N Touch

Caledonia stun D/Force, Jabloteh keep winning

CALEDONIA AIA edged Defence Force 1-0 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, Tunapuna, while CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh remain atop the T&T Pro League as the 16th round of matches were contested yesterday. With the seconds ticking away at Macoya, Sheldon Emmanuel shot home past Defence Force goalkeeper Selwyn George to give the “Stallions” only their third win of the season. Another team registering their third victory was Arima Fire, who whipped fellow strugglers Joe Public 2-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima.

Dale Simon placed his 38th minute penalty beyond the reach of dreadlocked goalkeeper Donovan Thomas. And striker Handel Manswell blasted a 30-yard drive past the despairing lunge of Thomas to secure full points for the firemen over the “Eastern Lions”. Champions Jabloteh easily took care of cellar-placed Tobago United at the Roxborough Sporting Complex, romping home to a 4-0 victory. National Under-23 midfielder Michael Celestine put Jabloteh in front after eight minutes, with striker Cornell Glen, back from senior team duty in Morocco, scoring his team’s second in the 28th. Roxborough-born defender Cyd Gray put the game beyond reach of the winless Tobago lads with a goal in first half stoppage time, while Celestine completed the scoring and his double in the 49th.

W Connection are eight points behind Jabloteh following a 4-1 triumph over North East Stars at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. The Stars did themselves no justice with an own goal, while veteran midfielders Arnold Dwarika, Kerwyn Jemmott and Lyndon “Chubby” Andrews were also on target for Connection. With Stars and Defence Force dropping three points each, South Starworld Strikers climbed to third after a 2-1 win over South West Institute of Football (SWIF) at the Palo Seco Recreation Ground. Errol Charles and Marc Borde netted for the winners while national Under-23 defender Lyndon Diaz notched SWIF’s consolation.


 

San Juan want FA replay

OFFICIALS of Samba Extra Malt San Juan United are calling for their Lucky Bakery-sponsored Eastern Football Association FA Trophy quarter-final match against Joe Public to be replayed. And a letter of complaint has been sent to both president of FIFA Joseph Sepp Blatter and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation general secretary Richard Groden. When the original match was contested at Squadron Ground, Arouca, on Tuesday last, the teams played to a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time. And without playing extra-time because of fading light, the referee went straight to kicks from the penalty spot. Still the San Juan team and the Eastern Lions were  knotted up 5-5 and the referee decided to stop the kicks and go to a toss of coin which Joe Public won. But San Juan manager John Martin is contending that the referee erred in starting the penalty kicks then changing it to sudden death before reverting to regular penalties. Martin said the coin toss took place at 6.45 pm, and expressed the belief it should have been done in a lighted area where relevant personnel could have seen the coin.

He said, instead the referee, apart from not showing the coin to the captains, went ahead and had the flip in the middle of the unlighted football field. Martin also claimed that Joseph “Sam” Phillip, manager of Joe Public and an EFA executive member appeared among the two captains and the referee and made it known “not speaking as a Joe Public member but as an executive of the EFA, win, lose or draw, the coin toss must be taken.” He said as a result, he believes Phillip’s presence would have influenced the referee and subsequently his action constituted  a conflict of interest.

Martin said his club was “totally dissatisfied with the manner of operations of the referee in this match.” He said they believe the referee made a very serious error of judgement which caused chaos and delay which in turn led to the coin coss being taken in the dark. Added to this, Martin said Phillip’s presence and comments were improper and “for all these reasons we are asking for a replay of this match.” Martin further said his club is also calling for an investigation into the operations in the refereeing of football matches in the EFA.

Lee captures NFM-Palladins chess

The National Flour Mills sponsored Palladins Chess Club tournament came to a close with Cecil Lee winning the Seniors Division convincingly. He completed a comprehensive victory over Sean Perryman in the final contest of the day. Perryman, though the top junior among the seniors, was outwitted by Lee’s masterful play. Ravishan Singh followed Lee into second and Kishore Ramadhar was third while Desiree Derrick and Camille Chung were tied in the Senior Female Division. St Mary’s College student Aschille Clarke-Mendez rose above Mark Richards of Fatima and Alpacino Smith of St Monica’s to cop the Under-15 crown. Smith however distinguished himself and took the top spot in the Under-12 division.

Sinead Furlonge was jointly tied with Keron Cabralis behind Smith with  Prithvi Ramakrishna fourth. But Cabralis was not to be outdone and in the Under-8 division he kept Vandoff Smith and Marie Guisseppi at safe distance behind him in second and third respectively. Lyndy-Ann Guisseppi got the better of Sinead Furlonge leaving the latter in second place and taking the top junior female prize. Prasanna Ramakrishnan at five years was awarded a special prize for being the youngest competitor. He competed in the Under-8 division.

Jane Public maul Net Shakers 5-0

TIAHCO STINGRAYS won their second successive match by default as the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Football Association (TTWFA) 2003 season continued. St David’s United, like Arima Ball Masters a week earlier, failed to turn up to face the red-hot Stingrays at Frederick Settlement, Caroni on Saturday. Jane Public stayed within touching distance of Stingrays after a 5-0 win over Port-of-Spain Net Shakers in a soggy outfield at the Police Barracks, St James. Slimly-built striker Janelle Nedd, captain Leslie-Ann James and national teammate Aveann Douglas gave the Macoya lasses a 3-0 halftime lead with Douglas and Asha Gibbon, who replaced Nedd midway in the second half, completing the rout. The Memphis-Cruz International encounter, scheduled for the Arima Municipal Stadium, was postponed due to the absence of a referee, with the Cruz team refusing to play under a stand-by official.

And the Petrotrin-Pro Sports Central United clash was also rescheduled due to the unavailability of Guaracara Park on Saturday, with Central turning down an alternative clash yesterday. In related news, Diego Martin Copius have withdrawn from the league, according to team manager Bertrand Phillip. Phillip stated that the Copius were unable to sustain the use of their home base at the Diego Martin Secondary Grounds, Diamond Vale and, ironically, the majority of his players were unable to train due to commitments with D/Martin Secondary. TTWFA president John Worrell added that his organisation will hold a meeting this week to decide on the results of Diego’s forthcoming matches against Ball Masters and Jane Public.

‘The Class’ leaves railbirds spellbound

EVERYTIME the Royal Oak Derby comes around it brings along a feeling of renewed interest in the sport of horseracing and yesterday was no exception at the gallops at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, where a number of fresh faces were seen out. And those putting in appearances must have left pleased with what they saw and are sure to spread a good word on the upward direction in which racing is heading, after seeing some of the entrants for the Blue Riband event going through their paces ahead of next week Wednesday’s battle. Their timing could have been more appropiate since they were privy to one of the most scintillating workouts ever by a locally-bred racehorse on the sand course at racing headquarters.

The one winning accolades on the morning was none other than Top Of The Class. The Easter Guineas and Midsummer Classic winner, who will be seeking this year’s triple crown and the $250,000 bonus put up by CLICO for achieving the feat was awesome. The son of Freshly Squeezed working the last 1000 metres of the course clocking a fiery 58.77 seconds with raceday rider Ricardo Jadoo aboard. The Glenn Mendez inmate skipped though his assignment at Stewards Cup pace, posting fractions of 11.23, 23.36, 35.02, 46.93 before completing his act. His flashing hooves had tongues wagging in “clockers corner,” leaving one faithful to remark, “the last time such fractions were recorded was when Evaristo had his final blowout before capturing the Clasico.”


Following are gallops recorded yesterrday:
400 METRES: Smart And Lucky and Fabulous Risk — 23.12, good; Royal Red — 23.59, good; Smooth Operator — 24.86, easy; Hassan and Caribbean Kiss — 24.10, good; Outburst — 25.39, handily; Privilege and Runaway Rocket — 27.53, pacing; Sea Spider — 29.43, pacing; Entertainer — 27.20, handily; Ex Narciss Toi — 29.33, pacing; Hold The Fort and Massoud — 29.87, pacing; Undercover Angel — 27.50, handily; Principle — 25.71, handily.
600 METRES: Skye Skipper — 35.90, good; Shezabute — 35.66, ridden out; French Academy, Atlantic Breeze and Jay Low — 35.03, good; Time To Fly, Skylite and El Presidente — 35.33, good; Digital Alarm — 40.36, handily; Tribal Place — 43.63, pacing; Twice A Jet and Lady Secret — 40.61, handily; Red Hill — 39.00, handily; Chief Of Staff — 37.09, ridden out. Miss Emma — 39.02, handily; Trini To The Bone, Alamanamou and Ex Island Chinmes — 37.88, handily; Cotonou — 40.53, handily; Moulin Rouge and Chief Commander — 39.45, handily; Alex — 40.68, ridden out; Soul Asylum – 37.51, handily; Kay Gee Bee — 44.86 pacing; Seductive — 36.89, ridden out; Rebel Music — 43.25, pacing; Zalyan — 38.79, handily; Ex Miss D D Walton and Pyrite Take — 43.17, pacing.
800 METRES: Miss Lover Lover and Kalyan — 47.67, good; Magen — 57.12, pacing; Ring Dang Do — 57.65, pacing; Once In A Lifetime — 52.09, handily; Mary Magdalene — 51.75, handily; Ex Smoothawn — 56.59, pacing; Skippy’s Dream — 58.05, pacing; Francesca — 55.50, pacing; Hatrick — 56.09, pacing; Regent Boy — 56.63, pacing; First Time — 52.64, handily; Royal Flush — 55.73, pacing; Return To Sender — 51.31, handily; Tora Bora and Under Influence — 51.33, handily; Ex Crackajack — 57.48, pacing; Splitting Image — 52.86, handiily; Phantom Bidder – 52.08, handily.
1000 METRES: Top Of The Class — 58.77, impressive; Gold Conveyor — 1:01.70, good; Stormy Season — 1:13.02, pacing; Napoleon — 1:12.73, pacing; Supreme Dancer — 1:06.32, handily; Golden Honour — 1:05.55, handily; Gaza Strip — 1:02.86, good; Undisputed and Invincibility — 1:05.00, handily.;Due Dilligence and Isle Be There — 59.41, good — Due Dilligence better; Lanton Lady — 1:10.38, pacing.
1200 METRES: Outswinger — 1:29.99, pacing; Naturelly Classy and Sweet Dreams — 1:15.87, good.

WASA stay afloat, Maraval eye crown

WASA Clean and White maintained their lead atop the table in the inaugural All Sport National Super League with a 3-0 thrashing of Tamana United at WASA Ground, St Joseph yesterday. Caroni were also in winners’ row yesterday, squeezing past Club Sando 3-2 at Gilbert Park, Couva. And, on Friday night, a crowd numbering 2,000 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo saw Maraval Youth Academy edging Defence Force 3-2 while another protective service team, Police, also lost by a similar scoreline to Crab Connection. Before the crowd could settle down for the nightcap at Mucurapo, the lawmen grabbed the lead after two minutes of play, with stocky striker Brent Lyons unleashing a 25-metre shot which sailed past Connection goalkeeper Achim Persue.

But the Crabs dusted themselves and went on a three-goal burst in the space of 10 minutes, a spell that decided the outcome of the eagerly-awaited match. From a short corner on the left, in the 15th, the dread-locked Roger Patrick sent a lob that found Jerome Bennett whose header struck the upright and nestled in the back of the net. The other two goals for the Eastern Football Association (EFA) powerhouse were due to defensive lapses. In the 22nd, Marlon Warner dumped a long ball forward to a goal-bound Michael Alexis who, to his delight, capitalised on a missed clearance from Kheon Archie to blast home from 12 metres out. Three minutes later, goalkeeper Ryan Edwards failed to hold a drive from Bennett, with Irving Trim tapping into the open goal.

A header from Police captain Neri Joseph cannoned off the upright in the 41st but, in the 56th, a long ball from substitute Dwight Elliott was missed by Persue while Kevin Baptiste saw his attempted clearance enter his own net. Both teams seemed exhausted by their exploits, with Connection holding firm for full points. Maraval kept their unbeaten run intact with a come-from-behind win over the Army-Coast Guard combination, who now have faint hopes of pocketing the $25,000 jackpot. Defence Force got the first goal on the night through Cliff Lewis after 28 minutes before Sherwin Waldron equalised on the stroke of halftime. Ainsley Joyeau gave Maraval their first lead in the 66th but Kwese Larrier converted a free kick three minutes later to but D/Force back on level terms. But Joyeau snatched the winner in the 75th to keep Maraval in the hunt for the top prize.

Burke cops Canada HC golf

Andy Burke beat a 100-strong field to emerge overall winner of the fourth annual Canadian High Commission Golf Tournament recently. He topped the competition with 38 points to finish just ahead of D Seecharan in second. Dr G Frankson placed third and Z. Baggan was fourth all with 35 points. S Scoon was fifth with 32 points. Sandra Montano was the top female golfer with a final total of 28 points in the tournament which was held at the Chaguaramas Golf Club.

It was staged to raise funds for the Chaguaramas Youth Golf Programme from which 125 youths have benefitted so far. Canadian High Commissioner Simon Wade was in high praise of the golf club’s ongoing efforts with the programme and extended thanks to their corporate sponsors. Among them are Talisman Petroleum Trinidad Limited, Scotiabank, Atlas Methanol /Methanex, Vermillion Oil and Gas, K-Home Engineering and PCS Nitrogen Trinidad Limited.

TT triathlete champ wins Canada event

Trinidad and Tobago’s Triathlon champion Jason Gooding finished his racing season in Canada by winning the Maple Lodge Farms triathlon series. He topped the six-race series in Ontario with 375 points. “It was a tough season for me,” said Gooding. “It was not my best as I had a lot of problems, both healthwise and financial, over the winter in Canada. I thought I would have been further  along, but my sinuses gave me hell in the cold and I couldn’t train as I would have like. I will take a couple weeks’ some rest and then start back training for next year,” he said. This year he will be doing all his base work in Trinidad.

The many faces of Molly


Coping with solitude is now one of enviromentalist Molly Gaskin’s biggest fears. Giving the eulogy at her mother’s, Mildred C Gaskin, funeral was “the most difficult task” she had ever undertaken in life. Her mother died on April 20 at age 93. Her family was a close-knit one. She was the only child. When her father, Henry Ernest Gaskin, died 10 years earlier, undoubtedly she was grieved. However, she refused to let it overwhelm her since it was clear that she was carrying on his work. He loved life and nature just as much as she did. She was simply carrying the torch. But her history of sorrows stems many years. “I lost a man, whom I was engaged to, in an accident. That was a rude awakening for me. “I took many years to get over that,” Molly said. “Then I got engaged again and that didn’t work out and I thought there was a reason for all that was happening in my life. But then I realised I had other things to do, caring for people.”

She is also a painter. One of her paintings is entitled “The Awakening” interpreted as the awakening of women to their full potential. She had to press on. “I believe its our inner strength that carries the outer. “I have had two hip operations and I thought I was going to be a cripple. “My inner belief was ‘there must be a reason for this’,” she said. Undeterred, Molly, is still realising her full potential and of course, is fuelled by the values her parents instilled in her from youth. Molly is an artist, poet, photographer, environmental activist and operator of the Wild Fowl Trust in Pointe-a-Pierre. “These values fostered my attitude and actions as I became a woman,” she said. She attributes her great love of art and nature to spending many of her childhood days outdoors with her parents. They often went on nature hikes and fishing trips together. Her father was an artist, a botanist and an engineer. Her mother was an educator.

It was her father who taught her everything she knows about nature, art and God. As an artist, she also developed photography skills and in 1977, put together the first audio-visual programme which she personally took to schools and community groups throughout the country, introducing the concept of environmental education to Trinidad and Tobago. Molly grew up in Woodbrook and was educated at St Joseph’s Convent and the University of Cardiff, Wales. At University, she pursued studies in Child Psychology and Natural History. After returning to Trinidad from Wales, Molly decided that she wanted to devote her life to environmental work.  She is known locally, regionally and internationally for her work in conservation and environmental education. She has been recognised internationally by the United Nations with the UNEP Global 500 Award and a UN award in 1997 which recognised only 25 women from around the world for their significant active contributions to humanitarian causes. She was also the recipient of the Humming Bird Medal of Merit in 1996.

Molly started painting at an early age and was helped and encouraged greatly by her loving parents, especially her father. She is self-taught and says that her “inspiration stems from her love for God’s work of art in people and the beauty of our natural environment.” She has also been inspired by experiences in her life, both happy and sad. Her art is influenced by none, however she has been told that her work is reminiscent of Vincent Van Gogh. People generally appreciate and respond positively to her work. She says that this is because she paints from her heart and puts all of herself into her work.She uses the medium of watercolours because she can “strive for perfection with them.” The source of her ideas and influences are watching nature and new life experiences as well as her father when she was a child. In 1982, Molly exhibited the first collection of wildlife photographs in Trinidad and Tobago at Art Creators in St Ann’s. The proceeds went to The Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust which she has developed over the years. Her most recent accolade was the induction into the Hall of Excellence in 2001 for her oustanding contribution to the Environment.
What else is in store for Molly? She said candidly: “More struggles and the ability to bring about the right kind of change.”

‘People say it’s advantageous’

Leon Moore is perhaps the only performing musician hailing from Charlotteville, Tobago, with a two-inch-long playing instrument. He didn’t use his miniature diatonic device, the harmonica, at last year’s finals of Scouting for Talent, but it’s usually an ‘end-off’ to performances at social events. Picture a 200 lb Leon, former bodybuilder, standing behind a microphone, and holding in his right hand a pint-sized musical instrument. “I get a lot of knocking for that. People say ‘a big strong man like you playing a li’l instrument like that. That is advantageous’.” Leon said. His answer: “It’s what I love and I can do best.” (The mouth organ man from the East also plays the acoustic guitar.)

Leon, a courier at the Arima branch of Republic Bank, became one of the more recognised faces after his debut performance at the Bank’s talent show competition in 1996. He received the “Most promising performer” prize and five years later, trumped up his first win. At present, he’s the defending champ at this year’s Republic Bank spectacular event. In his former hometown, however, it was the norm to see villagers at street corners playing the harmonica. As a matter of fact, Leon was one of those who entertained the neighbours in his boyhood days. He recalled how it all started: “Every year I got the same gift for Christmas — a harmonica, because you would get one and lose it. I was in love with the harmonica so that was all I requested. And I played it on the block with the fellas. We never knew about going to bars, drinking and smoking weed.” Leon’s mother was also a harmonica player and would accompany the church choir and entertain the family at Christmastime.

Of his five siblings (two brothers and three sisters), Leon is the sole harmonica player. In 1987, at age 27, he added to his collection of harmonicas, the chromatic harmonica. “I didn’t know how to play it at first until I saw a guy playing it in church. He told me ‘boy yuh start late’, but still gave me a few tips. I played it at home just for fun. I kept playing around with it and eventually it started making sense; and I’m a very fast learner,” said Leon, now 43. The chromatic harmonica, he said, gives him a wider range of notes when compared with the diatonic harmonica. The diatonic plays in octave — A, B, C#, D, E F#, G#, A — while the mini diatonic harmonica has just one octave. “People see this instrument as insignificant, they say this ‘li’l stupidness,’ but the amount of music and emotion this thing could play. I can play any type of music on it, but I’ve never tried soca. I’m thinking about doing it but I like more laid back music with a bluesy feel. I personally have a love for ballads. My television channel does not move from BET jazz.” Though versatile, the diatonic is popularly known as the blues harmonica. “Long ago people knew about the echo super vamper model of Hohner (brand) and that was folk style… and the instrument is internationally accepted, but over the years, has lost its place,” Leon said.

All Leon, or any player for that matter, needs is good breath control to play the instrument. The harmonica is played by blowing and drawing while moving the instrument from left to right. “There’s a technique I use called lipping or tonguing where you form a small ‘o’ with your lips in order to block out a note or a few notes to get another.” Oh boy, can Leon carry a note! He practises at home every night, and sometimes early in the morning — not to disturb the neighbourhood, though. “Even at work, I would find a nice peaceful area. You don’t have to play loudly.” He orders books, video tapes and CDs through a friend abroad and somtimes purchases them at Simon’s music shop in St James. “It took me a while to learn but I played morning ’til night.” He envisiones himself as a ‘local Stevie Wonder,’ whom he greatly admires. He has a number of his recordings on the harmonica on CD. “It’s funny,” he said, “I never had any ambition to be an entertainer. I’d just been playing the instrument for the fun of it. When someone suggested I compete on Scouting for Talent I didn’t believe that I could cope with the many talented singers but I said I’d give it a try… I’m still going through the learning process. On a journey to Port-of-Spain from Arima, I see myself somewhere in Tunapuna. I don’t ever take it for granted…” Since there are not many locals who play the instrument to compare him to, Leon observed: “I don’t compare myself with locals. I compare myself with the best.”