PRESIDENT of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde has reported that the association’s Ordinary Congress which was held on May 20 at the Herdmanston Lodge in Queenstown was a success.Addressing members of the media yesterday at the GFF’s head office, Dadanawa Street, Campbellville, Forde related that all 22 members of the various associations affiliated to the GFF were present and they probed questions raised by concerned persons regarding the financial status of the GFF, the Federation’s status with the world Governing body of football FIFA, as well as other issues.
According to Forde, FIFA has increased its annual funding to all its affiliates from US$250 000 to US$1.4M and the increase in this figure will see the GFF being in a better position to promote and develop the sport locally.
According to Forde, the congress, which was the first to be held in his six-month-old administration of the Federation, cleared up lots of issues and while there were heated debates, compromises were reached and all parties were in favour of the outcome of those debates.
Forde said from all indications, he is convinced that at the moment, Guyana has a unified football community. “We had enough infighting over the years and it is time that we move beyond that. I’m very excited about this,” the GFF head stated.
He reported that amendments were made to the federation’s constitution, including greater oversight to compensation for individuals and this decision will be submitted to Congress.
In this regard, Forde said FIFA was written to and the GFF’s proposal was approved by the world body. Also approved by FIFA was the GFF’s 2016-17 budget.
Forde made it clear that the days when GFF’s affiliates wanted to stage tournaments in their respective sub-associations and they would go about seeking sponsorship from corporate Guyana is over. This practice Forde said will now have to be channelled through the Federation and a contractual agreement will have to be signed.
Affiliates seeking financial assistance from the governing body (GFF) will now have to apply to the Federation’s financial committee who will in turn review the matter before giving its approval.
These, Forde said, were all discussed and passed by the congress.
With regard to the appointment of a Technical Director, Forde said the federation has received a number of applications from interested persons and these applicants will be interviewed and the best applicant will be awarded the position.
Asked if the applicants are Guyanese or from the CARICOM Region, Ford related that applications have been received from persons as far as Europe and beyond.
He, however, did not say how many applications have been received and from how many countries.
The post of Technical Director has been vacant since Canada-based Guyanese Claude Bolton tendered his resignation on March 1 this year.