Letter to the Sports Editor…Guyana’s football needs a Tsunami to save us from these inept Administrators

Nov 13, 2014 Sports

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Dear Mr Editor,
As I sat at the Georgetown Football Association General Council meeting last Friday evening November 7, 2014, I have come to the conclusion that Guyana’s Football needs a Tsunami to get rid of some of the inept Administrators that is charading these shores.
The level of discussion and revelations which took place there was ludicrous and preposterous bordering on being a comedy show. We were discussing the collaboration of the GFA/Kashif & Shanghai for the yearend football tournament.
At this meeting on Friday it was asked by Mr Charles Greaves (President of Huston Stars FC) “Why should we collaborate with K & S when we can make all the monies ourselves”. He then made the million dollars statement that at the last GFA Banks Year End Tournament he made lots of personal money in the vicinity of hundreds of thousands of dollars and he also asked the rhetorical question to Mr. Vernon Burnett (President of GFA) and Mr. Mark Phillips (Former VP. GFA & President Beacon FC) about them making hundreds of thousands of dollars for themselves. As a club executive sitting there I was appalled to hear that type of revelation which was not denounced by either President Burnett or Mr. Mark Phillips.
Let me reiterate the point of skullduggery at its best. A few months ago Mr Mark Phillips was on NCN Sports Programme being interviewed by Moderator Mr Edwin Seeraj in the presence of Mr Jamaal Shabazz. Mr Phillips was very critical of his buddy and bosom friend Mr Matthias, castigating him for not having a clue on how to run football and that he was the wrong pick for the Presidency of the GFF.
Fortunately or unfortunately Mr Matthias was listening and he opted to call in to the programme. His words were, “Mark can you remember that one day you came into my office and said that we are broken and we need to take over the Kashif and Shanghai and the Mayor Cup Tournaments, We need to start making money right now.” Mr Phillips never responded to Mr Matthias on that allegations or have never to this day renounced what his ally and confederate said of his statement.” This seems crystal clear to me that Phillips and Matthias were in motion.
The GFA owes approximately $23 Million Dollars to Association, Persons, Clubs, Grounds and other stakeholders yet some officials are boasting that they made hundreds of thousands of dollars from the tournament. Can someone explain what is going on? How come 23 Million disappear like that?  What happened to the gate takings?
Are these same persons being given the opportunity to run another year end tournament to swindle, misappropriate and manipulate the coffers and funds of the GFA? By the way what position does Mr Mark Phillips holds in the GFA, didn’t he resign?
When the Immediate Past Disgraced President Mr Christopher Matthias then Secretary of the GFA
carried out a brutal attack on the Mr Colin Klass and Mr Franklin Wilson regime most was delighted and agitated with the conclusion which resulted in Mr Matthias elevation to the Presidency.  Guyana’s future seemed bright but we were all disappointed and the rest is now history. There are many more like him around and they need weeding out instantly.
I am not holding a brief for the Kashif & Shanghai Organisation, but this Organisation in all of its 24 years of existence I have never heard of any club, Association, GFF or any stakeholder being owed. This Organization has contributed to the development of Guyana’s football by organisation high quality football with the best teams playing with the inclusion of guest players. Years ago all teams wanted to be a part of K & S with lots of overseas players coming in for this tournament. But Mr Matthias and this bunch of executives watered down the tournament so that they can earn a few dollars for themselves.
Houston Stars, Black Water, Renaissance FC, Black Pearl, Northern Rangers, these are some of the teams that we will have to go and look at come Xmas Day & Boxing Day. Do we, as
football fans have to endure such mediocrity again. Is football development being considered or personal aggrandizement the order of the day? Are persons jealous of other people’s achievement and superb organizational ability? Or is greed on the plates of a few?
The K & S Organisation have guaranteed funds to the GFA which is a certainty, but with the GFA running the year end tournament it is a recipe for disaster. What guarantee will we have that we will not be owed again or we will be hoodwinked and deceived again with a few individuals pocketing cash and the players and clubs being the biggest losers.
Members of the public, sponsors, players, football fans, supporters you be the judge, these people are to be denounced instantly. Let me hear your voices instantly.
To the members of the Normalisation Committee of the GFF which was appointed by FIFA I wish you well but I am aware of a few elements who has egos like those inflated balloons and would want to see the NC fail, these persons are just destructive, wicked and naughty. Sometimes one wonders if they are demon possessed.
Thank You,
Respectfully yours,
Daniel Stern

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