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June 21, 2010
Marionettes celebrates Christmas in July
No, they won't be singing Christmas songs. But this July, the Marionettes Chorale embarks on
a gift-giving series of concerts from July 2nd- July 11th. The choir's first stop will be at the St. Philip and St. James Roman Catholic Church in Chaguanas. For years, parishioners
here worshipped in the parish hall while the church building was being renovated. On July 2nd, The Marionettes will perform at the
recently completed building to help raise funds to defray the costs of the renovations. Tickets for this event can be obtained
from the church. In the following
week, the Marionettes will join forces with a number of NGO's to raise funds to continue to take care of some of those most
in need. On July 9th and 10th, the Marionettes return to Queen's Hall, each night singing for a different cause. The Living Water Hospice in Newtown
cares for and comforts patients diagnosed with terminal illnesses during their last days. Like most of the Living Water
Community's outreach projects, the hospice relies on the generosity of various benefactors to meet its financial needs. All
proceeds of the concert on July 9th at Queen's Hall go towards the Living Water Hospice. Tickets for this concert may be obtained
from The Living Water Community on Frederick Street. On July 10th, the Marionettes teams up with the Rotary Club to raise funds for the Gift of Life Programme. Over
200 children in Trinidad and Tobago are in need of life-saving heart surgery which, despite recent improvements in the health
care system, must be sought abroad. The Gift of Life Programme raises funds so these young ones can receive these critical
operations. Tickets for this performance are available from any Rotary Club. The choir will also be singing to raise funds for the Curepe Pentecostal
Church's Bhutan orphans fund and for the Women's Ministries of the South Caribbean Conference project to build a home for
the ever-increasing numbers of victims of domestic violence. More information on the choir's mid-year concert series can be obtained from the group's Facebook pages. PHOTO: Marionettes donates to the Rotary Club's
Grenada Relief Fund, 2005. (C) Butch Limchoy
ABOUT THE MARIONETTES: Founded in 1964, incorporated as a nonprofit
in 2005, and sponsored by bpTT since 1972, the Marionettes Chorale (Hummingbird Medal Gold) is one of the Caribbean's most
celebrated choirs, both at home and abroad. In 1995, the Youth Chorale was formed, comprised of boys and girls from
over 30 schools throughout Trinidad & Tobago who regularly share the stage with their senior counterparts. Led since
1974 by conductor Gretta Taylor, assistant musical director Susan Dore and secretary and founder member Joanne Mendes, the
choirs mount at least two major productions a year, showcasing a repertoire ranging from European Renaissance to Caribbean
Folk and Calypso. FOR MORE: . Telephone: (868) 461-0268 . CDs and MP3s on Sale: http://cdbaby.com/all/marionettes
May 10, 2010
What it means to me to be a Trini
Cross posted from @tammyjadev's blog written by @izatrini "What it means to me to be a Trini (A citizen of Trinidad and Tobago by birth). I was born and bred in the larger
of the islands of my beautiful twin island republic and despite all the issues my country faces on a regular basis I have
never been more proud of Trinidad and Tobago.
The old adage absence makes the heart grow fonder applies since I
left Trinidad in 1992 and although I visit regularly I have not resided there since then. Living abroad makes me feel more
connected to Trinidad than I ever was as a resident. I grew up taking Trinidad and Tobago for granted and went about my daily
life as did any teenager in my day. It was all about me and what could be done for me and no thought was ever given to what
I could do for my country. It is unfortunate but oh so true. Living in North America makes any Trini want
to seek out other Trinis and or West Indians and I certainly did that and have made good friends over the years as a result.
We constantly seek ways to display our Trini pride and represent our country through fetes, sports, carnival, food and so
much more.
While living abroad the desire to know more about my country and what is happening on a daily basis
grows stronger as time elapses. As the Internet became easier to access and T&T's national newspapers were more readily
available online it became easier to keep appraised of local news. IZATRINI.com is my contribution to Trini people globally
to keep up with what is happening in Trinidad and Tobago and a way to educate those that have never even heard of my country.
I manage it with a great sense of pride and it is not consided work but an Internet brochure for Trinidad and Tobago.
My Trini pride is overwhelming at times and by nature I am a very passionate person and it is so true that we are small
islands with big passion. I operate under these rules and being a Trini to me means never ever bad mouthing my country to
other non Trinis that is not to say that I live in denial but I find inventive ways to accurately portray Trinidad and Tobago
in the best possible light. I have been called T&T's cultural ambassador and PR representative by my friends. A role I
take seriously because my national pride comes before all else, most of the time. Being a Trini means always caring and welcoming to people of other nationalities, races and religions. Being a Trini
means always sharing my music, carnival and the talent of my people with the world. Being a Trini means introducing and sharing
our tasty and diverse food.
Educating Trinis and Non-Trinis about all that T&T is and has to offer is important
to me and doing all that I can for Trinidad and Tobago is another role I take seriously.
Keeping mindful of all
that Trinidad has done for me has become easier with old calypsos, carnival and maintaining a sense of cultural identity.
Despite any other citizenship I may inherit I will never give-up my Trini citizenship and nationalism."
- @IZATRINI now and forever!
Mon, May 10, 2010 | link
April 14, 2010
Five nods for Machel Montano at IRAWMA
 International soca act
Machel Montano, who will be performing at the 29th International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) May 1 has received
five nominations inclidng Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer, Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year, Most Outstanding Stage
Personality, Songwriter of the Year and Most Outstanding Show Band/Group as front man for the band Xtatic. Montano,
born in Trinidad and Tobago is renowned as the international king of soca music, and is the only soca artiste to have sold
out two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden.
The consummate showman, Montano, one of the Caribbean's most
sought after artist has taken the genre of Soca music to heights and continues to work hard to bring the genre from the oil
rich island of Trinidad to the mainstream.
"We are extraordinarily proud of Machel Montano's achievements
and his endeavor to bring soca to the masses," Ephraim Martin, event producer for IRAWMA 2010 said. "His performance
at this year's show will surely be one to remember."
The 29th IRAWMA is the longest running reggae and world
music event in the country, continuing the trend of celebrating the most popular performing artistes in the music genres.
Performers and nominees for IRAWMA 2010 include Julian Marley, Dean Fraser, Queen Ifrica, Tarrus Riley, Gramps Morgan,
Machel Montano, Bar-bee, Alison Hinds, Winsome Benjamin, Tony Rebel, Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel among others.
IRAWMA also recognises artistes in gospel, salsa, Latin, reggaeton, calypso, soca, African, soukous, compas, racine
and hip hop. Article Source Photo Source
April 9, 2010
Featuring Trinbagonian Fine Artist Samantha Rochard
 Residing in Trinidad
and Tobago, the artist paints landscapes and metaphysical themes. Her work is predominantly in Acrylic on Canvas, but there
are occasional watercolour illustrations of island living.
Her metaphysical paintings are themed to expanding spirituality
in the individual.
Rochard has exhibited at Fine Art Gallery and Art Creators, with a few pieces shown at Horizons
art Gallery on the island. Her work can be seen at www.samantharochard.webs.com. She also blogs
at http://samantharochard.blogspot.com Samantha
Rochard is a Fine Art painter for whom the term "comfort zone" has not applied. She frequently moves from topic
to topic, with styles changing as much as four times during a year. To date, 2008 has been the artists most productive
period, with three showings at the Red Earth Arts Festival, Fine Art Gallery, and More Vino. There were also special appearances by her paintings in Inmybedmagazine
(http://www.inmybedmagazine.com/) and in ART FETE,
Hong Kong; a fund raising drive for the victims of the earthquake in China. 
Currently,
the artist is working on paintings reflecting her Caribbean culture.
March 23, 2010
American Celebrities have Trinidad Carnival in mind
 Trinidad and
Tobago is generating strong exposure in the American celebrity community and mainstream consumer market following Caribbean entertainment
brand Antilia’s successful promotion of its “2010 Carnival Experience VIP travel packages” to the twin-island
nation last month. Antilia’s CEO, Simon Khan reports that the campaign was a tremendous success: Trinidad and Tobago received top
class exposure and accolades from the visitors and celebrities who Antilia welcomed to the island for the season, including supermodel/actor Tyson Beckford (photo inset), NAACP Image Award-winning actor Malik Yoba, and Grammy winning R&B
songstress Mýa. In addition to playing host to dozens of visitors who took advantage of Antilia’s travel packages
to one of the greatest cultural celebrations on earth, Antilia also invited the popular daily syndicated entertainment magazine program,
Extra, representing one of the largest television media establishments ever to participate in Trinidad Carnival. During Extra’s visit,
host AJ Calloway also covered the Beyoncé concert, teaching the R&B superstar how to “Palance” (a
Trinidad Carnival Dance), a memorable addition to her show which sent the crowd into a frenzy, and which was also highlighted
in the program. Extra also filmed Antilia’s star-studded, invitation only Ash Wednesday “SUNSET” event at the Carlton
Savannah’s “Wow Suite”, where Queen Elizabeth of England stayed during her visit to Trinidad last November.
Upon his return to New York, Calloway publicly thanked Antilia for hosting Extra’s visit to Carnival in front of millions
of viewers. The February 26 and 27 airings of the show were carried on WNBC in New York among numerous other stations around
the country. Read the full story here
March 17, 2010
Soca Music Video: Hunting by Blaxx
Take a look at the official music video for Hunting by Blaxx.
A hit track for Trinidad Carnival 2010.
March 13, 2010
Soca Artist Ms. Paige has 'The Cure' for you
 This year Trinidad Carnival had an exclusive taste of Ms. Paige as she graced
the airwaves for a series of in-studio interviews at Soca 91.9 FM. Returning for a third consecutive year during the
Carnival season, the songstress admits that this year her trip would entertain both business and pleasure. Between the limin’ and fêtin’ she made time to visit with supporters and local
radio personalities Lady Hype, Iko, and Selector Bristow. The buzz around Ms. Paige’s well received second release “All
Night Long” sparked interest in the inspiration and musical background behind her unique soulful soca style. Crediting
her personal drive to stand out in the industry alongside a passion for both R&B and soca as the inspirations behind her
trademark fusion of the two, Ms. Paige satisfied curiosities about her natural talent by answering simply, “It’s
in my blood”. The hot topic, however, was what fans can expect from Ms. Paige in 2010 – and it came as no surprise
that she has great things in store. In addition to working on new releases
for Barbados’ Crop-Over, Grenada’s Carnival and Toronto’s Caribana, she disclosed the March premiere of
her self-composed song entitled “The Cure”, produced by The Great Zeee of St. Vincent & The
Grenadines. She described the single as, “a sensual fusion of R&B, soca, and reggae sharing heated passion with
listeners with every note.” And following an acappella sneak peek of the song during her visit with Selector Bristow,
there can be no doubt that “The Cure” will soon have listeners catchin’ fever. Off-the-air Ms. Paige continued
to bring the heat as she reveled with “no behaviour” playing j’ouvert with Yellow Devilz and mas’
with Legacy. While her visit might have been a quick and hectic one, this preview confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago will
certainly be hearing and seeing much more of Ms. Paige in the near future. Written by Tricia-Ann Whiteley
Ms Paige on MySpace
Ms Paige Music | Facebook
Twitter: @MsPaigeMusic (a member of the #WITArmy - West Indian Twitter Army)
Email: info@mspaigemusic.com Cross posted on IZATRINI's posterous
March 8, 2010
The Eric Williams Centenary Stamp Design Competition
 The Eric Williams Memorial Collection (EWMC) at The University of the West Indies and the Trinidad & Tobago Postal Corporation (TT
Post) announce the Eric Williams Centenary Stamp Design Competition, co-sponsored by UNESCO (Trinidad and Tobago) and Kelly
Services Customs Brokerage, Ltd. The contest runs from January 30 to April 30, 2010. Since September 25, 2011 marks the 100th birthday of this “Father of the Nation,” Trinidad
and Tobago's Fifth and Sixth Form students are being asked to design a series of commemorative stamps in his honour, an added
50 cents of which will be donated to a Trinidad and Tobago charity.
The Centenary stamp, with winner’s and school’s names included, will be sold, subject to availability, from January
1 to December 31, 2011. Click to Enlarge photo inset Eric Williams was the first Prime
Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and head of government for 25 years until his death in 1981. He was also an internationally-renowned
historian whose groundbreaking work, the 65-year-old Capitalism and Slavery, not only re-framed the historiography of the
British trans-Atlantic slave trade, but also established the contribution of Caribbean slavery to the development of both
Britain and America. Popularly referred to as The Williams Thesis, the book continues to inform today's ongoing debate and
remains “years ahead of its time…this profound critique is still the foundation for studies of imperialism and
economic development,” according to the New York Times.
Competition judges are: Adrian Camps Campins, historical
artist; Kenwyn Crichlow, Artist; Kari Elliot, TT Post; Albert Sydney, philatelist. Each school is expected to host its own in-house competition
and enter only two students in the national contest. Rules and regulations are being distributed via colour poster to all
eligible schools. The Eric
Williams Memorial Collection constitutes the Research Library, Archives & Museum of Eric Williams. It was inaugurated
by former US Secretary of State Colin Powell in 1998, and named to UNESCO’s prestigious Memory of the World Register
in 1999. For more
information, please contact Erica Williams Connell, The Eric Williams Memorial Collection P.O. Box 561631, Miami, FL 33256-1631,
USA. Fax: (305) 271-4160; Websites: www.ericwilliamsmemorialcollection.org http://palmm.fcla.edu/eew/
March 4, 2010
'USA Today' Launches Trinidad and Tobago Edition
 CHICAGO USA Today and Newsday,
headquartered in Port-of-Spain, on Thursday will launch the USA Today Trinidad & Tobago Edition that will be printed and
distributed Mondays through Fridays by Newsday.
In addition to USA Today's four sections -- News, Money,
Sports and Life -- the edition will include advertisers on the islands. The paper will be available to subscribers, hotel
guests and at newsstands throughout Trinidad and Tobago, the papers said. Read the full story
on the Editor and Publisher
Latapy Re-Appointed Trinidad and Tobago Football Coach
 Russell Latapy
has been reappointed Head Coach of Trinidad and Tobago’s Men’s National Senior Team after being offered and accepting
a two-year contract in the first instance.
This was announced at a media conference hosted by the T&T Football
Federation at the President’s Box, Queen’s Park Oval on Tuesday afternoon.
Several appointments were
disclosed by TTFF Special Advisor including that of Technical Director Lincoln Phillips being given the role of goalkeeper
coach of all men’s national teams and assigned to assist the particularly the Senior and Olympic Team. David Muhammad
has been retained as Senior Team Manager while Zoran Vranes and Cheryl Abrams have also retained their posts as head coach
and manager respectively of the Olympic and Under 21 teams.
Warner also announced that Latapy will be sent on
an apprenticeship under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal following an agreement with the English FA and he will be responsible for
forming his technical staff. Read the full story
by Shaun Fuentes on Soccer365.com Photo by Anthony Harris
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