By Lesroy W. Williams Observer Reporter
” (Frigate Bay, St.Kitts)”The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is serious about the business of football. The FIFA Administration and Management course, which, was held at the St.Kitts Marriott Resort from October 9-14, concluded with about 30 persons receiving certificates of attendance. Persons from Belize, Cayman Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St.Lucia, Dominica, Suriname, the British Virgin Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guyana and St.Kitts and Nevis completed the Futuro III course. On October 9, the opening day of the course, FIFA Development Officer, Harold Taylor, said that the course was designed to teach teachers in the areas of management and administration so that they can go back to their respective countries and build capacity in the football clubs and the regional associations by teaching others, thereby aiding in the development of football. Four persons were designated by the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) to participate in the FIFA course. They were Lindberg Belle, Ervin Williams, David Allen and Sarah Willock-Kelly. David Allen of St.Kitts said that the course was intense and provided him with a lot of football information. “I believe that even though St.Kitts and Nevis is small, we must start to seek promoting the game as a business and I think that size doesn’t matter,” Mr. Allen said. “I think that we in St.Kitts and Nevis have the passion, the drive and all the competencies to make football a business.” “I am hoping that I would get the opportunity to help implement some of the knowledge. I know that there would be a lot of challenge, we first have to change some perspectives but it’s not impossible. A lot of hard work would be involved but we have to get it done,” Mr. Allen said. Mr. Allen said that the point was driven home to him that football is a business. “I think that we can reach a stage in St.Kitts and Nevis where teams or clubs can be given a small stipend,” he said. “The administration of football can be managed as a business.” SKNFA president, Mr. Peter Jenkins, in speaking of the course said that it is ‘the beginning of a revolution in management and administration in regional football. The FIFA instructors for the course were Guibion Ferdinand from St. Lucia, Patrick Beckles from Barbados and Sonia Bien-Aime from the Turks and Caicos Islands.
