.

The TTBWA has expressed its readiness to constructively engage with policy-makers and housing authorities to ensure more equitable outcomes in future allocation cycles, advocating for systemic changes that recognize housing as a fundamental right for all citizens regardless of physical ability.

A horrific home invasion shattered the Christmas morning peace in Arima’s Pinto Road community, resulting in the tragic deaths of two individuals and leaving an eight-year-old boy wounded. The incident, which occurred approximately at 5:42 AM on December 25th, has sent shockwaves through the residential neighborhood.

According to official police reports, responding officers discovered a gruesome scene at an unfinished residence on Sesame Street. Deshawn Quato, 23, was found fatally wounded with a gunshot to the head, his body positioned on a kitchen mattress. In an adjacent room, 14-year-old Fabius Malchan lay deceased on a bed, partially concealed by a white blanket and suffering from facial gunshot wounds.

The violence spared neither age nor innocence—eight-year-old Jordan Malchan sustained grazing injuries to his head and shoulder during the assault. Medical authorities confirm the child is currently in stable condition following emergency treatment.

Crime scene investigators documented substantial evidence, recovering sixteen spent 9mm cartridge casings along with two projectiles, one notably deformed from impact. The bloodstained mattress within the kitchen served as a grim testament to the brutality that unfolded during the early hours of the holiday.

Preliminary investigations suggest the attackers may have been pursuing another individual—a friend associated with a family member—who allegedly escaped through a window moments before the shooting commenced. Law enforcement officials have acknowledged this line of inquiry as part of their active investigation into the double homicide.

Relatives present at the scene described a atmosphere of terror and confusion during the incident, with the community now grappling with the psychological aftermath of the Christmas Day tragedy. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service continues to pursue all investigative avenues to identify and apprehend those responsible for the violent attack.

In a significant judicial ruling, High Court Justice Devindra Rampersad has mandated the Trinidad and Tobago state to compensate a sporting apparel wholesaler with over $223,000 in damages, interest, and legal costs for unlawful detention and malicious prosecution during a 2018 traffic stop.

The claimant, whose identity remains protected due to security concerns regarding the country’s crime situation, was subjected to false imprisonment and malicious prosecution by officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service during a highway traffic exercise on June 23, 2018. Represented by attorney Joel Roper, the businessman successfully demonstrated that police officers violated his rights during what began as a routine traffic stop.

Justice Rampersad’s judgment detailed specific compensation awards: $50,000 for false imprisonment (including aggravated damages), $70,000 for malicious prosecution, and $25,000 as special damages. The court additionally granted interest on these awards while declining to award exemplary damages, noting that additional punitive measures were unwarranted. The state was further ordered to cover the claimant’s legal costs amounting to $34,410.41.

Court documents reveal the claimant was initially stopped while traveling to conduct business deliveries and photograph a wedding. After receiving tickets for speeding and tinted windows, he was stopped again minutes later, forcibly removed from his vehicle, handcuffed, searched, and transported to Cumuto Police Station. He endured approximately eight hours of detention without being informed of arrest reasons or afforded his constitutional rights, including access to legal counsel or telephone communication. The subsequently filed charges of using insulting language were dismissed by a magistrate, reinforcing the foundation for the malicious prosecution claim.

In a significant judicial ruling, High Court Justice Joan Charles has unequivocally dismissed the constitutional challenge brought by former Defence Force soldier Jenna Jackson, affirming the legality of her 2014 discharge under the grounds of ‘completion of engagement.’ The court determined that military authorities acted within their statutory powers under the Defence Act, delivering a judgment that reinforces the discretionary nature of military re-engagement protocols.

The case centered on Jackson’s assertion that her termination was premature, irrational, and violated constitutional protections under Section 4(b) regarding protection of the law. Represented by attorney Ronald Simon, she sought reinstatement, compensation for lost earnings, and damages claiming unfair treatment and denial of natural justice.

Justice Charles’s comprehensive analysis revealed Jackson’s extensive medical history—including polycystic ovaries, back injuries, and postpartum complications—that resulted in prolonged sick leave and permanent restrictions preventing her from performing essential military duties. The court documented how these limitations affected her capacity for physical training, prolonged standing, and night operations.

In her rationale, Justice Charles emphasized that military organizations retain ultimate authority in managing operational effectiveness and fitness standards. ‘Re-engagement is discretionary, not automatic,’ the judgment stated, noting that Jackson had ‘no legitimate expectation’ of continued service beyond her initial term.

While acknowledging the Defence Force’s failure to provide a discharge certificate initially, the court found sufficient alternative remedies existed through the Defence Council petition process and judicial review mechanisms. The ruling establishes important precedent regarding the balance between military discretion and constitutional rights, with Justice Charles explicitly stating courts should not substitute their judgment for military operational decisions.

Although the option of medical discharge existed, the court found the ‘completion of engagement’ rationale legally sound. In a concluding decision on costs, Justice Charles ordered each party to bear their own legal expenses.

The smartphone, once hailed as a revolutionary technological marvel, has evolved into a pervasive force eroding the fabric of contemporary family life and social cohesion. Despite its compact size fitting comfortably in one’s palm, this device wields unprecedented power to disrupt household dynamics and interpersonal relationships.

Modern families have willingly embraced this digital intruder into their most intimate spaces—bedrooms, dinner tables, and private moments. The device has systematically replaced fundamental human interactions, with countless individuals prioritizing screen engagement over meaningful connection with partners, children, or personal reflection. This shift represents a profound transformation in daily rituals and emotional priorities.

The irony deepens when considering Apple’s symbolic namesake—the biblical apple from Eden—while creating perhaps the most irresistible modern temptation. The parallel extends beyond symbolism to tangible consequences: smartphones have become primary news sources despite being flooded with misinformation. Fabricated content spreads uncontrollably, damaging reputations and distorting public perception before verification becomes possible.

Political actors have capitalized on this digital landscape, weaponizing social platforms to manipulate emotions, polarize communities, and advance agendas through carefully engineered content. The device has effectively become the most potent brainwashing instrument ever created, operating with alarming efficiency and scale.

Youth culture demonstrates particularly disturbing trends, with smartphones dominating holiday wish lists and commanding emotional attachment comparable to profound personal loss. Teenagers exhibit genuine distress over device damage that exceeds appropriate emotional responses, signaling dangerous prioritization of material objects over human relationships.

Family structures suffer most visibly, with physical proximity no longer guaranteeing genuine connection. Couples coexist in parallel digital realities, parents offer divided attention to children, and younger generations absorb values from algorithms rather than family traditions. This erosion demands urgent countermeasures, potentially including licensed smartphone ownership similar to other regulated technologies.

The solution requires conscious rejection of digital dominance and renewed commitment to foundational values: authentic presence, faith, familial bonds, and community engagement. While convenience offers superficial benefits, wisdom dictates reclaiming human connection from technological interference. The path forward necessitates choosing meaningful interaction over digital distraction.

Hundreds of Trinidadians flocked to the FireOne Fireworks warehouse in Macoya on December 26, creating lengthy queues that wrapped around the facility during the annual Boxing Day two-for-one sale. The event attracted a diverse cross-section of society, from elderly patrons to young children and infants, with families, friend groups, and individual shoppers all seeking to stock up for New Year’s celebrations.

The tradition, now in its 15th year, has become an institutionalized part of the holiday season according to FireOne Fireworks co-founder Andre Abraham. He emphasized that the sale serves a dual purpose: providing genuine value to customers while promoting safer alternatives to informal explosive practices like bamboo bursting or carbide explosions.

Despite the festive atmosphere, conversations with shoppers revealed complex perspectives on newly implemented fireworks regulations. Many customers expressed understanding of the need for restrictions while simultaneously voicing concerns about limitations on their celebrations. Mark Williams of Wallerfield, who spends approximately $5,000-$6,000 annually for his village’s display, suggested creating safe spaces for animals rather than solely restricting usage times.

The regulatory debate took practical dimensions as one La Horquetta woman revealed she had spent $12,000 on fireworks for resale despite years of unsuccessful attempts to obtain a formal license. Her experience highlighted administrative challenges within the new regulatory framework.

Consumer spending patterns varied significantly, with reported expenditures ranging from $200-$300 for individual users to thousands of dollars for community organizers. Multiple pet owners described implementing mitigation strategies such as soundproof rooms or secure spaces for animals during fireworks displays.

Abraham endorsed the new legislation, noting it aligns with FireOne’s three-decade advocacy for responsible, time-limited usage. He specifically recommended limiting fireworks displays to 30 minutes at midnight on New Year’s Eve, framing this as an exercise in community respect and kindness.