LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Burrell

The likelihood of the National Football Academy returning to its original location was confirmed by Portmore Mayor Keith Hinds yesterday following a meeting between himself and the executive of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

"We are anticipating a return to the original location where ground was broken in 2003," Hinds told The Gleaner yesterday following a meeting with the JFF hierarchy at the Portmore Municipal Council.

"We now have to wait on approval from FIFA for the change of venue and a meeting with the Urban Development Corporation which owns the land."

Recover costs

According to Hinds, the original site, opposite the Portmore Mall in St Catherine, is still available.

JFF president Captain Horace Burrell says the land in Malvern, St Elizabeth which was purchased by the previous administration, will be sold to help construct the new academy.

"We will have to try and recover some of the money already spent by selling the property in Malvern," said Burrell.

The president could not say definitively where the academy would be relocated.

"We were facilitating a request with Mayor Keith Hinds to look at the possibility of relocating the academy in Portmore. However, there is a process and we will follow that process," Burrell said.

He added that he has submitted the relevant paperwork to FIFA for the change of venue. The Captain also said he was still at a loss for words as to why the Crenston Boxhill-led administration decided to buy land when the government was willing to lease the lot in Portmore for $1 per year.

"I'm at a loss. It is inconceivable why this would be done," he said.

In October 2003, Burrell along with FIFA president Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter broke ground in Portmore for the academy, but a few weeks later Burrell was deposed as president and replaced with Boxhill.

Review status

In early 2006, the location was changed to St Elizabeth with Boxhill saying the rural area was less distractive and would be better for the players.

With Burrell returning to power in November last year, a committee was set up to review the status of the academy and that was followed by a visit from FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president Austin 'Jack' Warner on February 22 with Warner describing what he saw as a "tragedy".

During Boxhill's tenure, FIFA's development officer for the region, Harold Taylor, visited the Malvern location at least twice, each time commending the work being done.