Adrian Frater, News Editor

Powell

WESTERN BUREAU:

BUSINESSMAN ORVILLE Powell, incumbent president of the St James Football Association, will have at least two challengers for his position when the association holds it bi-annual general meeting next Thursday at the Montego Bay Cricket Club.

Because of the FA's on-the-floor nomination policy, it is difficult to determine who will be offering themselves up for leadership ahead of the meeting.

However, within recent weeks, community leader Errol Campbell and businessman Tom Chambers have both been on the campaign trail trying to solicit the support of delegates.

"I know for sure that both Mr Campbell and Mr Chambers will be challenging for the position," said Lilli-Mae Crawford, information officer for the St James FA. "However, we will just have to wait until Thursday to see if anybody else is interested."

Problems

Within recent years, St James' football has been experiencing an embarrassing free-fall and, for the first time in its history, the parish will be without a team in the nation's premier competition, the Digicel National Premier League, which will kick-off this weekend.

In advancing his presidential ambition, Campbell, who has been the driving force behind St James' most successful community league, the Errol Campbell Community League, has unveiled an impressive manifesto, promising a total overhaul of the current structure of the parish's football.

Restructuring

"We intend to restructure the adminis-tration of the St James FA to actively participate with the government, private sector and business interests," stated Campbell. "We intend to provide proper development structures to facilitate sustainable growth in the sport."

Chambers, a driving force behind sports in east St James, is expressing the view that he has the right vision to recapture the glory days in St James's football.

However, many persons are questioning his suitability as he is currently the president of the St James Cricket Association, an organisation beset by numerous problems.

Many stakeholders in the parish's football have been clamouring for former president George Evans and veteran administrator Steve Bucknor to step to the fore but, according to reports, Evans has no interest and Bucknor is still actively involved in cricket as an elite umpire.