BARATARIA/SAN JUAN MP Dr Fuad Khan is insisting there is nothing illegal about using the Army to track down kidnappers or the Army using force against the kidnappers if they are attacked. On Tuesday, the United National Congress (UNC) MP said the military should be used to ferret kidnappers out of their hideouts because the police did not possess such skills. However he told Newsday yesterday that there was no law about the Army “searching for kidnappers” and any citizen could conduct such searches if they wished. The UNC parliamentarian explained that the Army would essentially be making “a citizen’s arrest” in such cases and soldiers would be well within their rights to defend themselves if attacked by kidnappers. However Khan said the Army only had powers of arrest under a State of Emergency and once the kidnappers are located, apprehension and laying of charges should be left in the hands of the police.
According to Section 8 (2) of the Constitution, the President can declare a State of Emergency when a state of war exists between Trinidad and Tobago and a foreign nation, when a public emergency arises (natural disasters) or “action has been taken, or is immediately threatened by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale as to be likely to endanger public safety or to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community of supplies or services essential to life.” Prime Minister Patrick Manning said Government would not institute a limited State of Emergency in any part of TT as a means of dealing with crime. Head of the recently formed National Crime Committee, Ken Gordon, has publicly called for a limited State of Emergency in certain “hot spots” to curtail criminal activity. Khan said he was optimistic that his request for lists of persons deported to TT over the last two years would be granted within three weeks of Parliament’s resumption on September 29. He claimed that many of these deportees have joined criminal groups which have transformed kidnapping into an “islandwide movement.”
RADANTAH ABU BAKR, son of Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, scored the decisive goal as QRC edged champs St Anthony’s 1-0 to storm to the top of the North Zone standings in the British Gas Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL). Hundreds of Royalian supporters stormed the field at the end of yesterday’s match at QRC Grounds, St Clair, to congratulate their heroes who won their sixth consecutive game of the 2003 season. The crucial moment came in the 61st minute when Abu Bakr headed a right-side corner by Kyle McIvor past Tigers’ goalkeeper Keegan Davidson. St Anthony’s put up a valiant attempt in the final half-hour of play but the equalising goal eluded them.
Malick jumped to third spot following a narrow 3-2 win away to Diego Martin at Diamond Vale, with Mervyn Moore netting a double and Rolston Paul one. Fatima’s inconsistent run continued when they were beaten 2-0 by neighbours Mucurapo at Fatima Grounds, while Morvant/Laventille and St Mary’s played to a drab 0-0 draw at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Naparima remained atop the South Zone with a 1-0 win over champs Princes Town at the Princes Town Ground, with Kezi Lara scoring the winner. Princes Town’s defeat meant that St Benedict’s climbed back to second place following a 2-1 triumph over Vessigny at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, with strikes from Ryan Forbes and Randolph Walters, while Marlon Saunders got the lone goal for Vessigny. Pleasantville’s unbeaten run came to an end yesterday, as they were beaten 1-0 by Mayaro at the Mayaro Recreation Ground, while Fyzabad edged the hapless Presentation by a similar 1-0 scoreline at the Presentation Grounds.
East Zone powerhouse Arima continued their winning ways with a comfortable 4-0 win over cellar-placed San Juan at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar. Arima got goals from Gorean Highley in the 52nd minute, Devon King 62nd, Dorian Daniel 80th and Julio Scott 89th. Jabari Lander, Yannick Pilgrim and Kempess Villafana were on target as St George’s breezed past Toco 3-1 at St George’s Grounds, while Barataria edged Hillview 1-0 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna and St Augustine shut out El Dorado 3-0 at El Dorado Ground. In Central Zone action, Dern Dyer scored a double for Tabaquite to edge Chaguanas 2-1 at Tabaquite Ground, while defending champs Presentation shut out Union Claxton Bay 2-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
TRINIDADIAN Dinesh Ramdin has been chosen as skipper of the West Indies Under-19 team for the Red Stripe Bowl and the World Cup in Bangladesh next year. This was revealed yesterday by a source close to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB). And ex-national cricketer Roland Sampath will manage the team during both series. Ramdin was instrumental in Trinidad and Tobago winning both regional tournaments in Guyana recently, and his leadership skills stood out. Meanwhile, the successful Trinidad and Tobago Under-19 cricketers were each given $1,000 Trinidad Cement Group (TCL) shares by the sponsors of the regional Under-19 tournament. TCL Corporate Communications Manager Michelle Langton said, the shares are worth $5.95 on the stock market and it was given to the team after their excellent performances in winning the limited overs and league title.
Trinidad and Tobago last tasted Under-19 success in 1987 under the captaincy of current West Indies skipper Brian Lara. TCL hosted a reception for the team at the Hilton Trinidad on Tuesday night and Dr Rollin Bertrand, the company’s Chief Executive Officer addressing the players said he was happy for Trinidad and Tobago and also for the way the series was run. “After seeing what has taken place, I feel that with unity and partnership within the region we can challenge the world. “Lets develop the youth and let them know that they are not too young to start investing and thinking of the future.” TTCB president Alloy Lequay congratulated Ramdin and his team and made it clear to those present his Board’s development plan is now bearing fruit.
CRAB CONNECTION are set to become inaugural All Sport National Super Football League kings with victory over Club Sando in the second match of tonight’s “Friday Night Lime” double-header at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. The Crabs lead the standings with 22 points from nine games, and need only one more point from tonight’s game against the Southerners to clamp their gundy on the trophy and $25,000 prize money. Action in tonight’s feature is timed to kick off at 8 pm, with early pacesetters Maraval Youth Academy taking on winless Tamana United in the opener from 6 pm.
Biwater Stokelyvale gave themselves a glimmer of hope for the top prize after a 4-1 whipping of Caroni at Shaw Park, Tobago. on Wednesday night.
Ahmed Mohammed put the Sugar Boys ahead in the 40th minute, but Michael Carrington knotted up the scores in the 44th. And Keston Yorke in the 52nd minute, Floyd Black 71st and Curtis Job 80th secured the victory. League action continues tomorrow with Defence Force hosting Police at Chaguaramas, while Caroni meet Mayaro at Brechin Castle and Biwater Stokelyvale play TCL Samba Boys at Shaw Park.
TRINIDAD and Tobago manager Omar Khan said yesterday his team needed the shake-up they got, being beaten by a West Indies Under-19 team on Wednesday. “Having already won the series 2-0, the guys turned up and were complacent on the day. They didn’t show the enthusiasm as in the previous two games and paid the price. “It is a good thing before going into the Red Stripe Bowl tournament. The players will now have it clear in their minds, that if they don’t focus and relax, they will be defeated.” Trinidad and Tobago were beaten by six wickets by the West Indies Under-19s at the National Cricket Centre.
In a miserable batting performance, Trinidad and Tobago were bowled out for 122 and watched the young West Indians score 123 for four wickets. Khan continued: The boys are still in a good frame of mind and are eager to do well in Jamaica. “They are confident of bringing success to Trinidad and Tobago and once they play to their full potential and avoid a repeat of what transpired on Wednesday will do well.” Meanwhile, the team entered a two-day camp at the NCC yesterday under the guidance of coach Anthony Gray. The former West Indies fast bowler, who coached the Trinidad and Tobago Under-19 team to score an unprecedent double in Guyana last month, winning both the one-day and three-day series, will be hoping for a repeat at the senior level, starting with the Red Stripe Bowl title. Last time Trinidad and Tobago won the regional limited overs title was in 1997 when they shared it with Guyana.
CL FINANCIAL San Juan Jabloteh continue to hold a 10-point lead in the T&T Pro League after a 4-0 shut out of “The Stallions” Caledonia AIA at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. And second-placed W Connection crushed Tobago United 5-1 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, on Wednesday night. The Stallions never got their act together, falling behind to a 44th minute goal by national Under-23 striker Devon Mitchell. Trinidad and Tobago forward Cornell Glen added to his team’s lead in the 58th, blasting his penalty past AIA goalkeeper Anthony Marshall after he was brought down by captain Howard Lowe. A right-side free-kick from Nigel Daniel found an unmarked Glen who buried his header in the 69th, with Mitchell ending the rout nine minutes later, tapping into the open net after Marshall failed to hold a long clearance from Jabloteh keeper Kelvin Jack. A five-goal blitz in the first half by Connection, with strikes from four present and ex-national midfielders, ended all hopes of a second shock Tobago United victory, on the heels of their 1-0 triumph over SWIF.
Lyndon “Chubby” Andrews started the goal spree in the 5th minute with Kerwyn “Hardest” Jemmott doubling the lead six minutes later. Arnold Dwarika got a pair in the 32nd and 42nd, while national under-23 captain Silvio Spann scored in the 35th to seal the deal. Dwayne Jack got a consolation for the Tobagonians. Striker Kevon Carter scored a hat-trick as Defence Force hammered SWIF 5-2 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, Tunapuna. After Bevon Lewis put the Southerners in front just two minutes from the start, Carter scored a quick double in the 21st and 24th, to give the Army-Coast Guard combination the half-time lead. Ronald Boyce made it 3-1 in the 51st, with Carter completing his hat-trick in the 57th, while Akudu Goodridge got the fifth in the 63rd. Dreadlocked playmaker Marlon Minguel pulled one back for SWIF in the 81st. Kester Cornwall netted the equaliser for South Starworld Strikers as they battled Arima Fire to a 1-1 draw at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima.
Alvris Faure Diaz gave the firemen the lead midway into the first half but Cornwall struck back for the visitors.
North East Stars were held to a 0-0 draw by the “Eastern Lions” Joe Public in another game at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground.
Under-20 Scores: SAN JUAN JABLOTEH (1) Rennie Britto vs CALEDONIA AIA (0); JOE PUBLIC (8) Dwight Scott 3, Lincoln Brown 3, Nkosi Blackman, Kevaughn Connell vs NORTH EAST STARS (1) Keron Stewart; DEFENCE FORCE (2) Jhamal Simmons, Shanton Williams vs SWIF (1) Makesi Peters; W CONNECTION (3) Jason Marcano 2, Anton Joseph vs TOBAGO UNITED (2) Marvin Phillips, Gabriel Lashley; STARWORLD STRIKERS (5) Marcus Emmanuel 2, Akil Noreiga, Jamal Ayres, Damian La Fortune vs ARIMA FIRE (1) Ashford Legerton.
FOUR-TIME Olympic medallist Ato Boldon billed as motivational speaker, yesterday urged students at Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive School to keep their options open. And Boldon’s talk was well received by the gathering at the school’s library, as he used examples from his life to paint mental pictures and direct the thoughts of his young audience. During his stay the sprinter told the students they should keep their options open at this time in their life, recognise and develop their strengths, set goals and focus on their priorities paying no mind to the negatives that would present themselves along the way.
This equation, in Boldon’s view would assure success in life as it had worked for him despite pitfalls along the way, coupled with an instruction to take their free education seriously and spend their time being constructive in preparation for the world outside of school. Boldon’s confident speech and willingness to have the students air their queries and concerns made all present comfortable and allowed them to embrace his advice more readily. Responding to questions about his performance during the recent athletics season, Boldon said due to his serious accident in September last year, he sustained hip damage and was told he would be unable to run, which is why he considered his 10.09 run at the World Games a personal victory.
Though he may be on a low Boldon was of the belief that he still had more and promised he would not disappoint at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
To this end the 30-year-old expressed confidence in the ability of Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic team inclusive of Darrel Brown, Kertson Manswell and Nicholas Bovell, who have shown their ability to represent this country well at the Olympiad. CARIFTA 1500 metre gold medallist and Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive student Carlan Arthur, came in for high praise from those gathered, for his achievements on the track for Trinidad and Tobago. But he expressed dissatisfaction at the treatment of middle distance runners by this country. Boldon assured him this attitude was almost global, in that most countries were looking for the “in thing” but that he did not support such action as all country’s representatives should be treated with equal prestige.
A TRINIDAD and Tobago Under-18 rugby team will face off against their Guyanese counterparts here in back-to-back matches today and tomorrow to determine holders of the West Indies Rugby Union (WIRU) South Caribbean title in their age-group. Matches will be contested at the President’s Grounds, St Ann’s from 4.30 pm each day. Winners of this weekend’s series will meet the WIRU North Caribbean champions, as well as the United States, in a three-way playoff for a berth in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. Team manager Curtis Nero, while pleased with his team’s attitude and commitment, was quick to admit that his players will face a tough task against the Guyanese.
TT Squad: Felician Guerra (capt), Adam Seedansingh, Kevin McLean, Akeem Des Vignes, Miguel Lara, Jason Clark, Ackeel Byron, Stefan Grosberg, O’Neal Foster, Dave Paponette, Antonio Jardine, Ben Champan, L’Sean Dyette, Jude Wong Kang, Gerald Welch, Derick Joseph, Abdeel Gibbs, Rowdell Gordon, Matthew Pascall, Shane Alexander, Omawali Kambon, Peter Chaves; Curtis Nero (manager), Deryck Downie (coach), Sean O’Farrell, Maurice Valere (assistant coaches), Karl Muckette (trainer), Andre Ferguson (massage therapist).
ROYAL Oak Derby winning jockey Ricardo Jadoo had a big scare in the previous race while riding Movietowne Magic. But it turned out to be the storm before the calm. While well in the lead astride Movietowne Magic in the hotly-contested Diamond Stakes Handicap, a hook on the bridle of his mount came loose, leaving Jadoo without steering equipment. “We were travelling so fast I did not know what to do,” Jadoo said. “It was scary. I thought for a moment about jumping off, but when I remembered I had Top Of The Class in the next race, stayed in the saddle and hoped for the best,” the top rider recalled. And the best followed.
Jadoo, who at the beginning of the day had a one-win advantage over Wilmer Galviz in the race for jockey championship honours, completed a double as apart from the Derby, he landed Gaza Strip in the final race of the day to go three clear of his Venezuelan challenger. What followed Jadoo’s scary moment in the race prior to the Derby, was turned into history. His mount Top Of Tthe Class relishing the fast ground at Santa Rosa Park on Republic Day, Wednesday, destroyed his rivals in the Royal Oak Derby to capture the Triple Crown, only the second horse to achieve the feat at the new centralised facility. The colt raced into an early lead and maintained a cheeky advantage for the first 1,200 metres.
Given his head on the backstretch by Jadoo with about 800 metres to run in the 2,000 metres event, the chestnut colt kicked on to turn the Group One event into a procession, beating stablemate Celebration Time by 13 lengths with Isle Be There a further 1 1/4 lengths in third and the Brian Harding ridden Due Dilligence 2 1/4 lengths in fourth. Due Dilligence was later disqualified for interference and placed fifth. And humiliating his three-year-old peers, Top Of The Class also wrote his name in the record books with a new track and race record with his time of two minutes 05.48 seconds for the 2,000 metres trip, bettering the previous 2:06.03 recorded by Terremoto in the prestigious race in 1998, and the 2:06.01 course mark held jointly by Sian’s Gold and New Millenium. On his return to the winners’ enclosure Jadoo said, he never had a worry in the 2,000 metres classic.
“He (Top Of The Class) was never pressed and when asked to quicken he answered readily.” Asked to compare this year’s winner with New Millenium which gave him his first Derby victory in 2000, Jadoo replied instantly: “Top Of The Class is a notch above.” And Jadoo then expressed the thought that the record-breaking triple crown winner is still on the improve. “He’s is getting better with time and will win the Champion Stakes.” Victory in the Royal Oak Derby was sweet all round. It gave Jadoo who piloted him to victories in the Easter Guineas and Midsummer Classic a first triple crown success, and it was worth $120,000 in stakes money to connections Rupert Leong Poi and Merlin Samlalsingh, and an added $250,000 bonus offered by CLICO for achieving the feat. Should Top Of The Class continue his rich vein of form and land the Champion Stakes on November 29, the son of Freshly Squeezed/Crescendo will add a further $750,000 offered by the insurance giants to his account. Victory by the chestnut colt, bred by Myrna Hadeed at the Poon Tip Stud Farm, Santa Cruz, also brought joy to the hearts of trainer Glenn Mendez and groom Charles “Ben Ali’ Haley, who combined with Dale Whittaker to achieve the Triple Crown feat for the first time at racing headquarters, with the Wilma Primus-owned Carnival Messiah two years ago. Winning the Triple Crown a second time with Top Of The Class wrote Mendez’s name into the history books as the first ever trainer to accomplish the feat.
STRIKERS Jerren Nixon and Nigel “Pistol” Pierre have been included in a 33-member squad, announced by national senior football team coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier, for training which resumes tomorrow from 7.30 am. The session will take place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, with double emphasis on the senior team preparing for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers and the Under-23 unit awaiting the winner of the Grenada-Cayman Islands tie as they continue their Olympic qualifying phase. Nixon has been in prolific form for his club North East Stars since joining the Sangre Grande-based outfit in August while Pierre has been inactive since he was dropped by Joe Public due to disciplinary reasons. Pierre is expected to join discarded “Eastern Lions” defender Keyeno Thomas at Pro League leaders San Juan Jabloteh next week. Charles-Fevrier revealed that he is taking a closer look on the local-based players after stressing on the foreign-based pros during their recent 2-0 defeat to Morocco.
“Following discussions with my other staff members, we now feel that we have to rebuild a team and my reason for this is because we have had a basic crop of players for the past six to eight years and I think the time has come for us to look towards a new generation. In saying that, we also have to keep some of the more experienced players in the team to be part of the effort.” Squad: Goalkeepers – Jan-Michael Williams (W Conn-ection), Kelvin Jack, Daurance Williams, (Jabloteh), Kevin Graham (Joe Public), Peter Ramon Fortune (Arima Fire); Defenders – Keyeno Thomas, Ronald Primus, Nigel Daniel (Jabloteh), Julius James (Joe Public), Kenwyne Jones, Lyndon Diaz (SWIF), Corey Rivers, Shelton Williams, Anton Pierre (Defence Force), Reynold Carrington (W Connection); Midfielders – Devon Caseman, Denzil Theobald (Joe Public), Kerry Baptiste, Michael Celestine, Trent Noel, Josh Johnson (Jabloteh), Conrad Smith (Caledonia AIA), Errol Charles, Andre Charles (Starworld Strikers), Silvio Spann, Stokely Mason (W Connection); Strikers – Devon Mitchell, Cornell Glenn, Nigel Pierre (Jabloteh), Kendall Davis (W Connection), Bevon Lewis (SWIF) Jerren Nixon (North East Stars), Andre Toussaint (Joe Public).
