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“I does watch myself in the mirror every day,” former T&T national youth and senior team midfielder Jean-Luc Rochford confessed. “[I ask myself] how you come from being a national player, from scoring in a World Cup, from creating history, to being somebody who cyah even play the game they love? I feel like a total failure.”
Rochford has an ACL injury, which requires surgery. With luck, the tired Arima native will be able to get it done at the San Fernando General Hospital soon.
“Mt Hope say they don’t do the surgery there,” a still hopeful Rochford told Wired868, “but San Fernando seem like they really willing to help. They already ordered the equipment and thing already. I on top the list so I am just waiting on a date.”
It may happen. If it doesn’t, it won’t be the first time. And the 27-year-old will see his whole world, built around a promising football career, continue to crumble…
In 2009, T&T football fans all celebrated as an 18-year-old Rochford wheeled away in celebration after silencing a 74,000-plus crowd at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt, in the opening match of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup against the hosts.
That was then. Today, a forgotten, struggling, almost broken Rochford battles with his harsh new reality, far from the eyes of the world, the fans and, worst of all, those who have it within their power to render assistance.
“This is the worst thing that ever happened to me,” he told Wired868. “Angus [Eve] drop me in the [Trinidad and Tobago National] Under-23 and that never hurt me like this. It’s so much. It’s just depressing.”
Let’s go back: It is 12 August, 2016. Rochford is at the Larry Gomes Stadium training field. North East Stars pre-season training is in progress and he is bidding to earn a contract with the club for the 2016/17 season.
(Courtesy Allan V. Crane/ Wired868)
Fate steps in. His foot goes down in a hole on the field, he twists his knee and tears his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Fast forward 18 months to the present.
“You feel I wanted to get injured?” he asks Wired868 rhetorically. “You feel I put my foot down in the hole for spite to twist my knee? No!”
“I find it ridiculous,” he continues. “I represented the country since Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, went two World Cups, represent in the Under-23s, get my first senior team cap in 2012.”
“I dedicated my life to football and to the country,” he adds, “and I just asking for a lil bit of help. I not even asking for money, that’s the thing. I asking for a letter to go to the public hospital (to get to the top of the list) to get the surgery done.
“I asked the people who I think I should have asked—the Minister of Sport, the Federation (TTFA), North East Stars, Ross Russell (North East Stars head coach at the time). They ain’t even help me do nothing. When I get injured, it was just like whatever.”
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
To be fair, although the people and entities he identifies have not been very helpful, others have been in Rochford’s corner, 2006 World Cup veteran Carlos Edwards among them.
Edwards, who has suffered similar injuries in the past, returned from the UK to play for North East Stars for the 2016/17 season, the first time in 16 years that the former England Premier League winger—nicknamed “Rolls Royce” by Sunderland fans—had suited up in local club colours.
Rochford turned to Edwards for advice soon after his injury and, under the guidance of former National Team doctor Terence Babwah, he was advised to have an MRI done to confirm the extent of his injury.
A request to North East Stars for assistance in getting the MRI done met with repeated run-arounds and fob-offs for several months.
Completely disenchanted by North East’s lack of real response, Rochford contacted Minister of Education Anthony Garcia, both his former principal at Fatima College and his Member of Parliament.
Thanks to Garcia, NCRHA Health Director Dr Rodney Ramroop arranged for the MRI to be completed at Mt Hope in December 20. Free of charge.
(Courtesy News.Gov.TT)
The MRI confirmed the existence of an ACL tear which, it also confirmed, would require surgery. The surgery at a private institution, Rochford discovered, would cost some TT$30,000.
Knowing that that was well beyond his financial means, Rochford began some fund-raising initiatives and actively sought assistance from various bodies.
In April 2017, he successfully raised about TT$14,000 through a BBQ. Still short of his target, he reached out to another medical doctor specialised in sports medicine who began working to see what could be done.
In early May, she presented the beleaguered former national player with a list of private and public institutions he might try. Because Sangre Grande Hospital had openings in its orthopedic surgical list at the time, it was decided to try his luck there.
At last, a glimmer of hope!
A mirage! To date, there have been four surgery appointments—and four postponements. From lack of equipment to shortage of beds to surgical doctor absenteeism, Sangre Grande Hospital cited a number of reasons for the delays.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
“They told me the surgery was 19 August,” Rochford told Wired868. “My grandmother had died right before but 18 August I went up to the hospital because they told me I had to get warded but they had no beds. From 8am to 4pm, I was up there waiting and nothing.
“Then they told me come back October. Then they told me come back January—same thing.”
His frustration mounting, Rochford turned his focus to getting a letter from Minister of Sport Darryl Smith and TTFA General Secretary Justin Latapy which attested to his service to the country over the years. With it, he hoped to make a request for priority surgery at one of the hospitals in the country.
“I asked Cornell Glen, who is my personal friend [for help],” Rochford explained. “He knows the Minister of Sport pretty well so he called him. The Minister said he would dig into it and try to help me out as soon as possible.”
“That was five months ago,” he added, holding up an open palm. “No word from him yet.”
“I asked the Federation (TTFA) and I was told I didn’t get injured on the national team so they can’t help, they don’t have no money, this, that and the other.
“But I was just asking for a letter. I spoke to Justin. Same thing: run-around!”
Currently, the funds raised from the BBQ have all but disappeared, for medication, painkillers and therapy expenses having whittled away at them. And Rochford is hurting—in more ways than one.
“It hurts,” he told Wired868. “This is my career! I just trying to get back on the field because this is my way of making a living.”
Rochford’s family is rich but in footballing talent. Older brother Jovan is the assistant coach of TTSL 2017 runner-up FC Santa Rosa and his younger brother Jean-Paul is a former T&T National Under-17 midfielder and a QRC standout. But they are a family of modest financial means.
“I doh really depend on [my parents],” the middle brother told Wired868, “I doh really ask them for anything. But still like, if they need help, I cyah do anything,”
“They seeing me hurting,” he continued. “As my mother say, she doh like how depressed I does be, how down I does be. She doh like that because that’s not who I am. She seeing that it hurting me and she find I shouldn’t take that hurt and change who I am.”
“She seeing that I want it to happen and it not happening.”
There are three things he wants to happen. The first is that the help he needs materialises so that he will be able to join his siblings on the field of play once more.
“First of all I want to play football. That’s the love. I just don’t want to say alright career done, that’s it. I would like to play until about 32 or 33 and then I could see myself going into the coaching.”
Number two is that his dream remains alive.
“Like I had an agent working for me and I was getting through for El Salvador and these places. I just come and get injured.
“[Playing overseas], that’s my dream complete. I never thought I’d represent the country and I end up doing that. I never thought I would go to two World Cups and I end up doing that. So all that was just a bonus.
“The only part of my dream that I ain’t fulfill as yet is playing abroad. Once I can play abroad, that’s it for me then.”
But for him, the really big, urgent one is to get the surgery done.
“…because I know later down in life it will humbug me. Because if I getting pain now, imagine when I am 40 or 45, the pain will be unbearable. I don’t want it to reach there. It’s just a little help I asking for.”
Looking on is Central FC operations director Kevin Harrison (top left) and Bankers Insurance CEO Vance Gabriel (top centre).
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
His pain, his frustration is palpable. But through it all, he has not forgotten the efforts made by his football colleagues like Jan Michael Williams, Leston Paul, Aubrey David, Yohance Marshall, Sheldon Bateau, Ryan Stewart and the others who continuously try to keep his hopes and his spirits up.
“Jan and the others call just to check up on me because they know I down and depressed. It’s hard but I still have to thank some people.”
Chief among these “others” are the medical doctors and the Education Minister. Without them and their efforts, he ended on a positive note, all would seem at the moment lost.
“Mr Garcia real try, Dr Ramroop real try, some of the others real try too,” he said, a forced smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Babwah still trying so hopefully this one pulls through.”
Editor’s Note: Offers to assist Jean-Luc Rochford tumbled in to Wired868 within minutes of this story’s publication including contact made from representatives of the Public and Private Sector and Health Minister Dr Terrence Deyalsingh. We will update readers on Rochford’s progress and would like to say “thank you” to his well-wishers.
This is the first in Wired868’s new monthly series, which aims to highlight social cases that merit national attention.
Do you know of any such cases? Please send email with as much details as possible as you can to Wired868 director Lou-Ann Sankar at louann@wired868.com.
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I pray u get help its sad to c how ppl get treated in this country god is good u will get tru this
Timothy, just spoke to Jean Luc. Making good progress. Sorry I was not aware before.
Thanks Bruce Aanensen. Much appreciated.
Timothy Rochford you are more than welcome. Always happy to help where I can.
This is so fking sad a youth who represented the country at the highest level with pride having to go through this.
I hope that he does get help and have a successful operation.
A positive role model smh an then they want d youths to try…..Leaders come on man
Smh ,
Lasana, I suggest that we try to get some people to pledge funds to help, and we will work on getting the surgery done ASAP.
The Health Minister reached out and sent a number for Jean-Luc to call. So will update you based on their conversation as soon as possible.
I’m available to help financially. Keep me posted.
Thanks thus far guys.
I spoke to Jean Luc, and we are making good progress to have the surgery done. He will see the doctor on Tuesday, and we take it from there. There will be some expenses but not major costs, so we should together be able to deal with that.
Thank you Bruce Aanensen
Lasana I am willing to assist as best I can.
Why is the Health Minister reaching out now? What is it he intends to do now?
Mr. Minister, focus your attention on fixing the system that has Jean Luc and many other citizens waiting almost 2 years for surgery.
players association really needs to get of the ground
I am sure we can find 60 persons to give 500 or there about
The politicians does say is not what the country could do for you is what you could do for your country I understand it now
We are working in it…
Excellent. I’m pleased to hear it and I am sure he will be too!
Great. Will pass that on to Jean-Luc. Thanks again.
Lasana plz call.
Terrence I did. Thanks again.
I glad I didn’t represent this country when the chance presented himself
Correct is right
And you boast.Nice. Is your mission only to accept what is there for free from Taxpayers?
We are glad you didnt as well
This is really an unfortunate set of circumstances which highlights one of our failings in sport in Trinidad and Tobago. The well-being of players in many instances seem to be an afterthought. I can confirm that Jean-Luc reached out to me last June for some help in getting the contact details of people in the TTFA who he could request assistance from in getting a letter.
Boy better you did ask for a swimming pool.
God is great hun you’ll get tru by his grace
Real shit! Smh
Every year players are asked to train for their spot locally at most teams, since their contracts usually end with the last game of the season. Despite if it is a winning season or not.
I just really don’t know what to say.. why is this boy struggling to have his injury sorted like this. I cannot understand why between the TTFA, North east stars and the sports ministry why this cannot be remedied. Shame on them all.. just makes me sick.. our Sports Ministry is non functional..
Kello, I am on it and making very good progress. He has an appointment on Tuesday Next and we should be able to get it done quickly.
Uh huh. This is the cyber space equivalent of burning tyres in de road to get attention to an issue. Dais how we roll here in T&T….unless you embarrass the authorities into action, nothing gets done…..smfh….
Thanks so much Bruce. Hearing these stories really do affect me. Really bothers me..
Let me just say that whether a player IS or is NOT under contract informs the decision on who is responsible for covering the medical bills, but it doesn’t decide (or to use the legal term, is not “dispositive of”) the issue. Even without a contract the team, and in some cases the facility, might still be liable, unless the player signed a waiver.
Kyon, I’m not sure you’re familiar with what happened to Lyndon Andrews https://wired868.com/2017/04/15/dear-diary-ex-tt-star-lyndon-andrews-reveals-how-ma-pau-sc-drove-him-from-the-game/
Sad but true…you are not the first and won’t be the last…many t&t footballers are ignored once the game or they STOP playing
Hopefully if I can’t get help maybe the next person will ….. by the grace of God .
JL Rochford I really pray that all goes well for you but it’s really sad how our sportsmen are treated in this country
I need to share this…
Because slot of People still haven’t understand why I Stop Played Football for this Country….. this was one of my reason after seeing A Female Player… who have given her heart and soul for this country being rejected after she ask for some assistance to further her career abroad….
A lot of players have been mistreated. Sadly.
What does the football body do for its players.
The TTFA didn’t take responsibility because although he is a national player, he was training with a Pro League club, North East Stars, when he got injured.
And Stars have not sorted him out.
I think North East Stars should have insurance for him. Not sure
They all should have a choice as long as they represent. Maybe guidelines should be Instituted. Somebody has to get serious in the interest of players.
This is such a shame. It is like taking care of our own is a subjective thing. I mean, I know what is wrong with collective us eh, yet I ask, rhetorically, what the hell is wrong with us?!
Lasana Liburd agreed, a “pro” club supposed to have some sort of structure for its players from a medical perspective, insurance would be expected. What the TTFA should do is have a guidebook for prospective pro footballers to know the ins and outs of being a full time footballer and what should be expected in any football playing contract.
He said he’s not looking for money…
So he has it. He’s just trying to get the surgery done quickly. Probably a game coming up or sum.
Kwasi it isn’t that he has the money otherwise he would have gone private. But he doesn’t want to beg anyone else.
He just wants a little basic care in the public healthcare as he can’t afford to pay for it otherwise.
I wish you speedy recovery soon bro
Myself and a couple other players had. Form a players association but a lot of other players dont want to be part of it .so it was swept aside and there were no follow up on our plans
At the time I know Jack Warner and TTFA were intimidating players. And nobody tried after Jack had left.
Of course Sancho and Harrison were big union men who became club owners after that.
Yep pretty much so . but we as players who been part of a professional setup should have put something like this in place like Eddie Poe from the U.S. national team start in the MLS to protect players from having a problem like my old team mate like Rockford
I remember this initiative
Fuad Abu-Bakr, you give up on the thing?
Yep Fuad Abu-Bakr had a lot going at that moment. We were still players
I haven’t given up but I am not able to inject the type of energy needed to push the stalled initiative into motion at the moment Lasana Liburd . T&T has too many passengers.
Fuad, Wired868 will give the players association as much assistance as we can. So do bear that in mind.
When players are fighting for survival economically it is hard for them to think about the bigger picture. Also when players have gotten out of poverty they seem to forget about improving the overall situation. Let me give a reminder to Conrad Smith Lasana Liburd Abdallah Phillips Radanfah Abu Bakr Kenwyne Jones Jan Michael Williams 2018 is a good year to get it done.
I’m for putting the energy in to it at the moment I’m not playing anymore. But we are stronger as a team Fuad Abu-Bakr Lasana Liburd
Yeah but the real TRUTH needs to be told as to why it never got started when the ex sports minister, Kevin Harrison,Stern John , Kelvin Jack, and Shaka Hislop was on board Them really good yes.
Everyone.. the players association never got going because you had players who were scared to be involved for fear of victimisation from the TTFA.. when we said enough was enough before a friendly against Finland some years ago they dropped us. They went to the army and other players decided to play. Those players who played were weak.. I think that Professional football needs to be sorted out once and for all in Trinidad and Tobago. The wrong stakeholders are there sorry to say. Huge sponsorship is needed., a complete overhaul. I have been chatting with various influential people within football to try to find solutions and inject fresh ideas.. this is not easy to solve. The dysfunction is staggering.. the most important aspect missing is sponsorship. I also firmly believe the government should help but ONLY for a very short period., maybe 3 years. The owners and officials of football clubs need to be innovative and devise a plan for their own club. To attract fans etc. The Professional football league is an embarrassment. It needs fresh faces and ideas..
And as I said that the Army and Police players will always have to play instead of ending up down in the hole for 40 days if they don’t comply with the orders of their seniors and this has been going on from a very long time ago even when the Brigidiare Mr Brown meh corrupted uncle Jack Warner right hand man who also made plenty monies in 1989 when is wifey raffled a vehicle that was parked in the Stadium at the exit where the ambulance does park and the color was red if anyone who is a member of wired was there and remember Them really good yes
Benefits of insurance
Has any club ever even paid NIS for a player?
Geez… That’s a serious question
I guess not because alyuh remember the player that represented W Connection that also needed the surgery eh and the president was sticking and it was only when Mr Live Wire exposed them eh the player expenses was taken care of eh what is his name again Mr Live Wire Lasana Them really good yes
Sounds like an investigative news piece to me Lasana Liburd..hmm
Brian whats that?
Whether or not teams are paying NIS on behalf of players
Overall benefits players get beside low salaries in TTPL
Ok. Yes. We have planned interview with players a few weeks now and just need to execute.
This conversation leaves me to wonder what arrangements are being made with the players in the youth pro league, can someone find out if they are covered for serious injuries.
Roger, if they are not covering senior players then I guarantee you that they are not covering youth players.
I am cynical about why the youth Pro League exists at all. Because most clubs don’t invest in youth teams anyway.
Navi Muradali by chance, have you ever provided insurance to TT Pro League senior and/or youth team players and staff?? I know there was a national team insurance program. Is that still in place?
Allow me to answer, they are in the same boat.
I have donated crutches to players, gotten xrays on my own for them etc. It is no better for youth pro-league players
Have arranged for youth players to see specialists as well, so I believe Lasana and Sheldon are correct..
Lasana Liburd Should there be legislation about insurance?
All employers ask supposed to pay NiS for all there employees. This is law.
Only paid employees?
Players are paid employees
They receive a monthly sakary, the clubs are their employers. This is their job.
And it is now 18 months eh and it is only now asking for help eh and why his father never contacted me privately to let me know what was going on with my baller for life alyuh think that ah like the bacchanal in joke or what especially when it comes to our players and as my Father God said in his bible ‘Ask and thou shall receive Knock and the door shall be opened eh Timothy Rochford Them really good yes
Sometimes we trust the system to work how it should albeit for the benefit of others thereafter (this how JL thinks). Charity was never the first option, or the second. But I hear you and thanks.
A full contact professional sport, where you will be tackled 20 times per game, and 50 times in practice, yet no insurance is ludicrous!
Sheldon we like it so.
As a teenager my wish was to represent my country in a sport, but if this is the way our representatives are treated, it a good thing I did not make it.
For you Jean Luc you are not a failure, it is our country that has failed you. Shame on them.
The football organization. Don’t they have a register of players who pay a fee to be members
I don’t know maybe they do
Use and abuse. What’s new?
This saddens me…… Having worked with Jean-Luc, I know of his very high level of love and committment to his football…. Firstly, was it at a club that his ACL got damaged? Wasn’t he insured at the time? Regardless, Lasana, how can we use this forum to organize a fund raising for Jean Luc? I am prepared to assist where necessary
Will keep you posted.
Please keep me posted because I am prepared to assist.
I have no words…..somebody said something about a boat ride and/or crowd funding….count me in!!
We will keep getting this news and players will keep being treated badly because the structure around football is BS. How can an association which wants to build competitive and successful teams not have in place medical insurance and proper retirement plans? We on this link can keep lamenting but without a proper “corporate” structure run by experienced executives nothing will progress. So now here we are managing a major football issue through charity. TT football and TT is going nowhere.
Another player that neither the club owners or league cares about, or insurance would have been in place. How hard is a group insurance for players. Borfor,
Jean Luc is a great person, well mannered, always willing to help, talented, a great addition to any team. The shame starts with Clubs only offering 10 month contracts to players, that don’t even guarantee their medical bills.
So why the federation didn’t get him private help?
federation said he was not injured in national duty.
I know more than one player injured on national duty and same treatment.
So where and when he got injured?
At practice with his club team North East Stars. Funny thing is Pro League teams often don’t give contracts until virtually kick off of season so as to avoid paying an extra month’s salary. If he was injured in pre season, he might not have even been Club employee at the time. Loosely speaking.
Wow he getting screwed left right and center
That’s the life of a footballer sadly.
So why don’t footballers have a players association or union and take out a group insurance ?
They tried. First Jack Warner killed it through threats and intimidation.
Then, even after Warner had left scene, the moving force behind the association in Trinidad were Brent Sancho and Kevin Harrison.
If you kept a close eye on local football matters, you’d know that pair switched camps quite emphatically.
Still, there is no excuse for there not being one now.
Because if there are a 1000 footballers and they all payed a fee mthly I’m sure they could afford world class surgery immediately
There are private very good orthopedic surgeons who perform surgeries at Public Hospitals. Surely Dr. Babwah can help in this matter.
He explained that he kept getting runaround when he tried that Bruce. But all he can do is keep trying as he can’t pay to do it private.
Babwah has tried
Dr Babwah is doing what he can at this time. Referrals etc.
This is bullshit no way his Federation fail him also
AH LETTER BOI. He can’t get ah LETTER?
One Boatride eh and it is ah done deal eh Lasana Liburd maybe we can promote it as Wired volley 868 or my other carnival and boatrides promoters can assist eh Derek Terron King and Devon Jorsling and also Darin Lewis cause it is long time now I stopped giving meh boatrides in my second sweetest country but I will definitely contribute to the cause
Yes we can come together and assist.
I know that you can always be depended on when it comes to our players my bestest coach for life and I know for a fact that he is from Arima so it will be a done deal from the supporters BOOM
My club Arima semi pro youth academy a team he featured in for many years will be willing to assist in anyway that we can.
I feel for him.
As a parent of a national athlete, you have to save your money and cross your fingers!
Yup! And work on getting them a sponsor.
Last year Ethan got a hamstring injury that sidelined him for most of the season. If I count how much was spent on doctor’s consultation, physiotherapy, massages… even compression tights! Sport is an expensive endeavour if you want to reach far. I feel for athletes who struggle. And my husband did ACL reconstruction a few years ago and it’s very expensive privately. You could live with a torn ACL but for an athlete that’s not a life ?
Sad but true. We need representative bodies for athletes. That would help immensely.
This is so sad for this national sporting hero, it hurt to hear his story, he has so many contacts and all for naught. What about the unknown person? I would to hate to hear their story.
Good point. If HE can’t get help then what about the less illustrious Pro League players.
My story. This is not to make any one look bad but to highlight the system out there.
My son played football for his school at the Intercol level. He was injured badly in his first game of that year, broken fibula and tibia. The first question I was asked is ” do you have insurance at work”. I responded yes.
Based on that answer that is how the emergency surgery was scheduled at a private institution. When I saw my son in such extreme pain, I was glad I said yes to the insurance question and thanked God that I had such.
The total surgery costed approximately $65,000.00. He currently had titanium in his foot and screws in his ankle.
On the day of the actual surgery, the anesthetician had to paid first. I didn’t have the funds to do so, and I had to call a school administrator to cover that fee.
Due to the fact that I had insurance, the school covered the initial fee for the surgery and I had to go through my work insurance to recover the fees and repay the school.
He was out of school for a very long time after that.
I also had to cover the therapy cost for rehabilitation.
Basically such is the system.
Joanne thanks for sharing. And you can imagine the state of the children whose parents who don’t have insurance.
Good interview Amiel.
Thanks Amiel.
Thank you Lasana Liburd
Well how many times I keep on telling meh friend Dion Sosa and some players this is the reason why the Players Association needs to be up and running eh and just recently I assisted a player with some monies in order to get a plane ticket to head to Europe on trials eh, ah cannot be spending meh personal monies all the time so nah so let’s get together and help our players nah especially the ones who doesn’t have anywhere to turn to eh …
what seems to be the challenge in doing this.It makes sense
The Players and meh friend Dion Sosa can explain much better
Earl Mango Pierre would really be interested in knowing
Nigel Myers and Jamaal Shabazz, the Pro League still hasn’t arranged for insurance? Even as a group? I’m not sure how difficult that task is but it has been over a decade and there were times that we were better off financially.
The people running the pro league are not serious about running a pro league.
I proposed an insurance plan for the TTPL 7 years ago….was costing around $100 per player per month….it was turned down
Nah man Carlon. You can’t be serious!
Wish I wasn’t Lasana…..the Police and Defence Force teams took it up on a personal basis. Muhammed Isa and Ross Russell seemed to be genuinely concerned about their players off the field…. kudos to them
Isn’t insurance the responsibility of the particular team? And not the league as a whole?
Basil Thompson , Yes, we had insurance for outside players in the East Zone, it is about if you care about your players.
Smh
Daz what i remember sheldon. And that was east zone football
Them on real shit, I can get insurance for an employee for $100 monthly if I have 25 employees
Police and DF were always different in that their players are full-time employees of the protective services. As such, even whilst playing matches they are “on duty”. That affords them a certain level of protection when serious injuries. But the league as a body needs to do and be doing so much more about this!
But even amateur leagues does provide/offer medical insurance.
Nigel Myers not this amateur league
Damian, not all Police players are employees. Some players are promised employment eventually but are not policemen. Just found that out recently.
Brian it is that way in both Police and Army, you are taken care of though from what I can recall.
Speaking to a player now. He was not given position during or after season bro.
That’s the risk involved, always a twist. But lots of the better players get through
Brian not all Army players are soldiers either. Jamille Boatswain wasn’t a soldier although he helped Defence Force when a Cup last season.
He was using his own money to practice and go to games and so on too with hope that a job was coming.
Yep. Exactly my point to Damian
Nevertheless, traditionally Police and Army players enjoy better coverage against injury than other teams. Maybe it is because representing them ultimately makes the government liabilities and they don’t want to risk financial exposure to the government?
This is so sad… North East and all pro teams should have insurance to cover their players.
I don’t think it is for lack of trying yuh know. Fewer and fewer companies were doing group insurance over the years. Most of them said it’s wasn’t feasible for them to so do especially football teams. Specialty Insurance and Aon were the 2 that were offering the service.
Thanks Kester. I wonder why.
I have not a clue. The irony is that in the UK and North America insurance companies are usually major sponsors/partners of sports teams.
Sigh
Sad to say… but businesses in TT continue to screw the population without redress.
..It is possible to get it. TTSL has for all players and team officials..
I know it is possible, nobody really cares about these players. Keith I know this hits close to home, or rather home.
..Let me tell you that referees also do not have insurance against injury. At my first TTFA Board meeting yesterday I told them they should have..
Why is his club not stepping in to help their employee?
This seems to be clear case of a worker being injured on the job and in the absence of Work men’s compensation the employer is obligated to repay the costs.
Instead of trying to talk with the MP he may be better advised to talk with a labor relations officer of a union.
Additionally, I would advise him to try get some info from the Venezuelan Embassy about institutions that offer that service. I don’t know about the quality but I understand the costs for orthopedic procedures are nominal.
Kester, the injury was in pre-season. Now many Pro League clubs do not give out contracts until the season is about to kick off. I think that is to avoid paying an extra month’s salary.
But that might mean he didn’t have a contract from North East Stars at the time.
But there are many cases of contracted players who also had problems.
It took W Connection more than two months to agree to pay for Dwight Quintero’s operation although he was a contracted player who was injured in training. And even then, it was only after Wired868 spoke to his attorney Fulton Wilson and wrote about matter that Connection relented.
https://wired868.com/2016/03/24/ttfa-president-embroiled-in-connection-dispute-blamed-for-endangering-quinteros-career/
Central has yet to pay for the injury to foreign based player Borfor Carr, which occurred at a game he played.
I believe this is a case of not knowing your rights. Once he was invited to try out, the team is responsible for providing a safe environment. The field was unsafe and hence the injury. That’s my bush lawyer opinion ?
Sherlan yes. Good point too.
Don’t forget what happened to Lyndon Andrews https://wired868.com/2017/04/15/dear-diary-ex-tt-star-lyndon-andrews-reveals-how-ma-pau-sc-drove-him-from-the-game/
Antoinette Sankar, could you help us set up crowdfunding for it? Of course he is just asking for priority here. And not even that he can get.
I could try. Who should I chat with to discuss technical details?
In-box me and we can discuss some more. Tell me what info you need.
Different athlete. Same story. Sigh….
Good grief! $30,000 ttd isn’t a huge figure. Couldn’t ‘somebodies’ help with the fund raising? This is crazy
Agreed. We should be able to raise this quite quickly
Yes
Another example of the disrespect