It has been a source of relief to children in need and has eased the burden on parents through the provision of books, uniforms, transportation and other educational necessities.
But in recent years the fund has morphed into much more, becoming a ray of hope for children requiring a range of medical procedures.

ECF director Karlene Ng Tang, who spoke at the Express Children’s Fund’s 20th annual dinner and dance held on Saturday night at Hilton Trinidad, St Ann’s, noted that the number of requests for assistance with medical expenses has been steadily increasing over the last few years.

Most of these requests were granted, she said, and the fund has been able to provide assistance for children in need of both minor and major medical procedures.

The fund has disbursed more than $3 million to date.
Ng Tang noted that this would not be possible without the continued support of both corporate entities and the public.

She hailed the Express newspaper “for recognising the need in our society and establishing this fund to provide hope to children”.

Ng Tang also noted the large turnout at Saturday’s event where, naturally, children took centre stage.
Nine-year-old Marie Ellen Samuel impressed with a flawless pan rendition of the national anthem, while the Arima Central Secondary Dance Sport Club showed off their ballroom dancing skills.

Those in attendance also enjoyed music from Imij and Company and The Alternative Quartet.

Door prizes were given out and, in a true spirit of charity, several winners opted to give their prizes to the talented youngsters of the dance club.

Among those present were CCN chief executive officer Shida Bolai, Express general manager Douglas Wilson, Express editor-in-chief Omatie Lyder, former Express Newspapers chairman Ken Gordon and the Korean ambassador, along with ECF chairman Allan McKenzie and other members of the ECF board.

TV6 journalist Faine Richards was the MC for the function.

One Caribbean Media (OCM) Ltd, the parent company of Caribbean Communications Network (CCN), of which the Express is a member, has yet another charity event planned for next month in the form of a 5k and 10k charity walk and run on November 28.

The event is spearheaded by the Guardian Group through its recently-launched charitable initiative, “Securing Hope for Those in Need” (SHINE).

Funds raised from this initiative will be shared among several charities, including the ECF.

(Trinidad Express)

Usher, who was at the White House to participate in In Performance at the White House, an “all-star music tribute celebrating the cultural resonance of art and literature in unique American musical form” that will air on PBS in 2016, turned 37 on Oct. 14, and received a cupcake and birthday singalong led by the President of the United States.

“So this really happened the other night,” Usher wrote on Facebook. “The President and First Lady sang me Happy Birthday at The White House & I got to perform for them. I couldn’t be more grateful for this moment and all of the birthday wishes from everyone. THANK YOU!!!!! #Blessed #OlderWiser.”

Usher did not comment on dessert he was given in addition to the song, but Barack Obama vouched for its quality: “That’s a good cupcake, too,” the president said.

(http://www.ew.com/)

Should the rich people in this country benefit from the Government Assisted Tertiary Education (GATE) programme?

According to Finance Minister Colm Imbert, this is a question that must be discussed.

The issue was raised at the Standing Finance Committee discussions at the Parliament sitting yesterday. Former Tertiary education minister Fazal Karim noted that $650 million was allocated for GATE. But, he said, this sum does not reflect Government’s statement that the programme will be expanded.

He further asked whether this sum would cover expenses for some 67 medical students.
Imbert said that GATE is a special fund to which there are transfers. He said $650 million has been allocated and there was a balance before, so there was now about $700 million allocated for 2016 expenses.

“We are comfortable at this point in time that the balance that already exists in the GATE fund, that this transfer of $650 million is adequate to meet all the demands of this fund in fiscal 2016 including the payment for the medical students who were denied GATE funding by you,” he said.

Former education minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh pointed out that the Government had indicated that there would be a means test for the GATE programme and he asked whether this would affect the appropriation.

(Trinidad Express)

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley slammed what he saw as the flying squandermania of former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, saying taxpayers had to pick up the $6 million tab for her helicopter travel around Trinidad and Tobago. 

Speaking in the budget debate in the House of Representatives yesterday, Rowley said: “We can’t be wasting in a time like this. And I think it is extremely wasteful for this Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago to fly for 636 hours in helicopters around this country.

The record shows that the last prime minister occupied helicopter time of 636 hours, 415 missions, at a cost of over US$974,000. 

“That kind of expenditure ought not to be on the backs of the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley said to desk-thumping support from the Government bench.

He gave the “long-suffering” population the assurance he would travel only on the ground and over water, and he would not be in the air, “unless it is absolutely essential and necessary”.

Rowley said he wondered if this abuse was linked to a contract to a company called Bell Helicopter, to the tune of $500 million, by the National Operations Centre (NOC).

(Trinidad Express)

The Connecticut Post reports that  resident Jennifer Connell says the Westport boy acted unreasonably when he leaped into her arms at his eighth-birthday party.

She says he caused her to fall to the ground and break her wrist. She is asking a six-member Superior Court jury to find the boy liable.

A listed phone number couldn’t be found for the youngster’s father.

The 54-year-old Connell testified she loves her nephew but thinks he should be held accountable.

She says when the child jumped she tumbled to the ground as she tried to catch him.

(local10.com)

The Members of the Church of God International’s gospel choir, Ang Dating Daan Chorale, broke the world record for the largest gospel choir Monday night when 8,688 chorale members performed at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the Guinness World Records announced. 

Ang Dating Daan Chorale sang the numbers “Medley 11″ and “Iglesia ng Dios” during the performance.

The largest gospel choir-world record was previously held by the Iglesia ni Cristo, when 4,745 members performed at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on July 27, 2014. —

DVM, GMA News

As an artist, writer and producer, he has sold more than five million albums having worked with Stacie Orrico, Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, and Tyler Perry on his Diary of a Mad Black Woman soundtrack. Neal won two Dove Awards as a songwriter on “There Is Nothing Greater Than Grace” by Point of Grace and a Dove Award as the producer on This Is Me by Kierra “Kiki” Sheard.

At the heart of Welcome Home is the message of reconciliation.  “It’s the Prodigal Son–that’s the idea of Welcome Home, but it’s not just the parent-child relationship,” Neal says. “It encompasses many different kinds of relationships–with God, the Church, family relationships, friendships, even romantic relationships between husbands and wives.

The 22-city Bridge to Believe Tour, which will stop at some of the largest mega-churches in the country, will kick off on Sept. 11 in Dallas. Walker says he hopes it will help revitalize gospel music in the U.S.

“I believe this tour has the power to reach multiple generations and reestablish gospel music in America,” he said in a statement. “By collaborating with Tye Tribbett and VaShawn Mitchell, we were able to bring a variety of styles into the mix, which really makes this tour stand out.”

“This tour is about unity,” added fellow singer and songwriter VaShawn Mitchell. “This is the first time I will be collaborating with these artists. This tour will be about us coming together and giving praise.”

Hezekiah Walker is a Grammy-winning choir director who made Billboard history this year with the longest-running number one song on the Gospel charts, “Every Praise.”

Over his three-decade career, he has also collaborated with Mariah Carey, Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Whitney Houston, and P. Diddy.

Listen to his hit song “Every Praise”: