FFB Throws Marvin Ottley Under the Bus
As we said, the contract to upgrade the pitch of the F.F.B. Football field in Belmopan was issued to a Belizean contractor…but the work has not been completed so Belize is being penalized and cannot participate in the Champions League. According to Vicente, aside from the one hundred and fifty-two thousand US dollars that was awarded to a known stakeholder in football and contractor, Marvin Ottley, the F.F.B. assisted by investing an additional forty thousand dollars from the federation’s purse for an incomplete pitch. So who kept an eye on Ottley and the work on the pitch? Vicente told the media saying that Ottley was chosen from four bids.
Ruperto Vicente, President, F.F.B.
“FIFA also pays a consultant to oversee and supervise the work that is done here…we don’t do it. So there is a consultant paid directly by FIFA to supervise this work. So it is the consultant that sends reports to FIFA.”
Reporter
“But at any time, as the beneficiary, did you all make complaints to the supervisor that the works were not on time, there were issues with the field, were not satisfied and want to fast-track this work and get it done properly?”
Ruperto Vicente
Ruperto Vicente
“We have always almost every week, we complained to the contractor. We have made complaints to the contractor and the consultant telling him that we are not satisfied with the work being done and that this work needs to be fast forwarded because Belmopan Bandits participation in Champions League depends on it and may be at stake. These were always copied to FIFA.”
Reporter
“What is the track record of this contractor? Has he done…What was the process of FIFA selecting this particular contractor?”
Ruperto Vicente
“There were four companies that made the bid for the field…there was a company from El Salvador, there was a company from Guatemala and there were two from Belize. This contractor made an excellent presentation to FIFA representatives and it was based on that and of course the amount he requested for the pitch. His bid was one of the lower bids and so FIFA awarded him the contract.”
Reporter
“So you won’t categorize this as a form of nepotism since we understand that the contractor who received this contract to do the field is a relative of one of the executives of F.F.B.?”
Ruperto Vicente
“No, not really.”
Reporter
“So due process was taken?”
Ruperto Vicente
“Due process was taken; all the contractors were called in, their envelopes with their estimates were opened right in front of them because they had to submit the envelopes sealed with their stamps on it. So when the FIFA officials came in those envelopes were opened in front of them so due process was given to those bids.”
While a track record was not requested, Vicente says that to complete the work on the pitch, another fifty thousand dollars is required. The contractor was sent to Panama by FIFA to train on how to prepare and maintain a pitch. Ottley could not be reached to comment on the unfinished field.
It is not adding up…gross corruption somewhere…..this kind of public shaming by the media and instigated by FIFA is good. When will we learn about acceptability? I am sure ottley got insider information to know exactly how much the celling was an he purposefully underbid so that he got the award.
Same Belizean Story of contracts to pave streets that are never done even though money has been collected . This Belizean culture needs to change
to throw someone under the bus is to betray them, usually saving oneself at the same time. at this time we the public don’t have enough facts to say ottley was betrayed. ottley should have made a statement the SAME day. In the meantime, vicente had to fend off flak. You have to admit that he didn’t excoriate ottley’ he even said one or two nice things about him. I’ll tell you one thing, though. He (vicente) is NOT very articulate. I’m not talking about his accent or his english. He mounts a meager defense… and is slow and repetitive.
Belmopan was built with yards that had Bahamas grass as it was called, especially in the well-to-do section of Belmopan in those days…….Orchid Garden area, Governor General’s house/yard etc…..now I don’t think everyone has died who knows about and how to plant and cure the Bahamas grass……
John Saldivar should know that and should advise……. he is a Belmopan Boy who use to play on those types of grass…….
So what is so hard to get them same type of grass on the field and since only lazy people now exist due to technology these days, then buy the damn grass…how long 2014, 2015 football schedule is out, so preparation could have been done a long time ago……..