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“[…] The NFA has followed all the rules to date and is not resisting change—the election is supposed to do that… The zone remains puzzled by some clubs bent on hosting their own meeting [next] weekend…”
The following press statement on the state of the Northern Football Association (NFA) was submitted to Wired868 on 4 December by outgoing NFA president Anthony Harford:
(Copyright Sean Morrison/Wired868)
I was voted into office unopposed in 2016. The executive with which I have been serving were also voted in then—none of them belonging to a ‘slate’ of any kind.
It has been an exceptional pleasure working with this group of committed individuals. We made a commitment to serve one more term if elected at the end of the first term, in September 2020.
However, I was advised by three clubs that they feel the association needs more progressive management and they are interested in putting forward a ‘slate’. I immediately told the clubs, as president I serve at their pleasure and I would comply. Within 24 hours I tendered my resignation and committed I would not be contesting the position.
I informed the secretary to plan for the AGM, while I wrote to the TTFA’s normalisation committee to have an invigilator/supervisor attend and certify the election results.
I received a letter from the TTFA instructing that we could not proceed with the election until after Fifa rules on the impasse with the TTFA. This was relayed to clubs, so we remained in office pending clearance.
(Copyright Nicholas Bhajan/CA-Images/Wired868)
Once the Fifa matter was cleared, I wrote again to the TTFA and last week received a letter indicating we can now proceed with the AGM and that the TTFA will supply an invigilator for the elections.
The secretary is now preparing all his documents and will announce date and venue by this weekend. This includes nomination of candidates, and the elections within the prescribed period.
The NFA has followed all the rules to date and is not resisting change—the election is supposed to do that. The zone openly admits it’s indebtedness to clubs but this is regrettable as our three fundraisers carded for this year to raise the funds have been postponed due to the pandemic.
We have told the clubs we remain committed to meeting the obligation as soon as clearances are given to host events.
It costs the zone roughly TT$260,000 annually to operate. In 2018, we received a grant of TT$75,000. The rest of the monies always come from fund raisers.
The zone remains puzzled by some clubs bent on hosting their own meeting [next] weekend. The zone is making no effort to stop the meeting but we are proceeding with the AGM before the end of 2020, when we welcome a new executive to run the business of the NFA.
Editor’s Note: Click HERE to read more as Wired868 looks at the underlying issues as Ross Russell and Richard Piper bid to replace the outgoingAnthony Harford as NFA president.
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