SVGFF should abide by the letter, spirit of its Constitution

12.OCT.07

Editor: Football elections are due soon, and, as usual, footballers and the football loving public are buzzing with excitement.

It is important that footballers note that under the Constitution of the SVGFF, the General Secretary must give:{{more}}

(i) Members 21 days notice in writing of the meeting date.

(ii) At the same time provide members with a copy of the Minutes of the last AGM, the Agenda of the meeting to come and, vitally, the audited financial statement and balance sheet.

The requirement that members (clubs, leagues, referee associations, etc) must have the audited financial statements before the meeting is of obvious importance, since it allows these entities to see for themselves how the SVGFF spent the money it received and to get answers on any question regarding finances at the meeting; this procedure promotes transparency, accountability and democracy.

No doubt the SVGFF will abide by the letter and spirit of its Constitution.

There is another troubling constitutional issue footballers need to be aware of. The Constitution provided for a body called the General Council, which is made up of representatives from the leagues and clubs, and which is supposed to have a great say in the running of the SVGFF. For example, its members should be a part of the Executive Committee, which itself decides things like budgets, appoints staff, technical director, and present reports, etc. Apparently, the SVGFF amended its Constitution and got rid of the General Council and thus purportedly took away one of the avenues the leagues and clubs had to make their voice heard. But the General Council is such an important administrative structure that it is included in Act of Parliament number 27 of 2000, which incorporates the Federation. This act says that “the affairs of the SVGFF shall be managed by a General Council”. As far as I am aware, this Act was never amended, and, therefore, in my opinion, the General Council is still constitutionally alive.

Joe Delves