"IMC frustrated with lack of support from GFF"
By Clyde Pestano
Stabroek News
March 30, 2003
Lester Sealey secretary of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) which was set up to run the affairs of the Georgetown Football League (GFL), is refuting several claims made by George Rutherford secretary of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
Rutherford, had among other things, claimed in an article in this newspaper (SN 17-03-03), that it was untrue that the GFF was frustrating the IMC.
He contended that since its formation in August, the GFF was prepared to give a stipend to the person identified by that body; had keys ready to give the IMC access to an office at the Guyana Cancer Society's Headquarters in Thomas Street, and sought and secured part sponsorship for the interim body.
However, in an exclusive interview Sealey claims that the caretaker body is yet to benefit from any sponsorship.
The secretary said that Rutherford should divulge to the public who were the part sponsors referred to in the article since to date the IMC is yet to receive that information.
Sealey said that neither he nor the IMC are aware of who these `phantom' sponsors are and would like the GFF to reveal their identities.
The secretary disclosed that the IMC had submitted a budget and a calendar of activities for October last to January this year as requested by the GFF.
He explained that with no finance forthcoming from the GFF the IMC was forced to seek sponsors on its own. They were, however, unsuccessful because of how the financial year `runs' for most companies.
He stated that he would like the public to understand this because most of these companies had already committed themselves to sponsor other activities earlier in the year.
As a consequence they were told to return the following year, Sealey said.
According to the secretary he agrees in principle with George Norton president of the IMC who had made the original claim of frustration by the GFF (SN 17-03-03).
Sealey explained that the frustration took various forms.
He stated, "the IMC to the best of my knowledge has not received a `blind' cent from the GFF."
Sealey claimed that the caretaker body had not received any subventions or financial backing from the GFF from the time it was formed last October, and not August as stated by Rutherford.
The secretary reacted to the claim by Rutherford that the GFF was prepared to pay a stipend to the individual identified by the IMC, by saying "the GFF should put that in writing as well as the amount they are prepared to give to the person identified".
Sealey also refuted the claim made by Rutherford about the IMC not uplifting keys to the office at Thomas Street, and said that in January the IMC wrote the GFF in connection with this matter.
He showed Stabroek Sport a copy of the letter referred to and which basically informed the GFF that he (Sealey) was the person identified as being responsible for the daily running of the IMC's office.
Sealey also revealed that the IMC had written the owners of the building which currently houses the IMC's redundant office, the Guyana Cancer Society, introducing him as the person who would be in charge of the affairs of the caretaker body at that location.
He could not give any definite answer about what will happen with the GFL this year but is hopeful that the league as a body will survive this current crisis.
The secretary also addressed some burning issues concerning football in Georgetown and Guyana as a whole.
He contended that the level of any sport is determined to a large extent by the level of administration in place.
He was concerned about the absence of continuity for youth development programmes from the nursery level to the senior level.
The secretary said he was making no apologies to anyone and added, "senior officials who clamour to have the game at heart must know the rudiments of administering the game."
He added, "one of the fundamentals of administrating football is that you must eat, sleep, dream and love football to be able to administrate football."
Asked whether he was satisfied with the work done so far by the interim body, Sealey said that the IMC as a caretaker administration was expected to look at the mistakes of the past executive of the body and not repeat them.
According to him, "it is sad to say, this interim body is not fulfilling its mandate." He added however that it [the IMC] was not totally to blame since factors beyond its control impeded progress in many areas.
The secretary was quizzed on the relationship between the IMC and the GFF and said that from indications he thought the relationship was a cordial but frustrating one.
Sealey said that the two bodies exchanged correspondence over the period of the IMC's life and they had meetings at various times as well.
The secretary is hopeful that an AGM would be held soon to regularize the affairs of the Georgetown Football League (GFL).
Sealey contended that the caretaker body does not enjoy voting rights and as such is unable to fully carry out its mandate in many ways.
He said that an AGM should have been held late this month but that is now in doubt. According to him, it is vital that elections be held to elect a new executive for the GFL.
The secretary lamented the ad hoc way clubs are being administered and said that the IMC would like to help charter the course for the future with all interested parties but not as an interim body.
Sealey noted that while no proper domestic competitions were played, clubs from Georgetown won most of these competitions.
He added that if clubs from the other sub-associations were playing the game regularly and of a high standard then they would have prevailed.
Sealey deduced that something is drastically wrong in football in Guyana for something of this nature to happen.
The secretary was also critical of the work of the technical director of the GFF Neider Dos Santos and said that the Brazilian needs to identify and itemize the problems of football in Guyana in its totality.
According to him, when that is done then he (Dos Santos) can identify the necessary changes which will help to eradicate or solve these chronic problems which plague Guyana's football.
The secretary explained that not only are nurseries for footballers needed all over the country, but also that present club structures need to be revamped and modern methods utilized to administrate these `so-called' clubs.
On the issue of selection of persons for training by the GFF, Sealey said he was very surprised by the selection of Andrew Grogan and Collie Hercules to attend a training course in Trinidad & Tobago and said that it was clear that they were selected in a high-handed way.
The secretary said that the norm is for sub-associations to submit names of persons who they felt were qualified to go on such courses, but to the best of his knowledge that was not done in this case.
He pointed out that this is precisely what he has been saying all along about the way the GFF administers its affairs - like a dictatorship.
However, Sealey said he will have to find out from the GFF what was the criterion was to select these persons.
The secretary stated that he does not have anything personal against Hercules and Grogan or anyone being selected to go and do courses but that the process must be transparent and democratic.
Sealey is also asking the GFF to do evaluations on a periodic basis for persons who attend these overseas courses.
He said that those who go on trips especially overseas are accountable in relation to their sponsors and should be able to produce results when they return.
The secretary said that accountability is most times measured in results, and he questionesd what are the results we have had over the years, especially of recent.
Sealey stated though that, "if I am being deemed as the stumbling block, the hurdle or the hindrance that is affecting the attempted progress which the IMC should have been making, then I am prepared to resign."
He said that at the end of the day he is not satisfied with what is going on with football in Guyana as a whole, but he is still optimistic that in the near future things will get better.
