St Elizabeth Football Association (FA) President Patrick Malcolm says there is opportunity for progress in football, noting the socio-economic value of more inclusive football participation across Jamaica.

Malcolm had mentioned that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) decided to increase the Jamaica Premier League teams to 16, a decision met with mixed reactions. He also emphasised the need for expansion in the sport considering the benefit seen in countries with more extensive football systems, like Mexico.

“If we’re going to develop football in Jamaica, the more people play the football is the more likely it is to develop,” Malcolm told the Jamaica Observer.

“The JFF Board had decided more than three years now that the competition in the country, the teams in the Premier League should go up to 16. Of course, you know there are a number of people against that and you’ve heard it publicly. If you look at one of the teams that beat us, Street and Lane from Mexico, they have five tiers of national football. We have basically one and a half because our second tier is just coming up. And so they have a wider pool to choose from.

“And there is far more spin-off to the football when more teams play from more corners of the country. But the contribution of people to football or football to people is just one that should tell us that more teams should be playing in the Premier League. And oh, don’t tell me about watering it down. That doesn’t hold it for me,” Malcolm added.

Malcolm, who is also the principal of Carisbrook Primary School, said that increased in corporate and Government support could enhance the sport’s development and economic benefits.

“What we need is for corporate Jamaica and the Government to come out and support football,” he said. “And if you support football and there is a spin-off, there will be more Pepsi sold and there will be more beer sold. There are more people who are benefiting from it.

“So let us have more teams in the Premier League and let us develop the football. We really need more football in the country. And it is not good because we want St Elizabeth to play in the Premier League. It is good because more people will be playing football, more spin-off from football, more people will benefit.”

A significant focus for Malcolm is the inadequate infrastructure and investment in football outside of Kingston, with St Elizabeth as a primary example. He also criticised what he says is a lack of decent playing surfaces and lighting, suggesting that improvements could foster local football development and attract residents back to areas like Black River.

“Let us look at Kingston; they have the National Stadium; they have Sabina Park.; they have Arnett Gardens; and they have Waterhouse,” he said. “These are decent surfaces you can play football on plus many more.

“Now, let’s go down to St Elizabeth and see what we have as a decent surface to play football on. We have St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and that doesn’t even belong to us. So any day STETHS decided that we can’t play football there, then dog nyam our supper.

“And then look at lighting. Why is it that we haven’t invested in lighting? I mean, look at what was done at Carder Park by the Portland FA. Why is it that the Government doesn’t invest the same amount of energy and funds into, say, Black River?

“A few years ago, Black River was one of the parish capitals that had a decrease in population. If we invest in it, there’s a decent field. If we put some stands and some lights in it, that may help the development of football in St Elizabeth, bring people back to Black River. The time is right for us to play more football, develop more surfaces, and contribute more to the people in this country.”

Malcolm spoke about the disparity in resources between different parishes and calls for Government investment, which he says could significantly benefit the nation.

“Let’s go down to Westmoreland,” he said. “They are the only parish I know that have their own place. They own their football building and they have a field beside it. Why is that not used as a best practice, as a model for the remaining parishes?

“The St Elizabeth FA has to be paying rent, and sooner or later they are going to kick us out, because we are struggling to pay our rent. However, adjoining, almost adjoining the St Elizabeth FA, there is the Santa Cruz Community Centre.

“Why not put the St Elizabeth FA onto that premises, and say, St Elizabeth FA, here is your room. Take care of this, manage the field, and continue to develop the football and do that across the other parishes. I only hope and pray that somebody will see the importance of football to the nation.”