New Sports Company Board now in place
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com
By Mark Pouchet
Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts handed the 13-member Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) board of directors, led by Rhett Chee Ping, their instruments of appointment yesterday, advising them to re-brand the company and to air opposing views.
Roberts also said the appointments, to last for two years, came after, "a painstaking process." The government's State Board committee considered resumes and applications for this and other boards.
At the Ministry's headquarters yesterday, Roberts said the delay in naming a board, "was not due to any lack of interest on the part of the People's Partnership government", but they wanted to prevent repetition on various Boards.
Minister Roberts said the SPORTT had been tainted by, "a lack of transparency and accountability; a lack of corporate governance; and absolute wastage of taxpayers' money."
Roberts had called for a forensic investigation, he said, so that the new Board can start with a "clean sheet".
" I ask them that their first task be the re-branding of the company because I don't want citizens who are coming to serve to be tainted by what has gone before. What went before was an embarrassment to the country and to citizens at large. We will not repeat those mistakes," he said.
The Minister said SPORTT and the Ministry must work together and be accountable to the people.
After congratulating the new members, whom he said came from varying fields like finance, sports medicine, business, child safety and paediatrics, marketing and public service, Roberts added that sport must become an industry and help to reduce youth crime
And the Olympic swim coach said the board should give their views.
"We are going to argue because I have not assembled a bunch of 'yes men and women' who will say 'yes, minister'. We have people who will voice their opinion vehemently and that is good for governance. When you all agree and there is no dissension, you got $2 million flags, $55 million Caribbean Games without a Games going off and forensic audits and get embarrassment in the Parliament which we do not want," he concluded.
The new chairman Chee Ping said he would not tolerate misuse of public funds.
"When you mention the sports company it's a matter of "oh My God! What you are going to steal and how much you are going to steal. For anyone that knows me, and I am bringing it to the Board, that if you plan to steal, I suggest you get out right now because I 'm not going to tarnish my name nor do I want the minister to tarnish his name nor the People's Partnership," he said.
NEW SPORTT BOARD
Rhett Chee Ping (chairman)
Dr Chela Lamsee-Ebanks (deputy chairman)
Ashwin Creed
Caryl Kellar
Kent Samlal
Dr Anyl Gopeesingh
Annan Ramnanansingh
Milton Siboo
Harold Seeramsingh
Nisa Dass
Matthew Quamina
Cheemattee Martin
Wade Ballah