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Letter to the Sports Editor…Was the “Vote of no Confidence” against Matthias legitimate?

Jun 14, 2014 Sports

Dear Sir,
The decision of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Council, in refusing to accept the challenge thrown out by the Federation’s President, Christopher Matthias for a live televised debate on national television, as was reported in your newspaper publication KN (31.05.14), Editor, indeed remains a commendable gesture, when it’s taken into serious consideration that the President offered a 48 hour ultimatum for a response to be forthcoming, from disgruntled members.  Matthias nevertheless had the temerity to publicly advocate “the cost for the televised debate would be paid for from the coffers of the GFF”!
My, oh my! If the aforementioned is not a crass reflection of downright tomfoolery, then I would cease forthwith to pen any letter/missive in the print media, pertaining to football! Suffice it to say that a “cash strapped and debt ridden” GFF, devoid of a proper functioning executive, reduced to two individuals from a total of an elected six, grants the President the privilege to unconstitutionally spend much needed cash to pay for a televised debate.
By the way! Does this action confirm to the relevant requirements of accountability, transparency and democracy? Was it forwarded to the Finance Committee, for deliberations? While the points highlighted by members of the “GFF Congress challenging Matthias to public debate via print media” are justifiable, since the relevant constitutional support are also evident, Surely, I’m not in agreement with item 5: “dealing with personality issues. i.e. previous role as a Customs Officer, Church member and Custom Broker to name a few.
Editor, my humble opinion entails that an ultimatum should have also been offered to Matthias to respond, failing which the next step was, “reconvening a Special General Council Meeting, specifically dealing with the “Vote of no Confidence”!
By the way, I do hope all affiliates of the GFF, including the Associations (s) governed by IMC’s were duly informed in writing, within a specific time frame of the “reconvening of the meeting”, along with the remnants of the GFF executive!
In the final analysis, accountability to the various stakeholders of the sport; transparency in deliberations and adherence to constitutionality-application, articulation and interpretation are all essential components towards ensuring the (in) actions of the General Council is foolproof and above board! That all and sundry must expect a fight from Matthias, since the individual would not under no given circumstance surrender meekly.
Further, with the commencement of the FIFA 2014 World Cup, preceded by the Congress a few days away, Matthias out of desperation, aided by a few of his cohorts and lackeys, would use the constitution to the fullest , towards quelling an insurgency!
As per norm within a few Associations, there must be a few members of the executive, who would not be supportive of the General Council’s decision (s); while going the extra mile to sanction any member, who had attended the Re-Convened Congress, even though the attendance would have been in the capacity as an observer!  Conveniently the notion of clubs giving their respective executives the mandate to support the “Vote of no Confidence”, in defiance of democratic norms, remains another “puzzle, in the jigsaw”. But this is only a reflection of what transpired, when the UDFA executive was banned!
Lester Sealey

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