GFF refused to offer bus services to Sports Ministry
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
June 15, 2002
The refusal of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to offer the services of its bus to the Ministry of Sport and a lack of interest by the GFF were yesterday given as reasons why the Ministry of Sport reneged on their agreement to provide accommodation for the GFF’s vehicle, it was revealed yesterday.
According to a source close to the Ministry of Sport the GFF has shown little or no interest in the affairs of football and the ministry had no alternative than to declare the vehicle persona non grata to the Gymnasium compound.
On Tuesday the Ministry wrote to the GFF claiming that it (the ministry) had pulled the plug on an arrangement which allowed the GFF to park the bus in the compound.
The GFF was granted permission to use the gymnasium compound on March 11.
"What really happened is that the Ministry had to pay for the use of public transportation when the German University team was here and also had to turn around and foot the bill for a female team representing Georgetown to travel to Linden," the source revealed.
"Now you must remember that the Ministry assisted in the GFF receiving duty free concession to import the bus and were allowing them to park the vehicle in the Gymnasium compound free of cost.
"This would have been an excellent opportunity for the GFF to better the relationship by offering the uses of its bus," the source added.
"The ministry ended up paying approximately $100,000 in transportation expenses to get the German team around and between $30,000-$35,000 to take the female team to Linden," the source disclosed.
Stabroek News was unable to get a comment from the GFF since its top brass including president Colin Klass and general secretary George Rutherford are at the World Cup.
"The source claimed that excellent opportunity for the GFF to better the relationship by offering the uses of its bus," the source added.
"The ministry ended up paying approximately $100,000 in transportation expenses to get the German team around and between $30,000-$35,000 to take the female team to Linden," the source disclosed.
Stabroek News was unable to get a comment from the GFF since its top brass including president Colin Klass and general secretary George Rutherford are at the World Cup.
The source claimed that the GFF’s lack of interest was the straw that broke the camel’s back. "I know that the Ministry has tried to bring about a better relationship with the GFF, but the interest shown is almost zero," the source stated.
"The Guyana Football Federation continues to squander opportunities to foster good relationship with the Ministry of Sport," the source declared.
According to the source the Ministry had fought for the GFF to receive duty free concession to bring in the vehicle, which on a few occasions was seen limping around town.
At the commissioning of the bus just over a month ago secretary of the federation George Rutherford claimed that GT$800,000 had been spent on "clearing it from the wharf, painting it in GFF’s colours and ensuring its road worthiness."
However, to date it is not clear why the 44-seater reconditioned Leyland bus, purchased for US$12,000, was not used to take the national Under-20 team to Suriname.
The GFF had to pay a return fare of close to $75,000 for public transportation to get the Under-20 team to Moleson Creek in order to play in a World Cup preliminary in the former Dutch colony.