The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, said Monday that her intervention with the support of a dedicated team facilitated the return of the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) delegation from a Reggae Boyz football match in Suriname after they experienced difficulties with their travel arrangements to get back home.
The delegation returned to Jamaica at approximately 7:15 Monday morning. In a statement, the minister said:
“On Saturday, June 4, 2022, I was advised of challenges being experienced by the Reggae Boyz delegation in Suriname. I was made to understand that travel arrangements for their return to Jamaica after the match against Suriname on Saturday had been canceled, and my assistance was being sought.
I was told that because the players had to return in time for another match, normal flight schedules would not allow for their return.”
On my instructions, a number of steps were taken by my Permanent Secretary and the General Manager of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) to assist in addressing the problem.”
A company was identified from which we could charter a flight in the short time frame. Reggae Boyz’ Leon Bailey was instrumental in identifying the charter company.”
We were advised by the company identified that the charter flight would cost US$105,000, which had to be paid immediately in order for the aircraft which was in Mexico to be released to pick up the team in Suriname. Unfortunately, with this taking place over the weekend, the circumstances prevented the SDF from accessing the required banking services.
JFF President Michael Ricketts contacted Christopher Williams, CEO of PROVEN and Chairman of the Premier Football Jamaica League (PFJL), to assist with the identification of the required funds, and the Government of Jamaica, through the SDF, committed to ensuring that the funds advanced would be repaid. Based on the commitment of the Government, Williams put the necessary mechanisms in place to advance the payment for the charter flight, with the firm understanding that he would be reimbursed in the shortest possible time. All the parties involved were aware of the urgent need to act, bearing in mind the risk of the Jamaican delegation being stranded in Suriname and the players not being able to honour the fixture scheduled for Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
I also had to speak directly with the Reggae Boyz, who were upset with the JFF Administration, which they blamed for the crisis, at which point they agreed to play the game in Suriname on schedule.
The Under Secretary for the Diaspora, Protocol, and Consular Affairs Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) played a critical role in securing the landing and fly over permits. The team from the ministries were in negotiations from Saturday afternoon until early Monday morning to ensure that the permits were received. “I will be writing to the JFF requesting a detailed report on the matter, and my team and I will continue to work closely with the JFF and the Reggae Boyz as we are also aware of other matters of concern related to the management of what is possibly the most popular sport in Jamaica.”
