NEWLY elected President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Christopher Matthias is optimistic about a new positive era in Guyana’s football with the emphasis on changing the environment.
“Indeed rising to the presidency of

football in Guyana is rewarding since it gives me the opportunity to establish the environment I have been advocating for – one where accountability, transparency and equity will be applied at all times.
“Developmental change has been my call throughout my campaign and I am happy that the member associations have seen it wise to embrace my policies and elected me to serve,” Matthias told Chronicle Sport in an exclusive interview yesterday.
“The feeling is one of humility. Not that we did not expect to win, but I remain the same Christopher Matthias and I am prepared to serve as I have promised:
“To be a servant of the people and to ensure that I embrace the policies of the General Council and more importantly those of FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU,” the football boss declared.
On the question of immediate plans Matthias remarked, “I am having dialogue with the FIFA and CONCACAF representatives as to what is expected under my presidency over the next two years.
“Having obtained such clarity I plan to meet with the Executive very shortly and then the General Council to develop a forward plan and to share it with all the other stakeholders including Corporate Guyana and the Government of Guyana.”
The Matthias executive has inherited a whopping debt of over $30M, but the new leader of the GFF is confident of erasing the deficit, “Reducing the debt would not be a difficult task. I perceive that once we have a structured objective plan which involves all the stakeholders, in particular Corporate Guyana and the Government we will be able to erase the debt in time to come”.
“From all indications via the many texts, emails and social media there is quite a lot of support for this new executive and I intend to utilise all to the benefit of football.
“I have always advanced the concept of healing and healing begins now with dialogue starting with the executive, then the General Council, the Government, corporate Guyana and businesses and also those who would have contested for the presidency,” stated Matthias.
“We are going to have a product that we will all be proud of in the next two years. I would like to thank all the persons who worked assiduously to make this result possible and to assure all that we the new executive will do our utmost and not disappoint,” Matthias promised.
The other new faces on the elected executive are vice-presidents Ivan Persaud, Collie Hercules and Raulston Adams while Keith O’Jeer and Vanessa Dickenson have been elected as Committee members.
The most central figure in the executive structure is the General Secretary and that position is usually an appointed one with a paid salary.