Sport and Culture Fund fuels cricket revival
Newsday reporter
The GOVERNMENT Sports and Culture Fund was commended for its significant contribution to national youth development.
The award came from TT Cricket Board (TTCB) President Azim Bassarath at the official opening of the 2023 cricket season on Saturday at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.
Bassarath spoke in the presence of fund officials, players and officials from teams Queen’s Park I and Preysal, who were playing in one of four opening round matches of the Premier League I competition.
The fund was represented by Chief Executive Officer Debra Coryat-Patton, Secretary and Deputy to the Office of the Prime Minister Wendy Barton and Director of the Department of Culture Esther Inniss.
The TTCB President said the fund’s support has been crucial in ensuring the cricket body’s development programs and competitions.
“This season marks the fourth year that the Sports and Culture Fund has provided support to help us host the largest national cricket tournament on the local calendar for the top clubs,” Bassarath said.
This season is particularly important as, for the first time, Premier League I clubs including holders Queen’s Park, Preysal, PowerGen Sports Club and Merryboys will take part in three consecutive days of matches.
“Based on our research and deliberations, it became apparent that a radical change was needed to improve the skills of the Red Force team after our team last won the regional four-day championship in 2006,” said Bassarath.
“I have said before, and this was a key point of the recent CWI report on the Caribbean team’s disappointing performance at last year’s T20 ICC World Cup, that we need to play more red ball cricket,” Bassarath said.
He said three straight games are planned this season and it is planned that all Premier League I games in 2024 will last three consecutive days.
“It is the beginning of the process of bringing us back to the top of the longest game format in the Caribbean and the TTCB would like to commend the Sports and Culture Fund for making this possible,” Bassarath said.
In her remarks, held at the Oval in a light drizzle on Friday before officials met the players, Barton mentioned the fund’s fourth year as the main sponsor of TT Cricket.
And she thanked the TTCB for the opportunity to provide an overview of the extent of the Board’s commitment to sponsorship of sporting and cultural events.
“If you meet all the criteria set by the board for managing the fund, you can get some funding, which falls within the purview of the prime minister’s office,” Barton said.
The Sport and Culture Fund and the Board of Directors of the Sport and Culture Fund were established by Law No. 31 of 1988 with amendments in Law No. 25 of 1993.
It was established to: facilitate the provision of sports and cultural facilities; Providing grants and loans to deserving individuals, groups and organizations according to criteria established by the Board. It can also carry out any other activity related to sports and culture; or do all those things incidental to or conducive to the attainment of the above purposes.
Barton said that funding to support grants to successful applicants is received from the National Lotteries Control Board’s Instant Lottery Surplus, which represents the amount realized after all expenses and prize money payments have been settled from the proceeds of each instant lottery.
The Fund’s Board of Directors consists of Chairwoman Debra Coryat-Patton; Secretary and Deputy to the Office of the Prime Minister Wendy Barton, Secretary and Deputy to the Office of the Prime Minister; Beverly Reid-Samuel, a director of the Department of Sports; Mala Mohammed, a director of the Ministry of Finance; Esther Inniss, a director of the Department of Culture; Hasely Crawford, Sports and Culture Representative; and Devon Seale, representative of culture.
Support will take the form of grants, which may be awarded to individuals or organizations in support of sporting and cultural activities where deemed appropriate by the Board.
As a rule, partial financing of the total costs of a funding application is taken into account.
Recipients of grants from the Sports and Culture Fund are not eligible for further assistance within twelve (12) months of the date of approval of the last grant by the Board.
The Board will not consider an application from a previous applicant who has not accounted for the funds received.
Notwithstanding consistency with motions made by the Board, it reserves the right to approve motions subject to the availability of funds.
When examining applications for funding of sporting and cultural activities, the Board will:
Determine the eligibility of individuals and organizations for financial assistance from the Sports and Culture Fund; Determine the feasibility of projects contributing to sport and culture within TT.