Dear Editor,
I hasten to respond to an article in your publication of December 20 pertaining to the withdrawal of the GDF Football Club from the GFA/Banks DIH Knockout Tournament, and their subsequent suspension by the Georgetown Football Association from all football-related activities under their auspices. The article failed to indicate if an emergency executive meeting was convened to deal specifically with the suspension of the GDF. Was a quorum present, and who was the Chairman? Protocol would dictate that the GFA’s President, who is also the President of GDF FC, would have had to recuse himself from the meeting, as a conflict of interest would have developed. Further, for the public’s information, the GDF, Police and UG, despite being affiliates of the GFA are all national institutions that in the current circumstances would be obliged to remain neutral. Hence, the decision of withdrawal. It must be remembered that the chain of command in the GDF begins with the President.
Within this context none of the three affiliates which should be associates could be equated with any other club, since their respective executives are structured differently and cannot fulfil the criterion of participating in age-limit competitions encompassing under-11, 13,15,17,19 and 21, unless schools within the areas are adopted for nursery programmes/training. It may sound a bit surprising to many, but at one time when the GDF and Police wanted to register a player, he received an automatic transfer, since at the time only bona-fide soldiers and policemen were eligible to play.
Maybe if the Police and UG had not been eliminated from the competition they both may have withdrawn as well. I can recall way back in 1997, the former President of the then GFL decided to relinquish the presidency and was attempting to manipulate the electoral system by foisting upon the electorate his choice for president. The individual at the time was the president of Pele and also the national senior coach. On that ill fated Sunday morning at the GNCB Staff club, the venue for the Annual General Meeting, a split occurred and more than 95% of the clubs walked out of the meeting and proceeded to the GFC for their own meeting where an interim committee was appointed. It was noteworthy that only Police and Pele remained at the initial venue. Subsequently, Police was forced to withdraw from that faction due to neutrality. And so too this was the case with the GDF’s withdrawal. After weeks of wrangling a fresh election of office-bearers was called, with Winston Callender securing the presidency and myself the position of Secretary, the first of three instances where I served in that capacity. At the first General Council Meeting both Police and GDF were present armed with letters of approval, outlining their commitment to participate in all GFL activities thereafter.
By the way what is the status of the Police Football Club now? I question this since previously at a General Council Meeting of the GFA, I had objected to their name being put forward as an affiliate. My point was that affiliation is only granted at an AGM, half yearly or an emergency general council meeting, in accordance with the constitutional requirement. Was this done?
Finally, with Devon Millington appearing for Pele in the Kashif and Shangai as a loan player, then for his initial club Beacon FC as a legitimate player in the Banks-sponsored Knockout Tournament which Beacon FC won, it would be of interest to know if the club would be debarred from further participation and the player suspended/sanctioned?
Yours faithfully,
Lester Sealey
