TTFA staff appeals to Wallace to show human side

While Wallace's lawyer Matthew Gayle awaits a third response from First Citizens Bank (FCB) to allow his client access to the TTFA accounts, the 15 workers at the organisation send an unsigned letter to the former president.

According to a source close to the latest development who spoke to Guardian Media Sports on the condition of anonymity said, "The workers did not want to sign the letter for fear of victimization. The source said the workers are very frustrated because they are caught in the middle of this feud and they believe that's it's unfair to them."

In the letter as seen by Guardian Media Sports, the TTFA staff wrote, "With the utmost of respect, the staff of the General Secretariat of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association has found it necessary at this time write to you to share our opinion on the current situation. We would like to start by highlighting that there now exists an urgent and stressful situation that has been thrust upon the staff due to the nonpayment of salaries for a second consecutive month."

It continued, "Please note that this is not an attempt for us to make any sort of political statement or take sides in the ongoing dispute between yourself and the Normalization Committee however the situation as it is now, affects us greatly and directly and we have never been granted the privilege of being solicited for an opinion. We would highlight that there are two separate dimensions to this scenario that one must take into consideration. They are the human side and the professional side."

When contacted about the letter Ramesh Ramdhan, the general secretary of the TTFA on Sunday he told Guardian Media Sports that he received the letter but don't entertain anonymous letters, while Wallace said he didn't receive it.

The workers outlined seven points of concern to them:

• That today May 2nd is the beginning of a 3rd month that the administrative staff has not received salaries.
• This also affects technical staff members some that have not been paid as much as 6 months
• TTFA full-time staff are currently employed and do not qualify for any of the government assistance programs and therefore while other members of the general public do have an opportunity to access assistance we do not.
• Members of staff have also been refused assistance through NIS because of nonpayment of statutory deductions
• If control of the TTFA accounts is taken before the courts to be settled, staff members will have to endure extreme hardship because of the extended time we will have to go without a means to be paid.
• Members of staff have already begun to get calls from creditors
• There are members of staff who are the sole breadwinner in their household
• The workers who have been home since March 15 when the TTFA closed its office because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has affected T&T and the global community added that "While our general knowledge of the overall situation is mostly restricted to what is published in the media, It is our opinion that the administration and technical departments of the TTFA are made up of technical officers who are competent professional in their various fields, who should be allowed to do their jobs in the interest of football. That being said we would like to highlight the current professional /administrative conundrum that the staff is facing."

The battle, which has thus far been fought via a series of strongly-worded legal letters sent between attorneys for both parties, resumed on Thursday with gale giving FCB until Friday to respond.

In February, the office staff was not paid by the TTFA which was still led by Wallace and the general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan told Guardian Media Sports that he borrowed money to pay staff. However, since FIFA removed Wallace and his three vice presidents — Clynt Taylor, Joseph Sam Phillips and Susan Joseph-Warrick on March 17, the staff has not been paid for March and April.

Last month FIFA announced that it was handing over grants to its member associations, particularly those in need of help during the current COVID-19 pandemic environment. It also announced that a FIFA Relief Fund will also be accessible to vulnerable member associations.

This means the embattled football association is in line to receive US$1.2 million (an estimated TT$6.7million), plus a CONCACAF US$160,000 (an estimated TT$1,040,000) grant, as well as an unknown amount for the relief fund to the Normalisation Committee.

However, it was following this announcement by FIFA that a battle commenced for the TTFA accounts on April 17.

The four officers have since appealed FIFA's decision to remove them for office to the Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

SOURCE: T&T Guardian