Seven of the nine associations and three associate members affiliated to the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) are still eligible to vote pending approval of the requisite documentation outlined in the Constitution of the federation. The highly-anticipated electoral congress of the controversy-riddled GFF is scheduled for April 12.
The seven are: Bartica, Berbice, East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, Georgetown, West Demerara and Upper Demerara. The associate members are Guyana National Women’s Football (GNWFA) Association, Guyana Coaches Association and the Guyana Football Referees Council.
The two associations not eligible to vote are Rupununi and the Essequibo/Pomeroon Football Associations. The two are governed by Interim Management Committees (IMC).
These disclosures were made at a press briefing called by the GFF Electoral Commission which was mandated by FIFA under its electoral code.
Emily Dodson, Chairperson of the commission said, “We are required by the FIFA electoral code to publish the list of candidates for the GFF election and the deadline for doing that, well we don’t have a deadline as such. But we had a deadline for informing the candidates which is what we did prior to meeting with you”.
According to the release issued by the committee there are nineteen individuals vying for six posts to form the new GFF executive.
Four of the nineteen are presidential candidates: Ivan Persaud, Christopher Matthias, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Alfred King.
Contesting the first of three vice president posts are: Jermaine Figueira, Arron Fraser, Charles Greaves, Keith O’Jeer and Ivan Persaud.
Those vying for the Second Vice President post are Rawle Adams, Jermaine Figueira, Collie Hercules, Jevon Rodrigues and Acting GFF President Franklin Wilson.
For the final Vice President Post, those contending are Rawlston Adams, Dwayne Lovell, Keith O’Jeer and Akram Sabree.
For the first of two executive committee members posts, contending will be Vanessa Dickenson, Jermaine Figueira, Eton Moses, Keith O’Jeer and Mark Phillips.
Troy Cadogan, Jermaine Figueira, Eton Moses and Keith O’Jeer will be contending for the final executive committee post.
Questioned on whether associations were tasked with meeting specific criteria before submitting nominations Dodson said, “In terms of the nominations as far as I can see it in the constitution, you are able to nominate sufficient that you are a member and your membership has not been suspended. In terms of providing delegates to the congress and voting you have to meet certain criteria that are listed in the constitution of the GFF.”
A copy of the letter addressed to General Secretary of the GFA Christopher Matthias and signed by GFF’s General Secretary and current secretary of the Electoral Commission Noel Adonis stated that, “in view the specific constitutional requirement for submission of nominees for elected positions for four (4) weeks in advance of the congress, it would not be possible for us to entertain requests for the extension of the date identified. Further, in view of the “pending” status of the restoration of full constitutional rights to the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), the body is currently ineligible to make or second nominations”.
According to GFF Constitution Article 13 section four, “Members that do not participate in the sports activities of the Federation during one year shall be suspended from voting at the Congress and their representatives shall not be elected or appointed until they have full filed their obligations in this respect”.
This is in respect to the women’s association that has been out of existence since 2008. The body was revived early this year prior to their March 9th election which saw Vanessa Dickenson being elected president despite there being no audited financial statements. Dickenson also submitted minutes of a meeting held in 2008. However, Adonis at yesterday’s press briefing said the body submitted minutes of its last meeting on March 10th, 2013. The meeting was supposedly held on March 9th after the elections.
Meanwhile in an invited comment, East Coast First Vice President, Eton Moses said, “I am more convinced more than ever the reasons why the business of the GFF was always ad hoc and more so now, since it is stated by the three legal minds indirectly that there is no incentive for affiliates to keep their houses in order. One there is a criterion to vote, but not a criterion nominate except if you are suspended. Therefore an errant affiliate who is not suspended could nominate a number of persons.”
Moses further stated that the Football Federation has been doling out monies to associations who have not been functioning with particular reference to Bartica Football Association.
“There are not participating in competitions, they have an office staff that is paid by the GFF and so the GFF encourages that type of situation. In fact today the GFF should have been sending out the requisite document, minutes and audited accounts to the ‘would be’ delegates, or associations and that is no so to date. What is most likely to happen on the day of the election is a number of what I term flip flop associations would turn up with documentation pretending to be requisite documentation that would not be able to stand the scrutiny of time in which it takes to authenticate them, but would be allowed to vote. How could it be fair on people who met the stipulated deadlines, here again there is no incentive to keep your house in order” Moses said.
