12 days left to W/Cup Finals

PATRICK DZIERZON, third secretary at the German Embassy, told Newsday yesterday that 2,726 visas were issued by the embassy to locals wanting to fly to that European country to support the Soca Warriors in next month’s World Cup Finals.

Dzierzon also said the embassy on Marli Street in Port-of-Spain, continues to process up to 100 visas daily with applications from different corporate groups such as Angostura and TSTT following the end of their World Cup promotions and travel agencies with late special charter packages.

Dzierzon laughingly told Newsday, “I thought it would go down now but not so.”

Also, with last Friday’s announcement of the national cultural contingent heading to Germany, applications were made at the embassy yesterday and are now being processed for members of the cultural contingent as well as support staff of the Ministries of Sports, Culture and Tourism.

However, the release of the list of artistes itself has left a number of fellow performers crying foul. Among them are the Playboyz Steel Orchestra which played in every country where the Warriors played matches — down to the last match against Peru held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium earlier this month.

Vincent Benjamin, manager of the band described the omission as, “Shocking. The reason for picking the army band instead of us was no excuse at all. We have been everywhere. I am at a loss for words right now.”

Keith Smith, manager of the Laventille Rhythm Section — another group that has been on the Warriors’ campaign trail — was visibly upset following confirmation from Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams that the band was not selected for Germany.

Calypsonian The Original De Fosto came into Newsday yesterday bitterly complaining about being left out even with his popular Soca Warriors song. He said that many who were chosen have made no contribution to culture, as he had done over the years.

On the other scale, happiness must be the only emotion felt by family members of the Soca Warriors following an agreement in which at least two members of each of the players’ family will be flown to Germany to be part of the crowd of TT supporters at the stadia where the team will be playing.

Other travellers to Germany have by and large financed the trip themselves with not many of them turning to the main banks for loans.

At FCB, where there was a special campaign for supporters, a spokesperson said the bank’s effort only picked up after Carnival and will continue to the end of May.

Travellers are expected to start moving from next Monday.