Following a thorough analysis of the new Guyana Football 2022 Constitution which could be ratified at the entity’s August 27th congress, it is evident that the proposed amendments are certainly skewed in favour of the Executive Committee, weakening the authority of the Congress.
The knee-capping commences with the watering down of the authority of Congress; followed by the removal of Congress’ ability to amend the agenda; ably assisted by the removal of the fixed date for Congress, and concretized by the curtailing of Members’ right to speak and vote.
The content of the main proposals in the GFF 2022 constitution are modelled to empower the executive and rubber stamp the Congress. These amendments do nothing to improve football governance and or transparency. The Members will not receive correspondence any faster, more football will not be played, but the GFF executive committee will essentially emerge to be more powerful than the Congress.
For example, improving the right of members to seek clarification on commitments made at a previous Congress via ‘Matters Arising’ is a feature that aids transparency and accountability. It does not affect any FIFA code, rather, it keeps elected officials accountable for their pronouncements. This is so applicable in a time when consequence management is notably absent at the GFF.
The GFF often breaks FIFA’s Rules when they pull out of international tournaments and when it mandates in competitions rules, that clubs can use guest players. Thus, the use of letters from FIFA as reason for lopsided amendments is ostensible and warrants dismissal. Constitutional reform is not the issue, but the lopsided nature of the amendments under the guise of improved governance and transparency is.
Additionally, the amendments proposed in the GFF 2022 constitution are 90 per cent domestic in nature, but the members and public are told it is occurring elsewhere. Trinidad and Tobago Football Association has been managed by a Normalization Committee for several months now, but its constitution is not undergoing the same review process.
Members now have an historic mission ahead because none of the proposed amendments will empower them in football. It is useful to note the number of different FIFA correspondents who have come out of the woodwork in defence of those soliciting more power. Listed below are the major changes to the GFF constitution for which approval is being sought.
