A legal confrontation between former Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) marketing director Peter Miller and the association’s trustee will reach a pivotal moment on February 26 when Justice Frank Seepersad delivers his ruling. Miller claims substantial unpaid compensation for services rendered during the association’s financial restructuring phase.
The crux of the dispute centers on whether Miller continued fulfilling his contractual obligations beyond March 2020, when FIFA installed a normalization committee to oversee TTFA operations. Miller maintains he persistently worked through the association’s financial crisis, while trustee Maria Daniel has disallowed portions of his claim based on advice that he ceased services during that period.
Miller’s employment commenced January 1, 2020, under a two-year contract stipulating a monthly salary of US$25,000, plus an additional US$30,410.95 for services predating his formal contract. During virtual testimony, Miller faced rigorous cross-examination from Senior Counsel Kerwyn Garcia, who challenged the evidentiary support for Miller’s assertions of continued work.
The judicial proceedings revealed complexities in documenting marketing achievements. Miller acknowledged completing several initiatives outlined in a February 2020 brief from then-TTFA president William Wallace, including securing kit deals, launching a new association website, and identifying broadcast rights partners. However, he conceded that his court submissions lacked documentary evidence for alleged sponsorship agreements with international companies and arranged friendlies with UK and Brazilian clubs.
Trustee Maria Daniel, appointed in November 2021 to manage TTFA’s debt proposal process, testified that her mandate focused exclusively on financial rehabilitation assessment. While acknowledging email correspondence suggesting Miller maintained sponsor communications after March 2020, she maintained insufficient context existed to validate these exchanges as substantive work.
Robert Hadad, chairman of FIFA’s normalization committee, corroborated the verification challenges, stating his position required confirming active employees before approving payments.
The TTFA’s debt proposal, ultimately approved by creditors in May 2022, provided legal protection while the association pursued financial recovery. An Ernst and Young report estimated outstanding liabilities at approximately TT$98.5 million, with the enhanced proposal increasing committed funds to US$3.5 million.
Justice Seepersad’s impending decision will hinge principally on whether evidence substantiates Miller’s claim of continued contractual performance after March 2020.