Presidential candidate for the upcoming elections of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF), Wayne Grant, sees the engagement of stakeholders as the catalyst for football development in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

This he cited as his top priority should affiliates chose him as the first choice to lead the SVGFF for the next four years.

Referring to his manifesto released in October, 2023, Grant noted: “The demands on our stakeholders to perform their roles within the development of football have increased significantly and need to be addressed… The needs of our stakeholders must be addressed by creating support structures, to aid them in achieving their goals and objectives”.

In setting up the pathway towards the realization of this strong pillar through the implementation of the prerequisites he said “Structures and policies will be implemented so that stakeholders will benefit in tangible and intangible ways to improve their day-to-day operations… By giving the stakeholders the necessary support needed, the development of football will see significant growth”.

Noting that financial support for clubs will be paramount, Grant stated: “Our clubs will be developed over the next four years so they can start operating more professionally and efficiently, and to make the transition, a financial support programme will be put in place, where our clubs will receive administrative, technical development, tournament-related financial support, as well as the necessary equipment required to support the development of players, administrators, coaches, and match officials”.

According to Grant, this well thought out programme, which he is confident, once given the opportunity to be implemented, would see a “ return of hope”, to Football in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Hence, with stakeholders fully settled into their roles and are part and parcel of the development process, next on his focus will be the enhancement of the available infrastructure.

As such, Grant promises to enhance the plans for the Brighton Technical Centre and the proposed “Home for Football” at Cane Grove.

For the Brighton facility, he proffers that the accommodation of players and staff is of great importance and a complete enhancement is feasible within three months of him taking the reins of presidency.

“ An environment must be created where players and staff feel at home away from home at the technical facility…The partitions of rooms to create privacy for players and staff, the air conditioning of the rooms, mainly the bedrooms, entertainment amenities, modern appliances and solar water system just to mention a few…The addition of these amenities will create more of a players and staff friendly environment”.

Chiding office holders, Grant lamented that “ After twelve years, the technical facility in Brighton should have already been one of the most outstanding facilities in the Caribbean; this will be accomplished within the next four years”.

Shifting his attention to the “ Home for Football” project set for Cane Grove, Grant assessed that “The Home for Football project will be the largest capital project undertaken by the SVGFF at present…Funding for this project should not be based solely on FIFA Forward project funding, but other funding sources must be explored, even the idea of facilitating a loan from FIFA must be considered”.

Grant believes that with additional funding, more infrastructural advancements can be made thus fast tracking the process.

The current second vice- president of the SVGFF who holds the portfolio for technical matters, Grant believes that his years of experience as a leading Football administrator in South Leeward has prepared him for the top position of the SVGFF.

“It is my candid view and the opinion of many affiliates that I possess the behavioural attributes of an effective leader: credibility, action-orientation, vision, accountability, communication, and collaboration”, Grant commented.

Added to his skill sets, Grant reiterated “My goals are focused on transparency, accountability, inclusivity, innovation and development…These goals are crucial for the advancement and improvement of the sport, as well as for the overall benefit of stakeholders”.

Standing in the way of Grant’s elevation are incumbent president Carl Dickson; first vice-president Otashie Spring; former president Marvin Fraser; and former national player and senior team manager Renson Haynes.

The Electoral Congress of the SVGFF is slated for this Saturday, January 27, 2024, at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.