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(The Jamaica Observer)
The CFU's lack of decency
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
There's an age-old Caribbean tradition of hospitality for which the peoples of this region are justifiably proud and which keeps millions of tourists coming to our shores each year.
Indeed, the fact that the Caribbean is populated by some of the warmest and most friendly people on earth is utilised to great effect by the region's tourism authorities, so much so that last year the Caribbean recorded just over 19 million international tourist arrivals, according to a United Nations World Tourism Organisation report.
Commendably, this hospitality is not reserved for visitors from outside the region, as Caribbean people who travel to other islands can testify to the good treatment they receive during their stay.
We are therefore puzzled at the apparent callous treatment of the Jamaican delegation to the just concluded Caribbean Football Union (CFU) youth tournament in Trinidad.
For those who have not been following the story, on Sunday we reported that the Under-17 Reggae Boyz, after being knocked out of the competition on Friday, were told by airline officials on Saturday that no seats were available to take them back home.
According to our reporter travelling with the teams, they were told that in order to get airline seats they would be charged US$117 plus tax per person. Otherwise, the earliest date that they could be boarded would be August 18, and that would be in batches.
This was despite the fact that the rules of the tournament dictate that teams that get to the knockout phase are flown home on August 11, the day after the finals.
The Under-15 Reggae Girlz, after winning their segment of the tournament on Sunday, were also left stranded.
Up to Monday, we were willing to accept that a terrible mix-up in the flight arrangements had led to our youngsters and their coaches being stranded in Port of Spain; that was until we learnt that the Cuban team, who played the final on Sunday and won the boys tournament, was able to leave.
As if that was not bad enough, on Monday the Jamaicans were advised that they would be relocated from the Ambassador Hotel in St James to a guest house reeking with foul odour from a gully running beside it.
While we can forgive the airline seat fiasco, we simply cannot overlook the CFU's disgraceful decision to dump the Jamaican teenagers and their coaches in such inhospitable accommodations.
Common courtesy and decency would, we believe, dictate that the CFU finds acceptable accommodations for the delegation until the airline mess can be sorted out.
Obviously, something went wrong with the travel arrangements. That's life. However, it's just poor manners to treat guests in this way. The CFU should be ashamed of itself. For not only has it eroded some of the goodwill that the tournament created, it has left the parents of these youngsters to worry for their safety and well-being.
An apology is the least it could now offer in the circumstances.
The CFU's lack of decency
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
There's an age-old Caribbean tradition of hospitality for which the peoples of this region are justifiably proud and which keeps millions of tourists coming to our shores each year.
Indeed, the fact that the Caribbean is populated by some of the warmest and most friendly people on earth is utilised to great effect by the region's tourism authorities, so much so that last year the Caribbean recorded just over 19 million international tourist arrivals, according to a United Nations World Tourism Organisation report.
Commendably, this hospitality is not reserved for visitors from outside the region, as Caribbean people who travel to other islands can testify to the good treatment they receive during their stay.
We are therefore puzzled at the apparent callous treatment of the Jamaican delegation to the just concluded Caribbean Football Union (CFU) youth tournament in Trinidad.
For those who have not been following the story, on Sunday we reported that the Under-17 Reggae Boyz, after being knocked out of the competition on Friday, were told by airline officials on Saturday that no seats were available to take them back home.
According to our reporter travelling with the teams, they were told that in order to get airline seats they would be charged US$117 plus tax per person. Otherwise, the earliest date that they could be boarded would be August 18, and that would be in batches.
This was despite the fact that the rules of the tournament dictate that teams that get to the knockout phase are flown home on August 11, the day after the finals.
The Under-15 Reggae Girlz, after winning their segment of the tournament on Sunday, were also left stranded.
Up to Monday, we were willing to accept that a terrible mix-up in the flight arrangements had led to our youngsters and their coaches being stranded in Port of Spain; that was until we learnt that the Cuban team, who played the final on Sunday and won the boys tournament, was able to leave.
As if that was not bad enough, on Monday the Jamaicans were advised that they would be relocated from the Ambassador Hotel in St James to a guest house reeking with foul odour from a gully running beside it.
While we can forgive the airline seat fiasco, we simply cannot overlook the CFU's disgraceful decision to dump the Jamaican teenagers and their coaches in such inhospitable accommodations.
Common courtesy and decency would, we believe, dictate that the CFU finds acceptable accommodations for the delegation until the airline mess can be sorted out.
Obviously, something went wrong with the travel arrangements. That's life. However, it's just poor manners to treat guests in this way. The CFU should be ashamed of itself. For not only has it eroded some of the goodwill that the tournament created, it has left the parents of these youngsters to worry for their safety and well-being.
An apology is the least it could now offer in the circumstances.