TTFA approve 2019 financials, welcome Unified Football Coaches

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) membership has approved the audited financial statements for the year 2019 and welcomed the United Football Coaches of TT (UFCTT) to its fold.

The normalisation committee, appointed by FIFA to manage the daily affairs of the TTFA, hosted an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Sunday, via the zoom online platform, a fortnight after holding its annual general meeting (AGM).

According to a TTFA media release, the financial statements, audited by the firm Madan Ramnarine and Company, “were approved by the TTFA membership by a clear majority vote.”

The media release continued, “During these discussions, the normalisation committee reiterated that management decisions related to the 2019 audited financials were all guided by International Financial Reporting Standards, issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, and adopted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Concerning the contentious matter of the Home of Football, located at Balmain, Couva, the media release pointed out, “These standards were used to address the matter of the accounting of the grant of the 17.51 acres of leasehold land in Balmain which was valued at TT$42.5 million. Accounting for Government Grants, which this land falls under, is covered under International Financial Reporting Standards.

“When the lease is perfected, the TTFA will determine the most appropriate accounting treatment, in accordance with good financial governance practices.”

The TTFA membership ratified the expulsion of the Coaches Association and subsequently admitted the UFCTT as its newest member.

UFCTT interim’s president Jefferson George said in an interview on Sunday evening, “We’re excited about it. We’re happy that the process has been very successful, where we were admitted. We are thankful for all the members who voted for us to be a member of the TTFA, so we can help move Trinidad and Tobago football forward.”

The UFCTT was formed in 2020 and George acknowledged, “The membership has been growing. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, and the coaches do have challenges in plying their trade, we’ve used this time to focus on coaches’ education.

“We are currently doing a grassroots coaches’ programme,” he added. “We have about 45 (people) registered in that, which is ongoing.”

With regards to Sunday’s EGM, George said, “I was an observer. It’s only from (Sunday), going forward, that we would be considered full members of the TTFA.”