It will be football and fete tonight when T&T Pro League big wigs W Connection tackle Police FC in the final of the T&T Football Association FA Cup Tournament at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva at the 8pm.

Connection will be looking for its fifth FA title while the Lawmen have been given an ultimatum from Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams to secure at least one silverware for the season, which incidentally could be its fourth title in the country’s most prestigious competition.

Football fans are expected to be treated to a epic all-inclusive encounter for the price of just $50, which will include hot tasty doubles, pies, nuts and hot dogs, as well as two drinks courtesy the TTFA and its president David John Williams who said all is being done to provide a true FA Cup experience.

In addition to the eats and drinks, there will be free entertainment from soca artistes Preedy and others, and the opportunity to win $1, 000 through a dash-for-cash incentive as well as one of three hampers as door prizes. However for the price of $30 fans will be exposed to football and soca music entertainment.
On Wednesday both Police and W Connection captains Adrian Foncette and Hughton Hector promised fans an entertaining match.

According to Hector, Police has done very well this season and any time they play against them it ends up in a physical encounter. However, he believes that because of his team’s successes at the First Citizens Cup, it will be even more confident against its opponents.

Connection’s triumph at the First Citizens Cup came even as it surrendered the T&T Pro League title to North East Stars.

Hector noted his players’ disappointment at not winning the League was forgotten by their achievement at the First Citizens Cup.

This year’s FA Cup carries a price tag of approximately $450, 000 with the winner tonight to cash in on close to $150, 000 which includes the $100, 000 first prize and the earnings from each round.

John-Williams also promised an experience that will see the trophy being brought on to the field by the T&T Regiment as it is done internationally and other surprises which he will reveal today.

Today’s feature match will be preceded by a clash between the country’s Under-20 Women’s footballers, preparing for the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier in January and the Senior Women’s team that will comprise marquee players Moriah Shade and Tasha St Louis among many others at 5pm.

WALTER ALIBEY
 

With a full moon approaching there was water everywhere but people drank sumptuously from the flood of entertainment taking place nationwide. On Saturday, Yorke Inc held yet another bumper happening at the Salybia Nature Resort & Spa, venue for its annual Wild Meat Soca Parang Food Festival. Artistes like Road March champ MX Prime, Scrunter, Baron, Kenny J, and DJs Howie T, Sounds of Kabuki and Duane kept patrons dancing until way after the party’s scheduled midnight completion.

Also taking its crowd way into Sunday morning was Pan in D Rosa 7, staged by the Pan in D Rosa Committee and Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation at Lime Boulevard, Santa Rosa Heights, Arima. Desperadoes, First Citizens Supernovas, bpTT Renegades, Republic Bank Exodus, PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars, CAL Invaders and San City Steel Symphony were just some of the steelbands that graced the occasion.

Down South, Nialah Blackman had a successful launching of her debut album (Sokah) while back in the north it was Parang & Steel hosted by PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars in Newtown.

What can be said of Nialah’s premiere release? Her sound reflects the evolution of the genre, but stays true to its fundamental ethos as the “Soul of Calypso.”

In a pre-show interview she said, “It’s the unity of cultures, bringing people together. Soca is togetherness, peace, love and harmony among all the races.”

Nialah wants soca to be the sound of the future of T&T and, based on the audience’s response last weekend she will keep her promise, “This concert is going to be an annual event. It will be a platform for young people to showcase their culture. Sometimes we can get lost in the influences of other genres and cultures, but we need to respect ours.”

The granddaughter of late soca pioneer Ras Shorty I and daughter of 1979 National Calypso Queen Abbi Blackman, this drop-dead-gorgeous and talented soca princess is well poised and on her way to ascending to the pinnacle of the genre.

Last Sunday was just a wee bit more sedate although patrons were seen dancing up a storm at the Paragon Sports & Cultural Club’s annual Parang & Soca Luncheon in Cocorite. Headlining this gig were Marcia Miranda, Los Vikingos de San Jose and DJ Cardo.

Rounding off a weekend of non-stop entertainment action was the annual parang festival in Lopinot.

This weekend is no different and fingers are crossed that the weather is kinder, especially for the many outdoor events. This evening Newtown Playboyz holds It’s A Sweet Parang Soca Lime at its Pan Theatre on Tragarete Road, from 6 pm. Live performances will come from Pelham Goddard & Roots, Los Angeles de San Miguel, Marilyn Williams, Moricia Cagan, Nigel O’Connor and host Newtown Playboyz.

Prayers are being offered for clear skies tomorrow evening as well when Republic Bank stages A Gift of Love, featuring The Love Movement, Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook, at 6 pm.

Southern action includes the High Commission of India and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Co-operation, in collaboration with Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, staging Rhythms of Manipur from 6.30 pm. This will be held in Fyzabad at the Shri Siddhi Vinayaaka Avocat Mandir, on 296 Siparia Old Road, Avocat Village.

I Dream A World, featuring bpTT Marionettes, is on

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at Queen’s Hall, and The True Meaning of Christmas, featuring T&T Youth Philharmonic (TTYP), Voices of The University School (VOUS) children’s choir and Euangelion Singers and Band will be staged at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (Napa), Port-of-Spain. These two concerts begin at 7.30 pm.

The second instalment of Parang & Steel 2017 will also be held tomorrow at Silver Stars and, in St James, on Mooneram Street, Cheers Pub will holds its lively Parang, Pork & Pan, featuring The Love Bunch parang group, Sapophonics Steel, The Stella Band and more.

Rock band jointpop is also in concert tomorrow at All Out Lounge, Queen’s Park Oval, Tragarete Road, Woodbrook with its Noise n Toys benefit.

For the past 13 years, jointpop hosts and performs at this toy collection concert. The show also doubles as the jointpop Christmas office party and it is always well attended and a fun filled night.

This will be the last jointpop gig of 2017 as the band is heading to the recording studio next Wednesday, until December 22 to record it’s eighth album, to be released in 2018. Recording will be done at STUDIO 303, the UTT studio at Napa.

Top Seattle-based producer Paul Kimble will be on board again , to follow up the production he did on the last jointpop album Quicksand (2015). Kimble is the bassist and producer of legendary US band Grant Lee Buffalo. MusicTT has assisted jointpop with funding for the album recording.

Also performing tomorrow night will be The Malcontents.

The Noise and Toys concert costs $80 entry at the door, plus a gift wrapped toy with a label or note with the information of gender and the age group of the child. All the toys are collected on the night and then distributed to various unprivileged kids homes across the country. Remember the one and most important rule of entry: No Toy Guns please.

Things cool down on Sunday evening with T&T Youth Philharmonic (TTYP), Voices of The University School (VOUS) children’s choir and Euangelion Singers and Band at Napa, Port-of-Spain; and, The Marionettes’ I Dream A World finale at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.

Christmas with the Saints 2

The students of St Mary’s College are embarking for a second year on their Christmas production Christmas with the Saints 2, to be at the college’s Centenary Hall on Pembroke Street, Port-of-Spain. This event is organised by Form Six students and will serve as a glorious night of entertainment for the parents, teachers and students of St Mary’s College, and to the wider public who wish to enjoy a Saturday night of music and performance.

The concert brings out the best of the school’s present talent, including award-winning calypsonians Desle Julien, Duane O’Connor, Renaldo Alleyne-Noreiga and Reshawn Goodridge. The event also incorporates the talents of past students like vocalist Jake Salloum and instrumentalist Luke Walker.

Besides solo performers like these, patrons can expect to be wowed by the school’s parang side Los Santos whose recent victories include placing third in the National Junior Parang Competition.

The concert will similarly place emphasis on our national instrument, showcasing the college’s incomparable pan-side The Symphony of Saints, among pan soloists like Dylan Yuk Low.

At the admission fee of a mere blue note ($100) this show is a steal-of-a-deal if ever there was one, especially with its star-studded retinue of guest performers. Guest artistes include Parang Queen Alicia Jaggassar and Los Alumnos de San Juan, 3Canal, The Flick, Ms Dija, Shortpants, Mastertone Salloum and La Nueva Experiencia.

Jake Salloum is the creative director of Christmas with the Saints 2 and its musical director is Alea Jaggernauth. The show is produced entirely by the Form 6 Students of St. Mary’s College.

Christmas Delicacies (fruit cake, pastelles etc) and drinks (sorrel, ponche de crème etc.) will be on sale and tickets are are available at the college’s office, or through Manager Enrico Rajah (623-8835/745-4391). Showtime is 7.30 pm.

All proceeds go towards recurrent expenditure and the Music Room.

The T&T Music Company Limited (MusicTT) is hosting a Meet & Greet event leading up to its inaugural Music Showcase this evening at the Calypso Room (12th floor), Radisson Hotel, Port-of-Spain at 6 pm.

At this event, 25 Trinbagonian singers, songwriters, duos and bands who will be performing at the Music Showcase the next day will have the opportunity to interact and break the ice with the five music industry executives who will be evaluating their performances. It is also an opportunity for photos ops and media interviews with the performers and panelists prior to the Showcase.

The inaugural Music Showcase will be held tomorrow at Tzar, Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, from 4 pm.

Christmas is almost here and Hyatt Regency Trinidad is giving the gift of holiday discounts, special festivities and more for your family, friends and coworkers. Get your group together and enjoy the hotel’s many offerings from Christmas brunch, lunch or dinner to The Biggest Little Christmas Party.

Forget about the hassle of planning your company’s Christmas party this year and gather your coworkers and friends for a special day with planning, decorating and entertainment handled for you in advance.

Taking place on Friday, December 8, you can choose between lunch or dinner with great entertainment and fabulous door prizes to be won – including hotel night stays, LIME Carnival tickets and more.

This year, Hyatt Trinidad brings Christmas buffets from morning to night with traditional holiday flavours.

For a late breakfast, from 11 am – 1 pm, Lunchfast on Saturday, December 9, 16 and 23 offers guests the following: 15 per cent off the total bill for groups of ten people and above. Children 12 years and under eat free once accompanied by one adult and you also receive a glass of sorrel with your meal.

Service continues with the Christmas Lunch Buffet Menu from December 13 – 15, with a choice of salads, a hot buffet, a carving station and select desserts. For dinner, there is the Christmas Themed Night Buffet Menu on Friday December 15 and 22.

End the night enjoying a feast featuring dishes such as traditional beef pastels, pineapple sorrel glaze leg of ham with cauliflower chow chow, and sorrel eclairs from 6:30 pm.

Christmas Day Brunch Buffet serves up more than nine food stations for you to choose – cold and hot buffets with an array of choices from soups and salads to hearty vegetable and meat dishes including a carving station, kids’ corner and over 11 dessert selections. Brunch starts at 12.30 pm.

Make your way to the newly renovated Spa Esencia, until December 30, and gift yourself or your significant other with premium skin care products. Grab and Go stocking stuffers are priced as low as $100 while select items marked at a 25 per cent discount. If you gift ten or more of your family members or friends with gift certificates, take advantage of a complimentary retail item from the stocking stuffer collection. New to the spa, men can take advantage of manscaping and waxing services that cater to their ever-changing needs.

MORE INFO

For more information on call 623 2222 or room bookings visit Trinidad.regency.hyatt.com

On my recent visit to Guyana I was utterly blown away on visiting the majestic Kaieteur Falls. In fact, it is near impossible to vividly capture in words the experience of seeing the falls first hand.

Kaieteur Falls in Guyana is among the most spectacular natural wonders the region has to offer. Kaieteur starts at the point where the Potaro Rivers sends 336,000 gallons of water per second crashing down the 741 feet high face into the rocks below, violently erupting into a permanent mist that shrouds the back and lower extremities of the falls. This shroud evokes a sense of mystery as to what secrets lie below, entwined on the rocks; be it remnants from the early Amerindian days or modern relics pushed by the Potaro over the edge.

The fog-like mist splits sunlight to create what seems to be one of the longest lasting rainbows on a sunny day. Even more impressive was the fact that the waterfall is in an area that is undeveloped and surrounded by pristine forests as it was hundreds of years ago.

There are no physical barriers on the cliffs, no vendors, no hawkers, no irritating music or traces of contemporary civilisation on or around the cliffs. This makes the area more attractive to those seeking to connect with the true natural beauty that envelops Kaieteur.

Dominic Guevara and members of his Los Exploradores hiking club of Rio Claro, South Trinidad recently visited Kaieteur.

Upon arriving in Guyana at Cheddi Jaggan International Airport the team took a taxi to Georgetown’s Ogle Airport where they boarded in a 12-seater Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft that gave a surprisingly smooth ride over the vast lushness of the Guyanese landscape that seemingly went on forever. The patchwork like mosaic that represented Georgetown from the air disappeared after five minutes into the flight. Only trees could be seen for miles with the occasional strip mine appearing like a wound among the lush vegetation.

As Los Exploradores approached the falls our Venezuelan pilot passed twice over it to give passengers their eagerly awaited first-hand view of the Kaieteur before landing on a small airstrip outside the Kaieteur Falls Visitor Centre.

Tour guides Tesius Andrews and Thomas Williams greeted the Rio Claro hikers and other tourists on the plane. Williams was quick to explain that no roads were built in the area and what appeared to look like roads were in fact the natural flat rock formation of the area.

The guides took hikers on a two-hour, three-mile trek to three lookout points—Johnson’s View, Boyscouts’ View and Rainbow View—which takes visitors consecutively closer to the falls.

The tour guides explained the flora and fauna of the area including the giant bromeliads in which live the tiny golden frog and the insectivorous sundew plant that keeps the area free of mosquitoes and other nauseating insects.

Williams explained there were resident nocturnal big cats like the jaguar as well as other mammals including monkeys and the elusive Cock of the Rock bird. Guevera said he plans on taking more hikers to the falls and other places in the region since he believes there should be a greater thrust into regional tourism. He said Los Exploradores has beaten several trails across Trinidad and started exploring Tobago around mid-2017. He said the Kaieteur National Park in Guyana was one of the most rewarding hiking experiences in his life.

Frank Singh, Managing Director of Rainforest Tours, Guyana, said the region has a lot to offer when it comes to eco-tourism. Singh was also worried that tourist who traditionally come to the region for the sun and sand in the hurricane devastated islands would now go elsewhere and eventually remain outside the region. Singh said he doesn’t want to see this happen and a greater thrust should be made to keep tourism alive in the region. In that way, when the infrastructure of the affected islands recovers, these tourist can start returning to the smaller islands.

Three top T&T sopranos, Llettesha Sylvester, Danielle Williams and Ayrice Wilson, will come together to showcase their talents in Sopranissimo: The Concert on December 16 at All Saints Anglican Church, Port-of-Spain. All three women began their training in music in T&T before studying and performing abroad and are eager to share the results of their training with a local audience.

Each woman took a different path to their current place in life. Sylvester began her journey in the church, and then performed at various school talent shows, with the Barataria SDA Church Choir and Laventille Youth Chorale and wrote her own compositions. She then pursued a degree in music education at the University of the Southern Caribbean and studied under Dr Vertrelle Cameron-Mickens at the Academy for the Performing Arts, UTT.

Sylvester has performed at events such as Jazz Artists on the Greens, Tobago Jazz Experience as well as regional tours to Grenada, Antigua, St Lucia, St Vincent, Guyana, Barbados, Suriname and Curacao and, in 2016, she received a scholarship from Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi to further her studies in Vocal Performance in the studio of Dr Byron Johnson.

Williams sang her first soprano solo at age eight at the T&T Music Festival, and further developed her performance skills with the Sacred Heart Girl’s RC Choir, bpTT Marionettes Chorale and Bishop Anstey High School Choir. She went on to train professionally in London, France, Italy and Sweden.

Wilson stopped singing after leaving high school and didn’t sing again until 2009, when she was introduced to Dr Cameron-Mickens. Since then, she’s been in four full opera productions, staged two recitals, organised and performed in two multiple-artist collaborative Christmas concerts, completed both an Artist Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in Music, won two singing competitions, won five categories in the 2012 Music Festival, performed with a world-renowned Trinidad-born tenor and opened a Voice Studio at two venues.

The sopranos speak

Wilson said the sopranos want to let T&T know they are here to stay, even if they have to carve out their own niche. She said classical music is still relevant to T&T. “It is an avenue which helps develop minds, relax the mind after a long day at work,” said Wilson, “and can also move an entire nation to war or start the journey to healing and peace.

“Classical music has a long and powerful history and T&T has a part to play in moulding its future. It may have a small following and nobody is going to become rich off of it but one can develop a very strong career.”

Williams said she is also hopeful as sees great work being done by the university campuses of UWI, T&T and the Southern Caribbean, as well as the long tradition of the T&T Music Festival, and she hopes that classical musicians can find a place in MusicTT’s innovative live performing arts district and artist development programme.

Sylvester said she remains hopeful that classical music traditions will continue to develop, following the building of state-of-the-art performance venues such as Queen’s Hall and Napa, and performance opportunities in the form of the T&T Music Festival, San Fest and others.

She commended Dr Roger Henry, the director of the National Philharmonic Orchestra, for integrating classical music and music education into every day happenings in communities across the country. Williams said she is grateful for the new arrangements and work that are being shared by the National Symphonic Steel Orchestra and the National Philharmonic, and enjoys the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and The Art’s Brown Paper Bag series, particularly the shows which allows the general populace to re-image and reconsider classic calypsos by experiencing them anew as orchestral work set for the NSSO or NPO.

The women said they are staging the concert close to Christmas because it is a special time for themselves, their families and all music lovers. Sylvester said, “there is not often follow up on the careers of the talented musicians who migrate for the purpose of furthering their music education and performance studies.

“We have received exquisite training at institutions abroad and I am so pleased to come home, present this concert with my fellow sopranos and give folks an update on what I’ve been up to.”

Williams said the concert is inspiring and “we’d love to do our part to encourage and revive any weary souls before the New Year.”

Sopranissimo: The Concert takes place on December 16 at 7 pm at All Saints Anglican Church, Port-of-Spain. Tickets cost $200. For more information, call 683-2666, 738-6316, 393-8611 and find Sopranissimo: The Concert on Facebook.

KINGSTON—A blistering, first-class career-best hundred from John Campbell led solid batting down the order to put Jamaica Scorpions in charge against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force before rain slowed their advance in the Regional 4-Day Championship yesterday.

Campbell hit 155 – his third first-class hundred – to power the Scorpions to 318 for four, replying to Red Force’s first innings total of 243, before rain drove the players off the field early and they never returned on the second day of the sixth-round match at Sabina Park.

The left-handed opener struck 11 fours and seven sixes from 183 balls in a 4 ? hours stay at the crease to inspire the remainder of the Scorpions batting of which skipper Paul Palmer was unbeaten on 68 and Brandon King made 63.

Left-arm fast-medium bowler Daniel St Clair was the most successful Red Force, taking 2-48 from 13 overs, but he and the rest of the visitors’ attack would have welcomed the rain interruption late in the day that saved them from further punishment.

Scorpions stumbled through the first half-hour of the day, losing opener Trevon Griffith to St. Clair without adding to his overnight four and Assad Fudadin, his fellow Guyana-born, left-handed teammate, lbw two overs later for a fourth-ball duck.

The home team were 36 for two, but King and Campbell transformed the complexion of the game with a dynamic, 157-run, third-wicket stand at close to 5.5 runs an over that put the Red Force attack on its heels.

Practically, no bowler was spared during their rampage, as the two comfortably ticked off individual landmarks before King fell to left-arm spinner Khary Pierre after lunch, following a near two-hour stay at the crease that yielded seven fours and three sixes from 107 balls.

But the Red Force bowlers remained under pressure, when Palmer came to the crease and continued the rampage, sharing 89 for the fourth wicket with Campbell, whose masterpiece came to a close at the hands of veteran leg-spinner Imran Khan.

Palmer and Fabian Allen, his maiden first-class hundred against this opponent in the first leg match upper-most in his mind, were just about getting into the swing of things when the rain intervened, to the delight of the Red Force.

Scorpions – starting the match in third on 55 points – have so far added three batting points, three bowling points and one pace bowling point, and Red Force – entering the match second on 61.8 points – have so far earned just one batting point, one bowling point and 0.4 pace bowling points. —CMC

DHAKA—Superstar opener Chris Gayle chose the ideal opportunity to lash his 19th Twenty20 hundred as he fired Rangpur Riders to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Khula Titans, and one step closer to the final of the Bangladesh Premier League final yesterday.

Playing in the first eliminator of the knockout round, the 38-year-old left-hander smashed an astonishing unbeaten 126 off a mere 51 deliveries as Riders, chasing 168 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, romped to their target in the 16th over.

The hundred was the highest-ever score in the BPL, the first of the season and Gayle’s fourth in the competition overall.

With the victory, Riders dumped Titans, comprising West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite, teammate Nicholas Pooran and Barbadian all-rounder Jofra Archer, out of the competition.

Riders were slipping at 25 for two in the third over after seamer Archer knocked over opener Sohag Gazi for one and New Zealander Brendon McCullum without scoring.

However, Gayle then took over, lashing 14 sixes and six fours as he put on 146 in a rollicking unbroken, third wicket stand with Mohammed Mithun who ended on 30 from 36 deliveries.

Gayle belted 20 runs off the fifth over of the innings bowled by Archer as he raced to his half-century off 23 balls, bringing up the landmark in style by clearing the ropes at long-off with seamer Abu Jayed.

Gayle also ripped into Brathwaite, taking 17 from the seamer’s second over – the 11th of the innings – en route to three figures off just 45 balls.

He proceeded to finish the game in style, smashing off-spinner Nazmul Hossain for a pair of sixes off the first two balls of the 16th over.

Earlier, Titans gathered 167 for six off their 20 overs, with Pooran getting 28 and Brathwaite, 25 not out.

The pair put on 33 off 16 balls for the sixth wicket.

In the other eliminator, Evin Lewis and Kieron Pollard played crucial innings to help propel Dhaka Dynamites to a crushing 95-run win over Comilla Victorians and a place in the final.

Opting for first knock, Dynamites rallied to 191 for seven off 20 overs, with opener Lewis top-scoring with 47 off 32 deliveries and Pollard stroking 31 from 18 balls.

The left-handed Lewis counted half-dozen fours and three sixes as he added 69 for the second wicket with England’s Joe Denly who made 32.

Pollard, batting at number four, blasted a four and three sixes in putting on a further 43 with Denly.

Medium pacer Dwayne Bravo was the best bowler with two for 45.

In reply, Samuels fell cheaply for six and Bravo without scoring, as Victorians slumped to 96 all out off 18 overs, with the brilliant West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine producing a tight three-over spell that cost just nine runs and yielded one wicket.

Victorians will have a second chance at a place in the final when they take on Riders on Sunday. —CMC

“We are disappointed and we are hurt”. The words of T&T Women’s Cricket Association president Jocelyn Francois-Opadeyi reacting to the news that T&T did not bid for matches for next November’s ICC Women’s World Cup which is coming to the West Indies.

The women’s cricket fraternity was left stunned yesterday as the 4pm deadline came and went without a bid. T&T Cricket Board president Azim Bassarath told Guardian Media Sports at 6pm yesterday, his board had still not received any official correspondence from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs nor the Sportt Company of T&T on the government declining to bid.

He too said he was “disappointed but not surprised”. T&T and West Indies Women’s spin bowler Anisa Mohammed, also spoke to us expressing similar feelings. “I honestly thought they would have at least bid for a couple of games at the Brian Lara Stadium. It is disappointing to not play a World Cup match at home. As an athlete, you want to perform at home in front of your family and friends, and in front of all the fans you are representing. To know that we will not be given that opportunity to play in a World Cup at home is disappointing,” she said.

Francois-Opadeyi went a step further in saying this is a missed opportunity for the country. She said, “It is a backward step. For the past 14 to 15 years, we have toiled and we have struggled. The players have done their bit in terms of sacrificing so that would have been a culmination of all the years of hard work for us.”

Earlier yesterday, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Darryl Smith did a phone interview on The Morning Shot on CNC3, saying, “Based on the US shortage and more importantly, the other costs that would have been involved, I don’t think any level-headed minister or person, in private or public life, would bid to host something where they are not seeing the resources needed for the output.”

Bassarath told us the investment is $TT500,000 and his board had put out its arm in support of using its Sportt Company subvention to assist with offsetting the costs. The TTCB head also questioned Sportt Company chairman, Dinanath Ramnarine’s involvement in the decision-making process. Minister Smith did say during the Morning Shot interview, he leaned “heavily on his advice”.
Bassarath was left baffled by Ramnarine’s involvement, citing the ongoing court matter within the cricket fraternity. “I want to know whether the advice came from the Sportt Company, whether Mr Ramnarine is an adviser to the Minister of Sport, or whether the directors of the Sportt Company were involved in that decision. I don’t think the directors of the Sportt Company would have made a decision and supported something like that,” Bassarath said.

T&T’s Ashton Demurrell and Patrick Scipio helped their Wiley College basketball team open the Red River Athletic Conference with a win at Alumni Gymnasium in Texas, USA.

The Wiley College men, who shot 28 for 63 from the field, made a run in the second half and topped Jarvis Christian College in the opener 90-81 on Wednesday night.

The starting centre Demurrell, a junio at Wiley College, scored eight points, grabbed eight rebounds and also had a block. His teammate guard Scipio, a junior as well, who is a former student of the University of T&T (UTT) produced seven points, making three of free throws and had four boards for the Wildcats.

A 12-5 run in the first half helped Wiley College take a 40-32 half-time advantage. The Wildcats led by as many as 18 points in the second half. Jarvis Christian College didn’t go quietly. Taking advantage of two missed shots and two turnovers, the Bulldogs got within seven with 3:28 left in the game. Davis hit three straight shots to help spark a Wildcat run – which pushed their advantage to 14.

Wiley College, which entered with a 6-3 record in pre-season play, was to compete its final home match before Christmas on Friday night against Paul Quinn College.

Local basketballer Latisha Pitt is on the roster of the women’s team and her unit led from the tip in a 78-44 rout over Jarvis Christian College earlier. Pitt missed her two attempts at the basket but her presence was certainly felt on the defensive end, pulling down seven rebounds, a block, a steal and also had two assists in her 17 minutes of play.

Pitt and her teammates were to also take the floor on Friday in the first match of the double-header against Paul Quinn College.

Champion trainer Glenn Mendez has been having a great season and he will attempt to continue his winning streak today in the feature Maxsonic Elite Trophy over 1,100 metres on the main track at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.

Mendez will be introducing an American-bred two-year-old named Spoke In Yuh Wheel and the juvenile will be ridden by the inform Ricky Jadoo and will tote 50 kilos. This horse back in October ran from the gates in 22 seconds and under the masterful preparation of Mendez. I am certain he will be ready to win on debut for owner SIR Stables. His stablemate Golden Choice must have outside shot as the likely favourite Set Sail beat him over course and distance earlier.

He is better off at the weights and most have a chance of turning the tables.

Set Sail from the Harold Chadee‘s barn is back to her best form but return to sprint after racing over 1,800m. With top-weight of 57.5 kilos, she will be go close but may be found wanting to an improver.

The consistent John O’Brien trained Desert Dancer will be ridden by apprentice Ri Hernandez and must be respected.

Post time is 12.15 pm.

Another season of Secondary Schools Football has come and gone, once again parading to the football enthusiasts out there with another glut of unbelievably talented and promising future stars.

However, the 2017 season will perhaps be remembered for the mischief, malpractices and malfeasance of some school administrators just as much or even more than it would be remembered as the fourth consecutive year that a South Zone team won the Premier Division League title and the second out of four years under the new format that Southern-based teams swept the League and Intercol double.

Long before this essentially national format existed, the College’s Football League (CFL) as it was known before becoming the Secondary School’s Football League, was a conquest many schools dared to take on, and like anything else, there have been periods of dominance by several schools on a cyclical basis.

Teams first established their title winning credentials in their zones before attempting to widen their domain in the InterCol competition.

As calendars have been hung up and then discarded however, many of the schools that would have considered themselves and been considered by many as having pedigree within this arena through achieving league and/or InterCol supremacy through the years, have seemingly disappeared from prominence giving way to new dynasties.

Guardian Media Sport looks back at some of those teams.

Malick Senior Comprehensive/Malick Secondary

League titles:
1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
North InterCol titles:
1990, 1993, 1994
National InterCol titles:
1990, 1993

Notable Players: Arnold Dwarika, Shawn David, Gary Glasgow, Kerwyn Jermott, Devorn Jorsling, Jason Scotland, Dennis Lawrence, Aurtis Whitley, Densil Theobald, Brent Sancho,
Arguably the greatest school team of the 1990’s, Malick Secondary School was virtually unstoppable during this period.

Led by an over-abundance of star players, who would play for the national team in the future, and legendary school’s coach Kenneth Franco, the school won the league and national InterCol double in 1990 and 1993, and won league titles in 1992, 1994, and 1995. It is no small feat that school had at least five past pupils on T&T’s 2006 World Cup Squad in Germany and many more who played a role in earlier parts of that historic campaign.

These days however, Malick Secondary is a stranger to top flight football and has never participated in the Premier Division since it was formed in 2014, the 50th year of organised Secondary Schools Football in T&T.

Belmont Boys Secondary/
St Francis Boy’s College
League titles: 1969, 1975
North InterCol titles:
1969, 1975, 1992
National InterCol titles: 1975, 1992 Notable players: Ron La Forest, Wayne Lewis

Malick’s glory years mirrored that of a Belmont Boys School team which disrupted the status quo decades before. At a time when CFL founding members QRC and CIC together with Fatima College ruled the roost, Belmont stuck a proverbial spoke in the wheel first in 1969, after it won the North league and InterCol titles.

This achievement was no fluke and Belmont stayed on the scene as North Zone hot-shots for at least a decade winning the league and national InterCol double in 1975. They blew hot and cold during the 1980s before returning to display its penchant for crashing the party in 1992 when at the very beginning of Malick’s run, Belmont would do the North and National Intercol double again in 1992. However it is the team of 1975 that will be most remembered for its amazing feat.

Tranquility Government

Secondary
National InterCol titles: 1974
North InterCol titles:
1972, 1973, 1974, 1976
Notable players: Russell Latapy

When Belmont first arrived in the 1970s they brought Tranquility Government Secondary with them. After a spell of continuous domination of the North by QRC, CIC, and Fatima, the school notoriously captured the three-peat of North InterCol titles from 1972-1974 and capped off the winning period with a national InterCol victory in 1974.

The school has not lifted a notable trophy in 40-plus years, And after floating between the Championship and top division in the 1990s and 2000s it has seemingly found a permanent place in the lower category on North Zone football.

Princes Town Secondary

South league titles: 2002, 2003,
South InterCol titles: 1994, 2001, 2002
National InterCol titles: 1994, 2001
South Zone teams have featured on winners’ row in the College’s Football League since its inception, but Princes Town Secondary has never been mentioned among that elite group. That is until the 1994 season when it won the national InterCol title, ending a nine-year drought during which South Zone teams failed to win the coveted title. Princes in shining amour, indeed, who will always be remembered for bringing the title back to the South.

Seven years later, the team would win another national InterCol title and achieve the unique distinction of winning that year’s Cricket Intercol title too. Minding wicket an goal in both of those title winning teams was current T&T shot-stopper Marvin Phillip. Sadly Phillip remains the only symbolic representation of “P-Town’s” right to be named among the top teams in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s.

El Dorado East Secondary

East league titles: 2001, 2010, 2011
East Zone InterCol titles: 2001, 2010
National InterCol titles: 1986, 2009
Notable players: Shaun Boney, Stern John, Jamal Gay, Daneil Cyrus

Whenever the debate was about the East Zone, El Dorado Secondary could not be left out of the discussion.

Popularly called “Blue Thunder”, “Eldo” or “Eldo Blue” The school rose beyond the canopy to win a national InterCol title in 1986, but it would fail to capitalize on this momentum and would only capture a second national InterCol title in 2009. Still, the “Blue Thunder” era of the 80’s was unforgettable. And in the very next decade T&T’s all-time national top scorer, Stern John began building his unquestionable legacy when he ran riot for his school team.

Arima Senior Comprehensive Secondary/Arima North

Secondary
East league titles: 2012
East InterCol titles: 2011
Notable players: Timothy Haynes, Kerry Jamerson, Mickey Trottman

Arima Senior Comprehensive’s two titles is an injustice to a school which was undoubtedly one of the East Zone’s finest and one which produced a long line of talented players, among them debatably the greatest goal-scorer to ever play in the CFL, Timothy Haynes.

First arriving on the school’s football scene in the 1980’s, Haynes scored an unheralded 40 goals in the 85’ season, registering hat-tricks in six games for the Dial Dynamos.

Unfortunately for the school, however, Haynes existed in the era of Russel Latapy and his legendary San Fernando Technical unit, which meant his team would finish second best to the school which won the league and InterCol double that year.

Arima was among the teams in the debut year of the Premier Division in 2014 but was relegated that year and has never been close to promotion since.

GYASI MERRIQUE and
JONATHON MATOUK
 

Champion trainer Glenn Mendez continued his winning ways yesterday when he saddled two winners on the nine-race card, including the feature Maxsonic Elite Trophy winner Spoke In Yuh Wheel for owners the SIR Stables.

Punters had it correct when they made Spoke In Yuh Wheel the favourite at 1-2 to take the 1,100-metre feature event out at the main track at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. However, he had to repel the challenge of second favourite Set Sail by a head, to land the $18,275 prize in the time of 1:06.20.

When the starter sent them running, the American-bred juvenile Spoke In Yuh Wheel was not the best away as Wall Street set the early pace. However, after 200m Ricky Jadoo had the favourite in second spot tracking the field and the pace. He was followed by Golden Choice with Desert Dancer, Blue Oracle and Set Sail in touch.

At the far turn, Wall Street still held sway from the SIR Stable favourite, while Golden Choice kept close up in third with Blue Oracle, Desert Dancer and Set Sail still challenging and keeping the contest tight and interesting. Coming to the corner, Jadoo sent Spoke Fuh Your Wheel into the lead as Wall Street hoisted the white flag. Stablemate Golden Choice was the nearest pursuer while Carlos Rojas brought Set Sail down the outside to deliver her final challenge.

Jadoo asked Spoke In Yuh Wheel to quicken and the two-year-old son of Violence/Glengarra responded favourably and moved away from Golden Choice but Set Sail was not prepared to give up the challenge cutting into the lead of the favourite with every stride. But, try as Set Sail did the filly could not peg back Spoke In Yuh Wheel who was hand ridden by Jadoo to register a good strong victory. Jadoo’s kindness will no doubt be repaid.

Golden Choice was third with Blue Oracle staying on for fourth.

The day’s leading trainer, like last week, was champion trainer John O’Brien, who saddled four winners in Lancelot, King Arthur, Spoke In Yuh Wheel and Bridal Falls.

No jockey was able to ride two winners on the card.

Racing takes a break this Saturday and returns on Boxing Day for the Gold Cup and the St James and St Ann’s Stakes.

Christopher Sammy and Marisha Sookhan emerged the winners of the Under-17 division in the Sangre Grande Rebels Draught Association (RDA) held its first ever competition in the region of Sangre Grande, last Sunday.

Sammy and Sookhan each walked away with the $1,000 and a trophy after winning the Boys’ and Girls’ category in the age-group, under the watchful eyes of parents, teachers and spectators in a tough competition, which saw action in five other age-groups. In the U-17 age-group, second-place finishers received $500 and third $300. This was an incentive for young and budding draught players to get more involved in the game according to Rudolph Jones, the Public Relations Officer of RDA.

The competition was held at the Association Compound, Brierley Street, Sangre Grande and was opened and catered mostly for school children, both boys and girls, ages ranging from six to 17 years.

In the U-10 division, Traveer Pattron was the boys’ winner while Sarah Williams claimed the top prize for the girls. Nicholas Willie was the champion in the infants category. The top three spots in these groupings won trophies while all participants received medals.

Jones told Guardian Media that the competition was geared to have a wide participation to select the best players and develop their skills in the game while others will be exposed to classes run by RDA.

“The competition was very competitive and attracted many young boys and girls, some demonstrating professional skills in the game,” he said.

“What was nice was (that) parents’ support was overwhelming and the competition were keenly contested. The objective being to identify potential draught players and develop their skills in this discipline.”

RALPH BANWARIE

T&T’s Daniel St Hillaire in his opening meet at the University of Kentucky, picked up gold and silver medals on Friday evening at the Hoosier Open at the Indiane-Gladstein Field House in Bloomington, Indiana in the United States.

St Hillaire of Belle Garden, Tobago, clocked 32.83 seconds to win the men’s 300 metres. The freshman won the first of four heats in the timed final and recorded the fastest time overall.

Earlier, the Wildcats sprinter finished runner-up in the 60m dash in a time of 6.78. St Hillaire’s schoolmate T&T’s Kayelle Clarke was also active at the meet, placing fourth in both races she competed in. She crossed in 7.43 in the 60m, then later won the second of four heats in the 300m in 38.31 but just missed out on a top three finish.

Last weekend, Aaron Lewis also got his indoor season off right, winning a gold medal in the men’s 60m hurdles at the Navy Invitational in Annapolis, Maryland. The Coppin State University sophomore narrowly missed his own school-record in the 60m hurdles, winning the event in 7.95. The local sprinter also faced the starter in the 200m and placed fifth in a personal-record of 22.41.

Another T&T athlete, Coppin State senior Mark London crossed the line of the 1,500m in 4:12.21, to finish 11th of the 23 competitors. The Eagles duo Lewis and London will have over a month off until their next meet which is set for January 12 at the HBCU Challenge at The Armory in New York City.

There will be a number of T&T athletes, starting their indoor seasons in January including Louisiana State University sprinters, sophomores Akanni Hislop and Xavier Mulugata and junior Zakiya Denoon. The Tobago trio will see action at the Purple Tiger Invitational at the Carl Maddox Field House in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on January 5.

Last month, Hislop competed in the annual team pentathlon inside the Field House, a Thanksgiving tradition to wrap up the fall training season.

The annual LSU Track & Field Team Pentathlon is held the Tuesday before Thanksgiving each fall, while pitting the programme’s sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and throwers against one another in a competition boasting the five events such as the 30-meter dash, standing long jump, standing triple jump, between the legs forward shot throw and overhead backward shot throw.

The men’s sprinters and hurdlers were runners-up for the day with Hislop contributing 325 points in his team’s overall 993 points.

Portious Warren, who joined the University of Alabama from Central Arizona where she had a prolific career which included her breaking the NJCAA national record in the shot put earlier this year, will compete in her first meet as part of the Crimson Tide women’s programme on January 12 at the University of Alabama-Brimingham (UAB) Blazer Invite at the Birmingham CrossPlex.

Dunross Preparatory School (boys) and Sujo’s Private School (girls) captured the titles when the Stacey Siu-Butt Primary Schools Indoor Hockey Tournament came off at Woodbrook Youth Facility, Hamilton-Holder Street, Woodbrook, on Sunday last.

In the boys’ decider of the 15-team competition, Dunross inspired by the eventual Most Valuable Player award recipient, Adam Wyatt edged out Eshe’s Learning Centre ‘B’ 3-2 via penalty-strokes shoot-out following a 1-1 draw.

In the boys’ third placed match, Eshe’s Learning Centre ‘A’ whipped Holy Name 4-1. The 11-team girls’ tournament ended in a lopsided contest with Sujo’s Private School powered by most-goalscorer Toni Campbell-Warren hammered Eshe’s Learning Centre, 6-0.

Briggs Preparatory School took third place in the girls’ competition courtesy a 3-0 blanking of Newtown ‘A’.