SVG Football General Secretary gets the boot

Ian Hypolite has been fired as General Secretary of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF), and almost immediately, someone else has been appointed to fill the vacancy.{{more}}

According to a letter dated October 21, 2011, and signed by SVGFF President Venold Coombs, Hypolite was fired with good cause, as in the opinion of the SVGFF, he “materially breached” his contract with the SVGFF.

Hypolite’s termination comes days after the football world governing body FIFA found him guilty of not observing FIFA statutes as a General Secretary, in his awareness and commitment to his responsibilities. On October 14, following a hearing of FIFA Ethics Committee in Zurich, Switzerland, FIFA fined Hypolite 300 Swiss francs and suspended him for 30 days, with 15 of those days being suspended.

Hypolite’s termination letter said “Having reviewed the above mentioned infringement and article 4(H), articles 5 and 6 of the general terms of your contract, along with the ban from taking part in any kind of Football related activities (local and international) for a period of 30 days of which 15 days were partially suspended, we therefore found that you have materially breached your employment contract with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, and therefore terminate your employment as General Secretary of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, for a good cause, in accordance with section 9 (2) a, of the Protection of Employment Act 2003, with immediate effect”.

According to the termination letter, Hypolite is entitled to half month’s salary, from October 1 to 14, 2011.

Coombs indicated that Hypolite’s letter was sent by email as Hypolite had left for Canada on Tuesday, October 18.

However, Hypolite told SEARCHLIGHT that up to last Sunday, he had not been formally notified of his dismissal, but had been given a “heads up” of the new Executive’s intentions to dispense with his services.

Hypolite was due to return to his post, yesterday, Monday, October 31, after serving his suspension.

Hypolite’s suspension and fine by FIFA were related to what is alleged to have transpired at a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Special Meeting, held in Trinidad and Tobago, May 10 and 11, this year. At the special meeting, former FIFA presidential candidate Qatari Mohammed bin Hammam is alleged to have offered the CFU officials US$40,000, in what was considered a cash for vote ploy.

Apart from Hypolite, three other officials who attended the meeting received suspensions; others were reprimanded and fined; some were reprimanded only, while others had their cases dropped.

Hypolite took up the post of General Secretary of the SVGFF in May last year, and was the first paid official to hold that post.

Meanwhile, SEARCHLIGHT has been informed that Trevor Huggins, former Vice President of the SVGFF, is the new General Secretary of the SVGFF.

Huggins is a retired teacher, who served under the St. Clair Leacock-led Executive.

Huggins will be supported in his role by two other appointees: Raymond Trimmingham, who was the Second Vice President in the last Executive, headed by Joseph Delves, and Devron Poyer.

When quizzed by SEARCHLIGHT last Friday, SVGFF President Venold Coombs said there was no need to advertise the post of General Secretary as someone had already been identified to fill the position.

The Football head added that it would have been a time wasting exercise if they had done so. (RT)