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From the OBSERVER:
Lights return to Trelawny Stadium after JPS lock-off
BY KAYON RAYNOR Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, December 04, 2008
QUICK action from Sports Minister Olivia Grange last evening averted an embarrassing situation for the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) after the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) disconnected electricity from the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium - venue for matches in this week's CFU Digicel Caribbean Championships.
Information reaching the Observer is that the JPS disconnected electricity from the sports venue for non-payment of bills in the total of $3.2 million.
"We can confirm that today (yesterday) the JPS disconnected the light," said Michael Fennell, who chairs Independence Park Limited (IPL), the body which has temporary responsibility for operating the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.
Four games are scheduled to be played at the Trelawny facility between Friday and Saturday in the eight- team Digicel Caribbean Championship Finals.
"There is an amount that is outstanding... for some time and the (Sports) Ministry has been trying to put in place the funds to settle that amount," Fennell explained.
Grange, who was initially surprised that the JPS had disconnected the electricity supply, told the Observer power would have been reconnected last night after speaking with the authorities at the JPS.
"The light is being turned on as we speak because we have the cheque and have therefore advised them," Grange said moments after leaving Parliament last evening.
She said the disconnection resulted from a "breakdown in communication" between IPL's deputy chairman, Major Desmon Brown, and Shawn Thompson, the ministry's director of corporate services. "We had the cheque here (at the ministry) but Major Brown spoke with the JPS not knowing that the cheque was ready," Grange said.
"As usual if there is a cash flow (problem) things are a little delayed... but we've been catching up on the cash flow and the cheque was prepared; it's just that the system takes a while to get signatures and all of that," Grange explained.
Meanwhile JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, while relieved that the problem was sorted out, was disappointed that the JPS had cut the power initially.
"I believed that JPS was extremely insensitive in disconnecting the lights at this stage. Disconnecting the lights when Jamaica is hosting the rest of the Caribbean in football, I thought that it could have been handled differently," Burrell told the Observer.
"Having said that I want to thank the sports minister for her quick action in having this situation resolved and... all is well that ends well," he said.
The winner of the Digicel Caribbean Cup will pocket US$120,000 and the Digicel Caribbean Championship Trophy. The top four teams will automatically qualify for next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Lights return to Trelawny Stadium after JPS lock-off
BY KAYON RAYNOR Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, December 04, 2008
QUICK action from Sports Minister Olivia Grange last evening averted an embarrassing situation for the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) after the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) disconnected electricity from the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium - venue for matches in this week's CFU Digicel Caribbean Championships.
Information reaching the Observer is that the JPS disconnected electricity from the sports venue for non-payment of bills in the total of $3.2 million.
"We can confirm that today (yesterday) the JPS disconnected the light," said Michael Fennell, who chairs Independence Park Limited (IPL), the body which has temporary responsibility for operating the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.
Four games are scheduled to be played at the Trelawny facility between Friday and Saturday in the eight- team Digicel Caribbean Championship Finals.
"There is an amount that is outstanding... for some time and the (Sports) Ministry has been trying to put in place the funds to settle that amount," Fennell explained.
Grange, who was initially surprised that the JPS had disconnected the electricity supply, told the Observer power would have been reconnected last night after speaking with the authorities at the JPS.
"The light is being turned on as we speak because we have the cheque and have therefore advised them," Grange said moments after leaving Parliament last evening.
She said the disconnection resulted from a "breakdown in communication" between IPL's deputy chairman, Major Desmon Brown, and Shawn Thompson, the ministry's director of corporate services. "We had the cheque here (at the ministry) but Major Brown spoke with the JPS not knowing that the cheque was ready," Grange said.
"As usual if there is a cash flow (problem) things are a little delayed... but we've been catching up on the cash flow and the cheque was prepared; it's just that the system takes a while to get signatures and all of that," Grange explained.
Meanwhile JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, while relieved that the problem was sorted out, was disappointed that the JPS had cut the power initially.
"I believed that JPS was extremely insensitive in disconnecting the lights at this stage. Disconnecting the lights when Jamaica is hosting the rest of the Caribbean in football, I thought that it could have been handled differently," Burrell told the Observer.
"Having said that I want to thank the sports minister for her quick action in having this situation resolved and... all is well that ends well," he said.
The winner of the Digicel Caribbean Cup will pocket US$120,000 and the Digicel Caribbean Championship Trophy. The top four teams will automatically qualify for next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup.