$600 000 kick

By Ezra Stuart | Wed, September 19, 2012 - 12:05 AM

More than a half-million dollars will be spent on this year’s David Thompson Memorial Constituency Councils Football Classic.

This was revealed by Minister of Constituency Empowerment Steve Blackett yesterday at the launch of the tournament at the Warrens Office Complex.

Blackett said that whereas the overall budget was estimated at $600 000 – an increase of around $100 000 – each council had been asked to provide $20 000 from their annual Government grant.

“Each council gets about $100 000 per year. This money comes from that vote. So it is not like we are giving money in addition to the $100 000 per council. This money comes from the vote of the 30 constituency councils. So it is not money added to the allocation,” Blackett told MIDWEEK SPORT following the launch.

But there has not been an increase in the prizes for the teams finishing in the top four positions as the winners will again receive $30 000 and runners-up $20 000 with $15 000 for third place and $10 000 for fourth.

Players will also benefit from a small match stipend but with an increase from 18 to 22 players per team, plus three officials, the overall estimate for performance fees has moved from $94 000 to $117 000.

“Originally, when this whole idea was conceptualized, I directed the [Constituency Empowerment] department that we should get about $10 000 per council.

“Of course, as you will know, when you start to organize tournaments like this, all kinds of incidental costs develop. Therefore, it spiralled from $300 000, which we had initially targeted, to just over $500 000 last year,” Blackett said.

“The difference between last year’s tournament cost and this year’s tournament cost is not much but nevertheless it is all within the allocated budget of the Constituency Council and the Department of Constituency Empowerment.”

The 30 constituencies have been placed in six zones of five teams each.

Following the parade of teams at 4 p.m. and a cultural package, inaugural winners The City of Bridgetown will oppose last year’s losing semi-finalists St Joseph in the opening match on September 30 at the Gall Hill Playing Field in St John at 5:30 p.m.

St John will then play St Andrew in the feature match at 8 p.m.

Former FIFA referee Mark “Bob” Forde, who is again co-ordinating the tournament, said each constituency would only be allowed to play five players from any team which participated in the Barbados Football Association’s (BFA’s) competitions.

He, however, said there would be exceptions where there was only one BFA team in a constituency.

Forde also pointed out that according to BFA rules, national footballers or players seeded in the Premier League were only allowed to play in two out-of-season tournaments.

Matches will be contested on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at venues within the constituencies at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.. Entrance to all matches, including the final at Kensington Oval on December 14, is free.

“This is not about making money for Government. We are making a contribution through the Constituency Councils and this was the idea from the very start,” Blackett said.

Groups

Zone 1: St Lucy, St Michael South, St Michael West Central, Christ Church West Central, St George North.

Zone 2: St Joseph, St Michael West, City of Bridgetown, Christ Church East Central, St Michael East.

Zone 3: St Michael South East, St Michael North East, St Philip North, Christ Church South, St James South.

Zone 4: St Thomas, St Michael Central, St Philip West, Christ Church East, St James Central.

Zone 5: St Peter, St Michael North West, St Philip South, St Michael North, St James North.

Zone 6: St Andrew, St Michael South Central, St John, Christ Church West, St George South.

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Posted by Carl Harper 8 months ago: My main concern is why do Constituency Councils spend a whopping 20% of their annual budget on this event while there are so many pressing needs in constituencies left undone.

Furthermore, how can Blackett, by his Party's own admission - these are tough economic times - justify increasing the prize money by 3% when public workers could not even get a measly 1% salary increase over the last four years, and is unlikely to get any in the foreseeable future as the cost of living skyrockets?

It is irresponsible to be dishing out more cash at a time when the country is not showing any sign of recording positive economic growth.

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Posted by Bajan Fishermen 8 months ago: This is such a waste of tax payers money, that even the late Prime Minister Mr. Thompson, would have decried.
Lashley and Blackett a should know better, that in a time of economic need for the Barbadian tax payers they are using money to embellish an election.
The treasury is bare, buses on the fritz, Alexander and other schools need equipment, but yet they can find money to compete against a private football tournament in Barbados.
Where is the political leadership in this Country? you cannot find money for the UWI at Cave Hill, but finding money to make a bunch of inept politicians look good, as they look for votes? This is the mentality of a Banana Republic.

This is despicable. If this sort of behaviour, that Monarchs were beheaded. Last year you did the same garbage, and the people let it slip by. But not now, when this administration promised to pay all of CLICO's policies that had mature, and have yet to honour.
Pay us our monies from CLICO NOW. My mother has worked all her life, and in her old age, she has to scrunt by waiting for her money from CLICO. THIS IS NOT RIGHT, Mr. Blackett and Lashley. This said money could be used to help pay these CLICO policies off.
ENOUGH OF YOUR POLITIUCAL PANDERING. WE WANT OUR CLICO MONEY NOW.

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Posted by Anthony MAP 8 months ago: For once I must agree with Bajan Fisherman. “He who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present, controls the past” (George Orwell). Leaders have commonly used this tactic (games) to divert attention of their people from major issues, et al.

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Posted by Michael Goddard 8 months ago: Constituency Councils spend 20% of their budget on football tournament. These Constituency Councils were created to fulfill an election promise. The councils are "intended to bring Government closer to the people and in so doing meet the needs of residents of Barbados more effectively and efficiently." Skeptics at the time suggested they would be used to garner political favour. Government pressed on and garnered public feedback. According to the councils own feedback the public, "welcomed them as means of addressing the problems of: Social isolation, Economic deprivation, Political apathy and distrust,
Unnecessary delays in getting simple things done." How does a Football tournament achieve this? Perhaps the skeptics were right.

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Posted by Bim Bum 8 months ago: Over half-million dollars -for FOOTBALL??

Maybe we're not as broke as we pretend to be?

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Posted by SANDREA BUTCHER 8 months ago: And yet the government wants the Heads of Departments to cut expenditure by 3.3%. The staff at CBC want their increments. The Transport Board buses want proper maintenance. The hospital want supplies. Some schools did not get new text books. The Primary Schools asking the parents to send A4 sized paper. The Edutech computers want replacing. Priorities, priorities, priorities!