GOVERNMENT is to intervene in the sale of tickets for the July 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, Prime Minister Patrick Manning hinted yesterday.
Manning was speaking at the post-Cabinet press conference at his Whitehall Office in Port of Spain.
And it comes on the heels of discontent over the sale of tickets for Trinidad and Tobago nationals wishing to go to the World Cup through Simpaul Travel which is owned by FIFA vice president Jack Warner.
"We're going to have to engage in appropriate discussions with those in authority in football in Trinidad and Tobago to ensure that we have the requisite number of tickets to be able to do that, and also the Government has to respond to all of the calls we've been having from the national community, people who have supported football from the inception to now and who are prepared to go to Germany and who are prepared to make their own arrangements," Manning said.
Asked his thoughts on the issue of accountability for the entire ticket issue, Manning said, "Without wanting to get into public opprobrium on this matter, the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs is dealing with this matter very comprehensively and very well and at the appropriate time-after he reports to the Cabinet-I will be in a better position to speak more definitively on it, right now I am not."
He said consideration was being given to sending a troupe to Germany to support the Soca Warriors in the 2006 World Cup Finals.
Manning said yesterday that this country's historic first qualification for the final is not only an opportunity for the team to excel but also "gives Trinidad and Tobago a great opportunity to showcase ourselves as a country of great cultural diversity and as a good destination for investment dollars."
Manning said that the troupe will centre around the steelband and involve Indian culture, African dance, calypso and all others aspects of Trinidad and Tobago's rich and diverse culture.
He said by this he was hoping Trinidad and Tobago can attract investments and create more jobs for citizens.
Manning also said in response to questions that if there was any "Operation Jack Warner" being undertaken by the PNM he was not aware of it.
Warner had claimed on Tuesday that there was such a plan to destroy him based on the three-part series published by the Daily Express on the sale of the tickets.