Trinidad: SSCC sets record despite revolt (18 Jan 1998)

18 Jan 1998

SSCC sets record despite revolt

The Trinidad Express

A RECORD 90 schools are registered to participate in the 1998 edition of the Secondary Schools Cricket Council's (SSCC) competitions. But four North Zone colleges-QRC, St Mary's, Fatima and St Anthony's-will not be among those taking the field when Championship Division competition bowls off this weekend.

The four have set up a breakaway league and have started playing among themselves.

SSCC president Richard Kokaram expressed surprise at the decision. He told the Express that the principals of the schools involved had met with League officials and the matter had been sent to the Ministry of Education for a final ruling. He expected therefore that nothing would happen before the ruling of the Director of schools Supervision gave his verdict.

Kokaram said that North Eastern College, Arima Senior Comprehensive, Barataria Senior Comprehensive and Toco Composite have taken up the places left vacant by the four protesting colleges.

A fifth college, Trinity, was originally among the schools protesting the election of a North Zone official deemed persona non grata by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB). But those responsible for the administration of the game at the Moka college have had a change of heart and Trinity will be taking part in the 1998 season.

Kokaram added that his league, to be sponsored jointly by PowerGen and Brian Lara, had big plans for the season ahead. This year, the SSCC will introduce an international competition, to be played biennially and named after West Indies pacer Ian Bishop, a girls windball competition and a national cricket quiz for schools.

The Bishop International Festival is scheduled for April 1 to 13 and four schools each from England and the Caribbean are expected to be participating.

The schools quiz, a joint venture between the TTCB and the SSCC, begins on March 4 and ends on March 20. The champion school wins a computer while the top four schools all get twenty return tickets for a two-day all expenses paid trip to Barbados.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)