The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Referee Department celebrated a year of stellar performances and achievements in football officiating during its annual Referee Awards Ceremony, recently held at the Marriott Hotel.
The event was held as an opportunity to honour the achievements of referees who have contributed significantly to the development of football across the nation.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Special Awards.
Shavin Greene was honoured with the Dianne Ferreira-James Award as Referee of the Year 2024.
Brandon Cyrus received the Dianne Ferreira-James Award for Assistant Referee of the Year 2024, while Micah Erskine and Safiya Goulding were named Most Improved Referee of 2024 and Most Improved Assistant Referee of 2024, respectively.
A special recognition was given to Kleon Lindey for his decade of service as a FIFA Assistant Referee, underscoring his immense contributions to the sport.
Adding to the night’s significance was the presentation of FIFA Badges to several distinguished referees.
Shavin Greene was officially recognised as a FIFA Referee, while Kleon Lindey, Denisha Isaacs, Clenton Daniel and Brandon Cyrus were awarded FIFA Assistant Referee badges.
Meanwhile, Colin Abel received his FIFA FUTSAL Referee badge, marking another milestone in Guyana’s growing presence in global football officiating.
Natasha Lewis was also presented with an award for being the Referee Instructor of the Year.
During the ceremony, the GFF Head of Referees, Lenval Peart, reflected on the progress made in 2024 and the dedication of the awardees.
“Our referees are the backbone of football, ensuring fair play and maintaining the integrity of the game. This we’re going to be focusing on expanding our referee recruitment drive to all regions in Guyana. In addition, we will be placing more emphasis on referee recruitment for futsal.”
He added,” Last year was definitely a year to be proud of. From expanding our referee pool to introducing Guyana’s first female referee course, we are proud to be setting new standards in the region. Tonight, we celebrate their contributions, and we look forward to even greater accomplishments in 2025.”
One of the most notable achievements he said, was the expansion of the referee pool through a recruitment drive that brought in 12 new officials, including four women, from Region Four.
This effort demonstrated the department’s commitment to diversifying football officiating and ensuring greater representation across Guyana.
Another key accomplishment was Natasha Lewis’ participation in the FIFA MA Instructor Course held in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
She joined an elite group of instructors from across the region, gaining invaluable experience and showcasing Guyana’s growing prominence in football officiating.
This opportunity was a testament to both her personal dedication and the Federation’s efforts to create pathways for local referees to excel at an international level.
The introduction of Guyana’s first-ever female referee course was a groundbreaking milestone for the Referee Department in 2024.
The initiative, which was only the second of its kind in the Caribbean, was recognised by CONCACAF as a model for what referee development programmes should strive to achieve.
The course underscored the department’s focus on increasing gender diversity within football officiating and empowering women to take on leadership roles in the sport.
In August, the FIFA MA Referee Course brought further recognition to the Federation’s efforts.
From this programme, two individual- a referee and an instructor- were selected to attend the FIFA Referee Academy in 2025.
This achievement highlighted the quality of training offered by the Federation and the growing reputation of Guyanese referees on the global stage.
Additionally, Brandon Cyrus and Safia Golding represented Guyana at the CFU U-14 Boys’ Challenge Series, officiating key matches, including the semi-finals and the final.
Their performances were lauded as exemplary and a reflection of the Federation’s commitment to developing world-class referees.
During his address, the GFF Third Vice-President Dion Inniss commended the referees for their dedication to upholding fairness and integrity on the field.
Reflecting on the history of the awards ceremony, he acknowledged its importance as a longstanding tradition and expressed his pride in its revival.
“Referees are the unsung heroes of football,” he remarked.
“Your commitment to ensuring that the game is played fairly and with integrity is invaluable.”
Looking ahead to 2025, the Referee Department outlined ambitious plans to expand recruitment efforts into underserved regions and to enhance training opportunities for both referees and instructors.
These initiatives are expected to address gaps in referee availability across the country and strengthen the overall quality of officiating.
Plans also include hosting additional FIFA courses to provide local referees with opportunities to further their skills and gain international exposure. (GFF)
