Tobago Fashion Coda 6 got off to a fashionable start at the Magdelena Grand Resort on Thursday, April 26. Patrons got a taste of fashion from designers as Ecliff Elie, Dale Angus, Elizabeth Arthur and European diesigner Liselore Frowijn.

The evening, attended by fashion experts and guests from around the globe, was also filled with entertainment such as former Chutney Soca Monarch KI. Tobago’s own Buccooneers Steel Orchestra welcomed guests as well with the sweet strains of the steel.

Flow Trinidad, hosted a commercial-free viewing of the season finale of Caribbean’s Next Top Model Season 4 on Wednesday, April 25. The event which was held at the Savannah Terrace, Hilton Trinidad revealed the winner of the competition to specially invited guests.

LeShae Riley, a stunning 21-year-old, 5’11” Trinidadian contestant, strutted off with this year’s coveted Caribbean’s Next Top Model (CNTM) title as Season 4 came to a nail-biting finish. The statuesque LeShae edged out 15 other contestants including Suriname’s Daphne Veldkamp in the keenly contested finals.

Flow’s director of marketing Cindy-Ann Gatt, in her address, expressed joy over the following which the show generated across the region. She was also enthusiastic about highlighting CNTM’s contribution to celebrating Caribbean women. Gatt remarked, “Flow’s interest in Caribbean’s Next Top Model was an example of how a made-for-TV-series could reflect key aspects of who we are as Caribbean women while maintaining a connection to popular culture. With unique style and flair, the show celebrates the fact that Caribbean women know how to strike a pose, show attitude and exude confidence that no other part of the world can capture.”

Caribbean’s Next Top Model is produced by Starfish Media Ltd, based on the Next Top Model format licensed by CBS Studios International. Executive producers are Dionyse Fitzwilliam, Wendy Fitzwilliam and Kiran Maharaj.

T&T senior national women’s team goal-shooter, Kalifa Mc Collin and her benecos Mavericks got back to winning ways in the England Vitality Netball Super League when they dumped Team Bath 57-41 in the Battle of the Box, London on Sunday

From the first quarter, Mavericks were in control and stormed into a 13-7 lead which they extended to 32-18 at the half-time interval with a dominant 19-11 quarter scoring.

The third period saw Team Bath put up more of a fight as they were only outscored by Mavericks by two goals, 12-14, but the lead was still a huge one at 16 goals, 46-30 going into the final period.

With the result certain, Mavericks and Team Bath traded 11-goals to the final whistle.

With the win, Mavericks improved their record to 7-2 and 21 points, nine adrift of unbeaten Wasps, which has played a match more, while Loughborough Lightning (6-3) and Manchester Thunder (6-2) are next with 18 points each, followed by Team Bath (5-3) for 15 points in the race for a top four semifinal spot.

The trio of Surrey Storm (2-6), Severn Stars (2-7) and the former team of Mc Collin, Celtic Dragons (2-5) are all level on six points apiece while the pair of Team Northumbria (1-8) and UWS Sirens (1-6) are bottom of the ten-team table.

Last year, Mc Collin was on fire for the Celtic Dragons and ended the season as the league’s sixth best scorer with 526 goals from 567 attempts at a league best 92.8 shooting percentage. However, at Mavericks she has had to play second fiddle to main scorer Karyn Bailey, who has netted 372 goals from 413 attempts, while the reigning T&T Netball Association “Player of the Year” has tallied 116 goals from 138 attempts in her new role.

Up next for Mavericks is a clash against Surrey Storm on Saturday, another easy encounter versus Severn Stars on May 12 and a key match-up with Wasps on May 18.

Former Government minister Manohar Ramsaran has launched a broadside against chairman of the Sport Company of T&T SPORTT Dinanath Ramnarine, calling on him to resign immediately.

Ramsaran said in order to resolve his serious conflicts of interest, Ramnarine should either resign from SPORTT, or as a member of the T&T Cricket Board.

“It is unbelievable that Ramnarine is bobbing like a yo-yo between the two positions. He clearly cannot do his job while occupying both of these positions.

The Monroe Road Sports Club president, who is a nominated member of the TTCB said Ramnarine should demonstrate his professed love of cricket by doing the right thing by stepping aside which will allow the sport of cricket to breathe again.

Ramsaran said that he takes no comfort in the recent media release sent out by SPORTT claiming that Ramnarine has recused himself from all cricket matters.

In the media release SPORTT also made a veiled threat of legal action against the TTCB for raising the conflict of interest issue involving its chairman.

With regard to the TTCB, one director, Richard McFarlane, late last year had reason to raise the issue with his fellow SPORTT directors whom he criticised for its treatment of the TTCB.

“I have questioned previously communications from SPORTT to the T&T Cricket Board in which the TTCB is barred from using any part of its 2018 subvention funds to offset expenses incurred during 2017,” McFarlane was quoted in a newspaper report last November.

“I have stated that this is quite unfair since the TTCB only received ten per cent of its promised subvention for the financial year 2017. I have, through several earlier email communications, expressed that I thought this restriction should be rescinded.

“To date I am unaware if this has been addressed [and] I ask the board now to review this matter guided by the company’s policy which governs subventions,” McFarlane said.

Ramsaran also slammed the decision of SPORTT to bypass the TTCB in handing out grants to 38 selected clubs which campaign in the National League (Premier Division, and Championship).

“If my calculations are correct there are 40 clubs in the National League. Why were the other two left out? It is my understanding that Monroe Road Sports Club, of which I am the president is one of the clubs which will suffer,” said Ramsaran.

MUMBAI—Veteran West Indies opener Chris Gayle has listed winning next year’s World Cup in England among his remaining high priorities, as his stellar international career winds towards an end.

The 38-year-old returned to West Indies one-day colours following a near 2-1/2 year break last September, and will now spearhead the Caribbean’s batting at the May 30 to July 14 World Cup.

“Just two things,” Gayle said in reference to his remaining career targets.

“Winning the IPL this year and the World Cup for West Indies next year. I believe West Indies have a big chance of winning the World Cup in 2019.

“I know we struggled in the qualifiers but now that we’ve made it, our next aim is to win it. But right now it’s definitely the IPL. [Kings XI Punjab] have never won it.”

Gayle is the Windies leading one-day player, scoring 9 585 runs from 281 One-Day Internationals, and notching 23 centuries.

The upcoming showpiece in England is expected to be his last World Cup, which remains the only title missing from his achievements.

Gayle has been in excellent form in the Indian Premier League, already having scored 252 runs from four innings at an average of 126 and a strike rate of 161.

Ironically, Gayle almost missed out on this year’s campaign after being released by Royal Challengers Bangalore with whom he spent several seasons, and then only being picked up by Kings XI late in the draft for his base price.

With speculation rife that his powers were on the wane, Gayle said his heavy scoring for Kings XI had not been an attempt to prove anything to detractors.

“I don’t know if I’ve actually proved them wrong. There are always going to be doubters but at the same time I didn’t have anything to prove,” the Jamaican explained.

“My records speak for themselves. Even though I was selected in the very last round of the auction, I wasn’t really worried about it. Even if it was the end of it, there is life … a life beyond cricket, beyond the IPL.

“At some stage, you are going to walk away from the IPL and other forms of cricket, so I was never too intrigued. This is how I’ve always been – living in the present.”

He added: “But given the sense that I was picked up and playing for a new franchise, it was very pleasing. And the way I have played in the first three games, I think it has been fantastic. I’m very happy with where I’m at.” CMC

With horse racing continuing to flirt perilously close to the precipice with respect to its future one day, then on another, find some very positive light, news has filtered out of a change to the eligibility requirements for next year’s Classic season.

While the changes by the Arima Race Club (ARC) has already generated considerable debate amongst the racing community, this is healthy discussion, which can only be good for the sport as nobody has all the answers on their own but together racing has a chance.

Internationally, the concept of Classic races restricted to horses bred only in the country (or by extension) region in which they are born is unheard of. Subject to usual quarantine requirements, horses bred anywhere in the world can usually compete in any of the classic races scheduled in any racing programme.

Classic races being described for the time being as races restricted to three-year-old horses. In the Caribbean, given the generally accepted lower quality of the breed, it was recognised that to open the Classic races up to horses bred anywhere in the world, would signal the quick demise of the local breeding industry (and eventually the demise of the racing industry since the majority of the horses that compete locally are bred locally).

To accommodate the introduction of new blood into the region, parallel premier races that could be contested by foreign bred animals were also scheduled into the racing programme.

In T&T specifically, prior to changes in the racing schedule, the local Derby (the Trinidad Derby) and the foreign premier race (the Gold Cup) were contested on the same day—Boxing Day. Over time, the two races would be contested on different days enabling local champions to compete in the open premier race.

Fast forward to the present and one of the main challenges facing the local racing industry is the relatively small size of the racing population, which makes it difficult to sustain large betting fields in many of the races. This in turn results in lower betting turnover and less funds available to the racing club to maintain its plant and promote the growth of the sport.

A secondary, and by no mean major, challenge is the low quality of the racing stock when compared to our cousins in Jamaica. The consequence of which has been a continuous domination of the classic series of races by animals bred in Jamaica.

Over the last few years, to compensate for this domination, a T&T-only Classic series (culminating in a Breeders Classic for horses bred only in T&T) was introduced. Due to financial considerations over time, this series and the major event which started on a par with the Derby itself, has seen its purse eroded substantially.

The recent proposal by the ARC to allow imported fillies to contest the Classic events appears designed to promote the importation of fillies presumably for them to eventually convert into breeding prospects and therefore boost the quality of the local stock.

The approach traditionally undertaken by past administrations was to provide incentives to import mares in utero, whose foals would be considered as local and eligible for the Classic races. This approach however carried more risks to the importer, not to mention the fact that not all owners wanted to be breeders.

One of the most successful examples of this approach in action was the Ruthven Smith owned Headline News in T&T and Bruceontheloose in Jamaica (before he came to T&T).

The new approach carries no more risk than that associated with the purchase of any horse. One issue with this approach is that very few owners have the capacity to purchase an animal at an overseas sale, though it can be argued that the same holds through re the purchase of horses from Jamaica.

The main drawback however is that the approach might prove to be the final nail in the coffin of the local breeding industry rather than the saviour that it is promised to be. Paradoxically, it can be argued that if imported two-year-old fillies can compete in the classics, why would these fillies, when they retire, be attractive from a breeding perspective since their offspring will in turn, be unable to compete with imported two-year-old fillies of their generation.

The problem that the ARC is attempting to solve is an unenviable one and there is little doubt that even if approved by the TTRA, it can only be short-lived. The question will be who really benefits during that short-lived period—the sport or the owner(s) of the few imported fillies.

Therefore perhaps some sort of trial period engaged in with the opportunity also presented for persons in this country who may not be able to travel abroad and purchase fillies to have a chance to own a two-year-old, via some pre purchase by those in authority and then open sale arrangement in T&T.

For those who could not go to Tobago for the Jazz performances, the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts (MCDCA) gave them a day of Jazz with Live@Lunch-Simply Jazz and Fusion the Jazz Experience on April 26 in Port-of-Spain during the lunch and evening times.

Fusion-the Jazz Experience saw the elements all aligned to create the perfect evening outdoor concert on the steps of the National Academy for the Performing Arts (Napa).

The cool evening breeze and the effortless beauty of Napa’s architecture and lights complimented the medley of performances by the National Steel Symphony Orchestra and guest artistes Vaughnette Bigford, Michael “Ming” Low Chew Tung, the UTT Jazz Ensemble, and Shiva Manick.

As expected, it was yet another outstanding performance from the National Steel Symphony Orchestra (NSSO) as they delivered to the audience’s delight. Artistic Director of the NSSO Akua Leith signaled the orchestra’s intention to continuously raise the bar for steelpan performances as he led his team through a varied repertoire from Mungal Patasar’s Dreadlocks featuring Shiva Manick on the tabla, to Guantanamera and Sunday Morning Funk to name a few.

The powerful voice of Vaughnette Bigford, the smooth music of the UTT Jazz Ensemble, notably saxophonist and group leader Anthony Woodroffe, and Michael “Ming” Low Chew Tung on the keyboard had the crowd of more than 400 music lovers drifting and clapping throughout the night. They brought out the best of Jazz music in T&T, and the NSSO’s experience with fusion performances was evident as they blended the steelpan and jazz rhythms.

The MCDCA also capitalised on this event by facilitating a Craft Market in NAPA’s Foyer, featuring jewelry, local wines, handbags, homemade delicacies and much more.

The end result of this event: the crowd was left wanting more, which seems to be the usual aftermath of each cultural event hosted by the MCDCA.

The success of the nighttime event was paralleled by the second edition of the MCDCA’s Live@Lunch Concert at Woodford Square, titled Simply Jazz.

The first Live@Lunch installation, City Blessings, celebrated gospel music on March 29, an appropriate selection to conclude the Lenten Season.

The Jazz theme was next, and the midday heat on April 26 was somehow moderated by the groovy music of artistes Moricia Cagan, LeAndra, the Adan Hagely Project, Candice Caton and Shannon Francois.

Show host Jamie Thomas kept the Woodford Square crowd upbeat as he navigated the lunchtime session. Curious downtown shoppers and students making their way from the Bocas Lit Fest at the National Library were amidst the crowd of over 300 people choosing to fill their lunch hour with music under the trees of Woodford Square, switching off the typical Port-of-Spain lunchtime pace.

The upcoming Live@Lunch edition will feature an east-indian themed event to celebrate Indian Arrival Day in May, followed by a vintage and steelpan concert respectively.

Staying on the topic of varied music genres, the MCDCA successfully hosted a two-day concert event at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (Sapa) on April 21 and 22, billed as Seasons—a time of Remembrance.

Hundreds of patrons filled the Sundar Popo Auditorium to witness the National Philharmonic Orchestra (NPO) perform in a ‘classical meets local’ setting. Conductor of the NPO Dr Roger Henry reiterated to the audience that the orchestra intends to showcase the music and energy of T&T through the medium of classical orchestra performance.

Notable soloists Natalia Dopwell and Hermina Charles, along with the Academy for the Performing Arts’ Choir complimented the symphony orchestra, resulting in two evenings of world-class entertainment.

The National Theatre Arts Company was not to be omitted, with a solo dancer gracing the stage with gentility in her movements and expression. Satisfied audience members conveyed to the MCDCA team that the calibre of these young musicians and artistes is certainly on par with their international counterparts.

These concerts are part of a wider initiative to bring audiences closer to the range of music genres of T&T, whilst creating opportunities for the veterans, up and coming musicians, and cultural stakeholders to network, thereby expanding this country’s cultural community.

Minister Dillon: Yes, they are

In April 2017, following the death of Raymond Joseph who was shot three times by municipal officers inside the Point Fortin Area Hospital, Fyzabad MP Lackram Bodoe had put forward an urgent question to National Security Minister Edmund Dillon about police training to treat with the mentally ill.

Dillon reportedly said officers do receive training in the matter. He was reported as saying, “Police go through different types of training at the police barracks including how to treat a mentally ill patient.”

Joseph, a 51-year-old ex-soldier from Mahaica Road, Point Fortin, was said to be well-respected within the community and relatives said he was being treated for a mental illness when a confrontation with police ended in his death.

Jennings-Smith: No, they aren’t

On May 17, 2017, the T&T Guardian carried a story by Geisha Kowlessar headlined, Cops not trained to deal with mental patients, in which Kowlessar referred to a comment from Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Glenda Jennings-Smith.

The story read as follows, “Faced with perennial criticism for using excessive force in handling the mentally ill, MP for Toco/Sangre Grande, Glenda Jennings-Smith, said the police however, are not properly trained to deal with mental patients and called on the various health bodies to stop neglecting their responsibility.

“This,” the story said, “as the family of a 24-year-old man, who was fatally shot by an off-duty police officer during an altercation near a Moruga bar… has called for an investigation.”

TTPS: We do not have mechanisms

On June 7, 2017, police shot and killed another mentally-ill man.

Inspector Lester Kerr was speaking at the TTPS weekly news conference following the police shooting of Damien Paul in Ste Madeleine when he reportedly announced that “the Police Service does not have the mechanisms in place to train police officers on how persons who are suffering from mental health problems in T&T, ought to be handled.”

This was less than a month after MP Glenda Jennings-Smith publicly said, “Police are not properly trained to deal with mental patients.”

Inspector Kerr was responding to media reports that told of how Paul was throwing stones at the police when he was shot and killed.

Kerr admitted that “law enforcement officers did not have the requisite skill set to treat with such cases.”

He was quoted as saying: “Well, we don’t have people trained to deal with mentally ill persons, what we would do is to contact the relevant authority if it becomes necessary but if a police officer is on any scene and they feel that their life or any other person’s life is in danger then they would act accordingly. But we are indeed saddened by any loss of life because it is not one that we really look forward to.”

Minister Moses: Police trained for all confrontations

On June 8, 2017, Power 102FM reported acting National Security Minister Dennis Moses as “assuring citizens that police officers are trained to treat with confrontation by all categories of persons including the mental ill.”

Moses, while acting as National Security Minister, responded to a question in the Senate and said, “The police are trained to treat with all categories of persons including confrontation by mentally ill persons.

Minister Moses explained that “the Police Service Academy Induction Training Programme offers training to recruits with respect to treating with mentally ill persons.”

PCA to acting CoP: Are they trained?

The PCA, in April 2018, described the killing of Colin Roopchand, 26, at his home in La Romaine, as “unfortunate” and indicated they were currently investigating the matter. Police shot and killed the man who lived with bipolar disorder and who “was acting violent and abusive towards his mother” and according to police, “he attacked them.”

The PCA called on acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams to provide the public with information as it relates to the level of training provided to its members in this regard. It further called on him to give an account of the failure, if any, to provide training on treating with those who are mentally ill and who pose a threat to the public.

‘Call Tyrone’?

Following Roopchand’s killing, when contacted for comment, acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams reportedly said “he did not want to speak freely on the matter. He suggested that all questions be sent to his office’s communications department.

Thereafter, he promised to respond by providing full details “as it relates to training and all other matters raised so that total clarity would be brought on the matter” (Newsday, April 7, 2018).

More to follow

—Caroline C Ravello is a strategic communications and media professional and a public health practitioner. She holds an MA with Merit in Mass Communications (University of Leicester) and is a Master of Public Health With Distinction (The UWI). Write to: mindful.tt@gmail.com

For yet another year, the Port-of-Spain Central Lions staged a successful all-inclusive gourmet event.

Held on Sunday at Lions Cultural Centre in Woodbrook, the cookout, billed as Karibbean Kravings Plus, was attended by a smaller than usual crowd, perhaps because the annual event was held on Sunday rather than on its traditional Saturday in May.

Nonetheless, the chefs—including nine from the Lions fold—were out in their numbers and they all treated guests to some delectable dishes.

Not to be left out were the dessert specialists and some of the cooks who came up with some unique names like Fish Hijacked in Venezuelan Waters, Vanessa Mendez’s Wine Fuh You Lover and Conrad Chin Fatt’s Shots for Curry Oink Oink.

The evening was graced by the presence of South Africa High Commissioner Thami XN Ngwevela and her staff.

Also in attendance were Port-of-Spain Central Lions Club president Dave Gibson; past International Director Terence Boswell Inniss and Father Harold Imamshah.

The High Commission also continued the tradition of having two of its indigenous dishes—Dumplings and Chakalaka, and Tangine Lamb Stew—on offer.

Also preparing dishes were alumni from Queen’s Royal, Fatima and St Mary’s Colleges, and Belmont Intermediate (Belex).

Judges for the evening included Angela Pidduck, Myrna Hosford, Irma Hannays and Peter Ray Blood.

Live entertainment was also provided by multitalented musician Arthur Marcial and St James Tripolians, plus DJ Wayne Rochard.

This evening, Wednesday, May 2, the Playwrights Workshop Trinbago’s Monthly Readers Theatre Series 2018 will feature excerpts from the work of student playwrights enrolled in the Department of Creative and Festival Arts at the UWI. This will be the Playwrights Workshop’s offering for the month of May in its on-going Readers Theatre Series, which occurs on the first Wednesday of every month.

These students, in a course guided by Tony Hall, have been engaged for the semester, in studying different approaches to play writing and play construction mainly for the stage. Their course of study, which embraces the writing of short play scripts, is aimed at entry level even though some have more experience in the craft than others. A small but exciting selection of their work has been chosen for these readings.

Come out to support the student playwrights in our midst. There will be discussions with all the playwrights right after the readings.

The Playwrights Workshop Trinbago, in partnership with the T&T Performing Arts Network, is inviting actors, playwrights, directors, producers and the general public to the reading to provide the playwrights with feedback, to further develop their scripts. The event will be held today at 7 pm, at the Trinidad Theatre Workshop, 6 Newbold Street, St Clair. Admission is free but space is limited. RSVP is required.

For further information email playwrightsworkshoptt@gmail.com or call (868) 351-6293. You can also find the event at https://pwtreaderstheatre2018.eventbrite.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram @playwrightsworkshoptt

Recuperating from multiple chop and stab wounds, Pastor Junior Anderson yesterday called on police to bring his attackers to justice, saying they must pay the price for the merciless attack on his family.

Speaking from his hospital bed at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital, Anderson, 62, who heads the World Outreach Life Changing Pentecostal Church in Palmiste, said although forgiveness was important, consequences were also important.

“Forgiveness is one thing but they must face the consequences. The law must take its course. Look what they do to me,” Anderson said, pointing to stab and chop wounds on his hands, back, neck and head.

“They must pay a price for what happened to me and my family.”

Apart from the wounds , a finger on Anderson’s left hand was also broken.

Happy to be alive but still distraught following the three-hour ordeal, he said the crime situation was unbearable.

“It is disgusting. Nobody walks the streets any more with confidence. We cannot live in our homes in peace. We always have to watch out.

“Somehow, the Commissioner of Police don’t have a good strategy to fight crime. We are not saying that police must be in every street corner. We are saying that the police must work harder to apprehend the perpetrators,” Anderson said.

Having spent most of his life helping criminals and the poor, Anderson said he will continue to work hard to make T&T a better place.

Anderson, his wife Anna, 66 and their son Michael, 32, were held under siege for three hours at their La Bel Air Road, La Romaine home on Tuesday morning.

Three bandits armed with cutlasses stormed their home seeking a vault which did not exist. They broke through the plastic panelled walls, overturned furniture and sifted through boxes of jewellery, after beating, chopping and stabbing the family. Everyone was hog-tied and gagged with pieces of a bed sheet while the thieves ransacked the home.

Anderson fought with one of the robbers to save his son and during the melee he suffered chops to his head and right foot. Michael suffered eight stab wounds and a chop to the head, while Anna suffered a swollen finger.

The thieves eventually stole $3,000 in cash, a gold chain with cross pendant valued at $15,000, a diamond ring valued at $20,000, a gold bera valued at $10,000, a gold ring valued at $2,000, $10,000 in perfume, a DVD player worth $300, two cellular phones worth $2,000 and two JVC televisions worth $8,000. They also escaped in the family’s Toyota Corolla, licensed PCT 8756 and valued at $190,000 and a Kia Sportage (PDC 9991) valued at $273,000.

Southern Division police said yesterday they believe criminals who have migrated from crime hotspots in North Trinidad may responsible for the recent spate of attacks on senior citizens in middle and upper class communities in south Trinidad.

The duo of captain Giovanni Sylvester, and Joevelle Carrera once again made valuable contributions with bat and ball which helped Headquarters Blue Steel spanked Santa Cruz Cruzers by 28 runs to claim a third straight title in the T&T Fire Service Northern Division 12-Overs Windball Cricket League competition at Constantine Park, Macoya on Sunday night.

In a matchup of two teams with two titles each under their belts, Blue Steel took the first strike and led by another strong opening partnership of 43 runs shared between Sylvester and Carrera, the team ended with 90 runs for the loss of six wickets.

Team captain Sylvester led the charge with 21 runs while Carrera scored a patient 18 and the pair of Jason Shields and KC Williams chipped in with ten and seven respectively.

Bowling for Cruzers, Kerron Joseph had the best figures of two for 14 from three overs and Heston Wilson, one for 23.

Needing to get 91 to wrest the title back from Blue Steel after being crowned champions in 2014 and 2015, Cruzers found the going tough with only Dale Simon and Akil Melville getting to double figures with 18 and ten runs respectively mainly due to the disciplined bowling from Blue Steel.

Irving Alfred followed up his good bowling from the semi-finals with two more wickets for nine runs while all-rounders Carrera and Sylvester grabbed two wickets each as well for 11 and 25 runs respectively to limit their opponents to 62 all out.

FINAL RESULTS

April 29 Final

Headquarters Blue Steel 90 for six wickets (Giovanni Sylvester, 21, Jovelle Carrera, 18, Jason Shields, 10 not out, Kerron Joseph 2/14, Heston Wilson 1/23) vs Santa Cruz Cruzers 62 all out (Dale Simon 18, Akil Melville 10, Jovelle Carrera, 2/11; Giovanni Sylvester, 2/25, Irving Alfred, 2/9) - Blue Steel won by 28 runs.
Man of the Match (Finals):
Giovanni Sylvester (Blue Steel)
Third place play
Headquarters Red Rockets 118 for 7 wickets (Marcus Callender 18, Kiel Murray 12, Kern Lovelace 12, Dirkson Reece 2/15) vs Sangre Grande Strikers 48 all out (Candi Toney 9, Dirkson Reece 9, Jamal Jeremiah 8, Ackel Romany 2/13, L’Shaun Nickie 1/12) - Red Rockets won by 70 runs
Final 2018 Honour Roll
Most Runs (Men): Keeda Woods (Sangre Grande Strikers) – 243 runs in 8 innings (tournament record).
Most Runs (Women): Carla Bolah (Sangre Grande Strikers) – 16 runs in 6 innings.
Highest Individual Score (Men): Kiel Murray (Headquarters Red Rockets) —56 runs v San Juan Rebels.
Highest Individual Score (Women): Suzanne Bobb-O’Brien (Morvant Vikings) – 9 runs v Santa Cruz Cruzers.
Most Wickets (Men) – Korie Perouse, (Black the Bravest) - 14
Most Wickets (Women): Carla Bolah (Sangre Grande Strikers) - 7
Best Bowling Performance (Men):
Korie Perouse (Black The Bravest) - 5/14 v Chaguaramas Outkasts.
Best Bowling Performance (Women):
Lana Mark (Headquarters Red Rockets) - 2/2 vs San Juan Rebels @ Tyro
Player of the Tournament (Men): Jeremy Carter (Blue Steel)
Batting: 123 runs in 9 innings at an average of 14.625 runs per dismissal & a high score of 30
Bowling: 9 wickets at an average of 13.56 runs & economy rate of 6.42 in 10 games
Player of the Tournament (Women): Carla Bolah (Sangre Grande Strikers)
Batting: 16 runs in 7 innings and a top score of 8
Bowling: 7 wickets at an average of 7.42 runs and economy rate of 6.50 in 9 matches

The pendulum seems to have swung drastically within the corridors of the Sports Company of T&T (SporTT) and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. It was not too long ago, the rumours of promised payments by the former Minister of Sport to the Pro League was hot among social media and elsewhere. Then suddenly, we found out that this will not actually happen.

A newly appointed Minister of Sports has brought a shining light with loads of money for eight of the ten clubs and suddenly, the League’s kick off date is June 1.

Then the Cricket administrators decided to ride on that bandwagon, seeing that the precedent was set by the new Ministry of Sports.

It would not surprise me if the Super League and the Zonal Associations jump into the fray justifiably so seeking their handouts too.

Now, out of the minds of two different ministers, the decision to finance clubs who have made themselves professionals, have received a slap followed by a kiss, just by crying crocodile tears as a result of their failure to make their primary individual investment become profitable.

Quietly, the TTFA was not even concerned about the Pro League issue, seeing that they had absolutely no control of the “professionals”.

Actually, this absence of interest shown y the TTFA extends towards their own Zonal Associations, all of whom have been “scrunting” because many of their “affiliated clubs” have not been paying their registration fees and as soon as their results on the field became southward, they casually dropped out of the league, simply because they can no longer in line to get prize money and they will have to travel from venue to venue for matches away from their home venues.

If they happen to be in winning ways, then they will battle against their opponents, most of whom have paid their registration fees, referees’ payments and maintain the cutting process of their community fields.

Who cared when these administrators from the zonal areas were unable to pay their prize monies to winners in their zones, to the clubs which have honoured their financial commitments to be eligible to participate legally.

Funnily enough, this definition of “professional leagues” namely the “Pro League” and the “Super league” has no difference from all the clubs in the TTFA. There is NOT a single amateur organisation of Football in this country again.

The word Amateur was removed from the TAFA to TTFA, which means that all clubs could undertake the challenge of paying some of all of their players if they wish.

In other words, there is absolutely nothing wrong in a club decides to pay their players to play in the Zonal leagues.

The question is, will that allow them to receive financial assistance from the Ministry of Sports?

Eventually, the majority of footballers, especially those who play in the zonal leagues will become disgruntled and see themselves as bastards in a football family.

No wonder why we are witnessing horrible behaviour on and off the field, players disrespecting referees, and our zonal administrators have no hard feelings when they refuse to pay prize money, neither do they care if referees or players become exposed to the dangers of being confronted by ill-disciplined behaviour without any form of security to protect their players or spectators or even children alike.

Will some of the people who are party to this quagmire of football administrative confusion and unfair practices, sit up and lend your thoughts to the development of the greatest game in the world?

The sounds of the Tassa and rhythm section music will ring out when arguably, the two best playing teams in Secondary school cricket, Naparima and Hillview colleges draw swords in the final of the PowerGen Intercol T20 championship match this evening.

Hillview is the defending champion team having defeated the said Naparima College in the final last year. The boys from El Dorado also clipped Naps by three runs in their Premiership meeting earlier this season to claim that title as well.

If Richard Kelly’s men can go on and claim the Intercol title again this evening, they would rank with some of the better schools in the history of Secondary Schools cricket in T&T.

The team is led by all-rounder Dexter Sween and includes promising batsman Leonardo Julien together with West Indies U-19 duo, Keagan Simmons and Kirstan Kallicharan and then talented Sachin Seecharan, who has also been brilliant this season for Hillview.

Naps, on the other hand, will be banking on the West Indies U-19 batsman and captain Cephas Cooper who has been in good touch. Also among the runs, this season are Justyn Gangoo and Avinash Mahabirsingh.

President of the Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL) Surujdath Mahabir is wishing both teams well. “I want to congratulate both schools and especially the staff that would have worked with them. This is the final match of the Secondary schools’ calendar and it should be a cracker. We are urging all the supporters to come out.” Mahabir came up with the idea of moving the Intercol from during the daytime from the quarterfinal stages to the nights and on weekends and it has worked wonders in terms of crowd support.

Prior to the boys Intercol final which gets off at 6 pm, there will be the girls Intercol final between St Stephen’s College and Barrackpore East at 2 pm.

BOYS TEAMS

Hillview: Dexter Sween (capt), Leonardo Julien, Navin Bidaisee, Keagan Simmons, Sachin Seecharan, Kirstan Kallicharan, Teshawn Alleyne, Rickash Boodram, Ronaldo Forester, Jean Phillipe Barrie, Kareem Muradali, Jadon Bryce, Anderson Mahase, Isaiah Connell.

Naparima College: Cephas Cooper (capt), Darren Samlal, Enrique Singh, Justyn Gangoo, Kyle Roopchand, Troy Sookraj, Jevon George, Shadell Soogrim, Ryan Bandoo, Sivan Ramkissoon, Keston Boodoo, Faiysal Mangera, Avinash Mahabirsingh, Liam Mamchan.

GIRLS TEAMS

Barrackpore East: Savi Gopaul (capt), Priya Alladin, Geneilia Juppy, Suriya Sookoo, Kimberly John, Kimberly Ramsawak, Kavita Deodath, Shalini Samaroo, Kaitlin Singh, Dehlia Bhagwandeen, Emily Singh, Adonna Chance, Nirvanha Basdeo.

St. Stephen’s College: Janelle Noel, Leah Mohammed, Angelina Sookraj, Makeisha Simon, Kasean Edward, Azariah Haniff, Anjali Khemkiran, Ariel Mahabir, Kayla Dookran, Sarisha Khemkiran