One year and 7 months, that's how long the administration of football in Belize had been in a holding pattern.
The last attempt at an election for president went for 14 hours, and at the end, the 20 delegates from the Congress of the Football Federation of Belize remained in a record breaking deadlock, unable to pick a new president between the then incumbent president, Ruperto Vicente, and his former Senior Vice President, Sergio Chuc.
That forced Marlon Kuylen, the Senior Vice President Elect, to step in and run the FFB as the Acting President for more than a year and a half. Kuylen struggled make the serious changes he felt were necessary to move football ahead in Belize. And last month, he wrote an extended and scathing review of the FFB's current state of affairs.
So, this weekend's elections were important for the restoration of some stability within the executive. After months of waiting, and 2 failed congresses, 4 candidates emerged to contest the presidency of the FFB. Those were the two deadlocked candidates, Ruperto Vicente and Sergio Chuc, along with Onan McLean and the outsider, Daniel Fabro.
For the post of Vice President, the candidates for this Saturday's elections were Cruz Gamez; David Griffith; Carlos Galvez; and Frank Sharp, another outsider who was allied with Daniel Fabro.
Our news team was at the Princess Ramada Hotel for the Saturday FFB Congress, and Daniel Ortiz has that story:
Daniel Ortiz reporting
On Saturday afternoon, for the first time in over a year and a half, the Football Federation of Belize had all the seats on its executive filled. In less than 3 hours, the elections for president and vice president was over - much shorter than the least election which went for 11 hours and ended in a tie.
The new president, Sergio Chuc, defeated his opponents handily, getting 14 votes out of the maximum of 20. Shortly after that, Cruz Gamez, was chosen as the new vice president.
Chuc, who was disqualified from running for the presidency, surged on in the face of opposition and is now the highest football official in Belize.
Sergio Chuc - President Elect, FFB
"My candidacy, I must disagree - had never been rocky."
"I knew from the very onset, that there were only 20 delegates, 20 votes, and that was my focus. Now, I overcame that hurdle, handsomely by the way, now I will do the media rounds, and unite the football family, unite everybody in Belize behind football."
Chuc and Gamez join the rest of the executive, Senior Vice President Marlon Kuylen, and Executive members Darlene Vernon, and Shane Moody Orio.
Chuc, Kuylen and Gamez stand among this new executive as the only remaining incumbents from the last administration. Their former FFB boss, past president Ruperto Vicente, who is usually very friendly with the press, exited the Congress venue without granting any interviews.
He got only 2 votes in this election.
Chuc, Kuylen and Gamez had come very far from March of last year when they tried to suspend Vicente from the office of the President.
They strongly opposed his management style, and with this election result, they are now in the ones in the driver's seat. They get to steer football in Belize in the direction they see fit.
Sergio Chuc - President Elect, FFB
"I am here to work for the development of football. If you put in your work, then the election automatically takes care of itself. But, if you are focusing on how to keep the position then I think you are missing the boat. And sadly, I believe that our last 2 presidents were more focusing on keeping their post, rather than seeing football move ahead."
Marlon Kuylen - 1st Vice President, FFB
"We weren't confident that he was leading us in the direction that Belize needed to go, and therefore, we formed our slate and we ran against him."
Cruz Gamez - Vice President, FFB
"This is a victory for us, but I think it is a victory for the entire football community, for our children, for the players, for everyone."
So, does the new FFB president see as the priority in local football?
Sergio Chuc
"My main focus right now is that there is enough funding, especially FIFA funding out there, for development programs here in Belize that I don't think we have been taking advantage of these monies that are out there. So, I really want to get somebody immediately onboard to start writing to access these funds."
Chuc also told us that the turmoil in the executive is over; and he intends to unite the football family under one objective.
Sergio Chuc
"There is not much in the aspect of uniting. As you saw the victory, it was 70% of the votes. So, I don't think there is much opposition out there to my presidency. So, the few people that they wanted to be led by another one of the candidates, I think they will come in, and my understanding is that they have the best interest of football. So, I don't see any problem moving ahead."
But, make no mistake, Chuc is moving forward, with or without those who may oppose his leadership.
Sergio Chuc
"I'm here to work, and whoever wants to work will stay and work. But, most people know about my business approach, and if you don't want to work, then I have absolutely no problem moving ahead without you."
And he has an executive that is behind him - at least for now.
Marlon Kuylen - 1st Vice President, FFB
"Yes, I am willing to work. I'm glad. I am happy that now, we have the full complement of the executive. It's brings stability, and FIFA is happy that this happened today. It went very smoothly."
Cruz Gamez
"I want to see youth football progress because it is in youth football that we will see the betterment in the future for Belize."
"I am very interested also to see women football be more active in Belize."
Darlene Vernon - Executive Member
"I was approached really to assist with bringing the statutes up to date, the PLB regulations to use - because I am an attorney. So, I was more approached to assist in that regard with the legal aspect with the drafting. And that is where I plan to continue to pledge my assistance to the new president."
Shane Moody Orio - Executive Member
"We're here to work as a team, with no personal gains, to move football forward, and I believe that each and every one of us have a wonderful chance, a wonderful opportunity, to leave something for the youths."
This executive is promising measurable results in their administration
Sergio Chuc
"We have a lot of raw talent in Belize, and with the support of my executive, who they've all pledged their support, I think Belize has places to go in the very near future."
"I could see great things happening for football in Belize, and it won't take us too long. It will be shown in - I'd say - 2 years, you'll start to see the progress."
In the race for Vice President, Cruz Gamez defeated his opponents in the second round. He got 14 votes; Carlos Galvez got 4, and Frank Sharp got the remaining 2.
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