By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE ST JAMES Football Association has been granted a five-year 'license' for the use of the Urban Development Corporation's (UDC) field along the Howard Cooke Boulevard in Montego Bay.
The duration of the "bare license" will be from March 1, 2002 to February 28th 2007 with an option to be renewed for a further three years "if the field is not required for development purposes or if there is no material breach of any of the Licensee's duties and obligations" according to a letter to the FA from the UDC over the signature of its Legal Officer Barbara Hall.
The letter from the UDC also pointed out that the agreement was not a lease, as it "has no intentions of granting a lease."
President of the St James FA, George Evans said in a release that his association was "delighted" with the granting of the license and "was elated at the turn of events after nearly two years of exhausting attempts."
The release stated that they had already approached the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) two years ago and they had budgeted $4million for the renovation and upgrade of the field to include changing rooms and perimeter fencing. The plan Evans said was "scuppered" after they were only able to get a two-year management deal then.
With the granting of this new agreement, Evans said they would be renewing their approach to the SDF and was hoping with the release of the CHASE Funds in the new year, they would revisit the project as all the ground works including engineering and quantity surveying had already been completed.
Evans also added that an annual fee of $12,000 that is being charged by the UDC for the use of the field on Howard Cooke Boulevard was "more than fair and reasonable and has no problem with this and the other terms and conditions" laid down by the owners.
Meanwhile another field in the city, the Albion field that is owned and managed by the Social Development Commission (SDC) and is being used by the FA is also to come in for some work in the near future.
The release said that the SDC has approached the SDF for funding and Evans pointed out that he was confident both projects would receive help from the government body and the sport of football in the parish would be the beneficiary in the long run.
Evans also said that he was pleased with the development of the new sports complex at Catherine Hall but admitted that he was well aware that when the project was completed is would not be used on a daily basis but reserved for special occasions, once all the structures were in place.
