Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler is in disbelief that three national footballers were suspended for playing in an out-of-season tournament.
“It was a little unfortunate but this is how it is. I said, ‘Imagine in a society when some people felt it necessary to commit crime, [and] some people felt it necessary to do things that were not necessarily becoming of them, the biggest charge and conviction of the people who were sanctioned by the BFA . . . was playing football’,” he said.
Sinckler, speaking at the presentation ceremony of the Henderson Williams City Of Bridgetown Football Tournament at Pebbles Beach last Friday night, was referring to national players Mario Harte, Mario Williams and Renaldo Trim, who were suspended from national duty for playing in the tournament, which was not sanctioned by the Barbados Football Association.
“It’s amazing. The crime committed by a footballer was playing football. It’s unbelievable. You would expect that a footballer would play football, but somehow or the other, we have conspired to create a rule to penalise young people for doing things that are positive and forward-looking for themselves and their community,” Sinckler said.
The minister said he was pleased that despite the situation, Williams and his team had persevered and the tournament turned out to be a successful one.
Williams said that leadership was about more than an individual.
“If the city has not moved I have not led. It’s not about me, it’s about us. It’s about the legacy that you leave,” he added.
Curtis Odle of Lions captured both the Most Valuable Player and the Most Goals awards with eight goals.
Lions’ Andre Gibson was named Best Defender while the Best Midfielder award went to Romario Harewood of Strugglers. Best Goalkeeper was Kerry Hall of Strugglers.
Lions captured the inaugural tournament, with Strugglers placing second; MS 13, third; and United Ballers, fourth. (RG)