WESTERN BUREAU:
MONTEGO BAY'S sportsmen are being 'short changed' and are not allowed to make full use of "tremendous opportunities", because the political leaders of the region lack vision.
Young footballers in the city were advised to get solid commitments from those seeking political offices, that proper fields and infrastructure would be put in place before deciding who to vote for.
The call came from Managing Director/Editor for Western Publishers, Lloyd B. Smith who was guest speaker at the presentation ceremony of the St. James Football Association held at the Jamaica Grandiosa Hotel on Friday night.
ASSERTIVE
Mr. Smith told the players they have to be more assertive in "demanding from those seeking political office to provide proper playing facilities" as without such their development would be retarded.
Come election time, the former Jamaica Labour Party Candidate for South St James said, every politician has a corner league in their area and then disappear afterwards, even some times when they win the election.
Mr. Smith warned that it was time to stop the situation where people only sought to help football because they can get some personal mileage out of it.
He said Jarrett Park, the primary sporting venue in western Jamaica, was badly in need of development and should be converted into a "full fledged stadium". The old Guild Club property to the western end of the facility, he said, should be taken over by the government and included in a plan for the redevelopment of the entire area.
Mr. Smith said that his information was that all that was needed for action to be taken on the Guild Club property that burned down over 10 years ago was "one signature".
Montego Bay, he also added, had tremendous sports tourism potential and it was time the political directorate started thinking along those lines.
PR
