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What is the fate of St Benedict’s College in relation to the registration of captain and star attacker Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia?
It is arguably the single most important matter on the pending tray of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) executive committee. Yet, the Disciplinary Committee ended its meeting today without a decision.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
So, St Benedict’s, with the threat of expulsion in the air, must try to prepare as normal for a South Zone Intercol semifinal clash with Pleasantville Secondary tomorrow at the Mahaica Sporting Complex.
SSFL president Merere Gonzales suggested that the Disciplinary Committee, which is headed by East Zone president Adesh Dwarika and includes Kurt Harry and Laurence Seepersad, felt it still lacked enough information to render a verdict.
“Yes, I’m concerned about the length of time [to rule on St Benedict’s], although there is still some additional information that is required,” Gonzales told Wired868. “[They are] expected to meet as soon as they get the requested information.”
At stake is St Benedict’s claim to the 2024 SSFL Premier Division trophy and, possibly, their place in the top-flight schoolboys’ competition.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
At the crux of the dispute is the eligibility of Garcia, who missed his entire year of third form but was still registered as a full-time St Benedict’s student by principal Gregory Quan Kep in August—even though the 17-year-old was living in the United States at the time.
Garcia’s name was never taken off the school roll, and the Ministry of Education was not informed about his whereabouts, as required by the Education Act. Furthermore, the school never asked the MoE to reinstate him as a student upon his return, as requested by the boy’s mother.
The relevant school supervisors, on Wednesday, 16 October, reported to acting Chief Education Officer Aaron Ramrattan that Garcia was not a valid student and recommended Quan Kep’s immediate suspension for his handling of the affair.
However, when SSFL general secretary Azaad Khad asked Ramrattan to confirm Garcia’s status on Friday, 18 October, the acting Chief Education Officer did not verify or reject the findings of the school supervisors.
Bizarrely, Ramrattan’s response skirted over whether St Benedict’s requested Garcia’s reinstatement and his legitimacy as a student. As a result, it is plausible that the Disciplinary Committee is seeking further clarification.
The downside is that, having cast a shadow over the 2024 Premier Division competition, the Garcia affair now looks to also bring the Intercol competition into disrepute.
Already, there are grumbles from Presentation College (San Fernando), who were third in the Premier Division standings and second among south schools. If the Disciplinary Committee does rule against St Benedict’s, the “Pres Lions” would have been the South Zone’s top seed and preparing for a clash with second-tier school Pleasantville Secondary.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Instead, they are facing fierce rivals Naparima College in the semifinals.
If St Benedict’s were to be expelled, would Pleasantville—due to face the La Romaine Lions tomorrow—advance straight to the South Zone Intercol final?
Suppose St Benedict’s get the boot on the weekend instead, after they have already defeated “P-ville”? Would Pleasantville be reinstated? Or would the winner between “Naps” and the Pres Lions be crowned champions without a final?
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
It is worth noting that Benedict’s still had nine Premier Division games remaining (more than half of the league season) when Garcia returned to their line-up in a 1-0 win over San Juan North Secondary at the Mahaica Sporting Complex on Wednesday, 2 October.
They had eight games outstanding when former TTFA technical committee chairman Keith Look Loy, a former school teacher, publicly asked pertinent questions about Garcia’s return that should not have escaped the SSFL board.
When Wired868 revealed the damning probe by MoE officials on Wednesday, 23 October, St Benedict’s still had three league matches left, and there was no clear winner in the race for the Premier Division crown.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
- 30 June 2023: Derrel Garcia’s last recorded day at St Benedict’s College as a third-form student.
- 6 July 2023: Garcia’s mother informs school principal Gregory Quan Kep that her son will pursue a football opportunity in Spain.
- 9 and 13 September 2023: Garcia plays in the SSFL NGC Super Cup against Fatima College and a league match against San Juan North, although he had not attended school since June.
- 30 August 2024: St Benedict’s College principal Gregory Quan Kep registers Garcia as a “bonafide student” to represent the school in the upcoming SSFL season, although he had not attended school there in 14 months.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
- 25 September 2024: Garcia’s mother writes St Benedict’s and requests guidance on having her son reinstated at the school. (MoE officials claimed that this was never forwarded to the ministry.)
- 2 October 2024: Garcia returns to the SSFL and captains St Benedict’s in a 1-0 win over San Juan North, although he had not attended school in over 15 months.
- 5 October 2024: Garcia snatches the headlines with a hattrick in a win over defending champions Fatima College, and Look Loy questions whether the correct processes were followed in his return. (If St Benedict’s or the SSFL had acted at this point, the school might have lost just six points.)
- 8 October 2024: Garcia attends class at St Benedict’s for the first time since June 2023. He played three times in the 2024 season and twice in 2023 without being an active student.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
- 16 October 2024: Two school supervisors in south Trinidad declare, after investigations, that Garcia is invalid as a student and recommend that principal Quan Kep be suspended and charged by the Teaching Service Commission.
- 23 October 2024: Wired868 reveals probe by the school supervisors.
- 25 October 2024: SSFL writes to the Acting Chief Education Officer for information on Garcia’s eligibility.
- 7 November 2024: Acting Chief Education Officer offers a vague response to SSFL queries.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
- 8 November 2024: SSFL confirms receipt of a response from the Ministry of Education but sets a crucial Disciplinary Committee meeting for six days later.
- 14 November 2024: SSFL Disciplinary Committee fails to make a decision, citing insufficient information.
Notably, Garcia had company when he jetted off for Spain in September 2023. Thirteen-year-old St Benedict’s College student Sebastian James travelled with him.
The pair were then joined in Spain by another talented St Benedict’s footballer, Adam “Toka” Pierre, in January 2024.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
It is uncertain how long Pierre stayed out of school and whether he would have also required reinstatement by the ministry.
James, who represented Trinidad and Tobago at a Caribbean Under-14 tournament in August, swapped St Benedict’s for Naparima in September.
Unlike St Benedict’s, Naparima officially requested James’ reinstatement from the Ministry of Education before they put the talented youngster on the football field.
Photo: TTFA Media
The SSFL Disciplinary Committee’s ruling, when it eventually comes, will show which of the two big south football schools got it right.
Editor’s Note: The SSFL Disciplinary Committee meeting on St Benedict’s College’s registration of captain Derrel Garcia has now been postponed until Saturday 16 November.
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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.
This is total nonsense and bias to the so called prestige school. Had it been a government secondary, immediate decision would have been made. The facts are clear.
But the school’ Godfathers hands are long.