Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) technical director Lincoln Phillips will not be receiving any of the $15 million Cabinet approved yesterday for salary payments to TTFF technical staff, said Sports Minister Gary Hunt.
At the post-Cabinet press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, Hunt said Cabinet agreed to spend $72,500,000 on Sports, of which $57,210,500 will be spent to upgrade various sporting facilities.
Hunt said $15,289,500 will be paid to the technical staff in salaries for this year and up to next year September in order to fulfill the Government's vision of seeing the team qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Hunt said $6,535,500 will be paid to the technical staff for the period January to September of this year and an additional $2,188,500 for October to December.
He said $6,565,500 was allocated for salary payments for January to September 2009 and all these payments were predicated with the accordance of existing policies in that national sporting organisations must submit audited financial statements.
Hunt also pointed out that from 2006 to 2007, Government gave the TTFF $12,342,000.
Questioned as to the non-payment of salaries to Phillips, Hunt responded: "The Government through the Ministry pays only those who we have been instructed to pay. We were given a listing of 13 technical staff to be paid...that is based on the NSO supplying audited accounts at the time."
He added that in the past Phillips was never on the initial listing of technical staff to be paid. However, an accommodation was made whereby he was paid under a contract.
"Mr Phillips' contract has expired and no new documentation has reached the Ministry or Sport Company (SPORTT) to continue with payments to Mr Lincoln Phillips" said Hunt.
Phillips told the Express: "I don't know where he (Hunt) got his information from. I am not going to comment on anything that Gary Hunt says or Jack Warner says, they are both politicians, I am not."
Asked whether he will continue working for the TTFF for no salary, he said: "Absolutely, that will be taken care of, I have faith in God."
Hunt spoke of a number of upgrades to be made to various sporting facilities-- Hasely Crawford Stadium; Jean Pierre Complex; Woodbrook Youth Facility; Saith Park, Chaguanas; and Shaw Park, Tobago. He said work will be done to make these venues modern in keeping with international standards for the inaugural Caribbean Games next year.
Some $27,780,000 of the sum will be spent to modernise the Hasely Crawford Stadium to include rooms for massage therapy and ultrasound for athletes.