Dear Editor,
First and foremost, I must offer my congratulations to Mr Christopher Matthias on his election to the presidency of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), by an 11-6 margin over Mr Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major. This occurred in the third round of voting, which was preceded by two ties in the previous rounds when the Ordinary Congress of the GFF concluded at the Le Meridien Pegasus on Friday, April 12, with the election of office bearers.
Editor, while a nation deserves the government it gets, since that is what the people voted for, in a similar manner the fraternity of football voted for an executive and their views must be respected. We now have an executive with three coaches, one of whom contested every position other than the presidency, which is a clear indication that the individual wanted at all costs to be part and parcel of the executive.
Finally, Mr Matthias’ term of office lasts a period of two years, which indeed would be a major challenge, due to the fact that in addition to their designated constitutional responsibilities a few of the elected have no previous administrative experience at club or association level and as a consequence the transformation process at the national level may be slothful.
Nevertheless, I do hope the process of adaptation and learning is expeditious, and the commitment to ‘developing and promoting the sport of football nationally’ is achieved during the president’s tenure ‒ or at least, the foundation is laid. And by the way, this is apart from the constitutional reform that was highlighted during the campaign. Will there be any reform under the present office staff and the General Secretary and his deputy, given the fact that the debt amounting to millions in double digits should entail cost-cutting measures inclusive of the closure of offices in non-productive associations? Nevertheless, best of luck to all and sundry in their endeavours.
Yours faithfully,
Lester Sealey
