RAMESH LAWRENCE MAHARAJ said despite his best efforts as Attorney-General, he failed to convince the former United National Congress (UNC) government to reintegrate freed prisoners into society to reduce crime in Trinidad and Tobago. Addressing a meeting of the National Workers Action Committee in Arima on Saturday, Maharaj recalled that as AG he tried to get the Basdeo Panday administration to use former prisoner Wayne Chance’s Vision on Mission (VOM) initiative to reintegrate recently released prisoners back into society. “I tried to get the government interested in it. I couldn’t get through,” he lamented. Maharaj however said he saw the public benefit to be derived from VOM and pressed ahead despite the apparent indifference of his former Cabinet colleagues. “I found a way in the (Legal Affairs) Ministry that, normally you may not be able to do this, but I found a way in which it would conform with the objectives of my Ministry. I provided him and his group with assistance to start the group VOM. Look what his group has done while other people assist him in saving the lives of a lot of people in Trinidad and Tobago,” he declared to lusty applause from the gathering.
Reiterating his condemnation of the UNC and PNM’s stance on corruption, Maharaj declared: “What is happening is that they ride your back and when they get into office they forget you. Past government officials and present government officials who could not earn the wealth by the salaries that they got or what they had before, they own very expensive properties in Trinidad and Tobago.” The former AG claimed several of these individuals now own properties in a major real estate development in Tobago where the cost of a single villa is US$1.5 million. Maharaj said politics mattered little to him at this time and he was committed to a crusade to bring social justice to all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
A JURY was empanelled yesterday for the trial of Henry Chadee and his daughter, Denese, who are jointly accused of cocaine trafficking. Chadee’s wife, Dolly, was also indicted on the charge, but died before the matter could be brought to trial. Madame Justice Alice Yorke Soo Hon will begin hearing the case tomorrow (wed) in the San Fernando second criminal assizes,. Chadee, 52, and Denese, 24, are accused of possession of 1.07 kilogrammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking on May 7, 1999, at Piparo. The State’s case will be presented by Althea Alexis while Chadee and his daughter are being represented by Prakash Ramadhar instructed by Brian Dabideen.
BRIDGETOWN: Experienced fast bowler Mervyn Dillon has been scratched from the West Indies squad for the third and final one-day cricket international against Sri Lanka in St Vincent later this week, officials said yesterday. The home team lost both matches in Barbados over the weekend, putting Sri Lanka up 2-0 in the Cable and Wireless series. Dillon, who turned 29 on Thursday, is the only current West Indies bowler with over 100 wickets in One-Day Internationals and Tests. However, the Trinidadian has been inconsistent throughout the internationals this home season and was clubbed for 66 runs off 10 overs in Sunday’s loss. Uncapped teenager Jerome Taylor of Jamaica is included at Dillon’s expense for the one-dayer on Wednesday, the West Indies Cricket Board said. The 18-year-old Taylor had an impressive debut season in the regional Carib Beer First-Class series earlier this year, collecting 21 wickets in six matches. And the Sri Lankan cricket selectors have dropped all-rounder Upul Chandana for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies, despite his match winning innings in the second One-Day International in Barbados.
Chandana’s 89 runs in 71 balls in Sunday’s match against the West Indies helped Sri Lanka record an emphatic win, chasing 312 runs. Left-handed batsman Naveed Nawaz has also been excluded from the Test side, while Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne, all rounder Thilan Samaraweera and fast bowler Thilina Thushara are included in the side. The squad includes eight specialist batsmen, five fast bowlers and three spinners. The First Test between the two sides will begin in St Lucia on June 20 and the second will be played in Jamaica from June 27.
West Indies one-day squad: Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Marlon Samuels, Ricardo Powell, Omari Banks, Vasbert Drakes, Ridley Jacobs, Corey Collymore, David Bernard, Wavell Hinds, Ryan Hurley, Daren Powell, Jerome Taylor.
Sri Lanka Test squad: Hashan Tillakaratne (captain), Marvan Atapattu (vice captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Kumar Darmasena, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Prabath Nissanka, Dharshana Gamage, Dinusha Fernando, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera and Thilina Thushara.
BRIDGETOWN: The man in charge of the 2007 World Cup says the two most famous grounds in the Caribbean — Kensington Oval in Barbados and Jamaica’s Sabina Park — are unfit to stage matches. Chris Dehring, chief executive of Windies World Cup, said refurbishment plans are around two years behind schedule and he believes it will cost several millions of dollars to get them ready in time. “You are talking about two countries which have been so-called traditional venues of international cricket in the Caribbean,” he told the Sunday Sun newspaper in Barbados. “Yet, because of their status as traditional venues, very little, or certainly not enough, has been done to improve the quality of their stadiums over the last 40 years.” Dehring said the best venues are now in the less traditional centres of the Eastern Caribbean —- St Lucia, Antigua, St Vincent and Grenada. “They have new facilities and purpose-built cricket stadiums,” he explained. “That’s one area where both Jamaica and Barbados have fallen behind. “I think it’s quite sad when you think about the tradition of cricket in Barbados where you have Kensington Oval, which the Barbadians refer to as the Mecca. “I ask myself if this is the Mecca, why hasn’t an investment befitting a Mecca taken place in Barbados over the last 30 years?”
Dehring did, however, concede that it should not be too hard to start from scratch to rebuild stadiums. “The beauty about it is that there is really no country that is absolutely ready, so, this is a green field,” he said. “You don’t have these massive infrastructures you would have to move out of the way to put the World Cup infrastructure. “It really is an opportunity to put in place exactly what we want.” He dismissed reports in the Barbados Nation suggesting the International Cricket Council (ICC) was looking at alternative venues to host cricket’s biggest tournament. “All of the television rights have been sold all around the world,” he said. “I don’t think it could be disbanded even if the ICC wanted to, and the ICC and the Caribbean have no intention of walking away from the exciting challenge of the World Cup in the West Indies.”
GABORONE: Trinidad and Tobago’s English-based goalkeeper Clayton Ince will be rested for today’s international friendly football match against Botswana. This is due to an abdominal strain but he is expected to be fit for the international against South Africa next Saturday in Port Elizabeth. The rest of the team is injury free ahead of the remaining matches. Skipper Carrington said the Caribbean footballers hope to achieve their third win of the tour today. “Right now we are really looking forward to the South Africa match because we feel they will be our toughest opponents. But at the same time we are here for another international against Botswana and we are keen to get another good result,” Carrington said. “We have little knowledge of Botswana and we will give them their respect on the day and prepare for the match as any other. “The attitude of the players has been positive throughout the tour and we are just aiming to maintain some consistency in our performances. You can see that a lot of organisation has gone into this tour and it has been successful so far. “We are looking forward to reap the benefits of this as we continue our build up for the (World Cup) qualifying matches later down the road,” he added.
The TT footballers arrived in Botswana from Johannesburg under strict police escort during a five-hour journey which was interrupted by a stop at the renowned Sun City Hotel in South Africa for lunch and a short rest. So far on the historic tour of Africa, TT have drawn and beaten Kenya’s national senior and Olympic teams respectively before defeating a South African club side 1-0 on Saturday. Coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier had one session yesterday evening at the National Stadium in Gabarone before today’s friendly international. Radio Botswana 2 has dedicated a one-hour segment in its morning programme over the next couple days to promote today’s match, playing strictly calypso music since the promotion started last Friday.
BRIDGETOWN: West Indies captain Brian Lara donated two bats from his personal collection to be raffled by the Barbados Council of the Disabled to help raise funds to send a West Indies team to the next Blind Cricket World Cup in 2006. The presentation of the two bats was made prior to the start of the first Cable and Wireless One-day International (ODI) between West Indies and Sri Lanka at Kensington Oval on Saturday. “All of us cricketers have to feel very privileged to be able to play the game at the highest level and we felt it important to contribute this effort to form a team for the next Blind Cricket World Cup,” remarked Lara. “I think this is really genuine and this is really a great cause to support. All of the players when told about it were very happy to be involved and we wish them all the best. It is good to see them play the sport and we are going to back them all the way.”
The West Indies batting superstar said he had watched and read a bit about the playing of blind cricket. He described the occasion as fun for the players and he looks forward to getting a chance to see the West Indies team play when it comes together. Rosanna Tudor, the Events Coordinator for the Barbados Council of the Disabled, said that Lara’s donation and the support from the remainder of the West Indies team was greatly appreciated. “Their involvement gives a boost and encouragement to our players as we prepare to host coaches from other islands to look into the development of a West Indies team for the next Blind Cricket World Cup,” she commented. Tudor indicated that the hosting of an England blind cricket team earlier this year was only the first step towards fulfilling the dream. She added that the Council had been successful in getting grounds, equipment and support from the Ministry of Social Transformation for the venture. Granville Carter, who played for the Barbados blind cricket team against the England side earlier this year, is also grateful for the support of the members of the West Indies team and is looking forward to making the Blind West Indies team. “I think the gesture by Lara and the West Indies cricket team as wonderful because they are deeply involved in the game and want to see the progression of the game in all sectors,” he said.
While the West Indies cricketers were in battle against the visiting Sri Lankans over the weekend, Coast Guard Petty Officer Takoor Sankar was on a rescue mission. He emerged the star of the Trinidad and Tobago Shooting team at the Cible D’or Caribbean Shooting Competition in Bimshire. Sankar copped gold in the individual rifle field with a score of 582 out of a possible 600 points. Then he combined with his Central American and Caribbean Games teammates Oscar Waldron and Taran Deosaran to capture first place in the team event. The competition served as preparation for their participation in the Pan American Games this August in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Team coach Brent Thomas said his team, excluding the rifle men, comprised inexperienced shooters. Nevertheless he said the competition was a platform for the competitors to mature. Sherwin Paul and Lauren Warner placed fourth, with Marsha Mullin Jones, fifth in the air pistol competition and were all given notable mention for their impressive performances. They are all members of the TT Defence Force.
GRANT LOURENCO-trained trio of Invincibility, Sugar Mike and Song Of Freedom had a course record gallop at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, as horses got ready for the Arima Race Club Labour Day 10-race programme. This threesome sped over 1000 metres on Sunday in the fantastic time of 59.4 seconds, bettering the electronic record time for the distance held jointly by JD Gump (1996) and Kabila (1997) of 1:00.1 seconds. The American-bred trio gives Lourenco a strong hand in the Santa Rosa Dash over 1200 metres, where they will face the quick-stepping Fortunate Flag who also hold the engagement in the race which carries a purse of $45,000. Kenneth de Silva jnr-trained Fortunate Flag, also bred in the United States, had a good run over the same 1000 metres trip, returning in 1:09.3 seconds.
Other good gallops over the 1000 metres distance came fromn Super Grey who was clocked in 1:05 seconds and Panama Canal who stopped the clock in 1:07 seconds. Isle Be There showed he was in great heart with a 600 metres gallop in 36.3 seconds, but Green Light was best over the trip in 35 seconds, same time The Chairman and You’ve Got Mail. Here are Sunday’s gallops: 400 METRES — Celebration Time — 29.7; Cheerleader — 26.0; Lazar Wolf — 29.3; Miss Shezabute — 29.8; Tora Bora — 27.0; Vanlou — 24.7.
600 METRES — Canaima — 41.8; Due Dilligence — 43.0; Embedded Option — 44.9; Green Light — 35.0; Isle Be There — 36.3; Miss Beautiful — 39.5; Outswinger — 44.9; Phantom Bidder — 42.9; Royal Flush — 41.9; Sir Vidia — 44.8; Squeezed Moment — 44.9; The Chairman 35.0; You’ve Got Mail — 35.0.
800 METRES — Alex — 58.8; Classy Kim — 50.1; Lantern Lady — 58.5; Lovely Pearl Paced — 53.9; Seductive — 53.9; Tricky Guy — 55.8; V for Victory — 57.9;
X to Board — 54.3.
1000 METRES — Fortunate Flag — 1:09.3; Game High — 1:14.7; Golden Shufleur — 1:13.8; Invincibility, Sugar Mike and Song Of Freedom — 59.4; Panama Canal — 1:07.0; Super Grey — 1:05.0;
Monday’s gallops: 400 METRES — Golden Boy — 29.9; Sunny — 29.9; What Left — 28.9.
600 METRES — Deadly Squeeze — 44.9; Indian Game 43.7; Jattahyu — 44.2; Phantom Bidder — 44.2; Top Of The Class — 44.9.
800 METRES — Celebration Time — 57.6; Squeezed Moment — 59.9.
THE VISITING Barbados Workers Union netballers ended their goodwill tour with victories over hosts Chips in both the “A” and “B” Divisions at the Woodbrook Youth Facility, Port-of-Spain. The Bajan “A” squad dumped Chips 49-39, leading all the way 16-10, 24-18, 37-23 at the quarter stages. Andrea Puckerin scored 41 goals from 54 attempts and Cheryl Steele, eight from 10, for the Bajans, while Denise Rose had 25 goals from 38 attempts and Rhonessa Williams, 14 of 20, for Chips. In the “B” Division match, BWU downed Chips 34-21 leading 10-4, 18-11, 27-15 at the quarters. Goal-shoot Heather Gill scored 25 goals frm 32 attempts, Cheryl Steele, six of 10, and Stacy Ann Ruck, three from three, for BWU. Rhonique Williams had 14 of 23, Joelisa Cooper, five of nine, and Chrisandra Murrell, two of four, for Chips. The BWU girls were beaten in three of their four previous matches of their tour with one drawn. They drew the opener against Chips I but were beaten by a Combined team, and also lost to guest teams Arima United and Arima Ball Masters. However the lasses from Little England bounced back strongly for victory in Saturday’s matches.
DEFENCE FORCE took no prisoners in annihilating Off Limits 108-36 in Royal Extra Basketball League Premier Division action. After just a four-point lead at the end of the first quarter in Saturday night’s match at the St Paul’s Street Multi-Purpose Facility, in Port-of-Spain, the Army-Coast Guard combination exploded for a 51-22 half-time lead. After that, it was a one-way street as Defence Force rumbled to 76-29, and again limited Off Limits to just seven points in the final stage. Stephen Lewis led the Army-Coast Guard men assault with 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists Kevin Roberts had 20 points, Wilt Vincent 19, Kervis King 18, while Mervin Headley added 12, three from the three-point range and four assists. No Off Limits player reached double figures, but Morgan John had nine points and brother Calvin John nine points and seven rebounds. Unbeaten National Flour Mills whipped Royal Extra Lions 78-65 in the other match. David King scored 15 points, Andy Best 13, and Marlon Bernard 12, with nine rebounds for the NFM team, while Kerwin Lord got 13 points and four rebounds for the Lions.
NFM led 13-14 at the end of the opening stanza, but The Lions battled back to outscore their rivals 20-10 for a 34-33 half-time lead. The NFM squad regained the lead 59-51 at the end of three quarters, and continued their stranglehold on the match.
