PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board officials have come under fire from Minister of Sport Anil Roberts again.
Roberts said he had taken a decision to end Government funding of the activities of the T&TCB after financial records showed that the national governing body has a bank balance of US$850,000.
The minister claimed that the T&TCB had been putting money away as long-term investments both in the country and in St. Lucia.
“Why is a national sporting organization investing in bonds and then simultaneously coming to present the Ministry of Sport and the Sport Company of T&T with a request for [US $1million]?” he asked.
“So you’re hoarding [money]. The taxpayers have to seed about 49 sporting organizations from archery to road running…Refuse to negotiate with KP (Kieron Pollard) and DB (Dwayne Bravo), get money and ain’t tell nobody, and saying that you don’t have to tell the Minister?”
Roberts said the T&TCB will not receive funding from government until the money invested is used for the direct benefit of the sport.
“…We are seeing now that the Sunday League has been delayed because grounds are not prepared, and clubs are suffering for equipment,” he said.
“Individual clubs are writing here, and we are approving cricket bats and matting and balls and pads and wickets, while the TTCB is sitting down on (US $850,000), asking for (US $1 million) more, and not even spending money on Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo for the country.”
Roberts’ reference to Pollard and Bravo stemmed from the T&TCB’s non-disclosure, according to the minister, that they received US $240,000 to allow Bravo the two players to represent their Indian Premier League teams in last year’s Champions League Twenty 20 in India instead of the national team.
He said the entire T&TCB executive committee was culpable and also chided the national governing body for having their flag fly in place of the national flag at the CLT20.
“That’s insulting, to borrow a quote from a former Prime Minister [Basdeo Panday],” concluded Roberts.