St Thomas FA worries to have happy ending

HAVING HELD its annual general meeting (AGM) last week, the St Thomas Football Association will soon hear the news that it has been re-instated to the ranks of member associations of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

In a press release sent in September, the JFF announced the St Thomas FA had been suspended of their membership privileges, having failed to hold their AGM by a mandated August 31 deadline.

Former St Thomas FA president Wayne Thompson had explained the association had failed to meet the deadline because of issues with having their assets audited, and promised the AGM would be held on October 26.

Leading up to their meeting, Thompson had decided against running for re-election and stepped down from his role as president. He will now serve as one of four directors on the executive body.

He said the decision to step down was years in coming and was succeeded by his first vice-president Lascelles Logan.

With their affairs now in order, newly appointed president Logan said the association is awaiting an official response from the JFF stating their membership privileges had been re-instated.

Logan said the association had sent a letter to the JFF regarding the matter but had yet to receive a response for an update on the situation.

“No, there has been no updates in the matter,” Logan said.

“A letter was sent to the JFF from us, stating that the AGM was held and the new executive body is in place. We had sent the letter through our parent body but we have not gotten any response from the JFF yet.”

However, JFF general secretary Dennis Chung said the parish association had been automatically re-instated, having held their AGM.

Chung said while no official communication had been sent, the JFF has lifted the suspension and views the St Thomas FA as an active member association.

He said the terms of the suspension had stated the parish association would be re-instated as soon as they were able to host their AGM.

“The terms had stated that, until their elections were held, they would be suspended,” Chung explained.

“Once they held their elections, they are fine. I need to just check on sending the response, but they are fine.

“They were automatically re-instated, because they went ahead and held their elections,” he added.