Shakes gets a TT passport

TRINIDAD and Tobago will now have the services of England-born Bolton Wanderers striker Ricky Shakes after he was granted a Trinidad and Tobago passport yesterday. Shakes arrived in Trinidad last Friday and has trained with the Senior and Under-20 teams before the effort of Minister of National Security Senator Martin Joseph got him the passport. FIFA Vice President and Special Advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, Jack Warner thanked Joseph for his input, adding that he hopes that the application for Brazilian-born player Jose Luis Seabra for citizenship will also be dealt with similarly.

“On behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and on my own behalf, in my capacity as Special Advisor, I do hereby wish to thank Senator Martin Joseph, Minister of National Security, in particular, and the Trinidad and Tobago Government, in general, for having issued a Trinidad and Tobago passport to Mr Shakes today. He is therefore now eligible to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the World Cup Senior and Under-20 level, with immediate effect,” Warner stated. “It is my hope that the application for Mr Jose Luis Seabra for citizenship will be dealt with expeditiously as well, in the interest of football in Trinidad and Tobago.

“Having arrived from FIFA meetings in Zurich only last night, news of the outcome of Mr Shakes’ application reached me upon my return today from the rainbow funeral of Mr Peter Stone.  He was truly a friend of football. Mr Stone helped people from all walks of life and it is  my hope that more of our citizens would try to emulate his example not only at this time of year but in their daily lives,” Warner added. Shakes’ mother Leonora, who also received her TT passport and now lives in London, met with Warner on Tuesday evening but the player was unable to as he was in training with the national Under-20 team at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. He will train with the senior team at the same venue today before departing for London in the evening.

“I am very pleased that he got his passport and can now help Trinidad and Tobago in their football. I know for sure he will be looking forward to just giving his best effort on the football field for the country. I haven’t been here in six years and I never thought we would get the chance to come home through football,” said Leonora. “I always knew he wanted to play because since the age of nine he had been saying ‘Mom you know one day I would like the chance to play for Trinidad and Tobago.’ Now he finally has gotten that chance and we are truly delighted about that. We would also want to thank the football authorities for their appreciation and assistance they have given to us,” she said. Shakes too was thrilled to have his TT passport. “I think it’s the first step to a lot of other better things to follow hopefully and it’s in a way a very important Christmas present for me as well. So once I can get into the team and make a valuable contribution then I’ll be even more pleased,” Shakes said.