Raymond Tim Kee, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), says he is proud to have overseen the restructuring of the organisation’s constitution to reflect a more modern and transparent approach to good governance.
Tim Kee has come under-fire from several quarters but answered his critics on Sunday, citing the sweeping changes of the new constitution which prohibits a president from running for more than two terms as well as allowing Pro League and Super League clubs a vote in the TTFA elections.
“People who have run their mouth, as I have said publicly and privately, they know nothing about me. My problem is... as a black man I’m not supposed to do what other people do. I am (TTFA) president, I am treasurer of the PNM, I am running my own business and I am Mayor of the City (of Port-of-Spain)... People who question that are telling me they are not achievers,” he declared.
Tim Kee stressed that he is not seeking to use football for personal gain as he claimed to have given the sport so much in the past without wanting anything in return.
“I running business since I am very young. I funded football when I was in my mid-20s because my business had already been relatively successful. I used to send for players who had to come and play for Trinidad and didn’t have money. I rented for the Association — not rented — they occupied my building for one and a half years without a cent rent, without a piece of furniture, without paying a cent electricity, without paying for air condition or fax machines. I gave football money. I have always been a benefactor not a beneficiary.
“When I became (president), I didn’t come with any grand idea for money and all that stuff. I didn’t want fame and fortune because in my 20s I was an executive in AIG (American International Group). So I in this since I young.”
The TTFA boss believes football in this country will be able to move forward with a clear approach under the new constitution once the right people are put in the right places.
“My real vision is that Trinidad football has too much potential to go far and it was being impeded by some flawed constitution regulations and I came to do that. I am satisfied that it was done and now we have to put it to work.
The system could be the best system but it is the people that have to work it. Now it is there, nobody has any excuse, it’s a matter of people putting there shoulders behind the wheel and doing what they have to do,” he concluded.