THE EDITOR:
OVERSIGHT or not, I think government is right in not offering a cent to the technical staff of the national team. After all, these men were paid members of staff.

For that matter, government erred in offering cash to Coach Leo Beenhakker and his three foreign assistants, because they were more than well-paid, and with tax dollars too.

However, it is a gross insult to the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, to not only insist on awarding people for a job for which they were well paid, but to pad up that list to include the public relations/propaganda arm of TTFF, the TTFF Media.

How low must we go to embarrass the country and its leaders?

Really, now! TTFF media is paid to make news releases that keep TTFF in as positive light, even when TTFF does not practice transparency and accountability.

And they have failed to get the Sport Foundation’s Administration of the Year award for failure to submit audited financial statements for the past nine years -- the one in which includes the historic World Cup qualifying year in which millions flowed into and out of football.

Why must the country be subjected to the embarrassment of awarding such? And why Jack Warner, who has gained a thousand times every cent put in football?

Should character not be taken into account as well as achievement in giving a national award -- more so the nation’s highest award?

And is disregard for accountability and transparency not a reflection on character?

Come on, TnT; put country before partisanship.

This is not about football but about politicising the issue. Do not support that call to give awards to anyone other than the footballers. They are the ones who actually played and who toiled in the vineyards for years.

Some of those others are calling for, including the so-called advisor and team manager, are already millionaires.

Thanks, is good enough.

A mistake has already been made in awarding Beenhakker for receiving a hefty salary for … well, helping the team qualify then merely accompanying us to the World Cup finals.

If he should be paid, then Bertille St Clair should also be awarded for setting the foundation in 13 previous qualifying matches, including three in the final round in which he earned a point that turned out to be crucial in getting ahead of Guatemala.

In addition, St Clair prepared and used many a local player -- much to the agony and frustration of spectators, yes, but it’s the first step for TnT towards the next qualifying campaign, which is more than any so-called coach has done since.

So if Beenhakker is awarded $1 million, St. Clair should get $2 million; if Beenhakker’s three assistants are given a cash bonus on top of their salary, the local assistants on the technical staff should be given likewise; if Dwight Yorke is awarded for leadership and coming out of retirement, Russell Latapy should get something similar.

It could go on and on, but where do we draw the line?

I say draw it at giving Warner and his public relations tool, TTFF Media anything for the type of service they provide this country.

THE EDITOR:
TRINIDAD and Tobago was the only Caribbean team at this year’s football World Cup.

But Caribbean people viewed it as their own national team.

The Soca Warriors belonged not only to Trinis, but to all other West Indians.

Their participation in the event brought the whole region and her people together.

Not only did Trinis express pride in their team’s performance in Germany, but the Caribbean and her diaspora, especially in New York, cheered TnT’s team in a demonstration of patriotism and nationalist fervor -- the kind of which was not seen before.

Making it to the finals in Germany for this tiny country was an achievement by itself.

Playing tough matches against its opponents who struggled to score is like earning a victory.

The team’s impressive, gritty performance attracted a large convert of supporters in New York City and around the world.

Although the team failed to move forward in the second round, Caribbean people were satisfied with its performance.

No debutant team at World Cup Soccer played so well and impressed so many people.

Feelings of gratitude, pride, and joy swept not only Trinidad but the Caribbean diaspora, especially after its debut match against Sweden.

Virtually every Caribbean national was glued to their television when TnT played, hoping that the Warriors would win.

People from different islands expressed their pride and support for the team by wearing red, the Warriors colour, during the tournament.

It is hoped that the unity displayed during TnT’s games will prevail beyond the games and would be the engine for deepening ties to bind the region as a people and will help further growth and development of the region.

Overall, it was truly a Warrior’s performance, a splendid display by the team in defiance against the odds in all three of its matches.

TnT was the underdog, but it earned the respect of all opponents.

Our team played against some of the toughest teams -- Sweden, England and Paraguay, but the Warriors stood up and did not go down easily, giving up only four goals in the three matches -- two of which were questionable. Their two defeats, nil to two in both games, did not take away from the quality of their performances.

It was top class, high quality performance earning the respect of the world.

Although the team has been knocked out of the second round of the tournament, the Soca Warriors’ performance was magnificent and deserve the highest accolades.

In the eyes of the entire Caribbean region, they are our heroes.

THE EDITOR:
DO government ministries and state enterprises have so much money that they do not know what to do with it?

One in particular would be Housing Development Company (HDC), that recently ran a series of press, radio and television advertisements about the East Port of Spain Development Project.

In the ads, there were claims that 98 per cent of the residents of the area, were in favour of the project.

Well then, if that is so, why spend thousands of dollars to win the hearts and souls of two per cent?

Ask any true marketing consultant.

The second would be CNMG, formerly the NBN Network, consisting of TTT, Radio 100 and 98.9FM.

This new entity came on the airwaves recently, with the television arm of the service.

The radio leg, having been launched a few months ago.

And, after a few days, saw it fit to take out full page, full colour ads to let the population know that they are testing the service.

In a highly competitive market like television, the last thing a station would want to do is launch a service and then experiment to see if there is a neigh for its programming. Surely field surveys and programme testing would have been done prior to the launch.

So far CNMG really seems to be struggling.

The radio station, previously 100, was known as the “Right Mix” and this was clearly accepted by their radio audience, since the station played a mixture of local and foreign music.

The new service is called “Sweet” and clearly has no identity or direction.

The relevant line minister, who took the decision to close down the NBN Network, may soon find out that the investment required for this new entity, CNMG, would have been better spent with NCC TV4, as this station has clearly identified itself with the cultural field and has a building market share, while reviving a lot of history and entertainment that we may have forgotten.

THE EDITOR:
LET me say upfront that I am no fan of Winston Dookeran.

What I do support is respectability and honesty, and I can also appreciate a person who appears skilled enough and intelligent enough to be a Prime Minister.

So perhaps my support for Dookeran will be more by association rather than direct.

That notwithstanding, I am sick and tired of the UNC executive.

These people are no better than a band of mentally slow wild west cowboys who were given guns to fight “Sinister Sam,” but got so excited with power, that they started shooting themselves.

And, every time they shot one of their own, they would deny it and then shoot someone else on their side.

This is ridiculous!

This is just totally unbelievable!

I can’t even believe these people were once in government!

I am very rapidly coming to the point of thinking that we are really better off with the PNM.

At least with the PNM, you know they do give a flying leap about anyone but themselves.

But the UNC continues to talk all this nonsense about unity and “the people” and democracy, while they are contradicting themselves faster than they can come up with new propaganda.

I just give up!

In all my 27 years, I have never been a quitter, but at the same time I am not about to let my own pride blur the reality that the UNC is hopeless, and support and votes for them are wasted.

You might as well go jogging in quicksand than take these people seriously.