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Offline maxg

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #810 on: March 11, 2022, 03:02:43 PM »
https://www.guardian.co.tt/sports/clubs-may-consider-breaking-away-from-ncttfa-6.2.1465454.e00664b5bf

Clubs may consider breaking away from NC/TTFA

by Walter Alibey, Trinidad Guardian. 10'03'22


T&T Pro League and Super League clubs are now considering whether the Normalisation Committee, installed by the sport's world governing body (FIFA), has been taking their concerns and proposals to Minister of Sports and Community Development- Shamfa Cudjoe, as per an agreement with both leagues, the normalisation Committee, the managers of the T&T Football Association.

The members of the boards of both leagues do not believe they are.

An agreement was reached among the pro and super leagues, the T&T Football Association and the Ministry of Sports for the Unified League in the form of a National League, to replace the existing set-up of the T&T Pro League and Super League as the top tier and second-tier tournaments. The four organisations had even agreed to create a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from each organisation to pilot the League.

This new development comes in the wake of criticisms by Minister Cudjoe over the lacklustre responses from the pro league and T&T Football Association to the official reopening of sports in a safe-zone arrangement.

Cudjoe said the T&T Pro League has been crying and saying the minister and her government have been stifling football, but now that the sport has returned, there have been little to no responses from the pro league and TTFA.

"The way, for instance, the Pro League was crying out, I expected to see the Pro League and the T&TFA pull up their socks and get out there but that is not happening," Cudjoe said.

On Thursday Guardian Media Sports reached out to members of pro league outfits W Connection, San Juan Jabloteh, Point Fortin Civic and Morvant Caledonia United for comments on Cudjoe's statement, but was directed to acting chairman Brent Sancho who was described as the designated spokesperson for the league.

Sancho, the Central FC founding member told Guardian Media Sports that Cudjoe's statement has left them asking if the normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad and his members have been articulating their concerns to the minister of sports.

As such a decision was taken to pen an official letter to minister Cudjoe expressing their concerns and the way they intend to move forward as a unit. The letter is expected to reach minister Cudjoe's office in a few days' time.

In December last year, the normalisation committee was expected to make a presentation to minister Cudjoe regarding the league, but since then, however, there has been no communication regarding that presentation or if it in fact did take place.

According to Sancho yesterday: " The pro league board decided they will write directly to the minister of sports, so a letter is being penned by the board to put to the minister of sport to articulate their position and to articulate the timelines of what transpired over the last year and a half.

As a founding member of Central FC, the T&T Pro League was approached by the normalisation committee head about a Unified League and was also told that any communication that would go back to the government should go through the normalisation committee.

We requested at that point in time, that the normalisation committee assist with players who were not being paid because of the COVID-19 pandemic, through the COVID relief fund that was given to them by the FIFA, and also to request from the minister of sports, the last tranche of monies that were Cabinet-approved, also to assist with players who were not playing because of the restrictions of the pandemic, but both requests were denied according to the head of the normalisation committee," Sancho said.

Guardian Media Sports was informed that there are concerns regarding the normalisation committee which is not holding up to its end of the agreement which could lead to a break-away by the clubs.

Cudjoe claims that her ministry has been awaiting proposals from the pro league was also met with disgust, Sancho explained: "We have sent in proposals. We have sent in a mock-up of a Cabinet note about a year and a half ago and all of this was a pre-agreement with the normalisation committee. So we had a few proposals in, and then the discussions came about the Unified League which, at that point in time, the pro league, through the understanding of the NC that all discussions regarding league football had to go through the steering committee/normalisation committee."

He continued: "It was supposed to be an official National League that would now serve as the qualifiers for CONCACAF and serve as the top and second-tier league of T&T. Everything else in T&T would have been considered a minor league. When the normalisation committee met with the minister of sports regarding the league, they took the consolidated approach of what was said by the stakeholders, but when we asked to send their representatives, that was not done, so what we said in discussion was presented to the minister of sports, however, we are not certain if it was the same things discussed."

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #812 on: December 30, 2022, 03:14:02 AM »
VFFOTT wants answers from Daniel, FIFA’s Normalisation Committee.
By Keith Clement (T&T Guardian).


he Veterans Footballers Foundation of T&T (VFFOTT) is calling on Trustee Maria Daniel to answer several questions in writing following her letter to creditors dated December 16, 2022, which indicated that payments to creditors are in jeopardy following the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of members on December 10, 2022.

At that meeting, a vote was approved for an election of a new executive and that meeting is to take place by March 18, 2023.

The meeting also agreed that the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee which was appointed by FIFA in March 2020 needs to wrap up its mandate before the March deadline.

However, Daniel letter has suggested that the decision made in that meeting have affected the creditors who were to receive their payments by Christmas Day (December 25, 2022).

According to the release from Daniel, the proposal of TTFA appointed Trustee on November 8th, 2021, said: “Pursuant to Section 44 of the Bankruptcy Insolvency Act, I do confirm that the Proposal was approved and passed in the High Court of Justice on September 28, 2022. However, has raised some concerns by the financier as it relates to the non-financial requirements and terms and conditions of the financing.”

In its letter dated December 24, 2022, and addressed to Amiel Mohammed the acting General Secretary of the TTFA, VFFOTT’s President Selby Browne is requesting four items from Daniel, namely: copies of the Minutes of the meeting called by the Normalisation Committee to present for the TTFA Membership approval; the petition presented to the High Court of Justice of T&T on behalf of the TTFA Membership and approved on September 28, 2022; the name of the Financier for the proposes interest-free US$3.5 million financial instrument; the status of work done by both the Trustee and Normalisation Committee with the requirement for policies, guidelines, and management structure recommendations and whether both the Trustee and Normalisation Committee have plans to ensure payment to TTFA creditors will commence on or before January 15th 2023.

Meanwhile, when contacted by Guardian Media Sports on Tuesday Browne disagreed that the December 10 EGM should be used as a reason to delay payments to the Creditors.

He said: “Any attempt that seeks to indicate the grounds for the inability of the Trustee and the Normalisation Committee to implement the scheduled pre-Christmas payments to creditors, which was formally announced and confirmed with the TTFA creditors, cannot be as a result of the outcome of the December 10th TTFA EGM called by the Normalisation Committee. The pre-Christmas schedule must have been predicated on the preparation and deliverability of the relevant undertaking of section 1.7 of the proposal and agreement having been made by both the Trustee and the Normalisation Committee in its petition presented to the High Court of Justice of Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of the TTFA Membership. The inability to make the promised pre-Christmas payments has two things to do with the TTFA EGM of December 10, 2022, the First is “Nothing”, and the Second, “Absolutely Nothing”.

Asked if the AGM scheduled for March 18, 2023 should be the Normalisation Committee’s final act, Browne responded: “Most definitely. You retain the services of a contractor to perform certain services and upon competition of the items listed in the mandate you perform the final act for which you are paid and return to your respective areas of competence.”

With regards to amendments to the TTFA constitution, Browne said: “The mandate with respect to any amendments to the Constitution clearly states “if required. The facts are right next door in Guyana, the FIFA Normalisation Committee held an election for the new Executive a few months ago and the new Executive has presided over its constitution amendments.”

Asked if the membership is confident that the Normalisation Committee will finally hand over TTFA come March 2023 he pointed out that: “The Normalisation Committee has been appointed and is paid by FIFA to complete a mandate within a specific period, in this case for a two-year period initially and extended by a further year. It is quite possible the Normalisation Committee may wish to beg FIFA for additional time to complete the work originally assigned for a two-year period.”

Asked to comment as to who is footing the interest-free US$3.5 million financial instrument to pay Creditors, Browne revealed: “The short answer is not officially. That information has been requested by VFFOTT Letter of Demand to the TTFA General Secretary Ag, in addition to the copy of the minutes of the meeting called by the Normalisation Committee to present for the TTFA Membership approval, the petition presented to the High Court of Justice of Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of the TTFA Membership and approved on September 28, 2022. The response to this is already well-known.

The unfortunate reality is certain members of the NC and present and past members of the TTFA for some unknown reason have been of the view that the Normalisation Committee has been placed to administer football in T&T for eternity, and not a contractor appointed to complete a mandate within a specific period, for which due payment is made.”

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Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #813 on: December 30, 2022, 01:18:02 PM »
FIFA Decides...Hadad cannot guarantee NC will step aside when term ends in March
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)


FIFA will ultimately decide whether the TTFA normalisation committee (NC), first appointed in March 2020, will stay on after its three-year term ends next March 18.

Local businessman Robert Hadad, chairman of the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee, was asked for comment on whether the NC would demit office when its term ends. Initially installed for 24 months, in March 2020, the NC was given a further one-year extension and has just under three months before that extension is set to expire.

Recently, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) delegates met and voted to hold elections a day after the NC steps down, thereby allowing for the installation of a new Executive to run local football. But Hadad suggested that the NC leaving office may not be an automatic process.

“It is not the decision of the NC how long we go. It is the decision of the FIFA council,” Hadad stated in response to several questions posed by the Express.

“The term of the NC is guided by FIFA and the end of the term is in March 2023. The mandate of the NC is also incomplete at this moment in time and we are continuing to work to finalise it,” he further explained.

Hadad also addressed a rumour circulating that the NC was seeking a two-year extension. “Any adjustments to the term of the NC, or any Member Association’s NC, is a decision of the FIFA Council,” he added.

Hadad cited difficult circumstances for not yet completing the work assigned to them when FIFA took over the running of T&T football–almost three years ago, when dissolving the TTFA executive led by then president William Wallace.

FIFA cited the TTFA’s multi-million-dollar debt and the threat of insolvency when it aggressively deposed the TTFA executive and installed Hadad as caretaker.

“The NC has faced numerous challenges since its appointment; Covid-19 pandemic, court matters, suspension from FIFA, approval of audited financial statements and navigating the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) proposal process,” Hadad reiterated.

Further, Hadad seemed to suggest that the NC had not yet navigated its way through the debt-repayment plan, aimed at repaying creditors and clearing the TTFA multi-million-dollar loan via an interest-free US$3.5 million loan, that the TTFA will have 10 years to repay.

“The BIA process, which is still ongoing, is an extremely sensitive matter. No other member Association has ever found itself in a similar situation of having tens of millions of dollars of debt,” he pointed out.

“It is also important to note, that if the approval of the proposal process failed before Justice Rampersad in September 2022 or fails within the prescribed six-month window thereafter, the TTFA will be forced into dissolution and effectively no longer exist,” Hadad further stated. “That is not something that anyone wants, so the management of this process, which was started in 2021 and has had many legal steps since, must be carefully managed,” he concluded.
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Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #814 on: January 22, 2023, 09:54:25 AM »
Not so fast...FIFA warns Normalisation Committee must complete all tasks before handover
T&T Express


FIFA, the world governing body for football, is putting the brakes on plans of some TTFA members to have an election of officers, warning that the Normalisation Committee (NC) must complete its mandate before any such event can occur.

In correspondence entitled “Situation of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association” issued by e-mail to the NC Friday, FIFA noted that at a December 10 Extraordinary Meeting, TTFA members voted in favour of, and approved a motion requesting that the NC convene another Extraordinary General Meeting by March 18 to elect a new board of directors.

In the letter, signed by FIFA chief member association officer Kenny Jean-Marie, FIFA stated that the bureau of the FIFA Council decided on March 1, 2020 to appoint a Normalisation Committee for the TTFA in accordance with article 8 paragraph 2 of the FIFA Statutes.

Jean-Marie reminded that the NC’s mandate is to run the TTFA’s daily affairs, to establish a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA administration, to review and amend the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) and to ensure its compliance with the FIFA Statutes and requirements before submitting them for approval to the TTFA Congress.

“...And, as a last step and only once the above-mentioned tasks are fully completed, to organise and conduct elections of a new TTFA Executive Committee for a four- year mandate,” Jean-Marie emphasised.

The FIFA official added that due to the urgent and complex challenges that the TTFA is still facing, the bureau of the FIFA Council decided on December 17, 2021 to extend the mandate of the NC until March 31 this year.

“In this regard, FIFA expects the TTFA to ensure that the mandate of the Normalisation Committee is carried out and fulfilled in strict compliance with the decision of the Bureau of the FIFA Council—with the last task being the organisation of elections. Therefore, if the TTFA’s Normalisation Committee convenes the requested Extraordinary General Meeting before all tasks assigned to them have been accordingly carried out, this would go against the mandate of the Normalisation Committee established by the Bureau of the FIFA Council,” Jean-Marie stated.

FIFA advised that should the elections be held before “all other tasks are completed, we would be obliged to submit the matter to our relevant decision-making body for further consideration and possible decisions based on the FIFA Statutes.”

Jean-Marie said FIFA appreciated the great efforts made by the NC during its mandate, especially in attempting to finally resolve the TTFA’s outstanding debts, “so that the TTFA can continue to promote, improve, and develop football in the territory of Trinidad and Tobago.”

In response to the FIFA letter, Selby Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Federation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFOTT) and a TTFA member, wrote to the Association’s acting general secretary Amiel Mohammed yesterday requesting a notice for a TTFA general meeting, “in the shortest possible order”, to ensure: “a receipt of confirmation of the new date on which the payment of creditors will commence by the Trustee and NC; the date set for receipt of the requirements for policies, guidelines and management structure recommendations, to ensure that the TTFA’s governance be restructured and oversight strengthened; the name of the financier with whom both the Trustee and NC identified for the proposal and agreement petition presented to the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of the TTFA membership; and the date set by the NC to organise and conduct elections for a new TTFA executive committee for a four-year term.”

Browne noted the term of the NC will likely be extended despite the fact that all of the responsibilities of the Committee as clearly stated in the mandate have not been completed within the scheduled term and extended period.

In comments to the Sunday Express, Browne said: “The reality is there is no active football from youth to Pro League, international matches, sponsorship revenue and investors; no payment to creditors despite filing to the High Court of TT with the agreement of creditors who were given a payment date in December 2022; no date set for elections of a new TTFA executive. The FIFA-appointed and funded NC has quite simply not delivered on its mandate.”

In his letter, Browne stated the VFOTT is looking forward to the NC’s early action in keeping with the FIFA letter and ensuring the early completion of the mandate of the NC, “for the TTFA to return to active administration and management of football as the FIFA member in good standing within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”
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Offline Flex

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #815 on: January 24, 2023, 03:40:18 PM »
“We reconsider…” TTFA members bend to Fifa, as Hadad’s reign continues
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Less than six hours after threatening to refer the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) to the Gianni Infantino-led Bureau of the Fifa Council for daring to call an election in keeping with its constitution, the world governing body had its response.

Not for the first time, the TTFA’s members are unwilling to risk suspension from the international fold—so Fifa will have its way.

At an online meeting yesterday evening, the TTFA members, according to Eastern Football Association (EFATT) president Kieron Edwards, agreed to ask the Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee to allow them to reverse an earlier decision meant to force out the Robert Hadad-led body.

It was not a unanimous decision but Edwards insisted that it was a majority view. Presumably, he would quickly support his letter to acting general secretary Amiel Mohammed with the requisite signatures to call an EGM.

The immediate repercussion is that the normalisation committee’s term will run until 31 March rather than, as members insisted, 18 March.

However, Fifa’s insistence that administrators in Zurich—rather than stakeholders in Trinidad and Tobago—would decide when the global body ends its occupation of the two island republic is likely to mean that Hadad will receive a second extension.

On 17 March 2020, the Bureau of the Fifa Council gave its normalisation committee two years to fulfill the following mandate:

- run the TTFA’s daily affairs;

- establish a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA administration;

- review and amend the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) and ensure their compliance with the Fifa Statutes and requirements before duly submitting them for approval to the TTFA Congress;

- and organise and conduct elections of a new TTFA Executive Committee for a four-year mandate.

As of 21 January 2023, the three-member committee of Hadad, Nigel Romano and Trevor Nicholas Gomez has completed none of the above.

Concerned by the perceived lack of competence and consultation at the helm—presumably reflected too in poor results on the field and a complete absence of domestic senior football—the members were anxious to put the “Hadad era” behind them, despite the possible ramifications to creditors.

On Thursday, TTFA trustee Maria Daniel reiterated a threat to the local membership that they would be denied an interest-free US$3.5m loan from a still undeclared backer, believed to be Fifa, if they persisted with plans to remove Hadad.

Failure to secure the loan would put the TTFA at risk of bankruptcy. Still, the members hesitated to reverse their decision taken at last month’s EGM and insisted on time to consult with each other on Friday evening.

However, a despatch yesterday evening by Fifa Chief Member Associations officer Kenny Jean-Marie broke any lingering resolve.

“If the TTFA’s normalisation committee convenes the requested Extraordinary General Meeting [on 18 March], before all tasks assigned to them have been accordingly carried out,” stated the Fifa missive, “this would go against the mandate of the normalisation committee established by the Bureau of the Fifa Council.

“Please be advised that, should the elections be held before all other tasks are completed, we would be obliged to submit the matter to our relevant decision-making body for further consideration and possible decisions based on the Fifa Statutes.”

In keeping with Fifa’s recent relationship with the southern Caribbean island, Jean-Marie emailed only Hadad and left it for him to relay the governing body’s view to the membership.

The only football officials that Fifa recognises on the island are the ones directly in its employ. No direct communication is held with Trinidad and Tobago’s stakeholders—from whom a president will eventually emerge.

Jean-Marie’s email was issued barely half hour before yesterday’s membership meeting and, in keeping with the inefficiency of Fifa’s rule since March 2020, everyone did not have a copy when members sat down to discuss their possible response to Daniel’s threat.

Once Fifa’s position was properly relayed though—by Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association (TTFRA) vice-president Boni Bishop, rather than the Acting TTFA General Secretary—there was nothing else worth discussing.

Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFOTT) president Selby Browne suggested that members save face by forcing the normalisation committee to approach them with a plea for time.

At 9.18pm, Browne wrote Mohammed and requested deadlines for payment to creditors, completion of the NC’s mandate, and the name of the TTFA’s secret financial backer.

“[…] We look forward to your early action in keeping with the Fifa letter,” stated Browne, “and ensuring the early completion of the mandate of the Normalisation Committee for the TTFA to return to active administration and management of football as the Fifa member in good standing within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”

His colleagues did not have the heart—or stomach—for such gamesmanship. At 11.45pm, Edwards wrote Mohammed, Browne and the TTFA Members and insisted he spoke “on behalf of the majority of the membership”.

“At tonight’s meeting, the email letter from Fifa to the TTFA […] was discussed and notice taken of its contents,” stated Edwards.

He further advised that the members now resolve that:

“In view of the contents of Fifa’s letter of 20 January 2023 to the TTFA, be it decided that a letter be sent to the TTFA’s Normalisation Committee advising that the Members would be pleased if the Normalisation Committee, pursuant to Article 29.1 of the TTFA’s Constitution, were to urgently convene an Extraordinary Meeting of the TTFA to consider an item to review the decision taken at the EGM of the TTFA of 10 December 2022.”

Ironically, Edwards’ boss at Pro League outfit, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, Richard Ferguson, was the person whose letter assured Fifa of the TTFA’s “acquiescence” in the first place, on 25 October 2020—when, again under the threat of suspension, Members voted 33-0 (with five non-votes) to stop all legal action against Fifa, and to replace then president William Wallace with the Hadad-led committee.

“The TTFA must advise that its members have agreed to abide with the conditions of the normalisation committee and will co-operate fully to ensure that the mandate of the committee is realised,” Ferguson wrote to Fifa, via Hadad. “In addition, let me take this opportunity to humbly apologise to you, the other members of the normalisation committee, Fifa, Concacaf and CFU for any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by TTFA representatives over the last year.

“I also hope that a strong positive relationship can be re-established as we move forward for the betterment of football in Trinidad and Tobago. This information is conveyed to you for relay to Fifa, at your earliest convenience.”

In the interim, Ferguson’s influence within the domestic game soared as the Northern, Eastern, Eastern Counties, Tobago, Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and Women’s League of Football (WoLF) all either have sponsorship deals linked to Ferguson or have his employees or associates in elected posts.

Ferguson, a clever but controversial figure, would have been an early favourite with a March election. That appears unlikely to take place now.

Fifa will leave only when Fifa is ready to go.

Edwards, Ferguson and the local football membership accepted defeated on that score yesterday.

Hadad’s tenure—“the era of the Ice Cream Man”—is not over yet.

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

Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #816 on: February 01, 2023, 06:03:29 PM »
“We reconsider…” TTFA members bend to Fifa, as Hadad’s reign continues
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Less than six hours after threatening to refer the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) to the Gianni Infantino-led Bureau of the Fifa Council for daring to call an election in keeping with its constitution, the world governing body had its response.

Not for the first time, the TTFA’s members are unwilling to risk suspension from the international fold—so Fifa will have its way.

At an online meeting yesterday evening, the TTFA members, according to Eastern Football Association (EFATT) president Kieron Edwards, agreed to ask the Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee to allow them to reverse an earlier decision meant to force out the Robert Hadad-led body.

It was not a unanimous decision but Edwards insisted that it was a majority view. Presumably, he would quickly support his letter to acting general secretary Amiel Mohammed with the requisite signatures to call an EGM.

The immediate repercussion is that the normalisation committee’s term will run until 31 March rather than, as members insisted, 18 March.

However, Fifa’s insistence that administrators in Zurich—rather than stakeholders in Trinidad and Tobago—would decide when the global body ends its occupation of the two island republic is likely to mean that Hadad will receive a second extension.

On 17 March 2020, the Bureau of the Fifa Council gave its normalisation committee two years to fulfill the following mandate:

- run the TTFA’s daily affairs;

- establish a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA administration;

- review and amend the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) and ensure their compliance with the Fifa Statutes and requirements before duly submitting them for approval to the TTFA Congress;

- and organise and conduct elections of a new TTFA Executive Committee for a four-year mandate.

As of 21 January 2023, the three-member committee of Hadad, Nigel Romano and Trevor Nicholas Gomez has completed none of the above.

Concerned by the perceived lack of competence and consultation at the helm—presumably reflected too in poor results on the field and a complete absence of domestic senior football—the members were anxious to put the “Hadad era” behind them, despite the possible ramifications to creditors.

On Thursday, TTFA trustee Maria Daniel reiterated a threat to the local membership that they would be denied an interest-free US$3.5m loan from a still undeclared backer, believed to be Fifa, if they persisted with plans to remove Hadad.

Failure to secure the loan would put the TTFA at risk of bankruptcy. Still, the members hesitated to reverse their decision taken at last month’s EGM and insisted on time to consult with each other on Friday evening.

However, a despatch yesterday evening by Fifa Chief Member Associations officer Kenny Jean-Marie broke any lingering resolve.

“If the TTFA’s normalisation committee convenes the requested Extraordinary General Meeting [on 18 March], before all tasks assigned to them have been accordingly carried out,” stated the Fifa missive, “this would go against the mandate of the normalisation committee established by the Bureau of the Fifa Council.

“Please be advised that, should the elections be held before all other tasks are completed, we would be obliged to submit the matter to our relevant decision-making body for further consideration and possible decisions based on the Fifa Statutes.”

In keeping with Fifa’s recent relationship with the southern Caribbean island, Jean-Marie emailed only Hadad and left it for him to relay the governing body’s view to the membership.

The only football officials that Fifa recognises on the island are the ones directly in its employ. No direct communication is held with Trinidad and Tobago’s stakeholders—from whom a president will eventually emerge.

Jean-Marie’s email was issued barely half hour before yesterday’s membership meeting and, in keeping with the inefficiency of Fifa’s rule since March 2020, everyone did not have a copy when members sat down to discuss their possible response to Daniel’s threat.

Once Fifa’s position was properly relayed though—by Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association (TTFRA) vice-president Boni Bishop, rather than the Acting TTFA General Secretary—there was nothing else worth discussing.

Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFOTT) president Selby Browne suggested that members save face by forcing the normalisation committee to approach them with a plea for time.

At 9.18pm, Browne wrote Mohammed and requested deadlines for payment to creditors, completion of the NC’s mandate, and the name of the TTFA’s secret financial backer.

“[…] We look forward to your early action in keeping with the Fifa letter,” stated Browne, “and ensuring the early completion of the mandate of the Normalisation Committee for the TTFA to return to active administration and management of football as the Fifa member in good standing within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”

His colleagues did not have the heart—or stomach—for such gamesmanship. At 11.45pm, Edwards wrote Mohammed, Browne and the TTFA Members and insisted he spoke “on behalf of the majority of the membership”.

“At tonight’s meeting, the email letter from Fifa to the TTFA […] was discussed and notice taken of its contents,” stated Edwards.

He further advised that the members now resolve that:

“In view of the contents of Fifa’s letter of 20 January 2023 to the TTFA, be it decided that a letter be sent to the TTFA’s Normalisation Committee advising that the Members would be pleased if the Normalisation Committee, pursuant to Article 29.1 of the TTFA’s Constitution, were to urgently convene an Extraordinary Meeting of the TTFA to consider an item to review the decision taken at the EGM of the TTFA of 10 December 2022.”

Ironically, Edwards’ boss at Pro League outfit, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, Richard Ferguson, was the person whose letter assured Fifa of the TTFA’s “acquiescence” in the first place, on 25 October 2020—when, again under the threat of suspension, Members voted 33-0 (with five non-votes) to stop all legal action against Fifa, and to replace then president William Wallace with the Hadad-led committee.

“The TTFA must advise that its members have agreed to abide with the conditions of the normalisation committee and will co-operate fully to ensure that the mandate of the committee is realised,” Ferguson wrote to Fifa, via Hadad. “In addition, let me take this opportunity to humbly apologise to you, the other members of the normalisation committee, Fifa, Concacaf and CFU for any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by TTFA representatives over the last year.

“I also hope that a strong positive relationship can be re-established as we move forward for the betterment of football in Trinidad and Tobago. This information is conveyed to you for relay to Fifa, at your earliest convenience.”

In the interim, Ferguson’s influence within the domestic game soared as the Northern, Eastern, Eastern Counties, Tobago, Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and Women’s League of Football (WoLF) all either have sponsorship deals linked to Ferguson or have his employees or associates in elected posts.

Ferguson, a clever but controversial figure, would have been an early favourite with a March election. That appears unlikely to take place now.

Fifa will leave only when Fifa is ready to go.

Edwards, Ferguson and the local football membership accepted defeated on that score yesterday.

Hadad’s tenure—“the era of the Ice Cream Man”—is not over yet.



deliberately trying to destroy and cripple TT football and they have succeded.

Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #817 on: February 08, 2023, 12:30:38 PM »
Change Your Plan: TTFA membership called to EGM over elections
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)


The membership of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association have another big decision to make on Saturday. It concerns whether or not to rescind the motion carried at the last Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on December 10, to hold presidential elections on March 18.

TTFA members have been given notice of the meeting which is scheduled to take place at the Home of Football from 10 a.m.

On December 10, the TTFA held an EGM where the majority of the delegates voted for a set date for new elections. Four voted against and two abstained.

However, Robert Hadad, chairman of the normalisation committee (NC) appointed by world governing body FIFA in March 2020, to address the TTFA’s massive debt situation as part of a wider mandate, says the EGM is necessary “for the stakeholders to understand that FIFA is not approving us having an election on March 18. FIFA at the end of the day wants all of the mandate to be completed and a part of the mandate is the payment of the debt and constitutional reform.”

In a January 20 letter to Hadad, FIFA’s Chief Member Associations officer Kenny Jean-Marie stated: ”FIFA expects the TTFA to ensure that the mandate of the normalisation committee is carried out and fulfilled in strict compliance with the decision of the Bureau of the FIFA Council ­— with the last task being the organisation of elections.

Therefore, if the TTFA´s normalisation committee convenes the requested Extraordinary General Meeting, before all tasks assigned to them have been accordingly carried out, this would go against the mandate of the normalisation committee established by the Bureau of the FIFA Council.

“Please be advised that should the elections be held before all other tasks are completed, we would be obliged to submit the matter to our relevant decision-making body for further consideration and possible decisions based on the FIFA Statutes.”

Asked Monday what would happen if the membership upheld the motion to stage elections next month, Hadad said: “...we will have a problem with FIFA I am guessing...FIFA will not support anyone rushing them into an election.”

For the motion to be changed, at least 50 per cent of the membership at the meeting must vote in favour. Fifty per cent of the TTFA’s 47 member-delegates are also required to be at the EGM for there to be a quorum.

The NC’s term extended by a year, is due to conclude at the end of March. However, Hadad pointed out that the committee still had outstanding matters to deal with.

“We still have to complete the debt repayment exercise. We’ve had some issues (that) slowed down the whole process and the financier has to give us the loan agreement and then we have to execute on it; we have to pay all the creditors. Whether all of that can be done by the end of March, I’m not sure.

By court order, the NC is required to pay the TTFA’s creditors by March 23.

“In addition to that, we still have constitutional reform to do, so I am sitting in the wings, waiting to hear from FIFA. That’s a decision for FIFA as to where we go next.” Haddad added however, that, “the direction given to me thus far has not indicated that anybody is talking about an extension.”
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline ABTrini

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #818 on: February 13, 2023, 06:49:54 PM »

By court order, the NC is required to pay the TTFA’s creditors by March 23.

“In addition to that, we still have constitutional reform to do, so I am sitting in the wings, waiting to hear from FIFA. That’s a decision for FIFA as to where we go next.” Haddad added however, that, “the direction given to me thus far has not indicated that anybody is talking about an extension.”


 Wait on FIFA for more toilet paper to clean up all the shite that it have  with organized football dey we.

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #819 on: March 02, 2023, 07:09:58 PM »
Hadad stays: Normalisation Committee gets another extension; some TTFA members not happy
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)


LOCAL BUSINESSMAN Robert Hadad will remain in control of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) for at least another year.

This comes after the term of the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee was extended for a second time by FIFA, the international body governing world football.

Through secretary general Fatma Samoura, FIFA informed Hadad that the term of the Normalisation Committee had been extended a second time.

“Due to the challenges that the TTFA continues to face and to ensure that the mandate of the Normalisation Committee (i.e. revision and amendment of the statutes and organisation and conduction of elections of a new TTFA executive committee for a four-year mandate) is carried out and fulfilled in strict compliance with the Bureau’s decision, the Bureau decided on 27 February 2023 to extend the mandate of the Normalisation Committee until 31 March 2024 at the latest,” Samoura’s correspondence stated.

In December 2022, TTFA delegates held an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) where the majority opted to hasten the Normalisation Committee’s departure by voting to have a new TTFA executive installed via elections on March 18, 2023. That motion was later quashed at a subsequent EGM.

And the extension given to Hadad’s committee has not gone down well with some who wanted to see FIFA’s control end.

Expressing no surprise, TTFA presidential front-runner and delegate Richard Ferguson would only say that a meeting was being organised among TTFA delegates to deal with the latest development.

“The membership are having a meeting and they will deal with that,” stated Ferguson yesterday. “They are calling one (meeting) and they will sit down and decide how they are going to deal with that (NC extension).”

Selby Browne, former TTFA presidential candidate and current president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation, saw the latest development as FIFA entrenching its control over Trinidad and Tobago football.

“I now look forward to the NC’s completion of the two-year assignment in this fourth year,” Browne commented.

FIFA appointed the Normalisation Committee after removing the TTFA executive led by former president William Wallace and appointing Hadad’s management team to run the Association, spotlighting spiralling debt for its decision.

Having been first appointed in March 2020 and given a two-year mandate, which was subsequently extended by a further year to March 17, 2023, Hadad’s committee was due to demit office this month. However, in announcing a second extension, Samoura’s correspondence indicated that consideration was given to allow the NC to complete its given tasks to liquidate the multi-million-dollar TTFA debt and also amend the TTFA statutes, paving the way for the election of a new TTFA executive.

The TTFA Normalisation Committee, through trustee Maria Daniel, commenced a debt settlement exercise with creditors under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA), which will see smaller creditors paid in full, while those with larger sums owing will get a share of the well over TT$50 million the TTFA owes to them.

Samoura’s e-mailed letter indicated that the FIFA Bureau took into consideration that the debt-repayment process is not yet complete. And for the first time, Samoura also confirmed FIFA as being the financier behind the removal of the huge TTFA debt burden.

“FIFA has now approved financial assistance to the TTFA, subject to signing a strict financial agreement between FIFA and the TTFA,” Samoura disclosed.

“The Bureau acknowledged that, with the primary objective of allowing the Normalisation Committee to fulfil one of its main tasks and with a view to preventing the TTFA’s complete liquidation, as well as avoiding significant long-term harm to the organisation and football in general in Trinidad and Tobago, FIFA decided to provide financial support to the TTFA to address its extreme situation.”

“Consequently, and considering the backlog, the Normalisation Committee has not yet been able to begin revising the statutes, another of its main tasks. Given the above circumstances and the fact that the BIA process, according to the proposal outlined to the creditors and the court, requires not only payment of the creditors but also that TTFA’s governance be restructured, and its oversight strengthened, we consider that it is of the utmost importance that the normalisation committee complete the BIA process.”
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Offline Flex

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #820 on: March 05, 2023, 01:57:50 AM »
Hadad: “You can’t play football with the Vatican and Tobago!” Fifa extends TTFA’s normalisation
By: Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Trinidad and Tobago will remain under the direct grip of Fifa for at least another year, as the world governing body today unilaterally declared that it extended the mandate of its normalisation committee on the two-island republic.

The decision, made by the Gianni Infantino-led Bureau of the Fifa Council, was made on Monday 27 February but only relayed to local stakeholders today, via Fifa’s installed leader on the islands, Robert Hadad.

And it follows Hadad’s bullish claim to members, at an Extraordinary General Meeting last month, that the TTFA would collapse into chaos, receivership and isolation if he walked away.

Fifa, via a missive signed by general secretary Fatma Samoura, stated that Hadad and co-members Nigel Romano and Trevor Nicholas Gomez are here to stay—for another year at least.

“The Bureau decided on 27 February 2023 to extend the mandate of the normalisation committee until 31 March 2024 at the latest,” stated Fifa.

It is the third time Fifa set a departure date for its normalisation committee in Trinidad and Tobago that it promised to follow. On each previous occasion, the controversial sporting body broke its own word.

Fifa disbanded the democratically elected executive of president William Wallace on 17 March 2020 via Article 8.2 of its Statutes, which states:

“Executive bodies of member associations may under exceptional circumstances be removed from office by the Council in consultation with the relevant confederation and replaced by a normalisation committee for a specific period of time.”

Infantino’s Bureau announced then that the mandate of the Hadad-led Normalisation Committee was

- to run the TTFA’s daily affairs; to establish a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA;

- to review and amend the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) and to ensure their compliance with the Fifa Statutes and requirements before duly submitting them for approval to the TTFA Congress;

- to organise and to conduct elections of a new TTFA executive committee for a four-year mandate.


“The specified period of time during which the TTFA normalisation committee shall perform its functions shall expire as soon as it has fulfilled all of its tasks,” stated Fifa, “but no later than 24 months after its members have been officially appointed by Fifa, which means on 26 March 2022.”

Ironically, the TTFA’s debt was accumulated under the stewardship of autocratic football presidents, whose income and expenditure sheets were annually approved by Fifa. And Infantino personally endorsed late TTFA president David John-Williams for re-election, despite the fact that the football body’s debt rose by almost 200% during his tenure.

The fact that Infantino “normalised” Trinidad and Tobago’s football just three months after local stakeholders voted out John-Williams in favour of Wallace did not go unnoticed either.

The TTFA’s operations under Fifa’s direct control, via Hadad, worsened rather than improved.

Over the last two years, the local football membership complained to the governing body about Hadad’s repeated failure to follow the constitution in terms of general meetings, inactive standing committees, his poor communication with stakeholders, and the non-transparent hiring of coaches and staff whose salaries are paid by the TTFA.

By 24 December 2021, the Bureau of the Fifa Council admitted that its normalisation committee had no chance of completing its tasks in the agreed time.

However, rather than dismiss Hadad and his team, Infantino gave them another year—“[…] until 31 March 2023 at the latest”—to get the job done.

The photo was taken a day after Fenwick’s public altercation with Fuentes, which went unsanctioned by the TTFA.
The Soca Warriors were eliminated from the 2022 World Cup qualifying series by The Bahamas, who are ranked 203rd of Fifa’s 211 member nations.
“The Bureau took note that there were certain issues that led to the backlog in the normal operations of the TTFA,” stated Fifa.

On 8 November 2021, six weeks before their first extension, the Hadad-led normalisation committee appointed Maria Daniel as its trustee to “manage the debt proposal process”. And, under her watch, the TTFA reached an agreement with creditors that would erase the local football body’s debts.

The money to service these debts, approximately US$5m, was provided by a mystery financier whose identity was unknown—until Hadad revealed that it was Fifa, during a general meeting last month.

Today’s missive confirmed Fifa as the guarantor.

“The Bureau acknowledged that, with the primary objective of allowing the normalisation committee to fulfil one of its main tasks,” stated the letter, “and with a view to preventing the TTFA’s complete liquidation as well as avoiding significant long-term harm to the organisation and football in general in Trinidad and Tobago, Fifa decided to provide financial support to the TTFA to address its extreme situation.

“In this context, Fifa has now approved financial assistance to the TTFA subject to signing a strict financial agreement between Fifa and the TTFA.”

Other than handing over its debt management process to Daniel, Hadad and company made limited to no headway on updating the TTFA’s constitution—despite the urging of the membership—while the local body continues to run without standing committees and with no change to its internal financial structures.

(Ironically the Wallace-led TTFA executive, within two months of its election, started a review of its financial structures under the supervision of consultant Kendall Tull, which included meetings with board members, before Fifa stepped in.)

Yet, Fifa suggested its Trinidad and Tobago-based normalisation committee was so busy addressing creditors—a task farmed out to its trustee, two years ago—that it was unable to complete its other tasks.

“Certain recent developments have delayed the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) process,” stated Fifa. “Consequently, and considering the backlog, the normalisation committee has not yet been able to begin revising the statutes, another of its main tasks.

“Given the above circumstances and the fact that the BIA process […] requires not only payment of the creditors but also that TTFA’s governance be restructured and its oversight strengthened, we consider that it is of the utmost importance that the normalisation committee complete the BIA process.

“Furthermore, due to the challenges that the TTFA continues to face and to ensure that the mandate of the normalisation committee […] is carried out and fulfilled in strict compliance with the Bureau’s decision, the Bureau decided on 27 February 2023 to extend the mandate of the normalisation committee until 31 March 2024 at the latest.”

On 10 December 2022, after growing frustrated with the normalisation committee’s sluggish pace and Hadad’s unsatisfactory responses to their concerns, local football members—whose letters to Fifa went unanswered—passed a motion that compelled the normalisation committee to demit office this month.

The motion, moved by Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association (TTFRA) president Osmond Downer, was binding according to the constitution. So unable to ignore a constitutional request by its member association, Fifa threatened to suspend Trinidad and Tobago for exercising its legal right.

As members backed down, Daniel scolded them for finding themselves under Infantino’s whip in the first place.

“How long have you been sitting here as members?” asked Daniel, according to multiple witnesses. “We are talking about (normalisation committee members) who came in for three years… This (debt crisis) happened over 15 years.

“[…] Why did Fifa have to come down and put a big stick on you and put other people in charge? Why didn’t you take control of your own constitution?!”

Daniel’s view was not totally without merit. But it was naďve to the support that sitting football presidents often receive from Fifa, which insulates them from their own membership—not to mention the absolute power that the Zurich-based body gifted its former vice-president Jack Warner.

The fact that Daniel’s relationship with Hadad and Fifa allowed her to chide the persons who indirectly pay her salary was, inadvertently, another example of the TTFA membership’s impotence in matters of governance.

At last month’s EGM, Hadad warmed to Daniel’s theme.

“If I walk away—and this is not [an idle] threat—I will only succeed in putting all of you all into complete chaos,” Hadad told members. “If I do walk away, this whole process starts over and more importantly the association will go into dissolution. You will be facing receivership.

“You will be facing no more TTFA. The Home of Football will be sold and the creditors will be paid out of [that].”

Fifa has changed the members of its normalization committee in other countries like Haiti and Pakistan.

It is uncertain whether its refusal to do so in Trinidad and Tobago—despite repeated complaints by members and its own acknowledgement that the Hadad-led committee has not done its job—is because of Infantino’s fondness of the HadCo co-CEO, or his disdain for the will of Trinidad and Tobago’s football stakeholders.

Hadad, a football rookie with a less than rudimentary understanding of the TTFA’s constitution, attempted to school members on the power imbalance between Trinidad and Tobago and Fifa, and what that meant for the two-island republic.

“Like it or not, if you want to play football, you have to play football with Fifa,” said Hadad. “You can’t play football with the Vatican and Tobago… Stop talking to us like we are the enemy. We are not the enemy. I am getting tired of it.

“I am getting tired of sitting here and hearing a man (likely to be either Downer or VFFOTT interim president Selby Browne) rambling and saying the same thing over and over and over. If you don’t want us the problem is not you all, the problem is all the people you owe the money too.”

Fifa’s payment structure for normalisation committee members generally stands at US$6,500 (TT$44,000) per month for the chairman and US$4,000 (TT$27,000) for other members.

By that yardstick, Hadad could have pocked as much as TT$1.58m already for his position at the helm of the local game.

It remains a mystery too where Fifa banks its annual subvention to the TTFA of around US$1.5m—and the process used to convert the money to TTD.

The Fifa Statutes instructs the governing body to wire the money to a bank account on the island in the name of the football body. However, the TTFA’s bank account has been dormant since Hadad stepped in.

With a scarcity of foreign exchange for businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, it would be interesting to discover how the Hadad-led TTFA managed what is likely to be over US$7m by the time he steps away from the local body—whenever that is.

Fifa, ostensibly, is a body formed collectively by over 200 nations to organise its competitions and manage its finances. The majority of those member nations, including then TTFA president John-Williams, elected Infantino to spearhead the global organisation.

The TTFA is not a branch of Fifa. Rather, Fifa exists because over 200 nations—including Trinidad and Tobago—will it to be so.

However, Article 8.2 allows Fifa to invade a member association on obscure grounds and retain power so long as the majority of nations are not bothered to intervene.

Barring a case of electoral fraud in Argentina, Fifa almost exclusively used its “normalisation clause” against lesser football nations who are not members of the old economic “first world”.

In Trinidad and Tobago, football members now privately refer to Hadad as “Governor-General”—a loaded term meant to invoke memories of a time when the local proxy of its colonial master ran the country.

Fifa says 31 March 2024 will be the TTFA’s new “Independence Day”. But it has broken that promise twice already.

“I now look forward to the NC’s completion of its two-year assignment in this fourth year,” Browne quipped, in response.

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Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #821 on: March 10, 2023, 01:52:26 PM »
When a squatter takes residency
T&T Newsday

THE EDITOR: I would admit at the offset that I was one of those in favour of FIFA's normalisation committee (NC). So strong were my feelings that I put pen to paper on the issue. I admonished William Wallace and those against the move to support it and to look beyond narrow politics. I felt that it was a great opportunity for T&T football and any fight against the FIFA was futile.

I didn’t see the move as FIFA implementing some new policy/position requesting our renewed compliance nor did I see the move as a permanent solution to our self-governance of football. I didn’t see a 24-month normalisation committee becoming a 48-month entrenchment committee. I didn’t think a squatter was willing to take residency. But I should have known better.

A few years ago, in four simple steps, a squatter occupied then sold a piece of land opposite my home. The approaches of the squatter and the NC are very similar.

For step one, the squatter cleared the land. At first I was very happy and welcomed it, since the grass was overgrown and the place was unsightly. The NC in much the same way took the opportunity to clear out elected and hired football administrators. Some might say the clearing out was exactly what the T&T Football Association (TTFA) needed.

At step two, the squatter quickly established a boundary and enclosed the land by building a fence. I knew the fence was a bit much, but was it really my concern? Like the squatter, the NC protected its newfound interest by locking gates and sharing little or no information with anyone. A few protested and most felt it was not their concern and the NC continued.

Step three was the large and in charge period. During that time, the squatter challenged anyone who questioned his right to be there and even gave reasons why he was still there even after he was asked to leave. The NC is no different. Despite questions about the NC’s legitimacy and court challenges, it has maintained its “divine” right to be there. It is large and in charge, squatting without regard.

Then there was step four, the sale. The squatter finally placed a “for sale” sign on the property and palmed it off to some unsuspecting buyer.

Following the latest FIFA announcement about extending the life of the NC, it is clear it has reached step 4. The NC is not leaving and it is now ready to sell the Home of Football toute bagai. This should not be the approach.

FIFA and the TTFA are not the same as they were three years ago and the Government can no longer take a hands-off approach to the squatting.

Around the world governments are calling in football associations to give accounts of their stewardships on everything from wages to facilities. Therefore, our Government should be asking questions and getting answers about the squatter in local football.

At the end of the day the ownership and management of T&T football should be done by those we choose. There is a plethora of adept sporting professionals who can lead any transition to financial or structural prudency and the NC is no longer needed.

So, thanks, Robert Hadad (NC chairman), but your next communication to FIFA should be, “It is OK, but T&T will take it from here.”

DR MORIBA BAKER

via e-mail

Robert Hadad
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Offline Cocorite

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #822 on: March 10, 2023, 06:22:44 PM »
Ent allyuh like being SLAVES. What is the big surprise? STEUPES
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Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #823 on: April 01, 2023, 10:50:51 AM »
I warned everyone...

The government will not intercede because they are also supporting this NC being here with FIFA. As long as PNM is in power, our football will continue to suffer and the NC will continue to reign surpreme.

PNM will not step in to rid us of this scourge in the land, they will let this continue because they are sell outs. People don't like hearing the truth in Trinidad and Tobago, they prefer to bask in ignorance and servitude.


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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #824 on: April 01, 2023, 04:46:21 PM »
I warned everyone...

The government will not intercede because they are also supporting this NC being here with FIFA. As long as PNM is in power, our football will continue to suffer and the NC will continue to reign surpreme.

PNM will not step in to rid us of this scourge in the land, they will let this continue because they are sell outs. People don't like hearing the truth in Trinidad and Tobago, they prefer to bask in ignorance and servitude.



 This is pure Bs to lay blame for the incompetence's and misguided NC leadership   on any political party. There is such a  social media campaign to  castigate  the ruling party that people does forget the bs that happened with SPORTT and the amount of funds that was misspent.

Anyhow allyuh go ahead- It seems like  every ill will event has its cause with government. When people will wake up and take the yampie outta ah dey eye before yuh look into others.

Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #825 on: April 01, 2023, 11:15:04 PM »
If it was UNC doing this s%$# I would say the same damn thing.

The government is also liable for this, they sit idly by and watch the football deteriorate in the nation, PNM is the reason football in TT has not progressed, the longest standing political party in the nation that has done absolutely nothing to improve the nation and our football..
« Last Edit: April 01, 2023, 11:20:59 PM by Controversial »

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #826 on: September 26, 2023, 12:09:18 PM »
Normalisation Committee timeline:

Early October 2023:  Meet with Fifa and Concacaf at Fifa Forward Workshop to finalise proposal of statutes;

End of October 2023: Share proposed statutes with TTFA members.

November 2023: Consultation, led by Fifa and Concacaf, with TTFA members.

December 2023: Convening of General Meeting to approve statutes.

Mid-March 2024: Convening of TTFA elections.

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #827 on: September 27, 2023, 04:35:30 PM »
Clubs seek to bring FIFA Normalisation Committee before CAS
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)


More than three years after the world’s governing authority for football, FIFA was forced to step in and attempt to ‘normalise’ the operations of the T&T Football Association (TTFA), the very body appointed with that task could themselves be heading to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and very soon.

Back in 2020, a FIFA-led investigation into irregularities found that the TTFA had “extremely low overall financial management methods and together with its massive debt, the was facing a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity.

These findings led to the suspension of the then-elected executive and the appointment of an independent normalisation committee in March 2020, a firm requirement if T&T were to be allowed to compete in FIFA-sanctioned competitions and continue to receive the organisation’s funding.

The Robert Hadad-led normalisation committee, which has been in charge of local football since, was appointed with a clear understanding that control of football was to be returned to a duly elected local executive after a clearly defined FIFA mandate was fulfilled, which included amendments to the TTFA constitution.

However, reports reaching Guardian Media Sports say that several clubs, led by Selby Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation of T&T (VFFOTT) could be looking to drag the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee before CAS as they seek to overturn several recent decisions that in his opinion, are being imposed on member clubs of the TTFA.

On August 20, TTFA’s general secretary Amiel Mohammed issued a letter to members stating that the normalisation committee has worked on the amendments to the TTFA constitution as has been mandated by FIFA to get local football back on track stating:

“Pursuant to the communication shared in July 2023 at the University of T&T (UTT), National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain, it was indicated that the Normalisation Committee has worked on the amendments to the TTFA Constitution (Statutes) with FIFA and CONCACAF. Proposed amendments were shared with FIFA and CONCACAF for their feedback at that time, noting that the requisite personnel in FIFA and CONCACAF would be engaged in a very active August 2023 period which included the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“In consultation with our colleagues in FIFA and CONCACAF, the following timeline has been targeted regarding this matter: Normalisation Committee to meet with FIFA and CONCACAF in early October 2023 at FIFA Forward Workshop to finalise proposal of Statutes; Proposed Statutes to be shared with TTFA Members by the end of October 2023.”

It also stated: “Consultation discussions led by FIFA and CONCACAF with TTFA members to be held in November 2023. Convening of a general meeting to approve statutes in December 2023, before proceeding to TTFA elections by mid-March 2024, but not before the members approved of the changes to constitutional (statutes) - slated to be the second-to-last thing to be completed by the normalisation committee, to accomplish their mandate.”

In addition to the release, Mohammed told Guardian Media Sports that members will have the opportunity to discuss their thoughts with the TTFA and CONCACAF on the proposed changes before the listed timelines.

Yesterday though, Browne called on the normalisation committee to not link the election with the amendments to the constitution, saying the committee already had over three years to complete everything.

In responding almost immediately to the TTFA letter Browne said, “Let me first state that VFFOTT and other members of the TTFA reject in the strongest manner the announcements and timeline stated above, and consider as totally unacceptable, any such attempt to link approval of the amendments to the TTFA Constitution (Statutes) with the date set for termination of the term of the normalisation committee, March 2024.

“The above therefore puts to nonsense, the frivolous pronouncements advanced, for not having the proposed amendments to the TTFA Constitution (Statutes) presented to the TTFA congress for the past three-years and six-month period.”

He added, “Further, it has now become necessary to seek legal answers to the position held by VFFOTT and other TTFA members that approval of any amendments to the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) by the TTFA Congress and must now seek to be rushed as a prerequisite for the completion of item four of the mandate: - to organise and to conduct elections of a new TTFA Executive Committee for a four-year mandate.”

Browne, who also made it public his intention to be among the members that will be contesting the position of president when the election bell is rung, said the VFFOTT and other TTFA members are of the view that approval of any amendments to the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) should now become the responsibility of new TTFA executive committee when elected for their four-year mandate.

“The answers to both these matters are now immediate and urgent and shall be sought through legal arbitration, given the need to ensure the term of the normalisation committee comes to an end in March 2024, after year four, of what was supposed to be a two-year mandate.

“We trust FIFA and CONCACAF would agree with VFFOTT and the TTFA membership, that taking this action now may be considered critical and necessary to facilitate bringing the work of the normalisation committee to a close in March 2024,” he said.

Meanwhile, the annual general meeting of the TTFA that was scheduled to be held on Saturday at the association’s home in Balmain, Couva, was adjourned until October 14 as Guardian Media Sports was reliably informed that of the 48 recognised members, only 16 showed up and this was eight short of the 24 members required to form a quorum for the meeting to proceed.
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Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #828 on: October 04, 2023, 05:53:17 AM »
Neo colonialism as I stated from the beginning

Offline ZANDOLIE

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #829 on: October 04, 2023, 07:25:13 PM »
What’s really going on here. There has to be a person/persons that stand to  make money or gain political influence to keep this gong show afloat
« Last Edit: October 04, 2023, 07:44:55 PM by ZANDOLIE »
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Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #830 on: November 12, 2023, 12:44:08 PM »
they are being paid to keep our football at bay, they don't want another team upsetting big teams again like what happened under Hart..

so Hadad and others are paid to make sure TT football never rises again

Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #831 on: January 03, 2024, 08:25:36 AM »
TTFA election process on course; Normalisation Committee to leave office in 3 months
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)


THE process leading to fresh Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) elections in three months’ time is on course, and the FIFA-imposed Normalisation Committee should demit office by March 17, without a further extension of its term of office.

Yesterday, both TTFA general secretary Amiel Mohammed and TTFA board member Osmond Downer confirmed that the process to hand over power to the TTFA is on course, and nearing completion.

However, another TTFA board member, Veterans Football Foundation president Selby Browne, has called on the TTFA general secretary to give a firm date for an upcoming TTFA extraordinary general meeting and its annual general meeting. The EGM is required for approval of the TTFA constitution by the members of the TTFA, while the purpose of the AGM is to conduct elections for a new TTFA executive.

After near four years in charge of football in Trinidad and Tobago, the management committee appointed by world football’s governing body, FIFA, is set to demit office in March as mandated.

FIFA took control of the TTFA’s affairs on March 17, 2020, when dissolving the TTFA executive headed by then president Williams Wallace, and imposing its own Normalisation Committee (NC) led by local businessman Richard Hadad.

FIFA justified its action by explaining that having accumulated an over $50 million debt, the Association was in danger of insolvency. The NC has since dissolved the TTFA’s huge historic debt and has just two further mandates: the amendment of the TTFA’s constitution, and the calling of fresh TTFA executive elections.

Contacted yesterday, both Mohammed, and Football Referees Association president Downer, indicated that, although slightly delayed, the process is on course for completion.

Following a meeting at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain, Mohammed had in July 2023, issued TTFA members with a set agenda for the completing of the NC’s mandate.

The final two items on the agenda read: (1) Convening of General Meeting to approve statutes in December 2023 and, (2) convening of TTFA elections in mid-March 2024). The NC also added: “Kindly note that the above points in the time line are subject to be altered, pending the fulfilment of the respective prior point”.

Mohammed suggested that the process is being followed. “We informed all the members of a particular time line which had been circulated to everyone,” he stated. “Everyone, probably barring one or two individuals, have been working with that time line.”

Mohammed continued: “It’s going according to the time line. We would have circulated the draft statutes for their review. They would have been given some time to give feedback, and now it about going through that feedback. The statutes would have to be approved by the general membership (via the EGM) and once the statutes are approved, then elections will be called before the end of March.”

Downer concurred with Mohammed that things were on course. He further explained that the staging of the EGM had only been pushed back a month and is now scheduled for January, 2024. “They have to have the extraordinary general meeting this month and elections by the end of March but, it is on schedule,” Downer added.

He also gave the path the process was proceeding along. “The Normalisation Committee sent out a draft and they gave the members up to the December 31 to submit any comments etc. Now that that has been done, they are supposed to send it back to FIFA, who in turn, will send it back to us, and an extraordinary general meeting (will be) held this month (January) to go into the changes,” Downer explained.

Meanwhile, Browne wrote Mohammed requesting specific dates in a letter headed: “Notice to the TTFA General Secretary to immediately circulate the date for both the TTFA EGM and AGM before January 28th 2024.”

Browne’s correspondence states, “As you are aware, the date of January 28, 2024, is the deadline for Notice of the TTFA AGM, should the already extended two-year appointed term of the Normalisation Committee come to an end on March 30, 2024.”
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Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #832 on: January 09, 2024, 09:22:26 PM »
Did the current NC secure loans to pay for the operation of TTFA?

If so, I assume they will be leaving the TTFA with loans outstanding?

Because how did they operate for those 4 years?

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #833 on: February 04, 2024, 03:14:22 PM »
FIFA, normalisation committee recommend April 13 TTFA elections.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).


FIFA has recommended the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) host the election of its new executive (elective congress) on April 13.

The suggestion was put forward by FIFA Director of Strategic Projects Nodar Akhalkatsi in an email to the normalisation committee on Friday.

In response to this, TTFA General Secretary Amiel Mohammed issued a statement to association members on Saturday, in full agreement with FIFA’s recommendation.

Despite the normalisation committee’s tenure set to conclude on March 31, a decision will be facilitated for a short extension of their mandate, to ensure the elective congress is held on the set date.

This means the Robert Hadad-led normalisation committee will issue the notice for the extraordinary congress on or before February 13, after which, candidates for any of the executive committee positions must be submitted to the general secretariat by February 28.

From there, the general secretariat will circulate an official list of candidates to all TTFA members by April 3, with the extraordinary congress for the election to be convened on April 13.

In accordance with the mandate of the normalisation committee as outlined by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and Article 80 par. 7 of the TTFA Statutes, the normalisation committee acts as the electoral committee for these elections.

Akhalkatsi’s email recognised the normalisation committee overstaying their March 31 (Easter Sunday) deadline but wants to also ensure candidates have the required time to submit their slates and facilitate the electoral process.

He wrote, “It has to be ensured that the date of the elective congress is defined in a way, that the TTFA members have fair, feasible and realistic possibility to attend the congress and execute their statutory rights to participate in the congress and express their will by exerting their voting rights.”

Akhalkatsi requested the extension beyond the March 31 deadline “to respect a very important religious holiday”and the possible private commitments of its members on that particular weekend.

“We would therefore like to recommend to conduct the elective congress of the TTFA on 13 April 2023.”

Mohammed, in his Saturday email to TTFA members, thanked them for working with FIFA, Concacaf and Hadad and company throughout the process to realign TTFA’s statutes with FIFA’s.

He said the normalisation committee “believes that it is fair and just to give candidates enough time to organise their slates and campaign for the support of members, which requires at least 60 days’ notice, and is consistent with the notice period required for an ordinary congress.”

“We therefore support FIFA’s recommendation to host the elective congress on April 13, 2024. This will be facilitated by a short extension of the NC’s mandate and will result in the following timeline, which we believe will be respectful to all parties concerned and ensure that the process is fair, complete, and final.”

Mohammed’s email also said that, as discussed and agreed at the Emergency General Meeting on January 28 – in which the new TTFA statutes were approved by members – that the normalisation committee will “appoint independent persons to oversee the electoral process and its work as the electoral committee in accordance with the Electoral Code and Statutes of the TTFA.”

As it stands, Veterans Football Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFoTT) president Selby Browne, Eastern Football Association President Kieron Edwards and Southern Football Association President Dennis Latiff are, so far, the confirmed presidential candidates for the April 13 elections.

Currently, they are in the process of building their respective slates and will have the coming weeks to finalise their candidatures.

In response to Mohammed’s email, Browne replied saying that, “We at VFFoTT now await the formal notice of the FIFA Council for further extension of the term of the normalisation committee post-March 31st 2024.”

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Offline Flex

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #834 on: February 15, 2024, 01:05:06 AM »
Southern Football Association head Denis Latiff: Normalisation Committee did nothing for football.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).


PROSPECTIVE TT Football Association (TTFA) presidential candidate Denis Latiff says the general feeling among the TTFA membership is one of relief following the confirmation of the April 13 date for the elections of the new TTFA executive.

Latiff said he has as good a chance as any at winning the upcoming TTFA presidential race, and he believes he and his team have what it takes to bring back corporate T&T into the local football landscape after many aspects of the local game received insufficient attention under the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee.

On Tuesday, TTFA general secretary Amiel Mohammed confirmed the election date to the TTFA membership, with the new TTFA executive committee set to be instituted at an extraordinary congress. Potential candidates for the nine executive committee positions must confirm their candidature to the TTFA general secretariat for the respective posts on or before February 28. The TTFA general secretariat must then disseminate the official list of candidates to the TTFA membership by April 3.

Latiff, president of the Southern Football Association (SFA), has indicated his desire to contest for the presidential post, alongside Veterans Football Foundation of TT (VFFoTT) president Selby Browne and Eastern Football Association (EFA) president Kieron Edwards. On Tuesday, Mohammed told Newsday, “Technically, I have received no formal communication from anybody (regarding the TTFA presidency).”

Speaking to Newsday on Wednesday, Latiff said he was in the process of finalising his nine-member slate and submitting his nomination to the TTFA. Last week, Browne told Newsday he and his team will launch their campaign and manifesto after a meeting with the VFFoTT executive after the Carnival season.

“Everybody is glad for the election date,” Latiff told Newsday. “Whatever it means to them, everybody has a sense of relief. I am feeling pretty good about the election.”

With the election date now confirmed, the normalisation committee, which was appointed by Fifa in March 2020, has received an extension to April 30 at the latest to fulfill Fifa’s mandate.

“We are working to get this together now. We are coming strong. It is about time we get football back where it needs to be. The normalisation committee did not do anything for football itself. They were just being told what to do,” said the Tiger Tanks CEO.

“They did not look at a wide range of necessities for T&T football. Fifa just told them to do this and do that, and that was it. But many people have suffered. The teams have suffered. Many of the members have had disagreements. The zones have not been helped at all.”

Latiff said T&T’s football cannot maximise its potential if the football at the grassroots and regional level is not given the respect and attention it deserves.

“We must help the zones. That is where the footballers are coming from. You will not produce good footballers if you do not have the necessary tools like coaching and funding to host tournaments,” Latiff said.

“It is difficult. I am the head of the SFA right now and I am telling you it is difficult.”

Without revealing the names of the people in his slate, Latiff said they have substantial backgrounds in areas such as sport, business, management, law and human resources. He said it was important to have a versatile slate with expertise in various topics.

“These positions ensure that we will have all the necessary tools (to handle the TTFA office). We are going to have a wide range,” Latiff said.

A holder of an LLM in Business Law, Latiff is hoping to lean on his experience in the business field to firstly sway the TTFA membership in April, and also reinvigorate the TTFA’s external business operations.

“(T&T football) needs proper management and proper auditing. Sponsors and businesses want to be updated every time, because they want to see where their money is going,” Latiff said.

“I am a member of the Energy Chamber... they do not want to commit to the TTFA right now because they are afraid of where the money goes or does not go.”

Critically, four years ago, Fifa removed the then William Wallace-led TTFA executive and appointed the Robert normalisation committee after they found extremely low overall financial management methods being implemented by the TTFA, to go along with massive debt incurred by the local football body.

He said the operation of TTFA’s business side is just as important as the on-field product from the varying national teams.

“This is the business of football, not the game of football. The business of football gets (you) everything to play the game of football,” Latiff said.

“With that in mind, I think I have a fair chance of going and winning the TTFA presidency and bringing back the business people to the table.”

According to Article 30 par. 4 in the amended TTFA statutes, “Every slate in the election for positions within the executive committee, shall be proposed, in writing, by at least five members. Each member shall support one slate only.”

Latiff said he has no problem with the implementation of slates ahead of the TTFA election, and he said he and his team are willing to work together for the greater good of T&T football.

“Going up with a slate and you have everybody beforehand and everyone is committed, and everybody is one the same page going into the election – that is what you need.

“I do not mind that change at all.”

Latiff and his team have two weeks to make their push for the TTFA executive spots official.

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association elections set for April 13

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) will elect a new president and accompanying slate to oversee the affairs of TT's football on April 13, 2024 via an extraordinary congress.

TTFA general secretary Amiel Mohammed confirmed the election date via a press release on Tuesday.

The release said, "The normalisation committee of the TTFA has officially convened an extraordinary congress to be held on Saturday April 13, 2024 where the elections of the new TTFA executive committee shall take place."

Candidates vying for the nine executive committee positions must officially submit their names to the TTFA general secretariat on or before February 28 via "recorded post, email with delivery notification, or delivered by hand" in accordance with Article 8 par. 2 of the TTFA electoral code. The general secretariat must then circulate the official list of candidates to the TTFA membership by April 3.

With the election date now set for April 13, the TTFA's normalisation committee, who were set to demit office on March 31, effectively received another extension to fulfill the mandate given to them by Fifa with the new extension being pushed to April 30 at the latest.

On Monday, a letter from Fifa general secretary ad interim Mattias Grafstrom to normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad said the extension was necessary in this instance to facilitate the staging of the election in two months' time.

"In view of the specific timeframe established in the new TTFA Statutes, requiring a minimum of 60 days for the normalisation committee to convene an 8elective congress and for candidates to submit their candidatures to the general secretariat of the TTFA, the elections for a new TTFA executive committee will statutorily not be able to take place before the end of the normalisation committee's mandate (i.e. before March 31, 2024).

"In order to allow the normalisation committee to fulfill the final tasks of its mandate (i.e. organise and conduct elections of a new TTFA executive committee for a four-year mandate), the (Fifa) Bureau decided on February 12 to extend the mandate of the normalisation committee until April 30 at the latest."

The trio of Selby Browne, Veterans Football Foundation of TT (VFFoTT) president, Kieron Edwards, Eastern Football Association president and Dennis Latiff, Southern Football Association president, have all indicated their desire to run for the post of TTFA president, with Browne also saying his nine-member slate for the election has already been formed.

However, Mohammed told Newsday, "Technically, I have received no formal communication from anybody (regarding the TTFA presidency)."

Mohammed said the normalisation committee, in its capacity as the electoral committee, will appoint independent people to oversee the election process. He said the names have already been proposed to the TTFA membership.

As agreed to in the new TTFA statutes which were established in an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on January 28, the 12 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) tier one clubs which contested in its inaugural season, along with last season's top six TTPFL tier two clubs – bar Police FC – will all be afforded two votes in the elections. Each of the six regional associations and the TT Women's League Football also have two votes.

The remaining associations such as beach soccer, coaches, futsal, referees, Primary Schools Football League, Secondary Schools Football League and the VFFoTT all have one vote each.

In March 2020, the Bureau of the FIFA Council removed the then William Wallace-led TTFA executive and appointed a normalisation committee after they found extremely low overall financial management methods, combined with massive debt and a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity.

« Last Edit: February 15, 2024, 04:08:57 PM by Flex »
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Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #835 on: February 16, 2024, 09:57:44 PM »
of course they didn't do anything, it was sabotage on their part...

no progress and leaving us with a coach that cannot take us to the world cup

Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #836 on: February 20, 2024, 09:33:33 PM »
Ramdhan wants new blood managing T&T football
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)


Despite the issuing of fresh elections by the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee last week, the sport is not yet in a safe place and will not be until there are changes in the people lobbying for positions to lead it, Ramesh Ramdhan said yesterday.

However, his entry into the administration of the sport as the general secretary of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) in 2019 was short-lived, as the sport's world governing body- FIFA intervened to cut short the William Wallace-led administration which had only been in power for three months.

Ramdhan, who was the first referee from the Caribbean to officiate in the World Cup Finals (Japan-Croatia) during the 1998 World Cup in France, also had a short stint in the same position within the normalisation committee before his departure from the sport which he claimed owed unpaid salaries for several months.

The normalisation committee, led by businessman Robert Hadad, last week, issued an April 30 date for fresh elections of the TTFA, leading to the usual off-the-field battle among administrators.

To date, only three candidates - Selby Browne, the president of the Veterans Football Foundation of T&T, Keiron Edwards - president of the Eastern Football Association, and businessman and Southern Football Association president Dennis Latiff have shown an interest in leading the T&T football public.

Speaking to Guardian Media Sports on Thursday, Ramdhan issued a football card that would prevent all candidates from even considering the elections, noting that he had 'no confidence' in any of them. He said he believed that former TTFA Special Advisor Jack Warner was the most successful administrator in T&T, and urged whoever the new administration is, to seek advice from Warner if they wanted to be successful.

"There are not enough people involved in football presently, who could make a significant contribution to change our direction. I think we need people outside of the normal association and membership, who could impact football in a different way. It has not worked in the past, and apart from from FIVA vice president Jack Warner, who was a one-man show and who had resources at his hands, I think we need a group of people collectively, who really have an interest in football and not personal agendas," Ramdhan said.

Warner, who also held the positions of CONCACAF and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president, has been banned from football for life and is also indicted on corruption charges by the US authorities, who are seeking to have him extradited.

However, Ramdhan said, "I think too many of our people who are involved in football right now have their own agendas, it's friendship, it's where you from, it's all kinds of different things. I can call people from outside of the current crop of association members to come and really make a proper contribution to football."

Ramdhan said: "Any contribution Mr Warner has to make in football will be useful, and I am saying that it is the most successful administration, given all the negatives that people put on the table where his administration is concerned. I think Trinidad has seen success under Mr Warner, albeit all that was said about him. Warner has a wealth of knowledge in football, especially in the marketing of the game, and the way he promotes the game, but he didn't go beyond it, which I wanted him to do and set up academies and so on and take it from the grassroots level up, but there was too much to be done at the top and he wanted quick success and he didn't see that then."

He added, "In his point of view, it was important in getting a team to the football World Cup. People might say we have the best chance now to qualify for another World Cup in 2026, and yes they have a possibility of several teams from the CONCACAF region that could possibly be in the World Cup, so yes we have a great chance. Between now and 2026, it takes somebody with experience, who has done it before to help us down that road, and I feel that in some way, whichever administration comes into office, they should seek out Mr Warner's advice on how to get there."
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Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #837 on: February 20, 2024, 10:12:35 PM »
Wharfe joins TTFA Presidential race
T&T Guardian


Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL), Colin Wharfe, has entered the T&T Football Association (TTFA) presidential race.

Wharfe, officially announced his candidacy yesterday, declaring his readiness to contest the role after consulting with allies before deciding on a release ahead of the April 13 elections.

“This decision was not taken lightly. I have a long history of participation in local football, most recently steering the T&T Premier Football League, and being involved in crafting the medium-term strategy and plan for professional football,” said Wharfe in the release

“I had discussions with persons, within and outside of the football fraternity, about extending my involvement in local football administration. Their sentiments and encouragement have persuaded me to play a larger part in local football administration.”

He joins three other candidates, who have declared their intentions for the presidential role including president of the Veterans Football Foundation of T&T, Selby Browne, president of the Eastern Football Association, Keiron Edwards and Southern Football Association president, Dennis Latiff.

Last month at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the TTFA, at which 33 of the 47 members unanimously agreed to accept the changes to be made to the constitution, also invoked the right of the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee led by businessman Robert Hadad, to call fresh elections and conclude the mandate handed to them by the sport’s world governing body- FIFA, in March of 2020.

Wharfe is currently in charge of the TTPFL which is in its first full season. He has worked with T&T Pro League clubs and was the chairman of the Steering Committee of the 2022 Tiger Tanks Under-20 Tournament.

Expressing his awareness of the concern for the state of football in this country, he stated that he was ready to do his part.

“Following the ratification of the TTFA statutes and the subsequent announcement of the date for executive committee elections, T&T football is rapidly moving from normalisation to normalcy. There is a desire for change and I believe I can lead the change. The statutes, along with their enabling policies and procedures, if fully implemented and rigorously adhered to, provide a framework and guardrails to bring about the desired change at the TTFA,” said the CEO of the TTPFL.

He went on to cite his tenure in leadership roles during his professional career, which emphasizes his qualifications for the position according to Wharfe in the release.

“I bring a wealth of business leadership experience that is applicable and transferable to this job, he said.

“These were developed and nurtured during my 30-year career at one of the top professional services firms in the world; where I held senior leadership positions in the region and managed the local branches of several global client accounts.

“I possess the skills to advance the work that has already begun and of which I have been a part, so I decided to run for the post.”

He continued, “I feel compelled to seize the opportunity to lead an expanded team that will propel T&T football. I fervently believe that football can be a driver of societal engagement and national transformation, at a time when multi-faceted approaches are needed.”

He added, “Discussions are currently being finalised with individuals to comprise a diverse and professional team, and ‘The Slate’ will be revealed as we move ahead toward the elections.”
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Offline Tallman

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #838 on: February 20, 2024, 10:35:18 PM »
Browne still extends hand to election rivals
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)


Three men have openly declared their intention to run for the presidency of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), but one of them is still hoping the field can be reduced.

Selby Browne says he’s leaving the door open for an accommodation with his potential rivals.

Next Wednesday is the deadline for all potential candidates for the April 13 TTFA elections to be nominated. And so far Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFOTT), head of the Southern Football Association Dennis Latiff and Eastern Football Association president Kieron Edwards have declared their interest in being the next president.

However, since the election date was announced, attempts have been made between the three to have an accommodation without success. However, Browne has not given up on the idea.

“What I have told them, both Latiff and Kieron is that we should all come together and agree to have one entity and go to the election with one slate,” the VFFOTT president told the Express yesterday. “We don’t need an election to determine who will run the TTFA. Let us come together and do that...I have invited them to do that.”

Browne added: “It’s up to them to come back to me. I know one reached out on Sunday...but it is up to them to do it...It is still open to them.”

Latiff, however, said yesterday that he is pressing ahead with a slate of his own.

“Others have their own personal agenda,” he said. “I going with a national agenda, not a personal agenda. There is nothing personal in this for me to gain. I am coming with a new slate that I think could move football forward in Trinidad and Tobago.”

In the meantime, Browne expects to finalise his slate by the weekend.

“Whatever my veteran footballers decide Saturday morning 10 o’clock at the Barataria Sports Complex...(that’s) what our slate will be,” he said, adding: ”Our VFFOTT membership, we have had forums, we have brought people in, we have done consultations throughout all the zones-- Tobago, North, Central and we have come up with what is the plan for the restructuring and development of Trinidad and Tobago football. That is ten years of work, more than.”

Browne also said he expected another slate to come to the fore by the nomination deadline day. But he is keen to get the process finished because he said much time has been lost in preparing the national senior team for World Cup qualification.

“Clearly, the Normalisation Committee has missed the opportunity (to prepare) so what we are hoping and praying on is defeating Canada next month in Texas to go into the CONMEBOL, which if we do well in the CONMEBOL we will seed a place or we go into the World Cup qualifiers that start in June,” Browne claimed.

“That is where we are at today, knowing since 2020 that you have a World Cup in 2026 to be hosted in the CONCACAF with three countries already seeded and then the three-and-a-half places, and you haven’t had a team in training and preparation, living let us say in Panama or Mexico or the US and playing actively...We have wasted the opportunity. We are on a hope and a prayer right now.”
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Offline Controversial

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Re: FIFA appoints normalisation committee for Trinidad and Tobago football
« Reply #839 on: February 20, 2024, 10:39:39 PM »
so which one is good for our football?

 

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