SVGFF makes another attempt to meet with affiliates

The Executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) will try again this Saturday, March 28, to come face to face with their affiliates and to give the first major report on their stewardship since being elected to office fifteen months and one week ago.{{more}}

The SVGFF attempted to stage its Annual General Meeting last Saturday, March 21, at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Chamber of Industry and Commerce Conference Room, but did not get a quorum.

According to Article 10.12 of the SVGFF Constitution: “The quorum for the General Meeting shall be fifty per cent (50%) of the total of Full Membership entitled to vote and shall comprise representatives for not fewer than four full members and at least two (2) officers.”

The Constitution also makes provision for the meeting to be adjourned to one week later.

Acting General Secretary Earl Bennett confirmed to SEARCHLIGHT that based on the last Annual General Meeting on October 20, 2007, there were 79 affiliates who voted, but less than half turned up last Saturday meeting, hence the postponement.

Also postponed is the motion of no confidence some affiliates had allegedly planned to move against some members of the Executive.

Reports surfaced prior to last Saturday’s planned meeting that some affiliates should have tabled a motion of “No Confidence” against First Vice President Ian Sardine, Second Vice President Raymond Trimmingham and Bennett.

However, Bennett, who is the nerve centre of the SVGFF’s Secretariat, said any such motion must be done in writing, and none was received prior to the aborted meeting.

Bennett had acknowledged to SEARCHLIGHT last week Tuesday that the AGM was long overdue.

He stated that the hold up in convening the meeting had to do with the unavailability of audited statements of the Federation’s finances.

Bennett said that the SVGFF owes the auditors and is in no financial position to employ their services.

Supporting Bennett’s position is Committee Member Cerlian Russell, who claims that the Federation is heavily dependent on the annual draw down from FIFA, through its Football Assistance Programme (FAP), and is awaiting the funds to pay off a debt to the auditors incurred by the previous Executive.

Russell also said that at Saturday’s Annual General Meeting, the audited financial statements will be presented for 2007.

He further revealed that an unaudited financial report for 2008 will also be made available to the affiliates.

Russell said that part of their objective is to be prudent and transparent in the conduct of their finances and avoid the pitfalls which occured in previous Executives, hence their meticulous approach.

He said that Football’s world governing body FIFA had engaged the services of an independent auditing firm last year to look at the financial operations of the SVGFF, and their findings pointed to the need to have their accounting practices streamlined.

The current Executive under Joseph Delves was elected into office in 2007. Delves defeated St. Clair Leacock 40-39 in the most hotly contested and publicized race for the presidency of any sporting organisation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Also part of Saturday’s agenda is the Executive Summary, and the election of Committee Members.

Three spots are up for the taking, following the resignations of Jeffery Da Silva and Wayne Peters and, most recently, the passing of Larry Bascombe.