IN JUST OVER A WEEK, monies owed to clubs for the 2013 Barbados Football Association (BFA) domestic season should be fully paid.
That is the word from BFA president Randy Harris, who revealed that once the association received payment of FIFA’s annual grant, the prize money would be distributed.
However, Harris has insisted that the time has come for the sport’s domestic competitions to become fully self-sufficient.
In fact, the BFA president said that steps had already been taken to ensure that the upcoming season would generate its own income.
“Basically we believe that we should be able to satisfy all of the prizes by the first week of February.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed, but we expect to have some funds coming in later this month and I think that we will be in a position to satisfy our outstanding payments to the clubs,” Harris told the media during yesterday’s launch of the BFA/CONCACAF Grassroots programme at Blenheim.
“We will be paying the prize money from the grant which we receive from FIFA, but I am hoping that in the long run the BFA’s domestic season will be able to pay for itself.
“I would really like it to start from this year where we would see the BFA’s domestic season pay for itself through the support of the clubs, the players and the general public,” he contended.
Harris revealed that as part of their efforts, the BFA would be introducing an initiative called the fan pass, where people could purchase a season pass for $200, which would enable them to attend games for the complete season, whether they be local, regional or international.
In a new twist to the opening ceremony, he said they had invited Guyana to open the season with a friendly against the national side at the National Stadium.
He promised spectators a jam-packed season of football, comprising local, regional and international matches.
“There is going to be a packed programme during the season. Apart from our domestic season competitions, we also expect that we will have some regional and international matches.
“The young ladies are going to be participating in the ladies World Cup in 2015, and from next year they are going to be playing international friendlies and also in the play-offs to qualify from the CONCACAF group, hopefully to make it to Canada in 2015,” Harris outlined.
The news has come as a welcome relief for an association that has been plagued by recent controversies.
Just last week it was announced that FIFA?would be carrying out a forensic audit on the BFA after a number of financial improprieties had been discovered last year.
And earlier this week, their new general secretary, Joyce?Stewart, was forced to step down after it was discovered that she had no work permit.
