February 2014

FEBRUARY 2014

www.endeavourmagazine.com

NH INTERNATIONAL

SANDOS PAPAGAYO HOTEL

Stephen Kramer Glickman Big Bold and Beautiful Bootcamp Booty

Carly Peart UK £4.95 CAN $7.95 USA $7.95 -1- |€5.95 THE ELEMENTS EUR SA ZAR 69.00

JOHN, LORD TAYLOR OF WARWICK

INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS

EDITORIAL Heads of Departments Editor in Chief Daemon Sands daemonsands@littlegatepublishing.com Director General Don Campbell doncampbell@littlegatepublishing.com

W

hat a start to the year.

Considering that January is usually a long, arduous period, especially when you have five Fridays in one month, 2014 has

started so fast that it seems all of 2013 was just a run up. Across every sector there is development and promise and following a brief period of growth

Editorial Research Manager Alex Smith alexsmith@littlegatepublishing.com

and upheaval businesses have looked to ways to best take advantage of new

Sales Director James Martin jamesmartin@littlegatepublishing.com

Already this year, the medical industry says they have found a process to

Sales Manager Tyler Harrison tylerharrison@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com

technologies and the internet.

eradicate hospital infections, created enhanced treatments to cure cancers and gene therapy for Alzheimer’s. In the automotive sector they have strong developments in electric cars, alternate fuels and a huge movement in the direction of e-battery power. Google are continuing their diversifying investment into fully automated green cars, contact lenses that monitor the glucose of diabetic tears and the highly debated Google Glasses in a quest to become the benevolent rulers of the planet.

In entertainment the PS4 and the Xbox One are still duelling for the top position on the gaming pile, although they will not hold the top position for long as fully

Any enquiries or subscriptions can be sent to info@littlegatepublishing.com ENDEAVOUR MAGAZINE is published by Littlegate Publishing LTD which is a Registered Company in the United Kingdom.

Company Registration: 07657236 VAT registration number: 116 776007

interactive gaming is set to take on the market by the end of 2014 a return to

343 City Road Kings Lane London Norwich EC1 V1LR NR1 3PS Littlegate Publishing Ltd does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this

With the feeling of hope and confidence returning as we enter into the second

the old 3D game sets.

Experts agree that 2014 has seen the highest level of traffic jams, international flying and purchases of health, sure proof that the economic downturn is repairing as more people go to work and travel cross borders.

month of this year are we seeing a new age of prosperity upon the horizon? And if we do is the road we’re on a straight one or does it diverge and twist?

After a fine start to the year, what other surprises could be waiting for us?

And finally, we are honoured and humbled to have a member of the House of Lords joining us as one of our writers and wish to offer a warm welcome to Lord John Taylor of Warwick who will be writing for our monthly editions covering a range of topics including politics, social economics and opinions.

publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Copyright © Littlegate Publishing Ltd 2014

Endeavour Magazine | 3

CONTENTS

34

Petrotrin

FEATURES 28 Rift Valley Tea

Dotting The I’s and Crossing The T’s 34 Petrotrin

Fuelling The Islands 42 MovieTowne

Entertainment Redefined 50 NH International

Constructing the Caribbean 60 New Britain Palm Oil

Fueling the Food Industry 66 Ekurhuleni Municipality

A Major Part Of The Future 72 Belaz Mining

Belaz Goes Big 78 Jamaica Premix

Built On Solid Service 84 Maputo Corridor Logistics

Clearing The Way For Trade

60

New Britain Palm Oil 4 | Endeavour Magazine

42

MovieTowne

ARTICLES 6 Stephen Kramer Glickman

Big Bold and Beautiful 10 The Disturbing Reality Behind Cupid 12 Are The Chips Down For The Internet?

14 CLS 250 CDI AMG Sport Coupé 16 Ford Transit Custom 18 Gadgets 20 Headlines 24 The Romance is Flying This Valentines Day 26 Sandos Papagayo: A Top Marks Hotel

BIZ-TAINMENT 90 92 96

Carly Peart: Bootcamp Booty Pixiwoo: Beauty in Business Book Reviews

78

Jamaica Premix Endeavour Magazine | 5

STEPHEN KRAMER GLICKMAN

BY STEPHANIE PAUL

Big Bold and Beautiful Behind the scenes the stand up comedy circuit can be a lonely place but every now and then I meet a comedian who is warm and

Names are interesting to me and you have a long one what is the origin of your name?

friendly with a sense of community. Stephen Kramer Glickman is one

My full name is Stephen Lyndon Kramer Glickman, Lyndon after

of those genuine comedians. Stephen is most well known for his role

my aunt who passed away and Kramer is my Grandfathers name on

of Gustavo Rocque on the extremely popular Nickelodeon TV series

my mother’s side (my Grandmother taught me to sing and play Piano

Big Time Rush. I decided I wanted to know more about this big bright

from a young age) and Glickman is my Fathers family name which I

beautiful man, where he came from and where is he heading. To my

originally dropped when I arrived in Hollywood but couldn’t seem to

delight I found out some interesting stuff. There is not much that goes

escape it. As a Stand Up comedian I would get called up onto stage as

in the book of creative arts that this artist has not tried his hand at

Glickman, so finally when I had to choose my stage name for SAG I

and succeeded with. Stephen is incredibly talented at singing, piano,

decided to go with Stephen Kramer Glickman, a big name for a big guy.

painting, acting, comedy, writing, design, including just the way he

What is the origin of your big and bold fashion sense?

dresses and there is nothing “Just” about it.

I have always been a big fan of outrageous fashion and clothes. I

6 | Endeavour Magazine

“ don’t like the boring stuff, I like it when things are bright or when clothes make a statement. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but I like to mix and match. Sometimes I’ll wear a suit I bought for cheap in the garment district with a watch that is worth more than my car. I like taking chances and I guess by most standards I am a pretty strange bird. I got put on the worst dress list by Star magazine a couple of years ago because I showed up on the red carpet in a green onsey. I just don’t care, if I like something I

I was being chased down and tied up with jump ropes and being beaten up by 6-7 guys at a time. However the whole time I was being bullied I never changed who I was because of it, I continued to do musical theatre and I continued to wear my weird clothes and I continued to be Jewish because even though it wasn’t fun, I knew they were wrong. I was just being me.”

can remember and how you got bullied?

One of the kids who was very popular at junior high school beat me up pretty badly, so badly that he ended up being expelled from the school. Because he was very popular his friends took on the attitude that, well they can’t expel all of us, so they all started beating me up collectively. They would steal stuff out of my locker and then try to sell it back to me and it just got worse and worse and worse. I was being chased down and tied up with jump

wear it. My closet is out of this

ropes and being beaten up by

world. I have a collection of

6-7 guys at a time. Eventually

Woodroze handmade sunglasses

my family decided to pull me out

which are amazing, I love watches

your original style and flare for

bolts shaved in the side of my

of public school and put me in a

and collect Wewood watches

fashion had something to do

head. I was bullied because I was

tiny private school. However the

from Australia, I am sponsored

with it?

acting in musical theatre. I was

whole time I was being bullied

by the clothing company Pink

I got bullied for lots of

bullied because I am Jewish. I was

I never changed who I was

Dolphin and they have amazing

stupid reasons. I had a weird

actually the only openly Jewish

because of it, I continued to do

clothes, the best colors and

fashion sense I’d wear green

kid at the school. If there were

musical theatre and I continued

really incredible designs. I have a

jeans, cowboy boots, silk shirts

other people at my school who

to wear my weird clothes and I

wardrobe full of weird suits and I

and large sunglasses. I also was

were Jewish, they were hiding it

continued to be Jewish because

even have a jacket that lights up.

bullied because I was 4 feet tall

and no one knew about it.

even though it wasn’t fun, I knew

Growing up I know you

and 5 feet wide and had a “Corey

What was one (or more) of

dealt with bullies, do you think

Feldman” mullet with lightening

the most extreme stories you

they were wrong. I was just being me.

Endeavour Magazine | 7

Do you think teachers are bullies and did you ever have an experience of them contributing to your bullying?

Oh absolutely I had a Math teacher named Mr Bob Sissler at Oak Crest Junior High. He loved telling kids they were stupid when they didn’t understand something. He was the worst teacher I’ve ever had, and I once took a mime class.

Did you ever have an amazing supportive teacher change or do anything for you that shaped who you are today?

Yes when I went to Futures High School a small private school, I was there from 8th till I graduated 12th grade . I had a science teacher who’s name was

If you want to do great big things in life, be Godzilla with a good heart.

Jim and I would come into his class in a top hat and carrying

someone to do my Math for me.

Gay Harden are doing with The

crazy? I watch your TV show

a cane and he would say “Nice

My Mother took that advice and

Joyful Heart Foundation http://

every week with my kid, how

Top Hat are you ready to get

strongly supported my creativity.

www.joyfulheartfoundation.org

crazy is that?” and I said “yeah I

to work?” and I would say yes,

My mom is awesome.

and No More http://fornomore.

guess that is pretty crazy man”.

org/ whose mission is to heal,

Then he said “Hey man will

and the next day I would come

I have heard arguments

in something else weird like a

against the “Stop Bullies”

educate and empower survivors

you sign an autograph for my

three piece suit and he would

movement saying it’s just a

of

domestic

kid?” so I said to him “give me a

say “Nice suit are you ready to

part of life and kids today are

violence and child abuse, and to

second let me go to my car” and

get to work? He never made

weak and need to toughen up

shed light into the darkness that

I went to my car and I pulled out

me feel like I was weird, strange

and get a thick skin, so they can

surrounds those issues.

a headshot and I went back in

or stupid or that I was making

compete in the world at large

mistakes about who I was and

what is your opinion on that?

sexual

assault,

Did you ever bully anyone

and asked him “What’s your kids

in retaliation for what

name?” “Robert” so I wrote on

my creative ideas, he made me

I feel that is very dangerous

happened to you? Or seek

the headshot Dear Robert, don’t

feel like I was innovative. It really

thinking. Just telling kids that

revenge on the kids that

be afraid to call child protective

guided my brain towards the job

this is normal behavior and to

bullied you? Do you know

services, all the best, Stephen

I do now, which is getting paid to

toughen up is a way for people

where they are now?

Kramer Glickman. The guy read

be creative. I also had a guidance

to avoid taking responsibility for

I have only ever run into one

it and said “What the F%$^ is

counselor tell my Mother once

their actions and make the victim

of the guys who bullied me. I was

this?” and I walked away and

that she shouldn’t worry about

at fault. To say “oh boys will be

at a gas station in San Diego and

that was the closet to any kind of

me not being good at Math and

boys” is incredibly irresponsible.

the guy behind the counter said

revenge I have ever taken. I know

focus on supporting my creativity

This is very similar to the

“Hey I know you, yeah I used to

it’s a cliche but Success is always

because one day I was going

wonderful work my colleagues,

kick your ass everyday in Junior

the best revenge.

to make enough money to pay

Mariska Hargitay and Marcia

High School! You know what’s

8 | Endeavour Magazine

What is your advice to kids

“

s i g n i y l l u b o t The answer ; e t a r a K g n i n r not lea

being bullied now?

the answer is standing up and being proud of who you are.

”

currently creating 3 or 4 branded

led to Comedy Central and Last

booked them, all the big changes

The answer to bullying is not

comedy sketches a month and

Comic Standing and a whole

in my life I didn’t see coming. You

learning Karate; the answer is

we are working towards a full

bunch of amazing opportunities. I

can’t make those plans, however I

standing up and being proud of

feature. I feel that our production

auditioned for Shrek the Musical

would love to host a reality show,

who you are.

stuff has blossomed so much

on a Broadway when I thought

be on dancing with the stars, be

in past year and I love acting

I was going to an audition for

in a sci-fi movie and get attacked

how does it help anti-bullying

and writing and producing and

the Macy’s day parade. When

by a giant lizard and maybe go to

in the community?

I am really looking forward to it

I got to the audition and found

outer space with the Muppets.

heading in that direction.

out it was actually Shrek the

What is your message/

You have been on

Musical, I sang my heart out

motto/legacy you want to

What is Giant Creature and

Giant Creature Incorporated is my company and it covers a few facets of what I do. One was the

Broadway, TV, In Movies a

and beat 45,000 people for the

leave with the world when you

clothing company that we had

stand up comedian, what does

lead in the original Broadway

die?

set up while we were shooting

Stephen want to be when he

readings and workshops. When

If you want to do great big

Big Time Rush and we donated

grows up?

I auditioned for Big Time Rush

things in life, be Godzilla with a

at Nickelodeon, I was told it was

good heart.

a percentage of the proceeds

The road that I have been

to The Trevor Project www.

traveling

has

been

full

of

a VO audition and I got there

thetrevorproject.org, which is

surprises. I keep getting to find

and found out it is a TV series

the LGBT youth free hotline.

new things and I try them. The

and they were looking for a tall

What is next for Giant

first time I did stand up was

handsome silver fox older guy in

Creature? Where is it going?

because it was going on in a

his 40’s and I was 28 wearing a

Aiming?

bowling alley next to my hotel

hoody and gangster shorts. A lot

Giant Creature Inc. is also a

when I first came to Los Angeles.

of the big ones I have auditioned

production company and we are

I decided to try it and that has

for in my life were by chance and I

Endeavour Magazine | 9

THE DISTURBING REALITY BEHIND

Cupid WRITTEN BY DONNIE RUST

V

alentine’s

Day,

the

by bees. This could be a metaphor of how love is innocent but I think it

card-day to venerate

means Cupid was just never caught doing anything else. Because let’s

the patron saint of free

face it, love is not innocent, love is sneaky.

love and the open contracting

A lack of history for someone as prolific as Cupid should raise

of airborne baby assassins with

alarm bells and when you look past the cards, the chocolates, the teddy

arrows.

bears (where did they come from?) and the kittens (eye roll) oh mercy,

CUPID…

the kittens with the little signs saying I WUB and you are left with a

Despite being the poster

flying immortal assassin with a bow and arrow who is responsible for

child for this red hearted day

creating that initial first spark in lovers and is therefore directly to

and a curly haired, chubby kid

blame for Romeo and Juliet, Helen and all of Troy, Ozzie and Sharon,

with wings and an archer’s

Kanye and Kim.

bow and arrow (what kind of

When you have those names on a CV and that number of historical

parent gives his child that?)

celebrities walking around with gleaming arrows out of their backs

Cupid actually has a very boring

and yet find nothing but childish tales about how young Cupid stole

backstory that makes him the

honey from a hive and was stung by the hive’s residents, you start to

most pathetically innocent of

wonder if perhaps there are a few people with arrows sticking out of

the pagan gods. Roman and

them who aren’t walking around at all.

Greek mythology is a bit sketchy

Reputation counts for a lot especially when you have a holiday

on who his parents were which

that’s devoted to you. Because Valentine’s day is devoted to Cupid

would explain the bow and arrow

and not St Valentine. A baby with wings and an archery bow and not

but generally it is accepted he

a canonized Roman Catholic saint. 50% of Americans believe that the

is the child of Venus or Aphrodite

(goddess

of love, waxing and

Then again a percentage of American’s think that South Africa is in Europe.

diseases

The market for Valentine’s gifts is just as big as Christmas and

and

although less expensive at the time it is more costly with the majority

potentially Jupiter as

of babies being born in November. And Cupid also has cause to be

venereal respectively) the father.

concerned about losing his position as Valentine’s most marketable

In a lineage of Godly

commodity with the recent developments in the British media

parents who did everything

regarding the conduct and tastes of the BBC’s most elite presenters.

from eating their own children

In fact, the truth be told, it’s amazing that men don’t break out in sweat

to seducing wild animals Cupid’s

every time a girl gives them a card with a baby on the front of it. Armed

only noteworthy transgression

on not.

was to steal honey and be stung

10 | Endeavour Magazine

winged baby was what was canonized.

Of course, you say, you can’t honestly believe that all love and lust

springs from a little flying cretin

you’re oberservant, you have

with a bow and arrow. He’s just

your eyes open, you like to be

mythological. But, I would retort,

aware and in the know and that

this is my fantasy, this is my rant,

is why you’re reading my articles.

this is my article. If you want to go

But how in Jupiter’s face would

debate mythological actualism

you be able to overlook a flying

versus religious dogma versus

baby winking at you down the

scientific practicality I’d say go

length of a drawn arrow?

speak with your door to door

They don’t look like Cupid on

Evangelist. Or a scientologist.

the cards.

You see, I don’t really believe

Remember, Love is sneaky.

in Cupid. I don’t believe in some

Cupid, or Cupids are master

invisible, immortal baby with wings who, considering the rapid growth of the human population clearly is able to be everywhere at once. I think that’s rubbish.

Instead, I believe that there is an underground organization training babies for that job and the reason we don’t see them is because they’re ninjas.

Identifying with this concept is far easier to do than to believe in something that has no founding in scientific fact, nor in mythological redundancies… or religion… whichever one works

Remember, Love is sneaky.

Cupid, or Cupids are master infiltrators, masters of disguise, they could look like anyone. The person who looks the least likely to really be a fluttering armed baby is almost guaranteed to be just that.

infiltrators, masters of disguise, they could look like anyone. The person who looks the least likely to really be a fluttering armed baby is almost guaranteed to be just that and rest assured that the person who looks least likely to want to bring you love, will almost definitely want to sink their arrow into you.

Ultimately, if your job was to regularly shoot people with arrows and for one day a year you were suddenly required to go mental and fire arrows at billions of people giving cards

for you. But ninja babies, I can

you would want to have some

believe this, ninja babies with

kind of anonymity.

absolute

accuracy

spreading

denying young love (lead tipped

The easier way to achieve

unseen through the world aiming arrows at us? Yes, this makes more

arrows) or removing people

this would be via distraction. Like

sense to me.

knowing

(secret

the ninjas of old who achieved

Now… where do these babies come from? Where do they go? I

ninja killer arrows) and as they

invisibility by very simply training

am so glad you asked. Throughout history there have been tales of

grow older their job continues,

themselves to be in the exact

warrior races who have grown stronger and faster generation after

so their numbers increase with

place where a person wasn’t

generation through carefully guided genetics. The intro to 300 would

every generation until they’ve

looking. So, if you’re afraid of

basically explain this thoroughly- the result Gerard Butler.

reached the point where they’re

getting pricked by Cupid’s arrow

everywhere and we just can’t see

this Valentines… just remember

them.

it could be someone else entirely

The same goes for the Amazons, who are just waiting until movie directors are able to make women with only one tit look sexy.

the

secret

So these babies are simply the offspring of the generation before

WHY CAN’T WE SEE THEM?

them, set the task of either uniting lovers (golden tipped arrows), or

Of course, you’re not an idiot,

aiming at your heart.

Endeavour Magazine | 11

“We are honoured and humbled to have a member of the House of Lords writing for us and want to welcome Lord John Taylor of Warwick to Endeavour Magazine. As one of the finest writers of his age we expect him to provide a new flavour to the magazine and look forward to seeing more of his articles in our pages.” – Daemon Sands.

ARE THE CHIPS DOWN FOR THE INTERNET? WRITTEN BY JOHN, LORD TAYLOR OF WARWICK

W

hy did the chicken cross the Web? To get to the other

All industries are being transformed, through the Web. I recently

Site. Well, the Internet may not have improved the

spoke at an event hosted by an educational charity that works in

quality of my jokes, but there is no doubt the Web has

Ghana, West Africa.

had a huge impact on our lives.

Ghanaian farmers now use their smartphones to trade their

The World Wide Web was invented 25 years ago. It is difficult

products before their long trek to market starts. This saves them time

to imagine how we coped back in 1989. There was no Google,

and earns them more income. South African women from the slums

Facebook or Twitter. How life has changed. 2.4 billion people use the

of Soweto are now being trained to help American customers with

web worldwide, including 1.2 billion shoppers on line. Radio took 38

their computer problems.

years to aquire 50 million users and TV took 13 years. The internet

The UK leads the world in many areas of IT. Products and services

needed only 4 years, whilst Facebook blitzed there in 10 months!

delivered on line now account for at least 10% of UK GDP, the highest

So communication is clearly faster. But has the Web made our lives

percentage of the G20 countries. The British are the busiest on-line

better?

shoppers in the world. By 2014 e-commerce will be about 20% of

For some, yes. For example, crowdfunding

platforms

have

total UK retail. UK web activity is larger than the education, health

launched many projects which would have failed to get finance

or construction sectors. Britain has created some world leading

otherwise. Kickstarter alone has helped over 55,000 ventures. £4.6

businesses on-line, like Asos, the fashion company. London is now a

billion has been earned by people in the UK using the “Gift economy”,

Technology hub, but Bristol, Brighton and Edinburgh are also seeing

to share products and services. The Airbnb web based business has

record numbers of digital start-ups. In the global internet business,

done this successfully in property, whilst Zopa has focused more on

the UK has the advantage of location and language.

financial services. The Web has become the ultimate matchmaker for

But we must not become complacent. There are real challenges

all our needs. It has revolutionised the way we buy and sell, learn and

ahead. Only 30% of UK small businesses do transactions on line,

teach, discuss, meet, greet and even marry.

excluding them from larger sales and savings. 1 million technology

Africa has the fastest growing number of web users. I was invited to

sector jobs need to be filled by 2020. That looks a tall order since 11

speak in Nigeria for the first time in December. As I boarded the plane

million UK adults are still not on line. The number of women in the UK

at Heathrow, it was a bitterly cold day. It was literally a baptism of fire

technology sector is falling. On present trends only 1% of the sector

as I stepped into the oven like heat of Lagos 7 hours later. But apart

will be female by 2040.

from the temperature, what struck me after I spoke to thousands at

There is a real problem which needs to be addressed in retail. In

the National Stadium, was the Nigerian entrepreneurial spirit. 47%

the UK more than 3 million people work in this sector. But the number

of Nigerians access the web via smart phones. Perhaps it is the web

of employees required for each £1,000 worth of products sold online,

that will do more to close the gap between the first and third world

against the numbers required for traditional retailing is a ratio of 1:3.

economies than anything else. Educational opportunities are being

So any increase in online retailing will inevitably cause significant falls

extended on a global scale, through massive open online courses,

in employment. In 2013 Blockbuster, HMV and Jessops all ended due

from Khan Academy’s tutorials which reach 10 million students per

to their inability to adjust to the changing online world.

month to Coursera which offers over 100 courses.

12 | Endeavour Magazine

Innovation has always driven advances in our standard of living.

Buying goods and services online is

started to think about, such as the privacy

usually the cheaper option. Through

implications of wearable technology and

the Web, households will spend less

the regulation of driverless cars. This will

on groceries, utilities and clothing .

be no longer science fiction, but science

But what will happen to those who

fact, sooner than we think. There are

lose their jobs, as more goods and

serious problems such as cybercrime and

services are provided online? The

cyberbullying, which political leaders do

answer maybe that people should develop skills that complement rather than compete with computers and the digital world. So I would suggest, as Government policy, more investment in sectors dealing with infrastructure, education and research.

We also have to ask whether our political, public and corporate leaders have the required skills and understanding of the digital sector.

I do not believe they have. This results in a lack of wise policies and choices about our future, in which technology will be at the heart. It is worrying that only 4 FTSE 100 companies have a Chief Technology Officer or digital expert on their plc board, despite the internet revolution their businesses face. None of our political leaders have a science or technology background. Yes, they have advisers, but traditionally the Civil Service is not from a tech savvy background. There are policy issues which

Governments

“

Radio took 38 years to acquire 50 million users and TV took 13 years. The internet needed only 4 years, whilst Facebook blitzed there in 10 months!

So communication is clearly faster. But has the Web made our lives better?”

recognise as issues, but seeing is not the same as solving.

The way we access the Web will change. As more

infrastructure

gets

connected to internet technology, it will no longer just be linked to computers. Today the web has 575 million host computers, but it is forecast that billions of sensors will become connected to buildings, bridges, fridges and freezers. The amount of data or information we can access will increase exponentially. Not only will the web spread to more countries, it will support more languages. The fact is that most of the history of the web is still ahead of us, so we need to address these issues now. When Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the Web 25 years ago, he had in mind universal access and inclusion for all. But presently only 25% of the world’s population use the web, so education and access remain just some of the challenges of the internet. It was Sir Walter Scott in a poem in 1808 who first wrote about “a tangled web”. Walt was right.

have barely Endeavour Magazine | 13

CLS 250 CDI AMG SPORT COUPÉ

BY STEVE WARMAN

F

or the discerning driver who is looking for something tasteful

with the super smooth seven speed automatic gearbox.

and upper-crust but doesn’t want to have to re-mortgage their

Never short of power, whatever the situation this is a benchmark

house to cover running costs the Mercedes-Benz CLS 250

blend of low running costs and genuine speed. Of course if you go for

AMG Sport was probably made for you. With a stylish exterior and

the V6 diesel engine you’ll find it to be a bit more refined and certainly

luxurious interior this vehicle of choice for the cultured businessman

a touch faster but that will incur far higher running costs that will put

has troves to offer with some particular benefits that have to be taken

some buyers off.

into account.

The Running Costs

Should you choose the AMG Sport?

I would go for the AMG Sport.

With a 2.1 litre diesel engine the CLS 250 returns in the region of

While it’s £3000 pricier than your normal CLS it makes up for it

54.3 mpg on the combined fuel economy cycle and emits 138g/km of

in the range of extras that improve upon an impeccable standard of

CO2 which makes it rather competitive for such a large car and during

driving. The 19inch alloys combine with sports-tuned suspension to

our roading we saw just less than 44mpg without much effort which

give it a more sportier and confident ride and the brakes have been

means a realistic range of between 600 – 700 miles per tank of diesel.

upgraded to provide better stopping power. You get an AMG body-

While considerate on fuel it doesn’t sacrifice strength or speed

styling kit too, which includes front and rear bumper tweaks while

and the CLS 250 hit the mark in the sprint from 0-62mph in 7.5

the LED headlights are another standard feature, along with a special

seconds with a top speed of 150mph. The strength in the toque was at

front grille.

500Nm, 201bhp and all of it is carefully calibrated to work seamlessly 14 | Endeavour Magazine

Inside, you’ll find AMG badging cloistered around the cabin.

It has a sports steering wheel with buttons for the multimedia

we would like to keep.

Assistance

addition but really should only be used with proper driving techniques

system, a black roof lining, DAB

Pack, which includes blind spot

because like anything if the car becomes dirty you can’t see anything

digital radio and a manual mode

monitoring

radar-guided

out of it. There is only so much that can be done. Heating seats were

for the gearbox controlled with

cruise control that adjusts the

particularly appreciated given the cold winter we’ve had this month

steering wheel paddles and the

car’s speed to stop you from rear

and the memory functionality for the front seats proved useful when

pedals are stainless steel.

ending the car in front of you and

you have that get in and go urge.

Optional extras

The

Driving

six disc DVD player are available. The reversing camera is a useful

and

damaging the beautiful face of this Mercedes chariot. I found

In the end

Our test car came with every

the active lane-keeping system

extra we could expect and all of

particularly useful, a system that

packed with technology it works well with the driver predicting

them added weight and credence

vibrates and notifies you should

problems and hazards to make the driving experience one of both

to

experience.

you drift out of your lane which is

pleasure and safety. As its name suggests the Sport is superbly

Usually, we find added extras to

helpful should you be driving on

capable at high speeds, providing a smooth ride throughout but at the

be the marmite of our reviews,

heavy motor ways.

same time if you’re looking for city driving you’ll get a comfortable,

the

driving

some love them, some don’t have

Entertainment upgrades to

the pallet for them but we found

a 14-speaker surround sound

it difficult to decide which ones

system and an interchangeable

The CLS 250 AMG Sport is lovely to drive and it looks great,

reliable vehicle too.

Endeavour Magazine | 15

FORD TRANSIT CUSTOM

BY STEVE WARMAN

P

ractical, feels great to drive, has the looks to boot and some

like merely handy options, but to the van driver/worker who spends

additions that reveal an insight into what the van driver

so much time in their vehicle these additions become essentials. It’s

requires on the roads today. Gone is the old Transit’s boxy

as if the designers spent days travelling with van drivers and taking

exterior, the Custom benefits from rounded edges and flowing line.

The new rear headlight stacks give it a far more modern look and has made it a better competitor against rival vans.

notes.

This theory of mine is proved that the steering wheel can finally be adjusted for rake and reach, the angle has been adjusted, tilted

With the Base trim or Limited trim which offers protection against

away from the horizontal plane, like they have in drucks, the seats

scrapes, the interior of the van is made more spacious by removing

also have more manouervability so the driving position is actually

the chunky dash and replacing it with one straight out of a Ford Focus.

very comfortable which makes the Custom feel more like driving a car

In there is the large cup holder for drive and passenger and a scooped

rather than a bulky truck.

bottle bin for large drinks- something that not all vans have but always proves to be useful.

The middle seat folds down to reveal a desk for writing and another

Practicality In keeping with the image of the designers spending days taking

pair of cup holders, the roof has a sunglasses holder and on the left of

notes on what their clientele need in their vehicles, the workability

the driver’s shoulders are two coat hooks, in front of the driver there

of the Custom makes it superior to other vans just by the intelligence

is a pop up lid to an additional storage space with a 12volt socket and

behind the design. Three Euro pallets can fit in the rear and the LED

USB port. IN here you ca plug in a sat-nav unit, mobile phone or music

lights inside make it easy to see what’s going on for packing and

player while keeping all of those wires at bay and there is a second

storing. Tow trailers start at 2000 kg can be hauled along and to assist

12volt plug near the passenger too. By themselves these may seem

the driver if the trailer starts to sway the Custom will sense this and

16 | Endeavour Magazine

This is the batmobile of the van world.

reduce the engine torque and

weight vans are made to take it’s

Custom has passed admirably receiving five stars from Euro NCAP –

applies the brakes to appropriate

surprising why this isn’t standard

the first van ever in this sector. It’s also the first van in the class to gain

wheels to stop it. Also on hill

practise, but the Custom is

Euro NCAP Advanced rewards for the safety technology available on

starts it won’t roll backwards- at

setting the standard to change

a Commercial Vehicle.

all- whichever way you’re facing.

that.

This really is a very clever van.

The

Airbags are standard for drivers while optional for passengers but reshaped

bodywork

the beauty is that upon heavy front impact the steering wheel is pulled

Cornering lights and parking

might be pretty but it’s very safe,

away from the driver to prevent your ribs turning into a beartrap for

sensors make it a breeze for

too. Compared to the existing

your organs.

city driving and power foldable

Transit, the bodywork is made

On the options list are a speed limiter and a Lane Keeping Alert -

mirrors will stop them from

up of 18% more high-strength

the latter vibrates the steering wheel if it senses the van is drifting out

being removed by hasty drivers.

steel with most of this steel used

of position. It also shows a mug-of-tea icon in the drivers display if it

around the door openings so

thinks you’re driving too tired.

Safety Custom is Ford’s safest ever Transit. ESP is fitted as standard,

the van keeps its shape after an accident and so you can get out more easily.

Why The Custom?

The Custom was awarded the International Van of the Year 2013,

as is Electronic Brake Assist

If you do crash in this, take

and this one tonne panel van is not only very practical, but it’s great to

and there are disc brakes both

some reassurance that 30 full

look at and with the additions inside it’s actually a pleasure to drive.

on the front and on the rear.

crash test validations have been

This is the batmobile of the van world.

When considering how much

carried out and the Transit Endeavour Magazine | 17

GADGETS Nano-Clear.

Nano Technology in a Spray.

Star Trek level of Gimmickery.

Advancements in nanotechnology currently offer organizations

cleaning by 50%.

with cargo ships, fleet vehicles, trains and industrial equipment a

Nano-Clear is manufactured

long-term alternate to conventional paints. Nanovere Technologies

using

proprietary

introduces Nano-Clear for Industrial Applications, designed to

nanostructured polymers, which

dramatically improve corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance and

provide

prevent the underlying paint from UV degradation. Nano-Clear is the

crosslink

only industrial coating in the marketplace to restore, enhance and

conventional

preserve newly painted or highly oxidized paint surfaces by 10 years!

today.

dramatically density

3D higher

over

coating

any

system

Crosslink density is

The US Army for example uses two-component conventional

defined as the concentration of

epoxy top-coatings on the decks of Landing Craft Utility – Ships to

chemical bonds within a polymer.

improve abrasion resistance from tanks driving aboard and to prevent

Higher

corrosion. Unfortunately this epoxy system begins to yellow within

chemical bonds within a polymer

3 weeks, oxidize and corrode within 6 months at sea. The Michigan

improve

Department of Transportation for example has to recoat its fleet of

Nano-Clear’s molecular bonds

snow-plow trucks every few years due to corrosion issues from salt.

are

What’s the solution to this multi-billion dollar corrosion issue?

from chemical attack, abrasion

concentrations physical

difficult

to

of

properties. break-down

Nano-Clear penetrates deep into the smallest pores of paint,

and UV rays. Nano-Clear is a

enhancing the underlying color, improving gloss, increasing surface

one-component highly cross-

hardness, and dramatically extending UV resistance (99% gloss

linked

retention). Nano-Clear protects the underlying paint from scratching,

nanocoating system.

polyurethane

hybrid

corrosion, chemicals and UV degradation, while reducing surface It’s been around since 2013,

Yellow Jacket

when the

18K Volts Stun Gun Phone Case.

gun you can slide the case on your iPhone 5/5s and you’re

original Yellow Jacket

immediately equipped with a self-defense instrument

stun gun case arrived on the scene,

capable of producing an 18,000 volt shock to a potential

but it’s made a return to Las Vegas,

attacker. New features for the 2014 model

USA (clearly the place where a near

include ambidextrous triggers and dual safety

lethal stungun phone is needed) in

mechanisms to prevent accidental discharge

it’s new and improved form for CES

which could be devastating and hilarious

2014. Essentially the love child of

depending

an Otterbox and a miniature stun

watching or holding hands.

on

whether

you’re

Optik could be the

Vision of the Future

innovega-inc.com

The vision of the future. No television screens, people sitting

simultaneously, offering an alternative solution to traditional near-

around the house watching the same shows, their hands fluttering

eye displays which create the illusion of an object in the distance so as

in front of them to change channels and open windows. If you were

not to hinder regular vision.

a time traveller from the past you’d think the world had gone mad!

Embedded in the contact lenses are micro-components that

Before we get too excited, the iOptik system does not offer a

enable the user to focus on near-eye images. Light projected by the

solution for potential stigma attached to the less-than-discreet

display (glasses) passes through the center of the pupil and then

Google Glass, as it too requires a pair of glasses to function. Acting

works with the eye’s regular optics to focus the display on the retina,

as a micro-display, the glasses project a picture onto the contact lens,

while light from the real-life environment reaches the retina via an

which works as a filter to separate the real-world from the digital

outer filter. This creates two separate images on the retina which are

environment and then interlaces them into the one image.

then superimposed to create one integrated image, or augmented

According to the company, the technology enables users to focus on objects right in front of their eyes and in the distance 18 | Endeavour Magazine

reality.

drug metabolites rather than

sensitive immunoassay reagents

the drugs themselves, a positive

for the detection of substances

result proves that the person

in fingerprint sweat, using the

being screened has taken the

company’s patented technology

drug and not simply touched a

based on antibody nanoparticles.

contaminated surface.

Reagents are chemicals which

The

device

captures

a

indicate a positive result by

detailed image of the fingerprint

reacting in a certain way if the

during analysis. If required, this

specified substances – such as

image can be used to confirm

drug metabolites – are present.

personal identity in relation to the test result, ruling out false positives due to sample mix ups.

Patented Nanoparticle Technology Intelligent

Putting Your Finger On It intelligentfingerprinting.com

Intelligent Fingerprinting has attracted worldwide interest in

Fingerprinting’s

drug-screening

Global Opportunities Across Many Market Sectors

technique

its technology for a wide range

is

of drug-screening applications

based on pioneering nanoparticle

including criminal justice, drug

technology research by the

rehabilitation, prisons and the

company’s founder and chief

workplace. The technique has

scientific

Professor

potential for many other uses

David Russell of the University

including healthcare diagnostics

of

and

East

officer, Anglia.

Professor

Russell’s research, which has been published in several leading

homeland

security

applications.

In

2012

Intelligent

scientific journals, is focussed

Fingerprinting raised £2m in

Intelligent Fingerprinting specialises in the development of non-

on the study of metabolites and

funding from a consortium of

invasive diagnostic screening technology for fast and convenient

their detection within sweat.

private US-based investors, as

point-of-care testing and the company has designed the world’s first

Through this work he discovered

well as government funding for

handheld fingerprint drug-testing device, which is expected to go

that information about a person’s

pilot studies within the NHS and

into pilot production in early this year (2014). Requiring only a single

lifestyle, such as drug-taking

forensics services.

fingerprint sample to screen for commonly abused groups of drugs,

habits, could be obtained by

this compact and portable device provides results in less than ten

analysing their fingerprints.

minutes.

Drug Screening From a Single Fingerprint The company’s ground-breaking diagnostic technique detects

Building

on

Founded in 2007, Intelligent Fingerprinting

is

a

spin-out

Professor

company from the University of

Russell’s discovery, Intelligent

East Anglia (UEA). The company

Fingerprinting’s specialised team

is based in Norwich, England and

of scientists has developed highly

employs eleven people.

drug use by analysing chemicals (known as metabolites) contained in the minute traces of sweat found in a fingerprint. Metabolites are chemicals produced by the body as a result of normal metabolic processes. They can be used to identify the substances a person has ingested, inhaled or injected. Because the technique detects the

Endeavour Magazine | 19

HEADLINES

Portugal,’’ Les Enluminures researcher Laura Light said. ‘’Portugal was extremely secretive about her trade routes during this period, explaining why their presence there wasn’t widely known.’’

Peter Trickett, an award-winning historian and author of Beyond Capricorn, has been a long standing advocate for the theory that a

NEW DISCOVERY COULD REWRITE AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

F

Portuguese maritime expedition mapped the coast of Australia in 1521-22, nearly a century before the Dutch landing. ‘’It is not surprising at all that an image of a kangaroo would have turned up in Portugal at some point in the latter part of the 16th century. It could be that someone in the Portuguese exhibition had this manuscript in their possession,’’ he said.

The National Library of Australia curator of maps Martin Woods said that while the image looked like a kangaroo or a wallaby, it alone was not proof enough to alter Australia’s history books. ‘’The likeness of the animal to a kangaroo or wallaby is clear enough, but then it could be another animal in south-east Asia, like

or a long time there has been a theory that the Portuguese

any number of deer species, some of which stand on their hind legs to

were the first to set foot upon Australian soil, long before the

feed off high branches,’’ Dr Woods said.

Dutch or the English. Found within the letters of a 16th century

Portuguese manuscript is a tiny drawing of a kangaroo curled up.

The document, acquired by Les Enluminures Gallery in New York, depicts a sketch of an apparent kangaroo (‘’canguru’’ in Portuguese) nestled in its text and is dated between 1580 and 1620. This has led

Additionally what has not been taken into account is that ancient texts have been defaced by scholars in the past with the sole intention of causing trouble. ‘’For now, unfortunately the appearance of a long-eared bigfooted animal in a manuscript doesn’t really add much.’’

researchers to believe that images of the marsupial were already

The value of the manuscript has been set at $US15,000 ($16,000)

being circulated by the time the Dutch ship Duyfken landed upon the

by Les Enluminures Gallery, who acquired the processional from a

Australian coast in 1606.

rare book dealer in Portugal and will exhibit the piece as part of an

It is known that Portugal was extremely secretive about her trade routes during this period, which explains why their presence there wasn’t widely known.

The processional (pocket-sized manuscript), contains text and

exhibition.

The kangaroo is not alone, in other letters of text two male figures in tribal dress with bare naked torsos and crowns of leaves can be seen and Ms. Light said they could very well be Aborigines.

music for a liturgical procession and is inscribed with the name

John Gascoigne, Fellow of the Australian Academy of the

Caterina de Carvalho, believed to be a nun from Caldas da Rainha in

Humanities, said that proving this theory that the Portuguese were

western Portugal.

the first Europeans to arrive in Australia would be ‘’forever difficult

If proved correct the manuscript could precede what is believed to be the first European docking in Australia. Which could cause waves

to document because of their secrecy and because so many of the records were destroyed in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755’’.

as the European discovery of Australia has officially been credited to

‘’The possible date span for the manuscript goes up to 1620, which

the Dutch voyage headed by Willen Janszoon in 1606, but historians

would accommodate the arrival of Willen Janszoon in the Duyfken in

have suggested the country may already have been explored by other

northern Australia in 1606,’’ Professor Gascoigne said.

western Europeans.

He speculated the images could come from a 1526 trip to Papua.

‘’A kangaroo or a wallaby in a manuscript dated this early is proof

‘’Looking at it from a European perspective, it is surely evocative to

that the artist of this manuscript had either been in Australia, or

wonder what these exotic images must have meant to the Portuguese

even more interestingly, that travellers’ reports and drawings of the

nun gazing at them from within the confines of her convent’s walls,’’

interesting animals found in this new world were already available in

Ms Light said.

20 | Endeavour Magazine

NO ROADS FOR OLD MEN

A

ccording to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM)

more hazardous than faster

there are seven million drivers over the age of 65 on the

moving vehicles because the

UK’s roads. Considering how small an island Britain is,

road design favours avoiding

compared to other countries it paints a clear picture on how many

faster vehicles than overtaking

older drivers there are worldwide and this explains why so many

slower ones (an example of

cars nowadays seem to be able to drive themselves.

this is how difficult it is to

The number of drivers over 65 reached 7,191,192 in

overtake a cue of twelve cars

November 2013. This makes up for 19 per cent of all drivers with

stuck behind one slow moving

full driving licences. The figures come from driving licence data

vehicle who is compensating.)

published by the DVLA in December 2013 and they also show that

I

am

actually

rather

over 4 million (4,068,498) drivers are over the age of 70 and over 1

embarrassed that I didn’t see

million (1,101,779) drivers over the age of 80 and that 195 drivers

it before. The automotive

are over 100 years old. Additionally that of the drivers over 65,

industry’s preoccupation with

over three hundred thousand of them (367,711) or five per cent

taking the responsibility of

have points on their licence.

driving responsibly out of the

For a long time I was wondering why companies like Ford,

hands of the drivers is not a

Audi and VW are shovelling so much cash into the creation of

commentary on the lack of

autonomous cars while Google already has them driving on the

responsibility of young drivers

roads, but now it makes perfect sense. People are living longer

but more so a realistic look at

while their faculties are not and while some of the older ones

how drivers are going to be

may not be able to remember where they left their keys driving is

on the road for longer and to

something is stored in the deep memory and it isn’t mandatory for

protect others from them they

drivers of a certain age to redo their tests.

make cars that can drive for

So in their wisdom the automotive industry has taken it upon themselves to create cars that can do the driving for them.

Thrown into the mix is that compared to younger drivers, who

February Books

themselves.

Could it get to a point where

every

driver

will

learn most of their traffic manouvers and road etiquette from Need

undergo a test to see if they

For Speed and Grand Theft Auto, older drivers are in fact safer than

are able to drive? Is the future

younger drivers. Where older drivers may have slower reaction

of automotion to have a car

times they use their experience on the road to compensate by

that will not start until you can

driving at slower speeds and allowing more space between them

prove, via an onboard test that

and other road users.

you are not drunk, that you

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “In twenty years time,

are not senile and that you are

one in ten people will be over 80 years old. Responding to an older

able to drive safely and at a

population is a significant policy issue for government, health and

safe (not too fast nor too slow)

transport agencies – a greater number of people will require help

speed? If you fail would the car

with their mobility and acting now can ensure the right support

just shut down and refuse to

networks are in place numbers increase. Easy access to driving

budge?

assessments, better advice from the medical profession and car

It’s true. The only way to

and road designs that mitigate the effects of ageing should all be

make the road safe is to take

top in 2014. The overarching policy aim should be to keep people

away the drivers.

independent and driving safer for as long as possible.”

Statistics aside, while older drivers may have less-accidents themselves I would be interested to see how many accidents are caused by them. Slower drivers on the open highway can often be

Endeavour Magazine | 21

EMERGING HOSPITAL ROOM DISINFECTION SYSTEM SHOULD SAVE BILLIONS

I

n what is believed to be an important first, an entire ward at

Shannon, President of Medizone

a public hospital remains 100% free from MRSA for 6 months

International

after a major outbreak is quashed – thanks to the introduction

Director

of a new hospital room disinfection technology.

and

General

a

former of

the

Laboratory Center for Disease

In early June 2013, seven patient rooms on a 14 room ward

Control, Health Canada, “that in

at Quinte Health Care’s Belleville General Hospital in Ontario,

addition to full room disinfection,

Canada were quarantined after being hit by a rapidly spreading

all support equipment associated

strain of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

with each contaminated room

MRSA is one of the most common causes of serious staph infections

were

acquired in hospitals, globally.

AsepticSure – and this may have

also

disinfected

using

Dr. Dick Zoutman, Chief of Staff for the hospital, was quoted as

played an important role as well

saying, “On average we have had one or two new MRSA cases per

in virtually eliminating MRSA

month on the ward. This is in keeping with averages being reported

from the ward. These mobile

within the health care system nationally. In June we noted a

pieces of patient care equipment

rapidly spreading MRSA problem on the ward that reached seven

are notoriously hard to clean

rooms over a short period of time. That is when we began using

by

Medizone International’s AsepticSure® room disinfection system.

disinfecting them very easy.

hand.

AsepticSure

made

It is the only system we know of that can actually eliminate 100%

“Given that hospital acquired

of infective pathogens with a single room treatment. We have

infections are now considered

learned that obtaining even a 99.9% bacterial kill is not enough, as

to be the fourth leading cause of

the remaining 0.1% of bacteria immediately begin growing back

death in both the United States

causing the problem of infection to start all over again in a few short

and Canada, this could be a game

hours. What is more, AsepticSure is proven to kill bacterial spores

changer.”

that can lurk in hospital rooms for months.” Dr. Zoutman is also a

“Not only has this result at

co-inventor along with Dr. Michael E. Shannon of the AsepticSure

Quinte Health Care Belleville

system.

General Hospital demonstrated

“The results were immediate. The MRSA was immediately and

a new standard for what a clean

entirely eliminated from the ward. The AsepticSure system was

hospital could be,” stated Dr.

straightforward to use and quick, with complete room disinfection

Shannon, “but thousands of lives

occurring in an hour. To prove to ourselves that the AsepticSure

might be saved with the wide

system was working, we performed cultures of 120 surfaces of

adoption of AsepticSure while

the treated rooms before and after the AsepticSure system was

actually reducing the overall

used. The results were amazing. Virtual complete elimination of all

cost of hospital care by avoiding

bacteria on the room surfaces after AsepticSure was used in the

the cost of treating these largely

rooms.”

preventable

infections.

The

“However, the longer term effects were not fully appreciated

cost of which the United States

until after a six-month follow up had been completed. Only then

Center for Disease Control

was it realized that not only had the rooms remained free of MRSA,

places at $25,000 per new

no further cases of MRSA were noted on the ward during this

infection.”

period.”

“It is noteworthy in this regard,” stated Dr. Michael E. 22 | Endeavour Magazine

FACEBOOK LOSES 11M TEENAGE USERS

A

new analysis by digital strategists iStrategy Labs indicated

office worker with too many rules and regulations Don’t Do This and

that Facebook is bleeding out teenage members at a

Don’t Do That for teenagers to enjoy and trust. “Rules” = parents.

ridiculous pace. 11million in since 2011!

For young adults it is more useful to be on Facebook than it is cool.

While they still have more than enough members to keep their

Facebook is no longer the Big Thing, it is the Old Thing. It’s “Dad’s”

position, this loss of membership from the younger demographic,

website. Useful yes. But not cool. It is far cooler to rebel and to not

which is still where Facebook says it targets, has caused the social

have a Facebook profile.

networking platform to lose additional points on the stock market

While Facebook will not go the same way as MySpace, Faceparty

and have had many shareholders and investors shying away from it as

or Bebo and become a redundant gimmick, because it is too important

they see the writing on the Wall.

to the functioning and communication of too many adults, it will

The reason is quite clear of course. Facebook’s creator, Mark Zuckerberg was himself only a teenager when he created the

continue to lose its teenage members- it’s natural because teenagers are programmed to rebel against their parents

programme and at the time spoke for his age demographic which

SnapChat, WhatsApp and Facetime these are becoming the new

propelled the success of the platform worldwide at an unseen speed.

things which teenagers are frolicking to because it’s easier for them

However, since becoming a billionaire, since selling out to the

to contact their friends while creating a barrier against those seeking

trading platforms, since making himself into a grey-hoody wearing

to infringe their privacy and their freedom (parents, or Facebook).

icon for adult-nerdome he has gone out of his way to distance himself

Making something that their parents don’t have and don’t understand-

from his origins and has frankly lost touch with the people he should

thereby creating something that in their minds is uniquely theirs.

be looking out for. Facebook has now become a tool for young adults, for publishers and journalists, it has become the MSN of the modern

So the lesson that everyone should learn is a simple one. Nothing lasts forever and even billionaire CEOs become redundant.

Endeavour Magazine | 23

THE ROMANCE IS FLYING THIS Valentines Day

WRITTEN BY SHANNAH LAUREN

I

t’s that time of year again. The roses are being clipped, the Cupid

of what surrounds you. While doing so, you may find more than you

and heart decor is being strung, the chocolates have been put on

expected. The city was built upon water by people who believed that

the shelves, and what are your plans for the romantic evening of

water was an ally, leaving the city with such a enchanting unique

St. Valentine? Whether its a new hot fling or a fifteen year marriage,

design. There isn’t much of a nightlife in Venice, this is the perfect

it’s always important to make this holiday special. It may be the day

opportunity enjoy a glass of wine, and take in the mesmerizing views

that will form your relationship status into an eternity of love and

upon the quiet city at night. Although it isn’t the cheapest to stay in

devotion, or it may be a day that you can remind the person you love

Venice on the island, it’s absolutely recommended to stay as little as

that they truly are your world. You could plan the average valentines

one night as you cannot find that kind of romance on a day trip.

date and book in a weeks in advance to the most expensive restaurant

Paris is all wrapped about the architecture, that makes you want to

in town, or you could spend the same amount of money taking your

grab and give a long lingering kiss to that special person next to you. It

loved one on the trip that neither of you could forget. We are here

may be the symmetry and open spaces that enamors your imagination

to help you determine what destination is perfect for you, and your

or the obvious, Eiffel Tower. This city is old but refreshing, elegant,

spouse to plan for that vacation your hearts desire!

artistic, musical, quaint but at the same time a large city. It can inspire

Venice, Italy, also being called La Serenissima “the most serene”,

you, especially if work in the artistic field, a trip to Paris can actually

is one of the most romantic destinations in the world, not only for

push you to the next level of creativity. While enjoying your romance

couples but for the mind. It’s the beauty of the city that captivates

in Paris, make sure you go to the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the 13th

your soul, leaving your thoughts in endless possibility and wonder,

century church, Sainte Chapelle. Lets not forget, you are destined to

encouraging you to fall more in love with your spouse but even your

win a girls heart by bringing her to the fashion capital of the world.

inner self. The romantic aspect isn’t behind the touristy route, it’s all

Rome, also in Italy, is one of the most charming cities the world.

around Italy especially away from the tourist attractions, so do us

It’s not as quiet and quaint as Venice, and busier with tourists but

a favor and get yourself lost in Venice! Enjoy a stroll, and take in all

you can find serenity in the gardens of the Villa Borghese, the city’s

24 | Endeavour Magazine

most Central Park. If you and

the Red Light District. You can

your spouse are religious, this is

take a piece of history with you

a perfect time to bring you both

and visit the Anne Frank House,

together in joining an audience

or even the Van Gogh Museum.

to see the pope, in which they

You will find endless hidden

have on Wednesday mornings

alleys with gorgeous restaurants

in St. Peter’s Square. While

and cafes to enjoy a table for two.

you are there, make sure you

If the whether is decent enough,

praise Michelangelo’s beautiful

find Spanjer en van Twist where

frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.

the canal-side Terrance can

It’s the beauty in Rome that can

only fit the two of you. After an

actually influence someone to

evening of long walks around this

not only visit, but want to stay

bedazzling city, enjoy the night

forever; that’s what romance is

life by either enjoying a ride on

a about. There is so much that

a charter cruise with a bottle of

Rome can offer you, between

wine or watch a live band over a

throwing a coin into Trevi

few pints with your love.

Fountain or enjoy a great night out at the Opera.

No matter what type of relationship you have, how long

Amsterdam is known for its

you have been together or even

beauty, but also it’s seductive

how many kids you have; you

city. This is a great city for long

must find that escape for you as

term couples, but also enjoying

a couple. Valentines day is that

a laugh with a new fling. It’s full

perfect time of year you can

of excitement, and if you need

dedicate your time to simply say,

that boost in your relationship,

“I love you”, or show how much

Amsterdam is the place to be!

you love your spouse by taking

Great music scene, hot night life,

them away this Valentines. Safe

and don’t even get us started on

travels lovebirds!

Endeavour Magazine | 25

SANDOS PAPAGAYO A Top Marks HOTEL

T

he Sandos Papagayo Hotel in Lanzarote promises an all inclusive beach experience and delivers far beyond that promise. Situated on

rocky but beautiful Playa de las Coloradas, the hotel is on the eastern edge of the Playa Blanca resort, right where one of the island’s spectacular natural parks begins. A 10 minute walk across rocky desert-looking hills and valleys, all volcanic in origin, takes you to three other beaches, all covered in fine white sand. If however you prefer the sunbeds and umbrellas approach to spending time on the beach, the hotel organizes regular bus trips to Playa Dorada, with its convenient shops, pubs and even a Burger King.

The hotel itself is impressive first because of its size.

One central building, for the reception area, offices, shops and games area, seven buildings containing 488 rooms, a French a la carte restaurant, an international restaurant, and three thematic ones - Italian, Mexican

26 | Endeavour Magazine

and Oriental, five outdoor pools, a spa, a theatre, a children’s area and an assortment of bars, all combine to offer an incredible experience for the whole family.

In fact, their goal at Sandos Papayago is to plan everything for your holiday, leaving you free to relax. Food is available throughout the day at the various restaurants, the children are kept entertained and involved in various activities, such as rehearsing for a Disney-themed musical put on at the theatre, there are trips to all the important sights of the island leaving straight from the reception, and you can even find full bookcases in the lobby in case you run out of books to read at the side of the pool.

And if you really want to make the most of your visit, the golden Royal Elite bracelet gives you a few more advantages. You are guaranteed a room with an ocean view (and one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world), a bottle of Cava waiting for you on ice, beach towel, bathrobe and slippers,

www.sandos.com (+34) 928 51 91 11 C/Las Acacias, 6 C.P. 35580 Playa Blanca Lanzarote, Spain

breakfast in a different, less crowded restaurant, a chocolate on your pillow every evening, and, best of all, access to the Royal Elite Lounge.

Here, you will find a comfortable and very quiet area with leather sofas, soft music, some of the best wifi in the hotel, a self-service bar stocked with all your favourite alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and a range of canapĂŠs.

Officially the hotel may be ranked as 4 stars but its location, facilities and service, and most of all the attitude and friendliness of its staff make it a top marks place to visit on our scale.

Endeavour Magazine | 27

RIFT VALLEY TEA 00255 754 768200 WWW.INTAFRICA.COM

28 | Endeavour Magazine

Building their Blending factory in Dar es Salaam, the fifth factory in the group, Rift Valley have expanded their Tea operations and in doing so, created new employment opportunities for the locals.

WRITTEN BY JACK SLATER

DOTTING THE I’S and CROSSING THE T’S Endeavour Magazine | 29

RIFT VALLEY TEA

Currently, the company produces over 10,000 tons of Tea per year and is one of the two largest tea producers in Tanzania, operating three tea estates with factories in Southern Tanzania.

Mufindi, Luponde and Kibena with smallholder factories in Ikanga, Lupembe.

PEDRO ELECTRONET CO LTD The Hub of Engineering and Technology

“T

he company has grown substantially over the last ten years,” said Noel Lindsay Smith, Rift Valley Head of Tea, “We produce a wide range of teas including black CTC

tea, orthodox tea, green and organic tea. Additionally we also have a range of organic herbs.”

During the substantial growth of the company over the last

Dealers in: • • • •

Domestic Installation Industrial Installation Commercial Installation Maintenance of Electrical & Electronic Equipments • Air Compressor Installation • Generator set installation • Fire alarm installation

decade, Rift Valley Tea have implemented innovative changes in • Air Compressor Installation(GST Addressable systems) • Intruder alarm • Electric fence(High tension) • Access control installation • Telephone installation

irrigation, harvesting technology and factory automation. Most notable is their focus on their employees.

Hand Picked Rift Valley Tea employs 2,500 people and operates a number of social responsibility programmes aimed at uplifting its communities.

Providing housing for employees at each estate and community centres for use by the staff and their families the company has made investing in its staff it’s primary focus.

“We also provide schools for employees’ children, including kindergarten, and primary schools up to the age of 14 years old,” Noel says, “And free medical care too.”

Their approach to managing people extends beyond merely the company as Rift Valley have over the last twenty years developed

Nyerere Road, near TBC, Tanzania Occupation Health Service Administration Block, 1st Floor, P.O. Box 40439, Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

+255 719 563 770 sales@pedroelectronet.co.tz www.pedroelectronet.co.tz 30 | Endeavour Magazine

a close working relationship with smallholder out-growers in the vicinity of its estate operations and factories.

In addition, the company provides transport, fertilizer at cost, credit, extension services and agronomic advice and this simple formula has seen exponential growth in smallholder production in

have completed more than 100 projects in the mining industry We have completedWemore than 200 projects in various industries

the Rift Valley operational areas. For example, last year the total smallholder purchases reached 3,000 tons of made tea, returning nearly US$1,500,000 to the local economy and representing over 30% of the company production!

WE LOOK AFTER THE M IN EPCM Project Management Specialist company We have completed more than 100 projects in the mining industry developing and implementing projects for more than a decade

WE LOOK AFTER THE M EPCM ProjectIN Management Specialist company developing and implementing projects for more than a decade Project Management Specialist company developing and implementing projects for more than a decade

A Look Back Although Rift Valley tea was formed in 2013 the history of Rift Valley Tea is deeply rooted in the area and tea, the individual components began with Mufindi Tea &Coffee Limited which was formed in 1958 who acquired Luponde tea plantations in 1987, Ndolela Farm in 1998, Kibena Tea Company Limited in 2008, Ikanga Tea Company Limited which was commissioned in 2012 and finally Rift valley Tea Solutions was formed in 2013.

Noel tells us that the Itona estates are located in the Mufindi district near Iringa and the tea here grows at an altitude of 1800m and produces tea from September to June. The estates are irrigated via a network on dams that allows extended production during the dry

Suite A10, 1st Floor Building 88A Tijgervallei Office Park Pony Road Tijgervallei Pretoria Gauteng, South Africa

Tel: Cell:

Suite A10, 1st Floor Building 88A Tijgervallei Office Park Pony Road Tijgervallei Pretoria Gauteng, South Africa

Tel: Cell:

Fax:

+27(0)12 809 1028 +27 (0) 82 497 2453 / +27 (0) 83 327 9030 086 559 1370

Website: e-mail:

http://www.projectway.co.za info@projectway.co.za

+27(0)12 809 1028 +27 (0) 82 497 2453 / +27 (0) 83 327 9030 086 559 1370

Website: e-mail:

http://www.projectway.co.za info@projectway.co.za

season in the mono-modal climate and the estates comprise of 900ha of tea of which 35% in clonal.

“The tea is processed at a central factory, Itona, which is a conventional three line CTC factory with the capacity to process

Fax:

4,200tons of Made tea per annum,” he explains, “There is a large out-grower scheme started in 1990 that supplies Itona factory with nearly 25% of its throughput. In 2009 out-growers supplied nearly 4,500tons of green leaf for processing, worth over Usd$460,000 to the small holders.”

All of the estates and the factory are Fairtrade accredited and certified Rain Forest Alliance and are registered by the Ethical Tea Partnership who governed and oversees the ethical planting, use of land and care of staff.

Luponde Tea estates are some of the highest in Tanzania, located at an altitude of 2200m. These pristine estates have been producing organic tea for over 20 years and are amongst the oldest organic tea producers in the world. The estates comprise of 735ha and process 1,400tons of tea per annum, 500tons of which is organic.

Production is between November and May, after which the temperatures drop and growth is very limited. More recently Luponde estates have diversified into a range of speciality products including orthodox tea and green tea in organic and conventional forms and organic herbs including peppermint, chamomile and lemon verbena.

Kibena Tea Limited Tea Limited is a subsidiary of MTC, purchased in 2008, located in the Njombe district at an Altitude of 1700m ASL. The 730ha of clonal tea are fully irrigated and 100% machine harvested – the first in Africa. The estate has a modern, state of the art tea processing unit, capable of handling over 3,500tons of made tea per annum. Kibena has also been a strong supporter of small holder tea producers in the surrounding area purchasing over 4,500tons of green leaf per annum.

Endeavour Magazine | 31

RIFT VALLEY TEA

Ikanga Tea Company Limited Ikanga is a new CTC, back tea Factory, constructed and opened in 2012 in the Lupembe area of the Njombe region. The project is specifically designed to purchase, process and market the smallholder tea grown in the area. There are over 2500ha of smallholder tea in the area supported by 5000farmers. The Factory is 75%owned

by MTC and 25% of the shares have been offered to the newly formed Lupembe Tea Holders Trust (LTFT) smallholders. The factory provides extensive services to the smallholders to encourage growth and sustainability of the smallholder farmers supplying greenleaf to the factory.

Ndolela

buyers’ responsibility. There is also a growing requirement by end users for blends, rather than straight estate teas for general use.”

Rift Valley Tea Solutions have obtained bonded warehousing facilities and a new state of the art blending plant to blend tea from Tanzania and other African regional tea producers. To bolster this they have employed the services of a professional team with many years of experience in blending and international trading to enable the company to deliver tea to international customers to their exact standard and requirement.

“Dar es Salaam has a good port with a substantial international shipping feed that can supply to all locations around the world,” he tells us, “It is ideally located as a hub, to import teas from leading African regional tea producers.”

Ndolela is a greenfield project located in the Ruvuma region of Tanzania at the base of Ndolela Mountain and on the Ruhuhu river at an altitude of 1200m. RVC own over 5400ha of land, which is planned

Dar Es Salaam’s New Blending Facility The new factory is ideally located in the industrial area of Dar es

to be developed into a 1200ha, state of the art tea plantation. A full

Salaam with good access to the ports. The factory is 2400m2 in size,

feasibility study has been completed, and grid power will be arriving

and capable of blending over 70tons of tea per day or 16,000tons per

in 2015. The plantation will be fully irrigated, and the harvesting fully

annum. The area has been certified as an EPZ zone and is planned to

mechanised. The mature plantation will be capable of producing over

become the centre of the Tanzanian tea export trade going forward,

6,000tons of Made tea per annum.

Noel tells us.

Rift Valley Tea Solutions And finally, Rift Valley Tea Solutions (RVTS) was set up in 2013 to create a tea trading and tea blending business in Dar es Salaam.

“The tea trade internationally,” Noel reveals, “Is in a process of

“The plant will be beneficial to Tanzanian teas in particular as they make up 60% of the blend, and also regional teas from Land-locked tea producers,” Noel explains, “It will provide new market access to teas from Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Uganda, and other East African producers.”

change whereby international buyers, are moving the responsibility

Raw, Straight-line teas of all grades can be blended with teas

of quality control from the traditional internal tasting methods, to the

from multiple origins to produce blend standard recipes to cater

32 | Endeavour Magazine

for international buyers and packers all over the world. The buyers receive a consistent reliable tea, at the standard they require and producers benefit from a reliable market that they can supply that avoids the volatility of the auction centres, allowing them to hedge their teas.

“The new company will employ 15 people initially, and this will increase as production lifts,” he continues, “Training in modern tea trade procedures, handling and supply chain are paramountand the new business opens up new possibilities and competitive advantages for the Tanzanian tea industry.”

The new blending plant will be fully operational this month (February 2014) and the line, with its modern, highly automated blending unit is designed to give a consistent quality of product.

“It is designed to meet Tanzanian and international hygiene and safety standards that include HACCAP, ISO 22,000, Fair-trade, Rain Forest Alliance and Ecocert,” Noel tells us, “The equipment is designed and built in India and is able to handle both traditional tea sacks and ‘big bags’ of 500kgs.”

Tea is cleaned, and then blended in an Octagon tower arrangement, 24 times to ensure complete mixing it is then fed into two packing lines where it is digitally batch-weighed and discharged either into 65kg tea sacks or big 500kg bags.

“The teas are then palletised via a vacuum lift to ensure efficiency and reduce employee fatigue and the process and blending room is serviced by a state of the art dust extraction system to give a dust free working environment.”

There is a hygiene centre for employees and also a QA monitoring area that oversees the entire process.

“Employee safety is as important as the tea itself,” Noel concludes.

“

The tea trade internationally,” Noel reveals, “is in a process of change whereby international buyers are moving the responsibility of quality control from the traditional internal tasting methods, to the buyers. There is also a growing requirement by end users for blends, rather than straight estate teas for general use.”

Endeavour Magazine | 33

PETROTRIN 001 868 658 7588 WWW.PETROTRIN.COM

34 | Endeavour Magazine

Known throughout Trinidad and Tobago as one of the island’s foremost employers, recognized as the largest oil and gas producer on the island and the only one with its own refinery, Petrotrin has a vested interest in all exploration and production operations onshore and offshore around T&T. Judging by the massive growth in the global acknowledgement of T&T’s petroleum industry the last two decades have been especially well spent and as the company celebrates its twentieth year we spoke with Vice president of Strategy and Business Development Hemraj Ramdath regards to what the next twenty years will offer.

WRITTEN BY DON CAMPBELL

Fuelling THE ISLANDS Endeavour Magazine | 35

PETROTRIN

Investing for the future is a major priority for Hemraj and it is replicated throughout the company and reflected in their investment of $2.7 billion in projects related to gas-to-liquids (GTL) and $14 billion in to the gasoline optimization programme (GOP). Involvement in ambitious projects like this set the pace for the company’s future but keeping them always at the cutting edge of development and new technology.

P

roducing 40% of the oil for the population of Trinidad and

seismological surveys using the latest technology to see what reserves

Tobago, the remainder is sourced globally and this has

at home may lie untouched. This may result in a modest increase, but

become one of the mandates of Hemraj’s time, to increase

after two decades, Hemraj knows that regular modest increases is

the production capacity of the refinery.

how you achieve a long term vision.

Owned by the T&T government they share the initiative and

“Within the next decade we would like to grow from 40,000 bpd

are constantly pressing for global licenses for drilling projects both

to 65,000 bpd,” he explains, “Sourced locally from our own resources.”

onshore and offshore in a bid to extend the reach of Petrotrin beyond the boundaries of their own island.

Concentrated oil resources in the south of the island upon three onshore blocks each in the region of 50,000 to 70,000 acres in total,

Directly employing over 5,500 people and with over 700 local

extend offshore in all directions and through these will be the sites for

affiliates they produce in the region of 45,000 barrels per day of crude

future projects in oil and gas production. Many partnerships between

oil and 180 million cubic feet of gas. Used in a variety of products

Petrotrin and other companies are in place already and while three

across international markets as well as local and regional sectors from

thirds of the onshore wells in Trinidad are handled by the home

automotive petroleum products to aviation fuels.

company in the future others will be invited to join.

“Through a list of mandates one of them is to increase production,” Hemraj says, “Today we produce about 40 percent of our own requirements in Trinidad and the gap between that and our needs is about 100,000bpd. We have to source the difference globally.”

It would be considered incredibly ambitious to believe that the gap could be completely eliminated but nevertheless Petrotrin are taken massive strides in reducing it, such as intensive 3 dimensional

Sustainability The sustainability of PETROTRIN falls under their Refining and Marketing Division who are directly responsible for the Company’s refining operations at the Pointe-a-Pierre Refinery as well as the purchase of crude oil and sale of their refined products.

Pointe-a-Pierre is unique in many regards, in addition to being the

K.G.C. COMPANY LIMITED was established in 1995 in the

management techniques and operational practices in our quest

heartland of the Petroleum process industries of Trinidad and

for service excellence.

Tobago. In its initial years the company catered to the needs of

Today, K.G.C. Company Limited has grown into a multi-

the major oil and gas production and refining company, in the

disciplinary organization with diverse interests and capabilities.

areas of Civil and Mechanical construction Projects, including

Our range of services now include Marine and On land Civil and

Platform Maintenance and Construction.

Mechanical Engineering (Piling, Key Wall / Jetty Design and

Through our foresight and proactive principles, the management

Construction, etc.), Pipe Construction/Fabrication, On Land and

of the company over the years, has diversified and expanded

Sub Sea Pipe Laying, Steel Structures, Tank Fabrication, Plant and

its operating base geared towards the growing needs of our

Equipment Maintenance and Repairs, Platform Construction

dynamic clientele.

and Maintenance, Under-water Diving, HP Blasting, Labour

In so doing, K.G.C. Company Limited is committed to the

Supply and Equipment Rental.

development

of

our

36 | Endeavour Magazine

technical

capabilities,

resources,

PETROTRIN

only oil refinery in Trinidad and Tobago, it is the only refinery in the

“A balancing ground has to

world to co-exist with a wildlife park, as it shares a compound with

be found where those gifted

Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust. Located on the west coast of Trinidad

individuals can be put into the

on 2,000 acres of land, approximately 35 miles south of the capital,

position

Port of Spain it has the capacity to process a wide variety of crude oil

to promotion,” Hemraj says,

its international marketability,

with varying gravity and sulphur specifications, giving the Company

“Whereas the unionization of the

Petrotrin recently engaged in a

the ability to purchase crude oil from a range of suppliers.

workforce has created an ethos

Clean Fuels Program at Pointe-

than can get in the way of this

a-Pierre involving the Gasoline

development.”

Optimisation Program (GOP)

Focus On Staff

to

be

fast-tracked

benefit the most from them.

New Developments Determined

to

improve

There is a two pronged approach to staffing at Petrotrin that is a

Not that Hemraj doesn’t

combination of training and incentivizing. As a direct result of the high

realize the importance of the

calibre of training experienced employees from Petrotrin have in the

unions,

have

“These vital projects will

past added to the brain drain affecting the pool of experience in the

reached a point and an age of

help to ensure a full conversion

islands as Trinidadians seek work further afield.

their company where they no

capability

Hemraj believes strongly that the success of Petrotrin is

longer have the luxury of time

Hemraj explains, “And enable

entirely reliant on their employees and staffing and only through

and for development to happen

the company to produce cleaner

their development will they reverse their country’s dependence

at the pace that is required to

and

on imported oil. To this end he says that Petrotrin has long been

keep up with other internationals

friendly gasoline and diesel to

considered a preferred place of employment, offering excellent

and to grow the company, those

both regional and international

benefits in the realm of training and job security.

people with the skills have to find

markets and will impact positively

themselves in positions that will

on the company’s profitability

Unionization of the workforce has created some tensions.

38 | Endeavour Magazine

however

they

and the Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) project.

of

more

168,000

bpd,”

environmentally

and viability well into the future.”

This combination of a strategic location and very competitive fees makes Pointe-a-Pierre the region’s first choice for third party crude processing and this forms one of many business opportunities Petrotrin holds out to petroleum entrepreneurs on its industrial estate.

Further complemented the refinery’s process flexibility is its large efficient ports, Pointe-a-Pierre and Point Fortin can comfortably accommodate vessel sizes from grade carriers to mainland riverine craft and the Port of Pointe-a-Pierre, sheltered in the Gulf of Paria midway along major north-south Atlantic sea-lanes, is the natural provider of bunkering services for all ocean-going craft.

Gasoline Optimization Programme A key project for Petrotrin is the Clean Fuels Upgrade which includes the Gasoline Optimization Program (GOP). This is one of the strategic initiatives being implemented to ensure PETROTRIN’s survival in the face of changing market demands. The project was embarked upon in response to challenges facing the refinery and to improve overall profitability and competitiveness through the

“

These vital projects will help to ensure a full conversion capability of 168,000 bpd and enable the company to produce cleaner and more environmentally friendly gasoline and diesel to both regional and international markets and will impact positively on the company’s profitability and viability well into the future.”

replacement of aged equipment, improved plant reliability and

Endeavour Magazine | 39

PETROTRIN

integrity, reduction in sale of unfinished low value product and

our ability to produce high octane gasoline. Additional benefits

increasing sale of higher valued product and meeting increasingly

include reduced operating and maintenance costs, improved product

stringent gasoline specifications

yield and quality and better environmental compliance.

This project involves the upgrade of the FCCU, which will

A new 8,700 BPD Sulphuric Acid/ Alkylation Unit will replace

increase its capacity from 26,000 to 35,000 BPSD and enables

the BPD Alkylation Unit, and is of sufficient capacity to handle the

Petrotrin to produce more gasoline with improved octane ratings for

increased feedstock generated by the upgraded FCCU. The Alkylate

its gasoline pool and reduce the production of less heavier distillates.

product is a premium high-octane, environmentally friendly gasoline-

Other benefits include reduced compressor maintenance cost,

blending component, which will add to the pool of high-octane

improvement in the energy efficiency and environmental compliance

gasoline, helping to maintain an increased refinery product market

levels due to reduced carbon monoxide and particle emissions.

share and eliminate an earlier need to construct bigger storage and

A new Isomerisation Complex, the Prefractionation Unit produces

shipping facilities for LPG.

feed for the Isomerisation Unit and removes benzene-forming

The 215 Tonnes Per Day “(TPD) Acid Plant, replaces the 60 TPD

compounds from gasoline. The Isomerisation unit improves the

Unit to support the operations of the new Alkylation unit and provide

octane of light gasoline. The product, Isomerate, is an environmentally

for sales to the local market.

friendly blending component that enhances the motor gasoline pool,

Installation of Offsite Facilities and Upgrade of utility system

enabling Petrotrin to better supply premium markets. It also reduces

to create additional facilities for water treating, steam generation,

hydrogen exported to the fuel system, thereby making more hydrogen

electrical power, air and nitrogen will support the new units and

available for reaction processes.

improve the reliability of supply to existing plants. Furthermore,

Alkylation Unit, a continuous Catalytic Regeneration Platformer Complex replaces the older Catalytic Reforming Unit so as to maintain

additional storage and loading infrastructure will handle the additional gasoline production.

HULL SUPPORT SERVICES LTD. • • • • • • • • • • •

Sub Sea Contractors

Commercial Diving Services SBM Installation and Maintenance Non Destructive Examination (NDE) of Offshore Structures In Water surveys on ships and offshore mobile units.

Vessel Services Engineering & Project Management Services Splash Zone Protective Coatings Marine Vessels • In Situ Pipe Repair Fabrication • Marine Construction Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) • Wet Blasting Logistics • QA/QC

Office Address: #8B and #8C Edoo’s Industrial Complex , Edoo’s Drive South Trunk, La Romaine, San Fernando Tel: 1 868 298 2260, 298 2274, 298 2266 Email: dive@hullsupport.com

www. hullsupport.com 40 | Endeavour Magazine

MOVIETOWNE 001868 687 21 01 WWW.MOVIETOWN.COM

42 | Endeavour Magazine

Entertainment REDEFINED WRITTEN BY DAEMON SANDS

The MovieTowne brand is a cultural icon in the Caribbean and its name has become synonymous with the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. So far ahead of its time is this venture and so fierce is the drive of its CEO and founder, Derek Chin that it is set to become the standard of entertainment in The West Indies.

Endeavour Magazine | 43

MOVIETOWNE

A lush landscape, tempered with a prominent grace and a rich cultural heritage Trinidad and Tobago has formed the epitome of a welcoming Caribbean paradise.

In addition to its outstanding natural beauty, the archipelagic republic which lies off the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean is one of the wealthiest countries in the region and on paper enjoys a percapita income many times higher than a majority of the surrounding islands, not to mention the wider Latin American continent.

A

n untouched gem, Trinidad and Tobago enjoy an abundance

Derek

of oil and gas reserves, a naturally tropical environment

entrepreneur

Alexander

Chin,

extraordinaire,

and a vibrant, life-loving people who are making and have

enjoys an extremely dynamic

made significant strides to develop their nation to the point where the

and illustrious career as the

rest of the world are looking at this region of West Indies as one of the

Chairman/CEO of MovieTowne

fastest growing economies.

(Multicinemas

Trinidad

Via a combination of government initiatives aimed at diversifying

Limited); Trinidad Commercial

the national economy and ever increasing investment from private

Development Company Limited;

enterprise, Trinidad and Tobago is laying dominance to its rightful

and Dachin Enterprises. As well

place as the central tourist hotspot of the West Indies. And much

as being a highly motivating

of the credit for this must be given to one of the most visionary and

force in business development

eccentric businessmen to come from the islands, Derek Chin, founder

he is also a keen intellect having

of MovieTowne.

attended Trinity College and St.

Since MovieTowne opened the doors to its flagship Cineplex and shopping entertainment complex in 2002, First Citizens has been an integral part, being the only financial institution.

The introduction of the ‘MovieTowne’ brand, provided First Citizens with a number of benefits; from strategically housing the Group’s financial centre and an opportunity to strengthen its Corporate Social Responsibilities via a number of initiatives hosted at the venue. One such initiative is the Secondary Schools Short Film Competition which has been successful in raising the aware of the film industry as a viable career opportunity for aspiring young people. The Group is pleased to partner with visionary Derek Chin and his team and is committed to a long term relationship with MovieTowne.

44 | Endeavour Magazine

MOVIETOWNE

Mary’s College. He then went on to the University of Western Ontario,

and considering the conditions

real experience. Also I wanted

where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

of the old auditoriums it is no

to introduce people to a far

After a period serving as the Senior Auditor with KPMG, Canada, he

surprise. There was little or no

higher level of customer service

returned to Trinidad in 1981, where he pioneered the Video Arcade

variety in choice, the bathroom

than they were accustomed

Gaming Industry.

facilities were deplorable and it

to. MovieTowne was ahead of

was a dowdy and intimidating

its time and I believe we have

experience. Customer service

really opened people’s eyes and

was also far from polished.”

changed their expectations.”

MovieTowne MovieTowne is known as the premiere Cineplex, shopping and entertainment brand of the region and since the opening of its flagship

MovieTowne’s emphasis on

Over the decade following

complex at Invaders Bay, Port-of-Spain in 2002, MovieTowne has

providing a flamboyant thematic

this, MovieTowne has expanded

successfully brought an authentic, high end silver screen experience

cinema experience, state-of-the-

considerably and alongside its

to the Caribbean.

art facilities, a wide selection of

flagship complex in Port-of-

“The cinematic industry in Trinidad and Tobago was on its knees

movies and exquisite customer

Spain which is comprised of a

before MovieTowne came into being,” Derek explains, “People

service has quickly won over any

ten-screen

preferred DVD’s, VHS and Betamax at home to going to the cinema

sceptics who thought that this

28 retail outlets, 8 kiosks, a

was perhaps an outlandish idea.

PriceSmart US style shopping

But it is often the outlandish

warehouse and exclusive hair

ideas that have the best drive.

salons, restaurants and cocktail

“

I wanted to bring the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to movie fans here on the islands and give people a real experience.”

46 | Endeavour Magazine

multiplex

cinema,

“MovieTowne changed all

bars, MovieTowne opened two

this,” he continues, “I wanted to

further complexes. An eight-

bring the glitz and glamour of

screen multiplex cinema at Price

Hollywood to movie fans here

Plaza, Chauganas, and a four-

on the islands and give people a

screen multiplex cinema at Gulf

City Mall in Tobago, also accompanied by a selection of shopping centres, entertainment facilities, and restaurants are now open for business.

“Our Cineplex is themed along the lines of Hollywood with the latest being a back drop of Jurassic Park with all the dinosaurs as an attraction,” Derek describes, “Including various life size models of Batman, Chewbacca from Star Wars, the Joker, Gollum and Shrek. these are just a part of our growing museum of film characters.”

The scale of MovieTowne’s success is such that the Trinidad and Tobago Newsday reported how MovieTowne has ‘contributed towards enhancing the social and national fabric’ of the country for a variety of different reasons. As it is, Derek Chin has become somewhat of a folk hero in Trinidad and Tobago, an icon for young business people to aspire to be like.

“MovieTowne is more than a business; it is now a cultural, educational and charitable institution on the islands.”

Influence in other areas A serial entrepreneur, over the years Derek has been intrinsic in the creation of a number of business including a Telecom Security Services, one of Trinidad’s leading security firms, Sign Tech Limited – a Caribbean electronic sign innovator and the Ruby Tuesday, Wok Hay and Texas de Brazil local restaurant franchises. A keen horse racing

Endeavour Magazine | 47

MOVIETOWNE

enthusiast he is also responsible

provided a platform for many emerging artists to showcase and

owned by the JT Allum and

for the first Trinidad and Tobago

promote their talents, and for the last two years, MovieTowne has

Carlton Mack family of South

online gambling system. But

hosted the “Trinbago Kids Got Talent” competition.

Trinidad. Movietowne South will

one of the key attributes to this

Through this competition children from different age categories

be 92,000sq feet of cinema and

man’s greatness is his continuous

have been able to showcase their talents to thousands of patrons and

retail space and is probably going

investment in people.

receive constructive feedback on how they can hone their talents

to be the nicest Cineplex of the

fund

from local professional artists. MovieTowne has also been a lead

whole chain.”

youth education through film,”

collaborator in promoting foreign cultures with film festivals and is

he explains, “We founded the

involved in charitable activities.

“We

promote

and

Secondary Schools Short Film competition

which

enables

film students to not only get

“Fitted with 8 state of the art cinemas, digital and Dolby

“MovieTowne has been a wonderful addition to the islands.”

surround sound systems , 3D technology etc., thematic layouts

New developments

and maybe even a VIP section. “

specialist support and tutoring

And the spread of success continues, as Derek relates, “In Guyana

but win scholarships into higher

we are opening 6 screens to accommodate approximately 2000

MovieTowne

education

Since its inception in 2002, has

achieved

we

patrons. HiloFoods is our anchor tenant with 55000sq ft super store

consistent annual increases in

engage in much charitable work

but we have interest from other tenants such as Wendy’s and Ruby

attendance, which now total

while investing in communities.”

Tuesday, including a bank FCB, First branch in Guyana.

over 1 million patrons per year.

courses

and

Through access to its Fiesta

Construction has started with the piling works. In San Fernando

Its world-class entertainment

Plaza, MovieTowne has also

we are the anchor for the proposed c3 shopping mall, a project

experiences are borne out of an

Add St yle t o Any Space...

We Carry the Top Brands:-

TURNILS

Beautifying Interiors since 1978 With over thirty years of experience in the supply and installation of top quality finishes, we can help put it all together for you with our select group of highly skilled and experienced installers.

623674 652 -

• Milliken Carpet Tiles • Beaulieu Carpets • Mohawk Floorings - Carpets, Wood & Laminate Floors • Azrock/Tarkett - Vinyl Floorings • ASM - Raised Computer Access Floors • Power and Voice/Data Cabling • Panelfold - Operable Acoustical Partitions • USG - Suspended Ceilings and Partition Systems • Window Coverings - Horizontal, Vertical & Wood Blinds, Woven Woods & Sheer Shadings

0000

z Woodbrook z El Socorro z San Fernando

www.cwinteriors.com 48 | Endeavour Magazine

attention to detail in executing its vision as well as a strict adherence to the highest standards of quality. And the brand goes way beyond designed ambience, offering luxurious surroundings and welcoming service – all at a cost that is still less expensive than that of any movie outing in North America, offering citizens great value as an entertainment choice.

“The Guyana development was initiated through efforts of the Government of Guyana to get me to invest there, and a 5th complex in South Trinidad is now in the final stages of planning and due to commence construction later this year,” says Derek Chin, “The Streets of the World project at Invaders Bay just behind the Port of Spain Movietowne is very important to me.”

As one of Derek’s darling projects once completed this will change the attractiveness of Trinidad and Tobago making it a genuine tourist destination upon the same level as any found elsewhere.

“Trinibagonians have a lot to be proud of and this venture will make Trinidad the gem of the Caribbean,” he concludes.

Untitled-1 1

“

We promote and fund youth education through film. We founded the Secondary Schools Short Film competition which enables film students to not only get specialist support and tutoring but win scholarships into higher education courses and we engage in much charitable work while investing in communities.”

Endeavour10/02/2014 Magazine | 49 15:45

NH INTERNATIONAL 001 (868) 622-1141 WWW.NHIC-TT.COM

50 | Endeavour Magazine

CONSTRUCTING THE Caribbean WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

The product of a highly successful joint venture, NH International (Caribbean) Ltd has fast become a construction industry leader, bringing expertise and highly developed business acumen to Caribbean projects.

Endeavour Magazine spoke to John Connon, Managing Director and part owner of the company, to find out how they have generated such success.

Endeavour Magazine | 51

NH INTERNATIONAL

Founded in 1995, after its formidable foray into joint venture partnership by Norwest Holst International Ltd and Emile Elias & Co Ltd, NH International (Caribbean) Ltd (NHIC) is the product of a high-level management buy-out initiative and has been formed with the intention of offering fully integrated construction knowledge throughout the Caribbean region.

B

acked by extensive managerial expertise in the sector thanks to the combination of Emile Elias’ 45 years of construction company ownership and John Connon’s long-

standing Managing Director status with 48 years experience in the construction industry having started his career as a teenager, the organisation has achieved success beyond all predictions.

Adept at completing projects to exceptional standards, NH IC is a contractor of choice for educational, housing, health care, leisure, financial and administrative building requirements.

In the close to 20 years since it was founded, NHIC has focused on becoming heavily involved in both building and civil engineering projects within the Caribbean region by offering design expertise,

building requirements, offering a comprehensive service including

development initiatives and funding in addition to construction and

fit-outs and management of all related infrastructures. Unwilling to

engineering services. As a direct result of the clear commitment to the

confine themselves, the company has also branched out into larger

industry, NHIC has enjoyed taking up position as the main contractor

scale builds including airport terminal buildings, sports facilities and

on a number of large and prestigious projects, necessitating effective

correctional institutions. When tackling mammoth-sized projects,

contract negotiations within both the private and public sectors, on

NHIC are happy to enter into a joint venture partnership, choosing

top of being awarded tendered opportunities. Adept at completing

appropriate collaborators carefully and with project specifics in mind.

projects to exceptional standards, NHIC is a contractor of choice for

Maintaining the position as an industry leader and front runner

educational, housing, health care, leisure, financial and administrative

can be difficult, and with new construction materials and techniques

52 | Endeavour Magazine

PEAKE POWER AT YOUR SERVICE Air Conditioning at its Best.

MIKE PHILLIP LIMITED Over thirty years experience serving building owners, architects and specifiers with everything ranging from small decorative works to major sandblasting.

North: 622-PEAK (7325) | East: 222-1520 | South: 658-0029 | Central: 671-6069 | Tobago: 631-0043

mail@peaketec.com | www.peaketec.com

LP #6 Waterloo Road, Arouca Trinidad, W.I. St. George East District Tel: 6925754 Tel/Fax: 6925756 Email: mikephillipltd@gmail.com

NH INTERNATIONAL

continually being developed, NHIC are mindful of remaining in

and progress staff. The Head Office, based in St James, Trinidad,

touch with all new developments, actively seeking out initiatives

houses all the key support departments from IT through to accounts,

which it may be beneficial to educate their employees about and,

HR, technical services and purchasing, in addition to the Executive

where appropriate, source associated training programmes. Such

Chairman and Managing Directors’ offices. Situated off-site, the Plant

commitment to remaining at the top of the industry has lead to the

Office coordinates the regular acquisition of vital equipment as well as

company receiving a number of awards for excellence and senior team

housing and maintaining it upon delivery, stockpiling spare parts and

members, including the Executive Chairman, Managing Director,

associated smaller tooling solutions to ensure continued productivity.

project managers and senior surveyors, being specifically invited to

In addition to equipment and tooling, the Plant Office also manages

attend construction forums as guest speakers. The highest accolade

the continued maintenance of all fleet vehicles.

a company can receive, however, is the acclaim of respected peers,

With an impressive portfolio of projects, NHIC has been able

something that NHIC has been delighted to experience regularly

to extend countless employment opportunities throughout the

with rival firms using their work as an example of superior quality

Caribbean region, contributing directly to the sustainability of

workmanship.

the local economy. It has also retained the services of a number of

Naturally, any company that has achieved enormous success

British expatriates with significant experience within construction

and demonstrated continuous growth since its inception will have

project management, high-level quantity surveying and planning

an inherent understanding of the importance of a unified workforce

management. To its credit, the company is able to boast an incredibly

and a suitable human resources structure. NHIC is no exception,

low staff turnover and has employed many of these experts for just

acknowledging that they have a strong support base, recognised chain

short of 20 years, alongside new local and international talents.

of command and enough diversification opportunities to develop

Keen to develop their staff in-house, where possible, progression

54 | Endeavour Magazine

NH INTERNATIONAL

opportunities are readily available for those with drive and ambition.

He goes on to state “we comply with all statutory and international

Just recently, a new IT manager has been appointed, charged with

standards such as the International Building Codes, American and

implementing new software initiatives within both the accounts and

European Standards, International Form of Contract and Operational

purchasing departments, in addition to project services and design

Safety and Health Standards”, offering increased client peace of mind

management executives also being sought. With a large number

and confidence in the works being carried out.

of the senior management team at NHIC having initially joined

Moving forward into 2014, NHIC is keen to build on their 20

the company at a junior level before actively seeking progression

years experience and establish themselves as recognised experts

possibilities, training initiatives and promotion opportunities, all

in the very specific Design and Build sector of the Caribbean

employees are encouraged to follow suit and strive for more. Omar

construction industry. Discussing this brave move, Connon is keen to

Jugmohan is a perfect example of the possibilities for continued

draw attention to the fact that the company has, ‘already successfully

professional development as he started at NHIC in the 1990s, in

completed 1,500 housing and infrastructure projects, schools, offices

the position of Junior Engineer and has since progressed to his

in this form of construction. Design and Build requires a particular

current role of Contracts Manager, overseeing countless large-scale

specialism for bidding on and completing constructing projects

projects throughout the Caribbean region. Far from being an isolated

as well as managing the design process to achieve aesthetically

case, this is demonstrative of a company-wide ethos of loyalty,

spectacular buildings while achieving the best quality of construction.

acknowledgement and recognition of staff members.

Controlling both design and construction enables us to direct the

Expertise in the field and a dedication to retaining qualified and talented staff aside, what else has contributed to the staggering

whole process, which translates into efficiency, cost-effectiveness and most importantly, value for money for our clients’.

success of NHIC? John Connon cites a commitment to customer

Establishing close relationships with respected suppliers and

satisfaction built upon integrity and compliance to agreed budgets and

sub-contracting teams is cited as another reason for the continued

timeframes as a key element in the continued growth of the company.

success of NHIC. Entering into long-lasting relationships, familiarity

“

We comply with all statutory and international standards such as the International Building Codes, American and European Standards, International Form of Contract and Operational Safety and Health Standards”

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS H.V Testing. System Design. Design/Build SALES (ex-stock) Transformers. Switchgear. Generators. Panels High Mast Lighting. Starters. HV & LV Cable ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Commercial & Industrial. Airports. Hotels Stadia. Hospitals. Petro-Chem Plants. Marinas LOCAL MANUFACTURERS Custom built Panels. MCC’s . Meter Banks etc.

Stainless Steel Serving the Eastern Caribbean since 1947

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS LTD

Building #16 Fernandes Industrial Centre Eastern Main Road, Laventille Trinidad W.I. Tel: (868) 626-0345 Email: sales@tatec.co.tt 56 | Endeavour Magazine

Suppliers to equipment

dealers and contractors in the

Caribbean, Central & South America Construction Equipment .

Trucks . Cranes/Hydraulic Drill Rigs . Spare parts .

Building Materials . Asphalt Plants & Equipment .

Concrete Equipment .

Crushing and Screening Plants . Furniture, Fixtures, & Interior Design Services www.davidtate.com Tel: 305-477-1181

Elevator Contractor of KONE Lifts KONE Escalators – Stannah Stairlifts Agents for Concorde Home Lifts Suppliers of BKG Service Lifts Supply, Install, Maintain & Modernize Passenger Elevators-Service Elevators Escalators-Stairlifts-Wheelchair Stairlifts Home Lifts-Dumbwaiters

36 Murray Street, Po Box 1100, Woodbrook Port-Of-Spain, Trinidad, West Indies (868) 628-7058, 628-7067, 622-0043 Fax: (868) 628-6957 Room 305, Cross Crossing Plaza, San Fernando, Trinidad, West Indies (868) 653-3943 Fax: (868) 657-3056 Email: info@rbplifts.com

Visit us at www.rbplifts.com

Endeavour Magazine | 57

NH INTERNATIONAL

evolves into a feeling of being part of the ‘extended NHIC family’,

types of insurance coverage and bonding.”

which in turn guarantees reliable support throughout build processes.

With demonstrable commitment to client satisfaction and

Not limited to just local suppliers, these relationships are also enjoyed

successful interaction permeating everything NHIC undertakes, it

with companies as far overseas as the UK, USA and Hong Kong with

comes as little surprise that they also have a social conscience and

whom efficient customs brokerage and delivery services have been

an altruistic core. Keen to actively contribute to the improvement of

agreed to negate delays and unexpected extra expense. Working in

the region, they regularly support awareness events and initiatives,

accordance with best practice initiatives and in line with a policy of

particularly within socially depressed areas that feature current

honest communication, external firms have commented that entering

NHIC project building sites. Staff members that belong to specific

into business with NHIC is a pleasure.

clubs and associations, that require support from local businesses, are

The final element that Connon wishes to draw attention to is the financial initiatives created by the company, commenting that, “Our banking and insurance facilities are another very important feature of our strong leadership role in the Construction Industry

also assisted if they promote growth and development on a national level. Larger scale support has been extended to countries, within the Caribbean region, that have suffered storm and natural disaster damage in the forms of both financial aid and rebuilding services.

in the Caribbean region, with constant close contact and a level of

Clearly NHIC is a company built on the traditional values of

trust in NHIC that has earned us the respect of Executives and other

teamwork, integrity and expertise, and in line with a commitment to

Officers in the field of Banking and Insurance. In some instances we

the continual development of initiatives and employees. There is no

have collaborated with our clients by holding discussions with their

secret to their success; it can be attributed solely to their operation as

financiers to find ways and means of moving projects forward where

an expert and trustworthy organisation with social responsibility at

challenges have arisen and our proposals have been well received

the forefront of their mind.

and considered. We have been using the same insurance broker from inception and have always met or exceeded requirements for various

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT RENTAL A SIGNIFICANT FORCE IN THE WORLD OF CONCRETE CUTTING AND CORING #13 Buller Street, Woodbrook Trinidad and Tobago Tel.: (868) 628-2703 Tel./Fax: (868) 622-4244 Website: www.btrentalstt.com 58 | Endeavour Magazine

Our Internationally Renowned Products are available at your Favourite Hardware Stores throughout the Caribbean.

Ask for our quality products by name!

ADMINISTRATIVE SALES OFFICE: Trinrico Plaza 141 - 143 Coffee Street San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago T: (868)657-9480/9703/4785,652-4353/8374 F: (868)657-1840 E: sales@trinricosteel.com

www.trinricosteel.com

MANUFACTURER, DISTRIBUTOR & EXPORTER OF: Rebar & Mild Steel Rods . Stirrups & Shaped Bars Assembled Piles & Columns . Welded Wire Mesh Galvanized & PVC Bonded Chain Link Fence Fabric Galvanized & Epoxy Powder Coated Fence Post & Fittings Acmafor Pro Fence Systems Securifor Maximum Security Fence Systems Barbed & Razor Wire . Drawn Wire . Annealed Wire Nails (Plain & Galvanized) . Gabion Baskets & Matresses Geosynthetics . Environmental Solutions

Watts Electrical: Integrity and Social Responsibility •

Providing clients with the highest quality materials and services; consistent with accepted industry standards;

•

Developing staff to meet and exceed the expectations of customers;

•

Maintain healthy long-term relationships with a network of suppliers;

•

Being a good citizen in its community.

WATTS ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS LIMITED The specialist contractor in industrial, commercial, transformer and high voltage installations 88 COCORITE ROAD ARIMA TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Tel: (868) 664-2648 Email: watts_electrical@hotmail.com

Watts Electrical.indd 1

Endeavour11/02/2014 Magazine | 59 08:18

NEW BRITAIN PALM OIL 0065 6227 6247 WWW.NBPOL.COM.PG

60 | Endeavour Magazine

New Britain Palm Oil (NBPOL) is a company that is 100% sustainable, since 2012 it has not only climbed to a position where it is streets ahead of its competition, it is setting to maintain this impressive lead. By maintaining complete control of their processes from beginning to end, and by building employee loyalty, NBPOL see’s along with everything else its employees as a strong focus.

Director of Sustainability Simon Lord was on hand to discuss some of the developments WRITTEN BY STEPHANIE PAUL

FUELING THE FOOD INDUSTRY Endeavour Magazine | 61

NEW BRITAIN PALM OIL

NBPOL is listed both on the London Stock exchange and on the Port Moresby Stock Exchange. Their listing on the latter is in line with the company’s desire to the give the staff and the local people an opportunity to invest in the company.

T

his practice has not only gained NBPOL a loyal pool of employees, but it has also ensured that NBPOL understands and meets its shareholders’ needs. In fact, the provincial

government of West New Britain, where many of NBPOL’s holdings are, is the second largest shareholder in the company. This investment by the government shows their faith in the company and that NBPOL’s practices have benefited Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a whole.

“We are the world’s leading producer of sustainable palm oil,” Simon told us, “Certified in accordance with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Principles and Criteria.”

With plantations and operations in PNG and the Solomon Islands, as well a bulking terminal in West New Britain, and the newly built United Kingdom refinery (New Britain Oils), NBPOL have the ability to deliver the finest segregated, traceable and certified sustainable food ingredients to their customers. NBPOL has a long history of cultivating and harvesting palm oil in PNG. Production began before WWII, and today on that land NBPOL produces palm oil, beef, and sugar. The company not only is the largest domestic sugar and beef producers in PNG, but is also the world’s leading producer of sustainable palm oil, certified in accordance with the Roundtable criteria. NBPOL has become one of the world’s leading producers of sustainable palm oil by setting industry benchmarks, a tactic that has consistently put them ahead of their competition.

“Our plantation operations are in Papua New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands, where we also have a refinery and a bulking

62Untitled-4 | Endeavour Magazine 1

19/02/2014 07:40

terminal,” Simon explains, “Our newly built UK refinery – New Britain

“Our company headquarters are in West New Britain Province,

Oils – delivers segregated, traceable and certified sustainable food

Papua New Guinea where we have a refinery and the main bulking

ingredients to our customers. But the strength of our offering is

terminal,” Dr. Simon Lord tells us “and our plantation operations are

found in our employees. They are the most important commodity.”

in 5 other provinces in Papua New Guinea and also in the Solomon

Part of NBPOL’s success can be attributed to the productivity of its plantations: 78,000 hectares of oil palms worked by 15,000

Islands. On each site we have estates and smallholder as well as mills, storage facilities and accommodation.”

smallholders. The company now operates a total of 11 crude palm oil

Fully vertically integrated, NBPOL ensures the quality and

mills, and employs over 25,000 people in West New Britain, Ramu

integrity of its certified processes by controlling the oil’s manufacture

Valley, Milne Bay, Poliamba and Higaturu in PNG the Guadalcanal

from seed to customer delivery. NBPOL produces seed for planting,

Province of the Solomon Islands. These holdings supply over a quarter

cultivates and harvests its own land, and refines the palm oil in-house.

of the fruit that NBPOL converts into an ingredient that can be found

The company also works to maintain direct contact with clients and

in one out of ten products on the shelves of supermarkets worldwide.

manages the shipping and freight to its customers in the EU. The

“Palm oil is in one in ten items on a supermarket shelf,” Simon

success of this business strategy, however, depends on the investment

reveals, “That places a huge demand on it as a product and a resource.”

of NBPOL’s staff and workers, which NBPOL recognizes is its biggest

NBPOL’s palm oil can be found in products the world over, and

asset.

the sustainable processes that go into making this oil are the business

Despite a recent drop in palm oil prices in the turbulent global

practices that keep NBPOL a leading figure in the market today and

economic environment, this company is on a growth path and it

for the future. Compared with other food-grade oils, palm oil itself

attributes that to its employees. NBPOL operates exclusively in the

is a more efficient crop, yielding ten times more fruit than popular

Asia Pacific region, which requires a diverse workforce of individual

competitors like soya. One hectare of oil palms will produce the same

expertise and skillsets. NBPOL often recruits from abroad to meet the

quantity of oil as 10 hectares planted with soya. This crop efficiency

skills needed for the quality control they have in place, and provides

enables NBPOL to at once provide a lower-cost food stuff on a global

these employees with accommodations and support.

scale and to potentially save forests. NBPOL’s strategy for translating

“NBPOL believes that safeguarding its employees and the

this concern for the community in which it conducts its business

environment in which it works is the strongest foundation upon which

begins and ends with the sustainable practices it has developed.

to build a successful future,” Simon concludes.

ABN 38 747 533 287

Expac (Qld) Pty Ltd. All Parts & Industrial Needs Supplied to All Industries 44 Achievement Crescent, Acacia Ridge, Qld 4110 Tel: (617) 3274 3500 | Fax: (617) 3274 3997 Email: sales@expac.com.au

IMPORTERS, EXPORTERS and LOGISTICS General Machinery Parts Suppliers and All Industrial Products.

Proud to be a supplier to New Britain Palm Oil www.expac.com.au

EKURHULENI MUNICIPALITY 0027 11 999 0094 WWW.EKURHULENI.GOV.ZA

66 | Endeavour Magazine

A MAJOR PART OF THE FUTURE WRITTEN BY DONNIE RUST

“An Aerotropolis is a planned and coordinated multi-modal freight and transportation complex that provides efficient, cost effective, sustainable and inter-modal connectivity to a defined region of economic significance centered around a major airport,” Executive Mayor Mondli Gungubele opens up, “Speed and agility are the basis of the existence of an Aerotropolis which enables connectivity of the four “Rs”, namely Roads, Rivers, Railroads and Runways.”

Endeavour Magazine | 67

EKURHULENI MUNICIPALITY

The City of Ekurhuleni is best suited to develop as an Aerotropolis since it has connectivity of three Rs (road, railroad, runway) and through the envisaged Durban-Free State-Gauteng corridor they will have improved connectivity with the “Rivers” through their sea port.

A

n Aerotropolis is also

Aerotropolis concept would be pursued and developed further and

a new urban format

implemented in order to leverage the economic benefits of having

that

currently

the busiest airport on the African continent, OR Tambo International

developing around many large

is

Airport, located within its boundaries. It is important to note that

airports

layout,

in the South African context, airports are a national competence,

economy

whereas globally, airports are often managed by the cities within

where

infrastructures

the and

are all arranged around an

which they reside.

airport as their central element.

“The City of Ekurhuleni has taken on this development as the

This means that their suppliers,

anchor for the project and will champion related planning, together

customers

with various stakeholders that are critical for the success of the

and

business

partners can offer very fast and

tightly

business

interconnected

opportunities

all

project,” Executive Mayor Mondli Gungubele tells us.

A Major Part Of The Future

around the world. Many of these

A major key to the municipalities’ 2055 growth and development

business activities are much

strategy is known to be the Aerotropolis masterplan. In fact, the City

more dependent on far-distant

has acknowledged that the Aerotropolis has developed in some form

suppliers or customers than on

around OR Tambo International Airport, although haphazardly and in

those in the local area.

an uncoordinated manner.

A strategic decision was

It is important to get the planning for this type of development

taken when deciding that the

right, since it will influence long term outcomes and the future

“

At the end of the day, the success of bringing relevant investors to the city hinges on how well we plan the land use issues”

68 | Endeavour Magazine

EKURHULENI MUNICIPALITY

economy

in

the

City

of

Ekurhuleni. Proper planning will

area where it will thrive and therefore continue to play a meaningful

2 which looks at the movement

role in our economy.”

of freight and the development of

influence the competitiveness of the economy and how it attracts investors and investment to

According To Plan “Currently at the conceptual and design stage, The Strategic

create jobs and reduce poverty,

Roadmap provides the City of Ekurhuleni and the Gauteng Province

which is the ultimate goal of this

with an outline of the Aerotropolis development model and

development.

requirements for a successful Aerotropolis,” Executive Mayor Mondli

“It is on this basis that as a

Gungubele explains, “This includes consideration requirements for

city we have put in place strategic

infrastructure and facility plans, business plans and implementation

land parcels so that we know

plan guidelines for transforming OR Tambo International Airport and

exactly which land is available for

the region into a world-class Aerotropolis.”

what, in line with the mandate

Based on the Strategic Roadmap a process of developing a

of the Aeroropolis,” Executive

Masterplan was initiated and is currently underway. The development

Mayor

Gungubele

of the Ekurhuleni Aerotropolis is a long term vision spanning up

expands, “At the end of the day,

Mondli

to thirty years from now. However, the building blocks for the

the success of bringing relevant

Aerotropolis have to be laid as early on in the project as possible. Over

investors to the city hinges on

the next eighteen months, the City will undertake an exciting process

how well we plan the land use

of developing the Master Plan that will provide details for specific

issues – so that at the end of the

aspects required for the Aerotropolis development.

day business is situated in an

70 | Endeavour Magazine

The Aerotropolis is part of the Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP)

the

corridor

between

Kwazulu-Natal, the Free State and Gauteng Provinces. Part of the Master planning process will produce modelling of the expected jobs to be created over the period of development.

Another

key

factor

to

take into account is the skills development angle particularly through Barlow

initiatives world

like

the

academy,

the

Transnet rail academy and the Denel aviation academy. These kinds of initiatives will be crucial to ensure that the Aerotropolis has a significant skills pool to tap into and that the issue of scare skills receives some attention.

Behind The Scenes In a time of financial economic crisis, it is a telling fact that the project is showing good signs for economic growth within the area and for sustainable growth for the future.

“Research in international Aerotropolis show a favourable jobspin off ratio for jobs created at the airport related to those indirectly linked to the airport,” Executive Mayor Mondli Gungubele tell us, “The global positioning of the OR Tambo International Airport and the number of destinations it serves provides an indication of the airports capacity and competitiveness compared to its counterparts on the African continent.”

According to Airbus, the annual passenger growth rates to, from and within South Africa will grow at 6% which surpasses the rate for Africa (5.7%), and is well above the average for the world (4.8%).

Airlines operating in South Africa will need 183 new passenger aircraft, with an estimated value of $29bn and since 2000, South Africa has enjoyed 45% growth in air traffic.

Positive Knock On Effects The Aerotropolis Project is one of the flagship projects of the City of Ekurhuleni and enjoys the support of the Gauteng Provincial Government. The project is certainly the City’s pride with hopes to harness the competitive advantage that resides with the O R Tambo International Airport and all related benefits that have arisen as a result of this asset.

“Actually,” Executive Mayor Mondli Gungubele stipulates, “It is rather unfortunate that it has taken us as a city so long to take advantage of the fact that this airport is in our space. The Ekurhuleni Aeorotropolis is anchored around one of the biggest international global airports, a facility that is viewed as Africa’s gateway to the world.

A national key point that handles millions of travellers every year, so, it is very important that there is proper planning in everything we do so that at the end of the day we get a world class facility that takes our city in its rightful place of leading cities of the world.”

A Final, Important Word “The Aerotropolis is not about Ekurhuleni only, but Gauteng as a whole and the nation. Its success will help us create jobs and fight poverty while at the same time improving the economy of the country.

It is therefore imperative that people understand that its success relies on all South Africans pulling together to make South Africa’s first Aerotropolis a success. We have done a lot as a city to realize this project and we expect it to be even more clear now that we have just appointed a company to assist with putting in place the master plan. There are various other projects that we will be undertaking in line with the Aerotropolis, among them is the Digital City, which we believe will be a key player in our future plans especially if one considers the rate at which our IT is transforming society lately,” concludes Executive Mayor Mondli Gungubele.

“

The Aerotropolis is not about Ekurhuleni only, but Gauteng as a whole and the nation.”

Endeavour Magazine | 71

BELAZ MINING 00375 1775 32313 WWW.BELAZ.MINSK.BY

72 | Endeavour Magazine

Long-time purveyors of quality mining equipment, Belaz are ready to set the bar even higher for their industry with exciting strides forward in vehicle manufacturing.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

BELAZ GOES

Big

Endeavour Magazine | 73

BELAZ MINING

Founded in 1948, Belarus-based Belaz Mining Equipment has continually strived to reach new heights within the market, transforming themselves from small-time peat transportation and agitator machinery producers, into a 14,000 strong workforce to be reckoned with.

W

ith a decade of experience under their belts, Belaz

rigorous testing procedure, the

began production of increasingly heavy-duty mining

vehicles, once approved, are

machinery, including dump trucks, in 1958, before

disassembled and transported,

embarking on their campaign of extremely specialist vehicle

via railway, to either their

production in the 1990’s. This legacy, resulting in the creation of

destination, or the shipping port

a number of metallurgical and road construction machines has

for overseas delivery.

set Belaz in good stead for an even more successful future and has

Arriving at their destination,

provided a suitably sturdy platform for the launch of an extremely

Belaz products are accompanied

exciting development in 2015.

by a dedicated and expert crew of

Not willing to be pigeonholed into just the mining sector, Belaz

technicians, all highly trained in

have expanded their product base, branching out into lucrative market

the assembly and commissioning

areas including construction, road building, mine servicing, freight

of specialist items. This level of

rolling stock, lifting/conveying and consumer goods. By opening

customer service and support

themselves up to a program of diversification, Belaz have secured

is just one of the many factors

their place as one of the foremost suppliers of specialist vehicles and

which sets Belaz apart from

equipment, with a range of over 75 products.

their competitors and has lead to

With six production facilities in Belarus, Belaz are able to cater to

continued custom, resulting in a

the high demand for their products, in fact, they are currently producing

program of investment into the

seven vehicles per working day, including extra-high payload capacity

company, and future products.

mining dump trucks, an impressive feat given that the production

Committed

to

promoting

process is hybrid of both automated and manual processes. The work,

internal staff development, all

however, does not stop once the unit is completed. Undergoing a

employees are required to pass

With six production facilities in Belarus, Belaz are able to cater to the high demand for their products, in fact, they are currently producing seven vehicles per working day, including extra-high payload capacity mining dump trucks, an impressive feat given that the production process is hybrid of both automated and manual processes.

74 | Endeavour Magazine

BELAZ MINING

an annual requalification test,

and plants, lending itself to a significantly increased production

relationships with Belaz, in some

retaining exceptional standards

schedule, not to mention the active development of new products.

cases up to 30 years, potential

of expertise and commitment to

With a standing commitment to the supply of new generation

new

the products and are encouraged

equipment on an annual basis, Belaz is well placed to announce their

vetted to ensure a symbiotic fit.

to

newest and most exciting creation; the 75710 dump truck.

Compliance

undertake

extra

training

partners to

are

carefully

internationals

courses. With many internal

The largest vehicle in the world of its kind, the 75710 is a 27-

standards and the upholding of

programs available, employees

foot, 8-wheeled unit, capable of carrying up to 450 tonnes. Powered

quality are essential elements

are offered the opportunity to

by two suitably huge 16-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines, each

in forging a relationship, which

either upgrade their current

supplying 2,300 horsepower, the truck is expected to reach speeds

according

role or pursue a new specialty.

of up to 65kph. Currently in the testing phase, at the Bachatsky open

before entering into business

With close ties to the Zhodino

pit coal mine in Siberia, the 75710 is expected to be released for

together. With exciting new

Technical

purchase in 2015, which will be happy news for eagerly anticipating

developments on the horizon,

customers.

maintaining

College,

Belaz

Mining is clearly invested in the development of its staff as well as its product portfolio.

Supplying both local and international clients, Belaz consistently

to

Belaz,

comes

efficient

supply

chain relationships is vital.

strive to build on their long-standing partnerships, combining product

Happy

an

development with high-level support services and environmental

upcoming

designed

responsibility. Setting themselves apart from their competitors, Belaz

Belaz are keen to draw attention

to develop the company as a

Mining endeavors to produce vehicles that adhere to stringent world

to

whole over the period 2011-

emission programs, despite specialising in an industry that is often

further set them apart from

2014, Belaz will invest a total of

associated with huge environmental impacts.

competitors in the quality-price

Working investment

alongside plan,

$644million into new facilities

76 | Endeavour Magazine

Working with a supply chain of companies that have longstanding

to

discuss

product

developments

the

releases, that

will

battle. Meeting market demand

Supplying both local and international clients, Belaz consistently strive to build on their long-standing partnerships, combining product development with high-level support services and environmental responsibility.

with their 90 tonne dump truck

specialist engineers continuously

featuring

electromechanical

striving to optimise production

transmission, 450 tonne dump

processes and develop new

truck (the largest in the world),

innovations, it comes as no

and creation of a dedicated high

surprise that Belaz Mining is a

payload dump truck assembly

market leader in their industry

line,

in

and will continue to be so. Their

production capacity and costs is

commitment to a continued

sure to follow.

program

increased

flexibility

With expertise, employee development

and

of

investment

and

diversification, in conjunction

social

with exemplar customer service,

responsibility permeating the

has secured an ever-increasing

company, and their ethos in equal

portfolio of loyal clients, eager to

measures, offering customers a

experience the new technologies,

consistently improved catalogue

methodologies

of cost-effective products is

that Belaz offers.

and

expertise

a priority, one that results in significant time, resource and financial investments into the company. With in excess of 2,000

Endeavour Magazine | 77

JAMAICA PREMIX 001 876 926 2420 WWW.JAPREMIX.COM

78 | Endeavour Magazine

One of the most important companies in Jamaica, Jamaica Premix Limited (JPM), since it was incorporated in 1959, has established itself as the leading supplier of ready mixed concrete and aggregates throughout the island. We spoke with Managing Director John Valentine regarding this proudly Jamaican company.

WRITTEN BY JACK SLATER

BUILT ON Solid Service

Endeavour Magazine | 79

JAMAICA PREMIX

“Currently we have sixty one concrete mixer trucks, twelve concrete boom pumps, five fixed concrete plants equipped with computerized, state-ofthe-art batch management systems,” John tells us, “And fully equipped laboratories for the testing of concrete.

Additionally, there are portable concrete batching plants capable of handling onsite jobs wherever they may be.”

JPM

’s plants are strategically located across

View, Kingston; and Agualta Vale, St. Mary. These plants are designed

the island - from Kingston in the east

for the production of washed sand and stone to ASTM specifications,

to Negril in the west, for customer

from natural riverbed sources. They have an overall production

convenience and they offer a comprehensive product range which

capability in excess of 800 metric tonnes per hour. JPM’s aggregates

includes ready mixed concrete, for which they have over 150 mix

meet American (ASTM), British (BSS) and Jamaican standards. The

designs, light weight concrete, coloured concrete, air entrained

crushing plants are equipped with belt scales, which can provide daily

concrete, under water concrete, fibre concrete, waterproof concrete

production information. We are also an internationally tested and

and pumping service.

certified source of non-skid aggregates. For international customers,

“Our products and services are utilized in construction projects diverse in size and nature, including residential, commercial and industrial buildings, hotels, bauxite and alumina plants,” John adds.

loading facilities are available for ocean bound ships and barges.

The Projects

The five fixed concrete plants are strategically located across the

Since its incorporation the company has made its mark throughout

island, from Kingston in the east to Negril in the west, for customer

the length and breadth of Jamaica, undertaking wide-ranging projects

convenience. In addition, there are portable concrete batching plants

in just about every sector, some of the major projects that it has

capable of handling onsite jobs regardless of location. The fixed

poured for include the highest standard of hotels including the Ritz

batching plants are equipped with computerized, state of the art

Carlton, Riu Hotels, Intercontinental, and Holiday Inn. Commercial

batch management systems.

buildings like LOJ’s twin towers, Island Life’s office complex, Citibank

The aggregate plants are located at Yallahs, St. Thomas; Harbour

“

and the Bank of Nova Scotia, public infrastructure projects like

Our products and services are utilized in construction projects diverse in size and nature, including residential, commercial and industrial buildings, hotels, bauxite and alumina plants.”

80 | Endeavour Magazine

JAMAICA PREMIX

the Kingston Public Hospital,

projects in the Grand Cayman and the Dominican Republic by way

trained and certified by the

The

of

of utilising its equipment and manpower,” John mentions, “Jamaica

National Ready Mixed Concrete

the West Indies Private Wing,

Pre-Mix Concrete Limited is a member of the National Ready Mixed

Association

The

Concrete Association, the Incorporated Master Builders Association

points out, “Our quality control

and the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica.”

technicians

University Causeway,

Hospital

Highway

2000 and the expansion of

(NRMCA),” are

also

John highly

Norman Manley and Sangster’s

In 2008 Jamaica Pre-Mix Ltd entered into a joint venture with

experienced and competent and

International Airports. Not to

Lafarge of North America, and continued the operations of the

we focus keenly in customer

mention educational institutions,

aggregate division under the name Jamaica Aggregates Limited. The

service and our staff members

embassies and housing projects

concrete division then started trading under the name Jamaica Pre-

are

Mix Concrete Ltd.

customer service.”

up and down the length of the

trained

periodically

in

Although the local construction industry is currently moving

On the other end of the coin,

“It is noteworthy that Jamaica

through a depression, John is however cautiously optimistic some of

John recognizes the importance

Pre-Mix in collaboration with

the major projects will be materialized in 2014. And, to ensure that

of looking after the client and

other entities has undertaken

they are in position to take advantage of these projects Jamaica pre-

highlights that quality, reliability

Mix Ltd has always followed a

and service are the foundations

certain methodology regarding

that his company stands upon.

island.

“Ensuring that our customers

their employees. great

are provided with the best quality

emphasis on employee training

products and the best prices,

and as such ensure that our plant

that each customer receive their

managers are internationally

order in a timely manner and

“We

“

JPM seeks to strive for excellence in the execution of our business practices to ensure we remains viable and continue to deliver a high quality product in an efficient, safe and environmentally friendly manner”

82 | Endeavour Magazine

have

placed

that our customers know they

taking place that will certainly

are the primary reason we have

shape

been in operation for over 50

company. These include a 360

years,” John lists, “This is how we

Megawatt Power Plant, a series

approach business by offering

of Low Income Housing projects

excellent customer service.”

and a Renewed Tourism Sector

“JPM seeks to strive for excellence

for

the

Development plan.

JPM’s success over this past

of our business practices to

one half of a century is largely

ensure

viable

attributable to its loyal and

and continue to deliver a high

satisfied customers, dedicated

quality product in an efficient,

staff

safe

environmentally

management style and great

friendly manner,” he adds, “We

investment in the most advanced

will continue to invest in and

machinery and equipment.

and

the

future

execution

we

in

the

remains

members,

prudent

empower our human resource;

“Approaches like this are

ever mindful of our maxim -

what give this company the

quality, reliability and excellent

solid foundation it has,” John

service.”

concludes.

2014 is set to be a busy year with a host of major projects

5960 N.W. 99th Avenue, Unit 9 Doral, FL 33178 United States ICP MIAMI has been proudly serving the construction & mining industries for over 12 years, in which we have earned a reputation for excellent product quality, friendly customer service and distinguished technical support.

Toll Free: 1 (866) 213-0031 | Office: (305) 477-6612 | Fax: (305) 477-5935 or (786) 422-1550

www.icpmiami.com / sales@icpmiami.com

Endeavour Magazine | 83

MAPUTO CORRIDOR LOGISTICS 002713 755 6025 WWW.MCLI.CO.ZA

90 | Endeavour Magazine

Having heard so much about the astonishing changes that the Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative (MCLI) has made in recent years, Endeavour Magazine spoke with company CEO Barbara Monmen to get to the heart of their success story.

CLEARING THE WAY FOR

Trade WRITTEN BY KATIE RICHARDSON

Endeavour Magazine | 91

MAPUTO CORRIDOR LOGISTICS

“Our task is be really simple,” Monmen says. “We provide a platform for inward investment on the Corridor; removing barriers along it, coordinating and liaising and facilitating the necessary changes to ensure investment and to unlock barriers to trade.”

“T

he Port of Maputo is in an ideal

southwest Indian Ocean. Thus, the Maputo

there were huge border delays and terrible

location for exports to India and

Development Corridor was launched in 1996,

congestion which compromised the efficiency

the Far East and for transit into the

and developed as a Spatial Development

of the logistics chain into the port itself,” says

eastern SADC (Southern African Development

Initiative (SDI), an integrated planning tool

Monmen. “Our original remit was to promote

Community) region,” she continues. “However,

aimed at promoting investment in regions of

the benefits of the port on the basis of distance

there have had to be a number of developments.

the country that were underdeveloped but

versus the costs of the logistics chain for

For example, when MCLI first started, we had

had great potential for growth. An additional

products in transit from the north-eastern

no container lines calling the port, which meant

awarding of the port concession in 2003 and an

area of South Africa. The port also forms a key

that cargo owners could not ship containers out

investment of $60m in the port’s rehabilitation,

departure point for the emerging markets of

of the port although they wanted to, so there

alongside a 20-year master plan also aims to see

India and the Far East.”

was the typical chicken and egg scenario.”

a $1.7bn investment in equipment, training and

Until just under a decade ago, infrastructure and economic development had been a serious cause of concern for the governments of

There were also problems with employee

infrastructure.

resources; with just a small workforce it was

Establishing Its Place

rather difficult to get things done. “You can’t

The aim of MCLI as a non-profit organisation

manage if people don’t believe in the validity

Mozambique and South Africa. A major hurdle

is to act as a viable network to sustain an

and importance of what they’re doing and while

in any real trade progress was the crumbling

economically-sound future for all industries

it is a challenge, the changes are substantial and

rail and road links to the southern city of

which rely on it. Service providers, stakeholders,

you can’t argue with the results,” says Monmen.

Johannesburg. With desires to create new

and infrastructure investors from Swaziland,

You certainly can’t argue with the results

investment connections to establish their

South Africa and Mozambique have all pooled

being generated by the MCLI. More than $64m

fluctuating economies, the leaders of both

their resources together in order to secure

has been invested into the Port of Maputo since

countries decided it was economically and

its promotion and further development as the

2003, and the improvements to infrastructural

socially important to sustain key elements of

region’s primary logistics transportation route,

development are vast. New warehouses, tugs,

the transport corridor that links the city of

and are now able to strive for developmental

equipment, operations and quay rehabilitation

Johannesburg and the industrial heartland

targets rather than the profit margin. However,

related to road and rail improvements in the

of Southern Africa with the Port of Maputo,

it wasn’t smooth sailing to begin with.

region have all been successful, as well as

the parastatal authority in Mozambique in the

92 | Endeavour Magazine

“During the early part of the first decade,

updates to the Matola coal terminal. A further

MAPUTO CORRIDOR LOGISTICS

$61m has been invested into the container

Government, a province of South Africa,

“Until there is a mutual cooperation between

terminal to increase the capacity for cargo

where she worked on a number of project

the public and private sectors, we’ll always

depots and cranes. Other terminals dealing

developments. “Prior to that I obtained a

have an issue,” she says. “MCLI has achieved

in produce like sugar, citrus, vegetable oils

Certificate in Development Management

this cooperation to a considerable extent.”

and larger exports like cars and Ferro slabs

from the University of Manchester in the UK,

are also benefiting. The depth of the channel

followed by a short spin at the Cabinet Office

in the port itself has been increased to 11

in London,” she says.

Looking Forward “We want to raise the profile of the

metres in order to provide smoother access

“My interest in the Maputo Corridor

Corridor in the SADC (the Southern African

to containers, and beyond the port, transport

developed while I lived in Mpumalanga where

Development Community) region generally,

links on the Maputo Corridor have been

I worked in the Chamber of Business. I had,

and we are particularly keen to deepen

significantly improved, with train journeys

during my tenure, begun to explore business

our collaboration with the government of

dropping from a whopping 200 hours to 90

relationships between Nelspruit in South

Swaziland,” Monmen says. “For the moment

hours. All in all, just under $300m has been

Africa and Maputo. I joined in 2006 as the

we face the challenge that the majority of

invested in the Port of Maputo since 2003.

chief operations officer and was appointed as

trade along the Corridor tends to be one way,

CEO in July 2011.”

moving from South Africa to Mozambique.

Competent Leadership

Monmen believes having a clear idea

As CEO, Monmen is perfectly placed

To fully capitalise on what the Corridor is

of what needs to happen in order to plan

to oversee a smooth transition and worthy

capable of we need to have more growth in

appropriately is the key to the success of

initiative. Her background lies in education;

bi-directional movement and an increase

a project like the MCLI, and she feels very

she worked in the KaNgwane Administration

in the usage of the Corridor as a key transit

strongly about economic development and

and the Premier’s Office in the Mpumalanga

route into the SADC region.”

the growth of the private sector in the region.

94 | Endeavour Magazine

The on-going success of MCLI and

“

The Port of Maputo is in an ideal location for exports to India and the Far East and for transit into the eastern SADC (Southern African Development Community) region.”

the determined work of Monmen and her team have culminated in a highly productive level of investment into the region, as well as making it easier for the necessary requirements to be handled by stakeholders and governmental departments. The efforts from all parties has enabled a positive and productive direction for the company and Monmen is quick to recognise the achievements: “Thanks to the significant investment over the last decade, the Maputo Corridor has seen incredible opportunities for growth and this will have a consequential knock on effect when the region moves towards a free trade area,” she says. “The drive towards borderless trade on our corridor is a passion that we share with COMESA (the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa), EAC (the East African Community), SADC, the AU (African Union), and NEPAD (the New Partnership for Africa’s Development).

“It is only through the continued partnership of users and service providers, including public sector agencies, that this corridor will reach its full potential as an efficient, predictable, and reliable logistics route servicing the region,” she concludes.

As a result of efficient management and timely investment, notable growth in the project has already delivered impressive results in the trade facilitation system. Coupled with effective collaboration and partnerships, MCLI’s projected figures include a cargo volume increase to more than 48.6m tonnes by 2030 and an extension for the Maputo Port Development Company to 2043. All in all, MCLI continues to hold its claim as a very efficient and powerful working machine.

Endeavour Magazine | 95

CARLY PEART

Bootcamp Booty “I owe everything to my followers, without them I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

H

BY DONNIE RUST

onestly, I spend too much time on Youtube. I’ll admit it, as a writer I am constantly searching for anything to distract me from actually writing and Youtube provides

fields and fields of videos to get lost within. However, for all the searching through the troves and troves of kitten videos, fail videos, Top Ten of Such and Such videos and Parody Videos it is a rare thing for me to actually subscribe to any particular channel.

I like a professional touch, I like to be entertained and informed, I like to be impressed and intrigued, I like to see whoever is Youtubing is actually making the effort to put together something uniquely theirs.

Bringing us neatly to Carly Peart, who’s Youtube channel I not only subscribe to but also revisit regularly for my morning fitness boosts!

“I was born in Norfolk and have lived here ever since,” Carly opens up, “And I recently moved right into the heart of Norwich and adore waking up to the sound of the cathedral bells.”

For those readers who don’t know, Norwich is the capital city of County Norfolk, on the East Anglian side of England. A small city that plays home to an increasingly powerful internet movement that is turning this “country life city” into a thinktank for online creativity and ideas.

90 | Endeavour Magazine

Carly Peart is a fitness guru for over forty thousand

the sweeping redundancy arm

and communicating with her

subscribers to her Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/

that many companies at the

fans.

carlyrowena who provides weekly fitness challenges targeting

time were using to cut costs.

“I owe everything to my

the body areas that people find difficult to tone. Also covering

“Frustratingly I had never

followers, without them I

areas such as healthy eating, floor work and toning exercises.

known what I wanted to be

wouldn’t be where I am today. I

The target audience may be women but with such a combination

and it had always left me

always reply to their messages,

of great presentation, beauty and rigorous fitness challenges

feeling a little lost,” she admits,

if they have taken the time to

there are a lot of men who appreciate the Youtube videos as well

“I used to scour Google trying

write to me then why wouldn’t

and few who could match her in a fitness.

to find an industry that would

i respond? I could have flopped

The twenty six year old Youtube Blogger, or Vlogger (video

be right for me but it just never

on YouTube, received negative

blogger), is actually remarkably modest about herself, “I’m a

appeared. I decided to start a

press and it may never had

fitness geek who has finally found her dream career and spends

YouTube channel after talking

taken off but it did and it’s

most of her time at the gym, in her brightly coloured home or

to my boyfriend and friends: a

completely down to them.”

with her best friends.”

little outlet for me to express

With

a

reputation

and

for

“I have been a member of Carrefour Gym since I was 19 but

my passions and before I knew

honesty

only really fell in love with fitness in the last 2 years,” she reveals,

it my subscribers had showed

Carly’s videos range from

transparency

“I have been on YouTube for just over a year and a half and been

me what I was meant to be, a

fitness challenges to tone up

a Personal Trainer since late November.”

Personal Trainer!”

the abs and buns to tutorials

After working in the Motor Trade industry for over seven

Now, for thousands of

on how to deal with IBS

years and progressing her way through the company Carly did

people Carly has become a

and Period Pain. This has

not feel fulfilled and hated sitting down all day. However, this

symbol, an example of health

created more than just a

was the time that the recession had hit and with a home and

and fitness but it doesn’t just

superficial following but a

monthly direct debits she knew she couldn’t risk jumping into

begin and end with the filming

deep relationship with her

another career that might make her feel the same or worse.

of videos, Carly understands

followers.

With the rising worries was the possibility of falling beneath

the importance of engaging

“I try to keep my videos

Endeavour Magazine | 91

as natural as possible,” she explains, “I don’t write a script, I just pick the topic and plan the exercises. After that it’s about finding the time to sit down and film, edit and upload. Once the video is uploaded it’s a case of putting it on social media platforms, replying to comments and plugging it throughout the week, whilst being conscious not to overdo it.”

We are on the brink of the internet merging into television and even radio, making all of our entertainment and eventually our educational resources ever more connected. I asked Carly specifically what her thoughts were on this congruency: “It’s absolutely amazing, the internet has enabled me to be self-employed, speak to people around the world and change their lives and given me access to big companies who would never have batted an eye at a Personal Trainer in Norwich,” she says, “I also now Skype Train my followers and without the internet and Skype it would certainly never have been possible for me to train someone in Australia from my front room. Internet is incredibly powerful, it has given everyone the chance to have an opinion, be creative and be able to get closer to those who inspire them!”

Carly is, offline, just as energetic and enthusiastic as she is online. And likes to take on a new challenge every year, last year she completed her first half marathon and the previous year she did Tough Mudder and the year before that she learnt to Snowboard.

“I would love to travel this year but i think its’ going to have to wait at the moment, I’m just too busy!”

“When i was working in the Motor trade it was much easier to go on holiday and explore but everything has taken a slight backseat now,” she explains, “Being a PT involves quite unsociable hours and with Filming and being available on Social media 24 hours a day there really isn’t any down time.”

And, is she as rigorous about her fitness as she is in front of the camera?

“Definitely! It becomes even more important, I have to continually strive to better myself and I wouldn’t expect my followers to follow my plans if I couldn’t do them myself,”

92 | Endeavour Magazine

Carly specifies, “ On New Years day this year my boyfriend and I

being in love with my life. I am

followers, a bootcamp in every

went for a run and took each other’s measurements, a full body

incredibly lucky.”

city!”

photo and wrote new Fitness Plans. There is always room for improvement.”

And what can we expect from Carly for 2014?

And

for

those

readers

wanting to start their own

People become products of their environments and Carly

“YouTube predicted that

Youtube

channels?

Would

is very clear about how important is it to surround herself with

2014 was going to be the year

the right kind of people. People with similar focusses, similar

for the fitness industry and

“Definitely. It couldn’t be

approaches, similar loves who will help nurture your aspirations

that certainly excites me!

easier, I started filming using

and give flight to your dreams.

I have just reached 41,000

the webcam on my laptop using

“My Boyfriend is my biggest inspiration,” she says simply, “We

subscribers and am hoping to

natural light from the window

both work in the industry and I couldn’t respect him more, he

reach 100,000 by my Birthday

and

loves his job and it’s so contagious. I also owe a lot to my family,

in May. I want to grow my

recently to buying my first big

I have never been the type to leave a job without another which

client base and watch them

girl camera and Lightbox. You

is inevitably what I did when I left my job of 7 years. They always

reach their goals, I’m also

can make it with whatever you

speak sense and when they told me to do it, I knew everything

planning on getting them all

have, just let your personality

was going to be ok.

Carly suggest it?

progressed

only

very

to take part in a big fitness

shine through and people will

“I also have incredibly supportive friends, helping to hold

challenge together so watch

find you.”

the camera, sharing my posts on their networks and being there

this space! My end goal is to

when I just need to switch off and have a giggle. Everyone around

have my own studio / clothing

me knows how important this is to me and I have gone from

line and be able to travel the

being the girl who never knew what she was supposed to do to

world visiting my YouTube

Endeavour Magazine | 93

PIXIWOO BEAUTY IN BUSINESS I

t’s amazing what one small

and she said to me: “I’m filming

email can do. Entrepreneur

make up videos for YouTube, and

sisters Nicola Haste and Sam

people seem to be enjoying it. Do

Chapman know only too well;

you want to do one?” I agreed,

after an enquiry from a friend,

and five years later, we have 1.5m

they have built a successful

subscribers all over the world,

makeup

and love what we do for a living.

tutorial

business

-‘Pixiwoo’ - through YouTube.

Katie Richardson chats to

YouTube and more are interested

one half of the creative duo,

in joining the movement

Nicola, discovering the tricks to

and trying their hand at it. Is

making money through video

YouTubing a lucrative market?

media and learning a few makeup tricks in the process Pixiwoo is a big player in the

Everyone wants to know how to make money on YouTube; it’s the first question anyone asks!

online tutorial market. What

The truth is there is money to

were the motivations behind the

be made but I think the key to

company, and how have they

having a successful YouTube

developed?

channel is to make content you

My sister Sam and I have

LOVE. Be honest with your

been make-up artists for over 17

viewers; there are so many

years. Five years ago, while Sam

young and easily influenced

was heavily pregnant with her

people looking up to you. Sam

second child, a friend of hers sent

and I got into YouTube tutorials

her an email asking how to do

as aside from loving make-up, we

the perfect ‘smokey eye’ makeup.

wanted to help others feel good

As it is so hard to explain, Sam

about themselves. We didn’t

decided to film herself with step-

think about it as a job, and I don’t

by-step instructions, and pop it

believe it was possible to earn

on YouTube under her personal

money from YouTube in those

account, ‘Pixiwoo’. Not long after,

days. This honest passion was to

people started commenting on

be the key to our future success.

the video.

A month later, I had taken a week out from work to help her look after her newborn baby

94 | Endeavour Magazine

Many people make money on

Surely being sisters and also business partners – there must be the odd disagreement?

Sam and I are extremely

close, and the best of friends. I think working with a partner is always

Makeup LTD, Target and many

successful in this industry, so

hard and we don’t always agree with each other but we have total

more. This means that we will be

we have lots of contributors and

respect for each other and how hard we both work. Both of us have

travelling a lot this year to show

experts writing for us, showing

two children, so it’s not easy to juggle more than a full-time job and

off our new venture.

off their talents and tips. It’s our

motherhood, but we have a fantastic family and everyone works

We have also been doing a

baby and we love it. We do have

lot more TV appearances, which

a few other exciting things in the

is very exciting. At the moment

pipeline, but you’ll have to check

we are the experts on ‘TLC

out our website later in the year

What Sam and I offer is a make-up artist/best friend who can teach

Extreme beauty disasters’, a

to find out.

you all the tricks of the trade without having it feel intimidating. I think

show which explains how to fix

What was the first thing

our subscribers come back because what we teach works. It helps

make-up problems. Pixiwoo also

you did when you hit a million

them look and feel better; we are completely honest and we don’t use

film for a few other TV formats

subscribers?

products that we don’t like and pretend that we do. Our subscribers

on YouTube like ‘Dailymix’, and

We

have grown with us along the way; they have been there though all

‘Bodytalk’.

together.

What do you offer your subscribers, and how do you keep them coming back again and again to your channel?

our five years on YouTube and we have worked with many celebrities

each

other

screaming and then tweeted all

Sam and I also have our own online

called

you’re the best!” We couldn’t do

have two children and, unfortunately, two miscarriages. We are real

TWO Magazine which has been

any of it without them and we are

woman, just like them, and they can relate to us.

available for just over a year now.

extremely humbled every day.

Pixiwoo in 2014?

magazine

our followers to say: “Thanks,

and different types of people. They have seen me get married and

What are some of the most exciting developments happening with

free

rang

We have more than 100,000 followers, and it showcases

Sam and I have a new brush range called ‘Real Techniques’ by

all the amazing people that

Sam and Nic Chapman. We are so proud of them and they have

work in the makeup, fashion

been extremely successful. They are available in Boots, Superdrug,

and photography industry. We

and beauty insights from Nic

Wal-Mart, Ulta, Kohls, Amazon, Drugstore.com, Professional Online

know how hard it is to become

and Sam at www.pixiwoo.com

Check out the latest news

Endeavour Magazine | 95

BOOK REVIEWS

A

t an event at the Akshara Theatre in New Delhi on 8 January, 2014, Shaleen Rakesh released the book at a quiet function with family and close friends. “Today is

specially chosen as the day to release the book since it’s my father’s birthday,” said Shaleen Rakesh, the son of celebrated Hindi writer, Mohan Rakesh.

The book is a collection of gay poetry which traces the journey of the poet’s life over the last 20 years. It speaks about issues facing the Indian gay community including love, loss, desire and relationships.

Rajat Vashisht of the World View Collective, which has published the book said, “Shaleen’s poetry is full of silent irony and humour, very characteristic of this genre worldwide.”

The love that illuminates Shaleen’s poetry takes different forms since he is confronted by deep homophobia as a gay man growing up, and he must find a way back to the living through language. Some of his poems are like songs of grief. Despite all odds, Shaleen finds love

The Lion and the Antler

by Shaleen Rakesh

again and again in his life, and conveys a sense of steadiness and affirmation at the heart of the marvellous.

“For Shaleen, poetry is possibility looking for a human voice: it is a lover, a man, a lonely bird. The poet’s voice cannot be stifled for it sustains the community as well as the writer. Shaleen’s poetry is the bearer of both instinct and intelligence, fuelled by sensitivity and a need to live,” added Vashisht during the launch.

The Lion and the Antler tells us a personal story of Shaleen’s love for life and for a life graced by love, of the rebirth of love in a culture of intense and suffocating homophobia. Once Shaleen has outlined grief and solitude, he is determined to begin again with new and pure eyes, after each confrontation with the depth of the abyss.

In the end, this first collection of poems is about love, grief, hope and above all, about life, living, in the face of darkness and silence.

96 | Endeavour Magazine

Hitler was not the tactical

The De-Textbook: The Stuff You Didn’t Know about the Stuff You Thought You Knew

By Cracked Staff http://amzn.to/1ez1gOB

genius he is made out to be, but more of a media savvy public speaker who suffered from really bad flatulence!

The Egyptian pyramids were

T

originally covered is polished

his book is a amazing fact book based around correcting many

limestone

of the misunderstandings about subjects like history, the

reflected the light from the sun/

human body/mind, physics, animals etc.

moon.

It is written by the writers of the humor website cracked and is

similar in content.

that

would

have

Very few Muslim women wear veils, fewer than 5 per cent

Here are some of my favorite bits:

of Middle Eastern countries

It appears that we are pooping wrong, for most of human history

require the veil by law and in

we squatted down but with the invention of the toilet changed to

fact more Muslims countries ban

sitting. Sitting on the toilet causes a kink in your poop tubes slowing

the wearing of veils than require

down the process and can give you hemorrhoids!

them. 62% of Muslims are not

The Velociraptors depicted in Jurassic park are not accurate, the real thing is about knee high and covered in feathers.

even Arab, most are from the Asia-Pacific region, Indonesia has

There could be more planets in our solar system than we think, certain parts of our solar system are too close or too far away from the sun to be viewed.

more than 200 million Muslims and India has about 500 million.

I might be wrong but I

Ostriches are not silly creatures that stick their heads in the

think there are some factual

ground, they are in fact bad asses that can run sixty miles per hour for

inaccuracys, for example the book

half a hour and kill a lion with one kick of their ridiculously strong legs.

gives the standard historian’s answer that America dropped the atom bomb on Japan to end world war 2 without having to invade Japan. But we now know this to be wrong, the Japanese were in secret peace talks and Japan was nuked to scare the Russians.

Another inaccuracy is the

Sex and the City—the original stories that started it all—now available as an eBook!

Candace Bushnell http://bit.ly/1fn51L6

S

book states the “calories in, calories out” theory of weight loss which is out of date, modern theory is based on a hormonal understanding of weight gain.

ex and the City is a

the rich and famous is by turns

gossip page, sociological study,

fantastic and sometimes

witty and shocking, and always

and dating manual, Sex and the

terrifying

into

boldly true. In these pages you

City, Candace Bushnell’s former

the hearts, minds, and mating

will meet “Carrie,” the young

New York Observer column, has

habits

New

writer looking for love in all the

attracted a cult following and

packs

wrong places; “Samantha Jones,”

been adapted into two major

from lavish parties to high-end

the

proto-cougar

motion pictures and one of the

clubs, Bushnell’s vividly candid

who approaches sex just like a

most popular TV series of our

characters live out the never-

man; and “Mr. Big,” the captain

time. This is the groundbreaking

ending search for the perfect

of industry who jumps from one

work

relationship. Bushnell’s firsthand

bed to the next.

and shaped a culture and a

Yorkers.

of

foray

modern-day

Travelling

in

commentary on the behavior of

successful

Equal

parts

soap

opera,

that

generation.

both

decoded

The section of human nature is quite wonderful and funny, it is great to see how we lie to ourselves to protect our self esteem and the many logical mistakes we make every day.

Overall I thought this book was great, it does appear to be a rehash of what is on the website but the website is great so this is no bad thing. It is funny and informative and I recommend it.

Endeavour Magazine | 97

Do your bit – Help our Heroes

To donate by phone, please call 01725 514 130 or Text ‘Hero’ to 70900 to donate £5*

www.helpforheroes.org.uk Registered charity number 1120920 *You will be charged £5 plus your standard network rate. £5 goes directly to Help for Heroes. Helpline 01494 750 500.