Chairman of Sportt Chairman of the Sport Company of T&T (Sportt), Rhett Chee Ping, yesterday cleared his organisation of any blame over short payments to members of the Soca Warriors for playing in the last 13 international matches.
Chee Ping said his organisation was carrying out its duties based on information and figures submitted by the T&TFF and once it is confirmed the players are still being owed, Sportt will be ready to complete payments.
Last Thursday, a number of players went to Sportt to collect their cheques for matches played between July and December. However, the money collected was short of what they expected.
The players blamed the federation for submitting wrong information to the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and Sportt without consulting them.
A source close to the situation said the players were trying to contact T&TFF Special Advisor Jack Warner to help resolve the situation. The source said Warner was the only person who could solve the problem as he was key to the decision making within the federation.
The players were even willing to go to Warner’s Ministry of Works and Transport head office on Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain to discuss the matter.
The source noted that once the local football federation made the necessary changes to the figures they submitted for the players who have already their initial payments, Sportt would be willing to fulfil the remaining commitments to the players in terms of payments.
Chee Ping, a former national swimmer and triathlete said the players need to discuss the situation with the T&TFF boss, Oliver Camps and not Warner. “The Sport Company can only go on the recommendation of the T&TFF so it is they who need to be held accountable for any miscalculations.”
Camps could not say much on the matter as the financial tabulations were handled by the Federation’s Accounting Department. “They (Accounts Department) have been closed for the entire week so I will not get anything resolved until next week,” Camps said.
According to the T&TFF boss, documentation for the payment to the technical staff was forwarded to Sportt on Christmas Eve and payments could take another two weeks.
Major concerns surround payments to the technical staff since questions as to whether or not they have signed contracts are being raised.
It is said that only coach Russell Latapy and manager, David Muhammad were issued written contracts by the T&TFF.
“Sportt wants to see the contracts for staff members and then the necessary documentation can be done to start paying their outstanding salaries.” Some members of the staff received $10,000 each in September 2009.