THIS DAY IN OUR PAST

The following events took place on February 17 in the years identified:

1972: Words fly with the speed of light across the Atlantic as the new satellite earth station of Jamaica International Telecommunications Limited at Prospect Pen in St Thomas opens. Winging their way across 45,000 miles of ocean, from London to Jamaica and back, the words fly between Jamaica’s Prime Minister Hugh Shearer and Jamaica’s High Commissioner in London Laurence Lindo, as they make the first history making transatlantic telephone conversation by television link-up via satellite. (See related photo below)

1972: Jamaica’s 23-year old Lawrence Rowe, playing in his maiden Test match, hit a magnificent 214 as the West Indies end the second day of the first Test cricket match against New Zealand at Sabina Park with 508 for four and have the visitors scrambling at 49 for three.

1984: The Senate defers further debate on a bill seeking to amend the Statistics Act to establish the Statistical Institute, and throws out a motion by Opposition Senator Errol Miller, seeking to maintain parity among heads of tertiary institutions.

1984: A contract with Japanese firm, Toyo Menka Kaisha Limited, for the design, supply, erection and commissioning of two 20-megawatt slow-speed, diesel-generating units is signed at the Ministry of Public Utilities. Purchase of the two units, which will boost the capacity of the Jamaica Public Service Company, is made possible by a loan of 10.2 billion yen (approximately US$45 million) by the Japanese government to Jamaica.