LLANDILO, Westmoreland

Paul Buchanan will sponsor the Westmoreland Football Association’s knockout competition for two more years, despite no longer being in the running to become the next member of parliament for Central Westmoreland.

Buchanan – who had announced his sponsorship while campaigning to be the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) candidate for the constituency, replacing Dr Karl Blythe – told the OBSERVER WEST yesterday that he did not have to be a MP to serve people.

“People will want to see you as a political animal. You must not want anything too bad. You can serve even if you are a boy scout,” he said following Tuesday’s final at the Llandilo playing field.

Frome FC beat Straths FC 5-1 in a one-sided affair to lift the title, and qualify for the first round of the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF’s) Red Stripe Champions Cup all-island knock-out set to start in January next year. They will join Premier League club Reno as the representatives from Westmoreland.

Buchanan, who sponsored the WFA season opening knockout to the tune of $300,000, said “it’s all about sports. If you are dealing with people, you must serve them”.

“I have been serving people all of my life. Football is the means of empowering and lifting up people, and part of your service here on earth is how you help people to lift themselves,” he noted.

“When the time comes you have to look at the ledger – What is there on the credit and debit side – and hopefully the credit will cancel out the debit and you will find some thing good because your corner dark if you never do anything,” he added.

Buchanan, a former president of South St Andrew-based Arnett Gardens and manager of the Westmoreland-based Reno for one year, said his record in football “speaks for itself”.

After being given the nod by delegates at a run-off with several other candidates, Buchanan was replaced with Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke by the party hierarchy. He was understandably hurt, but resolved to move on.