Referees from across the region ended a one week course called FUTURO 3 at the Gran Lido Braco in Trelawny yesterday, as FIFA along with the various Caribbean countries aim to strengthen the foundation of refereeing in the Caribbean.

The course leaned heavily towards implementing technology, which was the primary difference compared to previous courses. The referees were given interactive material which allowed infringements by the trainee to be seen on computer or multimedia camera.

Another highlight of the course is that the trainees, FIFA referees, are being equipped and given the mandate to go out and train other referees in their various countries.

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Captain Horace Burrell said, "Far two often football games are decided by poor decisions and this should not happen," in emphasising the need for the training course.

In acknowledging the new thrust CONCACAF referee committee member Lise Austin said, "Knowledge is doing and a method of learning is by doing and you should go home and use these training methods which you are being exposed to here." He noted that he now expected to see changes for the better in the various regions.

Others in attendance were FIFA/CONCACAF fitness instructor Merere Louis Gonzales, FIFA referee instructors Rodolfo Sibrian and Peter Prendergast along with FIFA development officer Ramesh Ramdhan.

The participating FIFA referees are Stanley Darville from Bahamas; Victor Moore and Sherlock Wall of Barbados; Belize's David Jones; Bermuda Lee Holder; Livingston Bailey and Alfredo Wittaker from Cayman; Lawrence Griffiths and Alfredon Whittaker from Guyana; Gerrit Nipkoop and Steven Vroom from Suriname; Boni Bishop, Krishna Kaursingh and Bevon Spencer from Trinidad along with Peter Bowyer, Dave Meikle, Victor Stewart, Texchus Nembhard from the host country.