Harford: TTFF don't know where football $$ is

Anthony Harford, marketing director at All Sport Promotions—the company responsible for managing TTFF marketing and events—yesterday reiterated his previous statement that the Federation's bank account, audited by international company KPMG, is up to mark.

But there are other accounts, LOC 2006—related to T&T's 2006 World Cup campaign—and LOC 2010, both of which were controlled by Jack Warner, former TTFF special adviser and LOC (Local Organising Committee) 2006 and LOC 2010 chairman.

"That is the account in question. The truth is that the TTFF do not know," Harford explained last week.

"That is what is holding up and tarnishing the relationship (between the Federation and the players) and the issues.

"The TTFF accounts I know about are perfectly in order. The parallel accounts, the LOC accounts are the ones in question. Therefore the TTFF find themselves in an embarrassing position.

Harford has found himself in the firing line, being pressed with questions about the TTFF accounts.

In fact, former T&T goalkeeper Kelvin Jack, one of the 13 players which took successful legal action against the TTFF and ex-president Oliver Camps over non-payment of promised bonuses from the 2006 World Cup, questioned Harford's recent statements about the TTFF's financial books.

"What Tony Harford should be asking is what Oliver Camps did with the cheque of 14 million, a cheque issued by the Ministry (of Sport) 1st May 2006, payable to TTFF, which was signed and received," Jack (Kelvin) told the Express. "It was not deposited to any back account that KPMG has access to."

He continued: "This is all facts… why is (Harford) trying to make the population and football fans believe that the organisation is accountable and being honest and their books are fine, when the honourable judge in our case described the accounts as unaccountable." It is extremely disappointing to come from somebody like him."

However, Harford made it clear that his responsibilities lie in managing financial affairs involving TTFF teams and events, effective August 2011, and not in affairs that took place before he took over.

The veteran broadcaster and sports promoter added that to date, all TTFF spending for that period has been accounted for.

Harford has also called on the TTFF to clear the air on the matter if they hope to improve T&T football going forward.

"My recommendation is that we go and come out straight and say 'listen we can't account for this, we surrendered complete authority to our special adviser. Now that he is departed we are left to this thing and we can't account for it'".