KPMG, one of the largest audit, tax and advisory firms in the world, will be launching its probe into the finances of the Barbados Football Association (BFA) within a few days.
At a media briefing yesterday afternoon, BFA?president Randy Harris said the first meeting with the auditors will be on Thursday and the probe could commence soon after.
FIFA, the sport’s governing body, has ordered a forensic audit into the finances of the local body, after a number of financial improprieties were discovered in 2013.
Harris said that in spite of the financing problems being publicised, there was nothing embarrassing about FIFA investigating the BFA’s coffers and systems.
“Our books are open. We have nothing to hide in the BFA.
“We are comfortable with the probe because we expect from this that the audit will help us to become more competent and efficient as far as the finances of the BFA is concerned going forward in the future.
“It is not a problem. FIFA supports us financially and if they want an audit, then there is no way we should be unhappy about it,” he added.
At the end of the audit, BFA?will receive a copy of the report that KPMG will despatch to FIFA.
“Basically, the audit will give us some guidelines on how we should proceed with the finances here at the BFA on a daily basis,” Harris said.
A recent media report indicated that thousands of dollars to be used for development of the sport in Barbados may not have been used for the benefit of the BFA.
FIFA sends large sums of money to every member association, specifically for development of the sport at the women’s, youth and national levels. Every year, the BFA receives a grant of around BDS$500 000, yet it remains almost a half-million dollars in the red, and also owes a number of local entities which provide services and amenities.
Harris revealed that the BFA had also withdrawn a complaint with the Royal Barbados Police Force after equipment worth thousands of dollars had been redirected to the association.
The BFA president also said the national team was hard at training in preparation for the March 2 season-opening clash with five-time Caribbean champions Jamaica at the National Stadium.
Coach Colin “Potato” Forde, a former national midfielder, said the squad of 46 invitees was mostly made up of Premier League players and those in the Barbados Defence Force programme.
Forde said the list also contained players from the lower divisions such as Bagatelle and Rendezvous, the latter, the Division 2 league and KFC?Knockout champions. The invitees from Rendezvous are goalkeeper Kerry Holder and midfielder Rashid Williams.
Barbados, who are ranked at 168 in the world, behind Antigua (146) and St Lucia (148), have not played an international since 2012 and Forde said he would like to see the team play at least six matches this year.
“It is up to the BFA finances-wise to see if they can accommodate more matches. I would be happy if we could play at least six matches but the funds are the key,” he said.
Forde was high in praise for strikers Mario Harte, Jomo Yearwood and exciting teenagers Shaquille Stewart of the Barbados Defence Force and Jabarry Chandler of Gall Hill.
He hinted that the 19-year-old Chandler could made his debut against Jamaica (80), the second-highest ranked English-speaking Caribbean nation, behind Trinidad and?Tobago (77).
