THE EDITOR: Please allow me a space in your column. I am a regular user of the national library and I would like to express disappointment and dissatisfaction with the treatment meted out to adults in the adult section of the library. They treat us as though we are children. After destroying all the computers downstairs in the young adult section of the library, they allow the youths to come upstairs in the adult section and they “make mas.” The youths were totally out of control which they couldn’t handle and now the adults have to feel the effect of this. Adult have to line up and produce ID cards to show that they are adults in order to use the computer. Without the ID card, you cannot use the computer.
They allow you 30 minutes on the computer, they monitor you and tell you to come off the computer whether your time is up or not. Why do we have to pay for all the wrong things that the younger ones did, it is not fair, not fair at all. The government put the library there for us, the public to use and instead they, the young adults abuse it. It is better that they tell us to pay to use the computers, than put us through this. It is not fair, again I say. Maybe it is better to pay your money and use an internet cafe.
JISELL
Port-of-Spain
THE EDITOR: I would like to share a joke with your readers …
Man sees a prowler in his yard and calls up the police station …
“Hello, there’s a prowler in meh yard — could yuh send some men over?”
Policeman: “Amm, sorry, but we have no vehicles at de moment, but we’ll send one over as soon as it comes in …”
Man waits for over half an hour and tells himself:
“Yuh see me, ah go fix dem ..”
He calls back the police station and tells the officer:
“Doh worry nuh, ah just shoot de prowler.”
Next five minutes, five police cars show up at his door, sirens blaring …
Policeman: “Where de tief?”
Man: “Well, he buss it when he hear all de sirens …”
Policeman: “But ah tort yuh say yuh shoot him …”
Man: “… Ah tort yuh say yuh didn’t have any vehicles? …”
B SANDY
Maraval
THE EDITOR: This is the second time that I am writing to the Minister of Health via the newspaper on behalf of the section of health care givers in Trinidad and Tobago: Dental Nurses. I will continue to write on this issue, and other issues where people of this nation are treated with contempt by nationally elected administrations. I will write until justice appears to be done. These types of issues indicate that Governments take decisive action, not because they care, but for political expediency. They act because they love not the people, but the corridors of power. If this is not so, then why are dental nurses being treated this way? Is it not because they are so small in number? Is it not because they have not protested? This modus operandi seems nothing short of a flagrant flouting of the words of our National Anthem: “Here every creed and race find an equal place.”
Dental nurses work in the health centres of our country, meeting the dental needs of our nation’s children. They do professional cleaning, primary tooth extraction, and restorative dentistry, (that is, the filling of teeth). The latter two procedures, oftentimes, can only be performed under local anesthesia, which is hypodermically administered by these care-givers. Dental nurses visit schools to deliver dental health education lectures. They even make similar deliveries at PTA meetings, child welfare courses and other organisations, which may require their services. They often work unaided, as there is a shortage of dental assistants. They therefore, in addition to their routine work, have to answer telephone calls, make appointments, toute bagai. Before 1990, nurses and dental nurses were in the same range. They received the same remuneration and benefits. In 1990, after much protest action, in solidarity, by these two groups, the Government gave in. It was quite mysterious, however, to say the least that these dedicated workers were left in the cold. Is this what governments consider to be “an equal place”?
Today, in this country where tumult seems to be the norm, these public servants, in spite of the shabby and contemptuous treatment, are quietly at their post of duty, putting the dental health of the children first. It is a pity that this cannot be said about all workers. It seems that the policy of “caring” and “people first” is: Caring for the people who get on the worst first. What message are the administrators sending to their dedicated workers? Must they clamour for parity with their colleagues in Tobago who are being paid $1,000 more by the THA? Is it that they must show how serious they are by following suit and going on sick leave en masse? There were reports in the news that a hearing of the commission of inquiry had to be postponed because a member allegedly had a toothache. A multimillion-dollar inquiry into a billion dollar airport had to be adjourned prematurely allegedly because of dental pain.
The dental nurses’ job is also a high risk one. They are exposed to numerous diseases when they routinely hover over the mouths of their patients on a daily basis. They wear masks of course but it is not uncommon to find them working in poorly ventilated conditions. I am appealing to the Minister of Health to meet with these workers to discuss their plight. If the Minister of Education needs to get information about the correct texts to be used in schools, aren’t the stakeholders the ones who are consulted? There is a senior dental surgeon in the Ministry of Health who is in charge of all dental workers, yet suggestions, advice or consultation where the dental nurses are concerned never seem to reach his ear. You only feel the heat when your hand is in the fire. Mr Minister, I urge you to take a little time and meet with your dental nursing staff. There is a Dental Nurses Association that can be a source of relevant information. Getting information from another category of staff that may not even be cognizant of the job, its peculiarities, and its goings on may never paint a true picture.
C FRANCIS
Mt Lambert
Darrel Brown is gearing to break the world junior record of 10.06 seconds and also to prove himself among the “big guns” at the ninth IAAF World Track and Field Outdoor Championships which get underway today at the Stade de Francein Paris, France. He was the youngest athlete in the history of the International Association of Athletics Fed-erations (IAAF) 8th World Cham-pionships at Edmonton in 2001 to medal when he anchored the Trinidad and Tobago’s 4×100 metres relay team to third spot. The team also established a new national relay record. Now Brown is definitely on course to enter his name indelibly once again in the history books.
At Edmonton, he propelled the TT quartet of Marc Burns, Ato Boldon and Jacey Harper to the relay bronze when he was 16 years and 305 days old. Less than two years later, the speedy world Under-18 record holder will bid for individual honours in the 100 metres race. In his first professional race earlier this year, the Nike-sponsored Brown displayed his awesome speed and clocked 10.08 secs to finish second in a world class field at the PreFontaine Classic in Oregon on May 26, in Eugene, Oregon. With a legitimate wind speed of 0.05 metres per second, he clocked a new personal best of 10.08 seconds and was narrowly edged out by Kittitian Common-wealth champion Kim Collins who returned 10.00 seconds flat. Brown beat American Bernard Williams (10.10 secs), Great Britain’s European champion Dwain Chambers (10.17), Americans Olympians Coby Miller (10.19), Jon Drummond (10.23) and Shawn Crawford (10.26).
His compatriot, former world 200 metres champion Ato Boldon, was the other finalist but failed to finish. He eclipsed his previous world Under-18 best of 10.09 at the World Junior Championships in Jamaica last year August. Brown has whipped all his rivals at the World Youth and Junior levels, CAC Juniors, Carifta Games age groups over the last four years. Since the PreFontaine outing, he raced twice among the world rated stars. He won the second race and was caught “off guard” by a buzzing sound at the starting line and had to fire on all cylinders to catch Great Britain’s Jason Gardener on the line for a third place finish although both were credited with a 10.17. The experienced Namibian World and Olympic silver-medallist Frankie Fredericks pulled off the victory with a time of 10.14 secs at Linz, Austria on July 27.
Brown has not raced in any individual race since but anchored TT to the Pan-American sprint relay gold and a new senior national record. The 18-year-old looked in awesome form in the semi-final and final in the Dominican Republic’s stadium and had it not been for the “foul up” by Boldon in the third leg, TT would have copped the coveted gold in a new record time. His parents, Winston Brown (father) and Marilyn Jack Brown, travelled to France on Thursday. They want to be there for him and to lend as much support to the TT team. His father is also his manager and has been travelling with him to all major regional and international meets. They are both optimistic of their son’s chances in Paris.
GEORGETOWN: Guyana moved a step closer to recapturing the regional Under-19 three-day cricket title they last won in 1999 by advancing to the 2003 semi-final with a crushing innings and 50 runs victory over Canada at Bourda yesterday. Resuming on 77 for four wickets, still needing 119 more runs to make Guyana bat a second time, Canada were bowled out just after lunch for 145, despite a fighting 32 with four fours from 89 balls from Gavin Bastiampillai. Guyana, who failed to reach the semi-finals last year in Jamaica, will face the Windward Islands at Enmore in one semi-final beginning on Sunday, while unbeaten Trinidad and Tobago battle Barbados in the other semi-final at Wales.
TT drew their match against Jamaica yesterday after securing first innings points on Thursday. The Guyanese needed an outright win from this match to top the zone and although one of their fears — the rain —— never materialised, they were frustrated in the first session by some resolute batting from Bastiampillai and the lower order, on a flat track in brilliant sunshine. Guyana ended the preliminary round with 27 points, while Barbados (21), the Leewards (12) and Canada (6) were the other teams in Zone “A”.
FROM 8 o’clock this morning, the crew of Hayden Charles, Darrin Marshall and Gino Fusco will be seeking a fifth successive triumph for Mr Solo Too in the Carib Beer Great Race. Twenty powerboats will face the starter at Pier I, Chaguaramas with the crew of the 42-foot catamaran attempting to claim their 12th victory in the 35th edition of the race, which ends at the traditional site at Store Bay, Tobago. Charles will be handling the steering wheel after his father Ken, who was a key element in Solo’s 11 previous Great Race wins, retired from competitive duty.
But Marshall and Fusco, who also featured in the four previous victories, will both remain aboard the legendary vessel, Marshall as navigator and Fusco as throttleman. Among the main challengers for Mr Solo Too are Gulf Warrior, White Heat and Rage, but all eyes at Store Bay will be at the clock as the Solo speedboat attempts to lower the previous mark of one hour flat, which was set in 2000. President of the Trinidad and Tobago Powerboats Association Garth Marshall noted that preparations are “going fine” and everything is in place for a smooth running of the race, which features competition in ten classes.
KINGSTON: Cricket selectors yesterday named a 28-man squad to play in the upcoming Red Stripe Bowl, leaving off experienced opening batsman Leon Garrick. Though Garrick had a good season last year, he was lacking in form in the shorter version of the game this year, said Ruddy Williams, chairman of the selection board. “Under the circumstances, we had to give a younger player a chance,” Williams said. Garrick scored 161 runs in six matches in the 2002 Red Stripe Bowl, passing the half-century mark twice with a topscore of 79. The right-hander’s form slumped in the regional four-day tournament in the last two seasons, putting him out of favour also with West Indies selectors. In 2001, Garrick made his lone Test appearance at Sabina Park against South Africa after impressing the West Indies board with strong performance in the year’s regional Busta Cup tournament.
Also left off the list was fastbowler Jermaine Lawson, whose bowling action is being examined by the International Cricket Council. The new squad includes several new faces, including left-arm fastbowler Krishmar Santokie, now playing for Jamaica in the West Under-19 team in Guyana. The West Indies Cricket Board have not yet announced fixtures for the regional Red Stripe Bowl tournament. Barbados are the defending champions.
The Squad: batsmen Robert Samuels, Brenton Parchment, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Shawn Findlay, Tamar Lambert, Ricardo Powell, Donovan Pagon, Tyson Gordon; wicketkeepers Carlton Baugh, Keith Hibbert, Matthew Sinclair; all-rounders David Bernard, Gareth Breese, Vinord Woolcock, Bevon Brown, Odean Brown, Lorenzo Ingram, Krishmar Santokie, Evon McInnis; fastbowlers Darren Powell, Jerome Taylor, Kamal Dennis, Andrew Richardson, Dwight Washington; offspinner Ramon Hutchinson and left-arm spinner Phillip Keating.
BRIDGETOWN: Barbados has nominated Teddy Griffith, who played 25 First-Class matches for Barbados and Jamaica, for the presidency of the West Indies Cricket Board. Griffith, 67, a retired banker and business executive, has held several administrative positions on the board including his current post as head of marketing. During his 1954-1967 playing career, the left-handed batsman scored 1,690 runs, including three hundreds, at an average of 35.95. He also took 25 wickets with his medium-pace bowling.
The Barbados Cricket Association said Thursday they had chosen Griffith as its nominee 8-3 over the association’s president Tony Marshall. The West Indies board will elect a new leader September 30 in Antigua to replace Wes Hall, who resigned for health reasons last month. To be eligible, Griffith must gain nomination from one more country represented by the West Indies, including Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago. Meanwhile, Anguil-lan banker Val Banks is acting president.
RHEANN CHUNG took the silver medal in the women’s Under-21 singles as the 43rd Caribbean Seniors Table Tennis Championships entered its final day yesterday at the University of Science and Technology, Kingston, Jamaica. According to team delegate Stanley Hunte, the U-21 and veteran categories were hastily added to the competition’s agenda yesterday. The bespectacled Chung battled valiantly to the end against Venezuelan Maria Mata, but lost the five-setter 11-2, 11-8, 7-11, 6-11, 11-9.
Trinidad and Tobago team coach Stephen Wade also took up the racquet to compete in the veterans, but secured a bronze medal after he was eliminated in the “semis”. Up to press time yesterday, the French-based was battling Olga Villa in the “semis” with the winner meeting Wu Xue from the Dominican Republic in last night’s final. Chung’s stepfather and 1998 men’s singles champ Dexter St Louis was also expected to face Roberto Britto of Venezuela in his “semis”, after sweeping past Venezuelan Jonathan Pino 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 12-14, 11-9 on Thursday night.
CRAB CONNECTION will look to extend their win-streak to three matches when they face Defence Force in the third round of the inaugural All Sport National Super League from 4 pm today. The Eastern Football Associa-tion (EFA) club were victorious over St Clair Coaching School and Tamana United in their first two fixtures. But, in today’s encounter at Chaguaramas, Connection will meet the Army-Coast Guard combination seeking to rebound from their 3-1 loss to WASA Clean and White on Wednesday last. Another team with a perfect record so far are Maraval Youth Academy, and the Northern Football Association (NFA) representative will host the WASA boys at Trinity College Grounds, Moka from 4 pm.
On the other side of the coin, Tamana United were beaten in their opening matches, versus Defence Force and Connection, and will be in for a tough time at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground against the in-form Tobago outfit BiWater Stokely Vale. A double-header will be contested at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, with Police squaring off against Caroni at 3 pm while TCL Samba Boys oppose Club Sando two hours later. The other third round matchup between St Clair Coaching School and Mayaro Spurs will be contested at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago on September 13.
