Amid controversy within his opponent’s camp, Fruta Conquerors President and Team Integrity leader Wayne Forde was officially elected to the highest office in local football, defeating Nigel Hughes and his ‘Team Unity’ outfit 12-10 when the Guyana Football Federation staged its Electoral Congress yesterday.
Attended by Caribbean Football Union (CFU) President Gordon Derrick and his General Secretary Neil Cochrane, the Marriot Hotel was the setting of the most important elections in Guyana’s football history as Forde defeated Hughes by the slightest of margins, earning four year terms for the entire executive.
The refusal of Alpha United’s President Odinga Lumumba to officially withdraw from the Hughes’ slate clearly influenced the outcome of the polls in what was a termed a suicidal and selfish move by several members of the gathering.
Despite publically stating he had resigned from the slate via the major media outlets Friday, even though his resignation letter to the GFF was not properly worded, the controversial Lumumba, according to accounts from the congress, refused to officially withdraw from the party even though he was given an opportunity to do so by the Normalization Committee Chairman Clinton Urling.
According to the accounts, the former PPP/C Presidential Advisor when asked if he will withdraw, allegedly refused. The sources within the congress said that “Lumumba, despite the urging of members of his slate, refused to budge on his stance and he simply sat there and did nothing.”
The newly elected executive are 1st Vice Presidential candidate Brigadier General (retired) Bruce Lovell, 2nd Vice Presidential hopeful and former GFF Vice President Rawlston Adams, 3rd Vice President Nominee Attorney-at-Law Thandi McAllister, Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) Chief Dion Innis, Essequibo Football Association President Magzene Stewart, Berbice Football Association President Keith O’Jeer and Rupununi Football Association (RFA) executive Brian Rodrigues.
A committee member position is vacant and is expected to be filled shortly following the withdrawal of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC President Loring Benons who stepped down due to the army’s decision to maintain neutrality during the entire process.
Forde, during his first address as President, thanked the football fraternity for showing confidence in changing the sport’s landscape, declaring that they have waited many years for change and have demonstrated that by their actions.
He noted that while the road ahead will be challenging, he is confident in his newly elected executive and the support they will provide as well the as support that will be forthcoming from all the stakeholders of the game.
According to Forde, the course to change the nation’s football structure is not one that can be done alone, noting that all inclusive approach will be taken as this will be the hallmark of his executive.
Asked if the possibility exists of inviting members of the losing slate over to his camp, Forde said that possibility exists as his intention is to create all inclusive atmosphere where “all hands on deck” are required to move the sport forward.
Questioned about his immediate priority now that he has been elected, he said that the new executive has to do a complete assessment of the GFF, adding that he is happy that the Normalization Committee will be a part of the transition process. “We have to sit down and wrap our minds around the issues and then rank the tasks in priority,” he declared.
Forde noted that despite nearly half of the electorate voting in favour of the other side, it was a transparent process where they exercised their franchise. He said, however, that the rebuilding process requires the efforts of not only the 12 affiliates that voted in his corner but the entire 22 membership.
He said that both teams have the interest of Guyana’s football at heart, pointing out that the fact that he is willing to work with everyone for the good of the game is testament that some of their plans are good for Guyana.
Caribbean Football Union (CFU) President Gordon Derrick during a brief address congratulated Forde on behalf of entire region, noting he is happy the federation is “normalized” and back fully as a member of the region.
He noted that Guyana has always been a cornerstone of CFU and said that the future is bright for the nation. According to Derrick, praise must also be forthcoming for the excellent work done by the Normalization Committee which has laid an ideal platform for the incoming President to begin his term.
Before the commencement of the elections, the commissioning of the GFF Judicial Committees occurred. On the Disciplinary Committee, Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin will act as the chairman while fellow lawyer Natasha Vieira will be the other member.
On the Appeals, Attorney-at-Law Simone Morris will be the Chairman while fellow attorneys Marcel Bobb and Michael Shahoud will serve as members. Meanwhile Attorney-at-Law Nikhail Ramkarran will serve as the Chairman of the Ethics Committee and Pastor Wilbert Lee is the other member.
Meanwhile, the Normalization Committee members were afforded honorary member status after being unanimously voted for by the members. This status comes with no voting rights.
