… Secretary Sagon resigns

THE UPPER Demerara Football Association (UDFA) has planned to go ahead with its Banks DIH sponsored GT Beer football championship final on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2014 at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground despite threats that it could face sanctions from the governing Guyana Football Federation (GFF).Speaking to the media on Saturday last, president of the UDFA Sharma Solomon said “We are not challenging football but the dangerous development of it”, adding that the staging of a year end championship was in keeping with a four year strategy for the development of the game in the region.
He likened the tournament to be “indigenous to the programme of football’s development,” and said the regional organisers of the sport were grateful to beverage giants Banks DIH, who came on board with a $6.6M offer to support their programme, even though they were given less than one week to put that plan into action.
Solomon, who is also Regional Chairman of Region 10 (Upper Demerara /Upper Berbice), said that “The staging of the final simultaneously with the Georgetown Football Association Banks Beer Cup would not affect each other, but actually complements each other.”
He admitted that while initially it was made known to the sponsors Banks DIH that should a Linden team reach the GFA Banks Beer Cup final, there was a possibility that the final could be shifted to January 3.
However, Solomon made it clear that at no time did they (UDFA) not indicate to the sponsors that the first choice for the final was New Year’s Day and further, chances of a possible conflict of interest was ruled out when none of the Linden teams reached the final four of the GFA/Banks Beer Cup championship.
In fact, Solomon said that the decision of the Guyana Football Federation’s General Council to rule for only the GFA Banks Beer final for January 1 was based on insufficient information given to those attending that important caucus.
He said that it was obvious that those who attended were unaware that “the sponsors Banks DIH had no problem with both finals being staged on the same day”. Solomon noted that after this information reached the affiliate associations’ representatives, they expressed the view that the UDFA GT Beer final should be given the green light to be staged also on January 1, 2014.
According to the UDFA boss, the UDFA General Council, therefore, called a meeting on Boxing Day where all except one of the ten affiliate clubs voted to have the final remain on New Year’s Day and the UDFA was still looking forward for a resolution with the GFF on the matter. He reiterated that the GFF should reconsider their position knowing that the main issue had been the sponsors having a problem with two finals on the same day.
Asked about the possible sanctions hovering over the regional authorities which has obviously led to the resignation of UDFA Secretary Ms Cindy Sagon, Solomon said he was certain that it will not reach to that stage, as he felt good sense will prevail under the circumstances, knowing what year end football means to the people of Linden and Region 10.
He also cautioned of the negative effects that could be attracted should this final not be held and while he acknowledged that there was a resignation letter from the secretary, he said her decision contained inaccuracies of what the UDFA had stated initially of the date for the final.
While not elaborating, Solomon said he would leave the resignation to be addressed by the UDFA’s Executive before pronouncing further on it, but according to Sagon, a staff of the GFF, she sees her role in this matter will run into conflict with her employers, should the UDFA go against the decisions of the GFF.
The semifinals for the UDFA /GT Beer Championship were scheduled to be played last night at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground where it continues to have solid support from football fans in Linden.

(By Joe Chapman)