Not Just a Building but a New Home for SOTT

FRIDAY DECEMBER 02, 2022: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO- Through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, SportTT, the Defence Force and Digicel Foundation, Special Olympics Trinidad and Tobago officially unveiled their new Secretariat at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.

SOTT proudly welcomed persons on November 30th into their newly constructed, state of the art space which contains a reception area, a conference room, new bathrooms, kitchen, offices and a large storage unit for equipment and gear. The unveiling was done in commemoration with SOTT’s 40th anniversary. The space was initially given to the group by SporTT and Ministry of Sport and Community Development and SOTT utilized TT$466,000 in funding from the Digicel Foundation to upgrade the initial space.

SOTT Chairman, Major David Benjamin delivered the welcome address and further explained that the goal is to hire Special Olympic Athletes to manage the reception area and the equipment storage unit.  He said, “Where others talk, we walk!  Major Benjamin added, “We want our athletes to make meaningful contributions toward this space.” He explained that this was a critical part for this leg of the journey.

In delivering remarks on behalf of the Digicel Foundation, Chair Desha Clifford said, “This is more than just a building. It’s a space for athletes to hone their skills, build character and improve their sportsmanship.” She resoundingly shared, “This is new Home for SOTT!"

Also in attendance was Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Sport and Community Development – Beverly Reid – Samuel. She spoke on the importance of collaborative efforts such as the SOTT project. She said, “This project shows how far we can go together.” She further assured SOTT that Trinidad and Tobago stands firmly behind them and is ready to show support in any way possible.

Digicel Foundation CEO Penny Gomez brought some early Christmas cheer and surprised SOTT with a cheque for US$20,000 (TT$135,000).  This payment will be made annually to SOTT to cover operational costs to run the Secretariat.  This gift is yet another annual financial commitment that Digicel Foundation has with SOTT.