T&T Football Association (TTFA) Director Keith Look Loy has filed yet another lawsuit seeking disclosure of information related to the construction of its US$2.5 million "Home for Football".
In the judicial review claim filed in April, Look Loy is claiming that the documents disclosed by the TTFA pursuant to the court order from March 20, raised more questions over suspected financial impropriety in the project.
"From the documents I did receive, I noticed a number of discrepancies in General Ledger. This includes payments which I know ought to have been made from, my personal knowledge of the running of the organisation, not appearing in General Ledger," Look Loy said in his affidavit filed in the case.
Look Loy also alleged that the forensic accountants whom he retained to analyse the association's records also pointed out issues.
"I also note from the documents I have received that the cumulative value of the contracts which have been disclosed to me appears to be approximately $3 million. The value of the stated FIFA investment is approximately $19.25 million; meaning that there is an apparent unexplained discrepancy of approximately $16 million," Look Loy added, in his request for the association's bank statements.
When Look Loy's case came up for hearing before Justice Devindra Rampersad at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain, on Wednesday morning, the TTFA was given directions on the filing of its evidence in the case. The case was then transferred to Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, who presided over the first case.
As a secondary issue in the case, Look Loy is defending his appointment to the TTFA in December 2017.
According to Look Loy the issue of whether there was a quorum of the TTFA executive members present when he was appointed a director, based on his position as president of the T&T Super League, was only raised after by TTFA general secretary Camara David after he scored the legal victory over the disclosure of the documents.
"Clearly this is with a view to frustrating and/or preventing my assessment of the bank statements and other documents of the TTFA with a view to increasing transparency and accountability within the sport," Look Loy claimed as he pointed to documents, in which embattled TTFA President David John-Williams and other colleagues had previously acknowledged his position.
Look Loy sought and received an injunction blocking the association from challenging his appointment pending the determination of his lawsuit.
Look Loy is being represented Dr Emir Crowne, Matthew Gayle and Crystal Paul, while Anand Missir is representing the TTFA.
About the Case
Look Loy's legal challenges are related to the "Home for Football" project in Couva which is expected to include a 72-room hotel, training pitches, an entertainment centre and administrative offices for the association.
The sod was turned in September 2017, with construction starting in February, last year. The project was sponsored by Fifa and is being constructed on a little over seven hectares of land donated by the Government.
The project was already at an advanced stage when Fifa representative Veron Mosengo-Omba and Sports Minister Shamfa Cudjoe conducted a tour in August, last year.
The project is still incomplete but the facility is scheduled to be opened, later this year.
Delivering judgement in Look Loy's first case, on March 20, Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh ruled that TFA president David John-Williams and former general secretary Justin Latapy-George acted irrationally and unreasonably when they repeatedly declined to Look Loy's requests.