A move is being made to decrease crime in all 41 constituencies in T&T by a new organisation, T&T Crime Prevention Inter-Constituency Five-a-Side Football Association (TTCPICFFA).
Formed nine months ago, TTCPICFFA, the brainchild of Mackie Padmore of Mission Road, San Juan, is offering $150,000 to the overall winner of the first nationwide tournament, which has already received the blessings from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and is expected to begin in March.
Three other major prizes will be at stake with the runner-up getting $100,000, the team placing third $75,000 and the fourth place finisher $50,000.
Only the first 15 teams to register in each of the 41 constituencies will be allowed to compete and no professionals nor semiprofessionals will be allowed to participate. Registration fee is $500.
All 15 teams will be involved in Round One with the 41 winners moving into the finals. Each constituency winner will be rewarded with $2,000 with the runner-up getting $1,000. Date of registration will be announced shortly and published.
“The idea of staging such a tournament came a few years aback, after serving as a member on two organisations which put a dent on crime—the Executive Council and the Council of Elders,” said Padmore yesterday.
“One stopped crime for seven days and there were no murders in the country and the other went 31 days with a murder,” Padmore explained.
“I must confess that the former parties never took heed of the efforts and crime went back helter skelter again,” he added.
“I am a guy who have an ear on the ground and came up with the idea so different villages could turn to sport in order to deal effectively with the crime situation.” Padmore said the tournament will be launched shortly at the Minister of Sport.