Dear Editor,
The Bartica Football Association would like to respond to various erroneous statements, that have been printed by sport reporters and in the letter columns of the daily newspapers, accusing the Bartica Football Association of being inactive and not carrying out its mandate as it relates to organizing football competitions at all levels; inefficient financial management; and the non-holding of mandatory meetings. Editor is it not good journalistic ethics to engage the subject of a story to get the facts, and more so to verify the veracity of what one is told? Please note that not one of the sport journalists/letter writers has ever contacted the Bartica Football Association to enquire, to clarify or to confirm, and yet they proceed to write.
Is this the new journalistic norm and standard, or perhaps these reporters have their own agenda?
What about having every angle of a story – is this not needed? A simple phone call to the Bartica Football Association would have confirmed that our association over the years has been very active. We have consistently had competitions at all levels every year, for instance boys under thirteen, fifteen, seventeen, seniors and women’s football.
Pertaining to our operating compliance over the years, we were once adjudged the best association for our efficiency as it relates to adhering to the GFF constitution, both for the holding of meetings such as annual general meetings and moreso, for our professional approach to administering our duties.
Our sound financial stewardship and good accountability enable us to partner with Mr Eddy Grant and Mr Giles Stephen a/k Gillo to upgrade the floodlights at the Bartica Community Centre ground at a cost of over $2M. They are the best in the country after the National Stadium. Over the years we have submitted annual audited accounts to the GFF. Today we are the most financially sound association in Guyana; perhaps other associations may have had more activities, but the fact remains we are the most financially sound.
If Bartica had the number of clubs and the potential market for sponsorship as Georgetown and other associations, as a consequence of our excellent financial stewardship we would be in a position conceivably to give FIFA a loan.
Other than having the various football competitions annually, the Bartica Football Association can boast of having an established academy that was launched two years ago sponsored by GTM Group of Companies.
Every Saturday over thirty boys and twenty girls are taught the rudiments of football. Please note that the GTM sponsored the initial programme, and the Bartica Football Association has been financially sustaining this programme over the years.
Like any other organization the Bartica Football Association has it failures and challenges. The most challenging task for us is to strengthen the club structure, and build individual capacity. We are cognizant that our educational programme is subject to the functional and behavioural competency of individuals. For us to be able to be successful in our endeavours to strengthen clubs structure, the various subjects must be ‘docile’ and willing to learn, and persons must have the necessary competencies to take up their individual and collective leadership responsibilities.
Our country is currently suffering a brain drain and all sports, moreso football, are being affected. We would like to extend an invitation to any reporter and also the letter writer Mr Lester Sealey to visit Bartica and meet with us, to get both sides of the story; this will enable them to write facts not hearsay.
Yours faithfully,
Carlos Prowell
President Bartica
Football Association
Editor’s note
This newspaper has not carried any reports on the Bartica Football Association. Our letter columns are open to the public to express their opinions, and do not necessarily reflect the views of SN. Letters to the editor are not reports, and are not held to the same standard; however, our columns are open to anyone who wishes to respond to a letter which has appeared in our newspaper, as Mr Prowell has chosen to do in this instance.
