TT flavour spices Bahrain nightlife

TRINIDAD and Tobago football fans injected a Caribbean flavour to the Bahraini nightlife last week with an impromptu fete at the Pars International Hotel in Juffair. The party was hosted by FIFA vice-president Jack Warner who is Special Advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. Warner and his charming wife Maureen were staying at the Pars Hotel along with Tony Harford, of Allsport Promotion, organisers of the special charter for Trinidad and Tobago supporters for the match against Bahrain last Wednesday. The Warriors beat Bahrain 1-0 to qualify for next year’s World Cup Finals in Germany. Special buses took up the Warriors fans staying at the nearby Best Western Elite Hotel and the Baisan Hotel for the dinner at Pars. On reaching the seaside hotel, the elegantly dressed TT travellers were taken to the hotel discoteque where a party was in full swing with Warner in attendance greeting and meeting his countrymen and women.

Cocktails were served and with everyone getting into the fete mode it was time for dinner which was taken in the ballroom with every kind of fare available including two whole roasted lambs. Following the sumptuous dinner the Trinidad and Tobago supporters relaxed, ole talked and then took to the dance floor attracted no less by the infectious sounds of soca music. It is understood the CDs featuring the latest and best soca artistes were the personal property of Warner who never leaves home without them doing his part as a roving cultural ambassador taking the unique artform all over the world when he goes on official FIFA business. Even the nondancers could not resist the temptation to wine down the place much to the delight of the Bahraini hotel staff and some pretty Korean girls who stormed the! fete but blended in quite well.

Peter O’Connor, a Sunday Newsday columnist and head of the TT Football Federation Marketing Committee admitted that it was more than 20 years since he had taken to a dance floor after enjoying a few sets with Maurissa Findlay of the Ministry of  Sport and Youth Affairs. It was near midnight that the party finally wind down and Trinidad and Tobago fans at the Elite and Baisan were reported to have chipped back to their hotels in groups belting out calypso classics to the rythmn of bottle and spoon. Ruskin Mark, who was in Bahrain covering the match for NCC Channel 4 TV said at least one Bahraini opened his window apparently roused by the late night racket but was more amused than annoyed. A patrolling police car was also attracted by the good natured group visiting the nation for the first time and after inquiring about their whereabouts on the dusty and deserted moonlit streets! wished them well and sped off.