Jack wants $40M for Soca Warriors.
By: Walter Alibey (Newsday).[/size]
Jack Warner, FIFA vice-president and Special Advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation said yesterday he wishes for at least a $40 million allocation for football in the 2006-2007 Budget.
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Patrick Manning is scheduled to deliver the annual financial address to the nation tomorrow at 2 pm in the House of Parliament.
Warner, who also heads the CONCACAF region and the Caribbean Football Uniob (CFU) said the $40 million represented a part of an overall development and preparation package for the coming 2010 World Cup football tournament in South Africa.
He said the plan would require $40 million each year for the next four years.
“That is just US$7 million each year for football which the United States pumps into its football programme every year,” Warner said.
In general he suggested that Government should inject more money into sports and its development.
Warner said that Government in its budgets over the years has consistently been “stingy” with the amount that has been allocated toward sports in Trinidad and Tobago.
He said the annual allocation should be increased from that given last year.
In last year’s Budget, Government had provided $100 million for the general upgrade and construction to sports facilities across the twin-island republic.
Warner said the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) has already submitted its budget to Government and hopes it will be honoured tomorrow.
Oliver Camps, president of the TTFF hopes for continued Government involvement in sports.
But he said that the budget allocation toward sports should be huge as it is through sports that the country develops.
“A sufficient amount of money must be allocated to sports since football alone will take up a sizeable amount of the national budget,” Camps said yesterday.
He pointed out that there must be proper lighted facilities throughout the country and there must be provision for the building of proper club structure.
“There are lots of clubs in Trinidad and Tobago which fall flat because there is no structure in their organisation,” he said.
Camps said the budget must make provision for the upgrading of coaches, for youth tournaments and general development afterwards.
He said that there is an abundance of talent in Trinidad and Tobago and a significant amount of money is needed to develop it.
Chairman of the T&T Pro League David John-Williams said that while government has been supporting sport, the development process could be made easier with an increased allocation tomorrow.
“We have already seen the importance of sports to the national community and if Government place more emphasis on sports it will make the process easier,” John-Williams said.
Forbes Persaud, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board also congratulated Government for their funding of sports. He said however that because of the role that sport plays, a huge chunk of the budget should be allocated toward it.