Working alongside FIFA and utilizing the Independent Football Reform Commission Report and Recommendations presented to President Raymond Tim Kee and CONCACAF President, Jeff Webb in April 2014, Tim Kee has committed to supporting a constitutional overhaul centered on the principle of “One Club, One Vote” for the national body.
This will be the central focus as this week will mark the culmination of work of the IFRC as FIFA and CONCACAF representatives, Reudi Broennimann, Primo Corvaro, and Marco Leal will join President Tim Kee and selected local representatives to serve on the Constitutional Reform Panel to begin work on the new TTFA Constitution that will be presented to the TTFA Executive Committee, members and stakeholders for national review and ratification.
The ratification process and several other areas of concern cited by FIFA will also result in the delay in TTFA elections until after June 15, 2015. However, regional zone elections will take place as originally scheduled.
“When I came into office two years ago, I vowed to make meaningful change to this FA, first by taking the necessary steps to improve our on the field product and second, by initiating efforts to develop a new structure and governance model for T&T football,” Tim Kee stated.
The origins of the reform effort were born soon after Tim Kee’s election as FA President when he met with FIFA officials, including FIFA President Sepp Blatter, to discuss the way forward for T&T football.
The idea of the Reform Commission was later introduced to and accepted by FIFA representatives during the 2013 CONCACAF Congress in Panama, site of the presentation of the now infamous Simmons Report that detailed the events and activities surrounding the World Cup bribery scandal that took place in Trinidad in 2011.
After convincing FIFA that Trinidad and Tobago possessed enough knowledge and talent to achieve substantive reform, the TTFA President began assembling individuals, such as Shaka Hislop, TTOC President Brian Lewis, and Senator Elton Prescott S.C., to join what would be known as the Independent Football Reform Commission (IRFC).
“I would like to thank members of the IFRC for their tireless effort in producing a document that can be a template for other sporting NGBs and, of course, thank you to FIFA and CONCACAF, particularly FIFA Secretary Jerome Valcke and CONCACAF President and FIFA VP, Jeff Webb, for their supporting role in our efforts to make football a better governed entity that will now have a real chance at operating and serving all of its members and stakeholders directly.” added Tim Kee.
Further details about the members of the Constitutional Review Panel will be forthcoming and a press conference is currently scheduled for Thursday October 23 to cover this and several other major announcements.
N.B: Under the current TTFF/TTFA constitution, officials of the football association are elected by delegate vote with concentrated power held by zonal-dominated Executive Committee.