Grenada calls for more support of Jenkins.
By: Ryan Haas (SKNVibes.com).
ST. GEORGES, Grenada - ELECTIONS for the CONCACAF Executive Committee will be held on June 1 in the Bahamas, and the President of the Grenada Football Association, Ashley Folkes, has stated that he believes Kittitian R. A. Peters Jenkins is an excellent choice for a seat.
Speaking to SKNVibes, Folkes said that while he is a friend of incumbent CONCACAF Executive Member Captain Horace Burrell, he feels that there are many good reasons why Jenkins would be a better choice in the upcoming election.
“The Grenada Football Association is convinced that the lesser developed FAs are not getting the fairest of deals. I am not saying that we are intentionally being mistreated, just that we haven’t been treated fairly,” he said.
As an example, Folkes said that FIFA recently donated $10M to develop football in the Caribbean and “the Leeward Islands, Windward Islands and Netherland Antilles received none of it”.
He also noted that training courses have become sparse in the lesser developed football associations, which has further hindered the sport on those islands.
“Whenever we have to send people to training courses they say we can only send two, when in the past we would sometimes hold the courses and could train perhaps 50 people at a time.”
Another reason Folkes said he would like to see Jenkins on the CONCACAF Executive Committee is that he would be willing to “stand up and fight” for the lesser developed associations.
“Captain Burrell is a friend of mine and is a very good candidate, but I am saying here that he cannot empathise with what we are going through in the underdeveloped associations. That is why I would propose and support Mr. Jenkins.
“I saw Mr. Jenkins stand up in Guadeloupe when Antigua, in my eyes, was being wrongfully suspended, and he defended them. Many people would not do that. These are the kind of people that you need to lead,” Folkes said.
Jenkins being ousted from his seat as President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) on March 1 should be seen as a plus rather than a negative, Folkes said.
“The members of the executive are inclined to help their home associations. Jack Warner will help Trinidad. Burrell will help Jamaica. It is only natural, but Peter should be able to help objectively because he technically does not have a specific association he is serving. He is Kittitian, yes, but I think he would fairly try and help all of the associations who need help.
“In this situation, it should be a plus. He is an independent now,” the Grenada President stated.
When asked if he felt the allegations of corruption surrounding Jenkins’ end with the SKNFA should be a factor when considering the best candidate in the CONCACAF elections, Folkes said he would rather not discuss the “internal politics” of St. Kitts-Nevis football.
“I do hope that the SKNFA puts St. Kitts football before personalities. They would know Mr. Jenkins, but they must ask who would better serve Leeward Islands football. If they can honestly answer that Burrell would be the better candidate, then they should vote for him. I happen to think that Peter would be the best choice,” he said.
Meanwhile, locally, the heads of the national boxing, basketball, volleyball, netball and cricket associations have signed an endorsement of Jenkins’ CONCACAF candidacy.
The support from the local associations comes on the heels of 14 members of the SKNFA signing a statement that called upon the association to hold an Extra Ordinary Congress by May 29 to discuss the matter ahead of the elections.
Speaking to SKNVibes on April 28, President of the SKNFA Anthony Johnson said that his executive is currently weighing their options before determining “what steps should be taken”.
