Government makes official request for tickets.
By: Juhel Browne. (Guardian).[/size]
Boynes eyes BWIA charters to Germany.Charter flights by the majority state-owned airline BWIA are to be provided for T&T ticket holders seeking to travel to Germany, to see the national football team play for the first time ever in the World Cup finals.
In a two-page letter sent to T&T Football Federation president Oliver Camps yesterday, Sports Minister Roger Boynes said the Government was hoping to acquire a block of tickets for this purpose, in light of its plan to send a multicultural troupe to the World Cup.
“In the circumstances, the Government will be approaching your organisation with a view to acquiring a block of tickets for the respective games, as it is the Government’s intention to arrange charters with the national airline,” Boynes wrote.
A copy of the letter was also sent to TTFF special adviser Jack Warner.
Boynes is also calling on the TTFF to keep a promise to provide the Government with the list of those who applied and acquired tickets from the federation.
Boynes sent the letter even as he prepares to present a budget for the Soca Warriors to be considered at next Thursday’s Cabinet meeting.
Contacted yesterday, BWIA acting corporate general manager Nelson Tom Yew said he had not yet received any official request from the Government concerning the charter flights for the World Cup.
“The vice-president of marketing would normally deal with those things,” Tom Yew said.
“I was out of office for most of the day. I have not been advised of any such correspondence made by the Government of T&T.”
Boynes’ letter comes just one day after Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced the planned multicultural troupe, which is meant to attract investors to T&T.
During Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference, Manning said he planned to meet with Camps and Warner to ensure there were enough tickets available for the troupe and people from the national community, as well as those who have supported football from the inception to date and who are prepared to make their own arrangements.
“In this connection, may I take the opportunity to endorse your commitment to have the tickets available to the general public and further your commitment to provide my ministry with the list of persons who have applied and have acquired tickets from the federation at earliest opportunity,” Boynes wrote.
He thanked Warner and the TTFF team for what he called a successful meeting concerning the budget for the national football team on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Warner questioned why Boynes had been persisting for the budget.
He said it would cost $50 million to get the Soca Warriors fully prepared for the World Cup, set to take place from June 9 to July 9, and asserted Government funding was no longer needed.
However, after Wednesday’s meeting, Warner made an about-face and accepted the Government’s offer of financial assistance for the Soca Warriors.
An adjusted budget of $55 million was also announced following that meeting.
In addition, the TTFF has put in a request for eight per cent of the tickets available for the three first round Soca Warriors matches, which could be about 10,100.
On Wednesday, Warner also confirmed there were 8,000 requests for tickets.
There has been some controversy over the advertisement of packages, including tickets, by Simpaul’s travel agency, which is owned by the Warner family. He has denied any wrongdoing.
'Govt cannot intervene in ticket sales'
By: Richard Lord rlord (Express).[/size]
Warner dismisses Manning statement.FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has said that Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his Government cannot intervene in the sale of tickets for World Cup 2006.
"No Government in the world can intervene in FIFA's business, and that is the bottom line," Warner said yesterday in response to Manning's statement at Thursday's post-Cabinet press conference at Whitehall, Port of Spain, that the government was "going to have to engage in appropriate discussions with those in authority in football in Trinidad and Tobago to ensure that we have the requisite number of tickets to be able to do that".
Warner is not impressed by that statement.
"If this is what qualification (for Trinidad and Tobago) meant, I would have had second thoughts. Why are we making this an issue? Mr Manning represents the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. FIFA doesn't deal with Governments," Warner said.
He accused Manning of doing this for his supporters.
Warner said the entire issue was having a negative impact on Trinidad and Tobago internationally. "It's embarrassing us all over the world when people read about these things, it's embarrassing!
"Let Mr Manning intervene. How and when I don't know that will be done, but let him intervene if he has to. If that sounds good for the electorate, then so be it."
He added: "This thing is of no interest to me, no value to me. I want to move ahead."
Warner said Manning should be asked to say how he planned to intervene in the matter and that the PM should give "at least one example in the world where such a thing was ever done."
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Roger Boynes yesterday wrote to T&TFF president Oliver Camps advising him of government's intention to acquire tickets from the organisation for the games.
"...The government will be approaching your organisation with a view to acquiring a block of tickets for the respective games as it is the government's intention to arrange charters with the national airline," Boynes told Camps.
In the letter, which was also copied to Warner, Boynes said this is because the Government had been approached by football supporters throughout the country.
Boynes said he endorses the T&TFF commitment to have tickets made available to the general public and its "commitment to provide my Ministry with the list of persons who have applied and have acquired tickets from the Federation at the earliest opportunity."
He assured Camps that the T&TFF's proposed budget for funding from government will be submitted to Cabinet in the shortest time and reiterated his government's intention to brand Trinidad and Tobago globally by sending cultural troupes to the World Cup.
Keep politics out of football.
