Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - New York City Councilmember Leroy Comrie (D, Queens), on Tuesday afternoon pledged his support for the recovery and relief effort now underway in the wake of Hurricane Dean which ravaged the Caribbean and damaged sections of the Jamaica on Sunday, August 19, 2007.
Addressing a reception for a visiting team of Little League Baseball players from Portland, Jamaica at City Hall, Lower Manhattan, Councilmember Comrie - who was born in the USA of Jamaican parents and is married to a Jamaican – told Consul General, Dr. Basil K. Bryan that his Council District office in South Jamaica, Queens, NY will serve as a drop-off/collection point and that he will assist in whatever way possible at this time.
Both gentlemen were at City Hall to welcome the team of 10 players and 3 coaches from the West Portland/Buff Bay Little League programme who are visiting the USA at the invitation of Pastor Ed Moore and the parishioners from the Northshore Baptist Church in Bayside (Queens), NY.
The team was given an educational tour of the landmark City Hall building and presented with certificates of appreciation as sporting ambassador on a new frontier. The Jamaican student athletes will play a series of exhibition games against their host the Bayside Little League division through August 27, returning to Jamaica on August 29, 2007.
The West Portland Little League Baseball project which was started in 2004, is the result of ongoing missionary work by the New York based church in the Portland community since 1987.
Consul General, Dr. Basil K. Bryan used the opportunity to encourage the youngsters to seize the moment to grow and to go to greater heights by building character and worth by combining courage, determination with discipline.
Dr. Bryan said that it was his hope that before long the country can capture the imagination of the world in Baseball in the same way it did with the Reggae Boyz at the l998 World Cup of Soccer Championships and the Bob Sled team at the Winter Olympics.
The team is captained by 14 years old, 3rd Baseman Carlton Clarke. The coaches are, Wally Mackenzie (Missionary, USA), Leon Rhone and Marcel Blagrove. Their final tour game is on Sunday, August 26, 2007 at Crocheron Park/35th Avenue, Bayside, at 3:00 pm.
