TTFF News - Berry says Peltier's case is unfortunate

BERRY SAYS PELTIER'S CASE IS UNFORTUNATE

 

Agent Mike Berry is advising local strike Lester Peltier and his colleagues who had been awaiting word of their work permit appeal before being left in a disappointed state to keep their heads up.

 

Berry, who has been successful in transacting 18 work permits for T&T nationals to play abroad felt the player Peltier was being ill-advised and has such had to suffer the consequences.

 

According to Berry, “Peltier and the  other boys have been "led up the garden path" since day one.”

 

He claimed that word about Peltier’s grandmother being Dutch was irrelevant and “then he (Terry Fenwick) talked about trying for working holidays for the boys a la Kenwyne Jones. The working holiday scheme was vetoed by the FA more than 2 years ago!

 

“He should never have allowed the boys to have their hopes raised when they quite frankly never had a cat in hells chance of getting through and Fenwick should have advised them accordingly.

 

“Their UK agents are obviously very inexperienced in Work Permit legislation and were wrong to even consider appeals for the boys with their lack of international experience and should look carefully at themselves for taking the boys and their families on this ill fated journey for employment in the UK and to end up in tears and disappointment for all concerned.”

 

Fenwick’ claim that failure by Wim Rijsbergen and Michael McComie to provide recommendation was also irrelevant and he revealed that the Dutchman never assisted in Jason Scotland’s permit grant.

 

“The agent’s and Fenwick’s claims that Wim and McComie let them down by not submitting letters of recommendation is just clutching at straws and a smokescreen to mask their obvious naivety in Work permit matters and lack of experience and preparation.”

 

“As someone who has transacted eighteen  successful WP's for T&T players so far I am really saddened by this situation particularly for the boys and their families who have had their hopes raised spuriously and then had them dashed so bluntly. I would advise them to stay strong, keep the faith and things will work out in the future i am sure as "cream always rises to the top."

                                   

“ I can also assure them that not having a letter from Wim or McComie did not affect the panels decision one iota. If Fenwick and their UK representatives felt so strongly about the issue then they should have secured the references a long time ago and not the week before the hearing.

 “ Their obvious lack of experience in these matters has caused these 3 boys a lot of grief and anxiety in my opinion and was totally unnecessary had they fully understood the basic requirements of UK Work Permit rules.

                                     

“Finally I would advise any young T&T player to think carefully about who represents them in future to avoid further similar disappointment and false promises from people. Also for the record Wim never, as alleged by Peltier’s agent Mohamed provided any references or recommendations for Scotty's recent successful WP appeal which was organised by myself.This spurious claim was a "red herring" to divert attention away from an appeal that had no real foundation and was doomed to fail from the start,” Berry concluded. Berry also wished Jan Michael Williams and Silvio Spann success in their attempts at obtaining work permits following interest from Sheffield United and Sunderland respectively. (Photo shows Berry with Rijsbergen.)