GFF Presidency placed under microscope as aggrieved affiliates convene

May 18, 2014 Sports

Ever since former General Secretary of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), Christopher Mathias, took over the reins

Christopher Mathias

of authority at the helm of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), there has been disgruntlement from major sections of the fraternity. Now following closely on the heels of a failed no confidence motion recently, an aggrieved group consisting of executives and other members of the GFA have once again voiced their concerns on several issues that they feel could compromise the development of the sport.
Among those at a press conference held at the Waterchris Hotel to vent their views were President of the GFA, Vernon Burnette, Vice President of the GFF, Ivan Persaud, General Secretary of the GFA, Odinga Lumumba, President of the Woman’s Football Association, Vanessa Dickenson, President of the Referee’s Council, Alfred King, President of the Coach’s Association, Wayne Dover, President of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA), Wayne Franscois and Public Relations Officer of the EBFA, Kevin Anthony.
King, the most vociferous of the group, tabled several of their concerns pertaining to the ineptitude of the GFF administration. He identified pertinent areas of concern including, financial mismanagement, poor governance and the absence of a structured programme for football development among others.
The personal characteristics of the GFF President also came into question and the aggrieved affiliates labelled his actions as deceptive and dishonest. They identified the trip to Zurich Switzerland when Matthias claimed that he had attended FIFA’s Congress when in fact he failed to do so. The group said that he is still to account for the funds allocated for that trip. The non-participation of the local beach football team in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers in the Bahamas last year also formed the basis of contention as the affiliates are demanding clarifications and explanation.
The footballers were denied an opportunity to participate in the tournament which attracted a fine from the governing body

Alfred King

though Matthias has denied this.
Mr. King said that their actions are genuine and is basically an attempt to safeguard the constitution of football, compatible with FIFA’s minimum standards. He said that the constitution documents the rights of affiliates and how those rights could be protected. He further said that the football fraternity has become disenchanted and has lost confidence in the leadership of the sport.
He zoomed in on the many bans and resignations that have riddled the administrative sector ever since Mr. Matthas has taken over the reins. “To my mind the administration has been weakened with no corrective action,” King pronounced. He also pointed to the Bartica Football Association which was disbanded for an Interim Management Committee after Matthias had visited the Mining Community sometime last year and the Upper Demerara brouhaha where Vice President (GFF) and President of the Upper Demerara Football Association received lengthy bans. “All of these things constitute poor governance and contribute to a lack of confidence in the current state of leadership of the GFF,” contends Mr King.
Additionally, the disgruntled affiliates are concerned that the Matthias administration has not presented a financial statement during the last congress.
Mr Dover also has some grouses and he accuses the GFF administration of stifling the development of the coaches. “There has been no training programs or seminars organized for the coaches locally,” bemoaned Dover. He said that GFF Development Officer, Lyndon France and East Demerara Football Association 1st Vice President, Sheron Abrams, had gone to Mexico and Aruba respectively on such programmes but Mr. Mathias has not seen it fit to reach out to the local coaches with similar

Odinga Lumumba

initiatives. “We have not even received the most basic assistance and only recently Matthias has distributed gears to some of the associations but we have once again been overlooked,” lamented Dover. He also said that his entity had prepared a document stating their objectives while identifying initiatives for the way forward but has never received even an acknowledgement much less support.
Odinga was disturbed that the GFF President would secretly record private conversations with his subordinates and then attempt to besmirch them afterwards. He labelled this act as woefully unprofessional.
Otherwise, Lumumba said that his colleagues have not given up but have left the door open for meaningful resolution to the issue. “The last Congress (April month end) was ended prematurely without addressing the entire agenda and Matthias has agreed to reconvene in 45 days to address the issue in totality,” reminded Lumumba. The GFA General Secretary said that he has left a door open to facilitate a meaningful resolution to the impasse.