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Offline asylumseeker

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #450 on: February 22, 2018, 04:53:09 AM »
Perhaps this will provide a lesson to those who just got played: make sure that the AGM/other meetings on the domestic agenda are not scheduled to conflict with FIFA or CONCACAF commitments etc. Fairly sure CONCACAF did not spring the "income-generating meeting" on anyone.

Offline maxg

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #451 on: February 22, 2018, 05:49:28 AM »
Perhaps this will provide a lesson to those who just got played: make sure that the AGM/other meetings on the domestic agenda are not scheduled to conflict with FIFA or CONCACAF commitments etc. Fairly sure CONCACAF did not spring the "income-generating meeting" on anyone.
https://youtu.be/2qunog47EVo. Oops

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #452 on: February 22, 2018, 07:22:12 AM »
TTFA boss misses AGM again.
T&T Newsday Reports.


David John-Williams, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), was once again a no-show at the TTFA Annual General Meeting which had to be postponed for a fourth time yesterday.

John-Williams, who missed the last AGM due to illness, was abroad on CONCACAF business, attending a meeting on an income generating project.

TTFA member Selby Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago, said yesterday there are questions that need to answered regarding transparency and accountability to have the audited financial statements for 2016 approved.

Two months ago when the TTFA Annual General Meeting (AGM) was first convened on November 25 2017 the Audited financial statements were again presented and remain unapproved to date.

TTFA members have also raised questions regarding the “Home of Football” construction project in Couva.

Browne said yesterday, “Questions have also been asked about the Elite Development Programme, along with the funding for national team programmes, which is reflected in the disastrous results in CONCACAF and FIFA tournaments.”



Them man is a Jack Warner blueprint.

Faster than a speeding pittbull
Stronger than a shot of ba-bash
Capable of storming any fete


Offline soccerman

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #453 on: February 22, 2018, 04:08:50 PM »
Perhaps this will provide a lesson to those who just got played: make sure that the AGM/other meetings on the domestic agenda are not scheduled to conflict with FIFA or CONCACAF commitments etc. Fairly sure CONCACAF did not spring the "income-generating meeting" on anyone.
https://youtu.be/2qunog47EVo. Oops
;D
I hope the voting members don't forget these moments when election comes around.

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #454 on: March 14, 2018, 06:43:37 PM »

Offline Flex

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #455 on: March 28, 2018, 12:45:41 AM »
Downer: “Mr President, you’re wrong!”; DJW: “I’m trying to do the right thing!” TTFA stakeholders clash by email.
Wired868.com.


“Mr President, for two reconvened meetings for the continuation of the November 2017 AGM—January 9th and […] March 17th—you, as Chairman, proceeded, on you own accord to abort the meetings and to announce an adjournment for ‘the lack of a quorum.’

“Mr President, your decision on both occasions was erroneous.”

The following is an exchange between TTFRA vice-president Osmond Downer, who helped write the TTFA Constitution, SSFL president William Wallace and TTFA president David John-Williams on the subject of the latter’s recent controversial adjournment of the football body’s AGM:

(Emailed on Tuesday 20 March, 2018 at 9:25pm)

From: Osmond O Downer, TTFRA vice-president
To: David John-Williams, TTFA president,
Dear Mr President,


I told you yesterday during our conversation after the aborted reconvened 2017 AGM of the TTFA at the ABS, that, because of the chaotic situation that erupted after your announcement of the termination of the meeting, I was unable to put forward and explain my view that your decision to adjourn was a wrong one. I told you then that I would put my opinion to you in writing and would copy same to all delegates to the AGM.

In this letter I will refer to the rules of Slaughter and May, and also to Roberts Rules. These Rules are the standard for facilitating discussions and group decision making in organisations in DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES throughout the world.

Our own Parliament in TT uses these rules as guidelines for procedures in meetings and other sessions. Google the internet and go to “Adjournments of Annual General Meetings from Slaughter and May, Article 27, pg 35” and also “Roberts Rules—Simplified rules of order procedures used in meetings. Quorum of members.”

I will refer to these rules for the remainder of this letter as “SM” for Slaughter and May and “R” for Roberts. The words in capitals are for emphasis.

Mr President, for two reconvened meetings for the continuation of the November 2017 AGM—January 9th and […] March 17th—you, as Chairman, proceeded, on you own accord to abort the meetings and to announce an adjournment for “the lack of a quorum.” Mr President, your decision on both occasions was erroneous.

SM, Part 3 Conduct of the Meeting Section 10: “Chairman’s duties and powers at the meeting” states “The power of adjournment is rested in the meeting.” Also “The Chairman may adjourn the meeting (a) in the event of disorder or like causes (b) With the consent of members when circumstances warrant, or (c) So directed by the majority of members.” Note that the Chairman cannot on his own (except in very special cases) adjourn the meeting.

Also “An adjourned (reconvened) meeting is a continuation of the original meeting, and not a fresh meeting. Therefore every situation in an adjourned meeting shall be determined as if it is the original meeting.”

Now R’s rules: “In any meeting of delegates, the quorum is the majority of the delegates who are eligible to attend and have been registered as attending, even if some of them have departed.”

Also, “In the absence of a quorum any business transacted is null and void, in such a case it is that business that is illegal, not the meeting. If the meeting is called in keeping with the Association’s rules, the absence of a quorum in no way detracts from the fact that the rules were complied with and the meeting held, even though it had to adjourn immediately.”

And “Before calling a meeting to order the Chair should be sure that a quorum is present. If a quorum cannot be obtained, the Chair should call those members present at the meeting to order, announce the absence of a quorum, and entertain a motion to adjourn from the floor.”

Mr President, all democratic organisations have provision in their Constitutions for the determination of a quorum at a reconvened General Meeting. Most state that at the reconvened meeting, no specific-number quorum is required to start the meeting but that the members present shall form the quorum.

This is obviously to ensure that the business of the Association goes on and is not stultified—as has happened in the present imbroglio existing in the TTFA.

In our case, the AGM of November 2017 had a legitimate—over 50 % of the eligible delegates—quorum at the start of the meeting. Every reconvened meeting after this first November meeting was just a continuation of this November meeting and not a fresh meeting; and so, considering the above stipulations, no specific number/quorum was necessary for these meetings.

Our own TTFA Constitution reinforces this principle in Article 24 – Quorum of the General Meeting, Section (3) which states: “A quorum is not required for the second meeting of the General Meeting unless any item on the Agenda proposes the amendment of the Constitution, the election of a member of the Board of Directors, the dismissal of of a member of a body of TTFA, the expulsion of a Member, or the dissolution of the TTFA.”

Mr President, no such items were remaining on the Agenda when you aborted those two meetings of January 9th and March 17th.

Further to all of this, Mr President, if your contention is that the meetings after November were fresh AGM’s, then this would be Constitutionally wrong, because the Constitution of the TTFA, Section 27 (1) demands that the AGM shall be called no later than 30th of November of the said year.

Of course our AGM was constitutionally correctly called for the 28th November and is continuing—unfortunately—up to the present date.

I was present at all the meetings from November to the present and I can now state the items remaining on the Agenda that are still to be discussed. They are: (i) Activity Report; (j) Presentation of the Consolidated Revised Balance Sheet and the profit and loss Statement, (k) Approval of the Financial Statements; (l) Approval of the Budget;  (o) Appointment of Independent External Auditors upon the proposal of the Board of Directors; (t) Election of Members of the Electoral Committee; (v) Any other Business; (w) End of Meeting.

Here from SM and R are some useful stipulations: “The Chairman is subject to the authority of the whole group in decision making at the meeting.” “The Duties of the Chairman are mainly: Keeping things on track; Announcing each item of Business; Recognising speakers; and Protecting the group from time-wasting.”

May good sense prevail from all for the good of our beloved game in T&T.

Respectfully,
Osmond O Downer


(Emailed on Wednesday 21 March, 2018 at 6:03am)

From: David John-Williams, TTFA president,
To: Osmond O Downer, TTFRA vice-president,
Dear Mr Downer,


Thank you for your email. First of all, I cannot recall the meeting of January 9th which I adjourned.

Secondly, Article 24.3, if a quorum is not achieved in the first meeting  then the second meeting does not require a quorum to go ahead. Just using my own words here to simplify. It has been the custom and practice all along at these meetings—EGM or AGM, all of which you attended—that when a quorum was not achieved in the first meeting (the start of the General Meeting) then the second meeting does not require a quorum to go on.

Article 24.3, in my opinion, cannot be read in isolation without considering article 24.1 and 24.2. I must admit that the constitution is silent on what obtains if there was a quorum for the start of the General Meeting (the first meeting of November 25th) to which there was. Whilst we are on this subject, at the meeting of the 17th of March the President invited you Mr Downer to please indicate where in the constitution that the meeting must go on and does not require a quorum to which I  had ruled (rightfully or wrongfully).

Ms [Boni] Bishop then pointed to 24.3. My response to that was that 24.3 could not be read in isolation without considering 24.1 and 24.2. It is unfortunate that you did not mention that this occurred in the meeting of March 17th in your email to all of us.

Also at no point in time I mentioned or contented or intended to contemplate that the second third or fourth meeting was a fresh meeting. To bring this in the mix is just creating a bit more confusion.

I will agree that all these meetings were a continuation of the first meeting. If I were to accept your position and argument, then as chair I had no obligation to wait 30 minutes to see if a quorum could be achieved.

For example at the second and fourth meetings I should [have] commenced the meeting at the appointed times with just 6 and 4 delegates present and 13 and 14 after 30 minutes as obtained in this case. How unethical that would have been on my part.

It is well documented that there has always been a difficulty in obtaining a quorum for EGMs and AGMs since November 2015. Many of these meetings had to be reconvened 14 days later for lack of a quorum at the start of the meeting (the first meeting).

Having said all this, it is clear in my mind that this constitution needs to be revisited and maybe (if it permits) for by-laws to be included for clarity on some articles. Article 24 for sure needs to be revisited and made much clearer so as to avoid in my humble opinion the difficult situation we find ourselves in.

In closing, I will be the first to admit that I am not a constitutional expert  but I must assure you that before every Board or General Meeting I always read the constitution to ensure that I do the right thing. I always welcome your discourse on these matters.

Best Regards
David John-Williams


(Emailed on Wednesday 21 March, 2018 at 7:20pm)

From: William Wallace, SSFL president,
To: Mr David John-Williams, TTFA president,


(Editor’s Note: Wallace re-produced John-Williams’ entire email while responding to various sections. We publish only the bits that he responded to).

DJW: “It has been the custom and practice all along at these meetings EGM or AGM all of which you attended that when a quorum was not achieved in the first meeting (the start of the General Meeting) then the second meeting does not require a quorum to go on. Article 24 .3 in my opinion cannot be read in isolation without considering article 24 1 and 24.2. I must admit that the constitution is silent on what obtains if there was a quorum for the start of the General Meeting ( the first meeting of November 25th) to which there was.”

Wallace: Mr President it is understood that if there is a quorum the meeting proceeds and membership during the course of the meeting, for whatever reason can decide on an adjournment. The constitution may be ‘silent’, re: a meeting that was adjourned but there are established guidelines to be followed for adjournment and for reconvened meetings. I am also no constitutional expert but Article 24 is clear.
24.1. — speaks to what your quorum should be.
24.2 – speaks to the calling of the AGM
24.3 – speaks to procedure if there is no quorum when the meeting is called and goes on to explain the parameters at the second ( third or fourth) meeting

DJW: “At no point in time I mentioned or contented or intended to contemplate that the second third or fourth meeting was a fresh meeting To bring this in the mix is just creating a bit more confusion.”

Wallace: Mr President you may not have mentioned that it was a new meeting but your ruling that a quorum was required inferred exactly that.

DJW: “I will agree that all these meetings were a continuation of the first meeting.”

Wallace: Mr President if you agree that these meetings were a continuation of the first meeting it follows that any situation in an adjourned meeting shall be determined as if it is the first meeting.

DJW: “If I were to accept your position and argument then as chair I had no obligation to wait 30 minutes to see if a quorum could be achieved.

Wallace: Mr President NO you had no obligation to wait for 30 minutes as per constitution. The reason for waiting, to quote you is that ‘it will be unethical to start the meeting with the numbers present.’ The meeting accepted that position because it felt that based on the importance of the item on the agenda that it would be useful to get more persons present. The meeting had no idea that the wait was for a quorum, as indicated by members responses thereafter.
In retrospect it would have been prudent for you to allow Mr Browne to move his motion—you indicated to him that a motion was not necessary—so that members would have been clear as to why the meeting was deferred for 30 minutes.

DJW: “For example at the second and fourth meetings I should had commenced the meeting at the appointed times with just 6 and 4 delegates present and 13 and 14 after 30 minutes as obtained in this case. How unethical that would have been on my part.”

Wallace: Mr President, constitutionally you should have commenced the meeting, it may have been unethical but legal and constitutionally correct. Any other decision should have been made by members via a motion and a vote.  Just to note all members must be given the opportunity to decide on matters such as ethics, since matters like these are quite subjective in nature.

Best Regards,
William Wallace


The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #456 on: March 28, 2018, 12:45:57 AM »
FIFA backs DJW’s adjournment based on apparent TTFA misinformation; Look Loy election key to impasse.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


The constitutional impasse between Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams and the general membership appeared to take another convoluted turn on Friday, as FIFA deputy secretary general Zvonimir Boban offered a learned opinion on the issue.

Boban, a former Croatia and AC Milan star, appeared to side with the embattled John-Williams with regard to his controversial adjournment of the local football body’s AGM on 17 March, 2018.

Boban said his opinion was based on information forwarded by the TTFA president and was of a general nature and “without prejudice to any decision that any FIFA competent body may be called to pass in this or similar matters in the future.”

“According to the information reported in your letter, we deem that the decisions to reconvene the General Meetings of 9 December 2017 and 17 March 2018 would appear to have been in line with the relevant provisions of the TTFA Statutes,” stated Boban, “as on both occasions the quorum was not achieved 30 minutes after the scheduled start of the meetings…”

But there was a caveat.

“[…] Since the election of a member of the TTFA Board of Directors is on the agenda,” Boban continued, “a quorum will be required at the next duly convened General Meeting.”

What John-Williams neglected to tell Boban in his own email, though, was that the matter of an election to the TTFA Board of Directors was not on the agenda on 17 March 2018.

Boban’s email referred to the election of Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) president Keith Look Loy to the TTFA Board. However, this was done on 23 December, 2017.

As such, Boban was, arguably, misdirected by the TTFA president or, at best, not fully apprised of the agenda at the last AGM. Since there was no election business to be conducted, there was no reason for the AGM to be reconvened—John-Williams admitted there was a quorum in two of the last four general meetings.

The likelihood that the TTFA president will attempt to use Boban’s email to justify his recent stance—despite the fact that Boban appeared to be leaning on an irrelevant clause—will probably only add to the existing confusion, when the football body attempts to hold its 2017 AGM, for the fifth time, on Glorious Saturday.

Further, Wired868 understands John-Williams has begun telling members that Look Loy’s election to the Board on 23 December, 2017 was invalid, which would then justify his controversial behaviour earlier this month. However, the TTFA President’s email to FIFA confirmed that there were 31 members at the AGM of 23 December, which was at least six more than necessary for a quorum.

Once Look Loy’s election to the TTFA Board is valid, there was no need to reconvene the AGM on 17 March and there will be no need to do so on 31 March either.

The TTFA has not yet released FIFA’s statement to the public and it was leaked to Wired868 by a source. The expectation is that the football president might try to quote selectively from the document—possibly with the help of a friendly reporter—in an effort to further confuse the public and the less perceptive stakeholders.

i95.5FM reporter Andre Baptiste would usually hold a sport show on Saturday afternoon but is abroad with the Soca Warriors at present.

John-Williams, who is a contractor, has been accused by members of repeatedly postponing the AGM to avoid fielding questions on his financial stewardship as well as on construction work at the football body’s technical centre and hotel—dubbed the “Home of Football.”

(Letter to FIFA on 19 March 2018)
To: Mr Véron Mosengo-Omba,
Director Member Associations and Development Africa – Caribbean.


Dear Sir,

I write to you in my capacity as President seeking advice/clarification on a matter related to the attached TTFA constitution, more specifically Clause 24.

This request is being made following the adjournment of a TTFA Annual General Meeting (AGM) last Saturday 17 March 2018, due to a lack of quorum, and to which there were divergent views expressed by the membership as to the legality of such a position based on the TTFA’s constitution.

Here are the chronology of meetings and events that led up to this issue:

25 November 2017: The 2017 AGM of TTFA was convened after a roll call was done by the General Secretary. A quorum was present (37 out of 49 delegates). It is to be noted that on the agenda was the election of a member to the Board of Directors of the TTFA.

Before the meeting could continue, a motion was moved and passed to adjourn the meeting for a period of 14 days (9 December 2017) to allow members the opportunity to go through the convocation documents in order for them to make a meaningful contribution to the AGM.

9 December 2017: The meeting was reconvened, and at the scheduled start time for the meeting there were five delegates present out of a possible 49. The Chairman (the TTFA President) ruled that there was not a quorum and would wait 30 minutes to see if a quorum could be achieved in order to restart the meeting. After 30 minutes, only nine additional delegates showed up.

The Chairman ruled that the meeting could not go on due to the lack of a quorum. One delegate objected stating that a quorum was not needed however the Chairman stuck to his ruling. The meeting was to be reconvened on 23 December 2017.

23 December 2017: The President was unable to attend the meeting due to illness. The meeting was chaired by a TTFA vice president. There were 31 delegates present and the meeting went ahead with some of the agenda items. The meeting was not completed after a motion was moved and passed to adjourn the meeting again and to be reconvened within 30 days in order to deal with the approval of the 2016 Financial Statements of the TTFA among other things, such as the presentation of the Activity Report of the General Secretary.

(Editor’s Note: John-Williams did not tell FIFA that Look Loy was elected to the Board of Directors at this properly convened AGM).

9 February 2018: The AGM was reconvened. The President was absent because he was out of the country on FIFA duties. There was a quorum for this meeting. The meeting was chaired by the Vice President of the TTFA and was again adjourned by a motion moved and passed, which in the main was demanding for the President to be present to answer questions to be posed by the membership. That reconvened meeting took place on 17 March 2018.

17 March 2018: The President was present and presided over the meeting. At the scheduled time for the start of the reconvened AGM (fourth time), there were four delegates present. The Chairman ruled that there was not a quorum and would wait for 30 minutes to allow other members to arrive in order to achieve a quorum. Thirty minutes later a roll call was conducted and [an] additional 11 delegates arrived.

At that point, the Chair ruled that there was not a quorum to start the reconvened meeting. There were a number of protests and disagreements from some of the delegates, however the Chair stood by his ruling.

Point of Clarification required: Based on the preceding chronology of meeting events, was the ruling by the president to adjourn the meetings of 9 December 2017 and 17 March 2019, for lack of a quorum, constitutionally correct vis a vis Clause 24 of the TTFA constitution.

My intention is to ensure that both the membership of the TTFA and myself are better informed on the subject clause in order to ensure the effective administration of our future meetings.

Please let me know if you require any further clarifications and look forward to your early reply.

Yours truly,
David John-Williams


(Letter to TTFA on 23 March, 2018)

To: David John-Williams,
TTFA President.
Dear President,


We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 19 March 2018 related to the clarification of a constitutional clause regarding the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) Annual General Meeting, the contents of which received our full attention.

In this context, we note that article 24 paragraph 2 of the TTFA Statutes (as ratified by the TTFA on 12 July 2015) stipulates that: “If a quorum is not achieved 30 minutes after the scheduled start of the General meeting, the General Meeting shall be reconvened 14 days later at the same place or at a venue notified by the General Secretary at least seven days prior to the meeting date.”

In addition, we note that article 24 paragraph 3 of the TTFA Statutes reads: “A quorum is not required for the second meeting of the General Meeting unless any item on the agenda proposes the amendment of the Constitution, the election of a member of the Board of Directors, the dismissal of a member of a body of TTFA, the expulsion of a Member or the dissolution of TTFA.”

According to the information reported in your letter, we deem that the decisions to reconvene the General Meetings of 9 December 2017 and 17 March 2018 would appear to have been in line with the relevant provisions of the TTFA Statutes, as on both occasions the quorum was not achieved 30 minutes after the scheduled start of the meetings. Furthermore, we also underline that, since the election of a member of the TTFA Board of Directors is on the agenda, a quorum will be required at the next duly convened General Meeting.

Furthermore, we appeal to the TTFA and its members to adhere to their responsibilities and ensure that all agenda items of the Annual General Meeting are finally addressed.

Finally, we kindly draw your attention to the fact that this information is of a general nature only and, therefore, without prejudice to any decision that any FIFA competent body may be called to pass in this or similar matters in the future.

We thank you for taking note of the above.

Yours faithfully,
FIFA Deputy Secretary General,
Zvonimir Boban


« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 01:57:03 AM by Flex »
The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Deeks

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #457 on: March 28, 2018, 06:34:37 AM »
I :bs:

Offline SWF Reporter

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #458 on: April 02, 2018, 12:14:40 PM »
TTFA AGM: DJW struggles to answer questions on Home of Football contracts and “sweetheart deal” with I95.5FM
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com)

Mysterious construction contracts without Board approval, national football coaches operating without appraisals and a secret “sweetheart deal” with I95.5FM were among the controversial revelations yesterday as the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) held a marathon AGM at the Cycling Centre in Couva.
There were roughly 45 delegates and board members at one point yesterday for a memorable session that lasted over 11 hours, as participants refuelled with coffee, water and one snack box—a sandwich, slice of cake, cookie and four grapes.
TTFA president David John-Williams was still in charge at the end, as a no confidence motion did not come from the floor. However, it was a bruising day for the businessman and W Connection owner who was forced to make multiple concessions and was overruled on several occasions.
“What came out yesterday proved that lies were told to us,” Northern Football Association (NFA) president Anthony Harford told Wired868, “and there was a level of deceit and one-mannism in the football fraternity.
“Decisions claimed to be made by the Board were not made by the Board but were in fact made by one man.”
Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) president Keith Look Loy seconded that assessment.
“Yesterday the Emperor’s nakedness was revealed,” said Look Loy. “John-Williams’ lack of leadership, his mismanagement of the Association, and his usurpation of the authority of the TTFA board was made transparently clear, time and again in issue after issue.
“The Board, members of which come from the bowels of football as its representatives, has conceded its authority to the one-mannism of John-Williams [and] allowed this open sore to fester. The TTFA ship is rudderless.”
Arguably, the most serious of John-Williams’ perceived transgressions lay in the approval and oversight for work done at the TTFA’s Home of Football project, which includes training grounds, players’ hotel and entertainment centre, just outside of the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
“It was evident that contracts were entered into, approaches were made to government for land, approaches were made to FIFA for funding,” said VFFOTT president Selby Browne, “with absolutely no approval from the Board.
“[John-Williams] said that he received gifts of a loan of tractors from Junior Sammy and gravel as a gift from National quarries. But there was no approval for anything.
“He just went ahead and did all these things.”
John-Williams, who owns his own construction company, allegedly informed the meeting that a committee that included his first vice-president Ewing Davis and TTFA employee Sharon O’ Brien oversaw the tender. That tender was then supposedly approved by the Board.
The problem for the TTFA President was that no other Board member could remember any meeting which gave that approval while general secretary Justin Latapy-George could find no evidence of it, after a search through his own files.
“The total FIFA funding available for this project is US$2.25 million,” said Look Loy. “But instead of awarding one big contract, [John-Williams] broke project into many small contracts of US$50,000 each.
“So he is acting like a contractor who is paying smaller contractors; and in that scenario, he could be giving money to anyone.”
Look Loy turned to John-Williams’ second vice-president Joanne Salazar and Board member Richard Quan Chan to vouch for the football president.
“I want to hear either one of you say the Board approved the contracts handed out to anybody,” asked Look Loy.
Salazar and Quan Chan, according to several witness, remained silent. First vice-president Ewing Davis suggested that consensus was arrived at by “some” Board members via email; but, after laughter from the floor, that was deemed unacceptable by Members and rejected.
Read more: https://wired868.com/2018/04/01/ttfa-agm-djw-struggles-to-provide-answers-on-home-of-football-contracts-and-sweetheart-i95-5fm-deal/

Offline soccerman

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #459 on: April 02, 2018, 02:16:41 PM »
Respect to Browne, Look Loy and Harford, those guys held their ground and demanded transparency from the board. Everything was operating like a private entity with no accountability.

Offline Deeks

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #460 on: April 02, 2018, 03:14:40 PM »
coffee, water and one snack box—a sandwich, slice of cake, cookie and four grapes.

4 GRAPES??!!!  The TTFA on a diabetes watch list or what?

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #461 on: April 02, 2018, 06:27:29 PM »
Ah get ah headache reading that article.  Frying pan and fire comes to mind.....I eh know why......
::) :cursing: :frustrated: :banginghead: :cursing: :banginghead:
"...If yuh clothes tear up
Or yuh shoes burst off,
You could still jump up when music play.
Old lady, young baby, everybody could dingolay...
Dingolay, ay, ay, ay ay,
Dingolay ay, ay, ay..."

RIP Shadow....The legend will live on in music...

Offline Brownsugar

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #462 on: April 02, 2018, 06:27:51 PM »
Respect to Browne, Look Loy and Harford, those guys held their ground and demanded transparency from the board. Everything was operating like a private entity with no accountability.

CO-SIGN.....
"...If yuh clothes tear up
Or yuh shoes burst off,
You could still jump up when music play.
Old lady, young baby, everybody could dingolay...
Dingolay, ay, ay, ay ay,
Dingolay ay, ay, ay..."

RIP Shadow....The legend will live on in music...

Offline Deeks

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #463 on: April 02, 2018, 07:05:32 PM »
Brownsugar, i wish you were on that committee. But on the other, you might have gotten suspended.

Offline maxg

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #464 on: April 02, 2018, 10:09:51 PM »
If report is factual..best and most productive meeting in decades..if agenda followed, we on the way to strengthening ourselves to carry that cross..some good ppl might be crucified, for the good of OUR game..heroes

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TTFA President David John-Williams hospitalised after physical accident
« Reply #465 on: April 30, 2018, 03:21:35 PM »
TTFA President David John-Williams hospitalised after physical accident
TTFA Media


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) wishes to advise that its President, David John-Williams was involved in a physical accident on Sunday April 29th, 2018 and was subsequently hospitalised to receive medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries.

The details surrounding the unfortunate incident have not been received in full. The President is currently receiving medical care and has the support of his family who have asked to please respect their privacy during this time.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association will continue to monitor the President’s status and will offer all possible support.

The TTFA and the Football Family takes this opportunity to wish the President a speedy and full recovery.
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Offline benedicts bwoy

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #466 on: May 01, 2018, 12:47:22 PM »
"...physical accident"?  ::) ::)

Sounds like he get ah cut ass!!! ;D ;D ;D

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #467 on: May 01, 2018, 05:08:40 PM »
Incomplete media release? Why?

Offline Flex

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #468 on: May 05, 2018, 01:39:10 AM »
John-Williams allegedly injured at Home of Football project; TTFA refuses to confirm or deny claim.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams was allegedly injured on Sunday at the site of the Home of Football project in Couva, according to a medical source.

John-Williams, according to a TTFA media release, suffered “non-life-threatening injuries” after an accident on Sunday. However, no details were provided as to the extent of the injuries or where they had occurred.

However, Wired868 was today informed that the heavyset administrator fell while at the construction site for the FIFA-funded project, which will include a technical centre, training pitch, hotel and entertainment centre. He supposedly suffered bruised ribs.

“He fell through the decking where the construction was going on [at the Home of Football],” a source told Wired868, on condition of anonymity. “Apparently, he told workers not to walk there because the spot was not stable and then he himself walked there and fell through.

“It happened after lunch [on Sunday]. After that, he was taken to the Couva Hospital and then transferred to San Fernando [General Hospital].”

Wired868 tried unsuccessfully to reach 1st Vice-president Ewing Davis as well as the President’s daughter and current W Connection chair, Renee John-Williams, to verify the unconfirmed report.

Calls to Davis’phone went unanswered while Ms John-Williams appeared to have read the WhatsApp questions sent to her but did not respond to them.

In this case, the site where the injury occurred is relevant since, on 31 March, the TTFA’s Board of Directors decided—with four votes for and three abstentions—to remove the Home of Football project from under the supervision of John-Williams and place it under the Board’s direct care.

This decision was taken after the football president repeatedly failed to provide contracts and/or bills for work done. John-Williams is due to give the relevant answers to the football body’s general membership before the end of this month.

Having lost the vote to retain control of the Home of Football project, John-Williams, who is a contractor by profession, allegedly told the Board that he was withdrawing from the helm of the project “to protect [his] integrity.”

The Board subsequently ruled that Davis should head the Tenders Committee for the project, which will also include 2nd Vice-president Joanne Salazar and Board member Richard Quan Chan.

TTFA general secretary Justin Latapy-George said he did not have any details on John-Williams’ injury.

“That information I don’t have at this very minute,” Latapy-George told Wired868. “I haven’t had a direct conversation with him yet [since his injury]. I can’t confirm or deny at this very moment [whether the accident happened at the Home of Football].”

Another TTFA insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he had heard that John-Williams was injured at or around the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva but he was not sure exactly where. The Home of Football project is a stone’s throw from the Ato Boldon Stadium.

“I heard today that he got injured in the Stadium but what part of the Stadium I don’t know,” said the source. “Renee said when he is ready he will talk to us and tell us what happened and we should respect his privacy. The family is being very cautious because they say he is working too hard and they want him to get better speedily.

“His family thinks he is overworked and that the fall was due to exhaustion.”

TTFA Board member and Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) president Keith Look Loy, who proposed the motion to remove the Home of Football project from the care of the football president, said he was concerned at the suggestion that John-Williams was hurt at the construction site—for more reasons than one.

“I know nothing [official on John-Williams’ injury] other than what I read on Wired868—and that is instructive,” said Look Loy. “The TTFA secretariat nor any other person in the TTFA has explained to us what has happened. So I know as much as the public knows.

“I therefore do not know if that accident happened at the Home of Football and, in the absence of details, people will speculate.

“If indeed this did happen as a result of an incident at the construction site, then this is unfortunate on many levels—not least because the Board of the TTFA replaced John-Williams as the head of the project […] and he said he would have nothing more to do with the project.

“I hope this is rumour; if it is proven to be true, it will be a transgression of what the Board has decided and it will not look good for him.”

RELATED NEWS

TTFA: John-Williams hospitalised with “non-life-threatening injuries” after accident.
Wired868.com.


Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams has been hospitalised for “non-life threatening injuries” according to a media release issued by the football body this afternoon.

John-Williams’ injuries were said to have been sustained in a “physical accident” which occurred on Sunday 29 April. No details were given as to where the accident occurred, what was involved and the extent of the injuries to the administrator, who is also the co-founder of Pro League club W Connection.

“The details surrounding the unfortunate incident have not been received in full,” stated the TTFA Media. “The President is currently receiving medical care and has the support of his family who have asked to please respect their privacy during this time.”

It is uncertain at this time whether John-Williams’ injuries will have any impact on his role as TTFA president.

TTFA media statement:

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) wishes to advise that its President, David John-Williams was involved in a physical accident on Sunday 29 April 2018 and was subsequently hospitalised to receive medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries.

The details surrounding the unfortunate incident have not been received in full. The President is currently receiving medical care and has the support of his family who have asked to please respect their privacy during this time.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association will continue to monitor the President’s status and will offer all possible support.

The TTFA and the Football Family take this opportunity to wish the President a speedy and full recovery.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Deeks

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #469 on: May 05, 2018, 07:33:32 AM »
I wish him well and a good recovery. It is ironic that DJW is a construction man. They are supposed to ensure that the workplace safety is up to some kind of international standard. He suffered because of an unsafe workplace. How ironic. But get well and change course in your attitude to football. Good luck.

Offline Flex

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #470 on: May 27, 2018, 12:42:39 AM »
John-Williams calls AGM on Indian Arrival Day; TTFA president again picks red-letter day to face awkward questions
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams has scheduled the football body’s next AGM for Wednesday 30 May—which is Indian Arrival Day—as the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) makes a fifth attempt to have its  2016 financial statement approved.

The football body’s membership has so far resisted John-Williams’ attempts to get approval for his Board’s 2016 spending, which is a prerequisite for the TTFA to receive its annual FIFA subvention of roughly TT$5 million.

Among the details that members demanded from John-Williams are contracts and proof of tender for the controversial Home of Football project, information on the secret contract signed with i95.5FM, a breakdown of the TT$1.2 million spent on legal fees in 2016 and a breakdown of the salaries paid to coaches—including several of his W Connection club’s employees like Stuart Charles-Fevrier, Brian Williams, Leonson Lewis and Clyde Leon.

Thus far, another controversial expenditure which passed under the radar was John-Williams’ use of TTFA money to host 17 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) members at the Marriott Hotel in Port-of-Spain on 17 and 18 June. The meeting was ostensibly called to pitch his ideas for a Caribbean Professional Football League (CPFL) but, held just a week before he announced his intention to run for the post of Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president, it could be perceived as an attempt to sell himself to the electorate. John-Williams was subsequently rejected at the polls.

The invoices for the CFU meeting went to the TTFA and, although CONCACAF and UEFA promised to help with the bills, it is unclear what the local football body has had to pay to further John-Williams’ regional ambitions.

In an earlier interview, John-Williams admitted that he had spent the TTFA’s money for his CPFL pitch without board approval. The TTFA Constitution does not expressly allow board members—including the president—to use football money for anything unrelated to TTFA business.

If the TTFA’s members want to hold the president’s feet to the fire over such financial matters, they will again have to sacrifice family time for that privilege as, inadvertently or not, John-Williams has again indulged his penchant for setting AGMs around red- letter days—a habit that appears to mirror a practice once used by disgraced former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

The date for the AGM is generally selected by the football president and approved by the Board. Three of the TTFA’s last four AGMs were held on Saturday 23 December—two days before Christmas—Carnival Friday evening and Glorious Saturday, which is the day after Good Friday and two days before Easter.

Worse, members are unsure whether the 9am trip to the Ato Boldon Stadium for next week’s AGM will be wasted or not, as John-Williams has kept a low profile since his mysterious accident last month. (Neither the President nor the TTFA has offered any details about his injury but sources alleged that it occurred at the Home of Football—a project that should no longer require his direct supervision).

Twice before, John-Williams has been a no-show at AGMs which he had scheduled and the meetings ended early since no other board member was able to provide the information requested.

If John-Williams does show up on Wednesday, he might find that the list of questions has lengthened since the last meeting as members are now more aware of some details of the football body’s legal battles with former employees like Stephen Hart, Caroline Morace, Sheldon Phillips, Clayton Morris, Kendall Walkes and Ken Elie.

Was the TTFA Board consulted before taking a position on each of these matters, which could add up to over TT$12 million, exclusive of legal fees?

John-Williams, according to a source, told the TTFA Board that his decision to ignore a television rights contract made, indirectly, with Telemundo was supported by attorney Reginald Armour SC. However, Armour SC quickly gave up the brief and is no longer representing the football body in the High Court matter.

Were the TTFA members to ask Armour to share the legal advice he offered to John-Williams, would it match what the president verbally told the Board?

And, if John-Williams is found to have misinformed the Board or exposed the football body to million-dollar legal suits without the necessary consent, might he be found personally liable?

Of course, seven months after the John-Williams-led Board first attempted to pass its financial statement for the president’s first year in office, the most pertinent question of all might be this: how much longer will the TTFA’s members attend AGMs and leave with their queries unanswered before they formally declare “no confidence” in the leadership?

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Offline soccerman

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #471 on: May 27, 2018, 06:12:40 PM »
So he decided to have the AGM on a national holiday ??? This script keeps getting better each time :devil:

Offline Flex

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #472 on: June 04, 2018, 03:24:47 AM »
“Contemptuous!” DJW skips TTFA EGM on “medical advice;” ticket already booked for Russia.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams skipped the football body’s extraordinary general meeting in Couva yesterday while, according to a doctor’s note, he also declared himself too unwell to travel to the Port-of-Spain Industrial Court for a trial date on 4 July in a football-related matter.

Yet, on 9 June, John-Williams is apparently booked to fly to Moscow—an at least 17-hour excursion—to attend a FIFA Congress and, possibly, the opening of the Russia 2018 World Cup Finals tournament.

The W Connection owner has not confirmed yet whether he will be on that flight—along with vice-president Ewing Davis and general secretary Justin Latapy-George—but Davis allegedly told members yesterday that the football president will travel “subject to medical clearance.”

John-Williams’ stance provoked outrage by some TTFA members, who spent the last seven months trying to prise from the official answers about his stewardship of the football body  and, in particular, spending relating to the controversial Home of Football project.

“If you’re in your third year of operation and you can’t pass your financial statement from your first year of operation,” Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFOTT) president Selby Browne told Wired868, “that tells you you’re in a rut; […] the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association is in a sad state of affairs right now.

“[…] Imagine if you are prime minister and you’re flying out while your country is in a state of crisis. Clearly you would have to take the decision to defer your trip—but I know that ent happening now around World Cup time.”

TTFA board member and Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) president Keith Look Loy suggested that the John-Williams faction has exhausted its goodwill and committed a fatal misjudgment.

Because the next meeting is a reconvened one, a quorum will be declared no matter who shows up. And, with John-Williams and his trusted deputy, Davis, both likely to be abroad, there is the possibility that rivals would use the opportunity to move motions damaging to his hold on the football body.

“Today signals the end of the John-Williams administration because that next meeting will see a whole series of things [moved against him],” said Look Loy. “[…] Because they could put the next meeting at midnight on the moon, we are coming!

“And it is clear from the mood of the 21 delegates [yesterday] that people are absolutely fed up with the financial mismanagement, lack of leadership, the lack of transparency in the TTFA’s operations and their inability to provide answers to legitimate questions that people have been asking for over a year.”

Yesterday, the EGM failed to make a quorum by 9:30am and was promptly called off by acting chair, Davis. The failure to get numbers out was not altogether a surprise, as it was held on a public holiday and the football president—in an uncharacteristic move for him—told members a day in advance that he would not be attending owing to medical reasons.

John-Williams was injured in a mysterious “accident” on 29 April and has kept a low profile ever since. The official and his family have refused to give details about the incident. However, a medical source told Wired868 that the administrator was allegedly hurt after a fall at the Home of Football construction site.

If John-Williams was indeed hurt there, it again raises questions about his involvement in the FIFA-funded project, since the TTFA Board voted last month to take control away from the president and, at the same meeting on 31 March, John-Williams vowed to completely distance himself from the works. Yet, just last week, on 28 May, two videos on the Home of Football project were uploaded on John-Williams’ personal YouTube channel.

Despite repeated requests from the TTFA membership and Board, neither John-Williams nor Latapy-George has presented contracts for works at the Home of Football project.

Northern Football Association (NFA) president and All Sport Promotion director Anthony Harford said he was confounded by the football president’s apparent refusal to accept the instructions of his membership.

“You are sending out video after video and even bypassing the TTFA’s normal channels,” said Harford. “So clearly it is a project that he continues to [play a role in] although the last meeting ordered that the president not be involved.

“[…] There is no submission in any board minutes of a company being awarded any contract at the Home of Football and yet work is going on.”

Look Loy also condemned John-Williams’ behaviour.

“The man is using TTFA resources and publishing on his official YouTube channel [and] I understand he was told it is wrong and yet he continues,” said the TTFA board member. “He is refusing to comply with the directive of the Board and the directive of the general membership, which is to produce the contracts and an official report on the Home of Football to the general membership.

“He has not done either but he is sending out nonsense on YouTube.”

Yesterday marked the TTFA membership’s fifth attempt in seven months to get answers on the financial stewardship of the John-Williams-led administration. The football president was absent for two of those meetings—yesterday was his third no-show—while another failed to reach a quorum.

Davis acted within the scope of the constitution when he called off yesterday’s meeting as they were one person short of a quorum at the designated time. Although some eyewitnesses argued that he could have shown some flexibility, it being a public holiday and the required number having been achieved before 9:35am.

“At the stroke of half-past, he called off the meeting,” said one source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “[Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association vice-president] Osmond Downer told him: ‘You ever heard about a chairman’s watch?’ A decent chairman, who wanted the meeting to go on in the interest of everybody would say, ‘According to my watch I have five minutes remaining, so let’s wait to see.’

“As they were arguing, a man walked in and Downer said, ‘Mr Chairman, look we have a quorum and it is only three minutes past’. But Ewing said no, no.

“By the time, they had finished arguing, three more people had walked in. It is clear that [Davis] came there to not have the meeting. Constitutionally, he was right but [he could have used] discretion.”

Harford said Davis might have waited a few minutes for the meeting to achieve a quorum yesterday. However, he insisted that the blame lay solely with delegates, who were unwilling to make the necessary sacrifice to see about the business of football—to the detriment of the bodies they represent.

“We have people who are demanding change but are showing an indifference to attending meetings,” said Harford. “Yes, there has been a pattern of [John-Williams] choosing difficult days […] but if something is important enough, then let us come out and just get this over with it.

“We gave David [John-Williams] 60 days to produce the documents [on the Home of Football] and it was clear to me that the documents were not available [yesterday]. There was almost a glee for Ewing Davis to say there was no quorum so we could not continue.

“Had we had a quorum, it would have been a red-letter day for Trinidad and Tobago’s football. Because people who came came prepared to ask hard questions about those [missing] documents.”

Among the absentees yesterday were board members Joanne Salazar (vice-president), Karanjabari Williams (NFA), Anthony Moore (Tobago FA) and Joseph Taylor (TTFRA), as well as Eastern Football Association (EFA) president Linus Sanchez and the Tobago Football Association’s (TFA) representatives.

Wired868 understands the Tobago members claimed they could not get tickets to Trinidad owing to the spike in inter-island travel as a result of the holidays.

Notably, the TTFA’s 14-member board has haemorrhaged full members over the past two years and now has just eight members with voting rights, as the Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU) was suspended for non-compliance, vice-president Allan Warner was suspended for missing over five consecutive meetings while the Women’s League of Football (WOLF), Central Football Association (CFA), EFA and Pro League changed representatives and must wait until the next AGM to have their full authority restored.

“It is a lame duck, hamstrung board and a joke,” said Look Loy. “Half the people who come to meetings can’t vote… It is a further indication of an institution in disarray.”

At yesterday’s EGM, Browne suggested that the Fraud Squad could be brought in to investigate the Home of Football project.

“It was clear that those documents [relating to the Home of Football project] don’t exist from what we are hearing at board level,” said Browne. “Failing that, [John-Williams] will be operating without the due permission of the Board and disbursing funds and entering into contracts without the due permission of the Board.

“In normal business, we would have the Fraud Squad for that.”

Would the VFFOTT president move a motion to pass the matter on to the Fraud Squad?

“It must be actively considered because that is what happens in private enterprise,” said Browne. “That can only happen once the next meeting is convened so we will see on the 13th.”

Harford suggested that the current impasse is bad for the image of football, no matter the eventual outcome.

“Football is right on the very edge of the cliff,” said Harford. “And at the next meeting, things can turn for the worse for John-Williams and for the game. If we are not provided with the documents and this ends up with an [police] investigation, then who will suffer? Not football?

“This is what democracy is about and democracy is working. I am fine with that. But these things affect our ability to get people to invest in football.

“[…] It might be seen [as] a purge and investors who look at it that way may want to come in. But [companies] are very particular about their reputation and might be afraid to suffer reputational damage by getting involved in the football now.”

Look Loy insisted there is no turning back now for the John-Williams faction.

“It is clear from the mood of the unofficial talks [yesterday] that people are fed up and will be coming [on 13 June] to make hard decisions on the future of the John-Williams administration,” he said. “They have lost all legitimacy. All! They are in a dilemma because it might have been in their interest to have the meeting [yesterday].

“Now they have to choose between the trips they love to make and their political future in the TTFA… Calling the EGM on Indian Arrival Day is consistent with their policy of calling meetings on difficult days and borders on being disrespectful and even racist.

“The 60-day [deadline to have the EGM] expires on Corpus Christi and they could have called it then or last weekend. These people are just too contemptuous of the membership of the TTFA and we will make a decision on their future.”

Harford suggested that the responsible thing for John-Williams to do, would be to skip the free trip to Russia.

“I think he has been on the verge of a no confidence motion for a while and people have been sparing him for a while,” said Harford. “Selby Browne made the statement [yesterday] that it is like they are seeing a coup happening in front of their faces but they are insisting on going to Russia.”

The TTFA’s members will not be the only ones interested in John-Williams’ travel plans.

The Industrial Court may also want to know why the football president believes he cannot withstand a half-hour drive to Port-of-Spain—to answer questions in a TT$2 million legal dispute with former TTFA general secretary Sheldon Phillips—when he is willing to fly halfway across the world and through several time zones to meet his FIFA colleagues and, potentially, watch a high-profile football match.

Given the current mutinous mood, it could prove to be his last trip as TTFA president.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline palos

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #473 on: June 05, 2018, 06:17:30 AM »
Flex, wha Goin on wit yuh padnah DJW?

He doh care bout nobody or nutting or wha?

Andre Samuel....maybe you can shed some light bro?
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Offline lefty

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #474 on: June 05, 2018, 08:07:00 PM »
Flex, wha Goin on wit yuh padnah DJW?

He doh care bout nobody or nutting or wha?

Andre Samuel....maybe you can shed some light bro?

not right now........he busy redacting parts ah DJW pdf........
I pity the fool....

Offline Jefferz

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #475 on: June 06, 2018, 04:29:36 PM »
Ya know, we can look at all the smoke, then we can see the fire... then we can see the entire TTFF staff with DJW standing closest to the fire holding a tank of gasoline and a pack of matches. We can listen to him justify how he didn't start the fire, that he was actually taking the tank of gasoline and matches from the others that did, in fact, start the fire. We can hear him out, give him the benefit of the doubt...

But are any of us that stupid? So far there's no outright proof and so much of the discussion is he said she said and numbers and figures that leave everything convoluted.

We can give him the benefit of the doubt, but we all know, whether willingly or unwillingly... like when daddy coming home late all the time... we know whats really going on.

The man is a f**king thief. He's helped a couple footballers out that i've known of, and i'm not sure how many he may have barred from progress, perhaps none. I personally doubt that, but maybe that's just me. I believe that the man knows that to thief well he must first build trust with the people he trying to tief from. I believe quite clearly with all of his decision making, flimsy excuse making and the constantly questions of where the f**k did all these different streams of revenue go to? Worst of all him going to the team to implore them to play a total waste of time game against a random low level African team who's FA is known for questionable movements, as question as us... well... ya know some shit goin down. I'm tired of the constant not adding up.

I'll say it again, the man is a f**king thief.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2018, 04:33:27 PM by Jefferz »
since ah born or at least circa Copa Caribe

Offline SWF Reporter

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #476 on: June 08, 2018, 12:24:42 PM »
Team DJW cranks up the heat as Salazar addresses Board while I95.5 targets Look Loy, Browne, Harford and Tim Kee
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com)


I95.5FM sport reporter Andre Baptiste stands accused of operating like a hired gun for beleaguered Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams, as the latter’s attempts to survive an internal enquiry appear to have taken an explosive turn.

John-Williams, who was elected to office on 29 November 2015, has failed to provide answers to a slew of financial questions from the TTFA’s membership over the past six months, including queries related to work on the US$2.25 million Home of Football project, legal fees, coaching salaries and a deal with I95.5FM—which appeared to have been done without Board knowledge or approval.

However, a threat by Board member and Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) president, Keith Look Loy, to initiate a Police investigation into John-Williams’ financial management of the local football body—if stakeholders’ questions remain unanswered—appeared to have provoked a two-pronged response from “Team DJW.”

First, TTFA vice-president and John-Williams’ former slate colleague, Joanne Salazar, issued an eye-raising email to the Board, via general secretary Justin Latapy-George, in which she not only refused to answer some questions—raised by Veteran Footballers Foundation (VFFOTT) president Selby Browne—but appeared to be directing the president about the queries he should tiptoe around.

“Did the Board of Directors of the TTFA provide approval for the unprecedented TV Rights negotiations of the TTFA?” asked Browne, in one question about the football body’s legal impasse with United States television network, Telemundo.

Salazar’s response was written in bold, with red ink and then underlined:

“David, you need to decide what you are going to say if this is asked—please keep it short and to the point.”

Salazar’s replies, including multiple prompts regarding where John-Williams should tread carefully, were relayed to Board members by Latapy-George. And, according to sources, there was no follow-up missive to suggest the draft was issued in error.

Arguably, Salazar’s answers encapsulated the tone of John-Williams’ executive, as she gave obscure responses, suggested members did not deserve certain answers and misrepresented other incidents.

When asked to name the signatories of the TTFA’s four active bank accounts, Salazar said: “A combination of officers and directors of the Board.”

It is uncertain who would be considered “officers […] of the Board” while there have been over a dozen Board directors over the last two years including John-Williams and Salazar. Yet, she did not give a single name.

On the question of why the TTFA erroneously claimed rental expenses at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in a court matter with Ramesh Ramdhan last year, and if the football body had attempted to mislead the High Court, Salazar responded: “This matter has been addressed and resolved.”

It certainly had not been addressed and resolved at the level of the football membership.

Browne also asked the TTFA to list “all individuals and companies that have received any remunerative compensation for services rendered since January 2016 to present.”

Salazar, a vice-president at Phoenix Park Gas, did not think the TTFA’s members—and/or Board directors—deserved to know which companies John-Williams had entered into financial relationships with, on behalf of the football body.

“The information is not for public consumption,” stated Salazar, “making it publicly available cannot be achieved without violating the expectation of confidentiality of the person concerned.”

Browne asked too about the TTFA’s hosting of over two dozen Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials on 17 and 18 June 2016—a week before John-Williams announced his ill-fated campaign to become CFU president.

Ostensibly, the meeting was about the formation of a Caribbean Professional League (CPL), which could also benefit John-Williams personally as owner of the W Connection football club. Yet, the invoices from that meeting went to the TTFA and, although the football president claimed to have financial support from UEFA and FIFA, it is uncertain if the money spent by the local body was ever reimbursed in part or full.

Salazar claimed, without an explanation, that the CFU meeting—in which the TTFA paid for airfare, hotel and meals for at least 25 officials—fell within the “ordinary business of the TTFA” since it was a “milestone” for Caribbean football.

(Notwithstanding the fact that, after John-Williams was defeated in the CFU polls, the Caribbean club competition was not formally raised again).

Even more remarkable, though, was Salazar’s response to whether the CPL meetings were approved by the TTFA Board.

“Yes, the Board of Directors were aware of the planned session,” said Salazar. “No, the relevant Board meeting was not recorded, as none of the TTFA Board meetings are recorded. The event was funded by FIFA and CONCACAF, as agreed.”

Salazar’s response was untrue and contradicted statements she and John-Williams made during a I95.5FM programme with myself on 7 July 2016.

At the time, John-Williams pointed to an email on 13 June 2016, which showed that the CPL conference was on the agenda for an upcoming Board meeting. However, that Board meeting was cancelled and, as I pointed out then, the TTFA president despatched invitations to the CFU presidents on 3 June—a full 10 days before he even put the item on the local agenda.

So how could Salazar, two years later, claim to have Board approval?

Even as Board members mulled over Salazar’s missive, an audio promo for a two-hour Baptiste show on I95.5FM, on the eve of the TTFA’s next EGM, turned the heat up again.

Baptiste, who refers to himself as “The Fearless One”, named John-Williams, Look Loy, Browne, Northern Football Association (NFA) president Anthony Harford and former TTFA president Raymond Tim Kee; and suggested he had “signed documentary evidence, emails, letters and recordings” involving some or all of the aforementioned persons.

“The state of football,” Baptiste claimed, “is [being] threatened once again.”

Look Loy, Browne and Harford have been John-Williams’ most vocal critics while Tim Kee, according to sources, has been quietly canvassing members in a bid to reclaim power.

The I95.5FM programme is due to run from 7pm to 9pm on 12 June.

Browne, Harford and Look Loy suggested collusion on the part of Baptiste and John-Williams.

“I find it very surprising the choice of the programme date,” said Harford, who said Baptiste did not invite him to defend himself against any allegations. “[…] You are supposedly going to buss files and the people named are those who have been asking David hard and legitimate questions, including the question of his relationship with I95.5.

“We have been told—and it was confirmed to us—that the TTFA or Mr John-Williams has been paying for travel and negotiating rights fee waivers for I95.5 to cover all their football games [for the last two years]. And other stations are saying that they carry football for years and were not allowed to bid.

“[…] Nobody is against I95.5 but show us the contract; because Board members are saying they know nothing about that.”

I95.5FM was paid to cover all of T&T’s football matches, inclusive of travel and accommodation, rather than the other way around.

Look Loy was dismissive of Baptiste’s upcoming show, which he referred to as a desperate, smear campaign. And he insisted that it would not save John-Williams from accounting to members.

“That show is prompted by a desperate man and will be delivered by another desperate man singing for his supper,” Look Loy told Wired868. “This is what that contract or arrangement between DJW and I95.5 is all about. It was never discussed or approved by the TTFA Board and is intended to make a once respected media house [become] the protector of a despot’s irreparably tarnished image.

“So in his desperation, the despot intends to apply a scorched earth policy. But after all is said and done, he had better produce the documents and verifications that I, Selby and the general meeting have demanded for one year now—or he will face consequences.”

Next Wednesday’s EGM marks the sixth successive general meeting by the John-Williams-led administration in which the controversial administrator will try to pass the financial statement for his first year in office.

John-Williams initially planned to travel to Moscow this weekend for next week’s FIFA congress and World Cup bid vote—despite having missed last week’s EGM on medical grounds. However, he is understood to have changed his mind, after Look Loy’s threat to involve the Police.

Although Salazar attempted to answer questions posed by Browne in July 2017, there was no such response to Look Loy’s queries last December—which included requests for transparency on construction work at the Home of Football.

Wired868 understands too that Board member Richard Quan Chan will take John-Williams’ place for the trip to Russia this weekend, and should accompany Salazar, Latapy-George and first vice-president Ewing Davis on the flight out of the country. It is uncertain why Quan Chan, who is also the Southern Football Association (SFA) president, was selected for the expedition.

Coincidentally, Quan Chan, Salazar and Davis are the entire TTFA Tendering Committee for the Home of Football project. It means only John-Williams will be in Trinidad next week to answer questions on the controversial venture on 13 June.

First, almost certainly, would be the spectacle of Baptiste’s radio show, which has appeared to match the will of the football president on almost ever matter since the surprise sacking of former Soca Warriors coach, Stephen Hart, in late 2016.

« Last Edit: June 12, 2018, 04:53:31 AM by Flex »

Offline Brownsugar

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #477 on: June 08, 2018, 04:25:08 PM »
*sigh*  Ah tired.....ah really cyar fight ah next dictator/ole tief......ah tired..... :frustrated:
"...If yuh clothes tear up
Or yuh shoes burst off,
You could still jump up when music play.
Old lady, young baby, everybody could dingolay...
Dingolay, ay, ay, ay ay,
Dingolay ay, ay, ay..."

RIP Shadow....The legend will live on in music...

Offline Sando prince

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #478 on: June 08, 2018, 08:26:59 PM »

No wonder why TnT football in d cesspit of shit now, look wha going on with d Prez

Offline Flex

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Re: David John Williams Thread.
« Reply #479 on: June 09, 2018, 01:59:55 AM »
DJW supposedly considering about-turn as Look Loy threatens Police action.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com)


Moscow cancelled?

The stakes for the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s (TTFA) reconvened Extraordinary General Meeting on 13 June have grown higher still, after board member Keith Look Loy formally warned president David John-Williams that he could face the Police investigators, if requests for financial information are not met.

John-Williams, who was elected to office on 30 October 2015, is yet to have the first annual financial statement of his tenure approved by members, amidst concerns from the TTFA’s membership about missing data and supporting documents.

Chief among those concerns are contracts and financial documents related to the US$2.25 million Home of Football project, as well as a breakdown of legal fees and coaching salaries and a mysterious deal with I95.5FM, which even board members were unaware of.

During John-Williams’ first year in office, “professional services” rose from TT$6 million to over TT$15 million while legal fees mushroomed from TT$82,270 in 2015 to TT$1,260,960 in just 12 months.

Look Loy, who first requested the relevant information from John-Williams and general secretary Justin Latapy-George in December 2017, warned that—after waiting for six months—his patience will expire on 13 June.

“I am compelled to advise you that any further failure on your part to provide satisfactory responses to the directives of the TTFA General Meeting would leave me—and other Board and General Meeting members—with no reasonable alternative,” stated Look Loy, “but to seek the assistance of the relevant State financial investigatory and law enforcement agencies to establish a level of full financial transparency within the TTFA, which your leadership has been unable to achieve.

“[…] You have one final opportunity to abide by said directives when the abandoned Extraordinary General Meeting called for 30 May 2018 is reconvened on 13 June 2018, according to the requirements of the TTFA Constitution.”

Look Loy’s email was copied to Concacaf head of Member Associations, Marco Leal.

Last week, John-Williams skipped the TTFA’s EGM on “medical advice” and, according to sources, also asked the Industrial Court to be excused from a hearing in early July—on a legal matter with former general secretary Sheldon Phillips—so as to give him more time to recuperate from a controversial injury.

Remarkably, TTFA vice-president Ewing Davis told members last week that John-Williams still hoped to fly to Moscow for a FIFA Congress next week, which would mean again missing the local EGM.

Wired868 understands that, medical concerns notwithstanding, John-Williams might have changed his flight plans and is now expected to be present for next week’s EGM.

John-Williams did not respond to requests from Wired868 about his supposed about-turn on attending the EGM, the missing financial documents or the possibility of a Fraud Squad investigation of his tenure.

The following is the full copy of Look Loy’s letter, which was leaked to Wired868:

To: David John-Williams,
TTFA President.


It is with great reluctance that I pen this message. However, your actions leave me little recourse.

On 31 March 2018, the General Meeting of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), instructed you to provide, within sixty (60) days, financial and contractual records pertaining to the Home of Football Project and other TTFA initiatives; some of which have been the source of official inquiries by TTFA members for over one (1) year.

I have also, as a TTFA Board member, repeatedly requested contracts and financial documents pertaining to  the Home of Football and other TTFA initiatives—without response.

Per Article 39.2 of the TTFA Constitution, you are obligated to implement decisions passed by the General Meeting and to produce the requested material.

Your ongoing failure to comply with decisions of the General Meeting as well as your evasive manner, misleading statements, and general lack of transparency pertaining to TTFA’s financial affairs appear to be beyond the internal functions and ability of the Association to properly handle.

Therefore, in keeping with my duty of care and loyalty as a member of the TTFA, the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL), and a TTFA Board member, I am compelled to advise you that any further failure on your part to provide satisfactory responses to the directives of the TTFA General Meeting would leave me (and other Board and General Meeting members) with no reasonable alternative but to seek the assistance of the relevant State financial investigatory and law enforcement agencies to establish a level of full financial transparency within the TTFA, which your leadership has been unable to achieve.

The resulting bad publicity will only harm the TTFA and I urge you to comply with the directives of the General Meeting.

You have one final opportunity to abide by said directives when the abandoned Extraordinary General Meeting called for 30 May 2018 is reconvened on 13 June 2018, according to the requirements of the TTFA Constitution.

I copy the Presidents of TTFA members and the relevant CONCACAF and FIFA officials into this message.

Sincerely,
Keith Look Loy,
TTSL President,
TTFA Board Member.


The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

 

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