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Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, and Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett, pose for a group picture with members of the domino fraternity after the church service.
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Service at Ebenezer (Estridge) Moravian Church, clockwise from left: Prime Minister Harris addressing the congregation, Mr Calvin Farrell delivering remarks, Mr Allington Berridge reading from scriptures, and Mr Marc Williams reading from scriptures.
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, July 27, 2020 (MMS-SKN) — Sponsor of the longest running domino league in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Prime Minister and Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Seven, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, has thanked leadership of the league for holding successful domino competition since its inception in 1996.
Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League celebrated its 25th anniversary on Sunday July 26 with a church service at the Ebenezer (Estridge) Moravian Church in Mansion, the village where the league was started by Mr Osmond Petty who is today Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security.
“I want to thank the leadership for determining that on this significant milestone, 25 years, they want to start it right and they want to come in the House of the Lord,” said Prime Minister Harris when he addressed members of the congregation.
He thanked Rev Adlyn Mgonela of the church “for having the domino team for which I have been the benefactor for the last 25 years. For me it has been an absolute privilege and an honour to be working with the young people of this constituency as they participate in a game that they love, and again which shows their own commitment and team spirit. We have been able to produce, each year, for the last 25 years successful domino competition.”
Due to Covid-19 protocols being observed by the church, attendance by members of the domino fraternity was restricted to captains and at least one member of the domino clubs. Also in attendance was Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett.
The service was led by Lay Pastor Ivyn Williams who in his introduction appeared to be well versed with the game of domino, which left the congregation pleasantry surprised wondering how he knew so much about the game.
However, Prime Minister Harris revealed his background when he reported that the pastor used to play domino and caused laughter when he added: “I am sure several times Appetite (Elvis Matthew of Small Corner Domino Club) would have defeated him.” Pastor Williams used to play for Mansion Domino Club.
Mr Marc Williams of the defending champion, Parson Domino Club, read scriptures from the Old Testament, while Mr Allington Berridge of Phillips Domino Club read scriptures from the New Testament.
The sermon was delivered by Rev Adlyn Mgonela who welcomed Prime Minister Harris and noted that it was the first time he was attending Ebenezer (Estridge) Moravian Church “since you have been re-elected.”
President of the Executive Committee of Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League, and League Coordinator, Mr Calvin Farrell, in delivering brief remarks at the church said that when the league was started, they asked the Area Parliamentary Representative, the Hon Timothy Harris to be its sponsor and he agreed.
The League which was supposed to be for teams from Constituency Numbers Seven only started with six teams. However Saddlers from Constituency Six was allowed to join based on the fact that when St. Kitts had seven constituencies, Saddlers was in Number Seven.
“To this date we have grown to 14 teams,” said Mr Farrell. “In the 24 years we have held it, only six teams have won the championship – Mansion, Molineux, Beers, Lodge, Unity, and Parsons.”
The league starts on Tuesday July 28 and will be held under Covid-19 protocols. To ensure that the protocols are observed by all players and even spectators, it will be held at three venues for ease of monitoring. These are the Lodge Community Centre in Lodge Project, Edgar Gilbert Sporting Complex pavilion in Molineux, and Tabernacle Community Centre.
Clubs taking part in this year’s tournament are defending champions Parsons Domino Club, Saddlers Domino Club, Unity Patriots Domino Club, Unstoppable Domino Club, Sylvers Domino Club, Christchurch Domino Club, Molineux Domino Club, Small Corner Domino Club, Guinness Domino Club, Giants Domino Club, Phillips Domino Club, Lodge Domino Club, Mansion Domino Club, and Tabernacle Domino Club.