Club distances itself from Fenwick
To avoid its name and image from being brought into further public disrepute the management of Ma Pau Sports Club has distanced itself from English-born coach Terry Fenwick.
According to a press release yesterday Ma Pau Sports Club states: “From recent reports in the press it would appear 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.
“Ma Pau wishes to place on record that 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 was elected into the Pro League. The team was not and our arrangement with Mr Fenwick ended.”
The release pointed out that after some time Ma Pau Sports Club applied to the Pro League to be rejoined as a member.
It added at the same time Terry Fenwick applied to the Ministry of Sport for a registration grant ($450,000) to be paid in order to facilitate the club in rejoining the league and the grant was paid by the ministry to facilitate the payment of the registration fee.
However, the release added, it was subsequently communicated to Ma Pau by the Pro League that its application was rejected by a vote of three against one with one abstention.
In the circumstances, Ma Pau stated, it immediately issued a $450,000 cheque to the ministry, thus, in this regard Ma Pau stands entirely blameless.
Ma Pau’s release also states the police have shown its former chairman, Kenroy Phillips, an application for $150,000.00 for the development of youth football.
Phillips, it stated, had confirmed to the police that the signature which purported to be his on the application was not his.
Ma Pau added it had never requested such monies from the ministry nor has it received such monies. The situation regarding the $150,000, it stated, was engaging the attention of the police.
This development has to do with Ma Pau SC seeking to re-enter the TT Pro League for the 2015/2016 season. Ma Pau last played in the league in 2011 before it requested to have its application suspended.
Sherry Persad of Ma Pau said: “Ma Pau is recognised as a well known leader in the national community in the area of social corporate responsibility and has consistently invested in communities and individuals but in no way attempted to misinform Gillian MacIntyre, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Sport, or the Pro League by stating that Ma Pau had invested $8.5 million in refurbishing the Morvant recreation ground.”
However, Fenwick seeking to clear the air on grant-funding said, via a press release issued on September 4, 2015, his application was specific to attaining the requisite fee for incorporating the club into the 2015/2016 Pro League Season.
He said he met with the then sports minister Brent Sancho and his adviser Kevin Harrison on July 21 and subsequently met with the permanent secretary on a number of occasions to facilitate compliance for grant funding for Ma Pau SC's incorporation.
He added: "The incorporation was a necessary prerequisite by the owners of Ma Pau and its associated sponsors who have committed to rehabilitate the Morvant Recreational Grounds to be used as home ground for Ma Pau and Caledonia IA, in addition to serving members of the general public.
“The cost of rehabilitation has been estimated at just over TT$8 million and is to be privately funded through sponsorship. The fee for incorporation as documented in communication was identified as $450,000.”
He added that in addition to the project plans and sponsorship commitment, the club's owners submitted documentation from their bankers to establish they were in good standing, as well as formal approval from the CEO of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, Kenwyn Pantin, of the corporation's permission to use the grounds under the agreed conditions.
"Having fully satisfied all the criteria for grant funding, Ma Pau FC was then issued a cheque, dated August 8, by the Ministry of Sport. At the same time, a letter of notification, also dated August 8, was sent to the CEO of the Professional Football League, Dexter Skeene, advising of the granting of funds and the ministry's support," Fenwick said.
When contacted yesterday, Skeene said a board meeting was scheduled for today and would only disclose that the relevant people would be contacted subsequent to that meeting.
Skeene said there were ten teams in the T&T Pro League and added that no new teams would be brought in this week.