North Albion Collegiate students entertaining underprivileged kids and their parents by playing Christmas tunes on the steeel pan at the 8th Annual AFEY Christmas Party last December. Pix by Adit Kumar

By Adit Kumar
“Just look at the expressions on the kids' faces” was how Jane Holmes of Woodbine Entertainment chose to express her own feelings about participating in this year’s Advocates For Etobicoke Youths (AFEY) Annual Christmas Party. She told ICW that that look of excitement and pleasure from the kids was gratifying enough to justify her presence at this event. And this, no doubt, represented the sentiments of all the volunteers to this benevolent activity.
Jane was one of the many volunteers who took part in AFEY’s 8th Annual Xmas Party held at the Woodbine Banquet Hall on December 18 last. The event, which attracted corporate and individual sponsorships ranging from Sobey’s, GH Wood, Woodbine Entertainment, Benevito Foods, Saputo, Armstrong Partnership and Woodbine Banquet Hall among others, brought happiness to over 350 kids from the North Etobicoke area. With at least one parent accompanying each kid, there were well over 750 persons apart from volunteers, who attended the party and

participated in the merriment.
AFEY Co-chairs, Dhaman Kissoon and Ron Taverner told ICW that this was the 5th consecutive year that the party was being held at the spacious Woodbine Banquet Hall, which donated the facilities. They said that the event has grown in stature over the years and has attracted a wide following of corporate and private donors. Everything at the party including the hall, the décor, the food and the gifts were donated, they added, pointing out that some donors chose to remain anonymous. Apart from the multi course lunch, there were lots of other activities for each age group to participate in, including face painting, coloring charts and dancing. There was also a clown who provided entertainment for the kids and shaped balloons for them.
Youths of many ethnic backgrounds and their parents mixed and mingled freely, exchanging greetings and good wishes for the season. In an atmosphere full of excitement the students of the North Albion Collegiate played Christmas tunes on the steel pan. While steel pan music has its origin and is popular in the Caribbean, those in the Steel Band comprised of youth whose origin are from countries in the Far East, the Middle East and North America. Led by a Caucasian, the band boasted a truly multi ethnic mix proving that steel pan music has crossed the ethnic barrier. The Percy Johnson Secondary School also provided musical entertainment for the event.
The faces of the kids lit up even brighter when Santa Claus arrived meeting and greeting them with hugs and hand shakes, making them feel special. There was a gift for each child and they waited patiently as their age groups were called to meet with the bearded old guy from the North Pole. Armstrong Partnership was there to take out photographs and each kid left with a photograph of himself or herself with Saint Nick.
Vincent Crisanti, Councilor, Ward 1, Etobicoke North who delivered a message to the gathering told ICW he was happy to be associated with the event as it brought families and people together. Rajguru, Manager of the Woodbine Banquet Hall said he was happy to give back something to the community especially the young people. The same sentiments were expressed by Jane Holmes, VP of Corporate Affairs of Woodbine Entertainment who proudly stated that her company won the Top Choice Award as the No. 1 Entertainment Complex in GTA, having been nominated by the ethnic community.
Lawyer, Dhaman Kissoon and Staff Superintendent from Division 23, Ron Taverner, the Co-Chairs of AFEY, pointed out that North Etobicoke is one of the poorest parts of Ontario and they were happy to help kids in need through various activities by advocating for the youths of Etobicoke. They thanked the donors, sponsors and volunteers for supporting the event.

Port-of-Spain - Trinidad and Tobago’s first President and its first local-born Governor General, Sir Ellis Clarke, died on December 30, two days after celebrating his 93rd birthday. He had been ailing since suffering a stroke on November 24.
Sir Ellis was active until his stroke, attending public functions and even providing a legal opinion on the extradition proceedings of Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson. To mark his birthday, the family held a special lunchtime mass on December 27 at his home. Sir Ellis was a devout Roman Catholic. The mass was conducted by Father Garfield Rochard of the Church of the Assumption, Maraval. In attendance were 15 close relatives. During the mass, special prayers were said for his recovery.
Family sources told the media Sir Ellis was unable to speak,and was unaware of his environment for most of the time following the stroke.
“He is not improving much and we are taking it one day at a time,” a family member said hours before Sir Ellis’ death. “We are hoping he would make it into the New Year.”
Sir Ellis has become the second former President of Trinidad and Tobago to die following the late Noor Hassanali.
Sir Ellis became Head of State in 1976 after Trinidad and Tobago attained Republican status. He was the second and last Governor General of this country.
Sir Ellis was an only child born on December 28, 1917. He received his secondary education at St Mary’s College, where he won an island scholarship in mathematics. He pursued his tertiary education at London University where he obtained his LLB. He was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn, London, in 1941. Not long after his return to Trinidad and Tobago, Ellis Clarke was called to the Bar, engaging in private practice from 1941-1954.
Between 1954 and 1962 he held several posts in the Colonial Government: Solicitor General, Deputy Colonial Secretary, Attorney General and constitutional adviser to the Cabinet. After the attainment of Independence, Ellis Clarke became a foreign diplomat, holding numerous posts between 1962 to 1976, sometimes simultaneously, including Trinidad and Tobago’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
He was an ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago to the United States and Mexico. He was also Trinidad and Tobago’s representative on the Council of the Organisation of American States. He also held the post of chairman of BWIA from 1968 to 1973. He was appointed as Governor-General by the Queen of England in 1972 and assumed his duties on January 31, 1973. He was Trinidad and Tobago’s second and last Governor General, succeeding Sir Solomon Hochoy. Upon proclamation of republican status on September 24, 1976, the post of Governor General became obsolete. Following a meeting of the Electoral College, as provided by the constitution, Ellis Clarke was elected unopposed as President, becoming the first President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, an office he held until 1987. Ellis Clarke was involved in the draft constitution, culminating in his attendance at the Marlborough House conference in Venezuela from May 28 to June 8, 1962.
He was bestowed the Companion of St. Michael and St George (CMG) in 1960, and made a Knight Bachelor (Kt Bachelor) in 1963. He was one of the first to be awarded Trinidad and Tobago’s highest honour: the Trinity Cross in 1969. He also holds El Gran Cordon, the highest national award in Venezuela. Although he ceased to use the title Sir after the country became a republic, since retirement from the presidency he re-adopted his title and has generally been referred to as “former President, Sir Ellis Clarke or Sir Ellis.”
He was married to Lady Ermyntrude Clarke (1921–2002) for almost 50 years. They had three children: Peter (married to Suzanne Traboulay, a former beauty queen), Margaret-Ann (married to Gordon Fisken, of Edinburgh, Scotland) and Richard (who died as a young child). Sir Ellis also had four grandsons — John Peter, Michael, Alexander and David — and one granddaughter, Katrina.
He was the first chairman of the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence and one of six experts worldwide asked to submit reports to Australia’s Republic Advisory Committee in 1993, detailing his country’s experience in moving from a constitutional monarchy to a republic.
Tributes following his passing have described him as “an outstanding and dedicated patriot,” “statesman”, “distinguished gentleman” and “a man of good manners.”
Flags are being flown at half-mast to mark a nation in mourning.
Speaking to media at the Rotunda of the Red House after signing a condolence book on Saturday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Sir Ellis “was a founding father of the Republic from pre-colonial and post-colonial days.”
She added: “In every sphere of public life he has served with distinction and up to the end he has served not only with distinction but with dignity. Always with dignity and grace.”
Plans for a State funeral were being put in place this week. A committee comprising the Office of the PM, Ministry of National Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs are working out details.
“We don’t have a time or date because the family will advise and guide us. We would have the body lie in State and we are at the moment discussing possible venues one of which is in fact the Parliament building,” the Prime Minister said.
Responding to a question on what tribute she would like in memory of Sir Ellis, she declared he was a great constitutional lawyer and academic. She said a tribute in the field of constitutional law or academia could be made.
“Maybe some foundation with respect to constitutional matters, be it a Sir Ellis Foundation. But as I said we have not worked out (things) definitely but if I were to make a suggestion I would like to see something like that.”
In an official statement, Persad-Bissessar said the government would give the “great son of the soil” and “grandfather of our nation a State funeral, as is befitting his status and accomplishments as one of Trinidad and Tobago’s greatest legal and academic minds and a contributor to nation building.”
She said Sir Ellis’ life achievements proved the essence of the country’s watchwords of discipline, production and tolerance. “His life itself was an inspirational testament to patriotism, dedication and nationalism.”
Persad-Bissessar said Sir Ellis’ “greatest contribution” was his drafting of the country’s 1962 Constitution which provided the framework for Trinidad and Tobago’s democracy for which the country was internationally respected and remained a “bulwark” for the administration of justice and rule of law.
She said Sir Ellis remained steadfast in his contribution to the nation’s legal and social system via dispute resolution, matters of law especially constitutional issues and recently, commitment to Constitutional Reform, and diplomatic conflicts.
Sir Ellis impressed the wider world with his intellectualism and legal brilliance and was one of six experts worldwide asked to submit reports to Australia’s Republic Advisory Committee in 1993 detailing Trinidad and Tobago’s experience moving from Constitutional Monarchy to Republic. Persad-Bissessar said until Sir Ellis fell ill he was an active exemplar of dignity and patriotism and the nation and citizens were forever indebted to him for all he gave in every form.
In his tribute President George Maxwell Richards said Sir Ellis was a most outstanding and dedicated patriot who served the country with unswerving commitment and contributed significantly to laying the foundations on which the country would be built. Apart from his public profile, His Excellency said Sir Ellis supported causes “that did not necessarily bear the stamp of officialdom.”
According to the President, Sir Ellis had the extraordinary gift of oratory inspired many by the nuggets of wisdom which he gave without text “and often with delightful humour.”
He described Sir Ellis as representing an era in public affairs and in personal dignity and upheld the best characteristics of what many saw as the finest of Trinidad and Tobago.