JFF, PLCA set for key RSPL meetings

With just a few weeks to go before the start of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) season, there has been no improvement in the situation affecting the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), whose responsibility, as it stands, is to operate and market the RSPL.

After the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) dissolved the Professional Football Association of Jamaica (PFAJ) – the operations and administrative arm of the PLCA – due to a Concacaf directive, the JFF directed the PLCA to cease and desist their sponsorship and marketing role for the league and put a steering committee in its place.

However, because of time constraints, the JFF decided to put the new committee on hold, and, as a result, the PLCA has resumed its role of acquiring sponsors for the league.

But according to JFF general secretary Dalton Wint, no update is available on the development of the body that will take charge of managing and marketing the league.

The general secretary noted that the non-payment of referee fees is still one of the major issues holding back the progress and development of the body and insisted that the situation would have to be dealt with before they can move forward.

“We have no update as yet. We (the JFF) are going to meet with them (the PLCA), and we are hoping so (for a resolution before the start of the season), but I don’t know. You will have to speak with Carvel [Stewart, PLCA vice-chairman],” he said.

“But there are outstanding monies to referees and match commissaries and other expenses that are still outstanding, and definitely, they will have to be dealt with firstly. So we are hoping that everything will be settled in the next four weeks. We are planning to start [the RSPL] the first week in September, so in the next three weeks, it should be resolved,” Wint stated.

NO RESPONSE

“The president (Michael Ricketts) has written to the chairman (Mike Henry), but he hasn’t got a response yet as to where the negotiations are. But I know they (the PLCA) have been doing some work as it relates to the competition, and I suspect a meeting will be held between the JFF and PLCA to see where they are,” Wint added.

The local referees are owed $2.32 million in outstanding fees for the league alone and over $4 million when the play-offs are included.

Efforts to contact Carvel Stewart, Mike Henry and Pat Garel, PLCA general manager, yesterday were unsuccessful.