After weeks of uncertainty with regards to this country’s women’s team historic participation at FIVB World Championship in Japan next month, the Ministry of Sports has pledged $439,000 for the team via news release last night.
The Ministry also pointed out the tardiness of the Executive of the T&T Volleyball Federation in submitting a formal request in a timely manner despite being advised to do so.
According to the Ministry’s release it states, “On June 28, 2018, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, along with other Ministry officials including Deputy Permanent Secretary (ag) Denise Arneaud, Director of Physical Education and Sport, Patrice Charles and Assistant Director of Physical Education and Sport, Gabre McTair, met with the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TTVF), Nicole Selvon and Vice President, Vaughn Martin, in response to The Federation’s email request of June 22, 2018.
At the meeting, the Federation informed the MSYA that the Continental Governing Body for the sport of volleyball, the North, Central America and Caribbean Confederation (NORCECA), had donated eight (8) airline tickets to the team toward its participation in the Pan-American Cup, which was scheduled to take place from July 6 -15, 2018. The TTVF was at the time seeking support in the amount of $150,000 from the MSYA, to cover the outstanding cost of participation of the National Senior Female Volleyball team in the competition and to this end, the Ministry provided $121,000.|”
The release continued, “The TTVF further apprised the Minister that in October 2017, this team qualified for the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Women’s World Championship, which is scheduled to be held in Japan in October 2017. However, the Minister learned that since then, the Federation was yet to submit a formal request for funding assistance, although they had been advised by the former Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Honourable Darryl Smith, to treat with such a request in a timely manner. In the same vein, Minister Cudjoe encouraged the TTVF to urgently formalize its request to the MSYA for funding assistance.
Consequentially, on July 24, 2018, the Federation presented its request via email accompanied by an apology for the tardiness of the submission. Since then, the MSYA has been in constant communication with the Federation regarding its commitment to assist with funding toward participation at this Championship. The Executives of the Federation have also worked with the MSYA and SPORTT to fine tune the details of its proposal and the request now stands at $500,000, of which the MSYA has committed to provide support in the amount of $450,000.00. The Federation has received $11,000 to date, to assist with registration and visa fees. The remaining $439,000 will be paid to the Federation within the next week.”