TRINIDAD and Tobago Football Federation technical adviser Keith Look Loy has joined 13 football clubs from the Eastern Football Association calling for a new Annual General Meeting and elections of EFA executive committee.
Look Loy is being supported by these clubs since they claim they were all denied an opportunity to exercise their rights in the election of officers at the August 28 meeting.
Look Loy who is FC Santa Rosa president, added that the re-election of the executive for another term was a breach of the EFA constitution and called for transparency in the matter.
The TTFF adviser also slammed EFA officials for blatantly neglecting a proposed list of possible candidates for the elections, which was nominated by FC Santa Rosa.
These proposed candidates he said were: Look Loy for president; Roger Griffith, Frank Rodriguez vice-presidents; Farlon Thomas and Anil Maraj(committee members).
Look Loy explained, “The 17 clubs assembled for the AGM were denied the opportunity to do so when Wayne Riley, the returning officer appointed by the TTFF and with the consent of the outgoing executive but ultra vires, that is outside of, the EFA constitution and without the agreement of the assembled clubs, declared the candidates nominated by FC Santa Rosa and seconded by the Prisons Sports Club to have been improperly seconded and, therefore, ineligible to contest the election.”
On that basis, Riley went on to declare the slate of candidates comprising the incumbent officers to be unopposed and returned to office for the new two-year term. The meeting was never shown the letter in question.”
Look Loy felt that they were wilfully neglected by outgoing members of the EFA board, who were again nominated for another two-year term, “unopposed”.
Supporting Look Loy were FC Maloney, Creek Sports and Cultural Club, Upper Santa Cruz, Pinto United, La Horquetta Sporting AC, Barataria Ball Players, Malabar FC, St John’s United, Tunapuna Titans FC, WASA FC, Carib FC, Prisons Sports Club and FC Santa Rosa.
The TTFF technical adviser made it clear that once the general law of football, fair play, was not being considered by the retaining members, FC Santa Rosa and the other supporting clubs would continue pursuing the cause until justice was served.
Look Loy urged the clubs to set aside club and personal rivalries and unite, with full focus on making the right choice for the development of the association and the game of football in Trinidad and Tobago.
He was stern in his decision and aims to go all the way in ensuring that fairness and good sense prevails.
Look Loy made clear that they have already attained a legal representative to assist them in the proper handling of the matter.
He was determined to have a compromise, go to the world governing body of football (FIFA) and even take up the matter in the local courts.
Look Loy has also proposed a September 14 date for the EFA committee to re-schedule the election.
However, to date, they have not yet received any feedback from the EFA committee.
“More immediately, we have undertaken the following initiatives; the retention of legal counsel Mr Samuel Saunders, the issuance of a legal letter to the EFA demanding the re-convening of the 2011 annual general meeting and the holding of the aborted election within seven days, that is by September 14; and preparation for referral of the matter to arbitration, as mandated by the EFA constitution, or go to FIFA, if necessary, and finally to the civil courts of Trinidad and Tobago,” continued Look Loy.
He wanted all those involved to act truthfully and do the right thing for the betterment of the game in this country.
Look Loy is calling on the relevant authorities to step in and have the elections re-done.
“The time for change that will move our game forward is now. This election is not about personalities. It is about the politics of democracy, the establishment of viable development programmes, and the planned progress of our sport and our association.
“After all the disenchantment and grumbling, we now have the opportunity to actually make a positive change,” asserted Look Loy.
MEDIA STATEMENT BY KEITH LOOK LOY AND OTHER CANDIDATES IN
THE EASTERN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION’S ELECTION OF OFFICERS
On 11 August of this year, after careful consideration, I undertook to offer myself as a candidate for the presidency of the Eastern Football Association.
After I issued a letter in this regard to the member clubs of the EFA, I was approached by several clubs to form a slate of candidates, which was duly proposed by my club, FC Santa Rosa, and seconded by Prisons Sports Club.
On Sunday 28 August 2011, the member clubs of the Eastern Football Association were supposed to elect their new executive committee to manage the Association’s affairs for the period September 2011 to August 2013.
The seventeen clubs assembled for the EFA’s Annual General Meeting were denied the opportunity to do so when Wayne Riley, the returning officer appointed by the TTFF with the consent of the outgoing executive committee but ultra vires, i.e. outside of, the EFA Constitution and without the agreement of the assembled clubs, declared the candidates nominated by FC Santa Rosa and seconded by Prisons Sports Club to have been improperly seconded and, therefore, ineligible to contest the election.
On that basis, Riley went on to declare the slate of candidates comprising the incumbent officers to be unopposed and returned to office for the new two‐year term. The meeting was never shown the letter in
question.
Riley made his unilateral and illegal decision based on the presentation by persons unknown, of a letter from a person claiming to be the secretary of the Prisons Sports Club, who also claimed that the officer who signed on behalf of Prisons Sports Club to second the slate of candidates headed by Keith Look Loy was unauthorized to do so.
Despite the protestation of the affected candidates, the representative of the Prisons Sports Club and other clubs present, Riley declared his decision and left the meeting, which the outgoing EFA president, Lennox Watson, promptly closed and also left.
Thirteen of the seventeen clubs in attendance immediately wrote and signed a letter to the EFA/TTFF demanding the holding of the election on Sunday 4 September 2011. Both organizations have ignored the clubs’ demand.
The president of the Prisons Sports Club, John Rougier, who is also the Commissioner of Prisons, has since written a letter condemning the letter of the purported Club secretary as “null, void, ultra vires and without legal standing”, and reiterating the Club’s support for the candidates it has properly seconded: Keith Look Loy, Roger Griffith, Frank Rodriguez, Anil Maraj and Fallon Thomas.
Meantime, we have made multiple requests for a copy of the letter on which Riley based his decision (29/8/11, 30/8/11, 2/9/11). These requests have been ignored.
We have made multiple requests for a copy of Riley’s report to the TTFF (30/8/11, 2/9/11. This request has been ignored.
It is clear that the EFA and TTFF intend to frustrate those who would challenge their undemocratic handling of this matter by ignoring them, and to have any challenge to the illegitimate reinstallation of the incumbent regime die a natural death.
Indeed, it has been reported to us by various clubs that members of the unconstitutional regime that wishes to
hold on to power have been advising them that the election is a dead issue, that FC Santa Rosa and Prisons Sports Club fraudulently proposed the slate of candidates which I head, and that they are “back in power for another two years”.
We, the candidates of change, intend to resist this travesty, and to keep the struggle for democracy and development in the Eastern Football Association, and the TTFF by extension, alive. We refuse to allow our opponents to trample on the most basic principles of Fair Play, Natural Justice and Democracy.
Given the current impasse, we are proven correct in our decision, once in office, to pursue the introduction of a maximum limit of two consecutive terms in office for executive officers of Regional Associations and the TTFF itself.
More immediately, we have undertaken the following initiatives:
‐ The retention of legal counsel, Mr. Samuel Saunders, Attorney‐at‐Law.
‐ The issuance of a legal letter to the EFA demanding the reconvening of the 2011 AGM
and the holding of the aborted election within seven (7) days, i.e. by 14 September
2011.
‐ Preparation for referral of the matter to a) arbitration, as mandated by the EFA
Constitution, b) to FIFA, if necessary, and finally c) to the civil courts of Trinidad and
Tobago.
The resolution of this matter rests squarely with the TTFF and EFA, and on their willingness to act in accordance with the most basic principles of Democracy. We, the candidates of change, trust that both organizations will do the right thing.
That said, let everyone be absolutely clear. We intend to pursue this matter to the finish, wherever the finish may be. The member clubs of the Eastern Football Association must have their say, their right to democratically elect their executive leadership must be observed.
Keith Look Loy