VENTURE Credit Union (VCU) says ex-TT Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams is blaming it for his failure to retain his post at the association's recent elections.
The TTFA's elections and annual general meeting (AGM) were held, on November 24, at the Home of Football in Balmain, Couva.
Secondary Schools Football president William Wallace defeated John-Williams to become president, while Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Sam Phillip earned the positions of first, second and third vice-presidents respectively.
A senior official from the credit union has said John-Williams' lawyer, Anand Misir, wrote to the union claiming it damaged his client's reputation by "leaking" private information.
On November 20, the credit union announced a judgment against the former TTFA boss for a $23 million loan payment had been handed down on November 18. Co-operative development commissioner Andrea McKenna awarded judgment for $23,540,269.
The official had told Newsday the company was willing to levy on John-Williams if the debt was not paid off.
Speaking with Newsday on Wednesday afternoon, the official said John-Williams had promised to visit VCU to discuss moving forward but had not done so up to that time.
The union suggested meeting on November 21, but the official said Misir opted for November 25 instead – the day after the TTFA's elections.
The official said the union is not to blame as it tried to communicate with John-Williams before the elections.
"He said we breached confidentiality and it caused him to lose, we damaged his local and international reputations and gave him a bad name."
The official said in response to the letter, the company sent John-Williams and his lawyer a cease-and-desist letter. This type of letter is one of caution, which requests another party to stop a particular action, and indicates that legal action will be taken if it is not obeyed.
On November 7, John-Williams’ name appeared in a newspaper notice on a debt-recovery issue. The notice said the credit union was seeking information on his whereabouts. There were similar notices for other customers.
Asked for a comment that day, John-Williams told Newsday, “Politics. (They) can’t find me? What utter rubbish.”
The official told Newsday it should be clear there was no "personal attack" on John-Williams, as the procedure is part of basic protocol.
"It is not specific to him. We have had to do this (notices) for so many people as well.
"We don’t manipulate anything. It's based on their timing and decision of the commissioner. There was not anything that influenced it to happen at the same time."
The official said the union had asked John-Williams "several times" about what the money was used for. While he has continually denied it was used for the affairs of the TTFA, the official said the company had still not been told how it was used.
The official referred to chapter 81:30 (70) of the Co-operative Societies Act, which says a person, who is granted a loan by false representation or other corrupt means, or "wrongfully withholds or misapplies it" is liable to a fine of $2,000 and imprisonment for a year.
The official said the company is still willing to levy.
Newsday contacted Misir for a comment. He said questions should be directed to John-Williams.
On November 27, John-Williams told Newsday, "Please respect my privacy. I am out of football and need my time and space after four years."
Wallace told Newsday he had no comment.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday