Was wonderful to read in the New York Times this week that President Obama has credited Trinidadian author VS Naipaul as one of the writers who influences his own writing and perspectives. Although not in agreement with  his political views, Naipaul’s perspective impels him to try to refute them.
“I think that there are writers who I don’t necessarily agree with in terms of their politics, but whose writings are sort of a baseline for how to think about certain things — V. S. Naipaul, for example. His “A Bend in the River,” which starts with the line, “The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.”
“I always think about that line, and I think about his novels when I’m thinking about the hardness of the world sometimes, particularly in foreign policy, and I resist and fight against sometimes that very cynical, more realistic view of the world.”
“And yet, there are times where it feels as if that may be true.”
“So in that sense, I’m using writing like that as a foil or something to debate against.”
Obama was speaking on major writers and books that influenced him , adding that he used writing as a way to rebuild himself, after feeling like an outsider as a child.
“I loved reading when I was a kid, partly because I was traveling so much, and there were times where I’d be displaced, I’d be the outsider.”
“I think rediscovered writing and reading and thinking in my first or second year of college and used that as a way to rebuild myself, a process I write about in “Dreams From My Father”,” he said.
He also credited the works of Shakespeare, Toni Morrison and Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. 
Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001 and is known for his comic early novels set in Trinidad and Tobago, his bleaker later novels of the wider world, and his autobiographical chronicles of life and travels.
Naipaul was born in Trinidad and Tobago in 1932 and migrated to the UK in 1954.
He has published more than 30 books, both of fiction and nonfiction, over some 50 years.
Naipaul was made a knight in the 1990 New Year Honours.

Source: 
New York Times

The Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard has been announced the 2017 winner of the Helicopter Association International (HAI) Salute to Excellence “Leonardo Humanitarian Service Award”.
The HAI is an international body that advances the international helicopter community by providing programs that enhance safety, encourage professionalism and economic viability while promoting the unique contributions vertical flight offers.
In acknowledging receipt of the award, the Commanding Officer, Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard, Group Captain Darryl Daniel stated that “This is an outstanding achievement for the Air Guard, especially the Rotary Wing that is only six years old since initiation by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in 2007 and is a testimony to an excellent Medium Twin Turbine Helicopter (MTH) Program. Well done to the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard and its partners Leonard Helicopters (LHD), Cobham Helicopters Limited (CHL) and Helidecks”.
The Ministry of National Security extended congratulations to the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard on receiving the award and for the excellent service provided to the country and our Caribbean neighbours. (Courtsey Loop News) 

Did you know that our own Soca superstar Machel Montano is the first ever recipient of the Barbados Independent Film Festival Digicel Award?  Yes, he was honoured on January 11th at the opening gala of the inaugural Barbados Independent Film Festival (BIFF) for his work in the 2016 indie film, Bazodee.
The award was presented by Stephen Lang, US actor and screenwriter, who said the artiste artiste had a bright future ahead in film:“He’s got it in him to have as surprising, as stunning, as creative a career as an actor as he has had up ‘til now as a songwriter, as a producer and as an artist.”
Noting that it was important to nurture young talent in the film industry, Montano also highlighted the importance of Caribbean unity and seeing Caribbean stories on the big screen.
“This is a time when technology is on the rise – young people love to create,” Montano observed. “But most importantly, we have to tell Caribbean stories.”
“We hardly see our stories on the silver screen. Telling stories is about sharing – sharing who we are. People from the Caribbean have an important role and story to share with the world. We were brought here from all over the place and crammed into these… small spaces to exist. And we have found some way to love each other’s traditions equally as much as we love our own…”
Congratulations on the win!!   Enjoy this clip of one his songs from the movie.

​At 76 years young, our Tobago born Calypso Queen is doing extremely well in Europe, riding high with a platinum-selling album, performing before sold-out audiences and is even up for a French Grammy!! During her career, she was the first female Road March winner and first woman to win the Calypso Monarch title. But she has also survived some personal setbacks - twice beating cancer.   She is now taking Carnival 2017 by storm with her latest hit "Leave Me Alone" with Machel Montano. Watch the video and listen to them on the Home page
And if you think she's done, think again, she's now working on her next album!!!  Hats off to you Queen Rose and congratulations on your nomination for the French Grammy!!
Here she is telling us how she feels

​Known for his show "Parts Unknown", he was in Tobago over the weekend and you can see him here interviewing our own Calypso Rose on Sunday, while sampling some crab and dumplings. Hopefully we can soon catch this episode on tv.
Photo Credit:  attorney Nafeesa Mohammed.

On January 2, 2017 Aryan Sinanan raised the Trinidad and Tobago flag at the base camp on Mt. Everest.  The 29 year old Mr. Sinanan, originally from Fishing Pond near Sangre Grande set out on this adventure on December 25th, 2016, spending his Christmas and New year climbing.  It took him eight days to climb up and four to getback down.  More proof that we are indeed a nation of world travellers.

This looks soooo tempting on a cold day like today.  Time to bring out a taste of the caribbean.  You can find the recipe with photos on how to  here ​