When you have done as many news conferences as I have over the years in so many parts of the world, very little is new and different. Today, I must admit carves out its own unique space in my experience of events of this kind simply because of what it represents, the novelty of the strategies deployed and the warm embrace which four of this nation’s best brands have given to the programme we will be introducing this morning.

In the last World Cup we were all given a lesson in what patriotism truly meant. We grew to understand like never before what it was to cry for Trinidad and Tobago, to pray for our success, to express our love for this intoxicating little island we claim as our home. We grew to understand each other better, to believe in ourselves and to encounter a pride of our birthplace as though we had only just discovered that we were Trinbagonians. And to think all of this occurred because eleven men chased a small round ball around a field in the name of Trinidad and Tobago. We created history as the smallest nation ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup Final and all of a sudden a few billion people around the world wanted to know and discovered who we were.

The irony of it all is how the event helped us to discover ourselves as well. And this is what sports in general and football in particular does for a nation. It becomes a potent force of nationalism at times such as this. If all human conflicts were settled this way people would create the issues just to see the football match. And no, I am not proposing anything here!

Today, four of this nation’s most powerful brands have come together to launch an initiative that will change how sports will be promoted. Beyond the event itself, these four sponsors have patriotically enjoined in a programme to inspire a deep sense of nationalism through the platform of football. At the end of the day, this campaign will do much more than create a nation of Soca Warriors fans rooting for the home team but to create that crucial sense of belonging to a special place, a home, Trinidad and Tobago. As you will soon discover through our presentation this morning, this is an interactive, dynamic programme that will create a buzz across our twin island state.  

When this initiative was conceptualized my first thought was brilliant but where do get the support and commitment to move it forward. And I must tell you, each sponsor here made an IMMEDIATE commitment of support upon learning about it. And beyond these there are other individuals who continue to pledge their own form of support in various ways, people such as Telly Paul of PTSC who is kindly loaning us a special Soca Warrior Bus for promotional activities. It is at times like this I am most encouraged and our team recognizes the fund of goodwill and level of support that is out there for them and indeed for Trinidad and Tobago.

I would like to conclude these brief remarks by saying the media has a critical role to play in adding value to this uplifting campaign. If ever there were an initiative to promote our own self belief and celebrate who we are, this is it. Please give it your full support. Promote it for all its worth since the positive effects will be felt for generations to come as we all discover the Warrior Within, the hero that is You.

Once again, thanks to BMobile for your unstinting support of football and team Trinidad and Tobago, to Carib who has been the toast of our sponsorship even when no one else thought much of the chances of our Soca Warriors, to KFC who has developed a hunger for football and continue to be there for T&T, and to First Citizens who immediately responded to the national call of duty in supporting this programme. And than you all for being here this morning to celebrate the launch of our Warrior Within inspirational campaign.