Referees are owed some $20,000 in fees and cannot guarantee to offer their services, but one way or the other, the delayed 2014 season of the Eastern Counties Football Association (ECFA) will kick off on Sunday.
The season is already three weeks late, mainly due to funding issues, including prize money which have not been paid for the last season. “Getting funding has been very difficult,” said Eastern Counties League secretary Terrence Quashie. “Right now we have an out standing amount of over $20,000 for the referees.
‘’I am trying to get them on board with us, and some said they will work with us. I was a referee, and it an expensive exercise...to get a man to come out on a Sunday, to leave his family to referee a match in Rio Claro, Guaya or Mathura, is not an easy thing,” added Quashie.
Quashie stated that paying referees’ fees was one of the main concerns of his Association, which covers one of the biggest areas in the country – ranging from Cumuto, to Sangre Grande, Toco, Guayaguayare, Rio Claro and Matelot.
He said that although the area contains all the oil companies in the country, most preferred to sponsor local community leagues in Toco, Rio Claro, Mayaro and Sangre Grande, rather than the national competition.
This season, the Eastern Counties will have league and knockout competitions. Nine teams are expected to participate. They includ defending League champions Mathura Re-United, Knockout winners Guaya FC, Rio Claro FC, Biche United, D’Amarie Hill United, D’Amarie Hill FC, Tamana United, Boys & Girls (Guico) and North East Stars.
“The TTFA (Trinidad and Tobago Football Association) under (Raymond) Tim Kee has been giving some assistance and we were able to pay prizes for 2012, that is how we are now able to start the league,” said Quashie. “Before, we did not pay any prize money for 2012 and 2013 because we did not have funds.”