The following is a transcript of most of the speech delivered by Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs Kevin Ramnarine last Friday at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce during a breakfast meeting with businesspeople at its Westmoorings headquarters.

Trinidad and Tobago's coalition Government plans to put on a display of strength on the second anniversary of its election. The advertisement (above) to promote the event on Thursday at Mid Centre Mall in Chaguanas assures citizens that the partnership stands strong.

Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Fazal Karim (at right in photo at right) will dedicate lands, and unveil the signage for the construction of both the MSTTE’s complex, and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus at Chaguanas today at 1:00 pm.

The event will be held at the two construction sites along the Narsaloo Ramaya Road, Chaguanas, mere metres from the world famous Divali Nagar site, Chaguanas' premier shopping mall Price Plaza, and the multi-cinema complex Movie Towne. The two adjacent construction sites can be seen from the south-north Uriah Butler Highway.

This is the second sod-turning ceremony for a UWI campus being conducted by the ruling People's Partnership Government. The first took place in the Penal Debe area where Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (at left in photo at right) and UWI Principal Professor Clement Sankat promised Trinidad and Tobago's first full law faculty, eliminating the need for citizens to move to Barbados for two of the five years to complete their law degrees.

When completed, the two new complexes are expected to intensely increase vehicular traffic along the Narsaloo Ramaya Road, which will be much to chagrin of nearby upscale Lange Park residents, but much to the pleasure of businesses in the area. The Divali Nagar strip, as it is colloquially known, already clogs every year during weeklong Divali or Deepavali celebrations, usually in the October to December period. Nonetheless, businesses in the area will boom and the people of Chaguanas will be grateful for increased educational possibilities.

For more than forty years, La Reine Rive has showcased talented queens from communities in Trinidad and Tobago. The Queen Show is one of the eight categories under the Ministry of Community Development’s Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition. The latest instalment of our country’s longest running Queen Show will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20, 2012, at the Naparima Bowl at 7 pm.

Fifty delegates will compete in areas of Talent and Self Expression. This weekend’s event will select 20 delegates who will participate in the finals of La Reine Rive this August.

The La Reine Rive pageant is open to young ladies between the ages of 16-25, all Village/Community Councils, Women’s Groups, Youth Groups, Sporting and Cultural Organizations. La Reine Rive has been instrumental in the development of these young ladies over the years and has been described as exciting, innovative and encourages productive activities for young women.

Contestants are trained in areas of poise, speech and talent which foster growth and present many opportunities for participants.

Since its inception in 1963, the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition has played a pivotal role to community development. Its annual activities have contributed to the enhancement and preservation of nation’s culture. It aims at influencing individuals, groups and communities to work together.