Walker-Brown, McKay in SCFA election haggle

St Catherine Football Association (SCFA) presidential candidates Jason McKay and current president Elaine Walker-Brown are embroiled in a public war of words as the lead-up to the SCFA election continues.

McKay, president of McKay Security Raiders FC, has made his opposition to the current Walker-Brown-led administration abundantly clear when he accused the governing body of being autocratic and high-handed.

According to McKay, the SCFA has deteriorated under the leadership of Walker-Brown. He alleged that St Catherine risks losing its best talents to other parish associations because of the state of football.

"I see the Walker-Brown administration as one symbolised by autocracy and bullying and that type of high-handed management," he said.

"Really and truly, the conditions of football in the parish have deteriorated significantly since the governance of president Elaine Walker-Brown, and I think at this point, I need to rescue it because if not, we are risking losing talent and clubs if this continues."

He pointed to the poor conditions of Prison Oval as a symbol of the competency of Walker-Brown's leadership, which he accuses of neglecting the facility. He claimed the current governing body is a failure, compared to previous administrations led by Lincoln 'Happy' Sutherland and Peter Reid.

"I think the state of Prison Oval is a living symbolisation of the type of management in the parish for the last four years. Prison Oval is our crowning jewel. We've had it since 1938 and if you take a picture of how Peter Reid handed it over to her to how it is now, it's just terrible," McKay said.

PERSONAL ATTACK

However, current president Walker-Brown said McKay's public criticisms are personal attacks against her administration because of the decision to expel McKay Raiders from the current SCFA Major League season.

The SCFA ruled McKay Raiders have breached competition rules for failing to register on the FIFA Connect platform in time to meet the competition's deadlines.

According to Walker-Brown, several attempts were made to resolve the infraction with McKay Raiders, however, no resolution was found between both parties.

"Nobody is above the rules and the laws of the competition," she said. "They are saying 'I am so this and I am so that' and talking all sorts of things and telling lies about me, but St Catherine is getting it right. It is evident because of the one-man band that they have, this is what happened to Raiders.

"They apparently trusted this man so much that they felt they didn't need to listen to us or anybody else and this is what happened," she added.

Walker-Brown said she has no concerns regarding an election challenge from McKay as she believes she has the trust of the clubs in St Catherine. However, she believes McKay has garnered support from previous administrations for his campaign because of his past work as a sponsorship partner.