N Touch

Crowne Plaza GM wants to make TT his home

Recently appointed general manager at Crowne Plaza, Trinidad John T. O’Hara, took up his post just one week before Carnival 2003 and has already taken to the culture and the country.

The Ohio-born O’Hara had stints at Hilton Head, Chicago, Fort Worth, Orlando, Sarasota, Puerto Rico, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii and the islands. But he and his wife Deborah fell in love with the Caribbean and here is where both of them loved the most, hence the reason to return to the region. “When the opportunity came up to work in Trinidad, I grabbed at it.  Trinidad is a beautiful island,” said O’Hara who immediately fell in love with the people. “We enjoyed living on islands and while we lived in the Caribbean for five years, we visited all the islands. Trinidad is one of our favourite islands. Island life is not for everyone, however, we not only succeed, we excel in the islands,” he said.

The 44-year-old has been married to his college sweetheart for the past 23 years but they are childless. However, at times they use that factor to their advantage in that they are able to easily relocate and adjust. His wife, who has been involved in residential property management, is still in Arizona tying up loose ends to be here by the end of the month. When O’Hara gets the time, he loses himself in his loves, namely water sports, beach, walking and jogging. Asked if Deborah will be working when she arrives in Trinidad he responded with a grin: “I tend to do a full-time job if you know what I mean, so I’ll keep her very busy”.

On the work side, he boasted that the Plaza has been sold out since February to the present, with the Carifta Games, cricket, airline turnover flights and just a lot of other business activities. He said he is looking forward to succeeding and excelling at his new job and intends to improve certain areas in sales and marketing. Since his arrival, the designated Certified Hotel Administrator  (CHA),  has since created and appointed the new Crowne Meeting Director who was sent to Chicago before taking up the position. He’s also had the Executive Housekeeper fly to Florida for one week of training. He said: “The bottom line is you have to believe in a vision and the mission.”

O’Hara’s brought with him, 27 years of hotel management experience with his forte lying in resort management. He spent 17 years with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, with his last position being vice president and general manager, at the Rio Rico Resort and Country Club in Arizona for the past three years. “My most significant accomplishments during my tenure consisted of completing a multi-million dollar renovation, retaining the AAA Four Diamond Award, generating the highest profit ever for the ownership and improving our ranking from Arizona Business Magazine from number ten in 1999 to number one for 2002. For 2003, we are in the top ten rankings for the following categories: resort, Golf Course, and for the first time ever meetings and convention facilities. The Resort is number one for 2003 for the second consecutive year,” boasted O’Hara who stated that his only reason for leaving Rio Rico as well as Hyatt was due to the change in ownership.

O’Hara also claims to have excellent coaching skills and outstanding leadership abilities. He said: “I lead by example and I lead by being first. My leadership skills have enabled me to effectively interact at all levels and among various cultures.”  O’Hara, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration has done extensive research on the Caribbean and apart from managing hotels he has a comprehensive knowledge of food and beverage. He possesses excellent communication skills and speaks Spanish. He is also actively involved in the Rotary and Lions Clubs. For now, O’Hara loves the fact that something is always happening at the Crowne Plaza and at the end of the day he is looking towards making TT his permanent home.

ESHA – Is living her radio dream

It’s almost 7 pm, Monday. Esha Roopnarine is already on the open road, heading towards the studios at 95.1FM, where her radio programme will start one hour later.

By the time she parks her car on the studio compound, she’s already thinking of what she will play for her loyal listeners. Heading up the stairs to the DJ console, she automatically clears her throat, giving a little cough to relax the voice box. Her selections on the ready, she puts on her earphones as the “On The Air” sign is switched on. The music is cued up. She opens her mouth and her words begin to flow… “Good evening everyone… welcome to your  favourite  music station, radio 95.1FM… I am Esha Roopnarine here to keep you company until midnight…” Rewind to when she was just a little girl of eight, where she more or less said the same thing, only her microphone was either a hairbrush, a pencil or a rolled up copybook. “Yes, it’s true,” she said, laughing all the while. “I admit it, I have always, always wanted to be in the media, whether as an announcer or conducting interviews. So there I was as a child with my little ‘microphone’ pretending to be someone from CNN and interviewing mummy and daddy, asking them all kinds of questions. I’ve always found the media fascinating, whether TV or radio. When I tell people that this is my dream job, they don’t believe me, until I tell them that story.”

Growing up in St Augustine and the second of four daughters, Roopnarine went through her secondary education at Tunapuna Government, did her A-Levels and it was straight to the Announcers Broadcast Academy (ABA). Immediately after graduating in 1998, she auditioned for a position at 95.1FM, and got it. “I was just 20 then,” she said. “My teacher and mentor was Holly Thomas, a person I’ve been listening to for a long time (besides Jim Sutherland and Barbara Assoon). Barbara was also one of my teachers, a wonderful woman in her own right. I wasn’t worried about the training at all, as I’ve been wanting this for so long. Grasping the technical aspects wasn’t hard, Holly was great in that regard, showing us the ropes. I had to be groomed to know what radio should be like, how I should be on the air, what the format was for presenting a show, but that’s only part of it. There’s also the personality, which is totally up to you. It all comes down to what you present with regard to who you are and the type of personality you weave into the show.”

Her enthusiasm is evident throughout, but it’s not surprising because this young lady puts herself wholly and solely into whatever she does, and with abandon. Her passion may be radio, but she’s a self-confessed “pool rat” and has plans to pursue a business management course in the near future. She’s a lover of the arts and reads literature, but admits that she has a love for languages, especially French. When it comes to her family she’s just as passionate, citing that hers is a special unit. Her parents didn’t bat an eyelash when she told them what she wanted to do with her life, even though at one time, they thought she would take a different path. “Okay, if I didn’t become an announcer, I would have possibly gone into medicine,” she admits. “I say possibly because I pursued science in school, but I didn’t pursue medicine. (Laughs) Once I saw the broadcasting school ad, I knew I had to do this, it was my chance. Telling my parents was no problem, in fact my father was like, ‘Eh heh? Okay, what you need? How much it costing? When it starting?’ Plus my sisters and I are also very close and they too were supportive of my decision. And there is a special someone… (blushing) He’s concerned about  my safety on the night shifts, but he’s very understanding about what I do. Gives me advice too.”

On her own, she is complimented on her voice. Oddly enough, though clear and strong, it’s not your typical “radio voice”. But she gets loads of comments from people on it, even those who may not know she is “that Esha”. What cracks her up  though, are people’s reactions when they meet her for the first time. Because her voice is clear sounding and strong on-air, they are shocked when they see this little woman before their eyes. Their first question is usually, “Why are you so tiny?” When asked about her weight, she replied with a laugh, “I’m in the late nineties!” Her music though, is a mix of all decades. On the air she plays pop, rock (her favourite), R&B and some hip hop, but she has her favourite artistes; The Police, Led Zeppelin, Collective Soul, and even Bryan Adams. “My listeners know that I really love his music,” she quipped, grinning broadly.

Her ultimate interview would be with Lillith Fair persona Sarah Mc Laughlin. “I mean, why not Sarah? I’ve had interviews with many foreign rock bands but this would be my ultimate interview. She has so much going on (she counts on her fingers), Lillith Fair, which she singlehandedly organised and promotes, pushing the female musician forward. She writes, she produces, she sings, she plays guitar, piano… her songs are like poetry. I’d love to see what makes her tick.” And on the subject of women going forward… “I had a feeling that would come up.” (More laughter.) “On being a woman in a male oriented environment… all I can say is that I think it’s a great thing that’s happening across the board. When I came to 95.1 there was only one other woman on board. It’s been five years since and now we have a lot more and it’s just fantastic. You  have a mix of so many different personalities, you have female representation on the air. It’s just wonderful to see.     I’ve even co-hosted with a few male announcers and it’s fun too, you can ‘rap’ off each other, you have the men’s view, then the  women’s point of view. It can really work well either way, especially if you have a great chemistry going with your co- host. People seem to receive you well and respond to that, especially when it works positively.” For relaxation, Roopnarine loves quiet time, and will spend it at a beach house whenever possible. Swimming and sailing are another of her passions, but she must have her music around her. “Forget the fact that I play music for a living; when I’m on my own, I do it to relax. I always have music going, even if I have to hum to myself!”

It’s evident that radio is a huge part of Roopnarine’s life and she plans to explore every facet of its operations (planning, promotions, etc) for as long as she has her career. For now, the best part of her job is having her listeners call in during her programmes. “There is nothing like listener appreciation,” she said. “Whether it’s to comment on the music, or to ask for some advice, I feel great when it happens. It’s my personal high, it’s what gets me going. The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to do this, is go for it. It’s great to be a female role model out there. “Entertainment is something positive in its own way. If we can entertain youth and do something positive by keeping them off the streets or away from drugs by something we might say or music we might play, that is something positive… so go for it. I’m living my dream, and it’s making me happy. I’ve never had a perfect day as such, but once I go to my job, it’s really to be there for the listeners and forget about the bad stuff.  Knowing that I need to be positive for my listeners makes me feel better. If I have a bad day, the minute I step in the studio, I feel better. “Really, I count my blessings each day, because I am living my dream and doing my dream job… and it’s making me happy. It’s my passion.”


Esha Roopnarine is on the air from Monday to Wednesday from 8 pm to 12 am, Thursday from 8 pm to 10 pm and on Sunday afternoons from 12 pm to 4 pm.

Court of sovereignty

IT IS good news that by November next the Caribbean Court of Justice will be in operation. The Court would not only be the final Court of Appeal for most of the countries of the Commonwealth Caribbean but, we are told, it would also serve as an international court to adjudicate on issues relating to the Treaty of Chaguaramas which established Caricom.

We welcome the CCJ which has been long in coming. It means that at last our region would have a final appellate court of our own making, manned by our own judges having a personal knowledge of the nature of our own societies, their history, culture, concerns and peculiar mores. The launching of the CCJ would also result in the severing of the final link with our colonial past, abandonment of the British Privy Council which was not only an embarrassment to our sovereignty but a source of annoyance by its attempts to foist its abolitionist views upon us. In any case, it was always too much to expect the English Law Lords, sitting in far-off London and having no experience of our region, to appreciate the particular dynamics of our developing societies. In certain aspects of the law, the Privy Council may have served our region usefully, but the fact is that courts and judges must have a close and insightful relationship with the societies they serve and be sensitive to their needs and anxieties.

It is more than time for us to be in control of our own jurisprudence, creating our own legal and judicial traditions. Soon the task of recruiting judges for the CCJ will begin. According to Task Force coordinator, Sheldon McDonald, a Jamaican attorney based at Caricom headquarters in Guyana, the 11-member regional judicial services commission would be established by May 11 and would immediately begin engaging judges to have the Court operational by next November.

One question remains, will the UNC Opposition, in their present mode of non-cooperation, support the legislation required to establish the court? According to Attorney General Glenda Morean-Phillip the motion would need a special majority in Parliament and, therefore, the support of the Opposition. The AG was optimistic as she pointed out: “This is part of their own process, a process that was actually continued during the UNC term in office. I don’t think this would be an apt case for them to say, ‘constitutional reform’ before the court is established. So we would look forward to their cooperation in this effort.” Of course, we would have to wait and see. We do not expect that the UNC, having played a very active part in the groundwork for setting up the CCJ while they were in government, would now want to reject the work that they themselves have done. Also, in terms of policy and philosophy, the UNC have been strong proponents of the Court and it would be a serious act of reneging and a heavy blow to their credibility if they should now turn against the motion for whatever reason.

The Caricom states can boast of judicial systems and practice comparable with the best in the world. We have produced judges and jurists of eminent stature and have reached a level of maturity in legal matters that should make us quite confident that our own Caribbean Court of Justice would be a tribunal of the highest quality, one that would also serve to strengthen the traditional ties that bind our countries and, in fact, become an active agent in our on-going integration. The CCJ will also mark another major milestone in the history of our region, the full attainment of our sovereignty.

Four steps to church success


In several cases, failure to comprehend and apply this basic rule has resulted in a lot of activity, much frustration, and little or no meaningful productivity.


Primarily, we can safely say that the fundamental purpose of the church is to effect change — change or enhancement in the lives of people, communities, societies and nations. Our function is to use the resources which Christ, the Head of the Church, makes available to us through His Word — the Bible — and the Holy Spirit. These must be utilised to produce positive spiritual, moral, social and political change.

In undertaking this assignment, however, the Church must understand that there is a structured, methodical and strategic approach which should be adopted, consistent with the scriptural philosophy of Christ. In several cases, failure to comprehend and apply this basic rule has resulted in a lot of activity, much frustration, and little or no meaningful productivity. There are four essential steps which we must observe in our initiatives towards change:


1. Power: The Body of Christ (Church) is provided with the power to carry out our given assignment. “You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you, to be witnesses …” (Acts 1:8).  This power came at the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, about 2000 years ago (Acts 2: 1,2). Pentecostals, in particular, are quite fascinated by this empowerment for service. This is okay. But the big problem arises when we attempt to shorten the process for effecting change by moving directly from power to change. The second step is imperative.


2. Influence: This is a very critical stage and can easily make the difference between success and failure. Power must be translated to influence as electrical energy is converted into light and heat, in order to produce the desired result. Power can also be likened to potential energy, while influence can be paralleled with the kinetic. Power without influence is similar to responsibility without authority. When we can translate our power into influence, we will be able to win people’s confidence, and subsequently, their allegiance.

In my book Effectively Using the Media, I make the point that the Prime Minister, for example, may have the power, but the media may have the influence. The one with the influence usually wins. The government of Uriah Butler’s day had the power, but Butler had the influence on the masses. He that had the influence got the allegiance. When the politics reaches the stage where the Government of the day has the power, but the Opposition has the influence, the Opposition becomes the Government when they face the polls. As Christians, we are called “the salt of the earth” (Matt 5: 13). The power of salt serves no purpose unless it can “influence” the food in the pot. The Church must be an entity which influences every sphere of life. Along with spiritual patterns, we must influence behaviour, social order, moral trends, legislation, the status quo, political direction and vital decision-making.


3. Impact: In my leadership and motivational lectures, I usually deal with this as an independent topic which I caption “The Art of Creating Impact”. The effectiveness at the impact stage is directly proportional to what obtains at the influence level. The impact has to do with how well the influence has affected its target. If the influence is great, the impact will be great. In setting out to make an impact, therefore, one must keep in mind the need for making an indelible impression — one which convinces and convicts. Of course, this will require mastering salesmanship and skilful execution of the plan. Mediocrity, lack of resolve, defective focus and fortitude, poor communication skills, deficient creativity and bad interpersonal skills can all be disastrous in any attempt at creating impact. It take excellence to be effective.

There is no such thing as an excellent musician who fails to create impact. If he/she is excellent, impact is automatic. The same for an excellent footballer, cricketer, businessperson or preacher. Shakespeare has created the phenomenal impact the world has experienced for the past 400 years or so, because of sheer excellence in his field. Christ has shaken the world with His exponential growth in awesome impact for two millenniums, because of His demonstration of an undiluted, unmitigated and uncompromised standard of excellence in the functions of His call.


4. Change: Power, influence and impact result in change. This change may begin with a mere adjustment in perception or perspective, but change is inevitable as long as numbers 1 to 3 are covered. We must bear in mind, nonetheless, that change initiates a new beginning. A new beginning, in many respects, bears the nature of a newborn baby. Much nurturing and mentoring skills will be required to manage the change that’s birthed, so as to bring it to the level of maturity which ensures complete change, transformation or conversion.


Our success in God’s business is guaranteed as we follow the proper steps. He will give us His full support as we so do. He is a God of steps (structure) and order: “The steps of a righteous man are ordered of the Lord” (Ps 37: 23).

WI chase massive Aussie 605

BRIDGETOWN: The West Indies hit back after a record-breaking 30th century from Steve Waugh to launch a spirited reply to Australia’s 605 for nine declared on yesterday’s second day of the third cricket Test.

The home team was 89 without loss at the close after Australia piled on the runs after resuming from 320 for three. Chris Gayle hit nine boundaries in an unbeaten 47, while fellow left-hander Devon Smith was 34 not out with six fours. But the day belonged to Waugh, who notched his 30th Test century in his 159th match. The 37-year-old passed the late great, Sir Don Bradman (29 in just 52 matches) as the most prolific Australian century-maker.

Leading the list is the Indian pair of former opener Sunil Gavaskar (34) and current star Sachin Tendulkar (31). Waugh also passed Gavaskar (10, 122) into second among Test cricket’s run-scorers when he reached 59. Only former Australian teammate, current selector Allan Border (11, 174), now stands ahead of Waugh. Waugh, who played the anchor role throughout the day, got aggressive support from Adam Gilchrist (65 off 80 balls) and Andy Bichel (71 off 71 balls). The pair shared successive century stands with their skipper after Darren Lehmann’s quest for his second successive century ended in the day’s second over.

Left-hander Lehmann, 89 overnight, fell for 96 when Vasbert Drakes claimed him leg before to umpire David Shepherd’s dubious verdict. But the West Indies bowlers toiled again on an unresponsive surface as the Aussie batsmen made merry. Gilchrist lashed three sixes and two fours in putting on 113 for the fifth wicket. When he fell to the expensive rookie off-spinner Omari Banks, the promoted Bichel filled the void admirably. The fast bowler, promoted to No. 7 in the order, smote seven fours and two sixes in registering his maiden Test half century. He perished when he pulled a Banks full toss to midwicket as he sought quick runs. Bichel and Waugh added 124 for the sixth wicket. Fast bowler Jermaine Lawson returned to claim three late wickets and the best bowling figures of three for 131 off 32.3 overs. Waugh, after batting five and quarter hours, eventually missed a heave to leg and was bowled. He counted just eight boundaries off 233 deliveries.

The West Indies, whose fielding was poor throughout the day, missed three chances off Waugh. Ramnaresh Sarwan dropped him at 11 and 57, low down at midwicket and then running around from deep midwicket, while wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh grassed a leg side deflection when he was 85. Lawson also bowled Brett Lee (11) and Stuart MacGill (0) off consecutive balls before the declaration came an hour into the final session. Jason Gillespie smacked two sixes and a four in 18 not out off eight balls. Banks, on debut, finished with three for 204 off 40 overs. It earned the 20-year-old the unenviable record of conceding the most runs in an innings on debut. The previous mark belonged to Indian left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni. He took a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket before being lashed for 195 runs off 70 overs against Sri Lanka in Colombo, 1997.


Test Scoreboard
WEST INDIES VS AUSTRALIA
Australia Ist Inns
(Overnight 320 for three)
J Langer c Chanderpaul b Banks 78
M Hayden c Gayle b Drakes 27
R Ponting run out (Best/Baugh) 113
D Lehmann lbw b Drakes 96
S Waugh b Lawson 115
A Gilchrist c Smith b Banks 65
A Bichel c Lara b Banks 71
B Lee b Lawson 11
J Gillespie not out 18
S MacGill b Lawson 0
EXTRAS (B3, LB3, W3, NB2) 11
TOTAL (For 9 wkts dec) 605
Overs: 154.3.
Wickets fell at: 43, 151, 292, 331, 444, 568, 580, 605, 605.
Did not bat: Glenn McGrath.
BOWLING: J Lawson 32.3-2-131-3 (W1), T Best 20-1-99-0 (W1, NB2), V Drakes 30-2-85-2, Oi Banks 40-2-204-3, C Gayle 31-5-79-0 (W1), R Sarwan 1-0-1-0.
    
West Indies Ist Inns
C Gayle not out 47
DSmith not out 34
EXTRAS (B2, LB2, NB4) 8
TOTAL (For no wkts) 89
Overs: 23.
To bat: D Ganga, B Lara, S Chanderpaul, R Sarwan, C Baugh, V Drakes, O Banks, J Lawson, T Best.
BOWLING: McGrath 4-2-8-0, Gillespie 5-1-11-0 (NB1), Lee 5-1-30-0 (NB2), Stuart MacGill 6-0-22-0 (NB1), Darren Lehmann 3-1-14-0.

Honour to pass Don says Waugh

BRIDGETOWN: Steve Waugh said it was an honour to pass the great Sir. Donald Bradman as Australia’s most prolific century-maker in Test cricket, but was quick to play down yesterday’s achievement.

“It’s a great honour to pass Sir Donald Bradman,” Australian captain Waugh said. “But…I’ve played 107 more Tests, so that puts it in perspective.” Waugh’s gritty 115 led Australia to a mammoth 605 for nine declared and the upper hand in the Third Test against the West Indies. It was the 37-year-old Australian captain’s 30th century in his 159th Test. The late Bradman amassed his 29 hundreds from just 52 matches between 1928 and 1948. “It’s a record I probably won’t have for that long,” Waugh said. “The way (Waugh’s vice-captain) Ricky Ponting is going, he has 17 hundreds already and I’m sure he’ll take over someday. So I’m really just a caretaker.”

This was Waugh’s second innings of the series, which the rest of his batsmen have dominated as Australia cruised to a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series against the West Indies. “I had to work for it because I felt like I hadn’t batted for a long while,” Waugh said of his innings. “It was such a slow wicket and hard to force runs on.” “I don’t think it was my best Test hundred, but I was pleased to get it because I had to work hard,” Waugh added. The touring skipper was critical of the benign nature of the pitch, which has produced 694 runs for just nine wickets over the first two days. “I’ve played 159 Tests and this is the slowest wicket I have ever played on,” he said.

Quest for region’s fittest begins in Chaguanas

The quest for the Caribbean’s fittest person begins today at the Indoor Sports Arena in Chaguanas.

The South/ Central finals in the Caribbean Aerobics Championships 2 will as usual set the tone of this competition. Competitors will be vying for spaces on the floor in the finals on May at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo. South/Central has in the past produced some of the leading contenders for the big prize in the finals including Nicole Cain, who finished second to Gerard Forde last year and has won the South/Central title for the past two years.   A third title in the zonal competition is not beyond her but could face a tough hurdle in the up and coming talents who are showing great promise.

The winner of the endurance marathon this year in the finals takes home $10,000 but will have to face a stern test from competitors representing Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua/Barbuda and Puerto Rico. The competition this year is open to aerobic enthusiasts 14 years old and over. On Saturday, May 10, the second zonal final, North/East, takes place at Woodbrook Youth Facility in Port-of-Spain. This opens the door for stiffer competition as the zones have in the past produced the winners of the competition and can repeat this year. Last year, the eventual winner Gerard Forde won the East Zone title. The South/Central finals today is scheduled to begin at 2 pm and registration is from noon.

Hampton Games get going today

THE 29TH annual Hampton International Games will get going today, following its formal opening by President George Maxwell Richards, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo at 4 pm.

Unlike recent years, there will be no high profile athlete in the two-day meet due to injuries and financial constraints, which have plagued the Games for a number of years. Close friends and national sprint champions Darrel Brown and Marc Burns, both students at Auburn University, USA, also opted out of the meet, with Brown still recovering from a leg injury sustained at the recent Carifta Championships while Burns will miss the event due to school commitments. But CARIFTA medallists Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Wanda Hutson, Cuquie Melville, Denele De Verteuil, Dion Rodriguez, Jamil James, Jamal James and Carlan Arthur will keep the flag flying for Trinidad and Tobago.

The international athletes billed to compete at the two-day meet are Antiguan sprinter Heather Samuel (100m and 200m), British quartermiler Lesley Owuso and seven Jamaicans — Delloreen Ennis-London (100m and 100m hurdles), Jenice Daley (100m and 200m), Michelle Pierre (400m), Winston Smith (100m), Jermaine Gonzales (400m), Danny McFarlane (400m and 400m hurdles) and Marvin Watts (800m).

English writers pick Henry

LONDON: Arsenal striker Thierry Henry achieved a double yesterday when he was named English football’s ‘Player of the Year” by the Football Writers’ Association.

The French star also won the “Player of the Year” award from the Professional Footballers’ Association, the player’s union, on Sunday. Henry beat out Manchester United striker Ruud van Nilstelrooy for both prizes. Henry, 25, is the fourth Frenchman to lift the writers’ award, following Eric Cantona (1996), David Ginola (1999) and last year’s winner, Robert Pires. He is also the 11th player to win both the PFA and FWA trophies in the same season. Henry has scored 34 goals for Arsenal this season, including 22 in Premier League matches. Newcastle captain Alan Shearer was third in the writers’ voting, with Gianfranco Zola of Chelsea fourth and Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira fifth.

“Thierry Henry is a worthy winner who has scored some magnificent goals this season and made another massive contribution to Arsenal’s season,” said FWA chairman Gerry Cox. “Henry made all the early running when the poll opened, but was challenged by van Nistelrooy in a race which mirrored Arsenal and Manchester United’s fight for the title.” Arsenal, the defending FA Cup and league champions, are seeking to be the first club to retain both. Manchester United have 77 points with two matches remaining, and Arsenal have 72 points with three matches left. The Gunners meet Southampton in the FA Cup final on May 17.

Women run for AIDS victims

THIS year’s Ribbons of Hope 5K women’s run/walk  is expected to raise close to $100,000 for HIV/Aids victims.

This is the optimistic expectation of Clary Benn, Executive Director of the Unit Trust Corporation, primary sponsors of the event slated for May 31 which starts and ends at Memorial Park in Port-of-Spain. Benn was encouraged in his projection by what he described as “a fantastic show” in the first edition of the novel race last year for women specifically but to which men are invited to participate.

The official launch of the race was staged yesterday in the Penthouse of the UTC Building, Port-of-Spain. In attendance were Renwick Nickie, UTC executive manager; Dr Emery Browne of CARe and Anthony Appoy, race organiser representing the Road Runners Club. Benn said his organisation has been conscious of the problems that the incurable disease causes throughout the world and decided to contribute to its eradication through two ways. “Firstly we hope to enhance the level of consciousness of HIV/AIDS and secondly to contribute to those organisations whose responsibility it is to fight the plague,” said Benn yesterday. He said the Marketing Department of the UTC, headed by former journalist Natalie Suite, had embarked on a programme to execute those lofty ideals and had done so with stunning results. “It is safe to say the response exceeded the expectations with 2,000 participants. The venture realised close to $60,000 which was distributed to organisations fighting HIV/AIDS,” said Benn. Among those sharing in the funds realised in the first Ribbons of Hope 5k were the Cyril Ross Nursery in Tunapuna and the Tobago Oasis Foundation.

This year CARe, headed by Dr Browne, has been chosen to be the main recepient of the funds raised in the race which is expected to attract close to 3,500 runners. Dr Browne praised the efforts of the UTC to contribute meaningfully to the battle against the scourge which he said in the main has been greeted by sensationalism and silence by the general public of Trinidad and Tobago. But he said the Government five-year multi-sectoral plan is ambitious and a step in the right direction to help fight the spread of the disease and alleviate the negative social and economic impact it has in the short and long term. Appoy, a former top road runner said although the Ribbons of Hope 5K is only two years old it has emerged as one of the premier races on the local road running calendar with attractive prizes and incentives for the first ten finishers.

The race organiser said this year there have been several changes to the route which remains scenic and he expected a record time of just over 18 minutes on May 31. Appoy said apart from last year’s winner Pilar McShine, efforts are being made to have Antigua’s Janil Williams participate to add an international flavour to the event. UTC Executive manager Nickie said he was impressed with the courage and willingness of the women to compete in the event for a very noble cause but has deferred his plan to jump into the fray this year. The aerobic warm-up, prior to the race, he said is also revealing as even pregnant women come out to join the UTC in their effort to make a significant impact in the fight against the dreaded HIV/AIDS disease. Registration forms for the Ribbons of Hope 5K are available at all UTC offices and Kenny’s Sports Stores.