Sports Minister Shamfa Cudjoe has hailed the nation’s sportsmen as true ambassadors who unite the citizenry and generate optimism and hope when times get tough.
The Tobago West Member of Parliament made the remarks at a celebratory function on Monday for the T&T Under-19 team, the recently crowned Cricket West Indies U-19 champion of the three-day competition.
Apart from the prestigious title, T&T, led by Cephas Cooper, also placed a close second in the limited-overs format of the annual regional tournament.
In paying glowing tribute to the young cricketers, Minister Cudjoe, who was warmly welcomed to the National Cricket Centre at Balmain, Couva, said the timing of the U-19 event was appropriate, coming as it did a day after the Trinbago Knight Riders franchise team successfully retained the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 crown by defeating Guyana’s Amazon Warriors in the final at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
She saluted the cricketers for playing with their hearts and soul in St Vincent and the Grenadines to bring honour and recognition to T&T by demonstrating discipline and dedication which she said showed they were well-trained and prepared for the task.
She singled out coach of the team David Furlonge, and manager Kerwin John, whom she described as a friend from Tobago, while congratulating the parents of the young men for staying on board with the T&T Cricket Board and other stakeholders to ensure regional victory.
Minister Cudjoe complimented the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB), despite what she described as the “chaos and drama” which has not distracted the organisation’s officials from sticking to their task of efficiently and successfully administrating the sport and “keeping the business going.”
“It is easy to become despondent and disappointed and ‘pop down’ as the young people would say when you hear all that some say. But you have a duty, and work to do to promote sports development in T&T. Develop cricket and continue to make a difference in the lives of the young men of the U-19 team and beyond.
Minister Cudjoe said she was impressed with the demeanour of the young men whose hair was well cut, their belts well-buckled and their pants on their waists which indicated “somebody was doing their work.”
“Despite what everybody has to say and despite the drama and confusion, you went out there, worked hard, brought the trophy home through your effort and the hard work of the TTCB,” said Minister Cudjoe.
She also sounded a hopeful sign for the financially strapped TTCB by indicating that a better fiscal year could be in store when the 2018-2019 budget is read in Parliament shortly.
She said that at the end of the day she is not a judge or juror in the situation but will interact with the TTCB with professionalism and will extend her heart and hand to the organisation and give the necessary assistance to do good and be fair. Minister Cudjoe again congratulated the cricket body for their good work and the impact they have been making on the lives of the young people under their care and urged the officials to “keep the fires burning.”
She said as a government minister she begins each day undeterred by the criticism aired in the media as her business, like the TTCB. is to get the job done.
Minister Cudjoe said she admired the leadership qualities of TTCB president Azim Bassarath whom she described as always calm and focused in doing what is required to keep the cricket body on top of their game. She advised the cricket administrators to resist the temptation to engage the detractors which she warned would lead into the trap set by the naysayers and those looking for “confusion and bacchanal.”
She maintained that she was not pointing fingers or making any judgments but was speaking in general terms, and again referenced the excellent work the TTCB has been undertaking with their cricket development programs despite the formidable challenges.
Minister Cudjoe promised that her ministry and the Sports Company under new chairman Douglas Camacho were ready to work with the TTCB in the interest of sport and youth development.