Carlos the toast of Patna

SOCA WARRIORS players Carlos Edwards, Cornel Glen, Angus Eve (a past Warrior) and goalie Shaka Hislop were all celebrated in the Diego Martin area yesterday afternoon with a series of events led by a motorcade from the Diego Martin Regional Corporation centre.

Hislop was however absent at yesterday’s function. Hundreds of residents and schoolchildren lined the route of the parade to greet Edwards who was driven in the back of a fire services jeep while Glen was seated inside. The motorcade made stops along the way to greet the villagers and students who sought autographs.

Students from Edwards’ alma mater — the Corpus Christi School — came out in their numbers to see their hometown hero. By the time the parade ended at the Patna Village Community Centre there wasn’t nearly enough room for the fans who turned up for the formal part of the afternoon.

Newsday caught up with Edwards’ parents Carlton and Elizabeth who expressed an outpouring of pride in their son.

“I’m very proud, I’m happy,” Elizabeth gushed as her husband who is a painter, said, “We are overwhelmed. Any achievement that is good, one would be elated. Even to see the achievement together with the community, we feel proud about the whole venture.”

Asked if his son will play a part in curbing crime plaguing the community, the proud father said, “Oh yes. Carlos will try to do something about it. Even what we have seen here ... unity is strength and wherever there is good influence, that’s a factor that we take into consideration and good things will come about.” The event itself was special to Edwards. “These are the people that made Carlos Edwards on the whole. These are the ones who were behind me from day one. These are the people who I grew up with, lived with and socialised with and I think for them to give me a whole welcome like this is something very special. I do appreciate it very much,” Edwards said.

The rising football star vowed to use his influence on the younger ones to deter them from negative social behaviour.

“I would try to do my best to keep the crime down and give a good shout out to the people of Patna. I would like to and I hope that me being a role model for the kids will impact on them. There is so much that I can do but it is up to the individuals themselves to do things to try and clamp down the crime in the area too,” Edwards said.

At the centre, a number of people greeted Edwards, including Nigel Grosvenor, his former coach at St Anthony’s College, Oba La Roach, a former batch member at the TT Regiment and Diego Martin MP Colm Imbert.

Imbert said it was an honour to present Edwards with a token of Patna’s appreciation. He also spoke with pride of the other Warriors who were present and the roles they played in the match against Sweden.

Corporation councillor Bernard Cropper announced that the current Patna Recreation Grounds will be developed and upon completion will be renamed the Carlos Edwards Recreational Grounds.

Also, Pearl Parkway will be renamed after Shaka Hislop and the Corporation was now on the hunt for suitable parks in Carenage and Cocorite in which to rename in honour of Angus Eve and Cornel Glen respectively, since those are the areas where these two Warriors were originally from. (See Page 14)