Archive for August, 2007

Tropical Depression #6

Friday, August 31st, 2007

Reports are finally in from the Hurricane Centre in Miami and the “disturbed” weather pattern has now officially been classified as a tropical depression, situated at 185 km to the east of our twin islands. Winds are currently at 25 mph, but wind speed is expected to increase over the next 12 hours – in fact, the Meteorological Office at Piarco International Airport has issued a tropical storm warning for Tobago.

Conditions may worsen in the Gulf of Paria as the system moves westward, so all the folks who have chosen “down the islands” as an Independence weekend getaway may be in for a lot of rain and gusty wind.

Posted in Caribbean, Nature and Environment, Trinidad & Tobago | 3 Comments »

Weather Update

Friday, August 31st, 2007

There’s still no feedback from the Hurricane Hunters up in Miami – but that hasn’t stopped the “disturbed” weather system (it still cannot be officially called a tropical depression) from progressing on its path towards T&T. Other islands will also feel its effects, from Grenada all the way up to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Local weather reports are warning of the possibility of flash flooding and landslides and residents in high-risk areas are advised to “take the necessary precautions” – whatever those may be.

Posted in Caribbean, Nature and Environment, Trinidad & Tobago | 2 Comments »

How’s the Weather?

Friday, August 31st, 2007

According to CNC3’s weatherman Eric Mackie, a “disturbed” pattern of weather is heading straight for Trinidad and Tobago – we’re already seeing overcast skies and intermittent rainfall, but there’s no telling how much worse it will get at this point. Apparently, weather forecasters like Eric were hoping for some word from the National Hurricane Centre in Miami, which sent planes into the storm to help determine its severity and whether or not it should be categorized as a tropical depression. No word yet, but either way, the weather system sounds like it could use some Prozac…

Posted in Nature and Environment, Trinidad & Tobago | 1 Comment »

A Winter Tale

Friday, August 31st, 2007

Last month my pal Georgia over at Caribbean Free Radio, along with a few other local film industry stakeholders, attended the second annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival in Toronto.

Once she got back and we found time to catch up and talk about the trip, it was clear that one film stood out in her mind: A Winter Tale, by Trinidadian-born writer-director Frances-Anne Solomon. I can’t remember G’s exact words, but they were along the lines of “powerful”, “an extremely assured piece of work” and “made some people uncomfortable”. I’ll bet – the film’s storyline follows members of Toronto’s male black community after a child is killed in gangland crossfire. It’s reportedly raw, real and moving.

A Winter Tale has already won an award for best Canadian feature at the last ReelWorld Film Festival in Toronto and this review in the Montreal Gazette suggests that the film is continuing to make an impression: “You want to be there,”says the writer of the film’s final screening in Montreal. I’ll be sure to follow his advice when A Winter Tale makes its local debut at the upcoming Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.

Posted in Movies, Trinidad & Tobago, Women | 2 Comments »