TT to thank Warriors today

Trinidad and Tobago has its chance today to thank national football heroes, the Soca Warriors, in a grand celebration of the World Cup debutants at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Port-of-Spain.

Government held a scaled-down welcome for the Soca Warriors at Piarco International Airport when they arrived home from Germany on Thursday night, after a long, direct flight. Government acceded to the players wishes to curtail the return activities, have a day rest yesterday, then face the public today.

And so, the stadium will be open from 1 pm with free admission to the public. From 2 pm, the entertainment starts with steelband music, chutney, soca and tassa until 3.45 pm.

However, at approximately 2.45 pm, the Warriors are expected to leave their Crowne Plaza hotel base from where they will travel west on Wrightson Road, up Colville Street, turn left onto Ariapita Avenue, head west across the avenue before turning left to head for the stadium.

Four thousand students from schools in and around Port-of-Spain, all in school uniform, will line the route from the western end of Ariapita Avenue to the stadium to wave their flags in a show of thanks to the Soca Warriors.

Then from 4 pm, at the stadium, the official part of the ceremony will begin with speeches to come from Sports Minister Roger Boynes, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, a representative from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and Soca Warriors’ captain Dwight Yorke. The Warriors will then be presented to the crowd at 5 pm. Providing the entertainment at this part of the evening will be Phase II Pan Groove, the Shiv Shakti Dancers, Shurwayne Winchester, Iwer George and the Roy Cape All Stars.

This will go on for one and a half hours, then there will be a burst of fireworks to light up the night.

Today’s activities will be the last time locals will be able to see the Warriors as a team for a while since from as early as tomorrow, some of them will be leaving the country to take up their football club commitments overseas.