BY HOWARD WALKER

Observer Senior Reporter

walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com

FOLLOWING his relatively easy victory in the KSAFA elections, president Rudolph Speid has cited his track record over the years for his return by the delegates for another two-year term.

“Whatever the issues people were campaigning on, the delegates have decided and have spoken and rejected whatever they (the opposition) had to offer and decided they wanted to continue with a team that has been performing over the past four years,” Speid told the Jamaica Observer.

Speid, who was being given a third mandate, secured 43 votes to Mitchell’s 31, with six ballots spoiled.

He won unchallenged in 2008 when Peter Prendergast withdraw before nomination, and was unopposed in 2010. Speid said this victory was sweeter because the delegates spoke loud and clear.

“Democracy is always good as both times before I got no competition… Tparticular time is satisfying because I know the delegates definitely wanted me, rather than an election when nobody ran against you,” he noted.

Speid, who took over from Stewart Stephenson in 2008, faced a powerful opposition led by Mitchell — the current president of the Jamaica Hockey Federation (JHF) — and included Harbour View chairman Carvel Stewart; Carlton “Spanna” Dennis of Santos; Tivoli Gardens’ Brian Rose and former referee and KSAFA president Richard “Roots” Nathan.

In the end, Speid’s team with first vice-president Ricky Chin of Waterhouse and second vice-president Jackie Cowan (team manager of Harbour View) were returned positions unopposed as their rivals did not to contest after Mitchell lost the presidential race.

“It is important for us to have elections because it puts KSAFA in the right direction where people want to serve and run the entity that we have. At the same time when you look at all the numbers and all that we have achieved, the delegates did the right thing,” said Speid.

He added: “Whatever the issues people were campaigning on, the delegates have decide and have spoken and rejected whatever they had to offer and decided that they wanted to continue with a team that has been performing over the past four years”.

Speid, an accountant and the mastermind behind Cavalier’s promotion to the Premier League, said based on his canvassing, he had expected to secure more votes.

“There were six spoilt votes and I expected to get about 4… I don’t know if the spoilt votes were for me… but even if it was close I would have won,” he told the Observer.

Speid and his team take credit for turning KSAFA into a viable organisation securing sponsorships of $30m in 2009; $32m the following year and $40m in 2011.

He also boasts of increasing the club benefits from $4.3m to $19m and has turned around a deficit of $259,000 into a profit of about $10m.

In a clear show of sportsmanship and a level of unity in KSAFA, Mitchell — an assistant general manager at Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) — has offered to present his ideas to KSAFA, which Speid welcomes.

“Both of us will meet… and we’re going to be looking at the ideas because maybe he has some good ideas. If you remember, I had invited Mr Mitchell to work on my team, so he is not a bad candidate,” Speid noted.

“We will have a… talk and see where we go from there. You might be surprised just like how Brian Rose ended up on my team,” the former Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) treasurer joked.

Rose, who was a part of Mitchell’s slate, ended up on Speid’s team after being nominated unopposed as assistant treasurer.

“I was the one who nominated him first because I know that Brian Rose is a good individual for KSAFA. I would have done the same for any one of the other side who I think can mean football well.

” I think that KSAFA must be served by the best people and not by political affiliates,” said Speid.

Other members of the KSAFA executive are general secretary Peter Higgins, assistant general secretary Herman Cruickshank and treasurer Errol Howlett.

SPEID… the delegates wanted to continue with a team that has been performing