FIFA Gold Project dream to finally become a reality

Nov 19, 2008 Sports

By Michael Benjamin
After years of vague promises and unmitigated disappointment, Guyana’s inclusion in the FIFA Gold Cup project will finally become a reality following the intervention of a Good Samaritan, Mr Alami Benani, and FIFA’s staunch commitment to fulfill an earlier promise, made to the Guyana Football Federation, to donate US$400,000 towards a football facility.

GFF President Colin Klass (2nd right) and architect Rawle Jordon (2nd left) sign the document of intent for the construction of the football facility, while looking on are (from left) Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and General Secretary Noel Adonis.

President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Colin Klass convened a special meeting at the Federation’s office in Section K Campbellville to allow members of the media to witness the signing of the documents that will facilitate the building process.

Klass said FIFA has acquiesced to the release of the funds after Benani, a Moroccan, now naturalized Guyanese, donated a portion of land in Orangestein, East Bank Essequibo, to facilitate the construction of the facility.

He also said that the GFF has retained the transport for the land and are making every effort to expedite the construction works. FIFA had also requested that the local football association secure an indemnity insurance contract to protect the parent company from unnecessary liability. Klass intimated that the GFF has since acquiesced to such instructions.

With all the logistics in place, the GFF has inked a deal with the Rawle Jordon Associates Architectural Firm, situated in Kingston, to commence technical works on the project.

However, even before the commencement of the construction phase, the GFF is mandated to dispatch a copy of the signed contracts to Harold Taylor, FIFA Development Officer in Trinidad and Tobago, for perusal and verification. Taylor will subsequently advise his superiors in FIFA of the viability of the project before the funds are allocated for the construction process.

Head of the Rawle Jordon Associates, Rawle Jordon said that negotiations with the GFF have been ongoing for some time. He said that during that time representatives of his firm had spoken with Taylor when he had visited Guyana some time ago. Jordon said that after Taylor had perused the Orangestein site he had voiced his approval.

As such, Jordon feels that the acquisition of an order to go ahead with the project from FIFA is merely a formality. He further intimated that upon receipt of the first sum, his firm would commence works on the project. He estimates a construction period of 22 months.

The FIFA Goal Project was established 7 years ago after President of FIFA; Sepp Blatter approved the project to enhance the development of football in all 208 countries under its auspices. At that time Guyanese believed that it was a stadium, not a facility that would have been constructed.

Blatter subsequently visited Guyana and confirmed that his organization had committed to building a football facility and not a stadium, as was being advocated.

As a prerequisite to the acquisition of this facility, the local Federation was mandated to furnish the land to facilitate this project.

FIFA development officer Keith Lok Loy had visited Guyana to facilitate the building of the facility but left after the GFF failed to acquire the land on which to build.

Further efforts by the GFF to procure the required land from the Government failed and the project seemed to have been aborted.

Questioned on the timings of this project in relation to the current dispute among its membership, Klass retained a prophetic stance, “This is faith in action; nothing happens except in the fullness of time; Today is the fullness of time.