You be the judge

It is a known fact that elections for a new executive for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation are just around the corner. Evidence of the pending elections are more pronounced as some interested in being considered for posts have started to make their intentions clear and that’s their right so to do.{{more}}

But also there are some who overnight have been converted into the football righteous, dressed in robes of lily white.

Their mode of seeking salvation is to spill the internal operations of the federation’s executive in an attempt to win support from affiliates and the football loving public.

The executive’s business and allegations of wrong doing pointed at some top officials, are all of a sudden being exposed.

Temporary free laundry marts have been set up at street corners and by-ways as the alleged dirty linen that was stored for the past four years is coming out to be washed.

If there is truth in the allegations, why reveal them at this juncture? Why didn’t these men take the moral highway and disassociate themselves from the perceived mire? Why pretend to have been sucking salt on issues of honesty and transparency? Instead of pocketing the stipend that is received retroactively as the draw downs come, stand up like men and refuse it or give it to the youngsters in your area who have to travel daily to practice for national representation.

It is these same men who are portraying themselves as persons of valour that have been part of the process that allowed Technical Director Zoran Vranes to continue in his post feasting from the fatted calf, with no developmental programme in place.

One of the highest paid persons here, receiving $US6000 per month, accommodation, a vehicle among other things, Vranes is probably the only coach in the region who has lost more matches than he wins, but is still able to retain his post.

I am certain that the executive is unaware that since taking up the post in September 2004, Vranes record shows 20 wins, 30 losses and 8 draws, up to the last Under-23 meetings with Christopher Newport University.

The current executive is the first beneficiary of the four term of the revised constitution.

Having benefited from a protracted period in office, ample time was given to implement and carry out the programme of the nation’s most popular sport. To what extent has this mandate been fulfilled must be questioned.

Yes there have been positives, such as a greater emphasis on women’s football and some effort towards equipping players mainly the senior ones with their needs. But a lack of focus on a structured male youth nation wide development exercise receives a poor if not a failing grade on the executive’s report card. Are persons willing enough to come forward to take up the mantle of carrying football to the heights that it can go?

Lumping everything and everyone together, with fingers pointing in one direction and others are pointing back, then no one seems worthy of being re-elected.

But it is not for me to make that judgement call.

For me let the wheat and tares grow together until that day sometime in September when the affiliates will be willing to decide and write their respective national football administration eulogies.

Like the football federation, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation must be brought under scrutiny for its prolonged failure to have a male national basketball championship. The last effort by the federation was in 2004, since then, there have been promises year after year, but to no avail. Two dates were set in the first half of this year, neither of which was met. Saturday August 12, was the last date set for the grand opening. The good guys of the executive have once again postponed, leaving questions of their administrative capacity. How much can the young basketballers endure with this sort of ineptitude?

Before I go, the LOC has still not addressed the unsightly and unwanted mound fitted with a gutter at the Sion Hill Playing Field, neither have they given access to the people of Stubbs to their facility which lies locked away, similarly the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

“Silence is golden”, but being mute for a prolonged period can be deemed acceptance of the situation or oblivion. Neither I believe is the case.

Maybe the vanguards are awaiting astute timing for their corrective actions.

email: kingroache@yahoo.com