Sancho urges sportsmen to contribute to a better nation

The team recently hosted a social evening and fundraiser for shelters that cater to victims of domestic violence on August 11, at the poolside of the Carlton Savannah Hotel in Cascade, Port-of-Spain. There, players and officials displayed their hospitality skills to the open delight of female guests.

It was the first such undertaking by the club both in magnitude and purpose as footballers worked to repair the negative image of men in society through their actions.

Top comedienne Nikki Crosby was the master of ceremonies while Michelle Xavier of Imij and Company served the entertainment at the event attended by female boxer Ria Ramnarine, Dr Rhoda Reddock, Debra Coryat-Patton of the United States Embassy in Port-of-Spain. Ahead of the function, however, North East Stars organised for a team of beauticians from Cher-Mere to pamper the women. Sancho believed sports, particularly football, has the power to effect a dynamic change in attitudes and went on to praise his men for their big hearts and compassion.

He declared that domestic violence acts in TT, should be a thing of the past and called on the nation’s men to rethink the way they treat the opposite sex. According to the former national dread-lock hairstyled defender: “Not all men are vile and in humane as some of their counterparts. In a time of murders, corruption and floods we as Trinbagonians still have the humanity to come together for a great cause.”

North East Stars’ journey towards recognising and understanding the impact of this type of abuse and how it negatively affects society began several months ago, when businesswoman Lara Quentell-Thomas invited Sancho and the team’s technical director Kevin Jeffrey to a fund-raising movie premier for a similar cause.

Sancho said many of the speeches made on the night exposed both Jeffrey and himself to the struggles that shelters and the fearless women faced in everyday life. “The only way we could show our gratitude to these courageous women and the organisers of these shelters was to try our utmost best to show them how to be treated like a lady,” he said.

He expressed hope that the positives of the club’s undertaking would shine through and a voice for this cause would be inspired to speak out. “Our country is in dire need of honest, trusty worthy citizens who’s main concern is the bigger picture; a better Trinidad and Tobago. I would like to implore the few men (in attendance) to use tonight’s slogan, not only as a banner for this event, but also as a blue print to your everyday correspondence with women,” Sancho said.