Resolution in sight for contracts issue

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

The stand-off between the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the senior players over contracts appears poised for an amicable settlement following a meeting between the former and the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA) yesterday.

The three-hour long meeting, which was held at the Terra Nova Hotel in St Andrew was attended by JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell; treasurer Gary Sinclair, chairman of the Finance Committee, Leighton McKnight, and technical committee chairman Howard McIntosh sat down with PLCA chairman Edward Seaga and deputy chairman, Carvel Stewart.

Burrell was very pleased with the outcome of the meeting as he believes an amicable settlement on the various issues has been reached.

"There were some concerns expressed by the PLCA and we had discussions around all the points, which were raised," Burrell said. "The JFF made adjustments based on most of the points made and at the end of it, we came to an amicable position and we have decided to make these amendments on a draft, which will be ready for circulation by next Tuesday," he further disclosed.

Changes to contract

There will be a number of changes to the original contract but Burrell anticipates no further glitches.

"The meeting went extremely well and, in my humble opinion, we are all working towards the same objectives and I believe that one would have to conclude that it was therefore a success," Burrell said.

Seaga also deemed the meeting a success but intends to carefully review the final draft.

"We think it is going very well and amendments have been made where amendments are needed," Seaga expressed. "We think that the packaging in its final analysis will turn out to be all right. We are not finished as yet but we have to go through it one by one, but what we have done so far is satisfactory," he concluded.

The JFF had decided to issue four-year contracts, which represent "the life of the administration", in response to an ultimatum issued to the federation by the players at the just-concluded Digicel Caribbean Cup in Martinique.

The team had rejected the JFF's offer of US$500 (J$43,000) in total per diem and demanded instead US$1,200 (J$103,000) for the 12-day tournament. They also demanded 80 per cent of whatever prize money was received, which turned out to be the winning purse of US$120,000 (J$10.2 million).

The JFF yielded to the demands of the players but in an effort avoid a repeat of the incident drafted the new contracts.

The PLCA, however, deemed the new contracts to be ill-considered and a devious attempt by the JFF to hijack the rights of the players.