INDULGE but don’t overdo.

That was the advice given by the Ministry of Health to the public yesterday so that a ’safe, happy and healthy holiday season’ can be enjoyed by all.

In a press release, the Health Ministry offered eight tips for citizens ’to be better prepared to manage weight and personal health’.

These tips ranged from, never going to a holiday event on an empty stomach to limiting alcohol consumption.

The eight tips are as follows:

1. Don’t Go Hungry- Never go to a holiday event on an empty stomach. Make sure you have a good breakfast and a light snack before heading out. A light snack can include protein and carbohydrates, even some yogurt, fruits and mixed nuts. This can help you to curb your appetite.

2. Choose Carefully- Look over the buffet table before you pick up your plate in order to avoid overeating. Make sure to choose vegetables and salads.

3. Salad Plate - By using a salad plate you will definitely consume less. It’s a safe choice.

4. Think Tablespoon - Count in tablespoons, not serving spoons; you can try various dishes, but limit yourself to one or two tablespoons.

5. Limit Alcohol- Some alcoholic drinks are very high in calories. Limit your intake of alcohol and then switch to fruit juice or even water (no calories). Also alcohol can impair your judgment. If you are drinking, though, designate a driver.

6. No need to stand near the buffet station- Standing near the buffet station will definitely tempt you, so to avoid this try a location at the opposite end.

7. Enjoy the once-a-year items- You can have some extras of the popular dishes around this season, but you should give up the other items to which you are used.

8. Give- If you get a basket full of goodies or some food item in a large quantity, try sharing it around. By keeping it all to yourself, it becomes more tempting. (Trinidad Express)

Juhel Browne jbrowne@trinidadexpress.com

Trinidad and Tobago is ready and willing to assist Jamaica if it wants any short-term help to raise Jca $21.8 billion (TT$1.53 billion) needed to meet the requirements for a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Energy Minister Conrad Enill said yesterday that although Trinidad and Tobago itself is facing a $7 billion deficit, any assistance for Jamaica is already available by way of this country’s (Caribbean Community) Caricom Petroleum Stabilisation Fund.

Enill’s comment comes on the heels of an address to the nation by Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding on Wednesday night, in which he rolled back some of the General Consumption Tax measures he had announced last week that were meant to raise much needed additional revenue.

The move had come after public outcry over the tax package designed to raise $21.8 billion, which is the amount required to satisfy the Medium Term Economic Programme the Jamaican government has submitted to the IMF.

In his address, Golding told citizens,’I want to commend the people of Jamaica because despite the strong opposition to the measures announced last Thursday, the country was not shutdown; there has been no disruption; no violent demonstrations. This Government does not have to await an eruption to recognise that it has to change course. We have listened and we have heard.’

However, he added, ’Without that additional revenue, there will be no IMF programme. I want you to understand what this would mean. Without the money from the IMF, the exchange rate would come under severe pressure because with the fallout in bauxite and alumina earnings, remittances and other inflows, we would have difficulty in meeting the demand for foreign exchange.

’Without an IMF agreement, the additional funds from the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, which we need to support the budget, would not be forthcoming. We have to find this $21.8 billion of additional revenue. That is the stark reality.’

The Caricom Petroleum Stabilisation Fund was established by the Patrick Manning administration in 2004, while Enill was then serving as the Minister in the Ministry of Finance.

Manning had said during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) last month that the fund amounted to US$79 million (TT$502.6) million last year.

’The Petroleum Fund was intended to give support to economies in the Caribbean that found themselves in the kind of difficulty that Jamaica finds itself in, but with short term support,’ Enill said in a telephone interview, in reference to the dire economic situation outlined by Golding.

There was no official word yesterday as to whether Jamaica has, or plans to approach this country for any significant financial assistance.

Enill said, however, the real question is not about whether Jamaica needs a loan, but how the Golding administration plans to get the country out of its deep financial hole.

’It is whether they have to reduce their expenditure or increase their revenue internally. That is more of a structure of the economy rather than cash flow. You see if Trinidad and Tobago gives them some support, that is what you call cash flow, but that would not change the structure,’ Enill said.

As arguments continue to go back and forth about the new property tax due to take effect in this country from January 1, 2010, Enill said Golding appears to be asking Jamaicans for the kind of help that the Government had asked of all Trinbagonians during the recessionary period in the 1990s, by contributing more through their taxes.

Golding came to Port of Spain last week to hold discussion with acting Prime Minister Dr Lenny Saith over a proposal by the State-owned Caribbean Airlines to either acquire of become involved in the operation of cash-strapped Air Jamaica. (Trinidad Express)

Trust, love and joy are three virtues which are needed to appreciate Christmas, according to Archbishop Edward Gilbert.

In his Christmas column for the December 27 issue of the Catholic News, the Archbishop offered the reader an opportunity to reflect on whether or not a developing maturity was part of their lives.

He wrote: ’To appreciate Christmas, our faith must be alive and our trust in God must be profound. If not, we simply celebrate Christmas as a ’done deal’ of history or a nice social holiday with implication for family. If we appreciate what we celebrate, then every element of Christmas receives our full attention and brings our renewed life.’

He recalled the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI that every person has been given one basic responsibility in life: to love sincerely, authentically and freely.

’The Holy Father, when speaking of love, admitted that learning to love is a long and demanding journey,’ he wrote.

’Appreciating Christmas is a help to understanding love and making that lifelong love and making that lifelong journey. Christmas enables us to see the selflessness of love when God became one with us.’

Archbishop Gilbert added that one of the marks of Christmas was to experience joy. ’The definition of joy is the happiness that comes from possessing something good. What could be more joyful than being in a relationship with God? Joy increased in proportion to the appreciation we have of the good we possess. Joy flowing from faith gives us a perspective for life that enables is to carry the inevitable crosses of life which can be both unfair and crushing.’

He said the themes reflected on are intrinsic to Christmas, themes ’which must be kept alive in our hearts by prayer and celebration’. -KR (Trinidad Express)

Kristy Ramnarine kramnarine@trinidadexpress.com

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has called on citizens to be patient this Christmas, as he assured yesterday that better things are to come in 2010.

Manning made the call while delivering his 2009 Christmas message to the nation last night.

’We recognise that much work remains to be done. I give the national community the assurance that in the coming period, great satisfaction will be derived from the work the nation will witness on roads, water, electricity, health and security, in addition to the maintenance of the momentum already established in so many other areas of national development,’ Manning said.

’We understand the needs of our citizens and are working to satisfy them. However, patience is required to accomplish some of these goals.’

Manning said citizens should be pleased with the country’s successful hosting of two major international conferences in 2009-the Fifth Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

’From these efforts, our nation’s stature enjoys unprecedented enhancement, and we are now placed in a position where we exercise a positive influence over regional and international issues,’ he said.

’Very significant economic benefits will also accrue, as is evidenced from the exciting prospects that continue to emerge from the international exposure our country received from the great gathering of political and business leaders in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009.’

Although 2009 proved to be one of both successes and challenges for the country, Manning said the country has made progress.

’Our country remains a further fortified democracy, more resilient than ever and with the strengthened will and capacity to pursue our goals at both the national and individual levels,’ he said.

’We have weathered the most severe international economic crisis since the 1930s; one whose effects continue to persist in most countries, including the industrialised world where the unemployment is still rampant and business activity is only now slowly stirring for the long road back to acceptable levels of buoyancy.

’In the midst of this tremendous challenge, including significant loss of revenue, we in Trinidad and Tobago have been able to sustain our equilibrium and we are making this turbulent crossing with greater steadiness than most. But we are not complacent, and have already put in place measures to deal with any possible further aggravation in the global economic climate.’

He added, ’At the same time, we have kept our developmental programme on track, proceeding with determination, albeit at a slower pace, and have ensured that in 2009, there has been significant improvement in the lives of the citizens of our beloved country.

’We have ensured among other achievements, a thriving economy, low inflation, high per-capita income, education opportunities for all at no cost to the student, training and retraining opportunities, infrastructural development, housing for the needy, poverty reduction, middle-class expansion, social upliftment, employment generation and vastly increased opportunities for individual progress at all levels of the society.’

The Prime Minister ended by wishing the nation ’a very holy and merry Christmas’. (Trinidad Express)