A PEEP into the forensic audited financial statements of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) for 2011 to 2013 is most frightening, but surely not surprising. The evidence shows how millions of dollars had been misappropriated and begs for lots of questions to be answered. The document now being circulated by the Normalisation Committee (NC) to members of the GFF would certainly come up for scrutiny at the upcoming Congress this Saturday, but more importantly there are persons already elected and on slates who were part of the governance that ruined the coffers of Guyana’s football during that period.
This is why the Ethics Committee is so important to the process of Transparency, a word frequently used by Administrators of the ‘Beautiful Game’, but often applied conveniently. How hypocritical?
The concise Oxford Dictionary describes the word Transparency as meaning – open to public scrutiny – among other meanings. A signed document of Confidentiality was imposed on all members of the GFF with regard to this recent circulation of the Audited Statements and one would hope that after being dealt with at the Congress it would be made available for public scrutiny so as to practise what you preach.
It is widespread knowledge that the micro-managing of the sport at all levels is chiefly responsible for the lack of Transparency, Inclusiveness and Accountability which consequently stagnates development. The onus is also on the Executives of the 22 members to share with their respective membership these startling revelations so that we can truly say we are practising what we preach – Accountability, Inclusiveness and Transparency.
People must be held responsible for their actions and should answer for same as well, if we are really serious about stamping out corruption which no doubt is affecting the sport globally. The NC must be complimented for some of its assertive actions in dismissing some of these said elements, who have been tolerated in the past; and whoever takes up the mantle of governance must continue along the same path of eradicating all undesirables from the sport.
There must be no partiality in the execution of governance; all impediments must be removed by any means necessary so as to lift the sport from the depths of scurrility.
The charge for all 22 members must be to include their membership in arriving at which slate will get each of their votes. The task at hand is pivotal to development of the ‘Beautiful Game’ here in Guyana and no compromising or dealing should determine where the vote goes. It must be the dictate of the membership so as to make Transparency appear alive and not just be a sham as it is seen through the eyes of many.
By Ras Wadada