Dear Editor
“As a member of the general council I urge other associations to come out and write about the negative things persons say in the newspapers about the GFF and some of the decisions we all made.
“This year I will continue to fight to see that the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation dispenses justice to all footballing entities in Guyana before being allowed to bring in overseas teams.”
I was rather amazed that such words could have been written by the secretary of the Bartica Football Association (BFA) Carlton Beckles, in a letter puiblished in the Stabroek News edition of 8-01-19 headlined “Many efforts to develop football have been stymied.”
His deviation from the important issue of limiting four guest players per team, as against his outburst against overseas-based teams participation bears testimony to this and causes me to support the sentiment expressed by FIFA vice president and CONCACAF and CFU presidents Austin `Jack’ Warner over the management of football in the region.
Sad, but true, Guyana is no exception when one takes into consideration that the level of any sport is normally determined by the level of administration in place.
This year is extremely important for national football with the focus being on the 2010 World Cup qualification. And all the goodly Beckles can do, as indicated in the two opening paragraphs, only lends to the further underdevelopment of local football rather than providing thoughtful ideas that would prevent national football teams from being kicked off of grounds.
He also says the former GFL president Mr. Lumumba still has outstanding prize money from the 2006 President’s Cup tournament for the BFA.
How sad! Maybe he can explain what is the general council’s policy in relation to the lodging of prize monies with the GFF as a guarantee for payment. And who should represent the BFA’s interest in collecting outstanding prize money?
Finally, Mr Beckles needs to be reminded that the GFF has in its employ a full-time, paid public relations officer, who on a timely basis if he cares to, can respond to the negative things written in the newspapers and definitely not the general council which, over the years, has been reduced to a toothless poodle.
If this wasn’t the case then technical personnel would have been representing the nation’s interest at FIFA’s Congress, specifically designated for the attendance of technical directors, in our instance the head coach and definitely not the GFF president as was done at the women’s World Cup finals last year.
In addition to reviewing the financial viability of the millions of dollars spent for installing floodlights at the Bartica Community Centre ground. Wasn’t this a case of politicking with Bartica’s continued pledge of delivering its two votes as directed?
Mr. Editor, the content and tone of Beckles’ letter clearly demonstrates that he is out of his depth with the realities of the sport’s modern administrative capabilities since this individual may be the first person in the world to conclude the finals of a penalty shoot-out by utilizing vehicular lights.
Is this permissible under FIFA, CONCACAF, CFU and the GFF’s laws?
And to crown it off the BFA still receives its fair share of Kashif and Shanghai levy fees which amounts to $850,000 as imposed by the GFF while at least one of its affiliates benefited from the $500,000 that 40 clubs countrywide each received in 2006 from the GFA under Lumumba.
Yours faithfully,
( name and address provided)
