LETTER OF THE DAY - Gov't should not fund Boyz's 2014 programme

The Editor, Sir:

I listened, in part, to Captain Horace Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, suggest that he would be requesting financial assistance from Government to finance Brazil 2014. He estimated that the programme would not cost a lot of money - only $6 million per month. (This works out to $72 million per annum for four years).

I am not surprised. After every edition of the World Cup, there is the euphoria. Jamaica could have been there. Jamaica should have been there. We have to be there next time. This feeling is normal, but not practical. In fact, as I listened to the captain on radio, I could only think, "But he's mad!"

I disagree with the captain on two counts.

First, the country does not have $300m over a four-year period to be spent on getting the Reggae Boyz to Sao Paulo. What would the Government say to teachers, nurses, correctional officers, policemen, civil servants, etc? I honestly thought the aforementioned groups somewhat crazy because of their intransigence.

Let me make it clear that the Government owes the respective groups and can't just cop out by saying, "We don't have the money." If workers are taken on, they should be paid! But that's a far cry from requesting funding for football? The country owes $1.3 trillion and has to continue borrowing! Does the captain understand that? He can't simply say the Government should fund the programme, as the federation has no money. Schools, hospitals, clinics, children's homes, infirmaries, etc., are struggling to make ends meet. Helping a fellow member of CARICOM (Haiti) is an even nobler effort. (I'm referring to the sponsorship of 200 Haitian university students).

Ja cannot afford it

Apparently, the captain hasn't heard of what has happened to the economies of Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy and Ireland. Let the Barcelonas and Real Madrids spend money they don't have. Jamaica cannot afford to go down this route.

Second, I question the captain's figures - $6m per month just can't fund a solid programme. A good coach alone costs more than that. Look at England and the Capello experience. Furthermore, you can't be just unidimensional and concentrate only on the senior team. You have to look at the entire programme. You have to get some of the players in an educational programme. Football is also played with the inside of the head as my Welsh sportsmaster reminded us some years ago. What about playing fields and other infrastructure? My theory is that this $6m sum is only the carrot to get the Government involved. As time goes by, further demands would be made on the Government.

Let's be pragmatic and demand more accountability from our Government

I am, etc.,

Norman W. M. Thompson

Dept of English and Modern Languages

Northern Caribbean University

Mandeville