PFJL boss calls for better coordination after match-day fiasco

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Officer of Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), Owen Hill, has expressed his disappointment at the postponement of the rescheduled Legend Jamaica Premier League game between Mount Pleasant Academy and Portmore United at Mount Pleasant on Thursday, due to the late arrival of match officials at the venue.

According to Hill, such incidents can have significant commercial and financial ramifications. He argued that stronger coordination between the PFJL, the referees department and the competitions department would go a long way in reducing the likelihood of a recurrence.

On Thursday the two teams were present, but the referees came late, and with the venue not having proper lighting to host night games the game, which was originally postponed because of the teams involvement in the regional competition, had to be put off once again.

“They (match officials) got to the venue late,” Hill told The Gleaner. “I suspect that because there’s no light at the venue it created another challenge.”

Hill added, “No referee was actually assigned for that game. So, some miscommunication happened and that is between the competitions department and the referees department.”

He pointed out that running a smooth and timely league is always a top priority, and although things like this are at times unavoidable, he called for greater communication among the three bodies.

“We are a bit disappointed. Why, because you want to run a competition as smooth as possible, but ... this is a multiple stakeholder engagement process and these things will happen. We just have to fix it and correct these things going forward,” Hill said.

He added that there were commercial and financial implications for the clubs.

“Portmore had to travel. Mount Pleasant had to prepare. So, we are definitely seeing it as a situation to be remedied. Something that ought not to happen going forward,” he said.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com