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Soca Warriors captain Aubrey David and star attacker Levi Garcia say they and their teammates are ready and willing to put everything on the line in their 2024 Copa America play-in against Canada in Frisco, Texas on March 23.

The winner of the play-in match will advance to the June 20-July 14 Conmebol tournament where they will be placed alongside Chile, Peru and reigning Fifa World Cup champions Argentina in group A.

David, who assumed the Trinidad and Tobago captaincy for the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League A campaign, is determined to lead by example from his centre back position and he has already gone into full warrior mode.

"With it being a one-off game, we have to give everything. We are 90 minutes away from making history and changing our lives forever," David told TT Football Association (TTFA) media.

"That's motivation to give everything, to die basically on the field. Anything can happen. We just need to believe in ourselves and try to make history."

Currently attached to CS Cartagines in Costa Rica, the 33-year-old David is expected to have his hands full against a Canadian attack which includes Mallorca forward Cyle Larin, Lille attacker Jonathan David and electric Bayern Munich flanker Alphonso Davies.

Aubrey said the Soca Warriors have kept together the core of the squad which advanced to the Nations League A knockout stages for the first time, and he also says the current crop of players provides coach Angus Eve with the right blend of experience and youth.

The veteran defender said the Miscellaneous Police FC pair of Adrian Foncette and Robert Primus will help with the team's leadership, while he is also pleased with the returns of Ajani Fortune and brothers Levi and Judah Garcia further afield.

"It's very important for the country and very important for our careers personally and as a team," Aubrey said.

"I think we just need to settle and get focused, and take every day as a step. I think it is a big opportunity for us as a nation to be in the Copa America. It's the biggest thing for us after World Cup (qualification)."

Levi, who has battled numerous injuries during the ongoing season with Greek champions AEK Athens, wants to deliver on the big stage after missing several games in TT's Nations League A campaign. In the two-legged Nations League A quarterfinals against the US in November, Levi came on as a second-half substitute in the first leg, but was subsequently ruled out for the return leg which saw TT getting a 2-1 win on home soil at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Now returned to fine form for AEK where he has 14 goals in 20 games in all competitions this season, Levi is motivated to put the red, white and black on his broad shoulders.

"It feels good to be back," Levi said. "It's always a pleasure to represent our country. We know the game that's at stake."

The powerful striker has been utilised as a lone striker in recent times at Eve, but he's also effective as an inverted winger on the right side. Levi said he will be sticking to his strengths in the one-off encounter as there is no time for experimenting.

Most importantly, though, Levi wants to get his mind right for the clash with Fifa's 50th-ranked nation.

"From now, I usually picture myself either scoring or celebrating," Levi said. "I start preparing my mind from now for 90-plus minutes, fighting for every ball. I start seeing myself winning tackles, winning duels, winning everything and trying my best to get the win."

He said he's happy to have his current rhythm, and he said he and his teammates have the opportunity to be the beacon of hope for young men in TT.

"A lot of people don't know how grateful we are to represent our country. There are a lot of younger guys looking at us for hope and for a way out.

"These types of games and these types of opportunities are what we need to grasp with both hands and try to set the platform right for these guys."

From 4 pm on March 23, Aubrey, Levi and the Soca Warriors will it all on the park as they try to book TT's first-ever appearance at a Copa America tournament.

The post Aubrey David sounds battle cry: Soca Warriors ready to die for Copa spot appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

With the Trinidad and Tobago men's football team set to play the US in a 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League A home-and-away quarter-final tie on November 16 and 20, coach Angus Eve is hoping striker Levi Garcia will be fully fit for both games.

The Greece-based Garcia returned to action for AEK Athens on Saturday when they played AE Kifisia in the Greece top flight. The 25-year-old Garcia missed six weeks with a quad injury and came off the bench versus Kifisia as the third-placed AEK were held to a 1-1 draw.

Speaking to the TT Football Association (TTFA) media on Tuesday during a national team session at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Eve said it would be a plus to have Garcia back in the Soca Warriors set-up.

"I always keep my fingers crossed when Levi starts back to play, especially coming close to an international window. We haven't had the services of Levi at all for this tournament and the guys who are here are doing tremendously well in his absence," Eve said.

"If Levi is fully fit and back, that will be a bonus for us because he brings a lot of belief into the team. When he comes here, he is that type of character."

TT will be on the road for the first leg when they play the US at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on November 16, before hosting the Americans four days later at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. With AEK playing two more games before the Fifa international window, Eve says Garcia is eager to find his footing.

"Levi wants to play. He wants to come back but we won't risk him if he can't. He is hoping he gets serious minutes in the next game and then we'll get to make a final and formal decision."

The US thumped TT 6-0 in a 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage match in July. Eve acknowledged the magnitude of the task ahead, but he says his team has changed.

"It's a very difficult task ahead. (USA) will play more of their European-based players to play the match. Also, we're different. They will have to look at us differently also because we are a different unit. Both sets of teams are going to change up dramatically I think."

Eve's current training squad comprises a heavy local presence, along with foreign-based players such as Neveal Hackshaw, Noah Powder and Malcolm Shaw. Eve says it's important to get his players up to speed before the quarter-final tie.

"(Our players) are fit but they are not football fit, so we're trying to replicate those kinds of things in training. They are out of the season for the most part – the guys who play in the States and the guys who are based here."

Eve will name his final squad on Sunday.

The post Soca Warriors' Nations League squad to be named Sunday appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

Though they finished at the bottom of the inaugural Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) season which ran from March - June 2023, Eagles FC (formerly known as Cunupia FC) are promising an attractive and entertaining brand of football for the upcoming season which starts on November 24.

Eagles managed just two wins from 22 matches as they brought up the rear of the 12-team table with just eight points. However, with a familiar face and name in Kevon "Showtime" Woodley returning to their ranks, coach Michael De Four expects his Eagles team to soar to new heights in the TTPFL's second season.

"We wanted to rebrand and change our name in keeping with our goals and aspirations going forward," De Four said during an interview with Newsday, likening the team's transformation to the process of metamorphosis. "Cunupia was a wonderful club. We came up from being a sweat side and a zonal side, then we basically ran through the Super League and ended up in the top tier."

[caption id="attachment_1043599" align="alignnone" width="1004"] Cunupia FC Coach Michael Du Four. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption]

Led by the influence of the heavy scoring Woodley, Eagles finished third in the 2018 Super League season and also lifted the Super League knockout competition in the same season after getting by QPCC in the final. They were then accepted into the Pro League for the 2019/20 season which was interrupted by covid19.

After a difficult first season in the TTPFL, the 37-year-old Woodley wants to inspire his team to a top-three finish as he targets the prospect of qualifying for Concacaf's club competitions. He says teams should be aware of the Eagles threat for the upcoming campaign.

"When (other teams) are coming to play us, let them come with their A-game," said the Tobago-born striker. "The system we are playing right now, I doubt they will be able to keep up with that system.

"We started to train before a lot of the teams so I believe we are about 85 per cent ready. About four Haitians came into (the team) so they have kinda changed the complexion of the team. The team is looking like a very lively team going forward. This team can do some damage going forward this season."

Woodley featured prominently for Eagles in the Ascension Invitational Tournament in 2022, but he played with a youthful Jabloteh team in the inaugural TTPFL season after joining them in the mid-season transfer window. Despite his late entry into the league, the former TT beach soccer standout tallied ten goals in the TTPFL – a goal count which saw him ending tied for fourth on the scoring charts.

"Last season, I came in at the latter part of the season and scored (ten goals)," Woodley said. "This season I'm starting from on top so I think I'll be looking for at least 22 or 23 goals. If I get 25 goals it would be a plus, but I am looking for 23.

"Once I get a team who is working for me defensively I think we would reach far."

Woodley says age is just a number as he paid homage to the 36-year-old Lionel Messi who won his eight Ballon D'or award on Monday. The man who hails from Charlotteville in Tobago's countryside, says he has a lot to offer in what could be his last season in local football's top flight.

De Four said Woodley brings experience and a winning mentality to the Eagles set-up. By all accounts, the Eagles coach will also be expecting Woodley to bring a bag of goals as his team sets their targets for the new season.

"We have set a goals target in terms of the number of goals we would like to score for the season," De Four said. "We want to score more than 40 goals for the league season and we want to concede less than 15 goals. We have to set realistic goals.

"I think the season will be very revealing because we are going back to a brand of football which is entertaining. We hope to play attractive football that is easy on the eyes."

In February, Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis and the TT government committed a $TT 9 million-sum to the TTPFL over a three-year period, to go along with funding from the Fifa Forward Programme 3.0. De Four says he's longing for the day the TTPFL lands a big corporate sponsor to serve as a catalyst for the teams in the league to follow.

"I would like to see the TTPFL get about $10 million for the league to be called 'x, y, z league' and that will trickle down to the clubs who will get investors who will invest upwards of $200,000. I would think the league could take the first leap.

I would like to hear tomorrow the league has got sponsorship for a five-year deal. From the time that happens, the whole landscape changes because businesses would say if 'x, y, z' could invest, then I could invest as well."

De Four was tight-lipped on Eagles' own quest for additional sponsorship, saying: "No comment on that. It's a work in progress."

The Eagles coach said the process of sourcing sponsorship can be a complex one, as clubs aren't given sufficient time to put these things in place in the off-season.

"You need to get a longer notice so clubs can approach whatever companies. I am not saying you will get through, but you will have a better chance because companies can now put it in their budget for the upcoming year," De Four said.

"In a perfect world, you'll have more time. I don't want to compare the TTPFL to other leagues across the world based on what has been done. You would want leagues to let clubs know six months before the start date and even the fixtures. Prospective sponsors and partners and so on need official documentation to work with their accounting department, bankers and auditors in that process."

[caption id="attachment_1043609" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Eagles FC's (formerly Cunupia FC) Kevon 'Showtime' Woodley. - Cunupia FC/File Photo[/caption]

Heading into the second TTPFL season, De Four says the league is on an upward trajectory.

"The League is a work in progress. One of the main factors in the league has been funding. I think they are in the process of attempting to resolve it," De Four said.

"This is the second season and there has been progress because there is a lot more data collection up front. The league is collecting a lot of data and moving it around so people can now understand what is happening much more clearly financially and so on. I think it's a step forward."

On the field of play last season, the Eagles finished four points behind the 11th-placed Prisons FC team and a staggering 48 points behind eventual TTPFL champions Defence Force. Starting on November 24, Eagles will hope to take some forward steps of their own and take flight when they meet Police FC in their first game of the season.

"On field preparations are partly with the administration – TT Football Association – and the clubs. The club is training and doing what they can, but the registration window has just opened. The registration process has begun and I'll say things are going smoothly until further notice. We will be ready God's spare life to start on November 24 and we hope everything else will be ready."

On Friday, the TTPFL will host an award ceremony for the inaugural season at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre. This event will also serve as a soft launch for the upcoming season.

The post Kevon "Showtime" Woodley And Eagles To Take Flight In TTPFL appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

The Trinidad and Tobago women’s football team had a disastrous start to their 2024 Concacaf women’s Gold Cup qualifying campaign on Tuesday night, as they were beaten 6-0 by Mexico in their opening match at the Estadio Hidalgo Stadium in Pachuca.

It was coach Richard Hood’s first competitive game in his current stint as TT coach. He said it was a baptism of fire for his players.

“This was absolutely a tough assignment. I think that as a team we would have learnt a lot from the game, the players and staff alike,” Hood said.

“It was literally a baptism of fire for some of the girls who were playing at this level for the first time. As for us as a staff, we were able to identify some of those players that demonstrated the type of fortitude that we are looking for. That discipline and fighting spirit.”

The hosts wasted little time in spoiling TT’s visit to Pachuca. All six of the Mexican goals were scored in the first half by a rampant home team, as they relentlessly threatened Kimika Forbes in the TT goal.

Mexico are 36th on the Fifa rankings, compared to TT’s ranking of 75.

In the first ten minutes, the disparity was seen between the teams as Maria Sanchez and Greta Espinoza scored to give the hosts an early 2-0 lead. The 33-year-old Forbes didn’t have the best game between the sticks by her standards, and offered Espinoza an easy tap-in from close range after spilling a ball which was played into the area.

“Clearly we were a step behind the Mexicans so we have to improve our fitness levels as well as several aspects of our tactical setup. We had our plans for the game but we obviously failed to execute those plans effectively. We struggled to adapt to the atmospheric conditions.”

With TT camped in their half for the majority of the first period, the Mexicans rattled off 22 shots at Forbes’ goal. The hosts found the net with great regularity too, as Alicia Cervantes helped herself to a double. Alexia Delgado and Charlyn Corral also scored first-half goals.

Playing 2,000-plus metres above sea level, the TT team looked to be labouring as the Mexicans breached their defensive structure at will. In the second half, though, there was no further damage to the scoreline as the hosts took their feet off the pedal and strolled to the comfortable victory.

It is Mexico’s second win in their League A group, following their 2-1 comeback win over Puerto Rico on September 22.

TT’s next game in the group will be a home encounter versus the table-toppers Mexico on October 27. Hood’s TT unit will then round off the group with a pair of matches versus Puerto Rico on December 1 and 5 respectively.

“On the positive side, I think that we ended the game well, keeping the opponent scoreless in the second half. This ought to give the group some confidence going forward. We always knew that this was going to be the most difficult game and that qualification would be dependent on the games versus Puerto Rico.

“We simply have to beat them and we will prepare accordingly and get the players back into the right frame of mind for those encounters.”

At the end of group play, the top team in each of the three League A groups will qualify for the group stage of the 2024 Concacaf women’s Gold Cup. The three runners-up in the League A groups will play the three winners of the respective League B groups for a spot in the Gold Cup preliminary round.

This story was originally published with the title "Mexico hammer Trinidad and Tobago 6-0 in Women Gold Cup qualifier" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The Trinidad and Tobago women's football team had a disastrous start to their 2024 Concacaf women's Gold Cup qualifying campaign on Tuesday night, as they were beaten 6-0 by Mexico in their opening match at the Estadio Hidalgo Stadium in Pachuca.

It was coach Richard Hood's first competitive game in his current stint as TT coach.

The hosts wasted little time in spoiling TT's visit to Pachuca. All six of the Mexican goals were scored in the first half by a rampant home team, as they relentlessly threatened Kimika Forbes in the TT goal.

Mexico are 36th on the Fifa rankings, compared to TT's ranking of 75.

In the first ten minutes, the disparity was seen between the teams as Maria Sanchez and Greta Espinoza scored to give the hosts an early 2-0 lead. The 33-year-old Forbes didn't have the best game between the sticks by her standards, and offered Espinoza an easy tap-in from close range after spilling a ball which was played into the area.

With TT camped in their half for the majority of the first period, the Mexicans rattled off 22 shots at Forbes' goal. The hosts found the net with great regularity too, as Alicia Cervantes helped herself to a double. Alexia Delgado and Charlyn Corral also scored first-half goals.

Playing 2,000-plus metres above sea level, the TT team looked to be labouring as the Mexicans breached their defensive structure at will. In the second half, though, there was no further damage to the scoreline as the hosts took their feet off the pedal and strolled to the comfortable victory.

It is Mexico's second win in their League A group, following their 2-1 comeback win over Puerto Rico on September 22.

TT's next game in the group will be a home encounter versus the table-toppers Mexico on October 27. Hood's TT unit will then round off the group with a pair of matches versus Puerto Rico on December 1 and 5 respectively.

At the end of group play, the top team in each of the three League A groups will qualify for the group stage of the 2024 Concacaf women's Gold Cup. The three runners-up in the League A groups will play the three winners of the respective League B groups for a spot in the Gold Cup preliminary round.

The post [UPDATED] Women Warriors head coach calls Mexico loss: A baptism of fire appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

Prof Clement Imbert, Prof John Agard, and Prof Pathmanathan Umaharan are the recipients of the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the nation’s highest award, for 2023.

The ORTT may be awarded to anyone (citizen or non-citizen) who has rendered distinguished and outstanding service to TT.
The list of awardees was released by President''s House on Saturday ahead of the award ceremony at President's House this evening.

In its release on the National Awards, President’s House said Imbert is being honoured for innovation, steelpan technology, education and culture and the arts.

“He currently serves at the UWI as University Professor (Emeritus) in mechanical /metallurgical engineering. As part of both the engineering and education fraternity, he was able to use his knowledge to assist in securing accreditation for the local engineering fraternity.

“He has worked on several boards including UTT, the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute and the Accreditation Council of TT.

“Prof Imbert has contributed significantly to the development of the steelpan. He is co-founder of the UWI Steelpan Development Centre and a member of the team that developed the G-Pan.”

Agard is being recognised for environment/climate change and biodiversity protection.

He is the executive director of the Global Institute for Climate-Smart and Resilient Development at UWI.

“His research is widely recognised regionally and internationally, from natural resources management, water quality, marine and terrestrial ecology to the impact of climate change on natural and human systems.

“Prof Agard served as co-chair to a group of independent scientists appointed by the UN Secretary-General to draft the second quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report in 2023. His vision is that of a society which recognises other forms of wealth including biodiversity that exist beyond the limit of GDP.”

Umaharan is being recognised for his services in the spheres of science/agricultural development. He is the director of the Cocoa Research Centre at the UWI. As director, Umaharan oversaw the conversion of the Cocoa Research Unit into a full-fledged campus centre.

“His research projects resulted in genetic approaches to overcome losses associated with disease, and improving tolerance to climate change. This has led the way to the development of the first molecular breeding programme in cocoa, a global DNA fingerprinting service, a quality certification service & the improvement of cocoa quality. Through his efforts the UWI has now been named by the EU as the top cocoa research institution globally.”

The Chaconia Medal may be awarded for long and meritorious service tending to promote national welfare or strengthen community spirit in TT.

This year’s medals have been awarded to Dr Bruce Paddington, founder and co-owner of Banyan Productions TT, for media/film industry; medical practitioner specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry Dr Jacqueline Sharpe for medicine/psychiatry; Langston Roach, executive chairman of Langston Roach Industries Ltd, for business and community; and Sieunarine Persad Coosal, executive director of Coosal's Construction Company, for entrepreneurship/philanthropy.

The Chaconia Medal, Silver, has been awarded to Exodus Steel Orchestra Leader Ainsworth Mohammed for contributions to culture and the arts/steelband management; Dr Calvin Inlalsingh (posthumously) for medicine/sports and philanthropy; management consultant Carlos Hee Houng for energy; former calypsonian Francine “Singing Francine” Edwards (posthumously) for culture and the arts; radio station owner/manager George Leaco*ck for sports/media; Dr Radica Mahase for education, volunteerism and advocacy; Rishi Lakhan for culture and the arts; and Prof Surujpal Teelucksingh for medicine.

The Humming Bird Medal may be awarded for loyal and devoted service in any field of human endeavour or for gallantry or other humane action to TT.

[caption id="attachment_1036752" align="alignnone" width="953"] Prof John Agard -[/caption]

Recipients of the Hummingbird Medal, Gold, are former National Scout Commissioner Azamuddin Khan for community development; TT Cricket Board president Azim Bassarath for sports/cricket administration; businesswoman Carol Ann Birchwood-James for tourism; social worker Shihan Marva John-Logan for community development, activism and social work; tent owner/manager Reynold Howard for culture and the arts; retired lecturer Richard Escalante for education; retired musician Rukminee Holas Beepath for culture and education; curriculum officer/sports broadcaster Samuel Badree for sport and education; former OSHA TT chairman Wayne Gerrard Bertrand (posthumously) for energy and education.

The Hummingbird Medal, Silver, is awarded to Ashton Ford for culture, community development and education; Carl Birjah for sport; Dr Daniel Parks, pastor, for faith-based community work and social services; gym manager Eric Mc Cree for community/youth and national development; businessman Harvey Borris for community service; Imam Imtiaz Ali (posthumously) for faith-based community work and social services; innovator Jim Phillip for culture and the arts; Kenson group founder Kenneth Ferguson for energy/national development; and Pastor Wilma Kelly for faith-based community work and social services.

The Hummingbird Medal, Bronze, for gallantry went to 11-year-old Rachel Bhagwandeen (posthumously). Bhagwandeen died in 2022 while protecting her nine-year-old brother from a dog attack.

The Public Service Medal of Merit may be awarded for outstanding and meritorious service to TT.

The 2023 awardees of the Public Service Medal of Merit, Gold, are retired permanent secretary Anthony Bartholomew for public service; consultant Beverley Khan for public policy and development planning; retired public official Enid A Zephyrine for public service; former nurse Gwendolyn Loobie-Snaggs (posthumously) for public service/health sector; and Leslie Reuben Hoyte for public service/sport and physical education.

The Silver medal awardees are retired Prison Service supervisor John Lopez for public service; and former principal Yasmin Rahaman Singh for public service.

Full list of National Awardees 2023

The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago awardees:

1. Prof Clement Imbert, university professor (emeritus), mechanical/metallurgic engineer, UWI, in the spheres of innovation/steelpan technology, education and culture and the arts.

As part of both the engineering and education fraternity, he was able to use his knowledge to assist in securing accreditation for the local engineering fraternity.

He has worked on several boards including the University of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute and the Accreditation Council of TT.

Imbert has contributed significantly to the development of the steelpan. He is co-founder of the UWI Steelpan Development Centre, and a member of the team that developed the G-Pan.

2. Prof John Agard, executive director, Global Institute for Climate-Smart and Resilient Development, UWI, in the spheres of environment/climate change and biodiversity protection.

His research is widely recognised regionally and internationally, from natural resources management, water quality, marine and terrestrial ecology to the impact of climate change on natural and human systems.

Agard served as co-chair to a group of independent scientists appointed by the UN Secretary-General to draft the second quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report in 2023.

His vision is that of a society which recognises other forms of wealth including biodiversity that exist beyond the limit of GDP.

3. Prof Dr Pathmanathan Umaharan, director of the Cocoa Research Centre of the UWI, St Augustine Campus, in the spheres of science/agricultural development.

As director, Umaharan oversaw the conversion of the Cocoa Research Unit into a full-fledged campus centre.

His research projects resulted in genetic approaches to overcome losses associated with disease, and improving tolerance to climate change. This has led the way to the development of the first molecular breeding programme in cocoa, a global DNA fingerprinting service, a quality certification service and the improvement of cocoa quality.

Through his efforts the UWI has now been named by the European Union as the top cocoa research institution globally.

[caption id="attachment_1036720" align="alignnone" width="602"] Prof Pathmanathan Umaharan -[/caption]

The Chaconia Medal for long and meritorious service tending to promote national welfare or strengthen community spirit.

The Chaconia Medal, Gold, awardees:

1. Dr Bruce Paddington, retired, in the spheres of media/film industry.

Paddington is the founder and co-owner of Banyan Productions TT. Banyan is an award-winning pioneering media production and consultancy company, servicing the Caribbean and international markets in the areas of television documentaries, dramas and public awareness campaigns on cultural, social, and development issues.

Paddington formed the Mucurapo Schools Community Project, providing audiovisual materials for Fatima College, Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive and Mucurapo Junior Secondary School. By using the production facilities of Banyan, he was able to produce video materials such as a series on Spanish language teaching. The project was so successful that it was absorbed into the television and audio-visual unit of the Ministry of Education. Paddington became the director and the unit produced several valuable programmes on authors such as Derek Walcott and George Lamming, along with groundbreaking recordings of interviews with vintage artists such as Growling Tiger.

Paddington produced hundreds of educational audio-visual materials developing the history and literature surrounding cinema in the region, training aspiring filmmakers and providing a platform upon which they can have their work shown and developed through workshops and seminars at film festivals.

2. Dr Jacqueline Sharpe, medical practitioner, specialty- psychiatry child and adolescent psychiatry, in the spheres of medicine/psychiatry.

Sharpe is currently a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, Ministry of Health and director of the Child Guidance Clinic.

Sharpe has been a pioneer in providing psychiatric and psychological services to children and their families in TT. She established the Child Psychiatry Service and heads the only full-time child guidance clinic, providing evaluation and treatment for children and adolescents and their families.

In addition to direct clinical services, she provides indirect service which includes liaison work with primary, secondary and special schools, children’s homes, the Family Court and the Student Support Services Division of the Ministry of Education.

3. Langston Roach, executive chairman, Langston Roach Industries Ltd, in the spheres of business and community.

Roach is a past director of the TT Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA).

As a director of the TTMA, Roach brought valuable insights and expertise to the organisation. He was always willing to share his knowledge and experience, acting as a mentor to many small to medium-size enterprises. Even as a current member, Roach continues to show his commitment to the TTMA and the wider community through his sponsorship of numerous events and initiatives.

Roach has been described as consummate entrepreneur, philanthropist, mentor and patriot.

4. Sieunarine Persad Coosal, executive director, in the spheres of entrepreneurship/philanthropy.

Coosal is the executive director of Coosal's Construction Company. He has successfully led his team to be recognised as one of the leading construction companies /contractors in TT.

In his efforts to honour his corporate social responsibility, he continues to partner with communities, schools and learning institutions and by extension, facilitated ventures geared to assist in the development of the social fabric. To that end, he has collaborated with the mission of Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army.

The Chaconia Medal, Silver, awardees:

1 Ainsworth Mohammed, retired, in the spheres of culture and the arts/steelband management.

Mohammed, as the leader of Exodus Steel Orchestra since 1999, has led the band to success at national, regional and international Panorama and Music Festival competitions.

The steelband has toured extensively to all continents of the globe "preaching" the gospel of pan. Mohammed has also established a junior school, Exocubs, for 100 students ranging in age from five-21. He has designed and singularly managed the upgrade of Exodus' Pan Theatre in 2021/22.

Mohammed is among the longest-serving managers in the steelband movement and is often hailed in steelband circles as the best administrator in the industry. The band is known for its wholesome discipline and community spirit, but more than that, Mohammed has expanded his expertise to other steel orchestras in being a founding director of the International Steelband Foundation, which produces the Big 5 Steelband Concerts.

2. Dr Calvin Inalsingh (posthumously), doctor, in the spheres of medicine/sports and philanthropy.

Inalsingh was a former president of the Princess Elizabeth Home. Under his stewardship, the home went from a facility that encompassed not just the medical and physical needs of the children but also their educational needs.

Inalsingh was also a medical director and member of the Red Cross Society. He gave many years of voluntary service and used his influence in the community to encourage others to offer their service to those less fortunate.

Inalsingh was an avid sportsperson and served as team doctor for the TT national team.at the Pan American games, the Commonwealth games, the Caribbean and Central American games and the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles.

Inalsingh served as chairman of the TT Boxing Board of Control from 1993-1996 and as vice chairman of the medical advisory committee of the World Boxing Association.

3. Carlos Hee Houng, management consultant in the sphere of energy.

Hee Houng joined the Economic Studies and Planning Unit of the Industrial Development Corporation in 1972 and between 1975-1978, served as the CEO of the Co-ordinating Task Force that had responsibility for activities related to development of the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.

After the investment decision on the Fertrin project (1978), Hee Houng returned to energy-sector operations joining Fertrin, serving as the company’s project co-ordinating officer during the engineering and construction period. He was appointed as a government representative of Fertrin’s Technical Advisory Group (1978-1981), in which role he was able to promote the early recruitment of nationals to fill positions.

4. Francine Edwards, also known as Singing Francine, (posthumously), former calypsonian historian, in the spheres of culture and the arts.

Edwards was well known in the calypso arena, where she was able to hold her own and gain prominence in a male-dominated field.

Over her 51-year career Singing Francine used the medium of calypso to champion the female cause in the calypso arena, seeking to place women’s issues on the front burner through the medium of calypso. She was Calypso Queen in 1973, 1981 and 1983.

Singing Francine also used her melodious voice to comment on other topical issues or to help her audience find a deeper meaning to life. Francine’s style was always to make her audiences listen to her lyrics above the melody. Even in her up-tempo calypsos such as Carnival Fever and Cool It Down, there was always a storyline, the very essence of the artform.

5. George Leaco*ck, radio station owner/manager, in the spheres of sports/media.

Leaco*ck was tasked with setting up the first Division of Sport in Tobago. With limited resources, over a nine-year period, his achievements included the creation of elite athlete programmes at the division that led to the success of athletes across the island in national and international competitions.

Leaco*ck’s combined experiences as a player, coach, and administrator, with a special knack for event management, have led to a series of appointments to execute large sporting events on the island. These include the opening of the Dwight Yorke Stadium, the FIFA U-17 World Cup, and the Carifta games. The FIFA tournament received 39 of 40 possible points for event management.

The Carifta games, which Tobago managed on six weeks' notice after the original hosts defaulted, are on record as the first in the history of the games to run to a time script. Leaco*ck was the chairman of a task force to deliver the Tobago leg of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games which he achieved with resounding success.

6. Dr Radica Mahase, lecturer, in the spheres of education, volunteerism and advocacy.

Mahase is distinguished as an educator and historian. She has published extensively in the field of history, specialising in Indian indentureship and culture of TT. She also co-authored a textbook on Caribbean history which is widely used throughout the Caribbean.

Mahase has also created opportunities for autistic people through the establishment of Rahul’s Clubhouse, an autism centre in Gopaul Lands, Marabella. This is a one-of-a-kind centre: both autistic children and young adults can participate in sensory-oriented programmes tailored to their specific needs.

Mahase founded an NGO solely based on the concept of volunteerism. She has focused on youth and so far, has trained approximately 350 youth volunteers between ten and 30 to work with autistic people.

7. Rishi Lakhan, retired, in the spheres of culture and the arts.

In 1988, Lakhan was elected the first president of the St James Working Council and successfully organised the very first St James Children Carnival, now in its 35th year. That same year he designed and led the novel Christmas decorative street lighting across the Western Main Road in St James, which was adopted by communities across TT.

In 1993, as councillor for the electoral district of St James East on the Port of Spain City Council, Lakhan was instrumental in the formation and establishment of the St James/Cocorite Hosay Association and successfully lobbied the Ministry of Community Development on behalf of the association.

As a manager of his own retail business establishment in St James, in 1981, his mobilisation of the St James business community and his vibrant advocacy to call for the amendment to the ordinance for 24-hour shopping was successful and benefited the entire country. St James is now known as the city that does not sleep.

8. Prof Surujpal Teelucksingh, doctor, in the sphere of medicine.

Teelucksingh has played a key role in the development of national and regional monographs on a variety of diseases including dengue, diabetes, obesity and malaria.

Teelucksingh has received multiple accolades for his pioneering work and groundbreaking research in medical education locally with the introduction of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination in 1998. These examinations helped re-engineer the medical curriculum across the UWI campuses and have been used as a template by other institutions as a model and example of clinical excellence, quality and assurance.

The Humming Bird Medal awardees.

1. Azamuddin Khan, retired, in the sphere of community development.

Khan excelled in all levels of scout leadership training, completing three levels of scout leadership training, culminating in the award of his Wood Badge Beads, the highest level.

Khan gave back his knowledge and experience to the youth of TT for a further 20 years by joining up with the National Training Team. Khan demonstrated resilience, durability, dedication and all the components of good management.

Khan rose to the top of scouting to be National Scout Commissioner in charge of scouting in TT and held that portfolio for six years.

2. Azim Bassarath, TT Cricket Board president, vice president Cricket West Indies, in the spheres of sports/cricket administration.

Bassarath has fostered and grown youth development cricket programmes at every age level.

He has contributed to the expansion of women's cricket development, assisting in building girls’ participation at the various schools and national levels.

He has reached out to rural communities by implementing cricket caravans to geographical areas such as Toco, Cedros and Tobago to unearth new talent.

He has been successful in transforming the TT Cricket Board into a modern organisation by introducing up-to-date technology and cricket techniques.

Under his tenure international players such as Keiron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran and Anisa Mohammed have come to the forefront.

3. Carol Ann Birchwood-James, businesswoman, in the sphere of tourism.

Birchwood-James has spent 33 years in the tourism sector in Tobago.

James was president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association from 2007-2011 and vice president from August 2011 to March 2023.

James was a member of the Tourism Development Company from 2011-2015, serving as a member of the finance committee and the marketing representative on the board.

She also served as a member of the Tobago Standing Committee, established to increase visitor arrivals and to address the impact on Tobago’s tourism and its stakeholders.

During her tenure the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association started its own road shows to Trinidad. She was a fierce advocate for tourism stakeholders and her contribution was recognised by state agencies in Tobago.

4. Shihan Marva John-Logan, social worker, in the spheres of community development, activism and social work.

John-Logan, also known as Sister Hanifah, is a social worker, mediator, youth and community advocate, martial arts practitioner and a social change agent.

Her passion and devotion for people led to the birth of Ryu Dan Dojo Empowerment Centre in 2013.

John-Logan has developed Ryu Dan’s Sports Plus Model, an innovative cognitive-behaviour modification approach that uses martial arts as a vehicle for change.

She was very instrumental in establishing a platform for Muslim sisters called Sister Sister, which seeks to address everyday issues such as domestic violence, mental health, finances and education.

She has also been providing female migrants and locals with entrepreneurial and soft skills training through her Support, Educate, Empower Women programme for the last six years.

5. Reynold Howard, retired, in the spheres of culture and the arts.

As a tent manager/owner Howard provided opportunities for local composers and performers to present their work to local and international audiences. His purchase of Semp Record Pressing Plant in the 1980s significantly reduced the time and cost of record production for TT recording artistes.

As a founding member of the Copyright Organisation of TT, Howard facilitated access of the nation's music creators to protection of their work and receipt of royalties due to them.

Howard is a pioneer of parang soca, now an established genre of music. His recording and distribution of Daisy Voisin's Parang Queen introduced the world to the music of TT's greatest exponent of traditional parang music.

6. Richard Escalante, retired, in the sphere of education.

Escalante taught public-sector officers at the Central Training Unit- Ministry of Public Administration from 19931998 and has given 30 years of service to the UWI St Augustine teaching E-Government and Public Information Systems at the undergrad and postgrad programmes. Since 2006, he has also taught E-Governance for Small Developing States at Cave Hill.

He is the author of several peer-reviewed articles and six books on the history of media in the oil industry, telecommunications and socio-military history, all spheres of study which have not been written extensively about before. He is currently the 2018 recipient of a first-time author award from Nalis and is the consultant on the history of colonial radio.

7. Rukmine Holass Beepath, retired, in the spheres of culture and education.

Beepath has been involved in music and culture for over six decades. As she became more involved in culture, she was called upon to assist in Maha Sabha Hindu schools across Trinidad in training students for the festival of Baal Vikaas Vihaar. She has dedicated her life to serving schools and communities across the nation.

Beepath has published four books on Indo-Trinidadian religious celebrations, recordings of traditional music and songs, and was requested to teach these traditional songs to mandirs throughout Trinidad.

For the 50th Independence Day celebrations, Beepath composed a special nation-building song which is still played at several venues when we celebrate independence.

8. Samuel Badree, curriculum officer/sports broadcaster, in the spheres of sport and education.

Badree was a former Number 1-ranked T20 bowler in the world. He was a member of the West Indies World Cup-winning teams in 2012 and 2016.

Badree was the assistant secretary to the West Indies Cricket Board from September 2010-2015. He was the players’ representative to the board and led workshops with players to prepare them for post-cricket life, money management and reintegration into society, communications and public relations.

Badree is the chairman of Badree’s Academy of Sport Education and has been an educator for over two decades. He is the epitome of a role model and has demonstrated a commendable balance between sport and education and has excelled in both.

9. Wayne Bertrand (posthumously), retired former chairman, in the spheres of energy and education.

Bertrand was a pillar of the energy industry for over 45 years, playing a pivotal role in shaping its direction, growth and success to sustainable development.

As president of operations at the Petroleum Company of TT and its predecessor Trintoc, Bertrand was instrumental in implementing innovative business initiatives and collaborations regionally and internationally.

Bertrand played a critical role in the development of the country's health, safety and environmental culture, as chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA).

The Humming Bird Medal, Silver, awardees:

1. Ashton Ford, retired, in the spheres of culture, community development and education.

Ford was the chairman of the Sport and Carnival Committee in Arima and presided over the expansion of the borough from one square mile to four, initiating major changes which contributed to the overall development of Arima.

He was involved in the political sphere and served as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works, Maintenance and Drainage and the Ministry of Public Utilities and Transport.

Ford was also a journalist and worked with various media houses including the Guardian, Bomb and the Catholic News. He freelanced for radio stations and covered sports, culture, politics and crime.

In 2004, he was assigned to the TT High Commission in London as public affairs, culture and tourism attaché, a position he held for six years, working closely with the high commissioner to promote TT in areas of trade, tourism and culture.

2.Carl Birjah, retired, in the sphere of sport.

Birjah has spent most of his life in the sporting fraternity. He has worked as a sports master, secretary, public relations officer, vice chairman, vice president and president all tuned into furthering the interest of cricket in TT.

As a member of the TT Cricket Board he held amongst other positions vice chairman of the South West Zone and secretary of the South West Zone.

He has also served and continues to serve as cricket administrator in promoting the sport of cricket in South Trinidad, notably with the Penal Sports Association and the South Zone Cricket Council of the TT Cricket Board in a volunteer capacity.

3. Dr Daniel Parks, pastor, in the spheres of faith-based community work and social services.

Parks is an ordained minister of the gospel and a prisons' chaplain.

Parks has effected positive change in the lives of a countless number of people within society and behind prison walls, bringing newfound hope and restoration to those who were thought to be beyond redemption. He is the founder and president of the Prison Fellowship and has introduced a range of programmes and initiatives designed to support the spiritual and emotional well-being of prisoners.

Parks works as a UN Ambassador for Peace, contributing to the ideology of protecting civilians, preventing conflict and reducing violence.

4. Eric Mc Cree, gym manager, in the spheres of community/youth and national development.

McCree believes that his purpose is to promote fitness and wellness in our youth as he works personally with them to identify and maximise talent, academically and in athletics.

McCree has been selected national coach seven times. He has successfully coached athletes who have successfully represented TT at least 55 times at various international games and mentored them to achieve academically. Many of the athletes under his guidance have succeeded at regional examinations. Even more noteworthy is the fact that McCree helped 21 of his athletes achieve academic scholarships.

5. Harvey Borris, businessman, in the sphere of community service.

Borris has been championing national causes in mainstream and social media for the past 30 years. At present he hosts two programmes, The Hot Seat and I Love My Country.

During his programmes he seeks to advocate for the development of a healthy lifestyle and the prevention of illnesses such as diabetes. He has established and resourced the Centre for Justice, an NGO through which people obtain social, educational, legal and/or financial aid and advice.

Professionally Borris has served his community as councillor in the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, as a diplomat attached to the TT consulate in Miami, US and an alderman in the Port of Spain City Corporation.

6. Imam Imtiaz Ali, (posthumously), prison chaplain, licensed marriage officer, religious instruction teacher, in the spheres of faith-based community work and social services.

Ali was a prominent figure in the Muslim community.

In his role as the imam of the Real Street ASJA Masjid since 2000, he was instrumental in promoting Islamic education and values, providing spiritual guidance and support to the Muslim community, and fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding. Through his leadership, the Real Street ASJA Masjid became a centre for community development and outreach programmes, including feeding the needy, providing disaster relief and supporting educational initiatives.

Ali was also president of the San Juan Business Association and worked closely with local government officials and other stakeholders to secure funding for a number of infrastructure projects, including road repairs, sidewalk improvements and the installation of streetlights, laying the foundation for further economic growth and development.

7. Jim Phillip, retired, in the spheres of culture and the arts.

Phillip innovated the steelpan-stand and the steelpan rack by making them collapsible. He innovated the tenor pan by replacing the original skirting with flat iron. He invented the pan balancer, the pan note measurer, the pan tuning stand and the nozzle squeezer.

His work is exclusively produced in TT but has a cultural impact on the rest of the world.

Some people describe his innovations as having come from a genius or a scientist.

8. Kenneth Ferguson, founder and chairman, Kenson Group, in the spheres of energy/national development.

Ferguson found a place in the energy sector, having accepted a voluntary separation package from Amoco and founding Kenson Production Services Ltd, a contracting company specialising in providing operations and maintenance services to energy companies in TT. It is widely acknowledged as a leading service provider in the energy sector.

To Ferguson’s mind it was critical for this workforce to be provided with every opportunity to gain the skills and certifications required to conduct their tasks with the strictest adherence to international best practices. From this, another respected entity arose: the Kenson School of Production Technology.

9. Pastor Wilma Kelly, minister of the gospel and licensed marriage officer in the spheres of faith-based community work and social services

Kelly, as a prisons chaplain, has been able to effect positive change in the lives of many.

The scope of Kelly's achievements encompasses her work as a pastoral counsellor, radio and television host, and founder of the Centre of Restoration and The Way of Holiness Ministry.

The centre gives homeless people, alcoholics, drug addicts and former inmates a place to stay, as well as support and resources to help them rebuild their lives.

As a prisons chaplain, Kelly has provided spiritual guidance, counselling and support to inmates, prison administrative and operational staff. She has successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated numerous prisoners back into society, demonstrating the transformative power of faith in the lives of those she has touched.

The Humming Bird Medal, Bronze, awardees:

1. Rachel Bhagwandeen, (posthumously), former student, in the sphere of gallantry.

Bhagwandeen was 11 and lived in Freeport with her parents and her three siblings.

Not everyone is built with a protective mechanism that puts the life of others before themselves. It is often a testament to the type of upbringing you have had and an inner resolve to be of service to others.

When Rachel and her brother were confronted by a vicious animal ,her first thought was to protect her brother and make the way clear for him to be safe while allowing herself to take the brunt of the vicious attack.

Her brother survived but unfortunately she did not. For an 11-year-old to be so selfless certainly shows that she possessed a spark of the divine nurtured by her parents and leading to a place where it can only be remembered as wonderful, gracious and kind.

The Public Service Medal of Merit, Gold, awardees:

1. Anthony Bartholomew, retired permanent secretary, in the sphere of public service.

Bartholomew has an extensive public service career. His record includes permanent secretary in the Ministries of Planning, Housing and the Environment, Planning and Development, National Security, Public Utilities and the Environment and the Environment.

After retiring from the public service, Bartholomew continued to serve. He has been a co-ordinator and adviser in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, a consultant for the Ministry of Finance, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and currently to the Minister of Public Utilities.

2. Beverly Khan, consultant, in the spheres of public policy and development planning.

Khan is an outstanding public servant, with 33 years of dedicated service to the government and people.

Khan has served this country with distinction. She held various leadership positions, including that of deputy permanent secretary. She also served as TT counsellor in the Office of the Executive Director for the Caribbean Constituency at the IDB, Washington, DC.

Khan has been an invaluable resource to the public service, especially to permanent secretaries who have relied heavily on her technical expertise.

Moreover, she has mentored and inspired a generation of public officers, working with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors, and multilateral development banks in leveraging support for the country’s development.

3. Enid A Zephyrine, retired, in the sphere of public service.

Zephyrine is an outstanding public official who began her career as a clerical officer in 1973, eventually becoming an auditor and budget analyst in the Ministry for Tobago Affairs, Central Administrative Services, Tobago, and Tobago House of Assembly.

From 1990-2012 she served as budget analyst, financial analyst, assistant director and director, economic management, at the Ministry of Finance.

After working with the World Bank in Washington, DC, for two years, Zephyrine, a consummate citizen willing to serve TT, returned to the public service in the Ministry of Finance from 2016 -2023 as the director, strategic management and execution.

4. Gwendolyn Loobie-Snaggs (posthumously), Former nurse, in the sphere of public service /health sector.

Loobie-Snaggs’s employment in the service of TT began as a nurse, but she moved on to contribute in the decision-making process to further the cause of strengthening the population against the threats of diseases and viruses.

In the early 1980s Loobie-Snaggs became involved with the Public Service Association (PSA) to address the needs of her colleagues. She became the nurses' representative at the PSA in 1985 and rose to first vice-president in 1993. Her service to the nurses of TT expanded to the Caribbean as she served on the executive of the Caribbean Nurses Organisation (CNO) from 2016 to her death in 2022.

5. Leslie Reuben Hoyte, retired, in the spheres of public service/sport and physical education.

Hoyte has had a profound impact in the field of sports and physical education. The role for which he may perhaps be most well-known is as physical trainer to the TT National Under-20 team in the Fifth Youth World Cup in Portugal in 1991. This team included Dwight Yorke, Clayton Ince and Angus Eve, who would go on to become standouts at the senior level. Eve is the current coach of the national football team.

Hoyte started as a teacher at the Couva Anglican Primary School in 1960, with subsequent appointments at Presentation College, San Fernando, Corinth Teachers’ College, the University of the Southern Caribbean, UTT and UWI (Open Campus) among others. He was also physical education and sport officer II at the Ministry of Sport, Culture, and Youth Affairs.

Hoyte’s deepest and most profound impact, however, is unquestionably at the level of the individual, providing encouragement and inspiration to hundreds of young people.

The Public Service Medal of Merit, Silver, awardees:

1.John Lopez, retired, in the sphere of public service.

Lopez is an exceptional leader who has dedicated 35 years of his life to the TT Prison Service, rising to the rank of prison supervisor. He has contributed particularly in the area of prison healthcare services management.

One of Lopez's earliest achievements was his involvement in the cadets at a junior level, where he later attained the rank of under officer. He went on to form the first cadet unit in Brazil Secondary School and also worked with students at El Dorado East Secondary School.

One of Lopez's most notable contribution to the TT Prison Service was managing the Health Services Unit, which provided health care to inmates and prison staff. Through this position, he developed key stakeholder partnerships which allowed officers and inmates to receive additional healthcare services beyond the capacity of the Prison Service.

2. Yasmin Rahaman-Singh, former principal, in the sphere of public service.

Rahaman-Singh was principal of ASJA. Girls' College, San Fernando from November 2007-April 2023 transforming the college into a first-choice institution and one of the top-performing schools in the country.

Under her leadership, the college has developed a strong emphasis on morals, values, school-building and nation-building. The school community has come to appreciate, understand and exemplify the motto led by Rahaman-Singh, “Let's root for each other and watch each other grow.”

Rahaman-Singh's vision and philosophy was always to create a cadre of 21st-century citizens, future leaders and mothers who would be exemplars to society.

The post Engineer, scientist, researcher get nation’s highest award appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

NATIONAL football coach Angus Eve said the six weeks of uncertainty before he was retained at the helm of the men's programme was not lost time.

Eve told Newsday since his contract ended when Trinidad and Tobago exited the Concacaf Gold Cup on July 2, he has been watching tapes and scouting opponents for the Concacaf Nations League.

TT begin their League A Group A campaign at home against Curacao on September 7. Group A also comprises El Salvador, Guatemala, Martinique and Panama.

On Tuesday, the TTFA announced that Eve's contract has been extended until March 2024.

TTFA normalisation committee head Robert Hadad said Eve has brought "stability, quality and belief to the team.”

Eve said, "The possibility that I might get back the job was always on the table. I never stopped working and scouting our opponents – plus we saw Curacao (qualifying round) and Guatemala play in the (2023) Gold Cup, so we have information on them, and El Salvador also."

TT's Gold Cup campaign ended disastrously with heavy defeats to Jamaica (4-1) and USA (6-0) in Group A. Asked if he would have been disappointed to have those losses as the lasting memory of his tenure, Eve said society should remember what he has achieved since taking over in June 2021.

"We had a very stable run. I would give it 50-50. We broke even.

"There are a lot of issues we have to deal with. Football, like a lot of other things in the country, is not positive, because the negative outweighs the positive.

"I'm happy we've been able to stabilise the team. We've been able to bring in young players and try to give them the opportunity to represent the country, and although we haven't moved massively in one direction...I know it sounds small, but we moved up two spots (102nd in FIFA rankings). There are a lot of positives that we have done so far."

Looking towards the Nations League competition, Eve said his players need to match the aggression of their primarily Latin American opponents.

"They play quick, aggressive, high intensity. The Latin people have this never-say-die mentality, so that sort of aggression we would have to match, or else we will be overrun in the games."Eve said it remains a difficult balancing act introducing new players to the national programme while also needing to get results.

"Every window we play now is an international window with a competition inside there. It's difficult to expose players. It's a difficult balancing act to achieve.

"For this tournament on September 7, the locally-based players are playing until August 31. The foreign players eligible for selection are playing up until the 3rd (September). The window opens on the 4th (September). You have basically two days to prepare for the match."

Asked whether foreign-based players will continue to be given preference over their local counterparts in team selection, Eve replied, "I hate that term about 'foreign' and 'local' – they are all Trinidadians.

"I think it's only about four of our players weren't born in Trinidad. Most of the players, Kevin Molino, Joevin Jones, they learned their football here, they never left here until they were about 21 years old. Unlike what Curacao and Jamaica are doing, we actually have home-grown players who are playing abroad."

Eve has been criticised for omitting top local-based players like forward Nathaniel James (TTPFL top scorer), attacker Reon Moore and defender Justin Garcia from the Gold Cup squad, but he insisted that the best team on paper was selected.

"When we went out, nobody said we picked foreign over local. They thought that was the best team we could have selected on paper.

"I've told the 60 players in the pool, we have to use competition matches to expose players and evolve the team. As we go along we may pull players out and change players in."

On the introduction of a TTFA technical advisory panel, Eve said he welcomed the decision.

"Angus Eve and my staff alone cannot qualify for any tournament. We need government, corporate, technical committee. I welcome it. I welcome going in front a panel and explaining why we did this or didn't do that.

"Accountability is always necessary. Sometimes in these committees you might hear something you don't want to hear, but it might build you going forward. I welcome it because it's a support mechanism."

Eve said he will be keeping a keen eye on the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, which Defence Force and AC Port of Spain are competing in, before he names his 23-man squad for the Nations League opener.

The post Angus Eve: I never stopped working appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

MANY youths around the world dream of playing football professionally.

Whether it is the English Premier League, La Liga in Spain or Serie A in Italy, a professional career in football is the goal.

After two years lost owing to the covid19 pandemic, local footballers breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced that the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) would kick off on March 10. The league, which replaced the Pro League, is the top tier of football in TT, with the expectation that it would help produce the next crop of national footballers.

The Government has pledged its financial support to the league and FIFA has also invested in it.

The Ministry of Sport and Community Development has committed $3 million per year to the league for the first three years.

FIFA is assisting to the tune of US$300,000 and $400,000 per year.

Matches are being broadcast live on Sportsmax and streamed live on the FIFA+ app.

However, several coaches and players have lamented that the money is not enough to run an entire league with each squad, including staff, comprising approximately 30 members.

Some teams have been struggling to run their programmes since the league kicked off. The allocation allows for $50,000 to be spread across each team per month, which includes paying up to approximately 25 players and five technical staff members.

One coach in the TTPFL said he can only afford to pay some of his players a stipend between $1,200 and $1,500 per month. Additionally, he said players are paid a small match fee of $250 for starters.

Grateful to return to action

A player, who wished to stay anonymous, said footballers are grateful to be back on the field again.

The midfielder (player X) said, “For some people, football is all we have. For it starting, it is a plus. It is motivation again to the dream. It have some youths who want to go further like myself. It is a good thing that we have football back again in Trinidad again. For a country who had high standards in football, we not supposed to be where we at right now. Having the league back again is a plus.”

TT are currently ranked 104th in the world in the FIFA men's rankings.

[caption id="attachment_1017129" align="alignnone" width="710"] Kadeem Hutchinson of Police FC controls the ball from an agresssive Joshua Alexander of Caledonia FC, during their premier league match at the Arima Velodrome on April 19. -[/caption]

Another player (Y) said, “It is a very good feeling to be outside…playing week in and week out because we went nearly two years without football.”

Player Y, 20, recently left school and is solely counting on football to survive.

He has dreams of making it to the pinnacle of the sport.

“I want to make it a career, reach as far as possible…I really enjoy the sport. I see it as a lifestyle more than anything else. The quality of the league not bad, the football playing good. At the end of the day, if you are a footballer in the country your goal should really be to go outside and play…play in bigger leagues.”

Talent lost because of low pay

Player Y said a generation is being lost as a number of talented players are choosing other jobs over football.

“It have some players, youths just like me, say they not playing in the league because it not really making sense. They not making any money.

“According to where you living in the country you might have to go a certain distance to reach training and it costing (a lot) – and is talented players, they could play. If we continue like this we will lose players we did not even know we had,” he said.

He said some players play minor-league football and work other jobs to supplement their income.

Player X said football should be seen as a profession just like any other job.

“We will never reach anywhere if we don’t fix it. A footballer should be a footballer; somebody who working in the government should work in the government; if you working corporation, you working corporation, or whatever it is. It not supposed to be going to train hard and still have to look for a next job.”

Player X said footballers need some level of security to play to their full potential.

"Men will do it half-hearted. Football will not be their number-one priority. I would always bring up Jamaica. In Jamaica, football is their number-one priority. So who is we?

"We could never reach (if we continue like this)…Our football still stagnant. We have a lot of talented youths in Trinidad here, (but) I don’t know what we studying in TT. We supposed to be studying World Cup 2026. We have to get it right. We are not going to reach nowhere.”

Running a club on shoe-string budget

There is a huge disparity in players' salaries around the league, with some earning around $12,000 at a top club.

At another club, Newsday understands that national players earn at least $7,000.

One coach at a struggling club spoke to Newsday about the difficulty in running a professional club on a shoe-string budget.

[caption id="attachment_1017127" align="alignnone" width="871"] Ataulla Guerra of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers is out jumped for the ball by Jelnai Peters of San Juan Jabloteh, during their premier league match at the Larry Gomes Stadium on April 19.
PHOTO:ANGELO MARCELLE -[/caption]

“It has been very tough,” he said.

He said transportation costs between $2,000 to $2,500 on matchdays.

He said it is a challenge finding players willing to accept the monthly stipend of $1,200 to $1,500, and this would have an effect on the team's performance.

“You don’t have to be good. You just have to willing to play for that. They don’t have to be good any more…we try to work with them.”

For most of his players, football is their only source of income.

“I have plenty youths (on my team) who not working. 75 per cent of my team not working. I have about four or five big players…maybe they might be 26, but they working.”

He said acquiring sponsors is very difficult and lamented that gate receipts are taken by the league.

Player X said another burden footballers bear is the cost of gears

“$1,200 is a football boots. Yes, it might have some players who getting $1,200 (a month). I don’t think for a country who have money we should be going through these things.”

Player Y said footballers often buy their own boots, but the club will offer to help if needed.

With rising crime a concern for society, player X said sport is the solution.

“Football takes away crime; football brings love back. We have to do a little better when it comes to that because as I said, this is where their bread and butter is. A rent is $2,000 so they still have to go out there and work.”

More interest is needed according to player Y, to earn revenue. “More fans have to come out. The ministry has to put out more money for the clubs and help them out because what they giving is not really enough to sustain a club.”

League trying to earn revenue

A source who works with the league said work is being done to increase revenue and support.

It was announced on the league’s Facebook page recently that two sponsors came on board.

Blue Waters and Sunshine Snacks are now partners for the tier one season and the league is hopeful they will have more sponsors by the time the knock-out phase kicks off in June.

The source is optimistic that the league can only improve in the future as sponsors will be more willing to come forward as the league becomes established.

The source said clubs do benefit from the gate receipts as once venue expenses are covered, the league and the home team split the remainder. The source did not indicate whether it was a 50-50 split.

Some clubs have been proactive in raising funds by setting up concession stands and selling merchandise at matches.

At games, some fans can be seen wearing team jerseys and numbers of their favourite players.

There are also half-time give-aways and fun activities for fans to promote fan engagement.

Football remains arguably the most popular sport in the country but its professional league is still in a development stage with many challenges still to iron out.

The post The haves and have nots in TT Premier Football League appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

CHAIRMAN of Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) Noel Garcia is hopeful that the renovation being done on the Hasely Crawford Stadium can extend the life of the facility for decades.

Hasely Crawford Stadium was closed a few weeks ago to start repairs for the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, which will be hosted in TT from August 4 to 11.

The events include netball (Fast5), rugby sevens, athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, swimming and triathlon.

Athletics was initially scheduled to be held at Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago. However, the local organising committee decided to switch athletics to Hasely Crawford Stadium because it has more capacity and it is more accessible as it is located in the capital of Trinidad.

Asked for an update on the readiness of the venues for the games, Ministry of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe said things are moving along “quite nicely.”

She was speaking after a courtesy call for the national Under-16 netball team at City Hall in Port of Spain on Wednesday.

In an interview with Newsday on Thursday, Garcia confirmed that the renovations will be completed in June.

“The contractors are working assiduously,” Garcia said. “They are confident that we will finish in June. The games are in August, so it gives us almost two months (breathing room) before the actual games. So far we are on track.”

Giving details on the work, Garcia said, “We are doing new seating. I am told the mass lighting (is being fixed), we have to redo it…we are doing significant repairs to the track to bring it up to international standards for the games.”

Garcia said the plumbing and escalators are among the other amenities being renovated.

He is hoping when the repairs are complete the Hasely Crawford Stadium can be considered a top-class facility for decades to come.

“I hope that when it is done it will extend the life of the stadium for another 30, 40 years because the stadium is over 40 years old. To build a new stadium it will cost probably $1 billion-plus so this work we hope will extend the life of the stadium for another 30 to 40 years.”

Giving the details of what the renovations will cost, Garcia said, “It is approximately $70 million.” There may be other miscellaneous costs said Garcia.

The Hasely Crawford Stadium opened 41 years ago in 1982. It was initially named The National Stadium, but in 1996 it was renamed the Hasely Crawford Stadium after TT’s first Olympic gold medallist.

The stadium has hosted multiple regional and international events including matches in the 2001 FIFA Under-17 boys World Cup and the 2010 FIFA Under-17 girls World Cup.

The post Noel Garcia hopes repairs can extend life of Hasely Crawford Stadium appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

FORMER Soca Warrior Anton Wolfe is encouraging footballers in the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) to go the extra mile by taking personal interest in their game and not depend solely on their coaches.

Wolfe was part of the TT squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He had stints abroad in the US and India and played for multiple clubs locally including North East Stars, San Juan Jabloteh and Ma Pau.

At the launch of the Republic Cup National Youth Football League on Tuesday, Wolfe said personal responsibility is pivotal in an athlete’s development.

“I think (some) of the young players don’t do extra work. I am against that. I played abroad, I played locally and nothing never changed with me. I love to see a player doing extra. Extra doesn’t mean on the training day. Extra means after the session– what are you doing as a player to develop your skills?”

Wolfe used the example of running on your own at a savannah or going to the gym.

“Dwight Yorke gave us a little history about (David) Beckham. After training, Beckham used to be hitting 100 balls in free kicks because he wanted to perfect (it)…when we watching them on TV and saying they are good, it's not what they doing on that day – it's what they doing before.”

[caption id="attachment_1003753" align="alignnone" width="1017"] Former national footballer Anthony Wolfe, at the launch of the Republic Cup National Youth Football League, at the Republic Bank Sports Club, Barataria on Tuesday. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption]

Beckham, a former Manchester United and England international, was prolific in taking free kicks. Yorke, who captained TT at the 2006 World Cup, was Beckham’s team-mate at Manchester United in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Wolfe urged the TTPFL players to trust in God. “Only you could help you, with the help of God. I will always mention God in anything that I do because without Him nothing will be fruitful. With Him what seems impossible will be possible.”

Wolfe is elated that local footballers can play regularly again. “I am very happy for the Premier League that is about to kick off…in terms of players looking forward to playing football, earning a living that could put bread on the table for their family. I think it is a plus. We had a rough two to three years due to the pandemic.”

He said the TTPFL, which kicks off on March 10, will benefit national teams. “This will also be great for our national teams because you will have players playing week in, week out, training almost everyday. Now you can at least get a good core of local players that could go and represent our country when they are called upon.

"For me, it is a great plus for all the organisations who are part of this to see this being successful and I hope it is fruitful at the end of the day.”

The TTPFL will feature tier one and tier two. The league for tier-two teams will start at the end of April.

The post Wolfe: Young footballers not doing anything extra appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

THE EDITOR: Political Santa Claus is holding on to his gifts until general election 2025. Presents, like easy money, will never spoil. And who are the political children in line? The usual incumbent PNM? The sitting opposition UNC? More political parties?

I am not naming names but the entire country is watching to see if the waste-of-space third political parties can hope to get big boxed presents in 2025.

Let us all face the truth. The over-the-top murders are now being used as political cannon fodder.

Like I said, no name-calling. But we have two trade union leaders, both no strangers to TT social media. The younger of the two is slicing and dicing up political Tobago. The elder union fellow is still ambulance-chasing every political story – from the closure of Petrotrin to the unfortunate accidental deaths of four citizens in a pipeline last February.

Then we have two former holders of important political posts in the UNC with their own parties. One fellow was high in the ambassadorial category and the other in security. The latter appears convinced that he is solid A-plus material regarding policing the nation. Some citizens love him big time and the others feel he may have talked himself into a political corner lined with guns.

TT political Santa is very aware that anything the sitting Prime Minister or the Minister of National Security might say can be regurgitated to suit whichever earphones one might carry. Love and hate carry the same number of letters.

And, anyway, prime minister and national security positions come with engraved notices reading – if you cannot take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

May all citizens remain cheerful this post-covid19 Christmas. Carnival is almost sold out and all bars and restaurants made serious money during the FIFA World Cup.

The political presents will be given out in 2025, not before. So do not bother to ask.

Merry Christmas to all citizens. A Happy New Year is predicted in the cards.

LYNETTE JOSEPH

Diego Martin

The post No gifts yet from political Santa appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

THE EDITOR: It is quite normal for political opponents to lambast each other on social media in TT. But to compare TT to Qatar is unbelievably amusing.

Qatar has 2.4 plus million citizens with 80 per cent of them living in Doha. Qatar has the fourth highest GDP in the world because the country has enormous oil wealth. It is an Islamic state controlled by Sharia law.

In other words, just forget about being Trini to the bone and getting drunk and misbehaving and saying anything that you want. You would be considered farse and dangerously out of place. Lashes upon lashes for disobeying the rules. And if you disappear into prison, you look for that.

Pleased be educated that Qatar is regarded by academics and non-governmental organisations as generally poor regarding restrictions to civil liberties such as freedom of association and the press. Thousands of immigrant workers are treated like slaves and severely punished if and when they break strict Qatari rules.

I saw a report that over 500 migrant workers lost their lives in the construction of those breathtakingly beautiful football stadiums.

I certainly would have gone to Qatar for the World Cup had I been wealthy enough. I would show respect for their religion, their traditions and their rules and still enjoy myself like the millions of visitors.

But I would not in my wildest dreams expect to compare such a wealthy nation to TT. It is therefore a lot of nonsense talk when one hears members of the public comparing TT to Qatar.

It is only in TT that any opposition party at all can trade in blatantly fake news about the Prime Minister and other members of the government via our strong social media.

We are allowed to lie through our teeth and some less educated citizens would believe each fake story. Freedom of expression is what we enjoy and we are allowed to apologise if we overdo with the Ananci stories.

It is only in TT that a sitting opposition can parade as a bunch of angels without wings.

Please letter writer WKS Hosein ("Lessons to be learnt from Qatar World Cup," December 9) and readers of our daily newspapers, check Wikipedia for pertinent information on Qatar.

Admittedly nice for the FIFA World Cup and a grand holiday but I would be completely stressed out to live in Qatar. We cannot sing God bless our nation if we are headless because of religious and social disrespect.

LYNETTE JOSEPH

Diego Martin

The post Absolutely amusing to compare Trinidad and Tobago to Qatar appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

KENWYNE JONES, coach of the Trinidad and Tobago women’s football team, has named a squad of 23 for a pair of Group F Concacaf Women’s World Cup qualifiers (also called Concacaf W Championship) – away to Turks and Caicos on April 9 and at home to Guyana at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet on April 12.

In their previous Group F qualifiers, TT defeated Nicaragua 2-1 on February 17 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo and followed up with a 2-0 triumph over Dominica at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonora, Guyana.

From the roster of 23 which Jones named for the February matches, Chelsi Jadoo, Alliyah Trim and Shadi Stoute have been called up, at the expense of fellow defenders Abishai Guy and Meyah Romeo; while midfielder Sarah De Gannes replaced Kaydeen Jack.

TT are currently second in Group F with six points on a plus-3 goal difference behind Guyana on six points on a plus-11 goal difference. Guyana host Nicaragua on April 8. A total of six teams in the qualifying competition will advance to the final tournament, joining Canada and the United States, who received byes as the top ranked teams.

The 2022 Concacaf W Championship serves as the Concacaf qualifiers to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, as well as for the football tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics in France.

The two third-place teams will advance to a FIFA Intercontinental Playoff.

The semifinals, final and third-place match of the Concacaf W Championship will be played in a single elimination format, with the winners of the tournament qualifying for both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, to be held in 2024.

The Concacaf W Championship runners-up and third-place team will also square off in a Concacaf Olympic play-in series, scheduled for September 2023. The winners of the play-in will also qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.

Team –

GOALKEEPERS: Kimika Forbes, Tenesha Palmer, Klil Keshwar.

DEFENDERS: Rhea Belgrave, Liana Hinds, Victoria Swift, Chelsi Jadoo, Shaunalee Govia, Shadi Cecily Stoute, Lauryn Hutchinson, Alliyah Trim.

MIDFIELDERS: Shani Nakhid-Schuster, Amaya Ellis, Asha James, Chelcy Ralph, Karyn Forbes, Kedie Johnson, Sarah De Gannes.

STRIKERS: Maya Matouk, Maria-Frances Serrant, Raenah Campbell, Dennecia Prince, Cayla Mc Farlane.

The post Jones names 23-member Women's Warriors squad appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

TRINIDAD AND Tobago men's football team players found it difficult to breathe at the high-altitude Estadio Olimpico Patria in Sucre against hosts Bolivia on Friday, plus a number of players suffered from lack of match fitness from almost two years of inactivity on the domestic circuit.

These two elements, coach Angus Eve said, were key in TT’s 5-0 international friendly loss to Bolivia.

So low was the air pressure for the visiting team, two oxygen tanks were provided during their training sessions, in the dressing room and along the sidelines for emergency use.

Goalkeeping coach Clayton Ince was even forced to head back to the dressing room for oxygen while doing pre-game warm-up drills with goalkeepers Marvin Phillip and Adrian Foncette.

Similarly, TT government’s continued ban on local football competitions, because of covid19, also played a key role in the squad producing a mediocre performance. The unavailability of local competitive football is directly hampering the national team’s performance, Eve said.

“It was difficult to execute the game plan. We had a full data analyst of what Bolivia has done in the last three matches, the way they attack. We prepared for that. What we did not prepare for was players losing oxygen as much as (they did), and as fast as they were,” he said.

When asked if the prohibition of domestic competition, since March 2020, is having a trickle-down effect on individual player performance, particularly locally-based players, Eve said the continued ban is having a “massive” effect on the team.

“A national team is not a club team and is not supposed to train week-in, week-out to get players fit, and probably have a match once every month, which is when usually the (international) windows are.

“You’re supposed to have competitive club football playing so the guys can get and build their match fitness there and then you select them based on what you see them do in those environments.

“We have to go on recollection of players and what players would have done two year ago (for team selection),” Eve added.

Eve, who is TT’s most capped player (117 internationals), said it was “unfortunate” that provisions were made to host some ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup matches here, while several local sportsmen and women remain inactive.

[caption id="attachment_935833" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Trinidad and Tobago men's team coach Angus Eve reacts during the friendly football international between Trinidad and Tobago and Bolivia in Sucre, Bolivia on Friday. PHOTO COURTESY TTFA. -[/caption]

He said the stadium in Bolivia was filled to capacity for Friday’s match and fans “followed the normal protocols that anywhere else in the world is following”.

“We (TT) seem to be the only society (that) does not want football and contact sport to be played. It’s affecting the society at large. We recently had Under-20 trials and parents were sending out their Under-13 children; that’s how desperate parents were to get their kids back playing.

“We have school going on with the same kids, same age group, some vaccinated and some not. So with development of sport, we need the kids to be back on the pitch playing competitive matches and we as coaches go out and look for them.

“I could never replicate a match environment in a training session. Training is more predictable whereas in a match, you have to solve problems and these kids haven’t been solving problems for the past two years,” Eve said.

On his team’s performance, Eve was generally disappointed. He was without the likes of several top players, because the match was held outside of FIFA’s official international window, and opted to give some inexperienced players a chance to compete at the senior level.

“We wanted to give young players the opportunity to play but at the end of the day we wanted to give a better performance of ourselves. It’s well documented that the altitude gave us a lot of issues. But from the result standpoint we weren’t happy with that.

“We are a work-in progress. This is a different group of players. We invited a lot of young players into this group to get an opportunity. For the most part, they have pitted themselves well in a very difficult environment.

“But the guys went out and gave their best. I know that people are watching the five (goals) and I’m really disappointed for the guys and the country, 5-0 is always 5-0, but it’s really difficult for the guys out there,” he said.

The national coach however, praised the hospitality and professionalism shown to the team by the Bolivian Football Federation, which according to him, is “chalk and cheese” to what the team receives in TT.

He said pandemic challenges partnered with the TT Football Association’s inability to sustain and run itself with transparency, makes the local football situation an uphill climb for players, staff and administrators.

“Nobody knew covid19 would have been around and the TTFA would have been in such turmoil for the last couple of years. I thought when the new association came in that things would have been a lot smoother, but it seems it has gotten worse as times has gone by.

“Not just the football association, but also as a whole. Our nation seems not really interested in sport unless a result is achieved,” he closed.

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BY BRYAN DAVIS

THE enormous pressure brought to bear on this planet of ours over the past almost two years has affected all facets of life.

Consequently, all sports, including cricket, are struggling for survival. The governance of various cricket administrations worldwide is finding great difficulty to host teams, hence, to reciprocate visits. Tours are being cancelled while players are experiencing extreme challenges in adjusting to lockdowns and quarantines. The quality of play has been affected because of this unwelcome intruder in our lives.

No one is spared, all nations are affected.

Hence, in times like these, we must be kind when we try to understand just what the officials that run the cricket boards have to endure. However, as the old saying articulates, “the show must go on.” In other words, it would not be wise for one to throw in the towel and hope for better times to continue.

There are so many factors to consider, like the form of the current cricketers, the development of future players, the maintaining of interest in the sport, plus the vital economic welfare of professional players, staff, and all those connected to the sport financially.

Of course, it is not as if it’s only cricket when the biggest and richest global sport, football, has the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, trying to convince hesitant nations to hold the World Cup, the biggest tournament in sport, every two years instead of four, because of financial considerations.

Just imagine a multi-billion-dollar world sport like football, trying to change a century of football tradition, to ensure they don’t experience any serious dip in monetary fortunes. American sports, although not scrambling to survive, yet are feeling the pinch because of economic factors affecting that country as well. Thus, a poor cousin like the sport of cricket could be in danger.

That is so, as cricket depends on the exchange of tours between countries for financial fluidity. Hence, it costs a fair penny to keep flying to touring destinations and staying at the best hotels. And, with crowds being sifted for health reasons between vaccinated and the unvaccinated, there is a lot more pressure brought to bear on a game of cricket.

When the highest form of the game is given five days for one team to prove its superiority over another, one has to understand how the expenses multiply. This is the reason why there are more white-ball competitions currently, especially of the T20 variety. This is to please those who don’t have the necessary time to spare to watch an entire Test match. However, it was never done in the past anyway. Most aficionados would view the first three days of a Test, then decide if it’s interesting enough to look at the final two days. Of course, not all Test matches go five days but are completed in three or four days.

The creation of revenue in cricket relies heavily on sponsorship, especially in WI. However, sponsors are interested in winning teams and their popularity. To ensure successful teams, the quality of cricket has to be of a high standard. This feature is horribly lacking in WI sides. One cannot fault commercial entities for withholding funds if they’re not getting their money’s worth.

Therefore, it comes right back down to winning. The problem with cricket is that it is unlike most sports in its essence. The cricketer, by and large, wants to play Test cricket because he knows this is the true test of a cricketer. He understands the reason for cricket of the limited-overs type coming into existence to build up funds which are always badly in need by cricket organisations, to maintain the game and to ensure proper development for the future.

It was apparent from the late 50s that county cricket in England, the only professional circuit worldwide at the time, was dying, which gave birth to the idea of introducing a limited number of overs with first-class cricket teams of one inning only and to witness the reaction.

The result was spectacular. In 1963, the counties established a 60 overs per side game on a knockout basis for all seventeen counties. It was a huge success. Large crowds attended, allowing money to be made at every venue, especially attracting fans who never followed cricket before.

Nonetheless, in the WI, domestic cricket is not a money-spinner, therefore WI teams depend on tours to the region to earn.

The post West Indies cricket struggles to survive appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

THE TT Football Association (TTFA), as well as Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football), have both condemned verbal attacks on the TT men’s team during and after Saturday’s goalless draw against Mexico in the opening match of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup.

It was played at the AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.

Referee Ricardo Montero stopped play in the 86th minute, as well as the sixth minute of second-half injury time (90th plus six) because of chants from the Mexican fans about the TT team.

The TTFA, in a post on its Facebook page, wrote, “(We) strongly condemn the discriminatory actions, racist comments and threatening messages directed at our players, staff, supporters and country following (Saturday’s game).”

The local governing body for football said it was working with Concacaf to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the team.

“These actions are rooted in division, so it is paramount that we unite to stamp them out.”

Concacaf, in a Twitter post, said, “Some of the comments in response to this post (the starting line-ups for both TT and Mexico on Twitter) are disgraceful. We stand with the

TTFA in condemning them. Racism has no place in our game or in society and social media companies must do more to regulate this on their platforms.”

TT coach Angus Eve, during the post-game media conference, said, “We need to stamp these behaviours out of sport.”

He said the TT team should have been awarded full points.

In June, Mexico were ordered by the world’s governing body FIFA to play their first two home matches, in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Concacaf Qualifiers, behind closed doors – against Jamaica (September 2) and Canada (October 7). The Mexican federation were also fined US$73,000 after fans used a hom*ophobic chant during a pre-Olympic tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico earlier this year.

The post TTFA, Concacaf condemn racist attacks on TT team appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

NATIONAL defenders Noah Powder and Mekeil Williams have been cleared by Concacaf to join the men’s senior team in Texas as immediate replacements for skipper Khaleem Hyland and attacking midfielder Judah Garcia, who have been indefinitely ruled out of TT’s Gold Cup campaign owing to injury.

Williams and Powder, who both reside in the US, were called to national duty on Friday after Hyland and Garcia were confirmed to take no further part in the tournament. The pair was subbed off with leg muscle injuries during TT’s final Gold Cup qualifier match against French Guiana on Tuesday.

Hyland’s absence for the rest of the tournament sees striker Kevin Molino step up to captain the squad for the remainder of the competition.

TT begin their Gold Cup group stage campaign on Saturday against defending champions Mexico at the AT&T Stadium, Arlington, from 10.30pm. Also in Group A are El Salvador and Curacao.

“We got the notification that Judah Garcia and Khaleem Hyland would not be available to us anymore and we now have Noah Powder and Mikheil Williams will be replacing them as of today,” said head coach Angus Eve at the pre-match press conference.

On Friday, Eve and his staff worked alongside Concacaf’s medical department to ensure the players were cleared to arrive in Texas before Saturday’s opening match. He said both Powder and Williams have already been vaccinated for covid19 and also conducted their mandatory PCR tests on Friday.

These steps, Eve said, guarantees the players would be able to arrive in time and immediately join the team for the Mexico clash. Against the Concacaf behemoths, Eve is well aware of their many strengths but believes the Soca Warriors can dig deep to eke out a positive result.

“We want to go and express ourselves as much as possible and see if we can get among them and hopefully cause some sort of upset; that’s the only thing that we can do.

“The guys really fought in the qualifiers. We have the same mentality and spirit going into this game. We have to be more creative in the way that we play. We believe our main battle is against El Salvador and Curacao, whatever we do against Mexico will be a bonus,” Eve added. Eve was appointed national coach in June after then-coach Terry Fenwick was sacked for the squad’s first-round exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Prior to the World Cup qualifiers, TT played two additional matches – Eve’s first at the helm – against Montserrat and French Guiana leading up to the Gold Cup qualification. Although successful, Eve believes their opponents are now equipped with ample video footage of their recent matches to study their style of play.

He added, “We would have to tweak some stuff. These (opposing) teams are well-rested. We will have to tweak things tactically. They would have seen us play a couple of matches. They would have been scouting what we’ve been doing.

Eve continued, “We brought a surplus of defensive players because we may have to tweak the formation. We picked players who could play multiple positions. We had two major injuries in the last game which caused the rhythm of the game to be upset. “Bringing the yellow cards over is a bit unfair. Technically we are the weaker teams who are coming forward. We’re not crying about that.”

He said the senior team was in a “rebuilding stage” and aiming at re-establishing itself as formidable opponents in the region.

The former national player was pleased to be back in the Gold Cup competition and believes the Mexico test will serve as a good measurement to see where the team is currently at competing against a top-ranked team.

According to the FIFA Rankings, Mexico is presently ranked an impressive 11th in the world while TT is 103rd. At the Concacaf level, Mexico are atop the standings with the USA trailing closely behind while TT are 11th. Amid the statistics, Eve said they must go into the game with a positive mindset.

He added, “We have the mindset of a lion. If we have that lion mentality that we displayed in our games so far; our spirit, team camaraderie, that willingness to fight for each other is what we’re going to need for this stage.”

The post Noah Powder, Mekheil Williams called up as Hyland, Garcia out of Gold Cup for Trinidad and Tobago appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

AFTER a discouraging exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and over a decade of professional football in the eastern hemisphere, national senior men’s team captain Khadeem Hyland remains uncertain about his footballing future.

Hyland scored one goal and assisted another in TT’s 2-0 consolation victory over St Kitts and Nevis on Tuesday. The welcomed result, however, was too little too late as the Soca Warriors crashed out their Qatar campaign following a scoreless result against the Bahamas three days prior.

Looking ahead, the Terry Fenwick-coached outfit begins its 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup campaign against Montserrat with a preliminary round match, on July 2 at the DRV PNK Stadium in Florida.

The winner of this match will play the winner of the Cuba versus French Guiana fixture on July 6, for a chance to join Mexico, Curacao and El Salvador in Group A.

At the post-match press conference on Tuesday, the 32-year-old was asked about his commitment to the TT squad heading into the Gold Cup qualifiers.

“Right about now it’s a very different decision for me to make. I have been away from my family a long time. Since 2007, I have been playing with the senior team and I’ve been missing a lot of my vacation. This month will be a big decision.

“I’m just planning to go back home, spend time with my family and then I’ll see where I will take it from there. It’s a difficult situation for me right now,” he said.

Hyland has scored five goals in his 92 country appearances. He is a former San Juan Jabloteh player. In 2007, the midfielder went on trial with Scottish club Celtic but was unable to do so and joined Belgian pro club Zulte Waregem in 2009.

Two years later, he transferred to another Belgian pro team, Genk, and won the Belgian Cup in his second year. He then joined Saudi club Al-Faisaly, and in September 2020, he signed for another Saudi club, Al-Batin.

He was not part of TT’s 2006 World Cup team and rues the opportunity missed for a spot in next year’s tourney.

“It’s difficult for us. We wanted to top the group unfortunately we got the draw against Bahamas which put us in a hole. Tonight’s (Tuesday) victory was great for the guys. They played with confidence.

“Before we left to go to the stadium, I called the guys in a meeting to give them that confidence and encouragement that they needed. It’s a lot of young guys, a lot of them never played in a World Cup qualifier before.

“As I am the captain, I needed to encourage them and give them that belief. And they went out on the pitch and they showed it,” he added.

Hyland, however, believes a return to football on the domestic circuit will provide youngsters with increased opportunities to better their craft.

Since the pandemic hit in mid-March last year, all domestic football has been put on hold. Only players with foreign-based contracts and those seeking to break into the senior team have been allowed to train and travel to compete.

Hyland also said that several talented locally-based youngsters were not included in the national set-up and in dire need of an avenue to showcase their skills. He thinks TT has what it takes to climb back up the ranks within the Concacaf region.

“We have to encourage them (youngsters) and give them the mindset to be professionals. This has a lot to do with playing at the international level. You have to be focused 90 plus minutes.

“There’s a lot a lot of youths that need a little experience to break down teams. We need to encourage and get the confidence to give the younger ones.

“This is what TT has been lacking over the couple years I have been here. Since the 2006 World Cup finished, a lot of the players were blacklisted. But there are a lot of youngsters who did not inherit that experience from the World Cup players. And that’s why I think TT is in this hole right now,” he concluded.

The post Soca Warriors captain Khaleem Hyland uncertain for Gold Cup qualifiers appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

AFTER weeks of campaigning, aided by a host of sterling personal endorsem*nts, long-time football administrator, referee instructor and retired teacher, Merere Gonzales, has been elected president of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL).

Gonzales, who also remains SSFL East Zone chairman, secured 56 votes and a comprehensive victory during a virtual count at the SSFL's annual general meeting, on Thursday morning.

He received twice the number of votes as his two challengers, Derek West and the incumbent Phillip Fraser (28 apiece); both of whom Gonzales applauded for their contributions to schools' football in a subsequent interview with Newsday.

The post of first vice-president, the only other contested, was won by Essiel Seecharan with 64 votes to Tevon La Rose's 38 votes.

The other "national officers" to serve the 2021-2023 term are Syandene Blackman-Walsh (second vice-president), Laurence Seepersad (assistant secretary–operations), Gerald Elliot (assistant secretary/treasurer–administration) and Azaad Mohammed-Khan (general secretary/treasurer).

A number of coaches and teachers gave Gonzales solid backing throughout the campaign, describing him as "accountable" and "dependable," with many having known him for much of his 30-plus years with the SSFL, working as secretary, assistant secretary, vice-chairman and chairman.

The 60-year-old told Newsday while his extensive experience at the administrative, education, committee and officiating levels of football may have worked in his favour, it was his decision to take the campaign seriously and the support he received that sealed the win. He said, "I'm a person who says, 'if I can't do it very good or excellent, I will not do it.' So if I get into something, I will give it my very best and God will bless the rest."

Gonzales said previous SSFL presidents, like Fraser, William Wallace, Anthony Creed and others, produced "quality work," and he wanted to be ready to add value.

"These are guys I've worked with for a number of years, and it's reached the point where I said, 'listen, I feel I have what it takes,' not that I couldn't have done it before because I was being encouraged to go before but I told myself I didn't think I was ready.

"Now I feel that I am in a prime position, an advantageous position, to take take this baton with the executive, with the membership, run another leg, run a brighter leg, so that the SSFL will – the image and status of it – will be shining brightly."

Gonzales retired from teaching at Mt Hope Secondary in 2017, where he was a physical education teacher since 1988.

During his time there, he became involved in other sports, like swimming, netball, rugby, hockey, cricket and basketball. He serves basketball in the East Zone as secretary.

"The core of my involvement in sport and more specifically football," Gonzales said, "is to assist the younger ones and more so the student-athlete because as a teacher, all I would have done in my teaching profession has been for the benefit of the students."

He is undoubtedly one of the most travelled football officials in TT, having first been nominated by the local governing body's refereeing committee in 1994 as a FIFA international referee. Now he is a member of the FIFA Referee Committee for Concacaf and works both as an instructor and referee inspector.

"I got into refereeing in 1988 and two years after, I was considered for the first role as a FIFA linesman as it was then known but (that didn't materialise) because I needed to at least reach grade A, and at the point in time I was a grade B."

Gonzales said he was happy in the end because, his close friend, Douglas James, a former teacher at Malick Secondary, was appointed instead.

James, now 71, is the first official from the Caribbean to be appointed to serve at a men's World Cup, representing TT and the region at 1994 World Cup in the US, officiating as first assistant twice and second assistant referee twice in four matches.

Gonzales went on to officiate at a number of international and club football tournaments, most notably at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia and the 1998 World Cup in France. Later on, he became a Concacaf and FIFA fitness instructor from 2002 and a FIFA referee's technical instructor a year later, before serving in various capacities for World Cup tournaments at all various levels.

The new SSFL's president said regardless of the status of football and sports in general by September, he will do all he can to ensure that young footballers do not become demotivated and walk away from the sport. "We are planning for a (schools') league in September but we have to be realistic." He suggested the hosting a scaled-down version of the game, like futsal, for example.

The post Merere Gonzales elected as Secondary Schools Football League president appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

TT MEN’S football team got their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign off on a winning note when they brushed aside Guyana 3-0 on Thursday, in their Concacaf Zone Group F fixture at the Estadio Panamericano, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Levi Garcia, Sheldon Bateau and Ryan Telfer got their names on the scoresheet for TT, as they took advantage of an under-par Guyanese squad on a day and uneven surface.

With the result, TT moved to the top of the five-team standings with a superior goal-difference of plus-three, compared to St Kitts/Nevis’ plus-one. St Kitts/Nevis edged Puerto Rico 1-0 at the Estadio Panamericano on Wednesday.

Garcia, who has been in fine form for his Greek club AEK Athens, capitalised on poor defending to break the deadlock, after seven minutes.

Wing-back Aubrey David’s long ball was chased down by Garcia, on the right flank. Garcia spun between defenders Kadell Daniel and Matthew Briggs before drilling his left-footed shot past goalkeeper Akel Clarke.

The Guyanese team, coached by Brazilian Marcio Maximo, featured seven English-born players (Daniel, Briggs, fellow defenders Miquel Scarlett and Terence Vancooten, as well as midfielders Samuel Cox, Callum Harriott and Keanu Marsh-Brown) and a Canadian-born striker (Emery Welshman).

TT’s coach Terry Fenwick handed fellow English-born player, 19-year-old Daniel Phillips, his international debut and the defensive midfielder gave a mature performance, while a surprise selection between the uprights, Denmark-born Nicklas Frenderup, looked mostly assured.

Garcia had a hand in TT’s second goal. In the 15th minute, the winger swung a freekick from the right which grazed the left hip of central defender Bateau and nestled into the back of the net.

Guyana had a couple of chances to trim the deficit.

In the 23rd, Marsh-Brown intercepted a poor clearance from Phillip in the penalty box, but his deflected left-footed effort went wide. Five minutes later, Welshman got a through ball from his skipper Trayon Bobb but could only watch in agony as his right-footed drive struck the post, with only Frenderup to beat.

Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz awarded TT a penalty in the 35th when Telfer was brought down by Marsh-Brown, but Joevin Jones was thwarted three times by Clarke, a former St Ann’s Rangers, Central FC and North East Stars goalie.

Clarke dived to his right to deny Jones’ first effort, used his right hand when Jones tried to chip home the rebound, while the third try smashed off Clarke’s right leg.

Frenderup was alert to save a right-footer from midfielder Daniel Wilson, after he capitalised on a weak pass from Michel Poon-Angeron.

Guyana were made to pay for their mistakes when Telfer smashed his right-footed shot into an open net, two minutes before the half-time interval, after Clarke failed to hold a long ball from Frenderup.

Both teams made changes in the second half and the tempo was not the same. In a rare attempt on goal, TT substitute Brent Sam met a ball from Poon-Angeron but he headed straight at Clarke.

This game was played in the Dominican Republic, instead of TT, due to the government’s covid19 quarantine regulations.

TT will continue their World Cup quest on Sunday when they meet hosts Puerto Rico at Mayaquez while Guyana will remain in the Dominican Republic to face Bahamas on Tuesday, at Santo Domingo.

Teams –

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Nicklas Frenderup; Sheldon Bateau (Justin Garcia 46th), Robert Primus, Neveal Hackshaw, Aubrey David; Michel Poon Angeron, Daniel Phillips, Joevin Jones (Judah Garcia 76th), Levi Garcia (Noah Powder 68th), Khaleem Hyland (capt); Ryan Telfer (Brent Sam 76th).

GUYANA: Akel Clarke; Matthew Briggs, Terence Vancooten, Kadell Daniel, Miquel Scarlett (Bayli Spencer-Adams 64th); Daniel Wilson (Omari Glasgow 64th), Samuel Cox (Pernell Schultz 71st), Callum Harriott (Kelsey Benjamin 76th), Trayon Bobb (capt), Keanu Marsh-Brown (Jobe Caesar 64th); Emery Welshman.

The post Soca Warriors off to winning World Cup qualifying start after beating Guyana 3-0 appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

TT footballers Khaleem Hyland and Levi Garcia expect a tough clash against Guyana in the opening round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the Dominican Republic, on Thursday, from 7 pm.

One of the TT players tested positive for covid19 according to a TT Football Association media release on Wednesday, but the match is still scheduled to be played.

Hyland said, “It will be a difficult game. It is the first game in the World Cup qualifiers.”

He added, “They have a lot of players from the lower leagues in Europe and they are a team that are trying to come on the level that TT is and rub shoulders with TT and we know we have a tough clash tomorrow (Thursday).”

On the team’s strategy, Hyland said, “We don’t want to give out any tips, but we need to focus for 90 plus minutes. We need to do what we good at and have confidence and belief in ourselves and help each other to build from tomorrow’s game on towards the second game (on Sunday).”

TT will play Puerto Rico on Sunday in Puerto Rico.

Garcia is anticipating the match. “Really excited. It has been a while and I really want to deliver and most importantly try to get as many victories as possible.”

Garcia added, “There is no easy game. As a team, we are really trying to gel together, deliver what the coach (Terry Fenwick) is trying to implement and hopefully we could get it together tomorrow and get a victory.”

Coach of the Guyana football team Marcio Maximo has commended the commitment of his players heading into the contest.

In a zoom interview with journalists from Guyana, Maximo said, “We are very happy with the commitment that we see here from all members of staff and the players. Football is an unpredictable game, but when you have commitment like that day by day...it gives us more confidence.”

Guyana captain Sam Cox said, “Preparations have been really good. The boys have applied themselves fantastically during camp. It has been an intense couple of days I must admit from when we arrived on the 17th, 18th.”

Cox added, “We have hit the ground running especially those first couple days getting acclimatize to the environment. The international boys integrating with the local players was something that seemingly happened easily to be honest.

“It was like we had not left even though it has been over a year since we last played. The connection between all of us has been brilliant, so we are doing everything we can and we are all looking forward and excited for the game tomorrow.”

The post Hyland, Garcia expect tough contest against Guyana appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

GARCIA brothers Levi and Judah have been included in a 26-member TT men’s senior football squad to face Guyana in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on March 25 in Dominican Republic.

Levi, 23, who plays for AEK Athens in Greece, has more than 20 caps for the national senior team. Judah, 20, a former national junior player, has four caps for the senior team.

Levi and Judah grew up in Santa Flora and attended Shiva Boys Hindu College. Speaking to Newsday, former coach Hayden Ryan, said, “It is always a blessing for young soldiers such as Judah and Levi to be in a team…I am sure that the parents must be so happy and glad to know that they are selected.”

Former Shiva Boys manager Sheldon Maraj added, “Really proud to have them there to fly the red, white and black flag. That has been their dream when they were in Shiva Boys to represent their country.”

Maraj is anticipating the day when Levi and Judah’s brother Nathaniel,27, earns a recall to the team. Maraj also made mention of goalkeeper Denzil Smith, who also attended Shiva Boys.

The squad has several experienced players with the likes of Sheldon Bateau, Aubery David, Joevin Jones, Radanfah Abu Bakr, former captain Khaleem Hyland, Marvin Phillip and Andre Boucaud. Boucaud, who turns 37 later this year, last played for TT in 2017.

Kevin Molino and Alvin Jones are injured and therefore will not play a part in the match against Guyana.

Coach Terry Fenwick said some of the European-based players may be unavailable for TT’s second World Cup qualifier against Puerto Rico on March 28 due to covid19 travel restrictions.

Fenwick, speaking to the media before a training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Wednesday, before the squad was announced, said, “A lot of the European guys will not be able to play in Puerto Rico so obviously that is a big concern, so our administration and technical staff this afternoon will iron out and organise the numbers that we need to travel with in case we have to use more local players for the Puerto Rico game coming up only three days after the game against Guyana across the road.” Fenwick said missing some of the European-based players is a “bitter pill for us to swallow.”

Levi, Boucaud, Daniel Phillips, Bateau and Nicklas Frenderup are the five European-based players on the squad for the Guyana match.

Fenwick was glad to have a quality player like Hyland for both matches.

“He’s confirmed, he’s coming, he’s definitely there for both games so that is a big plus for us. Khaleem as you know came through the development at Jabloteh. I coached him from very early. (He is a) good solid individual, a good leader of men, the type of player that we need. He is a stand-up character, again the type of players that we need in these big games.”

On the Molino and Alvin injuries, Fenwick said, “We’ve one or two concerns on injuries at the moment. Alvin Jones (is) struggling to make the trip because of an injury he sustained against Army on Monday morning. (There is) a little doubt over Kevin Molino also (with his) hamstring.”

TT SQUAD

Adrian Foncette (goalkeeper, Police FC), Marvin Phillip (goalkeeper/free agent), Nicklas Frenderup (goalkeeper/Blink I.L), Denzil Smith (goalkeeper, W Connection),

Noah Powder (defender/Real Salt Lake FC), Leland Archer (defender, Charlston Battery), Justin Garcia (defender/Defence Force), Neveal Hackshaw (defender/Indy Eleven FC), Sheldon Bateau (defender/KV Mechelen), Aubery David (defender/Deportivo Saprissa), Radanfah Abu Bakr (defender/free agent), Robert Primus (defender/FC Bengaluru United), Joevin Jones (defender/Inter Miami CF),

Duane Muckette (midfielder/free agent), Michel Poon-Angeron (midfielder/Banfield), Andre Boucaud (midfielder, Maidstone), Daniel Phillips (midfielder/Watford FC), Judah Garcia (midfielder/Neroca Football Club), Khaleem Hyland (midfielder/Al-Batin FC/Saudi Arabia), Marcus Joseph Jr (midfielder/free agent),

Levi Garcia (forward/AEK Athens FC), Ryan Telfer (forward/Atletico Ottawa), Willis Plaza (forward/free agent), Sean Bonval (forward/Central FC), Jabari Mitchel (forward/Police FC), Brent Sam (forward/Defence Force)

Staff

Terence Fenwick (head coach), Derek King (assistant coach), Kelvin Jack (assistant/goalkeeper coach), Sion Cain (masseuse), Joseph Rooplal (physiotherapist), Akash Dhanai (doctor), Michael Williams (equipment manager), Shaun Fuentes (media officer), Clyde Thompson (logistics coordinator), Adrian Romain (team manager)

The post UPDATE: Garcia brothers to face Guyana in World Cup qualifier appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

COACH of the national men’s senior football team Terry Fenwick said discussions are being held to play Dominica, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) later this month to give his players solid preparation ahead of the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers in March.

Despite being in charge of the senior team for a year, Fenwick has not seen his players play a competitive match. The covid19 pandemic and the grappling between FIFA and the United TTFA placed TT football on the bench in 2020.

Fenwick was aiming to have three friendlies before 2020 came to an end. Those matches did not materialise, but Fenwick is hopeful his players can hit the ground running in January.

Fenwick, in an interview with Newsday, on Sunday, said, “We’ve got Dominica, St Vincent and Grenada that we’ve reached out to, to try and bring them to Trinidad in January for this local squad of players.”

TT will start its World Cup qualifying campaign on March 25 against Guyana in Group F. The group also features Puerto Rico, Bahamas and St Kitts and Nevis.

TT are currently the highest-ranked team in the group at 105th in the world. St Kitts and Nevis are ranked 139th, Guyana 166th, Puerto Rico 178th and Bahamas 195th.

“We trying to be proactive, we are trying to get out there, we are trying to make things happen…I am 45 years plus (in experience) with clubs in the UK. I know how it works, how it operates (and) I am trying to move it on.”

Fenwick is trying to put 2020 behind him and wants the players to be the focus of attention.

“I am trying to sidestep the politicking that is going on in the background that is holding things up because at the end of the day for me and my staff it is about the kids…No games in 2020, no matches, no nothing – it is depressing.

“If we can change that around and have a real positive start to the new year, that is how we've got to lead ourselves into World Cup qualification games.”

Fenwick said the friendly matches can only become a reality with support.

“We of course need the support of the normalisation committee and (committee chairman) Mr (Robert) Hadad. We want Government’s support because this is the biggest sport on the planet. We’ve got loads of players that are Trinidadian playing around the world and more than anything I want the people of TT that love their football, that support their (English) Premier League teams or whoever they support, to come out and support their national teams.”

Fenwick is concerned that TT is now ranked 105th in the world, saying, “We’ve got to fix that.”

He stressed that preparation is crucial. “We need time, which we have not got, but we need financing to make sure we give the players the best possible opportunity getting through the qualification games.”

Approximately 15 players were working alongside physical therapist/physical trainer Oswin Birchwood and strength and conditioning coach Gregory Seale at the St James Police Barracks, on Sunday. Seale was accompanied by his team of specialists.

The players were going through a series of tests which allowed the trainers to evaluate strength, balance, flexibility and power.

The players were involved in a yoyo test and an arrow test. An arrow test evaluates speed and agility. A yoyo test is a maximal aerobic endurance fitness test. It involves running between markers placed 20 metres apart at increasing speeds.

The post Fenwick eyes Dominica, Grenada, SVG for friendlies appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

kmmpub@gmail.com

Mandela Patrick is terrifying. This south Trinidad born and raised software engineer has been working on transformative artificial intelligence research. But in the wrong hands, his work could help usher in a new age of totalitarian surveillance.

He told me that he worries about the extent to which his identity is tied up in his institutional credentials, so I’ll go ahead and fuel that worry by rattling them off: degrees from Harvard and Oxford, internships at Goldman Sachs, Facebook and Instagram, a stint on the TT national squash team, junior calypso monarch and research at Oxford and consulting for Facebook and Mosaic Ventures, to name a few.

Why don’t we start with your upbringing in TT?

I grew up in a household that always sort of, let’s say, uh well rounded. My dad and my siblings were multi-talented, from music and sport.

I grew up singing calypso. My dad (Raymond Patrick, known as Patches) is a big calypsonian himself. I’ve always been interested in how to make a positive impact on people’s lives at scale and I think music is one of the biggest ways that can do that. Calypso can articulate the grievances, the concerns, and the strife of the common man.

Calypso was my first introduction to problem solving – being able to talk about people’s problems.

But there was also an entrepreneurial side of it.

When I was growing up, I didn’t have as much disposable income without asking my parents so I would force my brother to play piano or Christmas carols and sell to the neighbours!

Child labour! So, Mandela, would you say you have a strain of activism in you?

Activism has a very specific image; that word itself has a certain image that I wouldn’t describe myself with. I’ve been given the name Mandela so there’s a certain awareness of the need to fight for people. I want to help people at scale.

I don’t know if there was any particular moment, or experience that gave me my drive, but I’ve always been fascinated with this idea of legacy, so impact that outlives you. His (Nelson Mandela’s) legacy outlived him. So, I always had that some sort of subconscious sense.

I can imagine – what if I was named Gandhi! So how did you become interested in technology as a vehicle for change?

[caption id="attachment_859810" align="alignnone" width="768"] TT-born software engineer Mandela Patrick. -[/caption]

As I was growing up, new technologies were making a massive difference in my life and that’s when I first got a sense of how I could actually do that.

I was watching this show Jimmy Neutron, this cartoon character with a big head who was making computer games for other characters in the school.

I begged my dad to order this book (on computer gaming). It took about a month for it arrive. I remember being so impatient. I was about nine or ten.

I’ve always been sort of interested in mediums that connect with people, whether it’s sports or music people connect with that. When you think of people in sports, people worship these stars.

Games are a powerful medium to connect with people. When you think of mediums like Twitch (a video game live streaming platform) or Fortnite (a video game), in which (musician) Travis Scott was able to attract 45 million viewers for a live virtual concert.

Games for me – I used to play a lot of FIFA (a football game) growing up. Games, like music are an escape from the mundane. I started thinking, how can I help my friends enjoy a few minutes of escape?

I came up with a couple; it probably wasn’t that novel or new. I came up with this game that combined football with bowling. You kicked the football into pins.

Sport was a big part of your life from early on, right?

I was pretty set on potentially going to the US and to play squash on the highest level. A lot of Caribbean players have made a name for themselves.

My brother and my dad played squash; all good fun. But Harvard was the number one ranked college squash team; they trained more seriously.

You seem to have sailed through quite a lot. How did you maintain motivation without having gone through “the struggle”?

I was used to being the best in everything: I topped A-levels, Caribbean squash champion. And then going into Harvard I just wasn’t. As a walk-on, I was hovering around nine or ten. All of the best players from all of the top Squash teams were on there. I’m struggling to stay on court with these guys. Going from being the big fish in a small pond to not being that anymore.

I do still worry though about not fully being able to achieve my potential or fully take advantage of opportunities that I’ve had. I sometimes think, who are you without these institutions that you are part of?

Tell me about your most recent work on artificial intelligence.

As human beings we have a semantic understanding of the visual world. Even from pretty young, children can associate the word apple with the shape and texture of what an apple looks and feels like. We understand what a tree is. We learn how to map contexts to visual elements easily. Traditionally, how a lot of AI systems learnt is from a lot of direct or manual supervision. You tell them this picture is a cat or a dog. That is manual supervision. The problem with that is that you then get this bottleneck: these AI systems need more data, and you can’t label enough data for the model to be able to understand more.

What we’re looking at is how to predict the semantic concept in one modality from another: so as soon as you hear a “meow” you associate it with a cat. We do this by feeding the systems with data, so they learn an abstraction of which visual elements match others.

How can this be applied?

With regards to (social media) platforms like TikTok, people say that it seems that like TikTok just knows me. They can now get more engaging content. A lot of these systems can also be used in surveillance or security systems and can detect crime.

Are you worried that that can be misused, whether by totalitarian governments or attention hoarding corporations?

Surveillance is a double-edged sword. With any sort of technology, it can be broadly misused, but I think fundamentally the purest application of it is fundamentally positive for the world: you seeing more content that you find interesting. People take for granted just how valuable recommendation systems are, for example in connecting them to knowledge or content.

What applications do you see having an immediate impact?

For me, the most exciting application about these technologies is what you’re seeing in education, where sort of being able to make educational video content, and also being able to give that content in different languages is now much easier. They do a combination of machine translation plus dubbing, talking to you in Spanish for example, making education more accessible.

How do you make online content engaging, interesting and accessible to the large portion of the world who do not speak English?

You’re an athlete as well. What about sport?

The applications are endless; it is an exciting time. One of my former colleagues on the Harvard team had one of these wearables called Whoop. It tells you for example did you recover well after your workout, are you in an optimal state to train today?

What problems would you look at if you were to start a company?

Entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful ways to leave your legacy. One of the problems that gets me excited is in education. Education is probably one of the most meaningful ways to accelerate change in a community and a country. Talent is sort of widely distributed, opportunity is not. Even in a local (TT) context you have these prestige schools and I’d look at using technology to break down these barriers.

On a broader sense, how can we leverage large-scale data from a wide variety of people and contexts to make things accessible?

What advice do you have for our readers?

Surround yourself with smart people, people smarter than you. Even in high school I started a study group to prepare for CAPE and we all got open scholarships. Three of us came top in the Caribbean. A lot of my achievements have been because of the people I’ve been fortunate to have around me.

Kiran Mathur Mohammed is a social entrepreneur, economist and businessman. He is a former banker, and a graduate of the University of Edinburgh

The post For good or ill this Trini is ushering in a new age of AI appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

Removed TT Football Association (TTFA) president William Wallace has again denied claims that the disenfranchised local football fraternity owes money to English media consultant Phil Mepham.

On Wednesday, Wallace issued a document entitled “Statement of Contract Issue” reiterating that Mepham was an external employee of TTFA’s marketing manager Peter Miller and the local administration was not responsible for his remuneration.

Wallace’s decision to release a statement on this matter follows a recent financial claim by Mepham against the TTFA.

According to article published on wired868.com, Mepham says the TTFA owes him £23,419 (TT$205,388), calculated at £6,000 per month from January to March plus £5,419 for December 2019.

Wallace, however, fired back at Mepham’s claims stating he was hired by Miller and not by the TTFA, thus the local organisation owes him nothing for services rendered.

The ousted president’s document read, “It is more than unfortunate that I am once again required to deal with this matter when both TTFA secretary Ramesh Ramdhan and I have already clearly stated that Mepham was brought on board by Peter Miller.

“As is the case with Miller, any payments for services rendered by him was directly hinged on income accruing from sponsorship and was, in any case, to be handled by Miller.” Wallace also stated that he unilaterally signed a contract with Miller and that the Mepham issue was a clear “byproduct of that”.

The former TTFA head also called out FIFA-appointed normalization committee chairman Robert Hadad on his recent remarks confirming that TTFA’s accounts had been in receipt of “FIFA monies intended for the Home of Football as well as expenditure on same”.

He added, “It is my view that the TTFA membership is the competent body to settle matters connected to the TTFA leadership and the unilateral signing of contracts etc. I stand ready to account to that body in a properly constituted forum.”

Wallace concluded by saying he would address this pledge and other matters on Thursday morning during a local televised morning programme.

The post Ex-TTFA head: TTFA does not owe Mepham appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.