The time for declaring slates for the upcoming Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) elections has arrived, but potential presidential candidates are keeping their cards close to their chests when it comes to their slates.
April 13, has been set as the date for the Extraordinary Congress at which TTFA members will elect a new nine-person executive according to the revised constitution, thus ending the tenure of the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee (NC) headed by businessman Robert Hadad.
Yesterday, the TTFA gave formal notice to members of the convening of the Extraordinary Congress on April 13.
In addition, a TTFA release yesterday, also stated that according to correspondence from FIFA, the NC’s tenure has been extended to “30 April 2024, at the latest to facilitate the appropriate timeline for an election in accordance with the TTFA Statutes.”
In a letter announcing the election date to members on February 3, the TTFA said the process, “will be facilitated by a short extension of the NC’s mandate.” The previous extension given to the NC had it going on March 31.
In giving a timeline of events leading up to the elections, the release yesterday stated that at or before 11.59 p.m. on February 28, “candidatures for any of the nine executive committee positions must be submitted to the TTFA General Secretariat by recorded post, by email with delivery notification, or delivered by hand in exchange for confirmation of receipt in accordance with Article 8 par. 2 of the TTFA Electoral Code.”
The period for submitting nominations and slates of candidates is now in effect.
On the weekend, three men who have publicly indicated their desire to run for president—Kieron Edwards, Dennis Latiff and Selby Browne—were busy sorting out their teams. And none were yet willing to publicly name members of their slates.
However, Eastern Football Association (EFA) president Edwards expressed confidence in his group. “I think it’s one of, if not the best,” he told the Express. “It would be a mix of members representing the membership in the widest way, as well as professionals that could lend to football and have a sense of football too, not just an account for an accountant’s sake.”
Edwards explained, “It would be an accountant that has some ties to football. If it’s a lawyer, it would be a lawyer with some ties to football. It would be a professional with expertise but still understanding football.”
Southern Football Association (SFA) boss Dennis Latiff had been trying to get potential rivals to join his slate, but he said this won’t happen now. “Most people want to have their own slate. We can’t agree on some things,” he said.
However, according to Latiff, he is still spoiled for choice. “More and more people want to come in and join up...I kinda overwhelmed right now...I’m talking about the quality of people that want to come in,” he said.
Meanwhile, Browne, head of the Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFTT) is looking to settle his team by this weekend. “We have the names for all the nine posts,” he declared.
“Actually we have more than one name (for some positions) but the final (selections) will be determined at our meeting on Saturday,” Browne intimated.
And he, too, is pleased with the people willing to work with him. “We have a good pool. A mix of experience and youth, competent in their respective fields,” he said.
SOURCE: T&T Express