The evergreen criticism of the Cayman Islands Football Association continued, as former Sports Minister Bernie Bush expressed his frustration with how CIFA has been utilising its funds.
Bush, during a Finance Committee Parliament session on 13 Dec., claimed that executives within CIFA have been using money for their own entertainment and not for the benefit of the players.
“The fact is, they need to get their act together,” Bush said. “It needs to stop being about them and more about the players. We as legislators have got to make sure that any money we give to these associations is money that is spent on the players and not on them travelling up and down.”
In October 2022, CIFA president Alfredo Whittaker told the Compass that the association had not “received one dollar” from the PACT administration.
Government had allocated $150,000 to CIFA in the budget for 2022-2023, but Whittaker claimed it was not handed over, despite the association submitting the necessary documentation.
At the time, Teresa Echenique, chief officer in the ministry, indicated to the Compass that CIFA had not supplied the documents that are required for the Purchase Agreement grant.
However, CIFA has now received funds, according to Bush, who said during the recent Parliament session that the transaction took place before he stepped down from his post last month.
“Just before I vacated the ministry, the association was given a big set of money,” Bush said, although he did not provide the amount.
He went on to note that neither he nor the government can interfere with the operation of sporting associations on island, but said he is aware of things that happen behind the scenes.
“National players come to us, and I’m not talking about substitutes; starting players, both female and male, telling you what’s going on, where they see money being wasted, and it’s not on the players.”
Echenique was present during the Parliament meeting and echoed Bush’s ultimatum, but also stated that the ministry is trying its best to work with CIFA, despite the strife between the two parties.
“There have been aspects of complaints that we have looked into,” Echenique said, noting that there are some components that are not 100% up to standard.
“We are doing the best that we can to work with them and to ensure that the benefits of the purchase agreement that we have with them, as previously indicated, are going in the right direction and for the right purpose.”
CIFA president fires back
The Compass reached out to Whittaker on the claims Bush made, who said, “It’s unfortunate that the former minister would make such statements without knowing or having an idea with what CIFA spends its money on.”
“The money that was allotted to CIFA was owed, but [the payment] was neglected by [Bush] and ministry,” Whittaker continued, noting every year during the AGM, football members and auditors are “happy with how funds are being spent”.
CIFA funds were restored in 2020 for the first time since 2016, by then Sports Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who noted then that the association was in better hands following former CIFA president Jeffrey Webb’s wide-ranging corruption scandal that left the association under a dark cloud for many years.
Whittaker said that he continues to be the standard-bearer when it comes to spending funds on the right things.
“Every national team from junior to senior is given a chance to play international tournaments, which CIFA pays for,” Whittaker stressed. “We pay stipends – well-spent money – but we don’t only spend money on our national teams, we also spend money on clubs.
“Every team that travels to Cayman Brac, CIFA pays for the airfare, but the minister wouldn’t know that because he has no idea what CIFA is spending its money on.”
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