Plain Talk from Skratchy

May 28 2006 saw a history making event in Port-of-Spain. It was the last time cricket fans would see the ‘prince of Port-of –Spain’, Brian Lara perform in the faster paced version of the wonderful game, the ODI, in Trinidad. Fans, both local and foreign paid four hundred and fifty dollars to attend the match. I am sure that a lot of the fans are like me, in that I paid the high price to see Lara in his final Stand in ODI on local ground.

It was not to be however. When I got to the oval I was denied entry into the Trini Posse stand despite holding a valid ticket. It was not until after hours of waiting outside the oval in the hot sun (not even being provided the score) were we allowed to enter, in a very slow manner, with not even an apology. They treated the patrons as if they were doing a favor by letting us in! Needless to say it was too late to see Brian Lara’s efforts.

Trinidadians who travel or live abroad for any period of time always return and complain that the service dealt out to customers in Trinidad is horrible. How many times have we heard “only in ‘this’ country” or “this would never happen in the states”? We can not let this continue. In this case the perpetrators make a lot of money every time there is a sporting event in the oval. I call upon the WICB, the TTCB, the QPCC, the ICC and indeed the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to step in on behalf of the fans. We are being mistreated and robbed by a group of individuals who has no consideration for anything except their profit margin.

My only hope is that this will not be allowed to continue and that the authorities would take the necessary action against the offenders. I look forward to some sort of restitution or a least a public apology (because we all know that they will not refund a cent to the victims).