Lawrence: Let’s help our brothers and sisters

TT men’s football coach Dennis Lawrence said that people of TT have always supported national athletes and entertainers, and now it is time for the roles to be reversed.

Lawrence was speaking at the Football For a Cause media briefing at the #63 Bar at Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook, yesterday. Local celebrities including present and past national athletes, and entertainers, will take part in a football match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo for those affected by the recent flooding at 7.30 pm today.

People are asked to bring relief items or cash donations to enter the Stadium to see Team Relief play Team Hope. Gates will open at 5.30 pm. Team Relief will be led by former Strike Squad captain Clayton Morris and will be coached by former national skipper Angus Eve, who is also expected to play.

Team Hope will be captained by former national footballer and current national coach Lawrence and will be coached by former Strike Squad defender Brian Williams.

At the briefing yesterday Lawrence said, “We have asked TT to come out on many occasions whether it be for football, basketball, events that MX Prime would be having. We have asked TT to come out and support us. Now I think it is our time to come out and support TT.”

Lawrence, one of the main organisers of the event, urged the public to support the venture.

“We have managed to pull this together with a fantastic group...we are looking out for TT to come and support what we are trying to do and we are looking forward to TT to come and enjoy a fantastic event. We want it to be enjoyable, but most importantly we need to understand why we are doing this. We are doing this for a fantastic cause. When you look around and see what is happening over the last couple days, we need to pull together and help our brothers and sisters and we need to do this in the most positive way we could find.”

Soca artiste MX Prime, along with reggae artiste Isasha and the Laventille Rhythm Section are expected to perform at the event. MX Prime said he felt he needed to get involved as a citizen of TT. “When I was called by Dennis I knew what he was asking of me to be a citizen of the Republic of TT,” MX Prime said.

“This country has done so much for all of us in this room, and we are extremely grateful to be representing the red, white and black especially in this particular initiative.”

MX Prime said everyone in TT was impacted in some way by the flooding. “It does not matter if you have been affected by what took place, whether your place was flooded out or not, whether your property was destroyed or not. We all feel this because many of us who are thanking God nothing happened went into their pockets, went to the various supermarkets and groceries and they gave.”

Team Relief: Angus Eve (coach/player), Clayton Morris (captain), Clayton Ince (goalkeeper), Akim Toussaint, Aleena Edwards, Ancil Elcock, Anthony Wolfe, Arnold Dwarika, Clint Marcelle, Dinanath Ramnarine, Ephraim Serrette, Fiona Holder, Franz Huggins, Gary Glasgow, Gary Griffith, Janine Francois, Jeffrey Harris, Jerwyn Balthazar, Karyn Forbes, Keyeno Thomas, Kirth Davis, Lamani Clarke, Brent Sancho, Reneice Boyce, Reynold Carrington, Rhea Belgrave, Ron Alexander, Russell Munroe, Stern John, Tasha St Louis, Tia Bruno, Tyrone Charles, Rayshawn Mars.

Team Hope: Brian Williams (coach), Dennis Lawrence (captain), Ross Russell (goalkeeper), Aasan Lewis, Adarayll John, Ahkeela Mollon, Anika Brice, Trevor Nottingham, Cherelle Thompson, Cyd Gray, Devon Jorsling, Floyd Lawrence, Hasely Crawford, Hutson Charles, Joseph Quashie, Kelvon Charles, Kenwyne Jones, Kerry Jamerson, Kevin Ollivierra, Kevon Cooper, Larry Joseph, Marvin Faustin, Mikhail Williams, Natasha St Louis, Leonson Lewis, Peter Granville, Russell Latapy, Shawn Pouchet, Solomon Eccles, Stacy-Ann King, Sue Ann Cordner, Wesley Webb, Anthony Streete.