Moscow cancelled?
The stakes for the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s (TTFA) reconvened Extraordinary General Meeting on 13 June have grown higher still, after board member Keith Look Loy formally warned president David John-Williams that he could face the Police investigators, if requests for financial information are not met.
John-Williams, who was elected to office on 30 October 2015, is yet to have the first annual financial statement of his tenure approved by members, amidst concerns from the TTFA’s membership about missing data and supporting documents.
Chief among those concerns are contracts and financial documents related to the US$2.25 million Home of Football project, as well as a breakdown of legal fees and coaching salaries and a mysterious deal with I95.5FM, which even board members were unaware of.
During John-Williams’ first year in office, “professional services” rose from TT$6 million to over TT$15 million while legal fees mushroomed from TT$82,270 in 2015 to TT$1,260,960 in just 12 months.
Look Loy, who first requested the relevant information from John-Williams and general secretary Justin Latapy-George in December 2017, warned that—after waiting for six months—his patience will expire on 13 June.
“I am compelled to advise you that any further failure on your part to provide satisfactory responses to the directives of the TTFA General Meeting would leave me—and other Board and General Meeting members—with no reasonable alternative,” stated Look Loy, “but to seek the assistance of the relevant State financial investigatory and law enforcement agencies to establish a level of full financial transparency within the TTFA, which your leadership has been unable to achieve.
“[…] You have one final opportunity to abide by said directives when the abandoned Extraordinary General Meeting called for 30 May 2018 is reconvened on 13 June 2018, according to the requirements of the TTFA Constitution.”
Look Loy’s email was copied to Concacaf head of Member Associations, Marco Leal.
Last week, John-Williams skipped the TTFA’s EGM on “medical advice” and, according to sources, also asked the Industrial Court to be excused from a hearing in early July—on a legal matter with former general secretary Sheldon Phillips—so as to give him more time to recuperate from a controversial injury.
Remarkably, TTFA vice-president Ewing Davis told members last week that John-Williams still hoped to fly to Moscow for a FIFA Congress next week, which would mean again missing the local EGM.
Wired868 understands that, medical concerns notwithstanding, John-Williams might have changed his flight plans and is now expected to be present for next week’s EGM.
John-Williams did not respond to requests from Wired868 about his supposed about-turn on attending the EGM, the missing financial documents or the possibility of a Fraud Squad investigation of his tenure.
The following is the full copy of Look Loy’s letter, which was leaked to Wired868:
To: David John-Williams,
TTFA President.
It is with great reluctance that I pen this message. However, your actions leave me little recourse.
On 31 March 2018, the General Meeting of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), instructed you to provide, within sixty (60) days, financial and contractual records pertaining to the Home of Football Project and other TTFA initiatives; some of which have been the source of official inquiries by TTFA members for over one (1) year.
I have also, as a TTFA Board member, repeatedly requested contracts and financial documents pertaining to the Home of Football and other TTFA initiatives—without response.
Per Article 39.2 of the TTFA Constitution, you are obligated to implement decisions passed by the General Meeting and to produce the requested material.
Your ongoing failure to comply with decisions of the General Meeting as well as your evasive manner, misleading statements, and general lack of transparency pertaining to TTFA’s financial affairs appear to be beyond the internal functions and ability of the Association to properly handle.
Therefore, in keeping with my duty of care and loyalty as a member of the TTFA, the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL), and a TTFA Board member, I am compelled to advise you that any further failure on your part to provide satisfactory responses to the directives of the TTFA General Meeting would leave me (and other Board and General Meeting members) with no reasonable alternative but to seek the assistance of the relevant State financial investigatory and law enforcement agencies to establish a level of full financial transparency within the TTFA, which your leadership has been unable to achieve.
The resulting bad publicity will only harm the TTFA and I urge you to comply with the directives of the General Meeting.
You have one final opportunity to abide by said directives when the abandoned Extraordinary General Meeting called for 30 May 2018 is reconvened on 13 June 2018, according to the requirements of the TTFA Constitution.
I copy the Presidents of TTFA members and the relevant CONCACAF and FIFA officials into this message.
Sincerely,
Keith Look Loy,
TTSL President,
TTFA Board Member.