Too late for Ma Pau; Pro League starts new season with 10 clubs

The Pro League board yesterday made its final decision on the Ma Pau Sports Club’s application to join the domestic top flight. And the verdict is the prospective Pro League outfit was unable to convince the board members within an appropriate timeline.

Photo: Central FC attacker Ataulla Guerra (second from left) gestures to the crowd during a Pro League match against San Juan Jabloteh. From left are teammates Darren Mitchell, Jason Marcano and Kevon Villaroel. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Central FC attacker Ataulla Guerra (second from left) gestures to the crowd during a Pro League match last season against San Juan Jabloteh.
From left are teammates Darren Mitchell, Jason Marcano and Kevon Villaroel.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

So, Ma Pau will not be involved in the 2015/16 Digicel Pro League season.

“The Pro League discussed the application and decided not to consider them for 2015/16,” Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene told Wired868. “They are free to re-apply next year like any other club… (The problem) was the timeline basically.”

The Pro League season starts today with the Digicel Charity Shield, which will be contested by defending league champion club Central FC and DIRECTV W Connection from 7 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

The clubs who will compete in the Pro League this season are: Central FC, W Connection, Defence Force, North East Stars, Police FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Point Fortin Civic, Morvant Caledonia United, St Ann’s Rangers and Club Sando.

Whether or not Ma Pau still wants to compete in the Pro League is another story as the club issued a press release on Wednesday that expressed its dissatisfaction with the application process and its split from coach Terry Fenwick, who was involved in its push to return to the football league.

Photo: Former Central FC coach Terry Fenwick. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Former Central FC coach Terry Fenwick.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Ma Pau’s request for funding from the Ministry of Sport led to a clash between former Advisor to the Minister of Sport, Kevin Harrison, and Fenwick while the wanna-be Pro League club also claimed a fraudulent application was made, on its behalf, for $150,000 for youth development.

“From recent reports in the press, it would appear that Ma Pau has somehow unwittingly become caught up in the imbroglio between Terry Fenwick and other persons unconnected to Ma Pau and the Ministry of Sport,” stated the Ma Pau release issued by manager Sherry Persad. “… Ma Pau wishes to place on record that Mr Terry Fenwick is not now nor has been the Coach of Ma Pau SC.

“Mr Fenwick sought to enter into an arrangement with Ma Pau to manage the Football team if it were elected into the Pro League. The team was not and our arrangement with Mr Fenwick ended.”

The Ma Pau release erroneously stated that the club was rejected by the Pro League almost two weeks ago. And, under that assumption, the Ministry of Sport’s Permanent Secretary Gillian Macintyre withdrew State support for the club’s Pro League bid.

In fact, the Pro League only gave its final verdict on Ma Pau’s application yesterday.

Photo: Central FC goal scorer Jean-Luc Rochford (front) and his teammates celebrate with the 2015 Caribbean Club Championship trophy. Looking on is then Central FC operations director Kevin Harrison (top left). (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Central FC goal scorer Jean-Luc Rochford (front) and his teammates celebrate with the 2015 Caribbean Club Championship trophy.
Looking on is then Central FC operations director Kevin Harrison (top left).
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Full Ma Pau press release:


From recent reports in the press it would appear that Ma Pau has somehow unwittingly become caught up in the imbroglio between Terry Fenwick and other persons unconnected to Ma Pau and the Ministry of Sport

An examination of the history of this matter is necessary so as to bring proper perspective to the public matter. Ma Pau Sports Club is an organisation which gave years of service to the poor and downtrodden from depressed communities in Trinidad and Tobago. This football club has previously operated in the Pro League.

However, for reasons which are not now relevant Ma Pau Sports club took a hiatus from the Pro League. As is customary with arrangements of this kind, Ma Pau asked that its status as a Pro League club be voluntarily suspended for the usual period.

After some time Ma Pau Sports club applied to the pro league to be rejoined as a member. At the same time Terry Fenwick applied to the Ministry of Sport for a registration grant to be paid in order to facilitate the club in rejoining the Pro League.

Photo: San Juan Jabloteh scorer Tyrone Charles (left) celebrates his goal against Caledonia AIA with teammate Newton Sterling during the 2014/15 season. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: San Juan Jabloteh scorer Tyrone Charles (left) celebrates his goal against Caledonia AIA with teammate Newton Sterling during the 2014/15 season.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

The grant funding was indeed paid by the Ministry to facilitate the payment of the registration fee. However, it was subsequently communicated to us by the Pro League that Ma Pau’s application was rejected by a vote of 3 against 1 for and 1 abstention. In the circumstances Ma Pau immediately issued a cheque in the identical amount to return the funds to the Ministry.

Thus, in this regard Ma Pau stands entirely blameless.

Ma Pau wishes to place on record that Mr Terry Fenwick is not now nor has been the Coach of Ma Pau SC. Mr Fenwick sought to enter into an arrangement with Ma Pau to manage the Football team if it were elected into the Pro League. The team was not and our arrangement with Mr. Fenwick ended.

The police has shown our ex-chairman, Mr Kenroy Phillips, an application for $150,000.00 for the development of youth football. Mr Phillips has confirmed that the signature which purports to be his on the application is indeed a forgery.

Ma Pau FC (sic) has never requested such monies from the Ministry nor has it received any such monies.

This apparent attempt to defraud the Ministry by the use of a forged application herein is known to the Police. Ma Pau expects the police to conduct a swift and fair investigation into this matter and to bring to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act.

Photo: W Connection right back Alvin Jones (left) fires his shot past San Juan Jabloteh left back Calib Sturge during 2014 First Citizens Cup action. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: W Connection right back Alvin Jones (left) fires his shot past San Juan Jabloteh left back Calib Sturge during 2014 First Citizens Cup action.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Ma Pau is well known throughout Trinidad and Tobago as being a leader in the area of social responsibility of corporate entities. Ma Pau has consistently invested in communities and individuals.

Ma Pau takes very seriously its role and responsibility of assisting the underprivileged of society and generally of serving the society as a whole. Ma Pau has spent the last twenty years cultivating its excellent name and reputation and its staff, management and customers are indeed saddened to see that an attempt to sully this good name is being made by the fraudulent act of some.

Over the years, Ma Pau has built a pristine name synonymous with fairness, integrity and a commitment to social responsibility and will not lightly tolerate any attempt to sully this good name and reputation.

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About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

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79 comments

  1. Yuh know before I read these last few comments, I was thinking who’s gonna have the last word here….looks like me…lol 😉

  2. I so knew you would say that! Hahaha! I’m dying here…

  3. And so female… You won’t let me get the last word either! Hahaha

  4. (LOL. Let’s call truce he says after he’s sure to get in the final word! Hahahaha! So male…)

  5. Lol. Trinidad and Tobago is an unhealthy nation. And one that cannot afford to educate the majority if its secondary school graduates.
    Sport helps in both areas. But let’s call that truce in truth. 😉

  6. Lasana Liburd, like I said… insurmountable impasse.
    You cannot convince me that a developing economy should give privately owned businesses in any sector thousands of dollars every month forever. There is no expiration date on these subventions.
    And not to blast football (at the risk of all of you shooting me in the head) but the return on this investment hasn’t been particularly great. We’ve qualified for one WC. There are other sports that get significantly less financial support from the government and have produced better results for the country. There has to be a better way to promote the one sport of football in the country.
    Seriously though, if we continue this debate, it would be like four or five days we’re stuck on this one topic. We’re not going to agree, that’s all, which is fine I’m used to guys being wrong and strong. LOL. (Just joking… can y’all take jokes when they’re about football?) I really think we should call truce though. And y’all can all shake your heads at me and mumble whatever it is you guys are truly thinking. lol.

  7. Before the turn of the millennium Chabeth Haynes, most of the European nations had an Army team that had all the country’s best players and was the bedstone of their football. That was direct Government money into a club and it would have spread throughout the league too.
    Because that was the only way for nations like Romania and so on to keep pace.
    Not every industry is the same. Many country’s nationalise vital industries like water and gas and so on. And many countries understand that sport should be treated the same way.
    That’s the crux of the matter. In most parts of the world, sport is considered to be a key industry. You can go back to Roman times when the great old empire made sure to bankroll sport. The British Empire did it. Brazil did it.
    Hell, the United States STILL does it. Even billion dollar American sports like NFL still gets direct investment from various cities and depend on it.
    Beats me why the Pro League, still in its infant stage, should be left to sink or swim.

  8. And how much money are the governments of those countries giving to these privately owned clubs? Every month. In perpetuity.
    Thank you all for the discussion but it seems we’ve reached an insurmountable impasse.
    Maybe one day you will all see the light and come crawling over to my side. LOL. 😀

  9. Chabeth, There are few clubs around the world that are profitable even in the big European leagues it is just a few of them that turn a profit. The MLS for example averages 17K attendance and has not been doing well. it is just a handful of teams that turned a profit for the first time last year I think. In England and Scotland we often hear of teams in serious financial trouble and being sanctioned by the FAs. So even with the $80+K a month injection from the GOv’t pro-league clubs in my view probable still need another $50 – $60 K a month to cover operational expenses. Do some simple math, conservatively 20 player roster with 7 staff @ $5000/month is $135,000.00. Not included are stipends for Reserve league players, transport cost, rental of venue for games and practice or game day preparations, equipment laundering and match day staff. The list could be extensive but pulled out the bigger cost items. The players and league by extension MUST become more attractive in an effort to get bodies in the stands. It would mean better youth development, coaching education programs everything that makes the product desirable. There must be bigger and better private sector involvement. Radio and specifically TV (international) is a must because $40 at the turnstiles won’t scrape the bottom of the barrel to pay bills.

  10. Chabeth the government cannot take over the pfl it’s unconstitutional fifa forbids that league’s have to be independent with a board in place to run it what the government can do is work alongside clubs to assist in allocation of state lands to build or refurbished community grounds

  11. Jamaal, these club owners are not even breaking even. They are operating businesses that continue to run at a loss. Somebody needs to intervene.
    I do hope that this government does something to develop sport further and to empower clubs.
    Like I said, I have no problem with clubs getting leased land. I think it would help greatly with encouraging the public to attend the matches. As it is right now, I have no clue when the league starts so I can’t even pretend that I will be coming to a game.

  12. Urmm…Lasana, it wasn’t me promise…I never mentioned youth league. All my contributions were about the senior league.

  13. On the Ma Pau own land thing that cannot happen under my watch. The SJLRC would have had to put a Board in place made up of the stakeholders to administer control of the facility. Trust me of they do not want to see a next side of me Delamo lone ranger tonto who cannot give Ma Pau the land. I agree we let the SJLRC set up a Board.
    Govt dont have to own the league again it suggesting that Eric Williams children cannot with proper guidance own nutten oh gawd.
    There must be criteria for funding I agree again .
    The PNM have a chance to build the sports industry in critical sports like basketball hockey netball and offcourse football.
    Using community facilities and existing entities.

  14. The SIS people don’t own Central FC? You want to give them more land?
    If I were the government I would lease everybody the land for $1 and build the pavilion/stadium for you. Plus pay the electricity bill.
    I have no issue with the pro league. I have an issue with giving rich people $87,000 every month, indefinitely, because they cannot run their businesses properly. That is my issue. Not the pro league, I’m not trying to take anything away from “poor people.”

  15. Jamaal,
    1. I do not want the government to stop the Pro League. I don’t know where you got that from. I want the government to stop giving rich people money because they cannot run a profitable business. I would prefer the government take over the whole pro league, hire managers for each club who run the clubs, revamp and market the whole pro league so that it becomes a profitable venture.
    2. I agree with you on land and independence. But if the government had given Ma Pau land for example and the club became inactive, what would have happened? Are players shareholders in these clubs? If the government gives clubs land, do players become land owners? Or is it the already rich people who own the clubs who will be further enriched by getting land?

  16. SIS get land a Guyanese buisnessman I know get 200 acres and we have to wait in line. This not adding up the maths different for the rich and affluent and their sports. 1 and for them is 11 and 1 and 1 for us is not even 2. All I saying is give us the land dont even build the stadium . We will beg borrow and thief to build it. We want to be like Queens Park. Can anyone say how Queens Park get their land please.

  17. Remember we dont have any swimming pools and pool table in we house. We barely have water to bathe. The only pool we know is the blasted racing pool hoping the horse pull we out. And you want Govt to stop this thing with the Pro League.

  18. The way I look at it land is the basis of independence. The discussion could get to philosophical if we cannot clearly identify how the distribution on entitlement to grounds within the community is dealt with. How Preysal and them end up with their grounds but as is Eric Williams children is a big broo ha ha. We 80 percent in the jails and the mad house. We 80 percent eating out of the garbage cans. 10 of us living in a two bedroom house so our Recreation on the streets we must get in trouble. Up comes a slave begging for land to create recreation and economic activity and more red tape. Only Eric Williams children

  19. Savitri Maharaj, I have just confirmed with Pro League CEO that the board discussed the Ma Pau application for the senior league. Not the youth.
    In fact he laughed at the suggestion.
    Please, I cannot go on rebutting Guardian stories. So I ask them to follow the principles of good journalism. And I ask people to be wary of rumors.

  20. Jamaal, give land? No. Lease land? Yes, with conditions of course. The government cannot give pro league clubs land because there is no guarantee that a pro league club will stay active and once you give the land it becomes the property of the club even if the club is not active.
    But absolutely every club should have a home ground, that is properly lit etc etc.

  21. And if Caleidona had it’s own field from the beginning of the professional league eh, Prof Jamaal Shabazz would have won many more championships already so now that the PNM is back in the power the both fields will be built again for the betterment of our football and to deter the crime situation and the two fields that I am speaking about is one in Morvant and the other in San Juan, bourg malatrese.

  22. Again when we do not own land we are slaves so we cannot control the fixtures. Chabeth would Govt giving land to pro clubs in a community to build a stadium be a travesty or a step towards us becoming self sufficient. You see how I on my knees begging. There will come a time when I will go and take the land . Wait I hope Chabeth then Charlie King dont come. Because with our own grounds we can generate income

  23. Wait a minute the bootleg professional league starting in October eh and Keron Ball pest Cummings on a try out in Orlando eh, and the other wing back who is with the team in Chicago eh did he finally got the clearance to play for the professional team eh and the Soca Worries first World Cup qualifying game against my American team is in November in our sweet country. Them really good yes

  24. Ok, so how do they inform the public of when and where the games are?

  25. The main reason for the issues with fixtures is that teams do not own their grounds. So stadiums often cancel for all sorts of reasons.

  26. 15 years of doing the same thing…are the same people in charge here too?

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