JAMAAL SHABAZZ is yet to find out whether or not he will be re-appointed assistant national senior football team coach by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF). The 41-year-old was recently released from the Federal Detention Centre, Miami for alleged possession of a forged American visa.
“Since I’ve returned (on Sunday) I haven’t had any discussion with the TTFF,” Shabazz told radio station Radio 97FM yesterday. In the meantime, the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen member is focussing his attention on his struggling club Caledonia AIA, claiming that he is “doing a lot of rebuilding work with (the team).” Shabazz, who also serves as head coach of the Caledonia AIA and technical director of the national women’s squads, was on his way to attend a coaching course in the United States, on behalf of the TTFF, when he was held by immigration officials at Miami Airport. The former goalkeeper, who also goes by the name Hyron Best, was also mandated to perform 15 hours of community service in Miami, including coaching sessions, once he returns to the US. But his re-entry into the US will depend on an agreement with the American Embassy at Marli Street, Port-of-Spain and the Trinidad and Tobago Government.
The soft-spoken coach was quick to refute claims that he ignored a request for an interview with US Embassy officials in Port-of-Spain last March concerning his visa. “I had not been informed properly by the officials at the Embassy,” he stressed in the radio interview. In July, Ward Murrow, the Embassy’s Consular General, revealed that Shabazz was guilty of a visa discrepancy. According to Murrow, a letter was sent to Shabazz asking him to appear for an interview to discuss matters concerning his travel documents, including a revoked visa. But Shabazz was quick to point out yesterday that he “never received a summons.” “They sent me a letter saying that I needed to re-apply for the visa,” said Shabazz. “But the address that they sent it (the letter) to, I was not living there anymore,” he stated on Radio 97FM yesterday.
SILVIO SPANN will wear the captain’s armband as the Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-23 football team takes on the Bahamas in back-to-back matches this weekend at the National Stadium, Nassau.
Trinidad and Tobago will kick-start their quest to advance from the first round in the 2004 CONCACAF Men’s Under-23 qualifying contest from 7.30 pm tomorrow and with the second match, again in Nassau, on Sunday from 2.30 pm. Technical advisor Muhammad Isa indicated that the “mood and spirit in the camp is good and the boys are prepared to give it their best shot.” The team had a three-hour long practice session at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva yesterday morning, their final warm-up before leaving for Nassau at 8 am today. Isa, who was added to the technical staff three weeks ago, said the team had little idea of the Bahamians’ style of play but, “based on the programme the coach had, I’m sure we can pull it off.” Former Strike Squad defender Brian Williams will serve as the team’s coach in the absence of Stuart Charles-Fevrier, who will accompany the senior national team on the tour of Morocco this weekend.
Full team: Goalkeepers — Daurance Williams (Jabloteh), Jan-Michael Williams (W Connection); Defenders —– Ronald Primus, Nigel Daniel (Jabloteh), Lyndon Diaz (SWIF), Corey Rivers (Defence Force), Devin Jordan, Hollis Brown, Julius James (Joe Public); Midfielders — Michael Celestine, Josh Johnson (Jabloteh), Devon Caseman, Densil Theobald (Joe Public), Glenton Wolfe (North East Stars), Silvio Spann (W Connection); Strikers — Devon Mitchell (Jabloteh), Andre Toussaint (Joe Public), Kendall Davis (W Connection); Brian Williams (coach); Muhammad Isa (technical adviser), Peter Rampersad (manager), Lennox Pilgrim (equipment manager), Zephyrinus Nicholas (physio).
ROSTON HAYNES slammed a hat-trick as WASA Clean and White trounced Mayaro Spurs 6-0 in sixth round action of the All Sport National Super League yesterday.
The struggling Spurs were put under immediate pressure at the WASA Ground, St Joseph when Gary Jones scored in the fourth minute. WASA had to wait a further 50 minutes for their second goal courtesy of Haynes, who also found the back of the net in the 66th. Former Strike Squad left-back Marvin Faustin netted WASA’s fourth item in the 75th while Haynes completed his hat-trick in the 81st. Daleon Sinnette ended the goalspree in the 85th, a result which pushed WASA up the 11-team standings to second spot, one point behind Maraval Youth Academy. The league leaders dropped two vital points against BiWater Stokely Vale at the Trinity College Grounds, Moka, Maraval when they were held to a goalless draw. Marlon Warner netted a hat-trick within the first 22 minutes as Crab Connection handed Caroni a 7-2 whipping at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima. Warner struck in the fifth, 10th and 22nd while Irvin Trim added Crab’s fourth in the 38th to put the game beyond the reach of the visitors.
Trevor Mitchell pulled back one for Caroni three minutes into the second half but the Crabs regained their superiority following goals from captain Warren Butler in the 68th and Sheldon Thomas in the 71st. Ahmed Mohammed netted Caroni’s second in the 85th but midfielder Joseph Peters put the icing on the cake with Crab’s seventh in stoppage time. Defence Force needed a last minute strike from Jason James to defeat TCL Samba Boys 1-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. The Army-Coast Guard combination ended a three-match skid while Samba Boys lost their fifth encounter in a row. Tamana United were looking for their first points of the season against Club Sando at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella up to press time last night.
THE “Westmoorings Tigers” St Anthony’s College and the “Dial Dynamos” Arima Senior will start the defence of their zonal crowns as the 2003 British Gas Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) kicks off today.
St Anthony’s collected four titles during their unbeaten and sensational run last season — the SSFL North Zone, Intercol North Zone, “Big 5” and national Intercol competitions. They will be looking to open their North Zone campaign with full points against Queen’s Royal College in the second match of a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 3.30 pm. Neighbours Mucurapo Senior and Fatima will square off in the earlier tussle from 3.30 pm. The Arima Senior team are dedicating today’s match to the memory of former striker Dwight Lewis, who was murdered during the Arima Borough Day festivities last month. The hosts will face off against San Juan Senior at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima with arch-rivals, the “Green Machine” St Augustine meeting the “Blue Thunder” El Dorado from 5.30 pm.
The race for championship honours among the jockeys appears to be a wide open after the completion of the Arima Race Club 10-race card at Santa Rosa Park on Independence Day.
With 11 days remaining before the closure of the season, the fight is shaping into a three-way battle, with the likelihood that champion Rajpaul Rajkumar will be dethroned and a new champion will be crowned. The fight which was thought to be between Ricardo Jadoo and Wilmer Galviz two racedays ago has changed dramatically during the same period with past champion Brian Harding posting six winners to mount a strong challenge. Wilmer Galviz, who returned Monday after serving a one-day ban for a whip-passing incident, failed to add to his tally and is stuck on 31 wins. Ricardo Jadoo, having piloted a “double” the previous day to join Galviz in the lead also went winless on the holiday card.
Harding had ridden seven winners in the first two months of the season. The former champion then flew over to Caymanas Park, Jamaica where he continued his trade for five months, during which he made sporadic visits to send his tally to 14. Harding, the runner-up in the 2002 Jamaican Championship returned home in July. The past champion began producing winners at an alarming rate to close in on the two longtime leaders, edging close on 28 wins with a riding treble on Monday. Sheldon Rodrigo seems to have things his own way among the apprentices. His 13 wins after round 26 of the Arima Race Club season is six clear of his nearest rival. Rodrigo’s chances of a first title became even better, when nearest rival Naim Samaroo, the champion apprentice over the last two seasons, lost his claiming tag, completing his 60th career win aboard Hundred Percent last raceday. The elevation of Samaroo to the full-fledged jockey ranks leaves Kumar Bissoon and Gary Laban trailing Rodrigo on six wins each. Following are the standing for both divisions after Independence Day.
Former West Indies Under-19 captain Zoral Barthley has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Michael Hall as chief cricket operations officer at the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
Barthley, an Antiguan opening batsman who led the Young West Indies in three “Tests” in 1985, was included in a shortlist alongside Barry Collymore, the Barbadian administrator who last served as spokesman for the Shell Academy in Grenada. Barthley was recommended for the job by the departing Hall but the WICB’s executive committee decided against identifying a replacement until the post was advertised across the region. One WICB director told CaribbeanCricket.com the board was wary of the backlash against the appointment of CEO Roger Brathwaite without that post being advertised. The full board had mandated that the CEO position be advertised but the EC overruled that decision and promoted Brathwaite instead, prompting criticisms from member territories.
The other candidate for the vacant post, Barry Collymore, was recently director of public affairs at the St George’s University in Grenada. He was interviewed for the CCOO job on Sunday and is considered a “strong contender,” according to one source. The CCOO post was left vacant when Michael Hall resigned in June to take up a job as general manager of Independence Park Limited (IPL), the body that manages Jamaica’s National Stadium complex. Before his departure, Hall strongly recommended Barthley for the job and also identified former CricInfo correspondent Derrick Nicholas to be Cricket Operations Officer (Regional). The Nicholas recommendation was accepted by the WICB. Nicholas is handling logistics like travel and itinerary for all local matters (home tours and regional tournaments).
THE EDITOR: I awoke on Independence Day to read the following newspaper headline “Sheldon Roberts, who served three years on a two year sentence, was pardoned by President Max Richards on Thursday.” Now read that again before I continue.
I am amazed that the President had to be involved in what is clearly a State blunder and a travesty of law. I am also amazed that Sheldon Roberts has to be pardoned at all — I mean pardoned for what? The conscience and soul of the State should be automatically activated to seek out why such a thing could have happened. Who is the individual responsible for this injustice? And how many more are there like Sheldon Roberts who are being persecuted because they are of the wrong class and colour (such things happen to poor black people for reasons other than simple statistics). The State owes Sheldon Roberts because it kept him incarcerated for longer than it should, because it took too long to free him even when the injustice was discovered and because when it did free him, it did so for the wrong reasons and in the wrong manner.
The only possible pardon due is from Sheldon Roberts to the State and only after the latter apologises for the injustice and offers satisfactory compensation. The Law usually demands its pound of flesh — often unreasonably so. It should therefore be made to pay in full when it is in breach and should do so with humility and without subjecting its victim to further expense, harassment and distress. Would this be another case in which justice has to be sought at the level of the Privy Council? What is going to happen when the Privy Council is no longer around to ensure such justice and fair play for those without the means to buy it? Need I state for whom this bell tolls?
EUGENE A REYNALD
Port-of-Spain
THE EDITOR: This is an open letter which, it is hoped, might come to the attention of the officer in charge of the marching bands at our recently concluded Independence celebration proceedings.
After the bands paraded in the Savannah, there was a general march past down Tragarete Road with martial music blaring. They passed the Tranquility Methodist Church at the corner of Tragarete Road and Victoria Avenue, and for about 15 to 20 minutes or so the preacher strove valiantly to be heard above the noise of blaring musical instrumental strident drums. He did not succeed very well, for I had little idea of what he was saying. I should mention that in times gone by what was the practice on such occasions was that on approaching a place of worship by a band marching to loud music, the order was given for the music to stop and the march kept in step by taps to a kettle drum until the band was out of earshot. This was done out of respect for divine worship.
In this brave new world of Independence has such niceties gone by the board? Is there no longer any respect for divine worship- whether Christian, Muslim, Hindu or at any place where two or three are gathered to worship their God? What has not changed is that it is still an offence to disturb any place of worship (see section 96 of the Summary Offences Act Chap 11:02) and it is doubted whether the exuberance of Independence celebrations would be a good defence in law. However, it may be that a timely reminder might be enough to impress upon marching bands in future that it is the constitutional right of persons to worship undisturbed which is a right the law can uphold. However, a simple apology from the officer in charge should be enough to re-assure us that this breach of the law was unintended and that in future marching bands will respect places of worship.
GEORGE
COLLYMORE
Cascade
THE EDITOR: “This is a private matter!” growled the soldier to the media reporters, as seen on the TV news.
The arrogant man demonstrated a lack of decorum and manners to the press after one of his indisciplined colleagues unleashed a violent blitz at the St James branch of First Citizens Bank on Friday last, damaging the bank’s property and threatening the staff. It was an hour of terror on a month-end Friday. Because he could not get money from the ATM the reckless military man, who probably thought that he was the only one in the whole wide world with a problem, reacted like quicksilver! Sadly, in recent times this type of behaviour is what our citizens have been subject to from members of our Defence Force. This is the very arm of the State whose members recently got a substantial pay increase, while Caroni workers were kicked out of employment.
This is the organisation that early this year received several brand new heavy vehicles, and recently took possession of many vehicles belonging to the now defunct Caroni Ltd. Thanks to the puerile, actions of a fool, the staff of FCB were severely traumatised. Thanks to the attitude of a spoilt brat, the bank was forced to open late in the evening, disrupting the busy schedule of its customers. But, the oxen-faced soldier on the eve of our 41st Independence anniversary celebration, has the temerity to tell the media “this is a private matter.” In other words, citizens can expect another cover-up like in the El Socorro fiasco.
SHIVANNA
DIPNARINE AND VISHANTI MAHABIR for WARD
Women Against Racism and Dictatorship
THE EDITOR: It is so refreshing to see news that make us proud splashed across our newspapers and heralded by the electronic media. These are the moments we must cherish — the recent sporting joys that overshadow crime made possible by heroes in the disciplines of swimming, track and field, hammer-throwing, boxing and cricket. Indeed, we are on a roll and one I hope that paves the road to better times for TT.
For this renewed optimism I wish to further extol all the relevant parties. However, special mention must be made of two athletes for their outstanding individual achievements at international levels at such early ages — feats that demand not only natural ability but also extreme discipline and focus. I refer to swim star George Bovell (III) and track and field prodigy Darrel Brown. Very well done fellas! Now that our dynamic duo rides high on the wings of glory they are sure to attract many opportunists. These would include hordes of the fairer sex to marketing managers, charity officials, coaches, sports managers/clubs and politicians. Many of them will have purely personal agendas, contriving ways to make anything between a quick buck and millions by rubbing shoulders with George and Darrel in the guise of having their best interest at heart. So our heroes must remain focused on their goals lest they succumb to exploitation by wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Another area of concern came to the fore during Bovell’s recent medal haul in the Dominican Republic when the scourge of racism had reared its ugly head. A letter writer claimed that Bovell was not getting the publicity he deserved and went on to imply that his performances would have generated more coverage had his skin been a darker colour. This was an unfortunate delusion since there was no justification and it appeared that the author simply needed to feed a sick hunger. Racial prejudice is a major world disorder that tarnishes just about every facet of life when we allow it to. According to some accounts, TT’s sports of yesteryear had been infected with this disease and perceptions are rife that an antidote is still needed today. Consequently, the onus must now reside, largely, with the authorities to ensure that this bane is kept out. Athletes and John Public too must play their part in nurturing impartiality by avoiding mischievous or frivolous words and deeds. Ultimately, we should forego dwelling on past mistakes and biases in favour of learning from them and moving on.
Perhaps then we would become more patriotic, at least with regards to our sports heroes. Maybe we will finally mature to the reality that a sports person needs more support when performances wane — when he/she struggles with thoughts of failure to attain the high expectations that we etch in their psyche when the going is good. The fact that we are a Third World country with a minuscule population and able to stand tallest among the world’s best speaks volumes for our ability and tenacity — our will to achieve. In addition to the new Olympic size swimming pool due for construction, I hope that TT spends more on sport-oriented facilities and expertise. The incentive should be geared at establishing better levels of expert training locally, and so, assist talented stars of tomorrow who presently cannot afford to relocate overseas in order to obtain the standard of training necessary to excel in their respective discipline. The spin off effects would include more jobs and a healthier TT. Of great significance also, would be the realisation of tangible options for idle, disillusioned and angry youths with crime on their minds. Through sport, they may find their niche in the awakening of a love or skill that for now lies dormant — awaiting discovery.
DEXTER J RIGSBY
Mt Lambert
