KINGSTON: Corey Collymore is still basking in the glory of being named “Man-of-the-Match” and “Man-of-the-Series” following West Indies’ sensational, come-from-behind, seven-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka on the third day of the second and final Cable and Wireless cricket Test that ended at Sabina Park on Sunday.
Collymore, a.k.a. Screwface, captured nine wickets for 85 runs from 31overs to be named the “Man-of-the-Match” for the Test, His 14 wickets at 11.35 apiece elevated him to the “Man-of-the-Series” award ahead of his captain Brian Lara in a successful end to a long, hard season of international cricket in the Caribbean. It was a defining moment in the chequered career of the 25-year-old fast bowler, whose progress had been stalled by two stress fractures in his back and the selection committee’s labelling him a one-day cricket specialist. It meant there was a gap of four years between his first Test against Australia at St John’s and his second in the drawn first Test against the Sri Lankans at Gros Islet in the just ended series that West Indies won 1-0. “I am not doing anything particularly different to what I was doing before,” Collymore stated emphatically during the regular post-match news conference on Sunday. “I am just enjoying my cricket and doing what I am accustomed to doing, sticking to the basics, bowling good line and length, and moving the ball around and it’s been working for me.” During the two Tests against the Sri Lankans, Collymore gave palpable evidence that he is the bowler that could emerge to give leadership to the fledgling West Indies attack. He revealed that he became something of a big brother to Jerome Taylor and then Fidel Edwards during the series.
“I spoke to the captain the night before the match and he asked me if I was ready to lead the attack and I told him yes,” he said. “What I did was to take the two newcomers, Jerome and Fidel, under my wing. We went to dinner every night. We spoke about cricket. On mornings, I got them into the pool at seven to get their muscles nice and loose. We were always sticking together and I think that worked to our advantage during this Test match.” It was a point not lost on West Indies captain Brian Lara. He felt that West Indies had missed the services of a “great fast bowler” in recent years and was looking forward to bigger and brighter things from Collymore, particularly over the next 18 months when the team faces South Africa, England and world champions Australia. “I think it was a little unfortunate that Corey was not playing more Test cricket over the last four years because he’s more of a Test bowler than he is a One-day cricketer,” Lara offered. “I think Corey has led this attack tremendously and he understands the game. If you look at him bowl, you know that he knows what he has to do with the ball and his involvement with the youths in the team was great. I think he will be around for a long time — knock wood — if he stays free from injury.”
MYSTERY surrounds the circumstances which led to the murder of 23-year-old Laventille resident Michael “Speedy” Joseph, who police believe was beaten to death during an excursion with friends at Sea-Wall beach, Mayaro on Sunday.
Up to late yesterday, investigators were still trying to gather information to determine what caused the altercation, which led to Joseph who was also called “Pittie Mouse,” of Faith Trace, Laventille being beaten to death and a relative and good friend being seriously wounded. Police were also trying to contact the dead man’s relatives yesterday to have them officially identify the body so an autopsy could be done at the Forensic Sciences Centre to officially ascertain cause of death. Joseph was identified via fingerprints. Joseph’s good friend Oswald Charles, 24, of Fatima Road, Laventille and his half-brother Morris (Joseph) Mason, 18, of Picton Road, Laventille remained warded in serious condition at the San Fernando and Port-of-Spain General Hospitals, respectively. And while investigators still try to piece together the circumstances surrounding Joseph’s murder, residents of Faith Trace, Laventille described their dead fellow villager as a “miserable young man” who gave a lot of trouble.
According to preliminary police reports, around 5.30 pm on Sunday, the men were getting ready to the leave the beach in a maxi-taxi, when the vehicle was blocked by a group of villagers. Reports stated that a confrontation occurred, after one of Joseph’s friends made a lewd remark about one of the female villagers. The quarrel escalated into a fight between the villagers and the Laventille men. During the scuffle it is believed that the three men were over-powered and savagely beaten with heavy pieces of wood. Joseph who sustained severe injuries to his head and chest, died on the spot. Bleeding from wounds to their heads, his two friends were rushed to the Mayaro District Hospital in EHS ambulance. Charles and Mason were treated and transferred to Ward Seven of the San Fernando General Hospital and Ward 21, of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, respectively.
Visiting the scene was a party of officers from the Mayaro Police Station coordinated by ACP (East) Nazamul Hosein and Eastern Division Head — Randolph Protain — led by ASP Chandraban Maharaj and included Insp Edmond Thomas and Cpl Dookie. District Medical Officer Dr Claire examined Joseph’s body and ordered it removed to the Sangre Grande Mortuary. Police sources told Newsday that Mayaro villagers have not come forward to make any report regarding the incident. Yesterday a party of investigators from the Mayaro police station and San Fernando Homicide Bureau visited the area again and interviewed several villagers. However, sources said that the villagers interviewed denied being involved in the altercation. When Newsday visited Charles, at Ward Seven of the San Fernando General Hospital, nurses said he had no prior visitors and was asleep in a crouched position with his head heavily bandaged and his face, including the eyes, badly swollen.
Newsday learnt that Joseph grew up at the St Michael’s Home for Boys but eventually went to Canada to live with an aunt. He had an altercation with his aunt and was sent back to Trinidad. A villager told Newsday that Joseph would have been alive today had he taken his (the villager) advice and not gone on the excursion. “Speedy being Speedy, just said ‘badman have to go too, on that excursion.’ He went free, he ate free and he died free,” stated the villager, who did not want to be identified. When Newsday tried to get comments from Joseph’s relatives, we were sent to several homes, but in each instant, the occupants bluntly said they had nothing to say. One of them even said he could not be bothered by the incident since he had five children of his own to see about. The other men injured in the incident were described as “cool fellas” who liked to lime and play cards. Up to late yesterday no arrests had been made and investigations were continuing.
UNITED National Congress (UNC) chairman Wade Mark will reveal an alleged $6 billion scandal which occurred at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) under the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) when the Senate sits today at 1.30 pm.
The Senate Minority Leader told Newsday yesterday that the PNM will have to blame a senior government minister and not the Opposition for the alleged corruption at WASA. Last week, Planning Minister Dr Keith Rowley said WASA’s current debt is $2 billion and was linked to the former government’s “madness” to enter into a long-term contract to buy water from the controversial desalination plant at Point Lisas. However Mark said Rowley was “engaging in blatant untruths” and claimed that the “actual debt of WASA” was $6 billion. According to Mark, he obtained this figure from a confidential WASA document which will be laid in the Upper House today.
The UNC chairman claimed the document contains detailed lists of WASA’s revenues, expenditures and deficits from January to December 2002. He alleged WASA’s expenditures increased significantly prior to last October’s general elections, with figures ranging between $82 to $93 million from June to October, and this proves PNM corruption at work to win votes. According to Mark, WASA’s total revenue, expenditure and deficit from January to December 2002 were $401 million, $832 million and $430 million respectively. He said there is no evidence in the document of WASA’s monthly revenues being $45 million and “they (PNM) can’t blame Desalcott.”
The UNC chairman said Government still has a lot of questions to answer regarding Canadian forensic investigator Bob Lindquist’s probe into alleged corruption at WASA and Attorney General Glenda Morean-Phillip has not said whether she has received Lindquist’s report on the matter. Mark claimed that Rowley’s statement about Government having to address the WASA situation after it restructures Caroni (1975) Limited means the imminent retrenchment of WASA workers. He slammed Government’s National Social Development Programme (NSDP) as a cover for PNM bribery to win votes in marginal constituencies and claimed persons in those areas were now receiving bills for water and electricity installed there before the last general elections. Mark also claimed Public Utilities Minister Rennie Dumas hinted at an increase in water rates was imminent and urged the population “to militantly resist” any such increase.
Carlton Peters, son of calypsonian and former UNC MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters, was yesterday sentenced by Port of Spain Magistrate Melvin Daniel to 12 months hard labour.
Peters, 31, of Soogan Trace Laventille, was reportedly held along with six of his relatives at his home on June 26. PC Ransom of the Morvant CID who was executing a search warrant at the premises allegedly found a .38 pistol, loaded with five rounds of ammunition. Peters pleaded guilty but was not represented by an attorney. He told Magistrate Daniel that he had found the firearm and was keeping it out of curiosity. “How long were you going to let this curiosity last?” asked Daniel. Peters replied, “I wasn’t going to do anything with it, it is the first time I ever held a gun.” “I sorry that I put my family in jeopardy,” added Peters. Daniel then sentenced Peters to 12 months hard labour for possession of the weapon and three months hard labour for possession of the ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently. The six relatives, who all pleaded not guilty, are on $20,000 bail and will reappear tomorrow.
Attempts to contact Peters (Winston) for comment were unsuccessful. UNC chairman Wade Mark told Newsday he had heard about yesterday’s sentencing but he did not know the younger Peters well. The senior Peters was Ortoire/Mayaro MP from 2000 to 2002, when he was defeated by the PNM’s Franklyn Khan who is currently Minister of Works and Transport.
The 30th Anniversary meeting of Caricom Heads has gotten off to a very, very slow start. So much so, that media personnel in Montego Bay up to yesterday, have not as yet been issued with accreditation passes.
In the meantime at the weekend, Caricom heads and officials spent the time in Kingston watching the West Indies defeat Sri Lanka. On June 28, the Finance Ministers were holding the eighth meeting, while ministers responsible for sugar were due to meet yesterday. All of this is taking place miles away from Montego Bay where the heads are due to meet Wednesday, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The days leading up to Wednesday, the leaders are in Ocho Rios for two days of private discussions, before proceeding to Montego Bay for the grand opening ceremony which will be broadcast live on television across the region. In the meantime, media personnel in Montego Bay were met yesterday with the usual, “comeback tomorrow.” The preparation for the Summit is virtually nil in Montego Bay.
What is taking place is a so called Caricom exhibition being held at the Civic Centre, in downtown Montego Bay. The exhibition takes a simple form of a visual display of past photographs and heads of the various Caricom member states. Even officials have not as yet checked in at the Ritz Carlton. At Wednesday’s opening ceremony, those who will address the audience will include Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson, and the in-coming Chairman of Caricom Pierre Charles, Prime Minister of Dominica, and the Outgoing Chairman, Prime Min-ister Owen Arthur of Barbados. The Prime Minister of Belize, Said Musa and Caricom Secretary General, Edwin Carrington are also down to deliver addresses. In the meantime, the time leading up to the official opening, virtually nothing is happening. The Caricom Secretariat is yet to set up a desk with information at the Carlton Ritz, which is usually the case.
Responding to allegations that she was hiding the Bob Linquist report on WASA, Attorney General, Glenda Morean said yesterday that “within a day or two” she would be receiving the long-awaited report on the WASA/Waterfarm contract.
“He had said at the end of the month,” Morean reminded, adding that the month ended only yesterday. Morean said that she had just seen a message from Linquist which indicated that he would be handing the report within a day or two. She denied allegations by UNC MP Wade Mark that she had already got the report and was keeping it a secret until after local government elections. “If I had it I would have handed it to the Prime Minister,” she said. Asked whether she would be passing on the report to acting Prime Minister Joan Yuille-Williams, since Prime Minister Patrick Manning would be out of the country until Thursday, Morean said : “When it comes in, I will inform the acting Prime Minister who will then determine what will be done.”
On March 20, Manning announced in Parliament that Linquist would be doing the probe into the Waterfarm contract. Several weeks passed before the forensic accountant began his investigations. During this time, UNC MP, Ganga Singh made more disclosures in Parliament about the contract. At the beginning of June, Manning announced that Linquist was due to begin his investigations and that they would be concluded in one week. On June 8 Morean stated that she expected to get the report on June 9. But when that date reached, no report was given. On June 16 Morean said she was optimistic that she would get it the next week. Mark yesterday accused the AG of deliberately attempting to keep the report under wraps until after the local government election. “It is a hot potato,” he said. “Why is it that the Attorney General has not issued the report? Has Mr Linquist passed it on to her and she is keeping it under cover? Because Mr Linquist promised almost a month ago to submit the report to the AG and four Mondays have since passed, and no report,” Mark stated, adding: “It is scandalous.”
A 39-year-old Valsayn man who was kidnapped on Sunday afternoon was freed in Maraval yesterday.
Police reports revealed that around 5.15 pm on Sunday, Lalchan Vishnu Ramlochan of Bamboo Settlement, Valsayn, was at his home when two men in a car called out to him. As Ramlochan was approaching the car, he was confronted by two other men who bundled him into the vehicle. Relatives of Ramlochan told police officers that they received a telephone call on Sunday night requesting that “certain things be paid” for the safe release of Ramlochan, which was reportedly paid to the kidnappers. Ramlochan was released around 9.30 am yesterday.
A 45-year-old man was killed instantly and four others seriously injured during an early morning smash up involving a runaway sports utility vehicle on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Arima.
The dead man was identified as Harry Ganneff, of Springfield Avenue, Valsayn. Reports revealed that around 12.30 am, Henderson Joseph was driving his SUV in the vicinity of O’Meara when he lost control of his vehicle which crashed into a green Nissan van. Ganneff, who was standing at the side of his van, was struck by the runaway vehicle which killed him instantly. The body was viewed by District Medical Officer, Dr Antoine who ordered the removal of the body to the Forensic Science Centre. Henderson Joseph, Anthony Bailey, Suzette Taylor and Keino Williams were rushed to the Arima Hospital and then transferred to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where they were all treated and warded. Officers of the Arima Police Station are investigating.
A 25-year-old man was shot once in the abdomen following an argument with another man at Waterhole, Cocorite, early yesterday.
Reports revealed that around 8.15 am, Wayne Simmonds had an argument with a man who accused him of stealing money. The man shot Simmonds once in the abdomen and then fled the scene. Up until late yesterday, Simmonds was undergoing emergency surgery at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Cpl Angatiah and other officers visited the scene and issued a warrant for the arrest of a 28-year-old man.
SOUTHERN Division police are continuing the search for four bandits who escaped with $125,000 and three cases of alcohol, following a daring afternoon hold-up of a supermarket in St Margaret’s Village over the weekend.
Robbery victim Ramnarine Mungroo, 64, owner of Mungroo’s Grocery, located downstairs his home at Union Village, St Margaret’s Village, reported to police that around 3.45 pm on Saturday, he was conducting business at the grocery when four bandits, two of whom were armed with guns, entered the grocery and announced a hold-up. The bandits made their way to the top floor of the building where Mungroo and his family live. With a gun pointed at her face, Zarran Mungroo, 20, a student and daughter of the proprietor, was ordered by the bandits to “pass everything.”
In fear for her life, the young woman reportedly went to a vault and took out $125,000, which she handed over to the bandits. Before they left, the bandits also seized two cases of McArthur’s Scotch whiskey worth $2,200 and a case of Black Label Rum worth $1,000. They then escaped in a silver-grey B14 Sentra. A report was made to the St Margaret’s police and a team of officers led by PCs Sankar and Browne visited the scene and carried out a futile mobile search for the bandits. The officers also recorded statements from the victims. Up to late yesterday, no arrests had been made and investigations are continuing.
