Brent Sancho Thread.

[Flex]

Minister Sancho focuses on new venues.
T&T Express Reports.

In one of his first official meetings since being appointed Minister of Sport, Senator Brent Sancho reviewed plans yesterday morning for the opening of the three national venues for cycling, tennis and aquatics with executives of each of the respective National Governing Bodies (NGBs).

The meeting was also attended by outgoing Minister of Sport, Dr. Rupert Griffith. Each NGB has outlined a schedule of events to coincide with the opening of each mega facility. The events are designed to showcase the talent within the various disciplines, promote Trinidad and Tobago as a destination as well as market the modern facilities which will be accessible to elite athletes, local, regional and international.

According to a release from the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Sportt) Minister Sancho was pleased with the progress being made in each discipline and was careful to impress upon the executives the need to get value for money. He also was keen to learn about opportunities to secure investment from the private sector, for these events and beyond, so as to wean the NGBs off their heavy reliance on state funding.

Minister Sancho further stressed the need to increase participation in sports and improve the level of adjudication, officiating and use of timing and other technical systems so that future hosting of events may be driven by local expertise. Comprehensive training programmes in these areas will take place prior to opening of the facilities, the release stated.

Minister Sancho will conduct private site visits to each of the new national facilities over the weekend.
The National Cycling Velodrome in Couva and National Tennis Centre in Tacarigua are scheduled to be completed in June while the National Aquatics Centre, also in Couva, is due to come on stream in July/August.

[Deeks]

Also check all the football/TF stadiums while you at it!!!!!!!

[FF]

Satire

[Flex]

Griffith willing to work with Sancho
T&T Newsday Reports.

DR RUPERT GRIFFITH, former Minister of Sports, is willing to work with his successor Senator Brent Sancho, during the transition period from one Minister to another.

Dr Griffith, who held the post as Sports Minister from August until last Monday, described his six-month period at the helm as “excellent”.

“When I went in there, it was a difficult period, everyone knew that, when (Anil) Roberts stepped down from the Ministry, and we had to stabilise things and pull it back up, which I think is what we did. It had always been a temporary appointment. It was a temporary arrangement. So (the Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar) made a decision now and I’m happy for Brent Sancho.”

He continued, “I propose to work with him as much as he would want me too, and assist him in discharging the remit of the Ministry. I’m very pleased to do that with him. I am glad for him and I wish him well.

Concerning Sancho’s ability to cope with the pressures of being a Cabinet Minister, Dr Griffith noted, “there were a number of initiatives and I’ll take time to go over it with him. I’m very pleased and happy, and I’ll be willing to work with him.”

Reflecting on his time as Sports Minister, Dr Griffith said, “in terms of accomplishment, you’ll remember the game we had with the female football players (on December 2 against Ecuador) right here in Trinidad. Getting ready for that, putting things in place for that successful game I think was one of the biggest challenges.

“And then also to regularise the grant funding. I’ve been able to look at the policy to make it more efficient. In the six months, those were some great challenges. Of course, meeting with the various sporting governing bodies, finding out their plans was also a good experience,” he ended.

[Flex]

Sancho names principles for sporting growth
T&T Newsday Reports.

NEWLY-APPOINTED Sports Minister Brent Sancho is suggesting three key principles to National Governing Bodies for the development of sport.

In a meeting on Friday with executives of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association (TTNA), the former national footballer listed value for money, an athlete-centred philosophy and national pride in sport as critical to success.

Sancho indicated his willingness to assist in the improvement of all National Governing Bodies (NGBs) in the achievement of those principles, in collaboration with the Sports Ministry and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT).

He also indicated his interest in enabling national associations to improve their development programmes by increasing participation levels, creating opportunities for talent identification, and eliminating the duplication of efforts in each discipline.

Additionally, he noted the need for NGBs to ensure compliance with national policy as it relates to sport, not merely in relation to requests for funding, but also placing issues of safety and diversity in the forefront of the program planning process.

Sancho also pledged his support for the Olympic Committee’s #10gold24 campaign (the thrust for Trinidad and Tobago athletes to win 10 gold medals at the 2024 Olympic Games).

Commenting on his first meeting with the new Minister, TTOC president Brian Lewis said he had found the discussions to be “very positive, candid and solution-oriented, and the importance of the Sports Ministry, the Sport Company and the TTOC working together to improve good governance in national sporting organisations was also emphasised.”

Lewis added that transparency and accountability and putting the athletes’ best interests first figured prominently in the hour-long meeting.

Sancho will meet next with representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) and Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) tomorrow.

[weary1969]

What handover and what transition Griffith talking bout. What he did during his cobeau sweat?

[Socapro]

Critical role for Minister Sancho
Anand Rampersad (T&T Guardian)
Published: Monday, February 9, 2015

Sport Minister Brent Sancho, centre back row, and Gymnastics Association president Ricardo Lue Shue participate in a group photo with awardees at the Association’s 5th awards presentation on Saturday at the International School.

For the sake of sports, let us hope that the new Minister of Sport, Brent Sancho, is the last until the general election is held.
 
Instability at the helm or perception of instability does not instill confidence in stakeholders especially the private sector who will be called upon to provide funding where the state cannot provide.
 
Sancho is the third Minister of Sport and second since the resignation of Anil Roberts, on July 31, 2014.
 
The change in leadership at the Ministry of Sport has not received the same kind of critical analysis as those of the Attorney General and National Security.
 
However, it is important to recognise that approximately $2.3 billion dollars have been budgeted for sport 2011-15 (see various Appropriation Acts 2011-15, www.ttparliament.org).
 
The amount of monies allocated to sport demands greater scrutiny of the functions and operations of the Ministry. This inquiry should be twofold: firstly to ensure that goals and objectives of the Ministry are met and secondly to ensure a positive return on the expenditure of taxpayers’ monies.
 
The assessment of the Ministry can only be undertaken if there are clearly defined policies, objectives and goals. These must be subjected to rigorous monitoring and evaluation conducted by independent bodies such as the UWI. For example, the research of the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM), UWI to assess the financial impact of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on the Caribbean in 2013 and 2014. The Ministry’s website (http://www.sport.gov.tt/the-ministry/strategic-intent-and-direction), states that its ‘Strategic Intent and Direction’ is based on four strategic themes:
 
1. Sport for All/Total Participation in Sport where there is a society in which the majority of citizens are participating in sport.
 
2. High Performance Sport where athlete medal count is continuously increasing.
 
3. Sport as an Industry where:
 
(a) New sport businesses are established and operation successfully
 
(b) Sport tourism is making significant contributions to GDP
 
4. Improve the overall efficiently and efficacy of the Ministry through the use of ICT to increase efficiency to all stakeholders.
 
Based on the aforementioned strategic themes the following information should be available:
 
1. In terms of Sports for All which falls under the theme of Sports Development-
 
• What robustly collected research data has been collected on participation in sport and physical activities? How many people in Trinidad and Tobago are physically active and this information should be based on geographical location, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, social class and working people? This type of data is what drives sports for all programmes in countries such as England, Canada, and New Zealand.
 
• What percentage of the National Sport Policy 2002 have been implemented? What percentage of the various programmes such as ‘Women and Girls in Sport’, and ‘Taking Sport to Rural Areas’ have been implemented and how much continuity is taking place?
 
• How data is linked to addressing issues of growing non-communicable diseases such as heart attacks, diabetes especially Type II and growing cases of obesity among the population 15-64 years.
 
• How is the Sports for All programme linked to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as have been done in countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique and Papua New Guinea? (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml).
 
• What is the total expenditure on Sports for All?
 
2. In relation to High Performance Sport:
 
• What are the resources (financial, human resources- coaches, trainers, medical-infrastructure, etc.) available to assist athletes?
 
• What is the total expenditure on High Performance Sport?
 
3. With respect to Sport as an Industry:
 
• What new sport businesses have been established or are in the pipeline?
 
• What is the status of the Sport Tourism Policy?
 
• What programmes are to be rolled out to promote sport tourism?
 
• What have and are the projected benefits of sport tourism to the GDP?
 
• In what way are the new sporting facilities (swimming, cycling and tennis) are incorporated into the sport tourism policy and implementation programmes?
 
4. Increase use of ICT to increase efficiency:
 
• What have been the improvements through the use of ICT?
 
• What is the status of professional development of sporting bodies under the Ministry and what measures are in place to ensure that national governing bodies comply with the requisites of the Ministry?
 
• What has been the costs of these ICT improvements?
 
It will be foolhardy to expect Minister Sancho to make any significant impact on all four of the Ministry’s strategic themes given his short timeframe to work with.
 
He is caught between a rock and a hard place.
 
The newness of the job, the power he wields and the desire to stamp his leadership style may result in goals and objectives which are practical for medium to long term development of sports and sports development.
 
However, in the short run they may be idealistically ambitious although he may not think so and understandably so to some extent. The questions raised are for all vested interest - Ministry of Sport, the public, sponsors, media etc.
 
The objective is to continuously seek to critically improve on the delivery of sporting services both in terms of quality and the efficiency of taxpayers’ monies expended.

[Bakes]

And in his first major act as Minister of Sport, the Hon. Brent Sancho hires... his friend and business partner, Kevin Harrison to fill some unspecified role (apparently), ent see confirmation yet, but Harrison (aka Football Supporter) seems to have confirmed as much.

The thot plickens.

[elan]

And in his first major act as Minister of Sport, the Hon. Brent Sancho hires... his friend and business partner, Kevin Harrison to fill some unspecified role (apparently), ent see confirmation yet, but Harrison (aka Football Supporter) seems to have confirmed as much.

The thot plickens.

Yuh on ah serious mission boy. Yuh have it bad.

[Bakes]

Yuh on ah serious mission boy. Yuh have it bad.

What "mission" I on... what I have bad?  Not surprisingly, you reveal yourself to be a supreme hypocrite. Not one word about "nepotism" now.

[Deeks]

And in his first major act as Minister of Sport, the Hon. Brent Sancho hires... his friend and business partner, Kevin Harrison to fill some unspecified role (apparently), ent see confirmation yet, but Harrison (aka Football Supporter) seems to have confirmed as much.

The thot plickens.

Yuh on ah serious mission boy. Yuh have it bad.

elan, Bakes is making references to some who claimed nepotism when Lincoln was hired as goal-keeping coach for the Women National team. They claimed that Sheldon hired his father. We later learned that it was the coach who asked for LP.
I think I understand why Sancho hire FS. Is it wrong? I don't think so. He is hiring someone who he knows. It is his business partner. Their is a confidentiality bond between them. Just like Kamla and her sister.

[Bakes]

elan, Bakes is making references to some who claimed nepotism when Lincoln was hired as goal-keeping coach for the Women National team. They claimed that Sheldon hired his father. We later learned that it was the coach who asked for LP.
I think I understand why Sancho hire FS. Is it wrong? I don't think so. He is hiring someone who he knows. It is his business partner. Their is a confidentiality bond between them. Just like Kamla and her sister.

Deeks is not "some"... is elan himself (along with Sam) who was crying nepotism over Waldrum hiring LP.  I don't know what role FS is supposed to be filling so I can't speak on his qualifications for the job.  That being said, a familiar pattern has started to emerge yet again with people associated with this PP government, and yes, that now includes Sancho too.  Unless FS is being paid out of Sancho's private funds then why is public money being spent on his salary?  What will he be doing that career civil servants within the Ministry, already drawing a salary, can't themselves do?  If it good for the goose then it good for the gander.

[elan]

elan, Bakes is making references to some who claimed nepotism when Lincoln was hired as goal-keeping coach for the Women National team. They claimed that Sheldon hired his father. We later learned that it was the coach who asked for LP.
I think I understand why Sancho hire FS. Is it wrong? I don't think so. He is hiring someone who he knows. It is his business partner. Their is a confidentiality bond between them. Just like Kamla and her sister.

Deeks is not "some"... is elan himself (along with Sam) who was crying nepotism over Waldrum hiring LP.  I don't know what role FS is supposed to be filling so I can't speak on his qualifications for the job.  That being said, a familiar pattern has started to emerge yet again with people associated with this PP government, and yes, that now includes Sancho too.  Unless FS is being paid out of Sancho's private funds then why is public money being spent on his salary?  What will he be doing that career civil servants within the Ministry, already drawing a salary, can't themselves do?  If it good for the goose then it good for the gander.

I know what Bakes doing. Is me who made that reference. And he defended he buddy Sheldon Phillips vehemently citing that Lincoln Phillips is a Legend so it was okay when Waldrum wanted him.

All of a sudden Bakes is the TTFA biggest sympathizer. Go back to the transition of power from JW and to Sheldon Phillips and see how drastically Bakes changed his views on the "Warriors v. TTFF" to accompany his new found "insider" info regarding the TTFA. Apparently cursory searches on Google wasn't available pre-Sheldon Phillips in the TTFA.

Again, I glad Sancho get the job. How does that make me different from Bakes hating that Sancho get the job? Dude, Sancho as minister does not affect me one way or the other. This "outrage" in this thread is very amusing to me which is why I more or less trolling this thread.

I don't know if Bakes have a personal with Sancho, but I don't. I have always liked how Sancho took a stand JW.

This just amusing.

[Bakes]

I know what Bakes doing. Is me who made that reference. And he defended he buddy Sheldon Phillips vehemently citing that Lincoln Phillips is a Legend so it was okay when Waldrum wanted him.

All of a sudden Bakes is the TTFA biggest sympathizer. Go back to the transition of power from JW and to Sheldon Phillips and see how drastically Bakes changed his views on the "Warriors v. TTFF" to accompany his new found "insider" info regarding the TTFA. Apparently cursory searches on Google wasn't available pre-Sheldon Phillips in the TTFA.

Again, I glad Sancho get the job. How does that make me different from Bakes hating that Sancho get the job? Dude, Sancho as minister does not affect me one way or the other. This "outrage" in this thread is very amusing to me which is why I more or less trolling this thread.

I don't know if Bakes have a personal with Sancho, but I don't. I have always liked how Sancho took a stand JW.

This just amusing.

It is indeed 'amusing' to see just how big ah imps yuh is.  I never defended Sheldon Phillips over Lincoln Phillips' hiring because there was nothing to "defend"... Waldrum hired his own staff, Sheldon Phillips wasn't in any position to tell him who to hire.  And my stance on the TTFF vs. Warriors didn't change with the new TTFA leadership... that just shows yuh how schupid yuh is. I was critical of some of the legal tactics used by Townley towards the end of the litigation, which resulted in them letting Jack off the hook. 

Even when Camps and Rhoden was still in charge I said that the Warriors were pursuing a broken strategy... and I was proved right.  I doh have no "personal" with Sancho... I was lavishing praise on him for taking the figt to the TTFF and for his leadership of NE Stars and Central at first. I became critical of Sancho's leadership of the Warrior's cause given that he was prone to running to the press pushing some kinda scorched Earth strategy to try and force money from the new TTFA.  Everybody was bawling "sue them", "embarrass them"... well look where that get the Warriors?  How the suit going?  I said they couldn't sue to recover anything and again I was right.  I criticise the FA when I feel it's merited but I not on no agenda like some ah allyuh.  At the end of the day I could back up everything I say, you can't say the same... all you could do is talk ah emotional pack ah ass all the time and post yuh little  smiley.

[Flex]

Opportunity to market T&T, says Sancho
By Roger Seepersad (Express).

Former Soca Warrior and recently-appointed Minister of Sport Brent Sancho wants to transform sport from a pastime into a financially viable business and a real money earner for local clubs and stakeholders. Sancho has already held fruitful discussions with various sporting governing bodies and a key part of his message to them is working towards making sports a business.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Tourism on Monday to announce T&T as hosts for seven Caribbean Premier League matches, including the semi-finals and final, Sancho said he recognised the money-earning potential of sport and insisted that the time was right for T&T to join the party.

“International franchise sport is a multi-billion dollar industry and I have made it a key part of my message to all of the sporting organisations that we must work together to make sports a business here in Trinidad and Tobago,” said Sancho.

With construction of the Cycling Velodrome, Aquatics Centre and National Tennis Centre all moving apace and the government fully behind the Sport Tourism thrust as a means of diversifying the oil-based economy, Sancho believes hosting the CPL semis and final will be an ideal opportunity to market T&T to the world.

“The CPL represents the ideal opportunity to prove to the world that franchise sport can work in our region,” said Sancho. “Further it is proof that we can host an event of international relevance and appeal.”

“The last time the CPL was hosted here in T&T there was a significant return on investment and the positive economic impact was felt across several key markets and industry sectors,” he added. The minister also wants to sell the idea of sport tourism “in generating the right amounts of local investment in order to boost our capacity to host regional and international sporting events.”

With the CPL being broadcasted across the world, Sancho said the capital of Port of Spain will become the focus of hundreds of thousands of international viewers and will be “an opportunity to showcase our people, our culture, and our talents.’’

“Indeed the way we watch cricket is unique to our people. We do it with a vibes and rhythm that is part of who we are. Trinidad and Tobago is the entertainment capital of the Caribbean which goes hand in glove with the fastest growing form of entertainment globally...sport.

“Television broadcasting rights aside, many countries are reaping the rewards of improved infrastructure and the injection of resources into athletes and teams which cover all angles of the industry. “It is time for us to join the party and reap the rewards that comes with global positioning in the sports industry,” Sancho added. The CPL will be played between June 21 and July 26.

RELATED NEWS

Government gives TTCB $250,000
T&T Newsday Reports.

TRINIDAD and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) have received a cheque valued at $250,000 from the Government, as well as accolades for their management of the sport in the twin island republic.

Newly appointed Sports Minister Brent Sancho praised the TTCB saying the cricketing governing body has “exemplified good governance” and is being rewarded.

“We had a long discussion…and I think it is the first time Mr Bassarath has left the Ministry smiling,” Sancho told the media following a press conference at the Ministry of Tourism.

“We have had a lot of acrimony in the past but I said to him we cannot right the wrongs of the past but we will work in partnership moving forward.”

TTCB president Azim Bassarath complained that the board received no financial assistance since 2011, and it was owed funds which have severely hampered the organisation’s ability to administer its programmes.

“We presented a cheque to Mr Bassarath for $250,000 because I believe that the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board has exemplified good governance in sports in terms of what is required to get funding for various programmes,” said Sancho.

“They have done the requirements that we need in the Ministry of Sport and we want to reward and show the other sporting bodies what good governance looks like.”

Sancho, a former national footballer who became the new sports minister following last week’s Cabinet shake-up, says Government and TTCB have agreed to partner on a number of initiatives.

They include the use of the country’s cricket icons to facilitate training camps during Easter and summer for young cricketers. (CMC)

[Flex]

Sport Ministry no ATM
By ANDRE BAGOO (Newsday).

THE MINISTRY of Sport is not an ATM.

That’s the catchphrase new Minister of Sport Brent Sancho has been using at meetings with stakeholders to describe the Ministry’s policy under his tenure in the face of him receiving requests from sporting organisations for money and equipment.

Sancho, who was sworn in last week, has spent the last few days meeting with organisations and, invariably, these organisations have had one request.

“They all ask for money,” the Minister told Newsday yesterday. “I have gone out and met about seven or eight organisations so far.” However, he said, there was a need for organisations to be able to stand on their own feet.

“We want to see different sporting organisations become self-sufficient financially in whatever they do,” Sancho said. “We are now going into an era where we are seeing development in that direction.”

The Minister said it has become difficult to get corporate sponsors to fund organisations due to the risk of controversy and maladministration. He noted sport has, unfortunately, become an arena tainted by scandal, citing the defunct Life Sport programme as one example.

“We understand some of their plights,” Sancho said. “It is a challenging environment especially when sport, for the first time in a very long time, has a negative stigma attached to it. When you look at the back pages of newspapers there is always an administrative scandal for all these different things. It is very difficult to stimulate corporate Trinidad because of it.” At the same time, the Minister said, State funds need to be better controlled and regulated.

“They need to be more understanding that these are taxpayers’ dollars,” the Minister said. “This is not to blame the sporting organisation by any stretch of the imagination. There are challenges. But some sporting organisations are run like the mama and papa parlours. We have to help them.” Sancho said in the past, decisions in relation to funding were not made based on merit but on personal opinion. He said the drying up of corporate sponsorship has been a long time in the making.

“I don’t think it’s a single problem with a single programme such as Life Sport,” the Minister said. “When you look at issues that relate to corporate sponsorship, this has been going on for many years. People did not just wake up after Life Sport and then this started happening. This has been happening for a long time.”

In relation to this country hosting the Caribbean Premiere League (CPL), Sancho said he would like to see value for money and he has met with CPL CEO Damien O’Donohoe.

“We had a long chat,” Sancho said. “We want to make sure that with the CPL we get value for money. When you bring in that plethora of cricket stars you have to have some value. You must have some projects.”

At a meeting of the Rotary Club of Port-of-Spain, held at Fitzblackman Drive, Port-of-Spain, O’Donohoe praised the minister’s approach, saying Sancho was different from other Sport Ministers he has met.

“I was really impressed by the fact that he was very unlike most Ministers of Sport,” O’Donohoe said. “Normally they simply ask, ‘How many boxes (in the stands) do we get?’ or ‘How many tickets?’ The focus for Sancho was the human side in terms of what we could do in the community. What we can do is the fact that we will have some of the best cricket players in the world here in Trinidad for two and a half weeks. How will we use that to encourage the children of Trinidad to make them realise that whatever they want to do with their life, with the right attitude and with the right discipline they can achieve anything they want?” He said CPL sold 220,000 tickets last year.

On the practice of allowing sporting stadia to be used for events such as concerts, Sancho said this was now standard internationally.

“The athlete side of me will say no, but the business side says of course these events should be allowed,” the Minister said. “It is done all over the world. That is the norm. What we do have to develop is a facility that is multi-faceted.”

[Flex]

Sancho: Sport facilities must become viable
By Sue-Ann Wayow (Express).

New home

THE main focus for Sport Minister Brent Sancho is to make money for the country through sport. Sancho said sport could not be continued to be seen as recreation only but as an investment.

Sancho was speaking to the media yesterday during a tour of the National Cycling Velodrome soon to be opened in Couva.

Using the multi-million facility as an example of world class status, Sancho said the facility and others to be built will be used for both business and recreation. Sancho said: “We are looking at sport as a business and that is something this ministry is very high on. We are looking at naming rights for it, different booths named after different corporate companies.

‘’This arena is multifaceted. You could hold functions, parties, weddings. All our facilities that we build in this country here on forward has to be multifaceted. Sports tourism is a business in itself. You talk about the low oil prices, sports could be a supplement for us in terms of possible diversification of the economy.” He said in the past a stadium was built for one purpose which was no longer feasible for the country.

“We tend to look at sport from the entertainment perspective but we have not really ventured out into the business of sport and that really is what I want to see,’’ pointed out the Sport Minister. “That is where we have to go. We have to look at things from a business perspective. We have to start looking at sport tourism as the next big income earner for us.”

Sancho said facilities must be built with gyms, restaurants, bars and other recreational type businesses.
Having top facilities will only increase athletes’ competencies, he contends.

“What happens with a world class facility now is that it attracts world class athletes and the only way you can get better in sport is when you compete against the best. That is what these facilities will do. It would give you the opportunity to compete and not just on a random level but on a consistent level against the best,” said Sancho.

He said it did not matter the amount spent on facilities. “There is no cost in sport and what sport can do for a nation. There is no price tag to what sport can do in impoverished areas, what it can do to the young man.

It could help quell a lot of our social ills,” Sancho emphasised. He said the opening of the velodrome was long overdue but now “the ability of us accomplishing real medals, gold medals, in all the major cycling competitions is right around the corner.”

[Flex]

Sancho disburses Elite Athlete Funding
T&T Newsday Reports.

Newly appointed Minister of Sport, Brent Sancho, disbursed a total of $397,500 in Elite Athlete Assistance Programme (EAAP) funding to seven national athletes from two sporting disciplines on Wednesday.

Receiving the much welcomed funds from the Ministry of Sports were athletic representatives Darrel Brown, Rondell Sorrillo, Romona Modeste, Gerrone Black, Kai Selvon and Shawna Permin. Additionally, national endurance cyclist Varun Maharajh also received funds for the first time, and is expected to put it to good use as he further develops himself on the American cycling circuit.

Meanwhile, athletes who were also recipients of funding prior to the aforementioned include Lalonde Gordon, Zwede Hewitt, Richard Thompson (all of athletics) and boxer Michael Alexander.

The total sum of the Elite Athlete Funding released by the Ministry of Sport for fiscal year 2014-2015 thus far is $1,015,000.

[AB.Trini]

How could a " sane" likeable person allow the self to be used exploited and  turn into  a vehicle for political propaganda?
 It appears that this government has invested a lot in branding and PR- from the billboards to the Ads to what is coming out form certain ministries!
 All this PR appearances and  image rebranding seems like it was very necessary after the last minister and the Life Support fiasco- again the public's  apparent short term memory is evident by  folks who are ready to heap praises for what the new minister is doing. Could people not see through this?

Why is it that the people of T&T not stand up and demand more accountability for mismanagement than fall prey to the seduction  of  niceties and  pappy showing all over the country like some brand of Robin Hood . This mass appeal  to placate all the Bs have  some folks lapping up the sheet- Steups

PS I owner who paying for all them ads I seeing on papers ? Government or  U ent see?

[Sando prince]

Brent Sancho was on UNC campaign platform two days ago! He is now part of the political campaign battle. Brent want to eat ah food, because this may just be a corbeau sweat for you

[Bakes]

Brent Sancho was on UNC campaign platform two days ago! He is now part of the political campaign battle. Brent want to eat ah food, because this may just be a corbeau sweat for you

I find that so hard to believe... his annointed mouthpiece, Football Supporter himself said Sancho was not a politician and had no designs on political office.

[Sando prince]

^^ I bet you FS or no one will come and deny what ah saying 

He was campaigning on a political platform in Brazil High School for UNC Monday night forum.

Man wearing his yellow jersey too 

[Bakes]

^^ I bet you FS or no one will come and deny what ah saying 

He was campaigning on a political platform in Brazil High School for UNC Monday night forum.

Man wearing his yellow jersey too 

Socapro posted the picture of him dressed like a canary and singing for his supper (as I said elsewhere)... I was being facetious given the self-righteous pronouncements from his sidekick and mouthpiece.

[Flex]

Ministry not an ATM
By COREY CONNELLY (Newsday).

Brent Sancho says transparency and accountability will be the hallmark of his stewardship as Minister of Sport in the People’s Partnership Government.

“I see organisations bringing me budgets and pleading poverty while management enjoys a high standard of living, yet their staff is owed money. I cannot justify that kind of budgeting,” Sancho says of his interactions with sporting bodies since assuming the post last month.

“If an organisation is in debt, you have to reduce your spending. Every sporting organisation, team and club needs to be run like a business.”

Borrowing a perspective from United National Congress (UNC) political leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who, early in her tenure as Prime Minister in 2010, condemned the practise by some Caribbean islands of turning to Trinidad and Tobago for financial assistance in times of crisis, a tough-talking Sancho declared that the ministry, too, “was not an ATM where people can just receive handouts.”

“I want transparency and accountability. These may just be words to some people but to me they are fundamental requirements to achieve funding,” he says. During his tenure, Sancho, 37, says he will also be pushing for value for taxpayers’ money.

“I want to know what’s in it for the TT citizen.

I want their coaches supporting our programmes. I want our youths to be welcomed at events.

I want to see development,” he says, Weaning organisations away from government support, says Sancho, also factors prominently on his agenda. Bent on encouraging various sporting bodies to take an active involvement in future facilities and so generate income and control their own destiny, Sancho says:

“I want to see how they (sports organisations) have engaged support from the corporate sector and how they have developed income streams for themselves. In return, I can offer more than money. If need be I will help them with their audits and accounts.” He also plans to convene a symposium with senior corporate executives to promote the value of investing in sport.

“I am engaging corporate TT in sport in a meaningful way. For example, I am talking to Caribbean Airlines (CAL) to assist with overseas flights for our athletes and teams. In return, CAL would be recognised as a sponsor with their logo on travel jerseys and tracksuits.

“Think about it, our athletes compete in every continent and are televised into hundreds of millions of homes globally. What a fantastic promotional tool! Sponsoring sport is the best value for money promotion you can buy.”

Sancho’s goals may seem quite ambitious given the limited time frame in which he has to effect meaningful change at the ministry, ahead of the upcoming general election.

However, he assures that he will not pursue any major initiatives within the next few months but rather influence improvements in existing projects as well as make tangible inputs in forthcoming policy decisions. “My goal is to make a positive impact on the ministry so that whoever takes over my portfolio will have streamlined procedures, structured policies and motivate staff,” he says. The dreadlocked Sancho, who holds a degree in Psychology from St John’s University in New York, has had no grace period within which to gradually embrace his role at the ministry.

He’s had to buckle down to work quickly but describes his stint within the government thus far as phenomenal.

“It has been an exciting time for me as I experience the inner workings of the People’s Partnership.” The sport portfolio, he admits, has been especially overwhelming.

“My initial thoughts were, how can one person do this job?” he jokes.

“My wife says that I live at the ministry. I’m usually at work by 7 am and I’m rarely home before 8pm each day.”

Apart from his Cabinet and senatorial duties, the former national footballer has a slew of tasks to which he has to attend on a daily basis.

Outside of these responsibilities, he oversees the SPORTT Company, “which in itself is a full-time role.”

The father of two, who announced his retirement from international football in October 2006, told Sunday Newsday, “There was no honeymoon period as I had to immediately immerse myself in a myriad of projects while trying to learn everyone’s name and function. But I have to say that I am enjoying the role and I have set myself specific goals to achieve during my tenure.” The founder of Central FC, who enjoyed a stellar career as a member of TT’s beloved Soca Warriors and as a player on several high-profile, foreign-based teams, Sancho admits that he had never considered a career in politics before being approached by the Prime Minister to take up the sport portfolio in the government. “I had no previous political inclination and had not considered entering politics, at least not for another ten years or so.” The ministry, he was told, was in need of “someone dynamic with leadership to bring about positive change” and the Belmont-bred Sancho, who made his debut on a political platform during the UNC’s Monday Night Forum at Brazil Government Secondary, last week, readily accepted the opportunity to serve.

“As a professional footballer and sport being my passion, I see myself contributing to my country in a meaningful way and to helping the youths and all athletes by ensuring that proper facilities and funding required, are provided for them to succeed in their relevant discipline. I am grateful for the opportunity to see the situation from the other side of the fence and bring positive change where I can,” he says.

So, can a sportsman make a good politician?

Observing that quite a few athletes have made the transition from sport to politics, Sancho listed Brazilian football legends Pele and Zico as persons who have successfully traversed both fields.

Pele, he says, holds the title of “Extraordinary Minister of Sport” in his homeland while Zico, who worked briefly in Fernando Collar de Mello’s administration in the early 1990s as sport minister, is still recognised for securing passage of a bill to assist clubs with their business affairs by ensuring they were run in a professsional fashion. At home, he recalls that late netball star Jean Pierre had also served briefly as Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs and Member of Parliament for Port-of-Spain West from 1991 to 1995 in the People’s National Movement administration.

Sancho, who was the owner/coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Football League Club, North East stars, again dismissed talk that he is being groomed to contest the Toco/Sangre Grande seat on a UNC ticket for the upcoming general election.

“I have not been asked by the Honourable Prime Minister to contest the Toco/Sangre Grande seat or any other seat. There is no truth to the talk,” Sancho says. The seat is currently held by his predecessor in the sport ministry Dr Rupert Griffith.

Sancho says his focus, in the interim, will be to improve the status of sporting organisations.

His announcement of a semi-professional women’s football league during last week’s political meeting is a case in point.

“Most people would agree that our national women’s team excited the nation like no other team since the Soca Warriors of 2005/6 but after their last-minute loss to Ecuador, what have they done?” Sancho asked.

“They have had no games, nothing has been put in place to build upon their success and the interest generated. These girls need regular football so that they can develop.”

Sancho is hoping to use his office to organise international matches for the players. He laments that while there has been a positive start to women’s league football, it did not provide any income for the players. “My concept is to offer six or eight franchises to corporate TT based on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system,” he says. “Each team would have its own sponsor and would contain a sprinkling of overseas players.” The minister pointed out that while he will assist with the creation of the league, there would be very little financial input from the government.

Sancho also intends to embark upon the construction of several football-specific facilities to encourage Pro League clubs to become financially self-sufficient. “I am seeing that there are many sports in need of facilities and I would hope to address this more after the election,” he says. Aside from his portfolio, Sancho says he is deeply concerned about the ccountry’s crime situation. However, he believes that sport can help to turn young people away from crime.

“No child is born bad. We have to give them attractive alternatives to drugs and gangs,” he says.

Sancho says the society has the ability to mentor children who do not respect institutions such as schools and the law. “They come to us to have fun, and while they’re enjoying their sport we can embed certain core messages that can help to shape their psyche going forward,” he says. “Teamwork, honesty, respect, passion, self-belief are all components of sport success. They are also building blocks for great citizenship. Prevention is better than cure and sport can be a cure.”

[Bakes]

Every other day is some new revelation of how this PP Gov't draining the treasury dry to fatten them and dey friends, but Sanko eh see nutten wrong wid dat.

“My Cabinet colleagues are really a good bunch of people based on what I have seen,” Sport Minister Brent Sancho told Wired868. “Every discussion that they have in Parliament and outside of Parliament is for the better of Trinidad and Tobago. The Prime Minister in particular has really impressed me…

http://wired868.com/2015/03/22/no-brainer-sancho-defends-decision-to-join-pp-government/#sthash.lFopAqyp.iGHF6xkM.dpuf

[de_redman]

I was there to support Sancho
guardian.co.tt

Former West Indies cricket captain Dwayne Bravo yesterday allayed fears from some quarters that he may be joining the People’s Partnership Government.

In dismissing concerns raised on social media that he was being courted as a possible candidate for the forthcoming general election, Bravo said he was only there as a guest of close friend and Sport Minister Brent Sancho.

“It’s no big deal,” Bravo told the T&T Guardian of his appearance on the United National Congress’ political platform.

Bravo, who recently announced his retirement from Test cricket soon after being left out of the West Indies’ World Cup team, which some speculated was a direct result of his leading the walkout of the India tour, greeted Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar seconds after she finished delivering her feature address to the Debe crowd.

He then hugged Persad-Bissessar and they both flashed the “V” for victory sign as photographers snapped away and supporters cheered loudly.

The photo and story of Bravo’s appearance on the T&T Guardian’s Facebook page and web site, which was posted moments after he made his stage appearance, caused heated debate among supporters of the various political parties. Some speculated Bravo, just like Sancho, was being eyed for a potential seat in the general election.

Yesterday, however, Bravo said he was there as a mere guest to lend his support to his personal friend, Sancho.

Asked if there was politics in the near future, given the rumours, Bravo added: “I don’t understand what all of this is about. It is no big deal. I just went there to support my friend, who has been my personal friend for years.”

Sancho also dispelled rumours that Bravo had a political career ahead for the UNC, confirming he was there supporting him.

Sancho added that long before his appointment as Sport Minister, Bravo had been at his side and that friendship had not changed.

“Bravo is a friend of mine and he has always supported me in my endeavours. We have a good relationship way before my ministerial post and nothing has changed,” he said.

“He (Bravo), like many other athletes, has been very supportive to me and it is good to have them along.”

[Bakes]

Bravo mustbe take people fuh asses.  Sancho running for anything?  What he supporting him in really?  The marionette supports de muppet.

[elan]

Now Bravo is ah Target too. lol

Wonder who next? Let's see who supporting Sancho next to be a Muppet too.

[Bakes]

Now Bravo is ah Target too. lol

Wonder who next? Let's see who supporting Sancho next to be a Muppet too.

Anybody who supporting this corrupt government is a target.

[Sando prince]

I waiting to see if Sancho will run for a seat this election