Dear Editor,

I’m an ardent reader of your newspaper, more so the sport section since you are known for being fair and accurate in your reports and also, unlike many other news entities, you pay much interest where sport is concerned to Linden. There is a serious issue that is plaguing football in Linden that I would like to be known not only to my fellow Lindeners, but to Guyana.

The game played between the National Select and an Upper Demerara (UDFA) team, on May 24 at the Mackenzie Sports Club, ended 1-0 in favour of the National Select after a not-so-deserving penalty was converted in the first half by a National Select side that easily dominated the entire game.

In an interview after the game with  Stabroek News, national coach, Mr Paul James commented, “It’s either the National team was very good or the Linden team [Upper Dem] was very poor. I was surprised because we can’t really point out anyone now who we would draft in [how sad]… if you look at Linden football after Collie Hercules, Charles ‘Lilly’ Pollard and Kayode McKinnon and so on, you can’t really see a top quality player from the area [where a multitude of national players came from] so some work should be done there.”

This statement comes at a time when all the clubs of the Upper Demerara Football Association have accepted that such sentiments by the national coach and others have merit, and have begun to work towards bringing an end to the sad state of affairs in football in the Upper Demerara area.

The clubs have recognized that the first point of correction is with the administration of the sport in the region, which at the moment is being administered by less that two of the twelve executive members who were elected by the clubs some three years ago. All the other members over the last year and a half have quit their functions in the association with no reason given, the secretary being the last to quit some two months ago.

With such an understanding it would only be in the interest of football development that the current President, Mr Brian Joseph recognize and assist the desires of the clubs that placed him there and work to resolve this fundamental problem. I am certain that Mr Joseph will not go in the direction of bringing on new individuals as executives several months or even a year later, as this should have been done immediately after all those members had quit. It should not be when it is evident that the clubs want to go in a different direction and the problems of the association have become far advanced that such action should be taken without the endorsement of the clubs.

Also for Mr Joseph to continue functioning ‘as is’ might open him to the accusation that he is unwilling to accept responsibility for the sad state of football in the UDFA, and might cause him to be seen as an enemy of progress.

Other areas have been highlighted for urgent attention, and it is hoped that the efforts being made by all the clubs of the association to rebuild the proud image of the Upper Demerara Football Association are given strong support from all stakeholders, most importantly the Guyana Football Federation.

Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)