A Life Lived

The tables were turned for Ms. Ann Paula Bibby on Saturday 5th August, 2017 at the Lion's Civic Center as she was on the receiving end of the generosity she often gives at a fundraising dinner organised by the Lucy Joyce Blackman International Foundation.  Ann Paula Bibby and family entering the venue.  Ms. Ann Paula Bibby, Project Manager of the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society, was first diagnosed with s tage IV stomach cancer in January of 2015. Bibby shared a few words by stating that after twenty-six cycles of chemotherapy she has now reduced from stage IV to two nodules left after two and a half years. She encourag ed , "Many people fear cancer but with a lot of positivity, go out there, be strong... don’t be afraid of it, it's curable, because there is one big man who knows what and how to cure it, and that's God... I am here and I am truly alive."The proceeds of the fundraiser are intended to help with Bibby's health expenses.  T

Fake news. Fast news. News via a text message. News on your timeline. The complexities inherent in the media industry often go unnoticed by the public.  The Bocas Lit Fest continued its emphasis on human rights issues with an  immensely important discussion on Why a Free Press Matters with senior journalists Wesley Gibbings, Asha Javeed, Kenyan journalist and writer Peter Kimani and former government spokesman Andy Johnson. This lively discussion was chaired by Mark Wilson. The freeness with which the panelists spoke proved to be a topic of discussion, even after, for many persons who are not part of the media fraternity. These are some of the key points of that discussion.  Law and Legislature The media is experiencing more freedom but also more restriction. Freedom of speech protects a nation from an overreaching government. Ultimately , free speech is necessary in a free society. Wilson indicated that the Whistle Blowing Act, Data Protection Act and Cyber legislatu

24. People will read blog titles with numbers in them.  23. Sometimes, you are going to have to settle for a low paying job. Despite your fancy degree or other qualifications. 22. You will learn valuable skills at this low paying job. The kind of things that I'm able to handle now are because of the days I felt like crying and running in the opposite direction to my job site. The money is small but, in some weird way, the skills and resilience you will learn are invaluable. 21. High school was not the last you would have seen of adults behaving like a$$holes. I've seen some adults do and say some things that make childish secondary school girls look like Oprah. People will be who they want to be. 20. It is not too late to change your mind about the field you're in.   19. Cleaning and cooking delicious meals are actually not that hard. 18. Rent and other responsibilities are a priority . Ducking them is not cute. Managing finance through a budget is necessar

 Shivanee Ramlochan, Rajiv Mohabir, Ishion Hutchinson and Safiya Sinclair The searing discussion entitled ‘Caribbean poetry’s New Wave’ unraveled on the final day of the NGC Bocas Lit Fest. The audience was seasoned with: writers, lecturers, poets, reporters, editors and even politicians. The programme read, “A new generation of thrilling Caribbean and diaspora poets is on the rise. Ishion Hutchinson, author of House of Lords and Commons , Rajiv Mohabir, author of the The Taxidermist’s Cut , and Safiya Sinclair, author of Cannibal (winner of the 2017 OCM Bocas Prize, poetry category), read from and discuss their highly acclaimed books; chaired by Shivanee Ramlochan.  The ideas expressed in their combined, titanic body of work range from: the strength of heritage, brokenness of history, existence of a Caribbean people, religion, unique rhythm of Caribbean poetry, elemental aspects of life as well as music and history among many others. Ramlochan ignited the fire with