The Grenada Football Association has removed its sitting Executive Committee replacing it with a Normalization Committee headed by the sitting Speaker of the House of Representatives Dr. George Mc Guire.
In an extraordinary General Council meeting held at the Grenada Boys Secondary Saturday August 15th, 19 members of the GFA General Council voted unanimously to end the long running battle with President Ashley RAM Folkes and his Executive.
A previous attempt to unseat the now un-popular GFA President and his Executive failed in December last year when CONCACAF and FIFA representatives conducted the Removal meeting.
The two representatives, Harold Mayne-Nicholls and John Collins itemized the failure of the then removal attempt.
In this corrected attempt the General Council followed the dictates of both FIFA and CONCACAF resulting in a legal quorum of 19 members of the GFA participating with an invitation sent to the GFA Secretariat inviting them to the meeting to give the Executive a chance to be heard in their defence.
Except for one member Wayne James, the remaining GFA Executive refused to either acknowledge the notice or to attend Saturday’s meeting.
The General Council mandated three of its members to ensure the Normalization Committee is given appropriate terms of references, one of them being, to prepare for fresh election of the GFA Executive by next year.
The meeting was conducted by an independent chairman Ray Roberts.
Extraordinary General Council
Venue: GBSS
Date: August 15th. 2009
Time: 10:30 AM
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Roll Call
Represented at the meeting were the following clubs:
Morne Jaloux Class Herb Roots
Honved Sports Club Happy Hill Sports Club
Queens Park Rangers Spartax
Carenage Futgof
Springs TAMCC
Hurricane SAFL
North Stars South Stars
5-Stars RGPF
St. John’s Sports St. Pauls
Blue Stars
Mr. Wayne James was the only member of the GFA Executive Committee present.
Item: 2
Prayer
At 10:55 am the Meeting was called to order by independent Chairman, Ray Roberts, who invited Kelly Patrick to lead the opening prayer.
Items: 3/4
Agenda
Discussion on the format of the Agenda was allowed by the Chairan.
The Decision was taken to defer Item 2 of the agenda – “Dismissal of the Executive” for later in the Agenda, to ensure a quorum for that item is realized as per GFA Statutes.
Discussion on Item 8 on the agenda –
“Decisions on the 2007/2008/2009 seasons as per Spartax-Futgof, Prizes and monies for winning clubs.”
Item 8:
Decisions on 2007/2008/2009 Season
The Spartax representative indicated that Clubs including Spartax and Hurricanes were not given prizes eg: Medals and Golden Boots, as was agreed to; while some clubs were not given money prizes owed them.
Based on these facts Spartax could not participate in the 2009 competition.
Further, Spartax tabled a motion for declaring the 2009 season null and void seconded by Futgof.
Before discussion on the Motion could ensue and a vote taken a proposal was presented to the floor to suspend the discussion of the
Motion, since a quorum for removal of the Executive Committee was established and should take precedence.
The meeting unanimously agreed.
Item 2:
Dismissal of Executive
The Chairman requested the mover of the Motion for dismissal, Spartax, to present the Motion to General Council.
The motion, presented in writing to all clubs, was read and seconded by Futgof.
In supporting the Motion Futgof read a letter which was sent to the GFA Secretariat and duly acknowledged as received by the Technical Administrator at the Secretariat (since there is no General Secretary). This letter Futgof said was sent on July 30th. 2009 which notified and invited the Executive Committee to this meeting to speak in its own defence as Article 28.2 of GFA Statutes demands.
Futgof said there was no response from Excecutive Committee neither are they present indicating their refusal to participate in lawful meetings of the General Council.
Queen’s Park Rangers Representative sought clarity about the date on which the letter was sent with a reiteration of July 30th 2009 by Futgof.
North Stars Representative asked weather the Technical Administrator’s response was via a hard copy – Futgof replied it was by E-mail which simply said “Acknowledged”
The chairman in preparation for the vote for removal, conducted another Roll Call which reflected nineteen (19) clubs present.
A vote by secret ballot was taken with the results being all nineteen (19) clubs present voting for removal of the Executive Committee.
Spartax then proposed that the results be sent to the Grenada Football Association, CFU, CONCACAF and FIFA immediately.
This was unanimously agreed to by General Council.
Item 6:
Selection of an Interim Chairperson (for purpose of General Council
Spartax tabled another proposal for the present chairman of the proceedings, Ray Roberts, continue to chair the rest of the meeting again unanimously agreed to by General Council.
Item 4 on the agenda – Selection of four (4) Non-affiliated and Independent officers to run football and the affairs of GFA from August 15th to May 2010 – such period to be called the “Fair Play Period”.
Queens Park Rangers representative counter suggested having a Normalization Committee comprising five members which will run football for no longer than year.
Item: 7
Selection of (NAAI) officers – (Normalization Committee)
General Council accepted this suggestion and eight names emanating from the floor were voted on:
Dr. George Mc Guire
Royston La Hee
David Griffith
ACP Smith Roberts
Charles Archer
Mike Adams
Claude Douglas
Edward Fedee
In the secret ballot which followed the following were elected:
Dr. George Mc Guire
Mr. Royston La Hee
Mr. David Griffith
ACP Smith Roberts
Edward Fedee
General Council by another secret ballot elected Dr. George Mc Guire to be Chairman of the Normalization Committee with ACP Smith Roberts being deputy Chairman.
General Council Preparation Team
By concensus General Council agreed that Paul Roberts-Khal Fani Curwen and Patrick Francis, shoul notify officially the members of the Normalisation Committee and prepare a Terms of reference for the operation of the Normalization Committee within fourteen (14) days.
Motion: Suspension of 2009 Football Season
A motion by Honved for the suspension of the 2009 football season was tabled and seconded by Futgof.
A vote of sixteen (16) for – none against resulted in the 2009 football season season being declared suspended until the placement of the Normalization Committee.
Deferment of remainder of Agenda items
General Council unanimously decided that the remainder of the agenda items should be discussed in the presence of the Normalization Committee, as a result the items 9 a, b, c, d, e and f , also 10. 11, 12 – a vote was taken which carried, for such deferment.
The meeting was brought to a close by the chairman at 1:16 pm by Motion from Futgof seconded by SAFL and unanimously carried.
Prepared by: Paul Roberts
