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Figuiera says he will embrace transparency, accountability

Feb 01, 2013 Sports

Prospective candidate for the Presidency of the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) Jermaine Figuiera believes that football has the potential to be the vehicle to bring about social transformation and encourage moral improvement.
According to Figuiera the sport has the potential to become the driving force that can create racial harmony and institute discipline among our youths and adults. There are also great prospects for the creation of jobs for our footballers and other stakeholders.
In giving his thoughts on the way forward for the Association and its role in assisting in the further development of all those associated with the sport, he feels that the time has come for the UDFA to be more accountable to its membership.
“It is my belief that accountability and transparency should be the hallmark of the association. It should be one in which information is disseminated to all involved and not just a few and the decisions being made must feature the input of the primary stakeholders (Clubs). Further, it is my view that there should be a restructuring of the association, starting from the executive level. At present there are first, second and third vice-presidents post, all of which have no detailed responsibility outlined and I would institute a similar initiative to that which was adopted by the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) which is to have vice president of administration, vice president of competition and vice president of technical and tactical development. This helps to provide a more direct role and responsibility for the holders of these positions and makes it easy for clubs, players and others to seek information and assistance whenever there is a need.”
He added that the association must have a realistic and workable structure and system that would cater for all levels of those involved in the sport, from senior football, junior football at club level and schools, women football, coaching and refereeing.
According to him, it is essential that the involvement of all primary stakeholders be instituted in piloting the structure and system to be executed by the association.
“I believe it is imperative that the UDFA play a more integral role in working collaboratively with the department of education to develop a programme that would see more properly structured and competitive football played at the school level. When you look at the clubs, most of them have some difficulty in putting together a second string team and I would propose that each one of them adopt a school and work with a programme under the guidance of the association, the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders so the best result could be achieved.”
He said he believes that the promotion of school football will in the near future contribute significantly to lifting the standard of the sport on and off the pitch.
“The smarter players we have the better the football will be. Topp XX FC to date has the most successful reign in the Kashif & Shanghai Tournament, not primarily because of the players skills, but because most of the players were high school students. Collie Hercules, arguably among the best strikers Guyana has produced, attended Mackenzie High School, one of the leading high schools in the country,” Figuiera contended.
Finally, according to him, efforts should be made to produce a brand that is marketable, adding that it is time we start seeing footballers on billboards and in television ads.
Figuiera felt that there is a strong need to ignite the interest of prospective spectators so that they could be motivated to come and watch football.

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