For the benefit of our readers, and especially football family members, we shall take the liberty of printing portions of the report that footballers have been waiting patiently to see. The full report is 95 pages long, so we shall only be able to share a small part of it here. In light of the recent delays announced in regard to the December 10 elections, we urge the authorities to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves. From July to December was a long enough wait; now we’re talking about March, 2012? Who failed, and why, to meet the FIFA deadline of December 10?
The following is taken from the Executive Summary, Introduction, pages 5 & 6 of the “Final Report of the Sports Investigation Committee” appointed under “Statutory Instrument No. 125 of 2010 on December 31, 2010, by Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Public Service, Governance Improvement, Elections and Boundaries and Sports”. The report was submitted sometime in late June or early July.
(The three Commissioners appointed were: Mr. Joseph A. McGann (Chairman), Mr. Gerald Henry, and Mr. Oswald Twist.):-
Based on the findings and conclusions from its work, the Commission has developed a number of recommendations for the Minister of Sports and other stakeholders, which, if implemented, would help to create the enabling environment upon which a solid foundation could be built that would facilitate the real development and advancement of the sport of football in Belize. The recommendations include:
*The FFB should declare the positions on its Executive Committee (President, two Vice Presidents and two Members) vacant and convene an Extraordinary Congress with the declared purpose to hold fresh elections to fill the declared vacancies. This should be concluded within the shortest possible and practical time period but should not exceed a ninety-day period.
*The FFB should, and with the assistance of external consultants, develop and implement a program of training and capacity building for its Members in the areas of administration, conduct of meetings, record keeping, exposure and use of the FFB Statutes, financial management and other technical areas related to the overall development of football in their areas of jurisdiction and in Belize in general.
*The FFB should take active steps to encourage its Members to cultivate and develop a culture of conducting free and transparent elections for positions on their executive committees on a regular and periodic basis. The appointment of chairmen and other executive members of district associations should be discontinued.
*The FFB should take immediate steps to review and resolve the situation in Belmopan where two “associations” are claiming to be responsible for the organization of football in that area. The use of an independent and non-interested party or parties to resolve this matter might be advantageous.
*Considering that its members have limited financial resources to organize football competitions and tournaments, the FFB should make direct financial grants to each of its Members on an annual basis for the specific purpose of organizing regular football competitions within their jurisdictions. These grants should be part of the annual budget of the FFB and made from the grants it receives from FIFA.
*The FFB must pro-actively seek to ensure that the two senior leagues (the Belize Premier Football League and the Super League) become one financially if not economically viable football league operating under the FFB within the shortest possible time.
*The FFB should, and in full cooperation with its district Association Members, organize and implement on a regular basis a program of male age group level and female football competitions at the district and national levels. This could be funded in part from the annual grant made to the FFB by FIFA.
*The FFB should make a concerted effort to improve and build a cooperative approach to its relationship with the Government of Belize and other stakeholders outside of the FFB. The current environment of distrust and suspicion that exists between the FFB and the Government of Belize is not good for the growth and development of the sport of football in Belize.”