I have been and continue to be a football supporter in Guyana, however recent developments in football leave a number of questions unanswered. It is a given that 99% of the players are poverty stricken with most of them residing in depressed areas in the country. Thus their attraction to the game comes across as recreational in most instances. Consequentially, those players who gravitate to the game in a serious way continue to find it difficult to seek out a living from the game since many of them are semi-literate and play at the amateur level.
This being said, these players have indirectly entrusted their future in part to the managers (leadership) of the various clubs, associations and the Guyana Football Federation. These agencies are supposed to, in a way, work together to guide the players to become the best they could be in football, but this is what is not happening.
The recent fiasco regarding the clubs demanding their fair share from the K&S Tournament says it all. I am not a fan of Mr. Lumumba but I share his concerns, which I dear say should be focused on all other similar tournaments. The fact of the matter is that we have a group of financially poor clubs who survive by begging and borrowing on a match by match basis and the leadership of these clubs gave little or no vision to their flock. A case in point is there are those clubs where their leadership does not even want the club’s name to be mentioned in the papers, associating with the plea for improved remuneration for players. However, they will tell the players to borrow a pair of boots to play and beg other teams for used uniforms and these sorts of things.
In the last week or so the country has seen the real need to change the way football business is conducted. The most successful FC was booted from the K&S Tournament for demanding more but this club was not the first, the same thing happened to a club from the East Coast in 2008. However, this time around more stakeholders took notice and came on board. I want it be noted that the tournament is a product developed by its directors but the players (stakeholders) are important and have value. The issue here and now is for there to be a proper regulatory framework in place to protect players and the GFF must lead the way along with agitation by the clubs. But will they do that and why should they?
With the prevalence of ad hoc club leadership and disunity, every meeting of the concerned clubs is infiltrated with an agent from the K&S Organisation and who always wants to be the new peace maker. The other point is there is no support from the GFF. Why the GFF has more than three of its Officers who are publicly known paid agents of the K&S Organization one of whom is the sitting VPs? So when the GS of the GFF says to K&S do not negotiate with clubs, one does not have to ask whose interest he serves, he will say football and we will shout yes K&S. But the writing is on the wall Mr. GS and time will consume as helping in the raping of the poor. Don’t tell clubs to write GFF because in December and January each year the GFF and the K&S are one.
Some Questions for the critics of the clubs and for the GFF.
What has this twelve day tournament done for the holistic development of football in Guyana?
Why has the GFF not enforce FIFA rules as it relates to disclosure of sponsorship by all football promoters?
What criteria the GFF use for the levy on tournaments, since the K&S tournament has become bigger but the levy is constant?
Why is the FIFA conflict of interest rules not enforced on the PRO, the referees coordinator and others?
Why there is no written contract negotiated between the clubs and the K&S body after 20yrs of growth?
To the critics and the clubs who have this complex of just wanting to be in the numbers, I ask that you find out why is it that after 20 years of service to the K&S organization, Banks DIH was dumped as a sponsor in 2010. Money and more money they demanded and they went to the highest bidder – a business decision in favour of whom? Thus, when leaders of clubs standup to be counted they must be commended for their fortitude because the K&S  position is “we done big already” take what we offer  or your team is replaced in our tournament.