Point Fortin hosts motorcade to honour Richards

SEETA PERSAD

There will be celebrations on the streets of Point Fortin today as the southern borough honours its latest hero, Jereem Richards, who is one of the four runners that won gold in last weekend’s IAAF World Championships in London.

The 4x400 relay team comprised Renny Quow, Machel Cedenio, Lalonde Gordon and Richards. Cedenio is also from Point Fortin but is yet to return home.

Point Fortin’s “Golden Boy” will be driven through the streets of Point Fortin in a motorcade beginning from 1 pm. He will be accompanied by the mayor and other officials. At 3 pm, Richards will be presented with the keys to the borough at Victor Chin Kit Park located on the Main Road, Point Fortin, after the motorcade. Plans for today’s event were finalised yesterday when Richards met with Point Fortin Mayor Abdon Mason at the borough corporation headquarters in Mahaica, Point Fortin. The mood was joyous as the mayor and council members welcomed the IAAF Gold Medal winner to the Borough’s auditorium. Having produced the top SEA student for 2017 in Lexi Bachan, Mason said the spotlight was once more on Point Fortin with the international gold medal winner.

Mason said, “As we plan to celebrate the victory by the T&T team who won gold in London recently, we take a look at the progress of our people both in academics and in sports.” He added that the win had thrown new light on the fact that the youths of Point Fortin had the ability to excel at the international level. At 11 am today the mayor will be hoisting the flag of Trinidad and Tobago at the borough coroporation after which a street parade will follow and then a motorcade beginning from the borough headquarters. As the borough celebrates the victory of two of its sons Mason is now looking at the completion of the major sporting facility in Point Fortin, Mahaica Oval.

“When I spoke to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley he assured me that the Mahaica Oval is the next project to be undertaken by the government following the completion of the Diego Martin Sporting Complex,” Mason said. He said he had faith in the Prime Minister and was looking forward to getting Mahaica Oval completed during his tenure as the mayor. He is also looking forward to the completion of the the Point Fortin Hospital and the Civic Centre, James Park and Coronaton Park.

“I believe in my people and I know there are lots of other sportsmen and women of Point Fortin who are competing at a national level in various disciplines and this is why I am eager to fix all the sporting facilities in the borough,” Mason said, adding that MP Edmund Dillon had also made requests for these facilities.

Mason also said both Bachan and Richards were inspiration for other burgesses and also for the country to work hard and aim high.

Speaking afterwards, an obviously elated Richards said words could not express how he felt to be back home with his people having won gold in London. “It is an amazing feeling,” Richards said. “It’s really great that all the hard work through the years has paid off and we are able to win the top medal for the people of this country.”