PETER O’CONNOR, marketing manager of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), had to have left the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs on St Vincent Street, Port of Spain, a happy man yesterday.
O’Connor was on hand to receive a cheque from Sport Minister Roger Boynes on behalf of the T&T government, which approved $6 million in funding for the national football team—the Warriors—ahead of its two-leg World Cup 2006 play-off with Bahrain.
The TTFF originally requested $13.9 million to cover the cost of the team’s preparation, administration expenses and match expenses, but government was only able to provide aprroximately half of that.
It now seems as though the TTFF should have nothing to worry about heading into the second-leg of the play-off in Bahrain on November 16, however, as corporate T&T is poised to pledge more than $10 million to the World Cup qualifying cause.
Also presenting cheques to O’Connor yesterday were representatives of the National Gas Company (NGC), who contributed $500,000, local petroleum producers Petrotrin, who have promised $1 million, resource company BHP, the pledgers of $150,000, and British Gas, who have pitched in $250,000.
Although it was not represented at yesterday’s press-conference, Boynes said that the Carib Brewery was in talks with the Ministry and the TTFF to contribute close to $5 million, while the Unit Trust Corporation, who had a representative present, have also given assurances that they too will make a substantial donation. The value of the donation is yet to be revealed, however. He also disclosed that several companies from the Point Lisas Industrial Estate were eager to get involved.
The National Lotteries Control Board recently agreed to assist the TTFF with $5 million for the next five years, as well.
“The journey to Germany ends on the 16th (November). It will either conclude with a safe landing in Germany, figuratively speaking, or it just ends. There were few believers when we began this journey, now their are many,” O’Connor stated.
“It seems now that our (the TTFF) needs have been met. Now, we need everyone who has contributed today to consider this not as a donation, but as an investment in football, the nation and the nation’s youth,” O’Connor added.
“The government understands the importance of football to this country. That is why we have given football this type of support,” Boynes said.
“When we met with the TTFF, people found we weren’t doing enough, so we decided that in the best interest of T&T we need to do more and give further assistance. And I want to applaud corporate T&T, who we have always pleaded with, because their response was tremendous,” he stated.
Winners rally around Warriors
Thousands of entries have come out in support of the national football team and the Guardian’s ‘Rally around the Warriors’ contest.
Today we publish the third group of winners who will all receive two tickets for Saturday’s first leg qualifier against Bahrain.
1. DONNA CROOKS - MARAVAL
2. SUSAN SMITH - BELMONT
3. NYALA MOHAMMED - CHAGUANAS
4. PAULA WALTERS - AROUCA
5. ZAID BRAHIM - SAN FERNANDO