Coach Kent Gabourel and His Wife Terminated from F.F.B.

Former coach Kent Gabourel, who has been with the Football Federation of Belize in various capacities for the past twelve years, has been let go from the F.F.B. and his contract going forward will not be renewed.  According to Gabourel, he and his wife who has also been with F.F.B. since 2004, were both released on the same day, despite initial assurances from the executive of the federation that his employment would have been reviewed after the COVID-19 crisis.  He says that he was given a letter informing him of the decision and when he inquired about monies owed to him for his tenure, Gabourel was reportedly told that the existing contract supersedes any previous financial arrangement.

On the Phone: Kent Gabourel, Former Employee, F.F.B.

“Just after the COVID-19 we had a staff meeting and we decided to shut down after there were some cases in Belize.  So we had this staff meeting and in the staff meeting I know my contract was supposed to end at the end of March.  So at the end of the meeting I asked the general secretary what would happen to our contract, when I say ours, myself and the secretary.  The general secretary then said to me that this is a crisis and we cannot deal with any contracts right now.  So you will continue to get your salary, all of you, then we will decide after the crisis is over, what we will do.  On May twenty-first they called me and my wife into the federation, report to the office.  There they dealt with me first and said, well Mr. Gabourel, we will not renew your contract and because of the COVID-19 this is just a time for us to… we will shorten on our staff and thing.  So I said, well okay.  When they gave me the letter to terminate my service and then they turned to my wife and gave her the letter too and said that you are being terminated from the Football Federation.”