Klass returned as GFF president
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
April 28, 2003
Colin Klass was returned as president of the Guyana Football Federation for his second four-year term when the federation held its Annual General Meeting at the Ocean View Hotel on Saturday.
Klass, second vice president Frankie Wilson and assistant secretary organising Aubrey `Shanghai’ Major were elected unopposed to their respective post.
The diminutive Klass was unanimously re-elected to the post he has held since 1989 effectively evading the promised “trap” laid by his opposition.
In a short interview with Stabroek Sport after his election Klass disclosed that his number one priority is the building of the football facility which has eluded this country for sometime.
“My priority is to get the football facility on the way and I hope to have it started (construction) before the end of the year,” Klass told Stabroek Sport.
FIFA, through its Goal Programme, is willing to pump US$400,000 into the building of the facility. However, a cat and mouse game has resulted in the government not releasing land to the GFF on which the facility will be built.
As expected, Klass’ victory had mixed reactions. It was cheered by some and booed by others. One observer, who wished to remain anonymous claimed that Klass’s re-election is a stake in the heart of local football and clearly highlights the lack of backbone in the sub associations.
According to the observer Klass has done very little for the sport since 1989 and his re-election tells just how fragile and narrow-minded the sub associations are.
“It is an exhibition of the deficiency of zest for development. It is not proper for us to blame Klass anymore but rather the sub associations who put him there,” the observer said.
The oven-tested Klass, a survivor of several coup attempts added that youth development and education are also high on his agenda.
“We will seek to work assiduously with the Ministry of Education for a full scale reintroduction of football in schools,” Klass said. Questioned on his assessment of the last four years Klass noted that his tenure was “challenging.”
“There were many hurdles that we had to overcome. Some we did and some we didn’t. What we will continue to do is to work even harder for the development of football in Guyana. We cannot do it alone and need the support of all.”
Wilson, the former Public Relation Officer of the organisation replaced Carlos Powell who did not seek re-election while Major succeeded his long time pal Kashif Muhammad, who also did not seek office.
Stabroek Sport understands that a PRO will be appointed when the GFF executives meet in the near future. Last year the GFF amended its laws to allow for staggered elections which facilitates only three office bearers being elected at any AGM.
The next election of office bearers will take place in 2005 when the first vice president, assistant secretary administration and treasurer will be elected.
When Klass took over the presidency of the then Guyana Football Association 14 year ago the term of office was one year. It was later changed to two years then four.
