Therapist/Blogger
Dennise Deming invites everyone to join her 70th birthday celebration with a 7K run/walk on Sunday, November 16th. The event, titled 7 – 70 (7K) will start at Harvard and loop to the Savannah and back. Participants, including men, women, children, and grandparents, are encouraged to register on Race Roster. Dennise will also provide a training program for registered participants to ensure they are prepared for the event.
Register here: https://raceroster.com/events/2025/107590/7-to-70-7k-run
Media and communications professional Laura Dowrich shares her deep-rooted passion for Caribbean culture. With nearly 30 years of media experience, she reflects on how the communications industry, particularly digital media, has transformed. \
Dowrich currently serves as the PR manager for the Turks and Caicos Islands’ destination management organization. She highlights the challenges and benefits of social media, emphasizing the importance of countering misinformation.
Her advice to young people interested in communications is to study the field, find mentors, and develop strong interpersonal skills. She also underscores the need for leaders to respect their communications advisors.
Apart from her professional life, Dowrich speaks about her love for music and her efforts to support the Caribbean music industry through her podcast. She calls for more structured industry support and encourages Caribbean unity through travel and cultural exploration.
Just over 100 days have passed since the UNC (United National Congress) returned to office. While it’s still early, I had hoped to see stronger direction—especially in dealing with crime and education, two critical areas that continue to cripple our nation.
Instead, the government is pushing forward with a Stand-Your-Ground Bill—a law modeled after the U.S. that allows someone to use deadly force if they feel threatened, even when retreat is possible. But Trinidad and Tobago is not the United States. We are a nation of 1.3 million people with deep community ties, high tension, and low public trust in law enforcement.
Many citizens are already speaking out. Across social media and in public forums, people are warning that this law could increase violence, encourage aggression, and distract us from the real causes of crime, like the steady inflow of illegal guns and ammunition.
Criminologist Daurius Figueira has warned that such legislation could worsen racial tensions, citing parallels to high-profile U.S. cases such as Trayvon Martin.
https://newsday.co.tt/2025/06/08/criminologist-stand-your-ground-could-fuel-racial-tensions/
Others have pointed out that our current laws already offer self-defense protections under the castle doctrine and Section 7 of the Summary Offences Act. So why rush to add a controversial law we may not need?
https://villagevoicenews.com/2025/06/03/beckles-calls-for-consultation-on-proposed-stand-your-ground-laws/
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has cautioned against rushing this bill through Parliament without first educating the public and holding national consultations. She cited research from Oxford that showed Florida saw a 24% rise in homicides after passing similar legislation. https://azpnews.com/penny-wants-education-first-on-stand-your-ground/
The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) and the Tobago Chamber of Commerce have also voiced concern. They’ve called for a more community-centered approach, investing in youth prevention, not just harsher laws.
http://martingeorge.net/v2/index.php/2025/05/29/ida-tobago-chamber-urge-caution-in-implementing-st look and-your-ground-law/
We’ve had better responses in the past. Under former Prime Minister Patrick Manning, discussions about stopping the flow of illegal weapons and ensuring cross-party collaboration were serious. The Special Anti-Crime Unit (SAUTT), though controversial, made real progress in border protection and reducing kidnappings. But SAUTT was disbanded under the current Prime Minister, and the gap it left remains unfilled.
Crime in Trinidad and Tobago cannot be solved with imported policies or political posturing. We need long-term planning, stronger investment in education, and national collaboration.
The UNC must do better. We need laws that are rooted in our reality—not borrowed from countries with different cultures, systems, and histories.
When Farley Augustine and his team won the election in Tobago, many of us celebrated the arrival of a younger, seemingly more progressive leadership. We expected bold new ideas, forward-thinking policies, and a tangible shift toward modernization. His calls for Tobago’s autonomy and his determination to transform the governance model are commendable. However, my recent experience using the APT James ferry service reminded me just how far we still have to go, especially when it comes to basic digital systems and customer service.
The process feels stuck in an outdated, public-service mindset. For instance, passengers traveling with vehicles are required to remain in their cars for almost two hours before departure. Why can’t they be allowed to board the vessel and access basic amenities like restrooms or the restaurant during this waiting period? From a business standpoint, keeping passengers engaged and comfortable on board for longer could generate more revenue.
Another example of the absence of progress is the inconsistency in how identification is handled. I was able to use my driver’s permit in Port of Spain but was required to show my national ID in Scarborough. Why aren’t these protocols standardized? And why, in 2025, are we still dealing with printed paper tickets followed by tiny paper stubs as tickets?
In a world where digital solutions are standard, why can’t we simply show our ticket on a phone? The reliance on paper signals resistance to progress and a failure to modernize basic operations.
There are also serious safety concerns. Hundreds of vehicles idling in tight quarters for extended periods is a risk. In the event of an emergency—an explosion or fire—how would people escape?
With a youthful leadership team at the helm, I expected bold steps toward digitization and efficiency. Instead, I’m seeing a continuation of old-fashioned, inefficient methods dressed in youthful enthusiasm.
Finally, I couldn’t help but notice that the captain of the APT James appeared to be a foreigner. While I fully respect experience and global expertise, it raises a valid question: Are we doing enough to develop and promote qualified local talent to hold these key positions?
Tobago deserves better. We deserve systems that reflect the modern world and leadership that not only envisions transformation but delivers it. A younger face alone is not enough—we need meaningful change.
Melissa Comeau discusses her journey into Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) after discovering Dr. Paul Guillory’s,EFT work which focuses on black and brown people and people of color. She highlights the importance of his resources, including his book, which is a case study collection on African American couples.
Melissa emphasizes the significance of Caribbean EFT, which culturally tailors EFT processes for black and Caribbean clients, and recounts her valuable experiences in their four-day training program. She appreciates the sense of community and culturally specific training provided by Caribbean EFT, and how it has influenced her practice as a solo practitioner in Florida.
She plans to integrate more culturally focused questions in her assessments and expresses strong support for Caribbean EFT, urging other therapists interested in culturally informed EFT to engage with the organization.
Gobin calls for addressing environmental issues at their source, particularly in reducing plastic waste. She also discusses the importance of balancing career and family, emphasizing the need for support networks for working women.
video
Michael Phillips shares his life journey, highlighting his multifaceted talents and achievements. As a national cyclist, artist, and musician, Phillips discusses his upbringing in a family passionate about cycling, his mother’s influence on his artistic side, and how art helped fund his cycling endeavors. Unexpectedly, music became a significant part of his life during the COVID-19 lockdown, leading him to compose and perform songs.
Despite his diverse interests, Phillips grapples with procrastination and constantly strives to push his limits. He reflects on Trinidad and Tobago’s culture, noting a lack of support for sports and the arts, which is influenced by societal tendencies towards alcohol consumption.
Phillips emphasizes the importance of resilience, personal growth, and pursuing one’s passions, regardless of external validation.
He concludes by encouraging others to learn new skills and embrace activities that challenge them.
Amanda Thomas shares her experience attending an EFT externship program, highlighting how the program exceeded her expectations by focusing on culture and race in relationships.
She appreciates the global applicability of the EFT model and its specific relevance to the Caribbean context, particularly in fostering nonjudgmental listening and understanding between partners. Amanda notes the importance of cultural influences in couple dynamics, underscoring the need for therapists to consider these factors during counseling. As a counseling psychologist, she finds joy in helping couples achieve deeper connections through understanding and sharing their emotions.
Amanda recommends the EFT externship for therapists seeking to improve their skills and encourages both therapists and couples to persevere in their efforts, emphasizing that the work is worth it if done with love.
In this video, Dr. Jo-Anne Tull — educator and cultural industries consultant—explores the many roles she balances and her impactful work in arts administration and entrepreneurial development. She sheds light on the opportunities and obstacles Caribbean artists face, particularly the policy gaps that limit standardized earnings and access to financial systems.
Drawing on models from countries like Canada and Ireland, Tull illustrates how sound policy can empower the arts. She advocates for greater financial literacy and structural support for emerging creatives, emphasizing the Caribbean’s vast and untapped cultural wealth. Despite the pressure to pursue conventional careers, she notes a growing enthusiasm for arts education among young people.
Tull also highlights the importance of dreaming and strategic thinking for creative success, closing with an encouraging message: pursue your passion, trust your talent, and never stop imagining what’s possible.
Dennise Demming 