The Development Seminar, targeted at Strengthening National Leagues and General Secretary/CEO mentoring in its first three days, delved into financial matters with the Fiji FA presenting its experiences to delegates this morning.
CEO Bob Kumar said the Fiji FA had transitioned into outsourcing its financial management as football activities in the country increased with each passing year.
“Our past experience with accounting at the Fiji FA was to have an in-house solution with an elected treasurer appointed to the federation.
“This system was not ideal as finding a volunteer for the position proved difficult on a part-time basis and the federation had to wait for cheque signing and so on,” Kumar said.
Common to many Member Associations in the OFC, often the elected treasurer would adopt a number of other roles within the organisation causing time delays in financial processes.
The other key challenge included keeping talented individuals in the role once they had raised their own professional compentencies.
“Accounts clerks would move on from the role quickly after requiring a very marketable skill-set.
“Outsourcing to Praveens Business Management means the Fiji FA did not have to be concerned with staff issues, the onus is on the acounting firm to find a replacement if someone leaves,” Kumar said.
Training and expertise of new staff is the responsibility of the accountacy firm.
FIFA Development Officer Eva Pasquier said the Fiji FA decision to go for an external solution lowered the danger of Member Associations running into recruitment issues, time delays or financial mismanagement.
“Outsourcing is a great advantage where the volumes are pretty high in the Fiji FA. Another example of this is in the New Caledonia federation where it is handled by one person in the association but is also complemented by an outsourced company.
“Some Member Associations have not had good experience with a single person working as a financial manager, outsourcing provides assurances this won’t happen because it’s a company that stands behind its services, the dangers are much less,” Pasquier said.
Kumar said the contract with Praveens Business Management was under revision with the contracted accountancy firm seeking an improved fee.
“Praveens Business Management are contracted to Fiji FA for an annual sum, and they are asking for an increase, which has not been done.
“I’ve sounded this out to the Fiji FA that the rate needs to be reviewed. We are looking at some revision,” he said.
A salaried position within a federation in the Fiji FA context has a greater impact on delivery of services whereas for the same money, Praveens Business Management had provided Fiji with two full-time office staff and the manager of the firm was heavily involved in preparing the annual accounts for audit at the end of each year.
“With a bigger turn over of activities it becomes cumbersome to manage. Other accountancy firms set fees that are not always easy to meet,” Kumar added.
The Financial Management Seminar, featuring guest speakers from FIFA including performance consultant Anter Isaac and delegates from the OFC general secretariat and its member associations continues today before closing on Tuesday evening.