TTFF 'clears the air' on Ministry $$.
T&T Express Reports.
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) has spoken out against what it considers "continued attacks" made against their marketing agent Anthony Harford.
In a press release yesterday, signed by outgoing, interim TTFF president Lennox Watson, the Federation said it was time to "clear the air on this issue", which began when Minister of Sport Anil Roberts announced in Parliament that he would not longer fund the TTFF through Harford or directly due to what he claimed was a lack of accountability for the funds provided for the national football team in 2011.
The release referred to the funding provided to pay former T&T technical staff members, "which was appointed by former special adviser to the TTFF and main decision maker, Mr Jack Warner".
It pointed out that Harford was "not yet involved with the TTFF in an official capacity".
The letter stated that the TTFF received a cheque worth $992,900 on March 5 of this year, without "letter or instructions from the Ministry about the cheque".
"Because of the state of disarray that the TTFF was left in following the departure of Mr Warner from the organisation, the TTFF ensured that it checked its records, and subsequently returned the cheque, also requesting clarification," the release read.
"It was agreed that because there was immediate funding required for this country's participation in the Final Qualifying Round for the 2012 Olympics, the same funding be utilised for the team's campaign. Mr Harford was given instructions to apply the funding as per letter…This was done."
The TTFF also stated that Ministry representative Ruth Marchand later admitted to not giving instructions when issuing the cheque, which made it "impossible for Mr Harford to know who the payment was intended for at the time since his appointment came a full seven months following the disbanding of Mr Muhammad and his staff."
The release also stated: "Later, Mr Harford also received cheques in the sum of $1 million and $1.5 million respectively. This brought the total funding for the Olympic and women's under-17 teams to $3.49 million. The Ministry by letter of March 17, 2012, promised a further $2.6 million, which has never been paid by the Ministry."
The TTFF have also said Harford has since accounted for the full sum paid to him in "complete detail" and handed in the accounts on July 27, 2012 to both the TTFF and the Ministry of Sport.
It also defended Harford's spending, saying that he had not disbursed any money from funds supplied by the Ministry in 2012.
"He has continued to work in rebuilding football along with the TTFF and it is through his efforts and others within the TTFF, our National Under 17 and Under 20 have advanced in their respective World Cup qualifying campaigns. Mr Harford's company All Sport has loaned the TTFF monies for stipends, travel allowances, and other camps for the national teams.
"The TTFF requested assistance from Mr Harford to pay our national team to travel to St Vincent and the Grenadines for the under 20 men's team CFU World Cup qualifying campaign on the morning of the team's departure, when the Government failed to assist. That sum was TT$129,000."
The TTFF has stated they are "convinced of Mr Harford's integrity built over almost 40 years of public service", and is asking the public to "stand up against those who are perpetrating this act of mischief in their attempts to fool others through their own political games".
