Football referees advancement in jeopardy following government laissez-faire attitude

Nov 17, 2012 Sports

Local referees and administrators of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) defied government’s reluctance to waive the duties associated with several pieces of gears donated by the world governing football body, FIFA, and lifted the curtains on the FIFA’s Referee’s Assistant Programme (RAP) which got underway at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street Georgetown, yesterday morning and culminates next Monday when members of the referee’s

Football officials and some of the referees shortly before the commencement of sessions.

committee will be installed.
However, all is not well, for though activities have commenced, and though the two FIFA facilitators, Jamaican, Peter Prendergast and Costa Rican, Allan Brown Morgan have opted to proceed with the course, the local officials were told that they will not receive the requisite certificates until the Government waives the custom duties of approximately $800,000 for the release of the gears.
Mr. Prendergast was delivering brief remarks at the opening ceremony yesterday morning. He disclosed that FIFA has sent the gears which consist of boots, trunks, vests and other apparel for the referees’ use during the course. “FIFA has spent millions of dollars to support this programme and officials are disturbed with the turn of events,” said Mr. Prendergast. “While the course will go ahead, regrettably we will not hand over the certificates unless the government agrees to the clearance of the gears,” he declared.
The FIFA official expressed disbelief that government officials have assumed such a hardened position when in fact the entire country stands to benefit from FIFA’s chivalry. “I hope that we will have a favourable resolution to this issue if only for the continued development of the sport,” Mr. Prendergast concluded.
Meanwhile, Acting President of the GFF, Franklyn Wilson, also expressed remorse at the turn of events. He said that he had written to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Frank Anthony, on the matter but to date has not even been accorded a letter of acknowledgment much less a favourable response. He said that his organization has benefitted from the largesse of the ruling football body and he could not fathom why Government could not appreciate such benevolence and reciprocate for the good of local ball weavers.
Up to press time the gears were still sitting on the wharf awaiting the requisite government approval. Efforts to solicit a response from Mr. Anthony proved futile as we were informed that he was not in office. Similar efforts to speak with Permanent Secretary, Alfred King were also unsuccessful as we were told he was in a meeting.

Peter Pendergras

Otherwise, more than 30 referees participated in the programme under the direction of the two FIFA facilitators, Mr. Prendergast and Costa Rican, Allan Brown Morgan; several executives of the GFF were also present. Mr. Prendergast noted the diversity of the group saying that the contrasting mix of age, gender and experience was unprecedented in the Caribbean and bodes well for local football development.
Mr. Wilson commended the referees for their commitment that resulted in a large group attending the sessions. He feels that at the end of the sessions the affiliates will be much more competent to administer their duties. Mr. Wilson also expressed deep gratitude to FIFA officials for investing in the development of local referees. He charged the participants to apply themselves diligently while employing professionalism, self respect and discipline in their endeavours. Several other officials delivered brief remarks including General Secretary (GFF), Noel Adonis and FIFA Assistant International referee, Deon Inniss.
The course is a follow up to an earlier one in Jamaica from July 30-August 4 where several local affiliates including Colin Aaron, Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith and Anson Ambrose, attended a Referee’s Instructor’s Course. They were then mandated to impart their knowledge to their local counterparts. The current course will touch on similar matters while assessing the competence of local referees.