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In an exclusive interview with renowned sports journalist Andre Huie, Mr. Jamir Claxton, Nevisian Deputy General Secretary of the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA), tackled head-on the recent outcry from football clubs about transportation and scheduling issues affecting their participation in domestic competitions.

Transportation Drama Unraveled

One of the burning issues brought to light was the claim that teams had struggled this season due to the lack of transportation assistance. Clubs have voiced frustrations over what they felt was a sudden withdrawal of financial support, making it difficult for Nevisian teams to travel to St. Kitts for matches. Huie posed the question, “Clubs are saying that the transportation assistance that was provided previously was not made available this season. Can you speak to this?”

Claxton clarified the situation, revealing that transportation for Nevis teams has historically been shared between the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), the Ministry of Sports, and the SKNFA. Claxton added that the SKNFA introduced a grant program allowing teams to access up to $25,000, part of which was intended for transportation costs.

“The NIA has always subsidized the cost for Nevis teams traveling to St. Kitts,” Claxton affirmed. “The cost of traveling to play games has never been an issue. So I am surprised that it came up this time around.”

Claxton emphasized that there had been consistent support, even with the SKNFA stepping in to assist Nevis teams, recognizing their greater distance traveled.

Scheduling Woes: A Double-Edged Sword

Another bombshell came when Huie asked about complaints regarding match schedules, which reportedly hindered Nevisian teams, particularly Queen City, from getting their players over in time to St. Kitts due to work obligations.

Claxton revealed that earlier schedules were designed to avoid young girls traveling late at night, but this effort inadvertently caused clashes with the working schedules of Nevis players. He admitted that although the schedule was created in good faith, it unintentionally sparked a new issue.

“We had discussions with Queen City to find a compromise, including suggestions to push games later or adjust venues,” Claxton explained. “But while we worked on these changes, Queen City missed several games, violating the rules.”

Claxton stressed that the SKNFA had taken steps to accommodate Queen City’s requests, but Queen City’s failure to adhere to the rules disrupted the process.

Nevis Youth League Controversy

Addressing another scandalous claim, Huie asked about Bath United’s withdrawal from the youth league. Claxton dropped a bombshell, revealing that Bath United chose to participate in an external competition in Antigua instead of honoring their youth league commitments, all without seeking official permission from the SKNFA.

“We tried to accommodate them, but Bath United didn’t follow the necessary procedures,” Claxton disclosed.

Fighting for Fairness Amidst the Chaos

Claxton’s candid revelations highlighted the SKNFA’s efforts to balance the needs of Nevisian teams while ensuring fairness across the board. Despite the controversies swirling around transportation and scheduling, Claxton reaffirmed his commitment to finding solutions that accommodate all teams in the federation, particularly those from Nevis, while maintaining the integrity of the football competitions.