Prez on Rhine river boat cruise:

PRESIDENT George Maxwell Richards is confident that Trinidad and Tobago will win the final Group ‘B’ match at the World Cup Finals and advance to the next phase of the competition.

Professor Richards made the bold declaration yesterday when he addressed close to 300 Soca Warriors fans at a luncheon hosted in the village of Rudeswein in the heart of the German wine country near Frankfurt.

“Trinidad and Tobago is going to defeat Paraguay on Wednesday and we are moving ahead in the World Cup,” President Richards said to loud cheers from the red-shirted Caribbean football fans.

They were part of a special charter arranged by All Sport Promotions headed by Anthony Harford which included corporate clients TSTT, The Tobago House of Assembly and CLICO.

President Richards, who is patron of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, said he was impressed with the attitude of the Trinidad and Tobago players when he visited their training camp last Tuesday in Rotenburg, northern Germany.

“They were positive and showed a fighting spirit and they will do well and they showed it against Sweden and England,” said President Richards.

The Trinidad and Tobago Head of State and his wife Dr Jean Ramjohn-Richards are in Germany to add their support to the team which are making their debut at the World Cup Finals and are the smallest nation ever to do so.

President Richards said while on his way to Germany he read a Financial Times article which described the Soca Warriors as no-hopers and predicted that they would be sent home without a point.

However he was happy to announce that after two matches they had earned the respect and admiration of all and are still in with a mathematical chance of qualifying for the round of 16.

Addressing the luncheon at Rudeswein, Professor Richards wearing his Soca Warriors Polo jersey, said Trinidad and Tobago possess untold talent in many spheres of life.

“We are the biggest exporters of ammonia in the world and the largest suppliers of natural gas to the United States. We also have produced a Nobel Laureate in Vidia Naipaul. And now we have the Soca Warriors,” said Professor Richards to another round of loud cheers.

Earlier the President and his wife had joined the All Sport Promotion party for a boat cruise up the River Rhine where he relaxed on deck soaking up the rich history of the German wine country.

Also on the historic trip were Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul, Port-of-Spain Mayor Murchison Brown and Mayor of San Fernando Ian Atherly.

President Richards was busy moving around, chatting with the Soca Warriors fans and posing for photos with his fellow countrymen and women who were excited that he consented to spend the day with them in a far-off country.