A production team from National Geographic Travellers was left stunned by the wide diversity of the ecosystems in Tobago. During their final day of filming, last Friday, in phase two of a marketing initiative by the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL), the production team expressed amazement that a small island like Tobago housed up to 240 species of birds, 640 species of plants and 160 tree species. They also appreciated how easily accessible the island's ecosystems, popular attractions and historical sites are for locals and visitors.
Newsday was told the team, which left on Friday, visited the Argyle, Parlatuvier, and Castara waterfalls.
This was the National Geographic's second visit to Tobago. In May, the team began filming a number of popular historical sites along the eastern end of Tobago.
The team along with TTAL CEO Louis Lewis, on Thursday, also visited the oldest protected forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere, Tobago's Main Ridge Forest Reserve.
Local tour guide William Trim, who assisted the production team, told Newsday, "When we went to the rainforest, we were able to get some lovely birds, both at the rainforest and at the waterfall, and seven to nine other species."
Trim said this is not the first time Tobago's ecosystem has been featured globally and he believes this additional exposure will help sell the the island to nature lovers.
"It was quite a privilege to be a part of marketing the product. Seems to me National Geographic will be able to push Tobago's beautiful scenery. I am happy TTAL has teamed up with them."
National Geographic Travellers was invited by the TTAL as a marketing initiative to highlight Tobago's culture, people, sites, food and popular attractions. During the first phase of the production, several locals were interviewed. The team also captured aerial and underwater footage of some historical and pristine sites.
This final content will be featured on National Geographic Traveller's website, their print and digital platforms.
TTAL CEO Louis Lewis said this move is strategic in the rebranding of "Destination Tobago."
He added, "Tobago, it is integral to create content aligned with our core pillars that illustrate Tobago as the unspoilt, untouched and undiscovered Caribbean island, where one can explore the extraordinary.
"We are excited to partner with such an iconic publication with a stellar reputation in travel and tourism, and we look forward to the resulting content that we can share with the rest of the world.
Source: Newsday, July 30, 2019

Dr. Alexandra Amon - THE MICHAEL PENSTON THESIS PRIZE 2018

The Michael Penston Thesis Prize 2018 has been awarded to Dr. Alexandra Amon for the thesis entitled ‘‘Cosmology with the Kilo-Degree Lensing Survey.’
Alexandra Amon completed her undergraduate and Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh with Prof. Catherine Heymans and Prof. Chris Blake, after growing up on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Since then, she is a Kavli Fellow at Stanford University/SLAC, USA, as part of Prof. Risa Wechsler’s group. There she spends her time working as part of the Dark Energy Survey’s weak lensing team.
WOW!!!

James Whetlor didn’t know what to expect when he came to Trinidad and Tobago.
But when he left, he took with him a love for doubles, the joy of eating a mango plucked from a tree, an appreciation of T&T’s cuisine and a heart filled with pride because an event he created has taken root in places he never imagined.
Whetlor is the man who popularised Goatober in the United Kingdom and Europe, an event that was started in the United States with Erin Fairbanks and renowned cheesemaker Anne Saxelby who wanted to end the practice of euthanising young male goats for which the dairy industry had no use.
Goatober was created as a month-long celebration on the menu of New York restaurants as a way to promote goat meat as delicious, ethical and sustainable.
In 2016, UK Whetlor, a chef and owner of Cabrito, introduced Goatober to the UK and to mainland Europe the following year.
Whetlor made his first visit to Trinidad last week for the official launch of GoatoberTT, an initiative by media personality and food writer Franka Philip.
Over the weekend, he did workshops with farmers of the Sheep and Goat Farmers Society, with chefs at the Academy of Baking and gave interested diners a taste of roasted goat at an event called Cuisine Cruisin.
In Europe, Whetlor’s mission is to popularise goat meat and save 1.5 million goats from being euthanised. In T&T, where there is already an appreciation for goat, albeit in curry form, the mission is different, he said.
“Bringing Goatober to Trinidad and Tobago gives us, rather than in the UK or Australia, a certain amount of authority. If the idea of Goatober can be accepted by people who are the experts, then it gives us a little bit of kick and I am grateful for that,” he said at the launch.
He said while in T&T there is a cultural barrier to selling goat’s milk in the UK there is a cultural barrier to selling the meat.
Goatober, he said, is about sharing knowledge and skills.
Speaking to Loop at the end of the weekend, Whetlor said he was able to impart to chefs new ways of cooking goat meat.
“We had 10 chefs, none of them ever cooked goat any other way than currying it and they were interested, asking questions, engaged, bringing their own ideas and that is what you what. You want guys to go away inspired and say right, this is what I am going to do and where do I get my Trinidad goat and not use one of my recipes from the book or do anything I have done but take their own experiences and inspiration and do something new with it,” he said.

Whetlor said he is really proud of the fact that Goatober has become international and taken and molded to suit a purpose that is for the betterment of the people that do it.
“Goatober has molded itself to fit what it has to fit and that is an amazing thing,” he said, hopeful that it creates a new revenue stream for local farmers.
Whetlor will return to T&T in October, the month Goatober is celebrated. He said he does not expect to see big changes by then but expressed hope that over the years, people’s approach to cooking goat would change.
He advocated for more local goat to be purchased, noting that Trinis have a lot of civic pride.
“From what we are trying to achieve with GoatoberTT, part of the message will be to support your local farmers, buy local goat.” Source: The Loop, August 2019

It may not be T&T's national dish, but it's still a local favourite. 
For this week's Sunday Luch, we feature a Breadfruit Oil Down Recipe from Massy Stores Trinidad.
1/2 lb salted pigtail, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 green hot pepper (whole)
1 onion, chopped small
1 bunch chives, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 leaf chadon beni, cut up finely
2 1/2 cups dasheen bush leaves, chopped (discard stalks)
1/2 cup pumpkin, cubed
4 okra, chopped
salt, if necessary
thick coconut milk (preferably freshly made, but unsweetened canned or frozen can be used too)
Directions
1. Boil salted pigtail in water until soft, then discard that water.
2. Peel and seed breadfruit and cut into wedges of about 1 1/2 inch thick, lengthwise. Add breadfruit to boiled pigtail and cover with 1 cup of water.
3. Add 2 cups of coconut cream, then chive, onion, chadon beni, garlic, and whole green hot pepper. Add salt if necessary.
4. Boil until liquid has b(oiled) down, reduced, and the breadfruit is soft, but not falling apart.
5. Serve hot. 
Source: The Loop, August 2019

Trinidad and Tobago track star Michelle-Lee Ahye grabbed gold in the women’s 100 metres dash at the Meeting International de Liege, in Belgium, on Wednesday. The Carenage sprinter stopped the clock at 11.25 seconds. South Africa’s Tebogo Mamathu picked up silver in 11.38, with bronze going to Belgian Imke Vervaet (11.75).
Alena Brooks earned silver in the women’s 800m event, the T&T halfmiler completing her two laps of the track in two minutes, 03.42 seconds. Kenyan Emily Jerotich was victorious in 2:02.30. Third spot went to Elise Vanderelst, the Belgian getting home in a personal best 2:03.66.

Pumpkin is a highly nutritious fruit that grows on a plant, also called pumpkin, that is native to North America.
It is rich in vitamins and minerals but low in calories. Pumpkin seeds, leaves, and juices are all healthy to consume.
Pumpkins are filled with potassium which make them very good for persons suffering from high blood pressure. Increased potassium intake is also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, and preservation of bone mineral density.
Also among the fantastic health benefits of pumpkins, is the fact that the fruit is one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant.
Consuming foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, offer protection against asthma and heart disease, and delay aging and body degeneration.
Specifically, recent research has suggested a positive relationship between a diet rich in beta-carotene and a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Beta-carotene has also been shown to hold back the development of colon cancer.
Pumpkins are also a powerful source of fibre, which slows the rate of sugar absorption into the blood, as well as promote regular bowel movements and smooth digestion. A healthful fibre intake can also help reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Source: The Loop, August, 2019

The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited’s destination marketing campaign, “Tobago Beyond”, has been shortlisted in the International Travel & Tourism Awards 2019 in the “Best National Tourism Board Campaign” and “Best Destination Campaign” categories.
A release from TTAL said the International Travel and Tourism Awards is presented by the World Travel Market and supported by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. The awards are a global platform that recognises and promotes excellence within the travel and tourism industry.
The 2019 Awards Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 5 in London, England.
According to the release, the “Best National Tourism Board Campaign” award recognises which destination showcased its vibrancy, culture, and individuality through a consumer or trade campaign that leaves the viewer pushing the destination to the top of their bucket list, or wanting to return.
The award for “Best Destination Campaign” looks at which destination’s campaign achieved volume and value growth in addition to encouraging visitation.
TTAL said the submitted campaigns were assessed using tangible metrics, including proof of audience engagement, budget, and obstacles and how they were resolved.
According to Nicole Smart, International Travel and Tourism Awards Organiser: “Our judges have been greatly impressed by the exceptional quality of entries, and those who are on the shortlist know they have reached a very high standard – they will be among the best in the world.”
Tobago’s submission, “Revitalising Tobago Tourism”, outlined the aim of the “Tobago Beyond” campaign, which is to revitalise the international appeal of Tobago as a real challenger holiday destination for those seeking a Caribbean holiday. With limited resources in comparison to other Caribbean destinations, focusing on specific markets and traveler segments was a key part of the strategy.
TTAL said the submission also indicated that all of the campaign’s KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) have outperformed, and resulted in double-digit growth of arrivals in 8 months, with the last three months showing 22 percent, 29 percent and 40 percent growth respectively.
Commenting on the announcement of Tobago being shortlisted in the awards, Secretary for Tourism, Culture and Transportation, Councillor Nadine Stewart-Phillips said: “This accomplishment is another reflection of our continued commitment to advance the island's tourism sector. This is certainly a testament to the fact that we are going in the right direction with respect to greater visibility for destination Tobago.
"Since the launch, the ‘Tobago Beyond’ campaign has attracted tremendous local and international interest and has yielded substantial results. I am heartened that our efforts are being recognised globally and look forward to the continued positive returns this recognition will bring.”
Louis Lewis, CEO of the Tobago Tourism Agency Limited, also expressed his satisfaction with the news, stating: “We are honoured to be shortlisted for not just one, but two categories in these prestigious awards, due to the beyond ordinary marketing efforts of the Tobago Tourism Agency. Our intention has always been to enable Tobago to be a stand out destination in its own right using the island’s unique character and features to guide our creative and messaging exploration, and our recognition in these awards signify that our brand message is being received loud and clear.”
Source: Newsday, August 2019