Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

 Concert cancelled ticket agency returns refunds It is Friday evening, and the last thing you want to see on your Facebook or Instagram account just appeared. The upcoming Sunday festival for which you have tickets has been canceled! This happened last Friday afternoon. In a shocking turn of events, concert promoter Ian Andre Espinet announced the sudden cancellation of the highly anticipated Toronto Soul Music Festival just 2-days before it was set to take the stage at the Rebel Nightclub on Polson Pier. Scheduled for last Sunday, November 19th, the festival promised a stellar lineup featuring renowned artists such as Jully Black, Glen Lewis, DVSN, and several other acts. The Toronto Soul Music Festival aimed to be a multi-disciplinary, multi-faceted celebration of Soul music and its associated genres and culture, specifically highlighting and honoring Black music and culture. In an email sent out at 7 pm Friday evening, Espinet conveyed the difficult decision to pull the plug on the

Five Ontario high school students will get scholarships in December. By Stephen Weir: Time is running out for Ontario high school students to apply for the United Trinbago West Indian Association (UTWIA) Scholarship Program. One month from today in fact! The Toronto based UTWIA is awarding $500 scholarships for f ive high school student with at least one parent who identifies as Caribbean, and who is about to enter a Canadian college or university. “The purpose behind this program is to support an underrepresented community and inspire Caribbean-Canadian youth to pursue further education,” says Tony Chankar, Chair of the West Indian Association. “Five students will be awarded a $500 scholarship, with each scholarship named after a donor.’ This year there are six donors; Bedessee Imports Ltd, Ena and Tony Chankar, Dr. Jay, the Soca Prince, Rita and Mahadeo Sankar, Laulit Rai and Unique Window Tinting & Detailing. To apply for the scholarships online student must meet a number of c

In Trinidad These Toronto Angels Walk Softly And Carry A Big Cheque By Stephen Weir Tony Chankar was a hard man to track down this Christmas holiday. The Scarb orough printer and community leader was in Trinidad visiting family and literally out everyday of his trip spreading the love on behalf of Toronto’s UNI-TNT with those in need. It took three-days of trying before we connected by phone. “Well today we gave $15,000 TT to the RapidFire Kidz Foundation here in Trinidad and Tobago” said Mr. Chankar. “This money, which we raised in Toronto, is helping the kids who are in the hospital over the holidays at the San Fernando General Hospital. It is Trinidad’s big hospital and there is a real need.” “We did a presentation today to the organization which gives presents and baskets to everyone in the Children’s ward. RapidFire is a church driven charitable foundation in Trinidad that has been doing outstanding work in the community for a number of years.” Tony Chankar and his

By Stephen Weir, as published in the Caribbean Camera By all rights the Trinidad red, white and black flag should now have a small maple leaf stitched into it’s corner tin honour of Canada’s participation in the just concluded Trinidad Carnival. A large contingent of Canadians came to the island to supply costumes, pan music, inspiration, comedy and song to the world famous festival. From the King and Queen competition, to Panorama, to the J’ouvert and the actual parade, Canadian carnival experience was put to work. Hundreds more joined bands and jumped up in the street, or, simply stood on the sidewalk and took it all in. The annual event got off to a rocky start when reports of a possible terrorist plot became a much repeated news item across the Caribbean, The UK, and the US and in Toronto.    Last Thursday, according to the Trinidad Guardian “T&T Police Service revealed they had uncovered and prevented a threat to disrupt Carnival activities mere days before the fest