– event concluded in June
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is once again indebted to its clubs as it’s yet to remunerate the prizes to the top four finishers in the Women’s Division One League, which concluded in June.
This was disclosed by a source close to the GFF who spoke on the condition of anonymity. According to the source, “Just like the KFC Elite League, the GFF has not paid the women for the Division One League, which ended in the May-June period. There is no word from them as to when this will also be remedied, yet they are going to start another women’s event on Saturday. This is absolutely ridiculous because it’s not like the monies owed are significant in comparison to the KFC Elite League. How can you start a tournament without paying what is owed for a previous competition? How can the federation do this? If a private entity had done this, they would have been sanctioned and suspended.”
Efforts to contact GFF President Wayne Forde for a comment proved futile. Calls to his cellular phone went unanswered up to press time.
The source further said, “This shows a total lack of respect for not only the sport but the women’s game in particular. Women’s football is hardly played, and the prizes associated with it pale in comparison to the men’s game. The KFC Elite League has millions attached to it and they are owed, and the women’s league had less than a million in prizes, yet we are going to play another tournament on Parade Ground, which is a venue that doesn’t even host men’s senior football but the women can use it. The owing of the women and the playing at Parade Ground, a venue that doesn’t even have seating or washroom and changing facilities, shows how the GFF views the women’s game. Why can’t the game play at the NTC? You wouldn’t see the men’s game being played there.”
Guyana Defence Force won the tournament and is owed $300,000, while the Guyana Police Force and Fruta Conquerors, who finished in second and third, respectively, are owed $200,000 and $100,000 apiece. The fourth, fifth, and sixth place finishers are owed $75,000, $50,000, and $25,000, respectively.
This is the second instance of the GFF owing prizes for tournaments.
GFF is also yet to remunerate the prizes for the KFC Elite League, which concluded on August 24th, though they have committed to rectifying this situation. The title sponsor, KFC Guyana, in a press statement, distanced themselves from this obligation, noting that they are very concerned over the situation as it sullies their brand and the integrity and reputation of the tournament. KFC further disclosed that they have met all of their financial obligations to the Elite League.
