SVGFF holds axe grinding AGM

If this country’s footballers had the same aggression and tenacity as some affiliates of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF), then St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be virtually assured a place in the World Cup Finals every time that event comes around.{{more}}

This zeal for taking no prisoners and a no holds barred approach were shown as the SVGFF staged its Annual General Meeting, the first for the current Executive headed by Joseph Delves.

The venue for the verbal battle was the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference Room last Saturday morning.

There was no formal motion of “No Confidence” tabled, but some vented their feelings about the performance of some members of the Executive, which at times degenerated into almost near unacceptable conduct, with the reciprocal coming from the other direction.

Delves, presiding over his first major interfacing with affiliates, felt what it is like being in the hot seat of the most vocal and at times combative national sporting association.

Despite the usual accusations, innuendoes and counter arguments, the serious business of Football, more so the stewardship of the Executive over the past sixteen months and moving the sport forward, got its due attention.

Delves reported that on taking office, his Executive met a host of administrative, financial and technical problems.

Reporting to the affiliates, Delves said that efforts are being made to beef up the administrative arm of the Federation.

“This Executive is determined to strengthen the management of Football in order to make the Federation more efficient, effective and accountable,” Delves said in his report.

“To this end, we have already accessed and applied for a FIFA programme called Organisational Review…to better organize, professionalise, and commercialise our operations in order to make the Federation more efficient, effective, accountable and sustainable,” the Football President projected in his Executive Summary.

On the issue of the state of the Federation’s financial health, the Annual General Meeting learned that the debt hovers around the $580,000 mark, a reduction from $707,591.68, at the start of this Executive’s tenure.

Delves also updated the Meeting on the ongoing legal battle for the Federation’s ownership of a piece of land located in the Quarry area, purchased by the former Executive under the leadership of St. Clair Leacock, as part of the Federation’s Goal Project.

The project, intended for the construction of an administrative centre for the Federation, has been stalled over the title of the land.

The Football boss reported that the much touted Strategic Development Plan will soon get more teeth with the staging of the restructured National Club Tournament which will be preceded by a play off among twenty four club teams.

Also on Saturday’s Agenda was the election of the three persons to fill the vacant posts of Committee Members, a process which saw affiliates having to ‘scrunt’ around in the meeting hall to get persons to accept the positions.

In the end, only three nominations were received, which did not require going the way of secret ballots.

Joining the fray are two green horns to national football administration in Marvin Fraser and Kamara Doyle.

Fraser, a former player for Avenues, is now the Club’s Manager, while Doyle, one of 21 coaches recently certified by Trinidadian Alvin Corneal, is a member of NEMWIL Hope International.

The other Committee Member, Julian Small, is a former national Under-19 and senior team player, and was a member of the famed 1979 squad.

He also has experience coaching the national Under-17 and Under-20 teams, as well as the Football team to the annual Windward Islands Secondary School Games.

The three are replacements to Jeffrey Da Silva, Wayne Peters and Larry Bascombe (deceased). The other Committee Members are Osbourne Bowen, Michael John, Arnold Dalrymple and Cerlian Russell.

The Executive is completed by other elected officers, in First Vice President Ian Sardine, Second Vice President Raymond Trimmingham, and Third Vice President Ashley Cain. Earl Bennett was appointed to act as the Federation’s General Secretary. (RT)