Success a catalyst for change says Jack

TOP FOOTBALL administrator Jack Warner admitted he was pleased after Trinidad and Tobago sealed a berth in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. “It was the culmination of everything I have struggled for over the years, but it isn’t an event that measures how good our nation is at football but, more importantly, how much we can become as a people when united, determined and filled with an enduring faith in ourselves,” he said. “We must preserve the true meaning of this occasion—  that time when we genuinely embrace each other regardless of colour, class or creed, that time when we fully appreciate what it means to be a citizen of this great country,” he said.

“Moments like this can become a catalyst for lasting change, a reference point from which we can make huge strides,” he continued. “Let us, together, build on the moment.” Warner, the special adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), pointed out that the team’s achievement on Wednesday, when they defeated Bahrain 2-1 on aggregate (following a home-and-away final round play-off), made him “proud to be a Trini and I am sure that when we arrive in Germany—  the world will know.” “Our culture and music, the way we celebrate life will be a marvel to all who encounter it,” said Warner. “We must maximise on the immense benefits the occasion presents to brand Trinidad and Tobago.”

“I am sure Trinidad and Tobago’s presence will be experienced, not only by the qualify of football we display on the field, but through our unique characteristics,” the FIFA vice-president and head of CONCACAF and CFU said. Warner, who also holds the post of deputy political leader of the United National Congress (UNC), expressed his gratitude to President George Maxwell Richards, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Sports Minister Roger Boynes and the Government for their support of the team. “But I reserve the greatest gratitude to God, the team, coach (Leo) Beenhakker, my dedicated staff at CONCACAF and TTFF, my supportive family and, of course, the nation that inspired it all,” Warner said.