N Touch

Million dollar questions on BWIA

THE EDITOR: Conrad Aleong is out; it is house-cleaning time at BWIA starting with the two newly appointed executives running the road show. The Board of Directors, the Chairman and other directors who represent the private share-holders must go. Anyone travelling with Tobago Express will attest to the fact that the flights are most times late; the attitude of many of the attending employees is the pits.

You are only as good as the person you are playing with, and at BWIA, the dilution is complete. No new blood, so no new ideas. They take pride with an 80 percent On Time departure, even boldly posting it up at the inside gate entrance at Piarco. At any other airline, top management would be sent packing for this kind of performance. Many employees are only interested in personal gains, and don’t know what customer service is all about. To get the picture, try reporting a missing or broken luggage. Bench marking (comparing) BWIA with an airline of similar size anywhere in the world will show what a joke operation we have here. The pilot to aircraft ratio is about 20/1. (Largest in the world) Would you believe they have a large percentage of pilots who never fly a plane but collects a pilot’s salary?

It is total madness why they run a 24 hour operation, what a waste of resources. Is it because they have money to burn or a government to bail them out? Toronto, New York, Miami. Most time six hours to go, six hours to come back, one hour on the ground. Go in the morning; come back in the early evening. We don’t need a night shift (The same can be said about the Piarco Airport). Don’t shoot the bull about slot times. These airports peak times are early morning and in the evening, not lunchtime should BWIA planes be turning around. If this is a make work company and don’t want to put anyone out of work, why don’t we try cross training? We need more police, nurses, environmentalists, and labourers to build roads. It makes business sense to let the airline go under and then restart the operation under a new name and management. Select only the good employees. There are enough of them to run this operation efficiently. We boast about safest planes in the world, but that is only 10 percent of the hog. When are we going to get the other 90 percent?

To Mr Valley the million dollar questions are: Is the government going to do a proper forensic on BWIA? Why was 45 percent of Allied Caterers (Katerserv Ltd) sold for a measly $11 million dollars? (Comprising a $50 million dollar building, assets, Katerserv $36 million dollars realised profits, Offshore Contract, Pristine Water Bottling, BWIA Canteen Contract, and Contract Caterers). Was an Act of Parliament passed for the sale of this very valuable (The only jewel in the crown) government asset? (Government owns 49 percent of BWIA the parent company of Allied Caterers). Is there any wrongdoing at Allied Caterers (Katerserv) as has been alleged? Why were the aircraft leasing contracts placed in a maze, to fool whom? Were special exclusive privileges given out to ticket agent friends? Who are the shareholders of Tobago Express? Were any of them former BWIA board directors? (Insider Trading Information). Are any of the shareholders related to any past or present BWIA executive? The eyes are on you Mr Ken Valley, prove nobody took us for a ride.

WADE WOODRUFFE
Maloney Gardens.

Abortion law is the crime

THE EDITOR: Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to untangle the twists in Ms Jacqueline Allamani’s letters (Newsday June 21).

Ms Allamani reports that our current fertility rate of 1.6 puts us well below the 2.2 mark demographers hold as necessary for population replacement. I was surprised to learn that we are so low. At ASPIRE, we share the joy of every woman with a wanted pregnancy and welcome the incentive to encourage more pregnancies. In so far as women are exercising free choice in reproduction we have no cause to enter. We are pro-life. Our only presence is where coercion and restricted choice prevail. We want all women to have the same measure of choice in respect of their reproductive role. We are pro-choice.

Ms Allamani also argues that given the current crime wave, there is no way that any sensible government would create the crime of “legalising murder” by making abortion legal. She misses the point. First, abortion is already legal, but for too restricted a set of reasons. Second, the real crime is the gross social injustice in the operation of a law that leaves some women with access to safe services and poor ones to suffer harm. We all know this. Third, the real crime, in our religious country, is the shameful indifference of so many who are insulated from harm to our many poor neighbours who remain vulnerable. The real crime, Ms Allamani is the criminal law of abortion, its unevenness, its unfairness, its irrationality and above all, the havoc it causes in so many lives every year.


Aspire Team
Port-of-Spain

Where customer service is lacking

THE EDITOR: It’s 9.30 pm. Your Club Coconuts invite says that you get in for $50 before 10.30 so you get there early with the lure and promise of drinks at a relatively ‘reasonable’ price.

The only problem is that there are hundreds of people already lined up ahead of you. An hour later everybody is cussing. You’re still lined-up outside the club. The gates open at 10 pm and the pace is so slow that you wonder if there’s only one cashier. You are crammed in a crowded line like a pack of sardines, moving slowly, sometimes not moving at all like a herd of cattle off to the slaughter-house. At 11.45 you finally get to the cashier after dealing with sweaty bodies and arrogant ‘bouncers.’ You then find out that the price has been raised to $120 and you nervously and humiliatingly wonder what to do. It is very unfortunate that owners of Club Coconuts have this disregard for their customers. It is mind boggling how an owner or a manager can see a crowd of such massive proportions and not take some kind of action to alleviate the situation.

Lining up to gain access to a nightclub is ridiculous in this day and age. It reflects the supremacist and uncaring attitudes towards the customer, but then again customer service is one of the things that we find most lacking in Trinidad and Tobago. What is even more unbelievable is the fact that people condone this type of thing by staying lined up and by suffering, sometimes fainting as they wait in line. Congratulations to the few who decided that they were not going to put up with such ridiculous treatment and decided to leave. I suppose everybody has to make a profit; that’s their way of business, but to be as insensitive to customers as ‘Nuts’ has shown, is disgusting. I for one am not used to lining up and waiting for two hours to get into a party, and I have never done that anywhere else in the world. Trinidadian nightclubs unfortunately have remained backward and third-world in their philosophy. But despite the discontent and discomfort, I’m quite sure that many of the ‘sheep’ that flock to Club Coconuts will continue to do so and endure the same fate because the lure and promise of free beer, rum, scotch and vodka is too much to pass up.

J WILLIAM ANTHONY
Port-of-Spain

Brilliant Lara steals ‘Lucy’ show

CASTRIES: West Indies captain Brian Lara lit up Beausejour Stadium with a brilliant 209 against Sri Lanka as the rain-plagued first cricket Test ended in a predictable draw.

Lara, resuming on 93, stretched his 21st century in 95 Tests into his fifth double as the home team gained a first innings lead of 123. The West Indies, stalled at 272 for four when rain had halted play just after lunch on day three, pushed on to 477 for nine declared. Omari Banks compiled an even, unbeaten half century to boost the home team. Muttiah Muralitharan claimed five for 138 off 50 overs. It was the ace off-spinner’s 38th five-wicket haul in 81 Tests. Sri Lanka openers Sanath Jayasuriya (72) and Marvan Atapattu (50) both struck unbeaten half centuries as Sri Lanka comfortably knocked off the deficit in posting 126 without loss as the match petered to its foregone conclusion.

The 33-year-old Jayasuriya, in his 79th match, became the third Sri Lankan to pass 5,000 Test runs when he reached 62.  Fellow former captains Aravinda de Silva (6,361) and Arjuna Ranatunga (5,105) top the list. But the day belonged to Lara. The champion left-hander, holder of the world record scores in Test and First-Class cricket, cracked 24 boundaries and one huge six off 360 deliveries in just over seven and a half hours. Only Don Bradman of Australia (12), Wally Hammond of England (7), Javed Miandad of Pakistan (6) and Atapattu (5) have made as many scores over 200.  Lara’s duel with off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was the major highlight, and the 31-year-old Sri Lankan had the better of the early exchanges.

Lara was 94 when he was mis-stumped by wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana as he overbalanced trying to on-drive an off-break. Muralitharan and Kaluwitharana soon teamed up successfully to claim the less-treasured scalp of Marlon Samuels for eight. Samuels was stumped as he dragged his back foot after missing a  sweep. Lara soon cracked his ninth boundary, a cracking back-foot stroke through cover, to pass three figures off 222 balls in 293 minutes. Ridley Jacobs lashed two fours in 13 off 24 balls to add 26 with his skipper before Muralitharan claimed his fourth wicket. The experienced wicket-keeper/batsman was leg before playing across the line of the straighter delivery.  At 305 for six, Sri Lanka sniffed a first innings lead, but Lara stole centre stage after that with Banks in tow.

Lara played Muralitharan with growing certainty as the day progressed and took his toll on the lesser lights in the attack as he dominated a stand of 136 for the seventh wicket. The 34-year-old plundered three fours in 16 runs off one Kaushal Lokuarachchi over of leg-spin as he raced past 150, with fifteen fours off 296 balls in 375 minutes. Later, he added three more boundaries off one over from pacer Prabath Nissanka, and part-time off-spinner Thilan Samaraweera was also taken for two fours in an over. Nissanka eventually gained revenge as Lara under-edged a lazy pull through to Kaluwitharana at 441 for seven.

Banks, who contributed just 26 in the stand with Lara, began to flourish and went on to a maiden half century before the declaration came on the stroke of tea. The 20-year-old, in his third Test, hit five fours and a six off 137 balls in three hours, 20 minutes. He lost Mervyn Dillon (2) to a scooped catch of Lokuarachchi and Corey Collymore (0) to a return catch for Muralitharan’s fifth wicket.  But last man Jerome Taylor (9 not out), just turned 19, helped Banks to his landmark in an unbroken last wicket partnership of 29.  The second and final Test begins in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday.

Disputes cloud WI women’s cricket

ST GEORGE’S: The final round of matches in the 2003 West Indies Women’s Cricket League Competition finished Tuesday without an outright winner being declared as front-runners Trinidad and St Lucia await a committee’s ruling in the disputed match.  After play started, Grenada were dismissed for 115 in 44 overs. The rain came down during the lunch period, forcing a long delay to the second half of play.  Grenada said the field conditions of the outfield were not suitable for play and the team refused to take the field. Officials subsequently called off the match.

Organisers said they would await an umpires’ report before making a ruling on the outcome. The seventh round started with Trinidad in second place at nine points, one point behind defending champions St Lucia. Trinidad needed to beat Grenada to secure the league title. In a second disputed match, Guyana’s coach ordered his players off the field because he said his team acquired the revised target set by umpires in their match against Jamaica. Jamaica batted first and scored 107 in 43 for six before rain forced the players off the field. Guyana went in to bat under the impression that they had a revised target of 80 in 34 overs.

Having got to that target in over 32, batswoman Onica Wallerson was run out for 14.  Guyanese officials then raised an alarm sighting that the run out was invalid, since they had already reached their target. Umpire Glenroy Johnson said no such information was given out and that the target was 108 in 43 overs. The Guyanese players refused to take the field and play was called off with Guyana 80 for five wickets from 323 overs. In the third match played on Tuesday, St Vincent defeated the United States by 10 wickets.  The teams have an off-day today. The knockout round of the competition starts tomorrow.  The league winners would receive a bye in the first round of matches in the knockout competition.

Unknown Bajan pacer in Second Test squad

CASTRIES: The West Indies yesterday announced the surprise choice of 21-year-old fast bowler Fidel Edwards, who has only one First-Class match to his name, in the squad of 14 for the second and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka.

Edwards, whose only match was for Barbados against the Windward Islands in the 2002 Busta Cup, replaces reserve wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh in the squad from the drawn First Test that ended yesterday. The Second Test starts on Friday in Kingston, Jamaica. The selectors gave no explanation for their choice in the written statement from the West Indies Cricket Board. But observers said captain Brian Lara had been impressed with Edwards’ bowling at net practice prior to the Third Test against Australia last month.

Edwards, who is from Barbados, is half brother of Pedro Collins, the left-arm fast bowler who has played 19 Tests for the West Indies but was dropped after two Tests of the series against  Australia. Edwards’ inclusion brings to five the number of fast bowlers in the 14. The others are Merv Dillon, Corey Collymore, Vasbert Drakes and Jerome Taylor. He is the sixth new player introduced in the back-to-back Test series against Australia and Sri Lanka. The others were Baugh, Taylor, left-handed opener Devon Smith, batsman David Bernard, off-spinner Omari Banks and fast bowler Tino Best.


WI Squad: Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Omari Banks, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Fidel Edwards, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Wavell  Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

$.2m kick-off for FCB Cup

FIRST Citizens Bank yesterday announced an injection of $200,000 in this year’s FCB Cup Knockout competition organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Professional Football  League.

The sponsorship, for the second straight year, represents an increase of $50,000 over last year and apart from valuable incentives for the players also offers rich prizes for the media. The details of the renewed association between FCB and the PFL was given at a media conference yesterday in the Penthouse of FCB’s Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain office. In attendance were Sheldon Narine, FCB Communications Officer; Dirk Smith, FCB Corporate Manager, Treasury and International Trade Centre; Larry Romany, chairman of the Professional Football League; and Richard Grodin, General Secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF). Also invited were Harold Taylor, of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and TT football captain. FCB’s Smith said the bank was committed to the sponsorship of the tournament as it plays an important role in moulding the minds and lives of young individuals by instilling in them a sense of disclipine and direction. “We are also aware that the promotion of sport serves to encourage unity and community building and offers an alternative to drugs, crime and violence,” said Smith.

He announced an increase in prize money from $80,000 to $95,000 with the winners collecting $25,000. Runners-up stand to get $16,000. Semi-finalists qualify for a $8,000 payday while quarter-finalists will receive $6,000 with the ninth and tenth placed teams getting $2,000. Smith said incentives for the media will total $10,000 with $2,500 up for grabs in the following categories: Best Photo; Best Press Report; Best Television Report; and Best Radio Report. There will also be an award of $1,500 for the most goals scored by a player during the tournament. The organisers have promised to review this category after Taylor suggested that, being a team sport, the prize should be offered to the club notching the highest amount of goals which will  discourage selfish play.

Smith said he was encouraged with the results of the first FCB Cup and the impact it has had on the national game as evidenced by the fact that all members of the TT team, which recently toured southern Africa, had passed through the PFL ranks. Romany, the new PFL chairman appointed to resuscitate the organisation, said he was extremely pleased with the sponsorship. Romany said money provided by FCB will allow the PFL to be a catalyst in the creative process. “It is time for the minds to come together and determine what is best for the sport. But the future looks bright and we must come together to make FCB proud,” said Romany. According to FCB’s Narine, popularly known as the stand-up comedian “Crazy Catholic,” the first round of the competition gets underway today with four matches. However he said the competition will take a break next week for the friendly international between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. The FCB Cup returns with the second round on July 9. The semi-finals are carded for July 16 and 23 and the final will be on July 30.


TODAY’S MATCHES
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh vs Caledonia AIA, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo; Vibe CT 105 W Connection vs Defence Force, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva; Starworld Strikers vs North East Stars, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella; South West Institute of Football vs Joe Public, Palo Seco Ground. All matches start at 6 pm.

Shaq Attack stop Army basketballers again

DETOUR Shaq Attack have whipped champions Defence Force for the second time this season.

This was in Game One of the Premier Division best-of-three semi-final series in the Royal Extra North Zone Basketball League. In a match on Monday night at the St Paul’s Street Multi-Purpose Facility in Port-of-Spain, the lead fluctuated in the first half but Shaq Attack won 87-77 behind a 19-point performance from Viergil Fraser, who also had six rebounds. Dexter Lewis added 15 points, five assists and five rebounds; Sheldon Dchristian had 15 points, three from three-point range and six rebounds; while Anthony Turner contributed 14 points and four rebounds for the winners. The prolific Steven Lewis had a match-high 27 points, while Mervyn “Unks” Jackson added 15 points, three rebounds and four assists to the Army-Coast Guard cause. Shaq Attack led 27-22 at the end of the first quarter, but trailed 45-43 at the half-time interval.  But they regained the lead for good in the third quarter 61-59.

Knockout kings Nation Flour Mills overcame a determined Royal Extra Lions 87-74. After leading 23-20 at the end of the first quarter, Flour Mills saw the Lions go on the prowl to lead 50-41 at the halfway stage and 65-57 at the three-quarter mark. The Flour men then put on the clamps in defence, limiting the Lions to only nine points in the final stanza while scoring 20 themselves to sweep victory. Marlon Bernard led the way with 22 points and hauled down 18 rebounds; Shorn Edwards, hero of NFM’s knockout final victory over Defence Force had 19 points, three rebounds and three assists; and Kerry Westfield had 17 points five assists and two rebounds. David Burton led the Lions with 21 points and four rebounds; Barry “Shoulders” Sandy got 17 points, three from beyond the arc; while Ronald Hernandez poured in 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Game Two action will be at the same venue tonight.

TT n-ballers to ‘taste’ new indoor facility

JAMAICA have commissioned a new indoor sports facility in time to host next month’s Cable and Wireless-sponsored 11th World Netball Championships which begins July 11.

And the new facility has been tested by the Jamaican “Sunshine Girls” netballers who were all happy with the wooden court. National players who inspected the facility were very pleased. Trinidad and Tobago netballers, currently preparing for the tournament will get a chance to use the facility during the tournament. “I like in here, this really looks good,” Jamaican defender Kasey Evering is reported as saying. “I feel as if I am in England,” she added. But noticeably lacking at the new facility according to reports is  a medical area, a media area, a hospitality area and changing rooms for match umpires. In addition, there were no air-conditioning units inside the changing rooms of the players. “We are pleased with what we have seen except for a few areas that the organising committee will have to address,” said Marva Bernard, IFNA finance director and treasurer of the Jamaica Netball Association. The new court was constructed by Canadian firm Trumbley and Hampton Inc, and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) at Independence Park, just west of the National Arena. It is equipped with two newly imported wooden surface courts, with the amphitheatre-style facility having a capacity of approximately 3,600.

New India Assurance award for Sports Editor

THE MEDIA has come in for high praise for their reporting of chess in Trinidad and Tobago.

Delivering the kudos was Srinivasan Gopalan, managing director of New India Assurance Company who has been in the forefront of sponsorship for the sport since his posting here over 18 months ago. The Madras, India native singled out Sports Editor of Newsday, Zaid Mohammed, for blazing a trail during the past year in his treatment and presentation of the sport in the pages of the leading daily tabloid newspaper. And because of the consistent and high quality journalism, Mohammed was presented with a media award when the Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association presented their annual prizes on Saturday at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

Gopalan, a keen chessist, stressed that the media can play a vital role in spreading the gospel of chess with special emphasis on the young junior enthusiasts. “When we concentrate on the young players they grow up into senior champions. At the junior level, the game can be used to combat the problems of crime, deliquency and violence,” Gopalan said. He said the award for Mohammed was made by a select committee which also included Raoul John, a top chessist who is a former Chamber of Commerce president. John is also a member of the Elections and Boundaries Commission.