GFF still recognises Matthias By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
September 20, 2002

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THE Guyana Football Federation has not recognised the resignation of Georgetown Football League president Christopher Matthias and still sees him as the head of the financially troubled organisation.

GFF president Colin Klass yesterday declared that his organisation received a letter of resignation but pointed out that no signature was attached rendering the communique unofficial and useless.

The new development adds another twist to the spiral unfolding of potential chaos in Guyana’s second most powerful football organisation.

“Since it is not signed we have no other alternative than to treat it as an unofficial document. As it stands Mr. Matthias is still the president of the Georgetown Football League,” Klass said in a telephone interview with Stabroek Sport.

“In the mean time we are still working on returning football in the GFL to normalcy,” the GFF boss said.

But an informed source claimed that Matthias only needs to resign for the GFL and as a courtesy send a copy to the GFF. The source noted that Matthias’s resignation would first have to be accepted by the GFL’s general council in order for him to demit office.

When contacted Matthias referred Stabroek Sport to the general secretary of the GFL Raol Johnson.

“I would be very grateful if he (Johnson) could make available for the general public knowledge of the minutes of the last meeting which was held between the GFF and GFL.

“I am on record as requesting that those minutes, be recorded by both general secretaries. If made available to Stabroek Sport it would establish all that transpired at that meeting,” Matthias said.

Klass declined to surmise if the GFF would accept Matthias’ resignation (through the proper channels) at a time when allegations of misappropriation of funds abound in the GFL.

Matthias’ letter was sent to GFL’s general secretary Raol Johnson and copied to the GFF, patron of GFL Odinga Lumumba and Banks DIH Limited.

In his letter to Johnson Matthias cited “the high degree of inconsistency, envy, jealousy, treachery, deceit, greed, back-biting and back-stabbing at every level,” as reasons which forced his sudden and ignominious exit from the GFL presidency.

He stated that the above factors ...”indeed creates an unhealthy environment for myself or any person of sound mind and honest intention in which to remain.”

The GFL plunged into troubled waters early in August after it was alleged that approximately $500,000 was missing from its coffers. Treasurer Daune Campbell, who has vowed to clear her name, has been fingered in the disappearance of the funds.

She has remained tight-lipped since returning from Barbados. The entire issue has disrupted football in the sub association.

To date no competition has commenced in the sub association and major sponsor Banks DIH Limited stated that it would have to review its sponsorship.