THE EDITOR: This letter is a plea from the residents of Sisters Road. Following is a copy of the letter that was sent to the Minister of Local Government, Jarette Narine, the CEO of the Princes Town Regional Corporation and to the Village Council.
Each letter was itself a petition accompanied by more than one hundred and seventy signatures. To date nothing has been done to alleviate our problem. The picture was taken around the same time, so you could just imagine the state of the bridge now. We are asking that if there is anything that you can do to help us, please make an attempt at it. Thanking you in advance.
Residents of 4th Company Village Road
Hardbargain
4th Company Village Road
Sisters’ Road, Hardbargain
November 21, 2002
Re: Bridge Repair
Dear Sir/Madam
For the past four and a half months there has been a ‘road closed’ sign at the entrance to our road. This sign was put there because the bridge has been in need of dire repairs for the last nine months. From that date to present time nothing has been done to repair the bridge. As a result, the bridge: has fallen below the level of the road; has developed rotten and rotting planks; has lost planks and now has wide holes and gaps in it and is presently resting over the river at a sloping angle. Every day school children and adults including the elderly have to use this bridge.
It is a hazard. It represents disaster waiting to happen. We are now in the middle of the rainy season and high water levels every other day is frequent. Do you want one of the many school children to fall through this bridge and into the fast moving water? There is also an absence of railings on this structure. In addition to being a threat to pedestrians, this bridge is preventing us from accessing important services. At present, we have: no garbage removal service; no gas deliveries; no access to emergency vehicles (EHS, Fire Service appliances) in case something went wrong and no department store deliveries. All we, the residents, are asking is that your organisation rectify this problem speedily. All our verbal complaints and concerns have been ignored and unresolved by the Princes Town Regional Corporation.
Yours Respectfully
RESIDENTS OF 4th COMPANY VILLAGE ROAD
HARDBARGAIN
THE EDITOR: On Friday February 14, 2003 at 4.15 pm, while sitting in my car awaiting the green light at the traffic light intersection adjacent to Nestle’s compound, I observed a green and white Ministry of Health van racing up to my car which subsequently came to a screeching stop mere centimetres from my rear bumper.
Looking into my rearview mirror, I noticed that both the passenger and the driver holding in their hands, a bottle of beer each. While both Ministry of Health employees took long and clearly enjoyable swigs of beer, I wondered about the justification adopted by the driver, to consume alcohol while driving a company vehicle and came up with the following:
The driver was off duty, since everyone knows that the typical public servant refuses to work beyond 4 pm. The driver held a permanent job and believed that he could not be dismissed for drunk driving. The driver believed that no one could read the six inch lettering on the sides of the van which clearly and correctly spelt “Ministry of Health”. The driver believed, on a long hot day, alcoholic beer is the best thirst quencher, rather than plain water. The driver, as he was wearing a torn jersey with both sleeves fashionably ripped off together with hat and dark shades, believed that the only thing needed to complete the “cool” look was a beer in hand. The driver believed himself to be a “Trini macho man” with a small brain and an insatiable appetite for beer. The driver wanted to get an early start on getting drunk on Valentine’s Day so that by the time night came, he would be primed and ready for romance. The driver believed that by buying local beers, he was contributing to the survival of the beer making company and as a result, create employment for the local people; therefore he must do his endeavour best to drink beers both on and off the job. The driver believed it was okay to run the risk of knocking someone down while driving drunk, since he was driving a marked Ministry of Health vehicle which could easily double as an ambulance with emergency access to the very best medical treatment at any Ministry of Health facility.
In the middle of my musing, the traffic light turned green and I proceeded toward Mount Hope Medical Complex. The driver continued to drive dangerously close to my rear bumper, until growing tired of driving behind someone clearly observing the speed limit, he sped off towards the Mount Hope Maternity Hospital with exhaust belching a cloud of black smoke, very much like the suppurate belching of a beer guzzler. To the best of my knowledge, driving under the influence of alcohol is an offence under the law. Additionally, an employee found driving under the influence of alcohol could be dismissed. Unfortunately, these types of civilised rules are of little or no concern to not only this driver, but many other red blooded Trini men, whose mission in life is to prove that Neanderthal man still lives. I have taken the liberty of sending a letter to the Minister of Health with the faintest of hope that someone would follow this matter up. Furthermore, as Ministry of Health vehicles are parked on the compound of the Mount Hope Medical Sciences Complex, I have also sent letters to the CEO and Chairman of the North West Regional Health Authority. I’m sure that the CEO and the Chairman would recall the recent accident involving a Ministry of Health vehicle, at one of the roundabouts on the compound of the Medical Complex.
FRANKLIN ALI
La Romaine
THE EDITOR: All Trinidadians are not as forgetful as many people think. These days you are hearing about this tuner, that arranger of our national instrument. But there is a man who is for many of us, the most complete panman ever to grace our stage, Mr Anthony Williams. Tony set the standards for other bands to follow.
In 1962, with Voices of Spring, pan took a giant step forward. In 1966, Poet and Peasants again pan took another leap forward. Since the recording of Ivory and Steel, I do not think that any other band has cleared that hurdle as yet. Play any of these records you will hear what I mean.
Hear are some facts to consider:
1. As a panman, to be selected in the TASPO speaks for itself.
2. As a tuner, his tenor pans are the fourths and fifths’ and any arranger now would be glad to have the tonal quality of his pans.
3. As an arranger and musical director, anyone who had the pleasure of being at the Queen’s Hall at the Music Festivals and Classics and Carols on Steel would have heard some hair-raising performances, to many of us he is the most complete panman ever. A player, tuner and arranger in one.
Recently Hugh Borde, of Trinidad Tripoli fame, was quoted as saying that Bobby Mohammed caused Tony to pack it in. What rubbish. What utter rubbish: North Stars won back to back Panorama titles in 1963 and 1964. The band also won the steelbands Musical Festival in 1962 sat out in 1964 and won again in 1966 beating the same Bobby Mohammed and Cavaliers into oblivion with masterful renditions of Poets and Peasants Overture and that masterpiece of a test piece, Intermezzo in Eb by Anthony Prospect. Tony was a visionary. He was ahead of his time. The fourths and fifths tenor pan is his idea. Pan on wheels is his innovation. The oversized tenor is his idea also. He introduced change key in the pan calypso with “Dan is the Man”. So he withdrew from Panorama and even from playing mas. North Stars was one of the first steelbands to play for a mas band on the road. Tony was also one of the pioneers of pan composition and was one of the first to record his own composition in 1965 with Pan Down 5th Avenue. So Tony envisaged today’s scenario with bands playing one tune for the entire season and after running out in the preliminaries, no more pan till next year. That was not for him. Many did not share his view. But now we are saddled with a Panorama competition that is killing steelband, yet with no alternative in sight.
DARRLY A M KING
Cascade
BRIDGETOWN: The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) have ended the stand-off that prevented the start of the Carib Beer Challenge semi-finals yesterday and agreed to have both matches start today.
The parties resumed talks yesterday afternoon — after a breakdown on Thursday evening — and after a brief session, settled on the way forward, addressing the contentious issues including increased fees to players in senior domestic competitions. The WICB said they were prepared to begin negotiations with WIPA next week, with both sides being represented by their industrial relations advisors. Players from all the teams — Barbados against Trinidad and Tobago at Kensington Oval in Barbados and Guyana versus Jamaica at Albion — had refused to take the field yesterday morning for the semi-finals. WICB president Reverend Wes Hall and acting chief executive officer Roger Brathwaite, joined by industrial advisor Evelyn Greaves and Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) president Stephen Alleyne, met WIPA executives to address the issues.
WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine, treasurer Wavell Hinds and ex-Test player Phil Simmons represented the players in the negotiations. The parties agreed to establish collective bargaining procedures between the board and WIPA. After the WICB’s questioning of WIPA’s legitimacy to represent all regional players triggered a walkout by Ramnarine late Thursday, the two sides have now decided to develop a mutually agreed format in identifying membership of WIPA, which previously represented only Test and One-Day International players. The board say they will recognise WIPA as the bargaining agent for all players as long as they were satisfied about the authenticity of its membership, and the WICB also said they are prepared to financially support training in leadership and industrial relations for members of WIPA and the WICB. Both semi-finals are now set to start at 10 am today.
SYDNEY: Australian Test cricket captain Steve Waugh said yesterday his team will take on a rejuvenated West Indies side when they travel to the Caribbean next month for a four-Test tour.
“They’re one of the few sides in world cricket on the up,” Waugh said. “(Chairman of selectors) Viv Richards seems to have quite a bit of say in West Indies cricket, which is good for them. World cricket needs them to come back.” Waugh says the home side’s batsmen will be tough. “Their batting looks very strong and there’s some very good young players — Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, then you’ve got (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul, Brian Lara, Carl Hooper and (Ridley) Jacobs there so it’s an excellent batting side. “Jermaine Lawson looks like a good bowling prospect and then you’ve got Merv Dillon and we’ve come across a few other blokes. “They’re going to be a lot tougher than people give them credit for and we certainly won’t be underestimating them. They went through a tough phase for a few years there and they’ve rebounded fairly well and they seem to be more together.”
Australia drew 2-2 during their last Caribbean visit when Waugh’s first series as captain was almost destroyed by remarkable performances from Lara, who averages almost 50 against Australia. “He’ll certainly lift for an Australian series, he always does,” Waugh said of Lara. “He was phenomenal last time we were there and, knowing him, he will want to play well against the best side in the world so he’ll definitely fire up.” Waugh said he enjoys going to the Caribbean. “It’s a fantastic place to play cricket — it’s my favourite,” he said. “The crowds can sometimes be volatile but they really love their cricket and they get enjoyment out of watching it. “The wickets were a little bit unpredictable on the last couple of tours and you can’t take anything for granted.” The tour is to begin with a three-day match in Georgetown, Guyana on April 5 ahead of the First Test there. Seven One-Day Internationals are also scheduled.
TRINIDAD and Tobago swimmer George Bovell on Thursday broke two records for his American university in the National Collegiate Athletic Asso-ciation (NCAA) swimming competition in Texas.
Bovell smashed the US record for the 200-yard Individual Medley with a time of one minute 42.60 seconds which was also better than the American record set by Nate Desing close to 100 years ago. The feat was lauded yesterday by national swimming coach Anil Roberts who has coached Bovell at the Piranha Club. “It is one of the greatest swimming accomplishments in our history and rivals the performance of Mark Andrews 14 years ago,” said Roberts, Sports Co-ordinator in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. Andrews won a bronze medal for TT in the Pan American Games in Cuba in 1991 but later switched allegiance to Canada where he now resides. Roberts said the achievement of Bovell is all the more remarkable since he is deemed a better long-course swimmer but the impressive showing in the shorter event augers well for his preparation for upcoming international competitions.
Roberts said Bovell is sure to be a top gold medal contender at the World Championships in Barcelona, Spain in July and the Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic. “Bovell was not very strong in the breaststroke. In the butterfly and backstroke he was on world record pace but faltered at the 2001 World Championships in Japan but it is good to see he has improved immensely. They can’t possibly catch him now,” said an elated Roberts. He said the country should be proud of the achievement as Bovell is poised to lead Auburn University, the same American college attended by sprint sensation Darrel Brown, to a clean sweep in the swimming competition. Roberts said Bovell is getting a lot of support and is especially inspired by the presence of his father who is in Texas.
LISBON: Luiz Felipe Scolari built Brazil into a football team that conquered the world. But today the Brazilian will try to turn the tables on his country as coach of Portugal, who are eager to erase the memories of their miserable World Cup performance when they went home after the first round.
Brazilian star Ronaldo ackowledges that Scolari is Portugal’s trump card for the friendly match at the Antas Stadium in Porto as the Portuguese seek their first win against Brazil in 37 years. “It’s not going to be easy for Brazil,” Ronaldo said. “Scolari knows us well.” And, as usual, the pressure to perform is on the Brazilians whose roster includes 18 players from European clubs. “In Brazil they’ve already forgotten the great victory that grabbed our fifth world title. But that’s football. Our team’s under pressure to perform every time we go out onto the pitch,” Ronaldo said.
Scolari quit Brazil after last year’s World Cup success and joined talented but underachieving Portugal. His mission is to capture the European Championship title in 2004, a tournament for which Portugal automatically qualifies as host. This is only Scolari’s second match in charge, after a humdrum 1-0 defeat against Italy, and the squad is still in a phase of renewal and experimentation.
Scolari courted controversy by selecting Brazilian-born midfielder Deco, who recently took Portuguese nationality. “It’s a new experience, unlike anything before for me,” said the FC Porto midfielder who has spent most of his career in Portugal. “I haven’t stopped being Brazilian, but only I know how much Portugal means to me.” Widely regarded as the best player in the Portuguese Championship but overlooked by his national team, Deco is another secret weapon against the Brazilians. “He’s a fantastic player, he’s proved that,” Benfica striker Nuno Gomes said of Deco. “He’ll be another trump card for us.” Scolari is expected to scrap the three-man defence which was shaky against Italy.
During training over the past week, he tested a midfield set-up which looks formidable: Deco lining up alongside Real Madrid’s Luis Figo, AC Milan’s Rui Costa and Internazionale’s Sergio Conceicao. Scolari’s also called up two rookies — Nuno Ribeiro Maniche of FC Porto and Leiria’s Jorge Fernandes Silas. Portugal are looking for their 100th home win but go into the match as the firm underdogs.The last time they beat Brazil was at the 1966 World Cup when Eusebio scored twice against Pele’s team. Brazil have won 12 of the 16 meetings between the two countries, compared with two victories for Portugal. The goal tally is also 34-9 in Brazil’s favour.
ADELAIDE: Australia’s Jason Gillespie bowled 18 deliveries at a net session yesterday before declaring he had overcome a heel injury and would be fit for the West Indies tour starting next week.
“Everything seemed to go well, it felt good and really positive,” the fast bowler told reporters at the Adelaide Oval. “Clinically my leg is fine now. “The strength is getting back and just to have a bowl felt really good. I was more than happy with the result.” The 27-year-old withdrew on March 5 from the World Cup in southern Africa after a heel scan showed he had a strained tendon in his right foot. “It’s a great tour and a great place to play cricket,” Gillespie said of the forthcoming four-Test series. “The sun is on your back all the time and in your downtime you can head down to the beach and just relax. “The West Indies at home are a very tough side and you know you have to play very good cricket to win.”
A key member of Australia’s attack, Gillespie had taken eight wickets at an average of 12.25 in four matches at this year’s World Cup before he suffered yet another injury blow. The tall South Australian has missed out on consecutive World Cup triumphs after injury also ruled him out of the 1999 tournament. Gillespie’s career has been repeatedly stalled by injuries, most spectacularly when he collided with captain Steve Waugh while fielding in a test match in Sri Lanka in 1999, breaking his leg while Waugh suffered a broken nose. “Injuries are part and parcel of being a fast bowler,” said Gillespie, who has taken 146 wickets at 26.12 in 39 Tests. “A few years back when I broke my leg I certainly changed my whole training regime and it seemed to have worked. “I have had the odd injury here and there but nothing overly significant, sprains and strains.”
The West Indies open their home Test series against Australia on April 10 and the question on everyone’s lips these past few days is this: Who will be the captain?
While the West Indies were at the World Cup in South Africa, it appeared that Carl Hooper would have been retained particularly after Viv Richards, chairman of the selection committee, said that in the interest of West Indies cricket he should stay on. Since then, however, Hooper has come under heavy criticism, the call has been for a change of leadership, the names of Ramnaresh Sarwan and Wavell Hinds have popped up in discussions around the region, and based on their delay in submitting their recommendation to the Board, the selectors seem to be divided as to who it should be. In fact, based on what is happening, it is almost a sure thing that they are divided.
Richards, it is obvious, wants Hooper, but at least one of the other two selectors has serious concerns about his leadership skills, his tactical skills, his failure to produce as a batsman and his physical fitness. Although the reason for the division could be that the other two selectors want a change and are not prepared to back off, the real reason could be something else. One of the selectors is pushing, not for Sarwan or Hinds, but for the return of Brian Lara and that could be the problem. Looking down the list of candidates it should not be Hooper, it should not be Sarwan, it should not be Hinds, and it should not be Lara. It should not be Hooper because, on top of everything else, the West Indies needs a strong leader, a positive captain, and even if the selectors do not insist that he is 100 per cent fit, a batsman who is not hampered by injured knees.
It should not be Sarwan, not because of his age, not only because he is not accustomed to being a captain, but certainly when the experience of Sachin Tendulkar is remembered, also because it would be too much of a burden on his young shoulders. It should not be Hinds not only because he could be a captain without a place in the team but also because he is not that good a captain to be given the job if he cannot be guaranteed a place in the team; and although he is bold and brave, it should not be Lara for the simple reason that he still has not shown that he has the capacity to lead people. Who then should it be? It should be Ridley Jacobs.
Jacobs, obviously, is not a champion leader and at his age he cannot be long term. All things considered, however, he is the best man for the job at this time and, who is to tell, he may come out with flying colours. He is a quiet man, a simple, unsophisticated man with no pretensions of greatness, he does not wish to be a father figure or the master of all around him and that is the kind of personality that could get the best out of the players.
MINISTER of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes has been blamed for the cancellation of a major professional boxing card scheduled for tonight.
Promoter Bharath Ramoutar said yesterday he has been forced to call off the presentation because there is no Boxing Board of Control in place to sanction the card. He said this is the second time for the year the card, featuring promising female flyweight Ria Ramnarine, has been scratched and it is going to have a very damaging effect on her future prospects. “Ria needs fights to build her record and chances of getting a shot at the Commonwealth, regional and world championship. Without fights, especially at home where she will have the home advantage, she might well retire,” said Ramoutar sadly. He said the repeated cancellation has also put him in an embarrassing situation with match-makers and managers of fighters overseas who have committed themselves to the card but have to be told at the last minute the bouts are off.
Ramnarine, 24, was slated to box New York-based Deidre Hamaguchi. The petite Carapichaima fighter has a record of four wins and two losses with one no-contest, but has impressed all who have seen her display her skill, ring-craft and courage in the ring. Ramoutar said her two defeats were against much more experienced and better-prepared opponents who were both fighting in front of their hometown partisan fans. “We must give Ria the same opportunities in front of her fans to build her record and confidence to take on the top international fighters on an even playing field,” said Ramoutar. He cried shame on Boynes who he said is reluctant to name a new Boxing Board of Control after the three-year term of the last administration, headed by interim chairman Dr Calvin Inalsingh, expired last December. “I hope that politics is not rearing its ugly head. Boxing is being destroyed while the fighters are kept inactive,” said Ramoutar.
He said by Ramnarine’s inactivity, through no fault of her own, her top ten ranking is in grave jeopardy and she stands the chance of slipping out altogether if she does not fight within the first six months of this year. Ramoutar said the only alternative is to have Ramnarine fight overseas but he does not have the funds to promote the bout outside of Trinidad and Tobago. “I am appealing to Minister Boynes to name the Boxing Board immediately and get the sport rolling again,” said Ramoutar. He said he has been able to solicit limited sponsorship for the card, which was to have been staged tonight, but wants to assure his financial backers that the fights will come off as soon as permission can be had from the Boxing Board of Control.
