‘Not an option’
JHF boss refuses to quit on Hockey5s World Cup bow despite money woes
Published:Thursday | January 18, 2024 | 12:13 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
WITH ONLY days to go before Jamaica’s hockey5s team is to depart for the World Cup in Oman, Jamaica Hockey Federation (JHF) officials are busy in an effort to ensure that the team is present when the tournament gets under way on January 28.
The JHF distress stems from the fact that it has not received $2 million the Government had promised the federation. Even though the Ministry of Sports has recommitted to giving the organisation the funds, JHF president Fabian Stewart noted that the money would not be available until after the World Cup.
As a result, he and his team have been scampering around to compensate for the shortfall. The $2 million was already included in the JHF budget for the tournament.
“This is slapping us left, right, and centre,” Stewart lamented.
“We have so far booked the tickets, and we are making arrangements to make the final set of payments.
“But the commitment made by the Government has been delayed, relative to cash-flow issues. However, the minister has recommitted to the commitment they gave us.
“But what that has done, in addition to the deficit that we are trying to overcome, is it has created more challenges.
“They had committed $2 million from last year. So there was an expectation that that cash would be available, but it would not be available to us until after the tournament, and we have to find US$15,000 to pay for accommodations.
“So we are trying to move, beg, borrow, modify a lot of the cash requirements in order to cover the critical costs.”
The team is due to leave the island on Monday, and Stewart said they are busy juggling the limited funds as best as possible just to ensure that the team is in Oman to honour their place at the tournament.
“We have to now borrow from Peter to pay Paul, and that is something that we realistically have to be doing in order to shore up the cash available to us to purchase US dollars for this type of tournament.
“The (plane) tickets have been purchased, but we are now trying to get the necessary cash flow for additional bags, stopovers, accommodations, medical, equipment for the tournament, per diem for the players, and other contingencies. So we are working through all of that, but it’s difficult.
“We thought that with the inclusion of the $2 million, and other funds that came in, it would make it more comfortable for the contingent.
“But when you wipe that $2 million off, you have to start look at changes in order to execute everything,” said Stewart.
The JHF had earmarked $12-15 million for the tournament and received $3 million from the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and $2 million from the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), but with the $2 million from the sports ministry delayed, even with their modifications, Stewart admitted that they are still struggling but that missing their first World Cup tournament was not an option.
“Even when we thought we had that cash ($2 million) committed, we still had shortfalls we were trying to cover. But we are working through those challenges.
“We are meeting with the team to try and seriously overcome those challenges. But as we have done in the past, the board, myself, the management team, will have to come up with the best solution to allow the team to honour their commitment to represent the country.
“We are committed to having the athletes participate because of the history and what it means to our development, and we are hopeful that the players and management understand so that it does not really affect their performance at the tournament.
“But missing the tournament is just not an option.”
According to Stewart, the JHF will be playing the cards they are dealt but are still feverishly trying to pull assistance from all quarters, especially given the fact that “the Government are going to give us the funds.”