The Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (SporTT) and Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs (MSYA) wish to correct the inaccurate and incomplete information published by Guardian Media Limited (GML) on August 15, 2026, regarding the funding and administration of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL).
Earlier this month, the SSFL announced that the withdrawal of its major title sponsor would impact the competition’s traditional format. Recognizing that isolating Tobago schools would create disproportionate growth in the sport and damage the national character of the League, SporTT and MSYA intervened proactively.
SporTT and MSYA pledged immediate assistance for major expenses, specifically targeting air travel costs to guarantee that students from both islands have an equal opportunity to compete.
It is highly unfortunate that GML has chosen to mischaracterize this situation by focusing on the approval process of the SporTT Board of Directors. The public must note that the Minister’s immediate intervention regarding airlift and the SporTT Board’s evaluation of a broader financial proposal are two separate matters.
The proposal sent to SporTT covers extensive expenses, including:
- Airfare and accommodation
- Referees’ and commissioners’ fees
- Related operational expenditures
The SporTT Board is legally and ethically bound by its fiduciary duties and corporate governance principles to thoroughly review all aspects of a proposal before rendering a decision. To imply that the Board has failed in its duties simply because it is taking the necessary time to properly consider these additional expenditure items is both premature and highly misleading.
Furthermore, GML’s attempt to lecture public institutions on corporate governance rings hollow given its own well-publicized internal struggles with editorial independence.
Remarkably, neither GML nor its reporter Nigel Simon issued any written requests to SporTT or its board members for clarity or a response prior to publishing. This failure to seek comment directly violates the basic tenets of responsible, fair, and accurate journalism.
SporTT remains fully committed to promoting sport equitably for all citizens. We urge GML to cease unnecessary political and institutional insinuations, exercise greater care in its reporting, and allow established public processes to take place for the benefit of our youth and national sporting development.
Despite the attempted distractions, a successful SSFL is expected.
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