Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
Omar Davies, Minister of Finance and Planning.

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies, has confirmed that the Jamaican Government's involvement in acquiring the man who appears very likely to be football's next technical director here, Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic, will be a significant one from a monetary standpoint.

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has stated that Milutinovic's salary offer is nowhere near the J$266 million per annum initially reported as being asked for by his agent. While giving no specifics, they have now indicated that the figure in the final contract offer is less than half that quantity.

Having already stated a keen interest in assisting to get a first-rate coach to lead Jamaica's qualification bid for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Government is expected to make a sizeable contribution to the campaign.

Significant

"Our involvement will be significant, I'm not going to reveal the details, but the Prime Minister and I have discussed it and we will ensure that we will do the maximum possible," Davies said at a luncheon with Milutinovic and some top corporate executives at The Gleaner offices yesterday.

The original figure stated had elicited murmurs from the general public with regard to the country being able to afford it, given the additional expense of next year's Cricket World Cup. However, according to Dr. Davies, it is a bit more than achieving the objective of reaching the 2010 World Cup.

"It is a lot of money but that's the market if you're going to go for a world-class coach, then you just have to compete at that level.

"It's more than making it back to Africa. Football plays a very important part particularly in the lower-income communities, and that spreads nationally," Dr. Davies explained. He added: "Jamaica has a name recognition and I think that our recent performances have not been consistent with that or the talent.

Youth programmes

"I think it's very important and I'm going to insist that coach Bora not only concentrate on the national teams, but on building the youth programmes so that there is a sustainability," he said.

According to JFF president Crenston Boxhill, the federation has now, with the help of key private sector members, secured approximately 60 per cent of the salary required.

"We have so far got a commitment for 60 per cent from both the Government and the private sector," commented Boxhill.

"Based on the meeting we had today, I have no doubt that very shortly, the other 40 per cent will be forthcoming."

Members of the corporate sector present at the luncheon were Digicel, GraceKennedy, GM Challenger, Jamaica National, Air Jamaica, Tank-Weld Metals, Courts Jamaica Ltd., Wisynco, and Jamaica Broilers and of course, hosts The Gleaner.