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“The TTFA, as the National Association, has a responsibility to protect and serve the needs of its members, and to work in harmony for the good of football. Instead the David John-Williams administration has employed evasive and delaying tactics to avoid acceptance of the expressed wish of members, both the CFA and the clubs identified in the attached document.
“Our constitution is under attack and the aggrieved members believe the David John-Williams administration has grown comfortable in the expectation that CONCACAF and FIFA will provide support for this behaviour and not intervene in these explosive issues…”
The following Letter to the Editor on the behaviour of the David John-Williams-led Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) was sent to FIFA, CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) on 6 April 2017 and copied to Wired868 by Central Football Association (CFA) general secretary Clynt Taylor:
To CONCACAF General Secretary,
Re: Assistance in Conducting an Extraordinary General Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago
- Since June 2016 the Central Football Association (CFA), a regional member of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), has attempted to constitutionally replace its representative on the TTFA Board of Management after carefully following the requirements of the constitution of the CFA as approved by the TTFA.
- The TTFA Board of Management has consistently refused to accept the CFA democratic process and the rights of the CFA under the TTFA Constitution to replace their representative who has failed to effectively represent the CFA, throughout 2016. This representative was nominated to the Board by the outgoing Executive in 2015, days before leaving office. TTFA, under the leadership of President David John-Williams, has ignored the constitutional rights of its members for too long now.
- The Super League clubs, all members of the TTFA. met in January 2017 and passed a resolution forming a limited liability company called the Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL). The resolution also included applying for status at the TTFA as a member. On January 8, 2017 a letter addressed to the TTFA was sent seeking membership. After several letters and failed meetings the TTFA has chosen to subvert the will of over twenty (20) members and have not acted on the petition for membership. This inaction jeopardises the future of the Super League which is scheduled to begin in June 2017.
- CFA has been forced to circulate a petition requesting an EGM in accordance with Article 29 (2) of the Constitution of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) (see attached), which states:
(Courtesy Kerlon Orr/Wired868)
“The Board of Directors shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting if a majority (more than 50%) of the Members make such a request in writing. The request shall specify the items for the agenda. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held within 30 days of receipt of the request, unless the agenda includes the election of members of the Board of Directors or the members of the Electoral Committee, in which case the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held within 60 days of receipt of the request.
“If an Extraordinary General Meeting is not convened within the indicated time, the Members who requested it may convene the Extraordinary General Meeting themselves. As a last resort, the Members may request assistance from FIFA and CONCACAF.”
This petition was supported by a majority of TTFA members (see attached list of supporting members), and identifies an EGM agenda of two issues, which have over a period of several months been an ongoing embarrassment for football in Trinidad and Tobago:
- CFA representation on the TTFA Board, and;
- The recognition of the Trinidad and Tobago Super League (see attached petition).
The TTFA, as the National Association, has a responsibility to protect and serve the needs of its members, and to work in harmony for the good of football. Instead the David John-Williams administration has employed evasive and delaying tactics to avoid acceptance of the expressed wish of members, both the CFA and the clubs identified in the attached document.
Infantino was the UEFA general secretary at the time.
(Courtesy TTFA Media)
Our constitution is under attack and the aggrieved members believe the David John-Williams administration has grown comfortable in the expectation that CONCACAF and FIFA will provide support for this behaviour and not intervene in these explosive issues.
The CFA seeks assistance from FIFA under the Constitution of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, approved and sanctioned by FIFA, to have a representative sent to our country to act as an intermediary and to compel the Board of Management of the TTFA to resolve these two issues, and to respect the constitution and its members.
Without your intervention, football will again disgrace Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean in the local and regional media and before the world.
Your urgent intervention is requested. Please note that the matters highlighted in the attached agenda are time-sensitive, and require an urgent response and intervention.
Respectfully
Clynt Taylor
General Secretary CFA
Cc: FIFA, CFU, Media
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
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Please keep your letter between 300 to 600 words and be sure to read it over first for typos and punctuation.
We don’t publish anonymously unless there is a good reason, such as an obvious threat of harassment or job loss.
What was your suggestion Kester Lendor. Didn’t see it here.
I was merely asking a question Timothy Rochford.
Why is the CFA using the TTSL’S business as part of their fight with the TTFA.
We are still in negociations with the TTFA and until the member clubs have felt that they have exhausted this medium they (clubs) can decide on the next move.
Immaculate timing. Were you asking on behalf of someone?
On behalf of whom?
I have from day one advocated that our issues with the TTFA be settled around the meeting table. Isn’t that what we’ve been doing? My sentiments on this are documented and have not changed.
For what it’s worth, the timing is immaculate as it is precisely in response to the release to the info on wired.
Understood. I hear you.
Seem like some people playing smart with foolishness!
The Super League clubs are still in discussions with the TTFA as it relates to recognition and membership.
Why is it that it’s matter is being escalated to Concacaf & FIFA while these discussions are still on going with he TTFA?
The CFA and Mr. Taylor are not authorised to make representations to anyone on behalf of the Super League clubs as far as I am aware.
Well, that’s interesting. Thanks for adding that view.
The position of the CFA (and the TTSL) seems to be that TTFA is artificially prolonging the discussions around their application for membership. More importantly, if you have been following the public contributions of Keith Look Loy, the implication being made is that the prolonging of discussions is being used as pretext by the TTFA to mask a true intent to not deal with the matter in good faith.
This by itself is proper grounds for the calling of the EGM, which according to the letter to CONCACAF and FIFA, the request for which is being improperly and unconstitutionally stifled by the TTFA.
All of this without even discussing that this is just one reason why the call to the global and regional governing bodies is being made. The other constitutional matter being raised regards the question around the legitimacy of the CFA representative to the TTFA. These are critical issues in their own individual rights, combined they form a clear constitutional threat to the rights of the affected members.
Well said Mr. Scott, well said…. you are on target and if people are honest with themselves the truth would be spoken and not mask behind games, this administration is not transparent and seeking the interest of real football development.
So where is Keith Look Loy to further explian on these matters eh, it seems that he was also presented with a gag order or what . Them really good yes. hahahaha