标签： Trinidad and Tobago

Visual arts educator Dave Cooper has launched an innovative cultural education program addressing a concerning disconnect in Trinidad’s youth understanding of their Carnival heritage. After nearly twenty years of teaching, Cooper noticed students could identify contemporary Carnival elements but lacked fundamental knowledge about its origins, cultural significance, and how its components interconnect.

The Wireman Initiative represents a multifaceted approach to cultural preservation, combining wire-bending artistry, recycled materials, music technology, and historical education. During 90-minute immersive sessions, participants construct miniature ‘wireman’ figures that transform into functional steelpan players when completed.

Each class begins with an educational component featuring a 15-minute lecture and video presentation on Trinidad Carnival’s origins, drawing from Cooper’s master’s degree research in Carnival Studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. The curriculum emphasizes historical creativity, highlighting how ancestors utilized available materials like wire and fibers when commercial resources were scarce.

The program’s technological innovation emerges through QR codes embedded in each wire sculpture. When scanned, these codes activate Cooper’s original composition ‘Adidas: All Day I Dream About Soca,’ specifically produced for the initiative to avoid intellectual property complications while seamlessly integrating music into the educational experience.

Beyond technical skills, the initiative teaches the anatomy of steel orchestras by having participants create different pan types—tenor, double tenor, double second, double guitar, and triple cello—each producing appropriate melodies that collectively function as a miniature orchestra.

Cooper views this project as addressing a critical gap in formal education systems, noting the absence of Carnival studies at secondary school levels despite Carnival’s status as a multi-billion dollar global industry exclusively featuring Trinidad-style celebrations. He is developing a secondary-school curriculum called ‘fetecraft’ focused on Trinidad-style fête décor and authoring ‘Carnival Arts Practices for Secondary Schools.’

The initiative also aims to counterbalance what Cooper perceives as excessive hypersexuality in modern Carnival, seeking to refocus attention on cultural foundations rather than commercial exploitation. He believes educational foundation will protect Trinidad’s cultural distinctiveness from evolving into other Carnival styles like Brazil’s.

Scheduled to operate as cultural field trips with three daily sessions four days weekly at Port of Spain’s Carnival Museum, the program has garnered support from the Port of Spain City Corporation and Bermudez as sponsor, with hopes for additional ministerial and corporate backing.

The project represents a personal full-circle moment for Cooper, whose childhood fascination with Carnival began with creating wire figures at age six using his patented ‘Cooper’s Twist’ technique. His professional journey encompasses visual arts education, industrial design training in Brazil, and extensive experience designing Carnival events worldwide through his company Hybrid Theory.

Cooper intends to pursue doctoral studies based on his fetecraft concept, aspiring to become an authority on cultural education within Carnival studies while inspiring youth to channel their creativity toward positive cultural development.

LONGDENVILLE – A transformative initiative bridging migrant and host communities celebrated its third graduation cohort on December 13 at the Longdenville Basketball Court. The Flourish: Empowering Resilience and Integration programme, funded by Republic Bank’s Power to Make a Difference initiative, successfully trained 40 participants in vocational skills and economic integration.

Organized by Women Owned Media and Education Network (WOMEN) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and corporate partners including Blue Waters, Kiss Baking Company, SMJaleel, Xtrafoods Cares, Domino’s Pizza, and Use My Services, the program provided hands-on training in three key disciplines: sewing, carpentry, and hydroponics. These technical skills were complemented by essential workshops in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and community integration strategies.

WOMEN founder Lucia Cabrera-Jones emphasized the program’s core mission: “Flourish is designed to integrate migrants into local society with the support of host communities, proving that when international, corporate, financial institutions, communities, and individuals come together with shared purpose, transformation happens.”

Republic Bank’s senior manager Davi Samaroo-Singh highlighted the institutional commitment to sustainable community development: “Partnerships like this matter because they unite institutions that believe in empowerment, inclusion, and opportunity for all. Through our Power to Make a Difference programme, we are committed to creating pathways for women, youth, and vulnerable groups to achieve independence, economic stability, and personal growth.”

The graduation ceremony attracted significant community leadership presence, demonstrating strong local endorsement for initiatives that foster social cohesion and inclusive economic development. Program organizers noted that the comprehensive curriculum was specifically designed to equip participants not merely with income-generating skills, but with the holistic tools necessary to sustainably manage, grow, and integrate their livelihoods within their communities.

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is mourning the loss of Edward “Eddie” Hart, former Member of Parliament for Tunapuna and distinguished public servant, who passed away recently. The People’s National Movement (PNM) confirmed his death in an official statement dated December 4, expressing profound sorrow at the departure of what they characterized as a lifelong champion of community development and youth empowerment.

Hart’s political career spanned approximately 16 years, during which he secured electoral victory in the Tunapuna constituency on four separate occasions. His parliamentary service included representation in the 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th Republican Parliaments, where he held multiple ministerial positions. His portfolio encompassed significant responsibilities as parliamentary secretary and minister of state across various ministries including Health, Sport and Youth Affairs, Community Development, Culture, Gender Affairs, and Tourism.

Beyond his legislative accomplishments, Hart established an enduring legacy through grassroots initiatives. He founded both the Hart Connection and the Eddie Hart Football League, organizations that provided critical support structures and developmental opportunities for young residents of Tunapuna for over forty years. These institutions became cornerstones of community engagement and youth sports development.

Hart’s exemplary service received formal recognition through prestigious honors, including the PNM’s Dr. Eric Williams Medal of Honour in 2019 and an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Trinidad and Tobago in 2020.

PNM General Secretary Foster Cummings extended official condolences to Hart’s family, friends, and constituents, emphasizing that his legacy would continue to inspire future generations. The tribute was echoed by former Prime Minister Stuart Young, SC, who honored Hart as both a “PNM stalwart and patriot” whose life’s work remained consistently dedicated to national betterment, with particular focus on the development of his beloved Tunapuna community.

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has clarified that the recently implemented toll rate increases will not immediately impact maxi taxi operators across Trinidad and Tobago. This temporary exemption stems from the fact that approximately 1,000 operators completed their vehicle renewals in October 2025, securing their operational status for the entire 2026 period. Consequently, the adjusted toll rates will only become effective for these public transport providers during their next renewal cycle in October 2027.

The policy clarification follows a productive December 30 meeting between Transport Minister Eli Zakour, ministry officials, and leadership of the Route 2 Maxi Taxi Association, including president Brenton Knights. The discussions focused on addressing various challenges within the public transportation sector while maintaining service affordability.

Association president Knights confirmed the cordial nature of the discussions, explicitly stating that no fare increases are currently planned. ‘We are maintaining a watchful position regarding the evolving economic climate,’ Knights told Newsday. ‘With several financial factors emerging throughout the coming year, we believe in making informed decisions based on actual economic impacts rather than speculation.’

Knights emphasized the shared economic realities facing both operators and passengers: ‘Our drivers are equally affected by rising living costs, educational expenses, and regulatory fines. We navigate the same economic pressures as all citizens while providing essential transportation services.’

The ministry’s statement specifically addressed circulating misinformation, confirming the association’s position that no fare increase decision has been made. Officials reiterated that the toll adjustment—which increases daily rates from $3 to $6 after decades without change—provides no justification for fare increases, especially given the delayed implementation for maxi taxis.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to collaborative work with transport associations and stakeholders to maintain a stable, fair, and efficient public transportation system that balances operator sustainability with public affordability.

As we enter 2026, psychologist Dr. Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor presents a profound reflection on the dualities of human existence, emphasizing that true living involves embracing both joy and sorrow, triumph and failure. The new year represents an opportunity for personal renewal, yet for many, it evokes complex emotions ranging from hopeful anticipation to profound despair and isolation.

The poignant phrase “Don’t die before you’re dead” serves as a powerful manifesto against emotional surrender, urging individuals to actively choose purposeful living despite life’s inevitable challenges. Dr. Nakhid-Chatoor emphasizes that genuine well-being transcends mere avoidance of mental health crises, requiring instead the conscious cultivation of resilience, meaningful connections, and daily courageous choices.

Drawing from Viktor Frankl’s profound insights as a Holocaust survivor, the commentary highlights how humans can discover purpose even amidst unimaginable suffering. Frankl’s observations from concentration camps revealed that those who found meaning demonstrated greater resilience and maintained their humanity under extreme conditions.

The analysis addresses contemporary mental health challenges, particularly noting how social media platforms can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, and negative self-perception through constant exposure to curated perfection. Dr. Nakhid-Chatoor recommends mindful social media usage and prioritization of authentic, face-to-face relationships.

The new year offers a metaphorical blank canvas for personal transformation, encouraging active engagement with life rather than passive endurance. The psychologist advocates for conscious awareness of emotional numbness and deliberate reconnection with personal values and meaningful relationships.

Ultimately, the message affirms the inherent value of each individual’s life and the transformative power of choosing one’s response to suffering. This choice represents the fundamental difference between merely existing and truly living—where endurance becomes courage, pain transforms into wisdom, and isolation evolves into genuine connection.

The commentary concludes with an inspirational charge for 2026: to choose courage over fear, connection over isolation, and meaning over emptiness, carrying Frankl’s enduring wisdom into the new year.