Vandals put final blow on ‘Suki’

THE SCULPTURED bust of World Go-As-You-Please draughts champion Ronald “Suki” King, which was erected at St Jude’s Primary School five years ago, has been vandalised beyond recognition.Yesterday, when the DAILY NATION visited the St George School, which is King’s alma mater, the bust, which was strategically placed at the entrance, was trashed, the head broken off and carelessly lying at the base. Some of the inscription had also been removed.An employee at the school said it had been destroyed over time by children but last week the head was removed by campers.“It was put back and a plastic bag put over the sculpture but when we came here this morning the bag was gone,” the employee stated.King said he was aware of the destruction and expressed disappointment at what had occurred.“The school did not pay any attention to it. I was out there teaching when the head got lick off. I do a lot for that school giving them draughts board and skipping ropes but I recognise that nobody cares,” he said.And sculptor Arthur Edwards is equally angry since this was the fourth of nine busts which he and his partner, Francis Ross, sculptured of prominent sports personalities which have been vandalised.The busts of cricketers Malcolm Marshall, at Parkinson School, and Wes Hall, at St Giles Primary, were also destroyed. (MB)