Saturday, June 14 2008

DOWNTOWN Owners and Merchants Association are calling on Minister of Sport Gary Hunt and CONCACAF president Jack Austin Warner to co-operate in the interest of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

The call comes in the backdrop of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation’s decision to shift the World Cup 2010 qualifying match bewteen the “Soca Warriors” and Bermuda to the Marvin Lee Stadium, Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya, Tunapuna.

DOMA said the shift is a matter of great public and national interest and while the Marvin Lee Stadium is an excellent sporting facility it is not the Hasely Crawford Stadium of Trinidad and Tobago.

In their news release DOMA pointed out the Marvin Lee “is not the arena within which citizens came together, stood together, sang together and caught the attention of the world with our brilliance on and off the field in our last campaign for the World Cup (2006).” The organisation noted, “Amidst all of the troubles and disquiet occupying the minds of our citizens, there is no room for doubt about the importance of football as a healer of national uncertainty and as an important reminder of how beautiful we are when we are together.” DOMA claim Hasely Crawford Stadium “was built for us, the people, to hold national events”.

They said they continue to hope that both the ministry and TTFF will both recognise the important example they must set to all citizens by co-operating, which is also in the interest of the long campaign of qualifying games that lie ahead for the next World Cup 2010.

DOMA pointed out the qualification game between TT and Bermuda is an important event filled with social significance, and this game and those to follow are important social therapy for the people of Trinidad and Tobago.