McKay Security Chief Executive Officer Jason McKay says he is not averse to rewarding winners of the St Catherine Major League with a $1-million bonus, but not similar to sponsorship deals officially hammered out with the Kingston and St Andrew and St Thomas football associations.

Responding directly to Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) South East Confederation Chairman Mark Bennett, who played diplomat at the recent presentation of McKay Security’s handover of sponsorship cheques for the Corporate Area and eastern parish leagues, McKay said his love for football would probably move him to assist St Catherine’s Major League winners but not via the parish’s football association.

McKay and president of the St Catherine Football Association (SCAFA), JFF vice-president, Elaine Walker-Brown, has had a storied rift, resulting in court battles with New Raiders FC, all having gone against the beleaguered SCAFA, which also has legal costs pending from other matters involving affiliate club Royale Lakes FC.

After outlining McKay Security’s $9.6-million sponsorship, including bringing on board Restaurant of Jamaica’s KFC with a $1-million nutrition programme for the St Thomas FA’s Under-17s, Bennett said he hoped St Catherine would soon benefit from similar assistance.

“I am hopeful that, in the near future, these sponsorships will reach St Catherine. I am hoping that, as a family, we can sit down and smooth things over,” Bennett said, alluding to McKay putting up $1 million apiece in sponsorship to winners of the KSAFA Championship and St Thomas Major League to help fund their South East regional play-off games to make the JFF’s Tier Two, a level below the Premier League.

Put on the spot by Bennett, McKay steered from mentioning well-publicised issues encountered with the St Catherine FA.

“Doing business with KSAFA and the St Thomas FA has been a pleasure. In fact, $1 million is a drop in the bucket for the financial stresses involved in travelling for these play-off games. I love football and, if the winning team from St Catherine approaches, I would gladly give them $1 million, but not through the FA,” he said.

McKay Security’s sponsorship of KSAFA and the St Thomas FA also includes $2.5 million and $1 million, respectively, in broadcast deals as well as $1 million to the Under-17 leagues of either parish.

In addition to the $1 million Major League prize money committed to the St Thomas FA, McKay Security has also put up $800,000 towards the league’s operational expenses.