Carlton Beckles, who claims to be the Secretary of the Bartica Football Association (BFA) says he is prepared to take the Christopher Matthias-led Guyana Football Federa-tion (GFF) to court for indebtedness and the alleged installation of an unconstitutional Interim Management Committee (IMC).
According to Beckles, the BFA is owed the sum of $702,000 for “rental of the office, stipend of the office manager and reimbursement of transportation cost for a team to travel to Georgetown for a national tournament.”
Beckles told Stabroek Sport on Wednesday that he wrote the GFF since 2012, before the current executive took office.
However, the Matthias-led GFF, said Beckles, agreed in a letter in November to reimburse the GFA “as soon a possible but to date we have not received a cent.
“In February of last year I wrote the GFF informing them of the debts owed for 2012- 2013 to the tune of cost $702,000 said Beckles.
“I received a correspondence saying that they will pay by mid August 2013. To date I have not received a cent.
“I made contact with the General Secretary and the president and after several attempts I made contact with Matthias sometime in early November, the same day he said he is in a meeting and said as soon that he is finished he will call back but to date he has not called back.”
Beckles said he has since “engaged the services of an attorney since one of the executives on Sunday the 12th (January) stated that Matthias said he does not owe us anything so I have an attorney and we will be taking the GFF further. Should they not respond to the letter or settle the matter the next step we will be moving is to the court.”
Unconstitutional IMC
Beckles is also alleging that Matthias travelled to Bartica “to install an unconstitutional IMC.
“On Sunday 12th of January I heard that Matthias went into Bartica with two other persons who were not executive members of the GFF.
“I was also informed that his expenses were paid by the same set of persons.
“I heard that they went to install an IMC behind the back of the present executive unknown to them.
“Since Matthias and this executive took over it is just marred with in fighting and dictatorship.”
When contacted yesterday, Matthias debunked Beckles’ statement of the installation of an IMC and also stated that an audit was ongoing and, upon its completion, whatever monies the GFF owes will be paid.
“I would be happy if Mr. Beckles could tell me where I have made those comments, the date, place and time. We need to remove this environment of gossip,” said Matthias. “We are currently doing an audit to ascertain all that we owe and once that is completed, if we do owe Mr. Beckles, we will honour our obligation.”
Expounding on the alleged installation of an IMC, the GFF boss stated “There is always a democratic process. The people will choose who they want to govern them.
“There were several clubs which voted No Confidence for those executives that were part of the last BFA. They would have been the people that installed the IMC, the GFF does not do that.”
In a copy of the No Confidence Letter to the GFF dated November 17, 2013 it states:
“We the registered clubs of the Bartica Football Association at a meeting held on the 16th of November, 2013 at the Modern Hotel to try and resuscitate football in our association, take a no confidence vote against the present Bartica Football Association.
“The decision was taken because no football is being played in our association for the past two years and our youths are suffering and turning to other ill activities.
“We regret having to take this decision but it is in the interest of the game.
“We await your reply and advice on the way forward. For the good of the game.
It was signed by representatives of Beacons, Wolves United, River View, Lazio and Rising Stars.
