Grenadian-born NYPD officer promoted to Lieutenant

Lt. Ollivierre with COP Kelly

By Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, March 31, 2012 – A Grenadian-born New York Police Officer has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

Nimrod Ollivierre received his third promotion in eight years at a ceremony attended by his family at One Police Plaza on Friday.

Lieutenant Ollivierre, who migrated to the United States in 1989, joined the New York Police Department in 1997 after two years of active duty in the United States Navy. He was promoted to Sergeant in November 2004 and then Sergeant Special Assignment in September 2008.

“I wish to convey my heartiest congratulations to Mr Ollivierre,” said Grenada’s Culture Minister Senator Arley Gill who is also a close friend of the officer. “His achievement has made all Grenadians proud and this demonstrates that with hard work and dedication regardless of where you are from you can achieve great things. Well done lieutenant.”

Lt. Ollivierre also received congratulatory messages from Youth Minister Patrick Simmons, who believes this could motivate other young people at home and in the Diaspora that achievement is boundary-less and Inspector Raymond Matthew of the Royal Grenada Police Force.

Lt. Ollivierre and his mother

Lt. Ollivierre, who grew up in the village of Grand Mal St George, received his new shield, bars and certificate of promotion from Commissioner Raymond Kelly. The promotion comes with added responsibility including a platoon commander in the NYPD.

“The support of family and friends has been crucial in my development and progress as an officer over the years,” said Lt. Ollivierre. “It’s tough, but there is no substitute for hard work, perseverance, dedication and commitment.”

Twelve years ago, then officer Ollivierre with only three years in the force and attached to the 71^st Precinct in Flatbush, Brooklyn shot and killed a store robber. He suffered chipped teeth and facial cuts in the scuffle that led to the shooting. District Attorney Charles Hynes later ruled the shooting was justified.

Lt. Ollivierre, who has been on active reserve in the Navy since 1995, had a tour of duty in the Middle East in 2006.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from John Jay College.

Grenada's Felix shatters Boise State's Decathlon record

Kurt Felix, Courtesy: Boise State 

AUSTIN, Texas, March 29, 2012 -- Boise State's Kurt Felix of Grenada made history on Thursday, shattering the Boise State school record in the Decathlon at the 2012 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Felix earned 7,921-points and placing fourth overall, shattering the school record by 209-points and his own career-best by 509-points. 

Felix's success in the overall competition was thanks to six career-best marks out of the 10 total in the decathlon, as well as two outdoor career-bests and two event wins. 

The redshirt-senior held the overall lead after five events on Wednesday, but dropped to second through Thursday's first two events, the 110-metre hurdles and discus. He then fell to fifth after the pole vault and jumped back to third after the javelin, heading into the final event, where he ended in the 10-event, two-day competition in fourth. 

Felix opened up his day with the 110m hurdles placing eighth and clocking a new career-best of 14.78-seconds (a half-second improvement). 

Moving on to discus, Felix earned his second career-best of the day, and fifth in the competition when he threw 38.81 metres to place eighth and improve his career mark by four feet. 

The Grenadian athlete went on to clear 4.20m in the pole vault for a new outdoor career-best and an 11th-place finish in the event. 

In the javelin, a strong event for Felix, he showed confidence, throwing a career-best by nine-feet to a 69.89m mark. The mark earned him the javelin win, his second event win over the two-day competition. 

In the final event, Felix broke his career-best by .02-seconds, running to a time of 4:45.22 and placing ninth in the 1500m. 

Note: Boise State's former school record of 7,712-points in the decathlon was set by Brian Davidson in 1996. Felix formerly held the second-best decathlon score in school history at 7,412-points (his career-best before today). 

Felix's Event-by-Event Results: 
100-metres: 11.06 - 10th in the event (a .03 personal record [PR])
Long Jump: 25'-4.75" - 1st in the event (a 4.75" PR)
Shot Put: 44'-4.75" - 3rd in the event (a 2'-2" outdoor PR)
High Jump: 6'-7.50" - 2nd in the event
400-metres: 49.66 - 7th in the event
110m Hurdles: 14.78 - 8th in the event (a .48-second PR)
Discus: 127'-4" - 8th in the event (a 3'-10" PR)
Pole Vault: 13'-9.25" - 11th in the event (a 9.75" PR)
Javelin: 229'-3" - 1st in the event (a 8'-11" PR)
1500-metres: 4:45.22 - 9th in the event (a .02-second PR)
Overall Total: 7,921 points - 4th overall (a 509-point PR)

Grenada's Intercol 2012 Team Scores

Scotiabank Intercol 2012 - 3/28/2012 to 3/29/2012               
                  National Stadium, Queens Park, St.George`s                   
                       Team Rankings - Through Event 61                        
 
                              Female Team Scores                               
            Place Team                                            Points
       ===================================================================
                1 St. Andrew's Anglican School       SAAS             84.5
                2 St. Joseph's Convent St. Andre     SJCA             72  
                3 ST David's Catholic Secondary      SDCS             67  
                4 Grenville Secondary School         GSS              56  
                5 Anglican High School               AHS              40  
                6 Hillsborough Secondary School      HSS              32  
                7 Happy Hill Secondary School        HHSS             27  
                8 Bishop's College                   BC               16  
                9 MC Donald College                  MDC              10  
               10 St. Rose Modern Secondary Scho     SRMS              9  
               11 Wesley College                     WC                8  
               12 Grenada Christian Academy          GCA               6  
               13 St. Joseph's Convent St. Georg     SJCG              5.5
               14 Grenada Sda Comprehensive Sch      GSDA              5  
               15 Boca Secondary School              BOCA              2  
               15 St. Johns Christian Secondary      SJCSS             2  
 
                               Male Team Scores                                
            Place Team                                            Points
       ===================================================================
                1 Westerhall Secondary School        WHSS             93  
                2 Grenada Boys Seconday School       GBSS             90  
                3 St. Andrew's Anglican School       SAAS             73  
                4 ST David's Catholic Secondary      SDCS             49  
                5 MC Donald College                  MDC              26  
                6 Hillsborough Secondary School      HSS              21  
                7 St. Rose Modern Secondary Scho     SRMS             20  
                8 Grenville Secondary School         GSS              19  
                8 St. Mark's Secondary School        SMSS             19  
               10 Presentation Brothers College      PBC              16  
               11 Bishop's College                   BC               14  
               12 Wesley College                     WC               10  
               13 St. Johns Christian Secondary      SJCSS             3  
               14 Happy Hill Secondary School        HHSS              1  
               14 Grenada Sda Comprehensive Sch      GSDA              1  

Urgent overhaul of Intercol Champs needed

File Photo

by Michael Bascombe

The time has come for an urgent overhaul of the Annual Secondary Schools’ Athletic Championships. Except for the two triple events added this year, and only announced about a week ago, the current format is cheating our athletes of the opportunity to exhibit their true potential.

As one of the top five Secondary Schools’ Track and Field Championships in the region there must be ‘drastic’ changes to the schedule, including expansion, to ensure that our athletes are given adequate competition.

Since 2000, proposals were sent to the Secondary Schools’ Principal Association, organisers of the Inter-col Meet. These proposals were updated and re-submitted more than once within the last decade.

The stadium in its current condition could accommodate just about every track and field event including pole vault. It’s unfair for athletes to compete in hurdles at their school sports but not at Inter-col.

Additionally, Grenada has done very well in the Heptathlon at the CARIFTA Games but the event is not reflected in the Inter-col schedule.

For example, at the CARIFTA Games Grenada has won more ‘quality’ medals than any other competing country in the Heptathlon event between 2004 and 2011.

2004 – Silver & Bronze; 2005 – Gold & Silver; 2006 – Gold & Bronze; 2007 – Gold; 2008 – No Medal; 2009 – No Competitors; 2010 – Bronze and 2011 – Silver & Bronze.

A contributor to this medal haul is Kurt Felix who is currently among the top Decathlete in Colleges in the United States.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the time has come for the Ministries of Sports and Education to play a more active role in the future of the Games. The Principals may mean well but fresh thinking needs to be given priority.

The recent proposal for a three or four-day championship will allow adequate rest for athletes competing in high intensity events as well as some of the field events where there are remarkable performances, but lest attention.

Our athletes are already at a disadvantaged by competing in only two (2) rounds in the 100, 200 and 400 metres. IAAF rules stipulate that preliminary rounds shall be held in Track Events in which the number of athletes is too large to allow the competition to be conducted satisfactorily in a single round (final).

This means that under the proposed changes there will be at least three or four rounds of competition in some of the Track Events.

Best wishes to all athletes, officials and spectators for the 2012 edition of this great sporting spectacle.

Grenada's Kurt Felix leads Decathlon at Texas Relays

AUSTIN, Texas, March 28, 2012 - Boise State track and field multi-event athlete Kurt Felix of Grenada leads the decathlon field after five events with 4,194 points at the 85^th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on Wednesday.

Felix earned one win and had three career-best efforts helping him to lead the men's decathlon after day one at the Texas Relays. Felix leads Texas' Isaac Murphy, who sits in second, by two points. Felix also sits 283-points ahead of 2011 NCAA Outdoor decathlon runner-up and 2012 NCAA Indoor heptathlon champion, Curtis Beach (Duke).

The former Junior CARIFTA medallist began the day with the 100-metre dash, running an 11.06-second race, only .03-seconds off of his career-best, placing 10^th overall.

He moved on to long jump where he had an uncharacteristic first attempt. He came back in the second attempt ready for battle, leaping to a new career-best mark of 7.74m to win the long jump portion of the decathlon. The redshirt-senior's efforts marked not only a career effort, but also the third-best long jump mark in Boise State outdoor track and field history. Shortly after, Felix continued on to the shot put, earning an outdoor career-best mark of 13.53m to place third, while also clearing 2.02m to place second in the high jump. He ended the day with a third career-best, running a 49.66-second 400-metre dash, placing seventh.

Felix opens up day two of the decathlon on Thursday (March 29) with the 110-metre hurdles. He continues on with the discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500-metres to complete his 10-event competition. Felix chases his career-best total of 7,412 as well as the school record of 7,712-points scored by Brian Davidson in 1996.

COURTESY: BOISE STATE SPORTS INFORMATION

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Report: Grenadian sisters died in North Carolina, USA

by Mark Becker

WSOC-TV

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a neighborhood where almost everyone knows everyone else, no one really knew the two sisters from the island of Grenada who lived and died together in the house on Thelma Lane.

"I would see one of the ladies mowing her lawn from time to time," said Imani York, who lives two doors down.

York never knew that lady was Laura Snell, 47, and that she was taking care of her mentally disabled sister, Victoria, 46.

York said she had not seen either sister for months and that neighbors began to wonder what was wrong. But it wasn't until John Snell came to check on his sisters Monday night that anyone knew they had died.

Snell called police after he unlocked the door and sensed that something was wrong.

Officers found the two women dead in the home but say they did not find any signs of foul play or obvious cause of death.

They tested for carbon monoxide but say there was none.  They are not ruling that out, however, until they get autopsy results.

John Snell said Tuesday afternoon that he did not have any more information and will wait until the autopsy results are in before commenting further.

Click on link to watch video:

http://www.wsoctv.com/videos/news/neighbors-baffled-by-deaths-of-two-sisters/vGhNm/

Additional information: It has been reported that the two sisters lived in New York for about 20 years and six years ago, they followed a brother to North Carolina.

Grenadian parliamentarian urging nationals to support Olympians

File Photo: Sen. Arley Gill

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, March 27, 2012 - A Grenadian Parliamentarian is urging his nationals to support their Olympians for the London 2012 Olympic Games this summer.

Senator Arley Gill, who is also the Culture Minister in the Grenada Government, said that this is the best opportunity for Grenada to medal at the Olympic Games, scheduled for July 27 to August 12, 2012.

“I believe that the entire nation must start rallying around our athletes for the 2012 Olympics. Not just Kirani (James) but Rondell (Bartholomew) and all the other athletes in 2012,” Senator Gill told a sitting of the Grenada Senate on Tuesday.

“August 2012 could very well be a watershed moment in the development of the country”.

Senator Gill suggested that a “Mini-Carnival” for the Olympics would be an excellent marketing strategy for the country.

“Those of us recalled that when Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the FIFA World Cup Finals in Germany that they send soca artistes and masqueraders,” he said.

Trinidad and Tobago, also known as the Soca Warriors, currently holds the record of being the smallest country to ever qualify for a FIFA World Cup Finals

“I think we need to do something on a smaller scale in London for 2012 Olympics”.

He said that with the recent success of Kirani James, sports tourism represents an exciting economic frontier for harvesting. “We must therefore support our national sportsmen and women in the different disciplines,” said Gill.

Five Grenadians – four in athletics and one in taekwondo - have already gained qualifying standards for the London 2012 Olympics. James, who is the current World 400 metres champion and Bartholomew, also a finalist at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Deagu, are among favourites in the Men’s quarter-mile.

Janelle Redhead and her brother Joel are the other two athletes to have earned qualifying times while Andrea St Bernard will be the first ever taekwondo athlete to represent Grenada at the Olympic Games.

Grenada joins in Tribute to Victims of Slavery

Ambassador Williams

NEW YORK, March 26, 2012 - Today’s aspirations of people of African descent in the Americas reflect global aspirations and their contributions are found in every walk of life, Grenada’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dessima Williams, said on Monday. 

“Thus our collective responsibility is to carry on the legacy of human dignity, justice and freedom in this hollowed institution of the United Nations,” Ambassador Williams said in her remarks delivered on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) at the commemorative meeting on the occasion of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

“In Cuba, this year marks the 200 Anniversary of José Antonio Aponte´s uprising. In their long struggle for independence, African slaves and their descendants contribute decisively to shaping the Cuban nationality”.

In 2007, the General Assembly designated 25 March as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade to honour the 28 million estimated Africans who were violently removed and cast into slavery, mainly in colonies in North America, South America and the Caribbean.

Ambassador Williams said that our collective responsibility is to carry on the legacy of human dignity, justice and freedom in this hollowed institution of the United Nations. 

“And so we bow low to bravery in the creation of freedom. We are proud that our African ancestors in the Caribbean and Latin America left their indelible mark for freedom. That is our shining inheritance, our unmitigated responsibility,” she said.  

“We recognise the strong solidarity and support that exists between CARICOM and African group who are the main member states driving the initiatives related to this Commemoration.”

Since Friday, the UN has been hosting a series of events to pay tribute to the men and women who bravely fought against the transatlantic trade as well as those who continue to stand up against modern forms of slavery.

This year’s commemoration at UN Headquarters includes an exhibition of images of heroes and activists, original documents, historical illustrated newspapers and artefacts, as well as an evening of cultural and culinary specialties of Africa and a global student videoconference.

In addition, plans are underway to erect a permanent memorial in UN Headquarters complex to remind the world that millions of Africans were violently removed from their homelands, abused and robbed of their dignity over the course of four centuries during the transatlantic slave trade.

Exciting start to Old Trafford’s Over-40 football tournament

ST GEORGE’S, March 25, 2012 – After an absence of more than two decades, organized community football competition has returned to Old Trafford Playing Field in Tanteen, St. George’s.

A tournament for players age 40 and over was launched Sunday, March 25, with a March Pass of teams and three friendly matches.

Sunday’s matches, which were witnessed by a wide cross-section of spectators of various age groups, including community stalwarts such as Walter St. John, Bruce Bain, Lincoln “Bella” Thomas and Lennox “Laylay” James, featured a number of former junior and senior national footballers. Among them were Jude “Bolahead” Julien, Christopher “Tiggis” Bernard, Lincoln “Toro” Depradine, Dexter “Piey” Mitchell, and Kenton “Fry” Roberts.

Competitive games in the tournament, which is sponsored by United Insurance, will be played on weekends, starting on Saturday afternoon, March 31.

The organising committee, chaired by Michael St. John, has said that among the tournament’s objectives are reestablishing strong bonds of friendship and showcasing the skills of the retired soccer players.

It’s also to rekindle community “pride and unity;’’ “to provide a forum for recreation and entertainment;’’ as well as to “remember and recognise outstanding St. George’s footballers of the past’’ that are considered football heroes and community role models.

Old Trafford had lost its original attraction as premier sporting venue, particularly after the passage of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Following the hurricane, classrooms were set up on the field for use by students of T.A. Marryshow Community College.

For many years, motorists also used Old Trafford as a parking lot.

However, the playing field was rehabilitated and upgraded last year through a joint collaboration involving the Ministry of Sports, the Carenage Organisation for Recreation and Entertainment, and MP for the Town of St. George, Peter David.

David, who is also Tourism Minister and General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, said he was disappointed that he was unable to participate in Sunday’s football tournament opening. He was attending a General Council of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Carriacou.

“I’m delighted, however, that Old Trafford – where I spent many afternoons in the 1970s watching good football from teams like Phoenix, NJM United, Tanteen Scrunters and Halifax City – is once again the site of competitive and exciting football,’’ David said.

“I offer my best wishes to the teams and the organizers,’’ he added. “I assure them that I will be attending games and will provide whatever support is needed to make the competition a success.’’

Seven-member team for Grenada at CARIFTA Games 2012

File Photo: Genard Paul

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, March 25, 2012 – A seven-member team will represent Grenada at next month’s staging of the 41^st edition of the Junior CARIFTA Games in Bermuda.

The Grenada Athletics Association (GAA) on Sunday released the names of the athletes chosen for the April 7-9 Athletics Championships at the National Sports Centre.

The team will be banking on the experienced Linden Toussaint (TAMCC) and Nickheila John of the St Andrew’s Anglican Secondary School (SAASS). Toussaint picked up bronze (4544) in the Boys Heptathlon behind his Grenadian counterpart Andell Joseph (silver, 4551) and Kemar Jones of Barbados (gold, 4662) in Jamaica last year. Toussaint is the lone Grenadian competitor for the Heptathlon and will also compete in the Under-20 Boys Discus and Javelin events.

John, who missed out of medalling in the 200 and 400m last year, will again double in the events in Bermuda. She was fourth in the Under-20 Girls in 24.27 and also fourth in the 400m in 55.40.

Other members of the team are Mickel Joseph of Hillsborough Secondary School (HSS) and Anderson Peters of St David’s Catholic Secondary School (SDCSS) in the Under-17 Boys Javelin; Kenisha Hazzard of SDCSS in the Under-17 Girls 100 and 200m; Crystal Mitchell of St Joseph’s Convent St Andrew (SJCSA) in the Under-17 Girls 1500 and 3000m; and Ricky Thomas of SAASS in the Under-17 Boys 400 and 800m.

The officials with the team are Erica Fortune and Paul Phillip (coaches) and Abrel Patrick (Area Technical Official).

Grenada picked up six (6) medals including a gold medal at the Junior CARIFTA Games in Montego Bay, Jamaica last April.

Colleen Felix opens season with triple jump victory

by Michael Bascombe
NEW YORK, March 24, 2012 – There were contrasting results on the first official weekend of outdoor competition for Grenadian athletes in the United States.
Former Junior CARIFTA medallist Colleen Felix of the University of Georgia won the women’s triple jump at the Georgia Relays in Athens, Georgia on Saturday.

Felix tallied the nation’s leading mark in the triple jump during UG’s outdoor season opener. Felix, who won her second consecutive Southeastern Conference (SEC) indoor title in February, worked up to a jump of 13.13 metres on her fifth attempt to cruise to a victory. She was just short of the stadium record of 14.06m held by Grenadian Patricia Sylvester.

Felix also copped second spot in the javelin with a throw of 44.66m.

Also posting an impressive opener was Kanika Beckles (Texas A&M University) at the USC Trojan Invitational at the Loker Stadium in Los Angeles. Beckles was second in the women’s 400m in 53.94. Beckles also ran a split of 54.1 to help Texas A&M win the 4x400m Relay in 3:36.95.

At the LSU Relays in Louisiana, Neisha Bernard-Smith (Tiger Olympians) was third in the women’s 1500m in 4:29.37; Daryl Brathwaite (University of Akron) was fifth in the men’s long jump with 7.11m and Andon Mitchell (Unattached) was fourth in the men’s 100m in a windy (3.1) 10.40.

At the Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa, Joel Redhead finished fourth in the men’s 400m Invitational in 48.01 while his sister Janelle (Wayland Baptist University) competed in the relays (6^th, 4x100m and 2^nd, 4x400m) at the Bobby Lane Invitational in Arlington, Texas. Sherine Wells (Oklahoma University) also competed in the sprints (10^th, 100m 11.81 and 10^th, 200m 24.47).

Melika Lewis, competing in her first outdoor meet since joining Monroe College in January, finished second in the women’s 200m (26.23) at the Monmouth Invitational.

Foreign Minister Hood hosted by Jason Roberts

READING, Berkshire, March 24, 2012 – Foreign Affairs Minister Karl Hood was hosted by Grenadian international Jason Roberts at an English Championship game at the Madejski Stadium here on Saturday.

The occasion was a game between Roberts’ team and title chaser Reading FC and Blackpool. Reading won the game 3-1 in front of 21,000 spectators.

The Guest Party included Jason’s close relatives including his father and Otis Roberts, CEO of the Jason Roberts Foundation, as well as High Commissioner Ruth Rouse.

Roberts missed Saturday’s game through injury but Reading’s manager Brian McDermott said that he may be back for the next week’s game against West Ham.

"He could be back for next week, we'll have to wait and see. It's a slight hamstring, he could well be back but we don't know yet. If he's right he could be back. He's much better, it's not as bad as first feared which is great news."

Roberts has been credited for the surge in Readings’ Premiership bid as he made the best start of any player in the history of Reading football club when he signed from Blackburn Rovers in January, winning eight straight games.

He scored three goals in his first four matches and his arrival added new impetus to a team that had already cast aside their mediocre early-season form and started to charge up the Championship table, according to BBC Sports.

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