#MeToo phenomenon finally reaches Guyana
Judging from a news article published in the Stabroek News of Monday, November 26th, 2018 on the inquiry ordered by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) of allegations of sexual harassment leveled against members of the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) it would appear that the #MeToo Movement has finally found some daylight in Guyana.
The article stated that the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has recommended that the Head of Referees Department, Stanley Lancaster and Referees Assessor Roy McArthur be removed from their current portfolios following its assessment of interviews conducted with aggrieved female members of the referees’ fraternity.
The final report is in the hands of the GFF and the whole of Guyana and most importantly the game’s stakeholders are now looking to the governing body to act swiftly on the report and give justice where it is due.
The GFF, despite eventually ordering a CoI, had placed itself in a bad situation due to its apparent reluctance to acquiesce to numerous requests to probe allegations of sexual harassment being committed by members of the Council.
It took a determined approach by Stabroek News and others to ultimately force open the conscience of the GFF hierarchy and order an inquiry.
The GFF President was asked about his knowledge of the accusations and he admitted that he knew, but his choice to ignore one of the accusers even after promising initially to listen to her story must surely erase any praise for eventually commissioning an inquiry. Many persons close to the sport either knew or heard of the prevalence of sexual harassment meted out to young aspiring referees, but many also felt that the dirty secrets of the Council must remain within and therefore did not see it as a sacred duty to report such suspicions. In light of that, the perpetrators must have felt empowered. There must be no sacred cows anymore and the work by the panel that comprised the GFF CoI must not stop with football, but must now extend to other organisations with individuals who’re carrying out similar acts under the pretence of fast-tracking someone’s career.
Sadly, but importantly, football has initiated such an investigation, but no one should think that stories of this nature do not exist in other organisations. So the work has just begun and the GFF could save itself further humiliation by adhering to the recommendations of the CoI and deal severely with those found culpable in an effort to limit the damage the sport has already suffered. The CoI report is a good start, but could we be confident of a positive outcome? The GFF now have an excellent opportunity to do something ‘For the Good of the Game’.