Govt reckless in not getting stadium ready – Portia

[Mosiah]

Govt reckless in not getting Trelawney stadium ready – Simpson-Miller


Portia Simpson-Miller, Opposition Leader.
The Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller is condemning what she calls the embarrassing tardiness of the Government in failing to get the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium ready to host matchs under the CONCACAF Under-17 World Cup Football Qualifying Tournament.

"There can be no excuses given and none shall be accepted for this blunder. This is a national and international disgrace which is a blot on the reputation of Jamaica as a sporting nation," Mrs. Simpson-Miller said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

The Opposition Leader, who is also Spokesperson on Sports, said Sports Minister Olivia "Babsy" Grange, who was at the draw in Montego Bay, St. James, had the responsibility to ensure that the facility was ready.

This followed an earlier inspection by the leadership of CONCACAF where certain steps were outlined to ensure the readiness of the facility.

"The announcement of an investigation by the (Sports) Minister as to why she failed to ensure that the facility is ready is laughable," Mrs. Simpson-Miller said.

Shameful development

She has also apologized to CONCACAF on behalf of the people of Jamaica for this embarrassing blunder caused by the Government.

Mrs. Simpson Miller said "the gains to the economy and to hoteliers that would have come from the expenditure by teams, officials, media and sponsors as well as by spectators and supporters will now be diverted elsewhere."

"The positive boost to our tourism product that would have come from the footage, not only of the venue but of the lush vistas of Jamaica’s resort will not materialize. This is a shameful development," she added.

[Bricktop]

Hold on a minute...what of the "no government interference" mandated by FIFA?

[Mosiah]

please, brickie! if they interfere...so, did the south african govt. interfere to make sure the world cup was a success?

[Bricktop]

They can provide funding to the JFF but that is it...the JFF is who mucked this whole thing up...they left the patients to run the asylum...

[Mosiah]

di ongle person i blaming is boxhill!

[Me]

The JFF definitely deserve some blame because at the end of the day they are coordinating the tournament. However, I don't think they have much control over the venues or the people preparing them and it is quite clear that Horace Reid has been trying to get parties to work and they have been slacking.

[Pbanta]

What Some Out There Are Saying

The JFF definitely deserve some blame because at the end of the day they are coordinating the tournament. However, I don't think they have much control over the venues or the people preparing them and it is quite clear that Horace Reid has been trying to get parties to work and they have been slacking.

WHAT ONLY A FEW THINK FROM OBSERVERS COMMENT SECTION. GOOD CHATTING BB....COACH

Poco Loco
2/10/2011

Bring the Games to Brazil because that is where the players trained and they are use to that field in Brazil. Idiots!

Poco Loco
2/10/2011

Pure idiots in JFF

Winston Strachan
2/10/2011

Someone should loose their job for this, we can never do anything right. What has the JFF been doing, it was said years ago that our football fields were never good. The one chance we get shine and look what we did. We FAILED once again. WOW! when will we ever get it right, no wonder our football standard sucks.

David Hicks
2/10/2011

why would they JFF who knew about the U-17 tournament last year allow for the managers of the park host a Jazz Festival days before the tournament.....things like this should be made clear in the contract. i would assume you had hundreds of people and equipment destroying the grass...what a failure and disgrace. the JFF might be the worst run organization in the West. they don't even know how to market themselves. 'JAMAICA' is a billion dollar brand, why cant they capitalize on this?

John Brown
2/10/2011

Use the huge Stadium built by the Chinese Govt in Sligoville. It has been sitting idle for about 6 years after being built. The grass inside the facility was very tall the last time I peeked inside.

C. Brown
2/10/2011

Shame! No excuse! What a disappointment!

Kwame Gordon-Martin
2/10/2011

Jesus Christ! How in the heck can people read this article and make comments like, " how come they are just checking the fields now" when the artcle clearly states that the JFF rep saw the field AFTER Jazz Fest and there was grass there. It's right there in black and white. Our schools have definitely failed these jokers. On topic, the management of the stadium is absolutely responsible for this debacle. It's their job to certify that the stadium is up to standard to whoever rents it.

Larry Simpson
2/10/2011

Politics.

Vincent Murray
2/10/2011

There is no way that this stadium could have been ready after such a major event as the jazz festival ending just a few days prior, not to mention the rains that occurred during the last night of the festival. Sheer greed on the part of the responsible parties.

cyril lindsay
2/10/2011

Bring the games to Brancourt in Clarendon so I can go watch a couple of matches without having to travel to Mobay. Still cant believe they just now inspecting the field the jazz festival ended several days ago and blaming the govt Please!!


Peter Claude
2/10/2011

Bwoy mi a tell yu! Nothing ever changes in JA. What a disgrace. We cant even put together a simple 12 team tournament. This was not something that was put together yesterday. Why are we now just four days away finding out that the field will not be ready. only in JA...

Anthony II
2/10/2011

And how long ago did we know that we would be hosting this event? And how long ago did we know that we would need at least two decent fields of play? And how often do we run the mouth about being mecca for sports? Here is a major opportunity to showcase our ability to get things right and to host an event, and what happens? We screw up and have no Plan B! How do we manage things? How do me make decisions? How do we plan? Do we always put things off until the proverbial last minute?

Brooklyn Jamaican
2/10/2011

I hope the Captain takes responsibility and resigns.

Andrew Green
2/10/2011

Its a disgrace, all that running around going to Brazil . they knew that we,re hosting the tournament and no one inspected the field atleast a month before time.sounds like jamaica they have no ambition in anything they do.

[Mosiah]

Always a pleasure, Coach!

Sligoville Stadium?!? I hear even the goats have boycotted that place!

[Me]

Mi drive past it the other day and the thing look like a 100 year old facility.

KD to rhatid.

[Karl]

My next PM jumps the gun!

Although a call to arms is necessary, I think our next PM should have called for speedy fixing of the problem...not shown that she had given up on our ability to "come through".

This is not the time to be "throwing hands in the air" and showing despair.

On her other points she is bang-on!

[Karl]

Hold on a minute...what of the "no government interference" mandated by FIFA?

Governments can always provide assistance in cash and kind. They cannot, as per national FAs and FIFA statutes give direction of football policy and
administration. They can comment on it...but hands off as far as becoming involved in setting of policy, and giving directives to FA or affiliate administrations.

[Mosiah]

All she said in the interview heard was, "I am embarrassed!" For 5 minutes!

And then what, Portia?

[OJ]

ok MO or sick what really happen here.. Did they over fertilize the thing and burn it? what happen.. this is like a bad dream.

[Bruce]

I have Google Earth on my computer. Why in the hell would the Chinese want to build something in a remote place like Sligoville?

The view is obscured by clouds, but I can see a soccer pitch, a cricket field, and two basketball courts.

Reading soccer reports in the OBSERVER and GLEANER, I have never heard of a game being played in Sligoville.

[MdmeX]

I have Google Earth on my computer. Why in the hell would the Chinese want to build something in a remote place like Sligoville?

The view is obscured by clouds, but I can see a soccer pitch, a cricket field, and two basketball courts.

Reading soccer reports in the OBSERVER and GLEANER, I have never heard of a game being played in Sligoville.

Maybe the games they play there are not soccer, cricket or basketball related, and there's a certain privacy to the events!