IT is indeed ironic at this juncture in our football’s history that we have made a change in direction based on the poor accountability and transparency of the past administrators, while the governing body for the sport in the region, CONCACAF, deliberated at length at its 28th Ordinary Congress on the said subject, highlighting the deceitfulness of its disgraced former boss who chose to resign and not face the ethics Committee of FIFA for alleged corruption.

The traits of such poor accountability and transparency can be traced to mainly a lack of integrity and the end result is no doubt corruption, hence the ‘Beautiful game ‘ is now clouded with such magnitude of global widespread revelations which have forced investigations within the sport by the governing body FIFA.
Thanks to former General Secretary of CONCACAF, Chuck Blazer and surely the persistent investigative journalistic skills of Scotsman Andrew Jennings who has been a thorn in the flesh of FIFA’s officials.
For over two decades we in Guyana have been victims of dastard acts on the sport by people who were more concerned with the personal benefits the sport offered them, travelling the world and being facilitated with large sums per diem and luxury hotel accommodation just to mention a few, than the meaningful development of the sport though they were being furnished with two hundred and fifty thousand dollars US annually since 1998 to develop football.
But how was it possible for this to be allowed? The General Council and to some extent the clubs/players must also be held accountable for the wanton plundering of the game nationally, they have all been weak.
Elected officials must honour their obligation of ‘for the good of the game’ and know that consultation and inclusiveness are key ingredients for development and they are elected not to be dictated by the Executive but to represent the concerns of the clubs/players and to ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of the sport.
Their representation and input at the highest decision-making level are critical to the positive direction of the game, not forgetting the importance of the Constitution as the guide in the execution of duties.
It was most heartening to hear from all the Presidential candidates who contested the recently held elections of the Guyana Football federation (GFF), of the need for accountability and transparency if the sport is to progress and win back some respectability. They also advocated the importance and involvement of all stakeholders and the plans to have all included in the new way forward, so listen keenly to the lamentation of the masses that hold the sport dear to their hearts.
There is urgent need for investigations into the running of football under the Klass rule and the secret deals made by the GFF under Frankie Wilson during the World Cup qualifiers, especially, when one takes into consideration the huge debt left by the outgoing regime.
These investigations must include forensic auditing and the assistance of Interpol and the FBI for this is revelation time and what has been hidden in the dark must now come to light if we are meaningful about positively transforming the game. Let’s get the assistance of the US and Mexico Football Federations on the deals and whose account the money was paid into.
For much too long the sport has suffered at the hands of gullible people who have been allowed to walk away freely, only for others to come and repeat and do so in greater proportions. It is the general view of all concerned with the development of the game that the time is now more than ripe to pull the plug so that true Accountability and Transparency in the Administration of football would have really begun.
The challenge is for the Matthias led administration to start making changes, even drastic measures in reshaping and replacing the staff at the Federation’s office.
More importantly, the need for a strong General Council working in the sole interest of those they represent and not their hidden agendas. Let football be the winner like it was on the historic night of April 12 when the reign of autocratic rule in football in Guyana ended. Wuh yuh seh?