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Controversial Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) administrator Laurence Seepersad should have resigned his post in shame, according to Scarborough Secondary representative and school teacher Salisha James, after Seepersad’s alleged misdirection led to sanctions and, ultimately, relegation from the Premier Division for the Tobago school.
Instead, Seepersad has risen, unopposed, to the second most powerful position within the schools’ football body.
Photo: Wired868.
The withdrawal of SSFL East Zone secretary Kurt Harry from the race to succeed the late Azaad Khan as general secretary/ treasurer means that Seepersad is now the only nominee for the position.
Wired868 understands that Harry withdrew his nomination due to increased duties at his workplace, which may have compromised his ability to function as SSFL general secretary/ treasurer.
Harry was proposed by St Joseph’s College and seconded by San Juan South Secondary and Mucurapo West Secondary.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Arima Araucans.
Seepersad, a former Carapichaima East Secondary teacher, was proposed jointly by Naparima College and Malick Secondary, and seconded by Carapichaima East and Cunupia Secondary.
Remarkably, Seepersad’s promotion comes in the wake of his continuing silence on claims by Scarborough Secondary that he told them they could use a player in contravention of the SSFL rules, which directly led to their demotion.
James’ claims on Seepersad’s role were supported at the time by SSFL second vice-president Syandene Blackman-Walsh and unrefuted in testimony heard by the SSFL Appeals Committee.
Ironically, Seepersad, as assistant secretary administration, activated the Appeals Committee in Khan’s absence. However, he did not appear before the body to give evidence.
The Appeals Committee found Scarborough guilty of violating the SSFL’s rules, by using a player who competed in the Tobago Football Association (TFA) competition before the end of the school season.
(via Scarborough Secondary.)
However, due to Seepersad’s perceived influence on Scarborough’s rule violation, the Appeals Committee also wrote to the SSFL executive that: “consideration be given for SS (Scarborough Secondary) to play in the Premier Division of the League for the 2026 season as an additional team. Such a decision can only be made by a three-fifths majority decision of the General Council.”
The SSFL executive committee is headed by president Merere Gonzales.
The Gonzales-led body did not pass on the Appeals Committee’s plea for Scarborough’s survival to member schools, or investigate—and potentially sanction—Seepersad for his role in the affair.
Photo: Dirk Allahar/ bcreative designs/ Wired868.
Instead, remarkably, the SSFL executive made a ruling that saved the two Trinidad schools, Malick and St Augustine Secondary, from relegation.
An outstanding Premier Division match between Signal Hill Secondary and St Augustine was due to decide on the third demoted school from the top flight.
If Signal Hill won, St Augustine would have been relegated. However, if St Augustine won or drew the affair, then Malick would be demoted.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
If the game was cancelled before kickoff, according to traditional football tournament rules, both teams would get a point each. And that would have been enough to save the “Green Machine”, while damning Malick to the second tier.
Instead, on 9 April, Seepersad relayed to members that the SSFL decided to “cancel” all outstanding games—including the Boys U-14 and U-16 finals and Girls Big Five final—but keep both St Augustine and Malick in the Premier Division, which is now expanded to 17 teams.
Seepersad conveyed the decision to school principals.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Wired868 asked Gonzales why the SSFL executive committee had not passed the Appeals Committee’s recommendation regarding Scarborough on to school principals and its membership, yet unilaterally decided to save Malick.
Gonzales did not respond up to the time of publication.
The executive committee’s ruling ignored standard tournament regulations for “cancelled games”, which should have seen St Augustine collect a point that would have doomed Malick. Worse, it was almost certainly unconstitutional.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Appendix III of the SSFL Constitution states: “All competitions in the League, and rules for such competitions shall be determined by the General Council.” The only exceptions are for playing field size and the height of goal posts.
It is only the general council that is authorised to rule on the fate of the 2025 SSFL season, which the Gonzales-led body failed to conclude on the field of play.
Gonzales and his executive served notice that they will turn to the general council on a matter that affects them directly, though.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
On the table is a call for extended term limits for SSFL officials, which the schools body said emanated from the TTFA. Wired868 was unable to verify the TTFA’s role in the proposed amendment by the time of publication.
The current SSFL Constitution, which was amended in 2019, stipulates that all elected officers are: “permitted to serve no more than four terms in any one office. A term being two years.”
As such, Gonzales—and any other SSFL president—cannot serve beyond a maximum of eight years. The proposed amendment will stretch his potential reign to 12 years.
Photo: Dirk Allahar/ bcreative designs/ Wired868.
Gonzales was first elected in 2021 and is already in his third term at the helm.
And how long have Seepersad and assistant secretary operations Gerald Elliot been at the wheel?
Wired868 could not find anyone in schools’ football who knew the answer—in large part because they pre-dated everyone else.
What is certain is Seepersad, who retired as a Carapichaima East Secondary teacher in 2020, and Elliot were on the SSFL executive since 2007. It means they are both at least on their tenth term in schools’ football at present, having served under presidents Ewing Davis, Anthony Creed, William Wallace, and, now, Gonzales.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
At the 2025 annual general meeting, Seepersad, then assistant secretary operations, switched posts with Elliot, so as to stay on the executive—since the SSFL Constitution only restricts how long someone can stay in one particular position.
In theory, members the current SSFL executive, which also includes first vice-president Essiel Seecharan, can remain in power for as long as they can muster the votes, while swapping job titles every 12 years.
After at least 19 years on the executive and having survived numerous registration scandals, Seepersad is getting a promotion to Khan’s vacant office.
His ascension will trigger a by-election for the post of assistant secretary administration. So, by death, a new face will soon enter the SSFL’s headquarters.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
