Reggae Boyz defender Mr Kemar “Taxi” Lawrence surely deserves the highest praise following his recent transfer to Belgian club RSC Anderlecht from Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

He becomes the second locally produced professional to enter the Belgian top flight in the relatively recent past, following Mr Shamar Nicholson who is at Charleroi FC. We take note that the highly rated Jamaican international, wide midfielder Mr Leon Bailey, was also a star in Belgium at Genk FC, before a multimillion-dollar transfer to the German Bundesliga’s Bayer Leverkusen.

Mr Lawrence tells us that his elevation to Europe is no accident but the result of very hard work.

Moreover, he reminds us that there are many other Jamaican professionals who work just as hard and are deserving of a place in Europe’s top leagues, but who fall short for one reason or another.   

He reminds us of the difficulties facing Jamaican professional footballers in gaining recognition on the global stage and in furthering their careers.

Mr Lawrence speaks of what many of us may well have considered small things, such as visa requirements for Jamaicans entering the world’s developed countries — which in fact hinder football transfers.

While Mr Lawrence did not say as much, we know that Jamaica’s high crime rate and underdeveloped economic status which triggers suspicion that citizens may choose to ‘run off’ in host countries, are among the reasons for the visa hurdle.

Then there are the restrictions applied by some countries — not least Britain — which block clubs from contracting professionals from countries whose Fifa ranking fall below a set mark, for an extended period.  

Yet beyond all that, Mr Lawrence insists that much could be achieved if Jamaicans join hands in providing greater support to the national programme.  

Says he: “…I think as a nation, if we rally together, we can figure it out.

“We say we don’t have the proper fields and the systems set up in Jamaica, but stop and think for a second that if someone really invested, not only money, but time and energy into the youth players, the Reggae Boyz, the Reggae Girlz, the federation, think of the possibilities. Perhaps we wouldn’t miss another World Cup.

“Sometimes it feels like everybody is just scared to take that chance…”

Mr Lawrence’s take on the issue has plenty support from the football fraternity. Note the call from Under-20 Reggae Girlz Head Coach Mr Xavier Gilbert that while there are high-quality young players coming through, the cash-strapped Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) needs help.

Said Mr Gilbert “…We have to get some serious sponsorship for the development of our youth teams and programmes. It is an extremely difficult burden and an expensive venture for the Jamaica Football Federation to carry alone, so we need solid sponsorship to ensure growth and development.”

The truth though is that the JFF has to set its house in businesslike order, so that those with the capacity to invest in football will consider it wise to do so. As was noted recently in this space, there are positive signs that a process has started. However, there is much more work to be done.