| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 17 2003 : 10:21:20 PM
|
Capt Burrell's jackbooted arrogance
Thursday, April 17, 2003
CAPTAIN Horace Burrell, the president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), sounded suspiciously, and dangerously, like George W Bush, the president of the United States of America.
So any minute now we expect high ordnance -- metaphorically speaking, of course -- to go off in the captain's assault against Mr Stephen Bell, the president of the Jamaica Football Referee's Association (JFRA).
For, like Saddam Hussein after Mr Bush's warning, Mr Bell has not decided to leave town. But then he was given only half the time -- 24 hours -- to resign as president of the JFRA that Mr Bush gave Saddam to step aside as president of Iraq.
In both cases, the demands displayed a worrying disregard for fundamental principles and even law. But where President Bush had the power to impose his will, Captain Burrell is likely to be able to fall back only on arrogant self-assertion.
Indeed, we endorse Mr Bell's decision to reject the captain's demand for his resignation. Should the JFF attempt, and Captain Burrell said it would, to organise an election for a new executive of the JFRA, we urge that the move be resisted with all legal force in every available court.
We do not take this position lightly. For should the JFF be allowed to get away with such jackbooted behaviour something far more fundamental than the leadership of a referees' organisation will be at stake.
That something is called democracy.
Some, of course, will sniff at that notion, believing the statement to be hyperbolic. They are wrong. Everytime you acquiesce to seemingly small encroachment on rights and freedoms, you cede ground to the authoritarians and soon, rather than later, they are in the ascendancy. Which is what, in the first place, created the Saddam Husseins.
All this is not to say that we support Mr Bell and the other JFRA administrators. They may well be incompetent, as Captain Burrell claims. Indeed, it is Captain Burrell's and the JFF's right to lose confidence in the JFRA's leadership. Captain Burrell may decide that the JFF will have nothing to do with this referees' organisation so long as Mr Bell is its president. He may urge the membership of the JFRA to move a motion of no-confidence in Mr Bell and his executive.
But what the captain cannot do, we insist, is to goose step across the JFRA's constitution and arrogate unto himself the right to dismiss its president. No matter how much he declares that the JFF is the over-arching body for football in Jamaica.
For as we understand the JFRA, while it is an affiliate of the JFF, it remains an independent organisation governed by its own constitution which sets out the procedures for electing its president. The JFF is not a supranational body to which every affiliate, or constituent organisation, should cede all power.
We would remind the JFF that 25 years ago, at the time of Kerry Packer's intervention in international cricket, the International Cricket Conference (ICC) and the England and Wales Test and County Board attempted to ban English players who signed up for Mr Packer's World Series Cricket.
The courts had a word or two to say on that matter. Captain Burrell's action, we believe, is far more egregious. We expect that the courts would have a mouthful to say on it. But more than the courts, natural justice and decency would.
Except for the views expressed in the columns above, the articles published on this page do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Jamaica Observer.
|
Karl |
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2003 : 10:26:59 PM
|
X
I'm still in charge, says embattled Bell
Thursday, April 17, 2003, 4:20:22 AM
IP:68.161.82.24
I'm still in charge, says embattled Bell
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Observer staff reporter
Thursday, April 17, 2003
EMBATTLED president of the Jamaica Football Referees' Association (JFRA), Stephen Bell, says he's still in charge of the refereeing business in the country and continues to defy an order by football boss, Captain Horace Burrell, for him to step down from his post.
'I am still the president ... I am not resigning, not at all. I am going to continue the business of the association,' Bell told the Observer yesterday.
Bell, along with his executive, had been asked by Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), to relinquish their posts by 4:00 pm Tuesday.
When the deadline passed, Bell, along with three other execs, had not yielded to the demand.
On Monday, however, the JFF said four executive members of the JFRA had resigned. They were said to be vice-president, Glenroy Williams, general secretary, Dave Miekle, and executive members, Elaine Walker-Brown and Margaret Sutherland.
In recent days, the JFF and the JFRA have been at loggerheads over what the JFF called a loss of confidence in the 'leadership' of the JFRA.
Bell continues to insist that Burrell has no power to request him to resign, but the Jamaica football boss made it clear on Tuesday that the Federation is in charge of football here and is empowered to take relevant action to preserve the integrity of the game.
'... the JFF is responsible for all football matters in the country and is obligated to protect the integrity of the sport and is therefore empowered to deal with all matters which bring the sport of football into disrepute,' Burrell said then.
In the meantime, Bell said he will await the findings of the Clayton Solomon review, which was commissioned by Burrell, which in effect, will seek to dissolve the present administration and constitute a new one by Aprril 30.
'I am going to wait on the findings of Clayton Solomon, until then I am going to continue to do my work,' Bell noted.
Bell, who is in the position for less than a year, said he will not offer himself for re-election when the poll for a new president is due.
'When elections are due in June, I will not be seeking re-election,' he said.
|
Karl |
 |
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2003 : 10:44:58 PM
|
Karl
It is amazing that the Massive who claim to know the game...and call
Wednesday, April 16, 2003, 10:08:17 AM
IP:64.12.96.170
themselves fanz and fanatical supporterz of Jamaica's Football, ...and independent thinkers...have nothing to say about Captain Burrell's move to bully the JFRA's leadership out of office.
Amazing!
a) I guess any noise about Simoes, youth fotball and ...any other facet of our football is coming from 'paper' supporters...i.e. not really supporters of our local game at all?
b) One would have thought that any threat to the autonomous status the associated members of the JFF enjoy being undermined is a threat to all associated members?
c) One would also hope that support for Burrell or any other individual would not override support for our football?
d) Is it that the half-baked fanz cannot see the connections associated members i.e. i) A coaches association ii) sports medicine association have to any development in our football?
e) And what of the voices of the affiliated associations i.e. Parish, etc. is it that they agree with Burrell and wish the JFRA subgroups become appendages of their organisations acting as it were on their directives... perhaps eventually to sink to the the levels where an all-powerful 'boss' gives instructions on which team should win a particular match or else the executive of that particular arm of the JFRA is declared 'dissolved'?
Or has one individual become so all-powerful that the entire Massive is quaking in boots?
I cannot believe something as far-reaching as a JFF head attempting to 'dissolve' and or 'direct' actions of an independent body and or subvert duly constituted authority to own ends is met with such indifference?
If Burrell gets his way...then those who talk of our football going back xxxxx years...can use this action as insight into the answer to why the JFF has not been able to leverage the '98 platform to take our all-island development of our football to greater heights.
Why have not outsiders with expertise been brought in to plan and aid implementation of an all-island development?
Why has not the JFF leader brought the various affiliates and associated associations into formulating plans for an all-island development?
Could it be that this directive to the JFRA gives insight on leadership that wants to have hands on control on every simgle facet of any development program? Wouldn't such an outlook hinder any all-island development?
Can any one individual oversee - i) Coaching at various levels ii) Formation and oversight of Sports Medicine units throughout the island at each and every level? iii) Can any such one person oversee training - administrative training - at each and every level throughout the entire island? iv) Can such a person oversee a scouting plan that caters to every level throughout the island?
v) Can such a person plan and develop academies throughout the island? vi) Can such a person head marketing in football that covers all areas i.e. support to institutions and clubs, players etc. for the entire island? vii) Can such a person garner funding on the scale needed to sustain, not just national teams but all support services...including but not limited to football arenas...whether by personally raising the funds or by providing direction to and guides and creating the atmosphere/channels through which such funds can be raised... viii) CAN ANY ONE PERSON CONTINUE TO HOLD ALL AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT AS PERSONAL FIFEDOM? ...and expect rapid, fast forward of our development?
Why then if that cannot work on/for our behalf ...on behalf of all in football and on behalf of the country...do those who profess love for our football... and, speak NONSENSE about musical chairs of coaches...SPEAK TO THE DESPOTIC, dictator like, tyrannical vice grip by the leaders of our football and those in charge of the JFF reluctance to bring in persons with known expertise and vision to move the 'football along'?
This JFF arrogant, dismissive directive shows its hand.
The Captain's words to the JFRA is saying to all - This is me...Burrell...who nuh like it tough.
The JFRA members should refuse to blow another whistle at any football match...until Captain Burrell withdraws his empty threats. No prep/primary school match, no minor league match, no schoolboy/schoolgirl match, no parish matches, no Jamaica international home friendly match, no support to the JFF in any way or form until the Captain Burrell and the JFF sits and meets to solve any current issue.
I will give unsolicited advice as a member of the referees group...
a) If Captain Burrell does not come to a meeting, the president of the JFRA should not attend.
b) Any such meeting held the JFRA delegates/representatives must be mandated to take everything under consideration for decisions to be made at private JFRA meeting(s).
c) It must be adults conferring ...the ONE DON (Burrell) to munions (JFRA membership) attitude adopted and reported in the media must not be tolerated.
Captain Burrell and his JFF assistants and Stephen Bell his JFRA assistants should meet with the interest of football foremost even as respect and common courtesy is displayed.
Sorry to say, the Captain has been most disrespectful of Mr. Bell and the JFRA.
|
Karl |
Edited by - Karl on May 22 2003 7:11:18 PM |
|
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2003 : 11:01:29 PM
|
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Marching orders for referees
The RBSC understands that President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Captain Horace Burrell, has called for the resignation of the entire executive body of the Jamaica Football Referees Association.
The JFF further threatened that if the Executive members of the JFRA do not accede to their request the JFF would do the removal of the executive of the JFRA.
A letter delivered yesterday, over Burrell's signature addressed to the JFRA's President Stephen Bell, stated that, '...this measure has become necessary as the Federation has lost all confidence in the leadership of your association'.
The letter went on to state that, 'If these resignations are not forthcoming within the 24 hours, kindly therefore consider your executive body as being dissolved.'
The RBSC has learnt the JFRA is undergoing internal turmoil as already some of its key members including vice-president Glenroy Williams, general secretary Dave Meikle and executive members Elaine-Maxine Brown and Margaret Sutherland had all tendered their resignations.
It is also understood that Winston Delahaye, the Assistant Treasurer of the JFRA had called it quits on Thursday last.
The JFF through President Burrell has issued directives to Chairman of the JFF's Referees Commission, Clayton Solomon, on the responsibility of organising and overseeing new JFRA elections which the letter instructed must be held by April 30.
The JFF and the JFRA have had disagreements following a mandate from the JFF that referees in order for them to watch a game at the National Stadium would have to pay.
The referees attended a retreat hosted by the association and that resulted in some scheduled matches being affected.
Following on their retreat the JFRA made recommendations to the JFF, including a call for increased match fees. That request found displeasure within the governing football body.
Burrell in his letter stated that, 'In light of the sequence of events which transpired over the past several days embroiling the referees' fraternity, and the consequential meetings held with the executives and general membership of the JFRA on
April 8 and 12, respectively, please be advised that the JFF hereby requests the resignation of the entire executive body with immediate effect.'
Burrell added that, 'This measure has become necessary as the Federation has lost confidence in the leadership of your Association,'
Burrell emphasised on television last night that he and his team believed the time had come for Stephen Bell, President of the JFRA, to go. Burrell went on to say that, 'If he fails to step down in 24 hours then the JFF will declare that post null and void,'
Burrell has been quoted, by the Jamaica Observer of today’s date, as saying 'I believe in swift and decisive action, it can't be business as usual. We have to get on with the business of football. The JFF is responsible for ensuring that all aspects of football are conducted in a fair and responsible manner.'
Already there are concerns that Captain Burrell and the JFF may have exceeded their authority and at the very least there may be an appearance of 'heavy-handedness'.
Copyright© 1999-2002 Reggae Boyz Supporterz Club |
Karl |
|
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2003 : 08:24:35 AM
|
Refs Commission takes over
Observer Reporter
Friday, May 02, 2003
AT the end of Wednesday night's five-hour meeting to tackle problems affecting refereeing in Jamaica, there still appears to be a difference of opinion.
Beleaguered president of the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JFRA), Steven Bell, continues to stake his claim on his presidency, saying, "I'm still in charge".
Conversely, chairman of the Jamaica Football Referees' Commission (JFRC), Clayton Solomon, said all matters regarding referees are now in the hands of the Commission.
"Referees cannot afford to still be in a state of limbo and so it was made quite clear that, with immediate effect, the JFRC would be in charge of all referee-related matters," Solomon stated at an early morning press conference at INSPORTS yesterday.
" ... I don't know (what will become of the referees association for now), all I know is we are controlling all aspects of referee matters by law," Solomon added.
But the defiant Bell said: "I'm still the president because what was done was incorrect."
Bell and his executive lost favour with football boss, Captain Horace Burrell, when an "ill-timed" retreat was called to discuss the issue of ticket allocation for referees wishing to attend international matches at the National Stadium.
As a result of the retreat, football leagues across the island were severely affected as officials failed to show for a number of games.
While a number of executive members tendered their resignations, Bell and a loyal few held firm and refused to bow, claiming, "we're the constitutionally elected body".
In an interview with the Observer yesterday, Bell said the welfare of referees remains with the JFRA and he will continue to administer the business of the association.
And after Wednesday's meeting, Bell said it became clearer Burrell had erred in asking him to quit.
"It was quite clear last night (Wednesday) that the Captain made an error in trying to ask for my resignation," Bell noted.
While it is widely argued that Bell ignored the "chain of command" in addressing issues affecting referees, the JFRA's head disagreed with these claims.
"We make representation on behalf of the referees to the parent body (Referees' Commission) to make sure that they are being treated properly and fairly," he said.
Following that crucial meeting where a myriad of problems were discussed, the Observer has learnt that treasurer, Ainsley Smiekle, and assisant treasurer, Winston Delahaye, have withdrawn their resignations.
"The treasurer and the assistant treasurer have withdrawn their resignation, so we have five executive members of nine serving, so what Captain tried to do was incorrect," Bell explained. "The members are in full support of their president," he added.
Meanwhile, Solomon, told the Observer that coming out of the meeting, the JFRC will now have a quarterly review of the status of refereeing in Jamaica.
"Once per quarter we have to meet back as a national body to review what we have done and the progress we have made and at the same time deal with other matters," he said.
At the meeting, said Solomon, the objectives laid out did not encounter any opposition as the Commission seeks to move the business forward.
"I am very satisfied last night (Wednesday) that no one could have left and not understand that we are now going to have to take the bull by the neck and push it," he noted. "There was no dissenting voice."
Elections for a new executive of the JFRA are due for June and the incumbent, Bell, says he will not be seeking re-election.
|
Karl |
|
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2003 : 3:51:50 PM
|
Refs seek to break deadlock
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Observer staff reporter
Thursday, May 01, 2003
UP until press time last night, football referees from across the island were still in a crucial meeting aimed at finding solutions to many of the problems affecting the business of refereeing in Jamaica.
This meeting -- chaired by the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) Referees' Commission chairman, Clayton Solomon -- was spurred by an ongoing dispute between the embattled president of the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JFRA) Steven Bell, and the JFF.
Bell and his executive were ordered by JFF's president, Captain Horace Burrell, to resign, as the federation had "lost confidence in the JFRA's leadership".
But Bell and JFRA's assistant secretary, Serrio McKintosh, have rejected Burrell's call and refused to hand in their resignations, claiming that "we are the duly elected officials of the JFRA".
So far all other members of the association had yielded to the call.
Yesterday's meeting, at which over 150 referees were expected to be in attendance, was not directed to specifically solve the impasse between the JFRA's executive and the JFF, but more to chart a clear course forward for referees and to help them better to understand their office and roles.
" The objective of this meeting is basically to sort out the whole matter of refereeing to find the way forward because if we don't find the way forward, irreparable harm will be done ...," Solomon said yesterday just minutes before the decisive meeting.
"It's a meeting to set the chart for the way forward," he added.
Solomon -- a former president of the JFRA, who enjoyed a peaceful eight-year reign at the helm -- told the Observer that the issue of the chain of command will be high on the agenda at the meeting, which was expected to run for hours.
"People in the busniness obviously don't understand the chain of command," he noted.
Former vice-president of the JFRA and FIFA referee, Peter Prendergast, agreed with Solomon and said that the argument between Bell and the JFF could have been avoided if the established "chain was followed".
"Referees are to understand how the chain of command works and as such they have to learn to abide by that command," Prendergast said last night.
The row between Bell's administration and the JFF resulted from a retreat called by the JFRA of its members to discuss the matter of ticket allocation to referees wishing to attend the National Stadium for international games.
The retreat greatly disrupted football games across the island for that weekend, as referees failed to show for matches in some instances.
"At the time when that retreat was called I agree that it was unnecessary and ill-timed and that came out of the chain of command not being followed," Prendergast said.
That chain, according to the veteran ref, is that if referees have problems they should take it to their association and that association in turn is to deal with the Referees' Commission, which is the delegated body of the JFF.
But is this written in law?
"I am not certain that it is written in black and white but it is certainly understood," Prendergast continued.
Meanwhile, Bell remains defiant, as far as quitting as preseident is concerned, but says that he is supportive of any move that will help to develop the business.
"Any meeting that has to do with the development of refereeing, I fully endorse it ... any other discussion with regards to executive and elections would be unconstitutional," he noted.
"I continue to hold to my position that I was duly elected one year ago and on the anniversary, we will hold elections as convened by the constitution of the referees' association," he added.
Until the constitutional elections in June, an interim body will be set up to manage the affairs of referees until then.
"This interim body is to make sure that the interest of referees is not affected one way or the other," Solomon said.
Bell said that he will not be seeking re-election when next the poll comes up to elect a new executive.
Meanwhile, reports reaching the Observer are that members of the former executive have begun to canvass votes for the next elections, but when questioned, Solomon denied any knowledge of this.
|
Karl |
|
|
|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - May 22 2003 : 3:56:49 PM
|
Dismiss them within the law Capt Burrell
Saturday, April 26, 2003
Dear Editor,
I read the editorial in your newspaper published on April 17, 2003 titled ' Captain Burrell's jackbooted arrogance'. The piece was well written and provided a rare moment of lucidity to the debate and happenings related to the issues of governance and sports administration in recent times. Please accept my commendation.
It will be very interesting to see the reactions from the leadership of the other fourteen affiliates that make up the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to this apparent disregard of the law by Captain Burrell. These affiliates are the 13 parish associations (Kingston & St Andrew are combined) and ISSA.
If it is that they are to support this kind of disregard for " fundamental principles and even law", then they would have "acquiesced to a seemingly small encroachment on rights and freedoms". Therefore, the lessons that would have been left behind in those organisations may give parents good reason to withdraw their children. This would indeed be unfortunate because football is such a popular sport and often attracts those children who need the most help in understanding the values of "fundamental principles and even law". After all, hooliganism and its disregard for the law is at least equally as reprehensible whether perpetrated in the stadium by spectators or the administrative offices by administrators.
These administrators should recognise their special responsibilities as teachers and mentors and the value of leading by example, which is to say, that they must teach the next generation of sports people, that differences and games must be resolved within the law. Administrators and athletes must in all respects, seek to improve their levels of competence to meet the standards set out by the laws which govern their actions rather than seek to reduce the laws to their own levels of incompetence. This is the way we have distinguished ourselves since time immemorial.
Captain Burrell can and should respect the law (Jamaica Football Referees Association constitution) JFRA in seeking to resolve the differences between the Jamaica Football Federation and its affiliate, the Jamaica Football Referees Association.
Moreover, if it is that in the past, acquiescence on the part of the administrators within the JFF and elsewhere has spawned an enfant terrible, then they should see this as an opportune moment to begin to set it right and to protect the future of the sport in Jamaica.
Finally, all of this is not to say that the leadership of the JFRA should remain, for I believe that it is inevitable that they must go, only that the JFF must serve them notice in accordance with the law.
Kahlev Magnus
Sports Administrator
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Finally, all of this is not to say that the leadership of the JFRA should remain, for I believe that it is inevitable that they must go, only that the JFF must serve them notice in accordance with the law.
End of Quote.
What does the writer mean? |
Karl |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
JFF/JFRA impasse - Jamaica Observer's editorial
