IMC is key to own problem
-Rutherford
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
March 17, 2003
General Secretary of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) George Rutherford has labelled as “untrue” allegations that the federation has tried to frustrate the Interim Management Committee set up last year to run football in Georgetown.
In an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport, Rutherford pointed out that the GFF has always extended a helping hand to the IMC since its formation in August and would continue to do so.
However, he stressed the IMC is slow to act on a number of initiatives which has resulted in its current demise. He added that the GFF could only `take the horse to the water but could not make it drink.’
Rutherford was at the time replying to recent accusations made by chairman of the IMC Dr. George Norton. Norton claimed that the GFF had given little or no assistance to the IMC and that the governing body for football in Guyana was attempting to frustrate his organisation.
The IMC chairman said that the GFF had only promised keys to an office rented from the Guyana Cancer Society but to date none was handed over.
“We have been promised keys to the office but none were handed over. I see it as a direct attempt by the GFF to frustrate the IMC. Also we never received the stipend (from GFF) that was earmarked for the running of the office,” Norton said in an interview last week.
In a full fledged counter Rutherford claimed that the GFF had written to the interim body one month ago requesting that the keys be uplifted. “We are waiting on Mr.Lester Sealey to take custody of the keys. We have changed the locks and have written a letter to the Guyana Cancer Society introducing the IMC as the tenants,” Rutheford said.
“It is the IMC who cannot find time to collect the keys and take occupancy of the building.”
Rutherford said that the GFF has to `fork’ out $40,000 per month to pay rent for the building situated in Thomas Street where the Georgetown Football League was housed before last August’s alleged fraud of $500,000.
He disclosed that the top brass of the GFF met and decided that if there is no change in the situation by this month end the agreement with the Cancer Society to house the IMC would be brought to an end.
Touching on Norton’s claim that no stipend was given to the IMC Rutherford explained that the money is to pay the person selected to run the office.
“If there is no office then how can we pay someone to run it,” the General Secretary asked. “We would be an unprofessional organisation to do that.” Pointing out another area where the GFF assisted Rutherford said the GFF sought and secured part sponsorship for the IMC.
“Last year they said that they were not getting sponsorship and we were able to get partial sponsorship for one of their programmes. Rutherford added that The IMC was also supposed to meet with the federation but did not.
