There will be no bailout for former president of local football’s governing body Oliver Camps who is faced with footing a bill of TT $3.8 million in outstanding salaries owed to former national coach Wim Rijsbergen. At least not from the government at this time.
Yesterday, Darryl Smith, the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs made it clear that the money will have to be sourced by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) and not the government.
In a letter released on Tuesday to the media, his daughter Sandra Camps indicated that the then-named Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) ran up a bill after the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which remained outstanding leading to the Dutch coach taking Oliver Camps to court.
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Tim-Kee: Help Camps through Government subvention
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday)
Former Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Raymond Tim Kee says he is deeply concerned with the current financial predicament of ex-football administrator Oliver Camps.
Tim Kee revealed he had approached Minister of Sport Darryl Smith late last year to find a solution for the veteran who headed the local football body for 19 years.
Camps, 84-years-old, is currently facing a mammoth US$592,475 bill owed to ex-national men’s coach Wilhelmus “Wim” Rijsbergen for the period 2006-2007 for his services.
He is scheduled to return to court on January 21 after a judge ruled in favour of the Dutch coach.
Camps’ daughter, Sandra, has pleaded with the TTFA and Government to help her father who will be forced to sell his home to pay the salary of the former Soca Warriors coach. Camps was stuck with the bill as the then-Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) was registered as the sole proprietorship.
“In the latter part of last year it was brought to my attention and it’s really a sad situation,” Tim Kee said yesterday. The Port-of-Spain Mayor believes Camps was a man who would support people blindly but did it out of the goodness of his heart. He also thinks Camps should not be left in this dire situation at this age in life.
“What I told the Minister then was that ‘out of our subvention see what we can do to assist to get him off the books’. He was a dedicated and blind supporter but we have to help him. I understand they (TTFA/Government) have refused to assist and I find that callous and unfair.” Tim Kee said when he came into office in December 2012, he met the organisation $38 million in debt and 128 creditors.
He said it was his policy to attempt to settle several of the debts including the 2006 Soca Warriors who he paid $1.5 million towards chipping away at what was owed.
One of Tim Kee’s last acts as president was facilitating the payment of another former coach Russell Latapy for his salaries which totalled US$1 million (2009-2011).
Asked how he expected the TTFA to conduct its day-to-day affairs while its subventions went to Latapy and Camps, Tim Kee said, “I don’t like unfairness. Before I left we had agreed with a major corporate entity who was going to sponsor us. So I knew where money was going to come from.” Tim Kee added that the TTFA had also initiated several income- generating ventures through its website and online store but he is not optimistic that these projects will survive. He said the previously interested corporate client is not keen on partnering with the TTFA again as he is no longer president and it was their trust of him that was important.