Sport Minister Anil Roberts unleashed a fresh verbal assault on the character of All Sport Promotions director Anthony Harford in a press conference at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs today.
Roberts also accused Bruce Aanensen, the All Sport financial director and Queen’s Park Cricket Club president, of a conflict of interest and “poor corporate governance” in his use of the QPCC facilities, denounced Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) general secretary Richard Groden for making “a fraudulent request” of the Sport Ministry and denied national senior team football manager William Wallace’s assertion that the team was promised funding during its stay in St Kitts and Nevis.
However, it is debatable whether Roberts proved most of his insinuations while, at times, he appeared to contradict himself and his Permanent Secretary Ashwin Creed, who was also present.
Roberts denied that the Sport Ministry promised to help the cash-strapped national senior team during its Caribbean Cup adventure.
He insisted that requests for funding within the public sector could not be satisfied that quickly and, as such, it would have been impractical for the Sport Ministry to give that assurance.
“The turnaround period for money in the Ministry is about six weeks,” said Roberts.
An email released by the TTFF, which purported to have been sent by Creed to Wallace, contradicted the Sport Minister.
“Could I get some clarity as to how we can set up the logistics to get the necessary funding needed during the tournament?” asked Wallace, on Tuesday 9 October 2012. “…
The reality is that absolutely no cash was available before departure and this has put us in an almost embarrassing situation… I travelled with the faith that all would eventually end well.”
Creed responded, on the same day:
“I informed at the meeting that the Ministry funding will be available at the end of the week.”
Nine days later, the national team is yet to receive money from the Sport Ministry. Tropical Storm Rafael meant ten team members were forced to remain on the island as the second flight out of St Kitts was cancelled. They return to Trinidad tomorrow.
Wallace confirmed that their week has been relatively comfortable though as All Sport stood guarantee with the Ocean Terrace Hotel for the team to receive accommodation and meals.
Roberts, who was decidedly less impressed with All Sport, then appeared to contradict himself as well.
He boasted that his staff allegedly caught Groden trying to pad a budget to the Ministry, which included a monthly salary of $120,000 for assistant coach Ross Russell. It was this “fraudulent” act that prompted the Sport Ministry to use Harford as a conduit between the two bodies.
“When we did a small investigation,” said the Minister, “poor Mr Russell was lucky if he received $10,000.”
Groden could not be reached for comment.
The Sport Minister changed tact when asked by Wired868 why he claimed in Parliament, on 5 October 2012, to be surprised that All Sport was paid close to $1 million although that fee was included in a budget that the Sport Ministry accepted in August 2011.
Roberts responded that his staff did not scrutinise budgets.
But how could the Sport Ministry spot and investigate a $120,000 payment to Russell but, for 14 months, ignore a $936,250 fee to all Sport?
Roberts retorted that they must have missed that one.
Similarly, the Sport Minister’s figures did not add up when he raised doubts about All Sport’s statement of income and expenditure for 2011.
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