The Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), which was recently formed to bring commercial success to local football, mainly through the Premier League, has added even more talent to the organisation as they forge ahead with making the nation’s top league financially viable.

The PFJL has moved to establish its secretariat with the appointment of an acting general manager, Arlene L Martin, certified business and leadership coach, and strategy consultant, who will take on the role starting December 1, 2020.

Arising from his first board meeting as chairman on Tuesday, Christopher Williams said: “This is the first in a series of moves by the organisation to build out our staff complement over the coming weeks.”

Even as the teams continue to train without a specific start date, the area of administration of the clubs is being fortified to ensure smooth sailing at the restart.

“The clubs are seized with the importance of this exercise and while not yet fully complete, they are putting in all efforts for the timely completion and readiness for the league start,” said Williams.

One of the biggest challenges that has prevented the restart of the game on the island has been the health protocols that are aimed at ensuring the safety of the players and other people associated with the game.

In October, the PFJL, through the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), had submitted comprehensive protocols based on the Concacaf model and from leagues and federations globally. These protocols spanned play of the matches, club protocols, and player lifestyle protocols.

A Socitabank Concacaf League match was played on November 5, featuring Premier League Club Waterhouse FC and Arcahaie FC of Haiti at the Stadium East Field and from the perspective of the observance of protocols, this was deemed a successful event and so both the JFF and PFJL are optimistic.

The fact that some many people, including players and their families, businesses and retailers, depend on the premier league to survive, it is hoped that sooner rather than later the game will return in some shape or form.

“Lives and livelihood that depend on the Jamaica Premier League are now desperate for the resumption of the league to regain their employment to care for and support their families. As the nation’s only professional sport league, the Jamaica Premier League is the largest economic engine in sports, proving employment for more than 600 Jamaicans and generating more than $500m in economic activity,” was the message coming from the board of the PFJL who are committed to ensuring the return of football.

The PFJL and the JFF will meet this week, before going back to the Ministry of Health and Wellness in seeking approval for a league to be played for the 2020-2021 season.

— Dwayne Richards