The race starts at 10 am at the St. Thomas RC, and will finish at the Mayaro Recreation Ground.

Three hundred (300) athletes from primary schools all over Trinidad and Tobago will be vying to be the Champion Male and Female, and also Champions in the under-11, under-13 and under-15 age group categories.

A number of schools will also be contesting for the Champion School trophy, which was won last year by Tobago’s Scarborough Methodist.

The National 3K Road Race is staged every year by the National Primary Schools Track and Field Association as the precursor to the season’s main event: the Atlantic National Primary Schools Track and Field Championships.

The Championships get underway on Thursday May 31 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.  This will be the fiftieth edition of this event, which every year culminates the track and field programme of competition for primary schools.

Both the Road Race and the Championships are managed by the National Primary Schools Track and Field Association, with support from the Ministry of Education and sponsorship by LNG production company Atlantic.

The youths now number among a select group that has been exposed to Atlantic’s Graduate Trainee Program, ACCELERATE - an internship programme for university graduates which has been in existence since 2006.

The Programme assists participants in making the transition from tertiary level education into the working environment.  Candidates are recruited fresh from completing university studies and are assigned to a variety of areas within Atlantic’s corporate and plant operations, including Human Resources; Health, Safety and Environment (HSE); Engineering; Production Operations and Maintenance; Procurement and Supply Chain Management; Finance; Internal Audit; and Law.

These placements facilitate career development for the participants, who gain structured hands-on experience in their respective fields, while also being mentored by Atlantic employees.  The graduates are also exposed to in-house workshops and training sessions.

Nigel Darlow, CEO, Atlantic commended the “class of 2012-12″ at a “graduation” luncheon held recently at Soong’s Great Wall Restaurant, San Fernando.  He explained that the Graduate Trainee Program formed part of Atlantic’s commitment to help develop young local talent by creating opportunities for growth.

Participant Sharda Ramkhelawan, who was attached to the Internal Audit Department, described the Programme as a valuable experience.

“It was awesome,” Ms. Ramkhelawan said.  “I was able to learn from professionals in my field and gain the necessary training and experience to equip me for the world of work and my future career.”

The next intake for Atlantic’s Graduate Trainee Programme is scheduled for September this year.

Turtle Season 2012: 385 turtles tagged at Matura

Three hundred and eighty-five (385) new leatherback turtles have been tagged at Matura Beach since the start of the 2012 turtle nesting season in March.

Two hundred and one (201) “return turtles” have also been logged.

This was reported by turtle conservation group Nature Seekers, who recently hosted seventy (70) employees of Atlantic and their families on a late night tagging and monitoring visit at one of the busier turtle nesting locations in Trinidad and Tobago.

On the visit, forty (40) turtles were sighted by Nature Seekers and their guests. This represented coverage of about 25% of the 7.4km Matura Beach.

“It is too early to say how this compares with last year’s season,” said Dennis Sammy, Managing Director, Nature Seekers.  “In 2011, there were 7,322 nesting events at Matura.  So far for 2012, up until May 8, we have logged 1,439 nesting events.”

Mr. Sammy explained that this information was collected during the morning count survey, which is done every two days over the season.

A nesting event is the scientific term used to describe each attempt by a female turtle to excavate a nest and lay eggs.  On average, leatherback turtles nest seven (7) times in the season, at intervals of about nine (9) days.

LNG production company Atlantic is the sponsor of the National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Programme, which is managed by the Turtle Village Trust and conducted by the Trust and affiliated turtle conservation groups.

As part of Atlantic’s commitment to turtle conservation, turtle watching trips for employees and their families are arranged by the company’s HSE Team throughout the season.  Children on these trips obtain first-hand experience with the turtles, and also learn about the turtles’ importance as a “keystone species” in the global marine ecosystem.

Najila Elias-Samlalsingh, Atlantic’s Senior Environmental Specialist explained that Atlantic’s support for turtle conservation helped the global turtle population as well as the local beach communities where the turtles nest.

“Atlantic is very interested in facilitating the growth the global sea turtle population,” Ms. Elias-Samlalsingh said. “We want our children’s children to continue to see these great marine voyagers. We also want to help communities like Matura develop sustainable eco-tourism opportunities related to the turtles.”

The National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Programme gathers information about the population of nesting leatherbacks, hawksbill and green turtles in Trinidad and Tobago; and about the resident population of hawksbill and green turtles foraging on the reefs and sea grass beds around Tobago. The data gathered contributes to the overall management of sea turtles locally, regionally and globally.  Atlantic’s sponsorship of the programme is one of several initiatives focused on building Sustainability in Trinidad and Tobago.

Atlantic CEO Nigel Darlow receives the United Way 2011 Award for Most Employee Donations from United Way's Aileen Gurley-Mouttet.

United Way of Trinidad and Tobago (UWTT) recently announced LNG production company Atlantic as the company with the Most Employee Donations and the Largest Total Donations to United Way for 2011.

In 2011, 221 employees of Atlantic made monthly financial contributions totalling $325,583 to United Way, which the company matched for a total donation of $651,167.

Atlantic was among several companies that were honoured by United Way at a ceremony for corporate sponsors which was held recently at the Hyatt Hotel.

United Way TT, the local arm of United Way International, is a non-profit organisation which raises charitable donations from companies and individuals and channels these funds to NGOs which deliver critical social services to persons in need.  Bridge of Hope, Families in Action, FEEL (Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life) and Sophia House are among the local organizations that receive funding through United Way.

In photo are the 26 farmers who graduated from the 2nd annual Farmer Enterprise Training Programme run by the University of Trinidad and Tobago, facilitated by the Ministry of Food Production and Land and Marine Affairs, and sponsored by LNG production company Atlantic. Front row seated includes (left to right): Ms. Leela Watti Rastogi, the Ministry's Director, Regional Administration South; Ms. Toni Sirju-Ramnarine, Head, Sustainability and Corporate Communications, Atlantic; Ms. Stephanie Elder Alexander, the Ministry's Deputy Permanent Secretary; and Ms. Jillian Singh, Product Assistant, University of Trinidad and Tobago.

LNG production company Atlantic will continue to invest in the training of farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs as an initiative to help reduce Trinidad and Tobago’s reliance on food imports.

This was announced by Toni Sirju-Ramnarine, Atlantic’s Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications, who was speaking at the recently held Graduation Ceremony for the 2^nd annual Atlantic Farmer Enterprise Training Programme.

Addressing the Programme’s twenty-six (26) graduates, Ms. Sirju-Ramnarine explained that while it may seem strange for a company that processes natural gas to be interested in farming and food production, Atlantic saw it as an opportunity to help strengthen local capacity and re-energise agricultural enterprise at the community level.

“Food is not a luxury, but a necessity,” Ms. Sirju-Ramnarine said.  “It is our expectation that your commercial farming enterprises will decrease Trinidad and Tobago’s vulnerability to global market forces and reliance on food imports.”

Ms. Sirju-Ramnarine described the Farmer Enterprise Training Programme as straddling the line between traditional agricultural techniques and modern approaches to viable commercial agricultural business.

“Today’s farming communities must be willing to adopt new approaches and explore new opportunities to take your product from field to market, if they are to be sustainable,” Ms. Sirju-Ramnarine said.  “In your grandparents’ time, understanding marketing, sponsorships and e-business were not required for agricultural enterprise.  However to be competitive in today’s market, one has to be one step ahead.”

The Atlantic Farmer Enterprise Training Programme was established in 2010 by Atlantic in partnership with the University of Trinidad and Tobago and the Ministry of Food Production and Land and Marine Affairs.  The programme focuses on the development of “agri-entrepreneurs” in the Southwest Peninsula and wider Trinidad and Tobago.  The three-month course exposes young farmers to the latest techniques in their areas of agriculture specializations, as well as skills in business development and the use of computer applications in modern agri-business.

For the 2012 programme, twenty-six (26) farmers and entrepreneurs participated, with specializations in food crops, tree crops, agri-processing, vegetables, apiculture and poultry.

From as early as 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, the J’ouvert Competition will jumpstart the festivities, with Atlantic sponsoring the full array of prizes for the top four Ole Mas bands, as well as prizes for the Best Individual and Best Couple costumes.

Borough Day activities will climax later on Saturday with the Pan on the Move Competition.  Conventional pan bands from across the country will square off in front of Atlantic’s office on Adventure Road, Point Fortin and contend for valuable cash prizes.

Atlantic has committed some $125,000 in prize monies for both competitions.

Marlon Grant, Team Lead Sustainability, Atlantic explained that the company has always partnered with the Point Fortin Borough Corporation for the Borough Day Festivities.  “The annual Borough Day Celebrations are an integral part of the cultural life and heritage of Point Fortin,” Mr. Grant said.  “Atlantic is pleased to help our home community continue to develop this vibrant tradition.”

Operating out of Point Fortin since 1999, Atlantic employs 700 persons.  Twenty percent (20%) of the company’s workforce is from Point Fortin and environs.  Atlantic partners with NGOs to implement initiatives in Point Fortin that facilitate youth and community development through education, sports, skills training and entrepreneurship.

Kevin Fortune (right) and his students from Tobago's Goodwood High School, the first school to go 'undersea' on the Atlantic Ultimate Field Trip, at the launch of "Under the Sea 3D"

Port of Spain, April 20, 2012 – Forty-six (46) students from Tobago’s Goodwood High School became the first students in Trinidad and Tobago to embark on an “undersea” virtual tour beneath the oceans, near the coasts of Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Indo-Pacific area.

The occasion was the April 20 launch of 3D educational movie “Under the Sea”, the second documentary in the 2012 season of the Atlantic Ultimate Field Trip.

The Atlantic Ultimate Field Trip is the educational initiative sponsored by LNG production company Atlantic at the Digicel IMAX® cinema at One Woodbrook Place.

Via the movie, the Goodwood High students and their teachers were immersed in face-to-face three-dimensional close-ups of marine life in the world-renowned Coral Triangle and the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Southern Australia.  In addition to showing real-life deep sea encounters with some of the most mysterious and dangerous fishes and creatures on the planet, the documentary also showed the deadly impact of the bleaching of coral reefs caused by global warming.

Derek Daniel, Branding and Communications Manager, Atlantic explained that movies like “Under the Sea” reflected the current movement in education to use new and relevant technology.  “Educational movies made in IMAX 3D help to stimulate our children’s creativity and innovativeness, equipping them to become competitive and excellent in the global marketplace,” Mr. Daniel said.

Dr. Allan Bachan, Executive Director of the Turtle Village Trust (TVT) and Director of the Tourism Development Corporation, explained to the students the importance of the sea turtles that are featured in the documentary, and the critical necessity to protect this endangered species who visit the beaches of Trinidad and Tobago every year to nest.

“Turtle Village Trust has chosen sea turles as the focus of our conservation efforts because these ancient creatures are among the most important indicators of the health of the world’s marine and coastal ecosystems,” Dr. Bachan said.  “The experience of community-based conservation groups shows clearly that sea turtles are worth much more alive than dead.”

Students from Tobago's Goodwood High School pay close attention to the aquatic manouevres of sea turtles Squirt and Dude, members of an exhibit mounted by the El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation at the launch of "Under the Sea 3D"

Dr. Bachan explained that in Grand Riviere and Mathura, the TVT’s turtle conservation initiatives had led to the parallel development of viable opportunities in ecotourism and agriculture for the two communities. “For example, the inflow of visitors to Grande Riviere expanded from 6,507 in 2005 to 21,000 in 2010, almost 300%,” Dr. Bachan said.

Calling for turtle conservation initiatives to be further developed to support greater economic diversification for Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Bachan said that the Sea Turtle Recovery and Action Plan (STRAP) developed in 2007 had been handed over to Governent to help achieve this objective.  One of the STRAP’s components is the National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Programme (NSTMP), which Atlantic has sponsored since 2009.  In 2011, the NSTMP tagged 3,986 turtles, and estimated the nesting population of female turtles to be 10,220.

The Goodwood High students were also treated to an aquatic display mounted by the El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation, which featured rescued sea turtles Squirt and Dude.

The Atlantic Ultimate Field Trip and the company’s annual sponsorship of the National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Program are some of initiatives facilitated by Atlantic to help build Sustainability in Trinidad and Tobago.  Atlantic’s partnerships with NGOs facilitate energy skills training and certification, values-based vocational training, agri-entrepreneurship, and community and youth development through sports and education.

Nigel Darlow, CEO, Atlantic with members of the CEO's Sustainability Award overall champion project for 2012: Eric Alleyne, Shift Superintendent; Claudius Stewart, Process Engineer; Winston Lochan, Shift Superintendent; Imtiaz Easahak, Team Lead, Process Optimization; Chris Sookram, Process Optimization Engineer.

Port of Spain, April 18, 2012 – The engineering project which helped to increase the number of potential production days for LNG production company Atlantic was the overall champion of the 4th annual Atlantic CEO’s Sustainability Award.

The project “One Day Defrosts of Atlantic’s Facility”, which in 2011 reduced the duration of Atlantic’s annual defrost maintenance procedures, was announced as overall winner at the awards event staged on April 14, 2012 at the Trinidad Hilton and Conference Centre.

Imtiaz Easahak, Atlantic’s Team Leader Process Optimization, who headed the cross-functional team that worked on the project, said the entire team was excited and motivated by the win.

“There was talk that this could not be done, but we challenged the status quo for this procedure, the status quo of the international LNG industry,” Mr. Easahak said. “This project is now part of the knowledge base of our company; it was done completely with internal and local personnel. It gives us a great sense of fulfillment that we at Atlantic and we in Trinidad and Tobago have the capability to be creative and innovative and work together to improve the way we operate our business.”

The “One Day Defrosts” project was developed in 2011 by a cross-functional team of Productions and Operations personnel and engineers from the Process Engineering, Reliability, Maintenance and Operations Teams. As routine maintenance associated with Atlantic’s natural gas liquefaction process, the company’s liquefaction trains have to undergo defrosting on a regular basis. However, this process decreases the number of days available for production. The “One Day Defrosts” project helped to reduce defrost times from a 3-4 day period to a 20 hour period. This has helped to increase the facility’s available production days and has increased the potential for revenue for the company and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Atlantic CEO Nigel Darlow commended the champion project for its unique solution and the project team’s determination to increase value for the company. “The true impact of the ‘One Day Defrosts’ project is the value-add created not only for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, but also for the Sustainability initiatives facilitated by Atlantic that through youth, sports and community development aim to create opportunities for future generations.”

The “One Day Defrosts” project was also the winner for the Production category in the Atlantic CEO’s Sustainability Awards. Other category winners included the “Children’s Water Vacation Camp”, in the Corporate Responsibility category; “Atlantic Day Care Centres” in the People category; “LNG Price Negotiations” in the Cost Management and Value Creation category; and “15 Million Man Hours without a Lost Time Incident” in the Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) category.

The Children’s Water Vacation Camp project was this year’s only category winner entered by a NGO. The project was an initiative implemented by the Institute for Gender and Development Studies / Women Gender Water Network (IGDS/WGWN) of The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and sponsored by Atlantic. The Water Vacation Camp exposed children from Icacos, Biche and Matelot to issues related to global water scarcity and also to best practices in water management and water conservation. The children then developed creative skits to share these practices with their families and villages.

The Atlantic CEO’s Sustainability Awards was established in 2008. The annual event honours innovative projects and programmes developed in the previous year by Atlantic’s employees to build Sustainability in the company, or in the community or nation. Winning projects in a number of categories are selected by a panel of independent judges, which also includes Atlantic’s CEO. The awards programme has since grown to accept submissions from service provider and contractor companies who work on Atlantic’s facility, and also from NGOs which partner with Atlantic in social investment initiatives targeting youth, sport and community development.

The Tournament is carded for Saturday April7 at the Millennium Lakes Golf and Country Club in Trincity.

One hundred (100) golfers from throughoutthe Caribbean are expected to participate, including past and present WestIndies cricketers and other sporting celebrities.

The golfers will be vying for a number ofprizes, including the premium Hole in One prize of US$50,000. Thetournament’s proceeds are earmarked for the DGF’s ongoing work in helpingto facilitate the holistic development of youth in Trinidad and Tobago.

Toni Sirju-Raminarine, Atlantic’s Head ofSustainability and Corporate Communications explained that the work ofthe Daren Ganga Foundation was a good fit with the LNG production company’sseveral partnerships with NGOs that aim to build sustainability in Trinidadand Tobago.

“Atlantic supports initiatives that targetthe development of the next generation,” Ms. Sirju-Ramnarine said. “Wherefeasible, we partner with initiatives and programmes that help to equipthe children of Trinidad and Tobago to take future leadership positionson the regional and global stage, whether in sports, science, agricultureor business. The Daren Ganga Foundation is targeting a special nichein Trinidad and Tobago, and we look forward to hearing great things aboutthe Foundation’s children in the near future.”

Daren Ganga, renowned West Indies cricketerand former captain of the Trinidad and Tobago national cricket team, saidhe was pleased at Atlantic’s decision to help his Foundation achieve itsvision for youth development.

“The Foundation’s emphasis is not onlycricket training for boys and girls, but primarily on helping childrenbalance their academic and extra-curricular talent,” Mr. Ganga said. “Wewant to help underprivileged youths seize opportunities which may be beyondtheir present circumstances. This may mean helping them with sportsskills, or academics or life skills, all of which the Foundation is currentlyhelping to facilitate. We are looking to expand this even more in2012 and going forward.”

In photo is one of the first leatherback turtles for Tobago's 2012 nesting season, who came ashore at Turtle Beach to nest. [Photo courtesy of G. Lalsingh/SOS Tobago

The first leatherback turtles of Tobago’s 2012 nesting season have nested successfully on Turtle Beach.

Three (3) nestings were recently monitored by members of turtle conservation and advocacy group Save Our Sea Turtles (SOS) Tobago as part of SOS’s annual turtle census initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Tobago House of Assembly Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

SOS Tobago’s turtle census is part of the annual National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Programme, which is managed by the Turtle Village Trust and sponsored by LNG production company Atlantic.

Tanya Clovis-Howie, President of SOS Tobago, reported that the first nesting took place on February 28, and the second on March 6.  Both turtles were new to Tobago shores.  The third nesting occurred on March 11, by a turtle named Palance.  Palance was first tagged by SOS Tobago in 2008, and she returned to nest on Turtle Beach in 2010.

“SOS is happy to have our old friend Palance come back again safely in 2012 to Turtle Beach,” Mrs. Clovis Howie said.  “We are also happy for the new turtle arrivals.  While it is good that we continue to record new turtle arrivals, this must be weighed against the continued decline in the global population of the critically endangered leatherback turtles.”

Citing data from the annual turtle census conducted on Turtle Beach, Mt. Irvine Back Bay Beach and Grafton Beach, Ms. Clovis-Howie said that in 2010 SOS Tobago tagged 80 new turtles (75 leatherbacks and 5 hawkbills) and recorded return visits by 69 leatherback turtles.  However, in 2011 the group only tagged only 53 new turtles (45 leatherbacks and 8 hawkbills) and recorded return visits by only 51 turtles (50 leatherbacks and 1 hawkbill).

“It is clear that sea turtle reproduction continues to be affected by increased beach-front development and irresponsible recreational activities, such as driving on the beach during nesting season,” Mrs. Clovis-Howie said.  “This is causing sustained destruction of the turtles’ nesting habitat and having a negative impact on the turtles’ hatching process.”

Toni Sirju-Ramnarine, Atlantic’s Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications, explained that Atlantic’s sponsorship of the National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Program helped to identify the factors that contribute to the trends in the turtle population.

“When turtle conservation groups like SOS Tobago send out regular beach patrols, they monitor the turtles, discourage poachers and guide eco-tourists on the correct way to observe turtles,” Ms. Sirju-Ramnarine said.  “This helps us to increase the turtles’ survival rate and also helps to create opportunities for beach communities to become sustainable through turtle-related ecotourism ventures.”

SOS Tobago’s annual turtle census, along with those conducted by other local turtle conservation organizations through the Turtle Village Trust runs from March 1 to September 30.  Nestings in Trinidad have already been monitored by other advocacy groups associated with the Trust.

The National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Program gathers information about the population of nesting leatherbacks, hawksbill and green turtles in Trinidad and Tobago; and about the resident population of hawksbill and green turtles foraging on the reefs and sea grass beds around Tobago. The data gathered contributes to the overall management of sea turtles locally, regionally and globally.

Atlantic’s annual sponsorship of the National Sea Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Program is one of the LNG company’s several initiatives focused on building Sustainability in Trinidad and Tobago.  Atlantic’s partnerships with NGOs facilitate energy skills training and certification, values-based vocational training, agri-entrepreneurship, community and youth development through sports and education and youth leadership development.

For more information about turtle conservation efforts and turtle watching during the 2012 nesting season, visit the websites of Turtle Village Trust (http://www.turtlevillagetrust.org/) and SOS Tobago (http://sos-tobago.org/).