Above: Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar with former Soca Warrior Brent Sancho in Brazil (Photo: OPM Trinidad)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar concluded a visit to Brazil this weekend.

Persad-Bissessar assured the media prior to the “private” trip with her grandson that no taxpayers’ money was being used on the trip.

The visit included a meeting with footballers who represented Trinidad in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, to whom she presented a cheque for $1.3 million in funding that they had never received from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation.

“On behalf of the Soca Warriors members who stuck it out over the years enduring so many legal battles may I take the time to express my gratitude to the Honourable Prime Minister and her government for this heart warming gesture,” said former Soca Warrior Brent Sancho. “We recognize that the government has no legal obligation to assist us yet chose to do so through this gesture. All of Trinidad and Tobago can breathe a collective sigh of relief that a moment that brought us all so much happiness and pride is free of any grievance.”

The funding was approved by Trinidad’s Cabinet, the Prime Minister said.