Allegations of non-payment of salary to Robert Fernandes is baseless: GFDC Chairman

Goa Khabar: Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) has refuted claims made by GFDC residential coach Roberto Fernandes of non-payment of salary for the last 3 years.

Addressing a press conference on Monday along with council members Bruno Coutinho, Dr. Caitano Fernandes, Avertano Furtado, Pradeep Chodankar, Sanjiv Nagvekar and Shantaram Naik , GFDC Chairman Brahmanand Shankhwalkar said that Robert Fernandes didn’t accept the revised order of salary during the pandemic that was made to all GFDC coaches, whereas other coaches who joined were paid and since he did not accept the offer he was not paid his salary for that period.

“GFDC took a humanitarian stand and the council had decided to pay him his salary during the pandemic period when all the centres as well as the residential academy were not functional.

As per a statement released by GFDC, 50% of the salary during the pandemic period from December 2020 to May 2022 of Robert Fernandes was approved, which would have been paid if he had accepted the offer. In the Council meeting held on 22 May, 2023, the Council took a resolution that despite the coaches, including Fernandes, joining GFDC or not, 50% salary from December 2020 to May 2022 may be considered.

The GFDC Chairman said that as approved by the government for 50% of their salary during the Covid period from December 2020 to May 2022 (18 months), 11 months’ salary were paid as per funds availability, and remaining 7 months will be paid once funds are received.

Robert Fernandes was appointed coach from September 2015 with salary of Rs 35,000 on contract basis, which was extended from 24 September 2016 to 30th June 2017, and was enhanced to Rs 50,000, and subsequently further extended from 1st July 2017 to 31 December 2017, by then member secretary Aleixo da Costa.

On 31 December, 2017, Robert Fernandes’ services were not considered for extension due to his poor performance in GFDC Academy team, from 1st ,January 2018, Which was due to GFDC Academy team poor performance and Robert not registering himself for A licence Course. Aleixo Da Costa had moved a note on 2nd  November, 2017 wherein he mentioned that Roberto Fernandes has no interest in upskilling himself and demoted him as assistant coach of the Team and hence Robert contract was not renewed.

He was reappointed coach on 18 February 2020 by Da Costa on salary of Rs 53,144 for on hourly charges (292 per hour x 26 days = Rs.53,144).

The Council was not reconstituted from 15 May 2019 to 31 July 2020, and hence in absence of Chairman & council, all decisions, including this, were taken by Da Costa.

“During the pandemic, Coaches were not paid and file was moved to the Govt. to pay their salary during covid. However, Da Costa, remarked in a note to the government that in their appointment orders hourly payments will be made for the hired services at the end of the month. Since the coaches had not worked on an hourly basis the question of payment of coaches’ services does not arise.

I emphasized that paying them during the pandemic will help retain their services which will give immense knowledge and experience when coaching resumes,” the GFDC Chairman said.

Shankhwalkar said that Da Costa had signed cheques worth Rs 50 lakhs when he was authorised to only clear amounts of up to Rs 10 lakhs. “He had approached   me to sign and clear the cheques during the pandemic, which I flatly refused,” he said.

Coutinho said that the allegations made by former GFDC member secretary Aleixo da Costa are baseless. “I will file a defamation case against him. He should have said council members, not made personal statements against me. In fact, we have helped Robert and approved his salary despite he not accepting the offer,” he said.

Dr. Caitano Fernandes said that Da Costa has committed fraud during his tenure as GFDC member secretary.

“The government needs to act against him. Why is he protected? The Hon’ble Chief minister must suspend him and conduct an inquiry,” he said.

Naik and Chodankar also said that they have a clean image, and called for a thorough probe into Da Costa’s role.

Shankhwalkar said that their term is getting over on 31 July and added they worked hard to clean the system, especially faced a tough time during the pandemic.

“I thank the Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, and Sports minister Govind Gaude for all their support. A wrong message has been given by Da Costa  to the world about GFDC,” he said.