THIS DAY IN OUR PAST

The following events took place on September 7 in the years identified:

1980: the Air Jamaica announces winners of its first Awards of Excellence to outstanding Jamaicans overseas. The awards are instituted to recognise nationals in Canada and the US who, while living away from Jamaica, continue to bring honour to their country through their community work and professional achievements. The announcement is made by Kenneth Rattray, President of Air Jamaica. The recipients are Mavis Burke of Toronto, Lynden James of Miami, Samuel A. Simpson of New York, and Samuel Walker of Cleveland.

1990: expect Hardware merchants an increase in the price of lumber and other building materials as a direct result of the hike in gasoline and other petroleum products that takes effect. They say transport operators will hike the price of their service and manufacturers will have to increase the cost of several products. In addition, the hardware merchants have already been notified of an increase in the price of some specifications of lumber and expect that an increase will come with the shipment scheduled to arrive by the end of September. The lumber shipment will ease a crippling shortage in the sector, the Gleaner is told. Since the beginning of the year, according to the Hardware Merchants’ Association, there has been an overall increase of 25 per cent in the price of lumber. There has also been an overall increase of 30 per cent in the price of one-inch lumber.

1997: Jamaica put them selves firmly back in the race for a World Cup berth at the National Stadium with a 1-0 victory over Canada. England-based forward Deon Burton, who plays well for his adopted country, scores the allimportant goal that lifts the home team to a well-deserved triumph over a team they had never beaten.