‘WE ARE CONCERNED’

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Officer (CEO) of Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), Owen Hill, says it will be a long and challenging road to get the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) competition back up and running following the devastating passage of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which battered the western end of the island on Tuesday.

Hill said PFJL and its stakeholders are still assessing the full extent of the damage, especially to clubs located in the worst-affected areas, and as such, it is too early to determine when the competition will be resumed.

“It is too early to have a definite plan to restart because that will require a collective stakeholder-engagement process, which will take a couple of days,” Hill said.

“But what I can tell you so far is based on the preliminary discussion that we have been having with the clubs, it is going to be a tough road ahead based on just where they are in their current state.”

Hill stated that teams based in the south and west of the island, particularly Treasure Beach and Montego Bay United, suffered significant infrastructural setbacks due to the storm.

“When you look at Treasure Beach and when you look at Montego Bay United, those teams on the southern end and western end, those teams would have had some significant challenges with their infrastructure, and right now, we are concerned about the mental well-being of the players,” he said.

Hill expressed gratitude that there were no major injuries or loss of life within the football fraternity but stressed that rebuilding livelihoods and property would take time.

“Luckily for us, we had no major injuries when it comes on to life, but livelihood and property is definitely part of the rebuilding, so when it comes to a restart date, I can’t give you that, but one thing I can tell you for sure is that the teams are trying to pick up the pieces,” he said.

Hill highlighted that while Kingston-based teams were largely spared, the league’s national nature means that the entire competition has been affected.

“Kingston-based teams, luckily, were spared and most of the teams in and around the Corporate Area didn’t experience it as much as those on the western end, but as you can imagine, it is a cooperative league, so once it affects one, it affects all,” he said.

“So again, we had an emergency meeting this morning [yesterday] just to gather ourselves and to get information from other people, to get pictures coming out of the different communities from the clubs. It is devastating.”

Despite the challenges, Hill said he remained hopeful that local football would bounce back with collective effort and support.

“Well I would say that I am optimistic, but I am not going to say whether or not the league will continue,” Hill stated.

“Like I said, the stakeholders, collectively, will have to decide on that JFF (Jamaica Football Federation), Concacaf as the regional body, and then clubs.

“If we are unable to participate based on the fact that mental and physical infrastructure are not ready, then it is going to be difficult, but we are hopeful, and we are resilient as a people.

“We are finding all the necessary tools, and we are reaching out to all the people who can assist, and we are in support of each other. So right now, our best efforts are behind the clubs who are most affected, and those are going to be Treasure Beach and the Montego Bay Uniteds of this world,” Hill underscored.

Cavalier are defending champions of the JPL.

After nine games this season, Montego Bay United were leading the league with 22 points, followed by Portmore United on 18, and Racing United on 15. The defending champions are fourth on 13 points.

Treasure Beach, newcomers to the league, were 10th on nine points, inching ahead of more experienced teams like Dunbeholden and Harbour View on eight, and Molynes United on five.

The other newcomers, Spanish Town FC, are 14th on two points.