Communications Director of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Debra Francis, will no longer serve in the capacity after her contract with the local governing body was not renewed.
This was confirmed yesterday by the federation during a press release. According to the correspondence from the federation, Francis is no longer in their employ and media related activities and requests will be handled by staffer Keeran Williams.
“We write to inform you that Ms. Debra Francis is no longer in the employ of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF). Until further notice, please direct all media related queries to Mr. Keeran Williams. We seize the opportunity via this medium to once again express our appreciation to Ms. Francis for the service she rendered to the federation and to the football community.”
Francis, who replaced former Communications Officer Rawle Toney in 2016, also confirmed her departure from the federation. Francis during a brief invited comment said, “I believe I have served football well, and I want to wish the GFF the best. I continue to wish them well in their journey.”
Meanwhile, according to a source close to the federation, Ms. Francis was informed of the GFF’s decision not to renew her contract, which was reportedly pandemic influenced, during a meeting with two members of the executive committee.
“Her contract would have expired during the course of last year. Several members were written indicating that their contracts would be reviewed. She was subsequently informed that the federation would be taking a different path by members of the executive. It was supposedly pandemic related, but her contract was not renewed and the federation is going in a different direction,” said the source.
“Her contract was renewed once in 2017 and that was for two years and expired in 2019. Since then, her contract, like other or several members of the administrative and technical staff, was also awaiting renewal. Basically Ms. Francis was never issued with a new contract since 2019 which means that she was operating nearly a year without a contract and discussions on the renewal of contracts never occurred up until her departure. Essentially she and other staff were and are working month-to-month without a contract,” the source stated.
