The Ministry of the Public Service, Governance Improvement, Elections & Boundaries and Sports reminds the general public and, especially members of the football family, that the Sports Investigation Committee continues its work countrywide. The Sports Investigation Committee is a special team appointed by Statutory Instrument 125 of 2010 in December, 2010, to review and establish the validity or otherwise of the appointment of the executives of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) members, and the validity or otherwise of the FFB election of an Executive Committee held on the 18th December. It is also investigating the validity of the decision of the FFB to disallow nominations for election to the executive by one of its members – the Belize Premier Football League (BPFL).
The Ministry is awaiting the report to be submitted by the Committee at the end of its commission. In the meantime, the Ministry notes that it does not recognize the new FFB Executive, elected in that December 18th election. Similarly noted is that no application has been received by the National Sports Council from the FFB for registration as a sporting organization for 2011. The Ministry will only recognize those sporting organizations that are duly registered with the National Sports Council as per the Sports Act Chapter 19. This clearly states that (3) “Every registered sporting organisation shall in the month of January in each year submit a list of the names and addresses of its office bearers to the Council”, and (4) “A sports organisation that has not been duly registered shall not be entitled to any of the privileges (Including use of equipment and facilities), concessions or exemptions granted to a registered sporting organisation, and shall not be able to participate in any competitions or functions held under the auspices of the Council”.
Registered sporting organisations are reminded also that the Sports Act empowers the Minister to make regulations in respect of “the selection of national sports teams to represent Belize”. The Ministry, through the National Sports Council, stands ready to work with all sporting organisations that are in compliance with the Laws of Belize.
(Ed. Note: Underlining is ours. Perhaps this will get the attention of FFB strongman “President” Bertie Chimilio; perhaps not.)