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May 12, 2008
Former TnT Beauty Queen sues husband over Lotto Winnings
Donna Campbell, 48 former model and runner up in the 1979 Miss Trinidad and Tobago Beauty
Pagent goes to court this week after suing her husband (Arnim Ramdass) for neglecting to inform her about his US$600,000 Florida
Lotto winnings.
She suspected something when she saw a postcard come to the house congratulating her husband for purchasing
some out of state property.
I don't know about Ms. Campbell but if I were she I would divorce his ass and get
half the winnings one time. I hope she milks him for every penny.
Here is background information from the Trinidad Newsday, CourtTV, and Trinidad Guardian.
Feel free to let us know what you think on IZATRINI.net
Mon, May 12, 2008 | link
April 25, 2008
Gifted Trini Teen needs your help
LETTER FROM ERICA WILLIAMS CONNELL:
I am writing to introduce you to Yanik Quesnel from Trinidad and Tobago whose
story is, at one and the same time, both heartbreaking, yet immensely heartwarming - and I am soliciting your help! You may
have heard of the terrible accident in July at Pigeon Point in Tobago. Yanik and his girlfriend were run over by a speedboat.
Carolina (airlifted to her home in Spain ) was gravely injured by the propeller, while Yanik suffered a massive brain injury
which has left him completely coherent but with the use of only one arm. He is unable to walk. Yanik has been receiving
treatment at Ryder Trauma Center for some weeks now and is likely to be there for a considerable time. He has just turned
18. He and his mother know only three people here in Miami and I have now made the fourth. I never knew the family in Trinidad
but accompanied their friend on her visit to the hospital where I was so moved, so inspired by this boy that I decided I wanted
to try to arrange as many visitors for him as I could. While I have attempted - in vain and disappointingly - to convince
the youth group from my parish church to see him, I have asked a few Trinidad friends to step into the breach and I, myself,
visited tonight.
There, all alone, I found myself in the presence of true courage, and if I may say so, even greatness
- yes, at that tender age! Yanik is astonishingly upbeat. He is humble, sensitive, profound and unfailingly compassionate.
The International Kids Fund is assisting with his enormous medical bills and when this facility came through, he expressed
to me his hesitation in accepting it - believing there were others far more in need of this avenue than he was.
This is more than just a bright young man with a future - and he is no 'nerd' either. He has been, variously and
at a younger age, just as excessive and intemperate as most teenagers. At 15, he absconded with his parents' car, totalled
it, and was put to work in a soup kitchen in Trinidad as a consequence. It was there, he confided, that he developed a social
conscience. Yanik won an International Baccalaureate (IB) scholarship to Costa Rica after high school and has already
finished one year. Upon successful completion, he will be eligible for entry into most major metropol itan universities. The
IB programme is recognized internationally. He is a voracious reader, writes poetry, has just entered an online contest and
his winning poem will shortly be published. In Costa Rica, his community service included coaching the disabled. In fact,
his protege has just won a medal at the Beijing Special Olympics! With the new knowledge and perspective at his disposal,
we both agreed that if before he was a good coach, now he will be a GREAT coach. His goal is to study environmental science.
During the two hours I spent with Yanik, it was heartening to see the affection with which the nurses hold him. It
is both obvious and infectious. This is an exceedingly special young man who has attained a wisdom some of us can still only
guess at. As I said to him, I can't tell you how you're going to get there, but I KNOW you're going to go far.
And I have no doubt whatever that he will. His spirit is indomitable and led me to remark to one of the friends I was persuading
to visit him that "I just saw God lying in a bed." For it is indisputably BECAUSE a Higher Power is within him that
he is able to be so extraordinarily positive and confident.
So many of our children fritter away their talents
and abilities. I have personally been uplifted by the experience that is Yanik, and I PRAY that he will obtain the wherewithal
to overcome his limitations and not in any way, to be hindered by them. And this is where you come in. My friends and I are
asking the Consulate to assist in raising funds for Yanik's continuing care. He may need as much as 10-12 more months
of rehabilitation and in fact, he has just undergone a US $40,000 operation to install a device in his spine that will time-release
much-needed medication - for the rest of his life - to alleviate the severe leg spasms which MUST be diminished if he is ever
to have a shot at walking once again. As you can imagine, the International Kids Fund is hardly a bottomless pit and they
have already begun making noises about his longterm care.
All donations can be made to: INTERNATIONAL KIDS FUND,
PO BOX 2020, MIAMI , FL 33101. Tel: 877-453-5437 The reference must clearly state: For the benefit of Yanik Quesnel. With
his permission, then, I am sending to you a poem Yanik composed about his condition a few weeks ago. While I can only WRITE
about his situation, Yanik's own words will make you FEEL it!
Repercussions by Yanik v. Quesnel
The
monotony can poison the strongest of men Being as before is my only yen So much in my life has been broken Cursed
with a seemingly indefinite stillness My paralysis I believe to be a chronic illness Rarely is effort not followed
by progress I summoned the will and therefore it is impossible to fail To the disease progress is my only assail Persistent struggling has been to my avail
REMEMBER: SEND
YOUR BANK DRAFT OR WIRE TRANSFER TO: INTERNATIONAL KIDS FUND, PO BOX 2020, MIAMI , FL 33101. Tel: 877-453-5437 or donate online
here https://www.internationalkidsfund.org/how_you_can_help/donation.cfm
Select Yanick Quesnel from the drop down.
Clearly
state that your donation is "for the benefit of Yanik Quesnel".
Fri, April 25, 2008 | link
April 21, 2008
IZATRINI.com Mother's Day Sale Starts Now!
From April 21st - May 5th IZATRINI.com is offering you 20% OFF
your order when you purchase a product from the Women's Category.
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Mon, April 21, 2008 | link
IZATRINI Videos now on iTunes
Mon, April 21, 2008 | link
April 15, 2008
A Winter Tale with Trini Roots
Movie Synopsis:
Shots ring
out one winter night and a bullet meant for a local street dealer kills a ten-year-old boy. In the downtown Toronto community of Parkdale, grief and suspicion hang heavily in the air, while the nightly patrons
at Miss G’s Caribbean TakeAway resume their ritual of beer and banter. But one of them, Gene Wright, cannot go on. He begs his friends for help. In a most unusual development, six Black
men make a pact to form a support group in hopes of salvaging their broken spirits and redeeming their besieged community.
A Winter Tale is set against the backdrop of a multicultural community's unrealized hopes and dreams. Bitter and tragic,
funny and hopeful, the film tells a uniquely Canadian story that features Toronto as a central character.
Director - Frances-Anne Solomon is a Director, Producer and Writer in film, TV, radio, theatre, and new media. Born in England of Trinidadian
parents, she was raised and educated in the Caribbean and Canada, lived and worked in the UK for several years,
and has been based in Toronto since 1999.
Theatres:
Coming to Cinemas in T&T in May 2008
View Movie Trailer
Cast: Professa: Dennis "Sprangalang" Hall Dennis "Sprangalang"
Hall is a popular comedian, historian, producer and singer/composer from Trinidad. He has worked
with Caribbean Tales in the Gemini-nominated sitcom "Lord Have Mercy". See Full Cast
Crew: CHRISTOPHER PINHEIRO: Production Designer - The founding Artistic Director of
the Toronto-based SwizzleStick Theatre, he designs and directs scenarios for Stilt-Dancing Moko Jumbies and has been working
on Caribana since 1985 with Shadowland, VideoCabaret and the Toronto Island Mas Band. Recipient of a Commonwealth Foundation
Fellowship in Textile Design, he study-toured in India. Beginning with the Trinidad Theatre
Workshop of Derek Walcott, he was a foundation member of the Banyan Television Workshop and the Callaloo Company of Peter
Minshall. This is his second project with Leda Serene. The first was as Art Director on “What My
Mother Told Me.”
MAURI HALL: Composer - Mauri has been doing music since the age
of seven, singing and song writing, as well as composing. He has produced many songs for radio in Trinidad and
Tobago, working with artists such as Bunji Garlin and 3 Canal. He has composed for Literature Alive,
a 13-part documentry series which aired on Bravo! in late 2005 for Leda Serene Films. Mauri has composed for theatre productions
such as A Winter Tale (Leda Serene/Caribbean Tales) and is also working on the music for a feature film version of
A Winter Tale. He is also an audio engineer, holding a diploma in recording engineering from Recording Arts Canada and has
worked professionally as an audio engineer since 2000. See Full Crew.
Tue, April 15, 2008 | link
April 1, 2008
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Tue, April 1, 2008 | link
March 21, 2008
IZATRINI March 2008 Podcast Live featuring DJ Jester
Hailing from Toronto, Canadas most versatile DJ, Court Jester has earned the title with more than 10 years of playing beats
in the key of life, as well as on the University Of Torontos Campus Radio station CIUT 89.5FM. He has proved that a jack of
all trades can in fact be a master of many skillfully mastering reggae, soca, house and old school as well as his heritage
musics - R&B, and Hip Hop.
Adding to the arsenal, his trademark Crunk sets, Jester truly juggles all musical
genres as easily as the crowds that he rocks from coast to coast and internationally... To date, Jester has played on shows
with some of the worlds top DJs and artists like Faith Evans, 112, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, Sean Paul, Jermaine Dupri &
The SoSo Def All Stars, Kanye West, Donell Jones, P-Diddy, Lord Jazz (L.O.T.U.G.), Kid Capri, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Tony Matterhorn,
Starting From Scratch, Ginuwine as well as some of socas best artists Machel Montano & Xtatik, Alison Hinds & Square
One, Bunji Garlin, Dawg-E-Slaughter, Maximus Dan, Burning Flames, Krosfyah, Rupee, Shurwayne Winchester & Traffik, Treason,
and so many more.
He has also made appearances on various media outlets such as radio stations FLOW 93.5FM, CKLN 88.1FM, CHIN 100.7, The Beat 94.5FM (Vancouver), WEFM 96.1FM (Trinidad), as well as television appearances on Much
Music's Much Vibe, Da Mix, and Electric Circus. Jester can still be heard on 89.5FM every Thursday morning from 5:30-8:30am
with co-host DJ Chief providing the best in hip hop, soca, reggae, r&b - WORLDWIDE (www.ciut.fm).
Jester has definitely earned the title of Canadas
Most Versatile DJ not just by the way he entertains crowds but as a voice on the radio as well as lending his hand in promoting
various events. He has expanded his talents and is now producing and voicing commercials for various events/projects.
Jester is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
 >>>AWARDS
& QUICK FACTS::: Member of the Kingdom Of Soca from 1997-2005:::: 1999 FLAVOR POOL DJ OF THE YEAR:::: 2001 RADIO DJ OF
THE YEAR:::: OFFICIAL MEMBER OF CLINTON SPARKS' SMASH SQUAD DJs :::
For bookings: info@courtjesteronline.com 11th Hour Management: Ryan - 416.419.3075 ryan@courtjesteronline.com
Nicole - 416.602.2100 nic@courtjesteronline.com
http://www.courtjesteronline.com
>> Download the IZATRINI.com March Soca Music Podcast featuring DJ Jester >> Subscribe via iTunes
Fri, March 21, 2008 | link
March 20, 2008
Introducing KeKeRe (aka Mauri Hall)
KeKeRe originally
hails from Canada, but has lived in Trinidad and Tobago since the age of two, moving to Tobago at the age of five.
He started in music at the early age of seven, under the sobriquet, Calypso Massive, performing his own composition at Shaw
Park, Tobago, for an NJAC calypso competition. Later he took the name KeKeRe (pronounced KAY-KAY-RAY,
meaning youth or small or child of secret in the Yoruba language) and went on to perform in numerous other competitions and
talent shows in the following years, including but not exclusive to; he was a runner up to the Junior Tobago Calypso Monarch
at the age of 9, he was a winner in '12 and Under' on Trinidad and Tobago Television at the age of 11 and a Tobago
winner in 'Scouting for Talent' also on Trinidad and Tobago television at the age of 14. At the age of 10 he recorded
his first single, Sense and Understanding, an original composition.
During the recording sessions for this work,
the producer/arranger, Calliston Pantor and the mixing engineer Robin Foster, insisted that he should be called The Rebel.
Hence they changed his performance name to KeKeRe The Rebel in compliance with the tradition of
how names are given to calypsonians.
At 15 he went back to Canada and learned to play the guitar. By the time he
was 18 years old, after experimenting with rudimentary recording equipment given to him by his uncle Dennis 'Sprangalang'
Hall, KeKeRe had started work as an engineer/producer at KMP Music Lab with Kenny Phillips in
South Trinidad.
He then moved back to Tobago and produced several songs and an album "Doh Stick" with his group VENGEANCE CREW, gaining
air-play in Tobago on Tambrin 92.7 FM and local recognition as a dynamic performer.
In early 2003 KeKeRe
decided it was time for him to further develop his engineering and producing skills. He, therefore, enrolled and studied audio
engineering and production at the prestigious digital arts college Recording Arts Canada [RAC] in Toronto.
Upon
returning from the cold KeKeRe got an opportunity to work with the legendary Machel Montano and
Xtatik. With Machel he coordinated video screens for live shows, engineered audio recordings and studio mixing. He also got
involved in song writing and making riddims while at Machel's Ed Gordon Studios.
KeKeRe
has performed in The 3canal Show: 'Jab In The Box' for 2005, a show which aired on Synergy TV for the 2005 carnival
season. In 2007 he performed his new song, New Generation, in 'The Bacchanal Show' with 3canal, garnering good reviews,
with a performance called "Sterlin" by Paul Richards of 96.1 FM.
For the 2008 Calypso Season in the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival KeKeRe performed with
the Glow Calypso Tent in Tobago. He was able to place second, with a song called WAP, to Princess Adana in the first ever
Tobago Groovy Soca Monarch Competition and fourth after Tobago Chalkie, Squeeze and Calypso Prince in the NJAC Tobago Young
Kings Competition. Towards the end of the short season he spent the last week performing at Queens Hall, Port of Spain in
The 3canal Show, "SHINE".
Artists and producers with whom Mauri 'KeKeRe'
Hall has worked, either as producer, composer, performer or engineer, include Bunji Garlin. Culture B, Mr. Slaughter, Joe
'Tempo' Ceasar, Farmer Nappy, Benjai, Shel Shok, Kernal Roberts, Spot Rushaz, Khari Killer, Fayann Lyons Alvarez,
Gotti, Patrice Roberts, Ninja, Peter C. Lewis, Machel Montano, Gavin Walters, 3canal, David Rudder and Ainsley King.
Mauri has also composed music for film and television. His work can be heard on, the Trinidad born Toronto based filmmaker,
Frances Anne Solomon's latest TV series which features Caribbean Canadian writers and her award winning feature film 'A Winter Tale'. KeKeRe The Rebel and Vengeance Crew create a World Music, rooted in
the rich musical traditions of Soca and Calypso inspired by Tobago, which they call 'APOCALYPSO' (meaning 'lifting
of the veil through calypso to disclose something hidden from humankind, a revelation through calypso').
KeKeRe's debut CD, NEW GENERATION, will hit the street May 2008. Preview tracks are available for
download on trinidadtunes.com.
Take
a listen to a sample of the latest track on the Lara Riddim by Fashion Police – “Do the Lara” produced by
Mauril Hall (KeKeRe) For more Artist information check: http://myspace.com/kekeretherebel2 imdb.com
Thu, March 20, 2008 | link
March 19, 2008
FREE Shipping Till Friday March 21st.
Use voucher code:
MARCHMADNESS to anywhere in the USA and
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anywhere in Canada.
If you have questions or need help email us.
Happy Shopping! The IZATRINI Crew
Wed, March 19, 2008 | link
March 17, 2008
Trinidad Carnival Savannah Stage or no Savannah Stage in 2009?
The debate about a Savannah Stage has gone back and fort several times.
Now you can at least weigh in on the situation by voting in this poll available on the National Carnival Bands Association of TnT's website. Cast your vote and see current results in the left column. For many masqueraders and visitors to Trinidad Carnival the Savannah stage in the Queen's Park Savannah is the
mecca of Trinidad Carnival and the ultimate climax to a great Carnival celebration. The Savannah Stage we know and love: Personally I missed the Savannah
Stage the last few years and would love to see it back in 2009. Thanks to Trinidad Carnival Diary for keeping us current on this situation. Home of the future stage for Trinidad Carnival:
Mon, March 17, 2008 | link
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