Prime Minister Mia Mottley says the inaugural Prime Minister’s Cup football tournament is the Barbados Government’s way of providing opportunities and creating a platform for the country’s players to not only develop their talent, but also to excel.

The new semi-professional tournament, which has a total investment of US$75,000 (BDS $150,000) is scheduled to kick off in August with 24 teams –10 from the Barbados Football Association Premier League, the top six from Division One, and the top four from Division 2 and Division three, based on 2023 standings –to take part.

With well over 600 players set to parade their skills, Mottley pointed out that it forms part of an objective to establish a more compact football structure.

“If we are serious about the clear determination that we must be global citizens with Bajan roots, then we have to build the platform in which that can happen,” Mottley said during the tournament’s launch at the Barbados Football Association (BFA) headquarters, on Wednesday.

“The reality is whether it is boys or girls playing football, this country needs greater structure and greater opportunities in football if we are to rise to the next level. Some will be able to go on and find lucrative contracts. Some will be able to work in the ecosystem of football. We have a duty therefore to start to lift our game up. If we want to have a developmental role it means that Government must now step in to play that role,” she added.

Mottley stressed that taking on a tournament of this nature when no private sector company would, is a no brainer for her administration, especially given the fact that young people are becoming more and more interested in football.

“There are not a lot of companies who would step up to the plate, and they are also looking at many other national activities from cultural activities right back through. So the bottom line is that one of the limitations of being small is that the state sometimes must take the lead in terms of entrepreneurship. When Barbados became an independent country, Errol Barrow understood that, and that is why the Hilton hotel was built at a time when no Barbadian private sector entity would have taken that scale of risk to build that scale of hotel in a country this size,” the Prime Minister reasoned.

“If we are to change our fortunes in Barbados, we need to be able to ensure that we have the administrative structure and the opportunities in tournaments such as this. I hope that at some point there will be a regional professional league,” she noted.

Another significant aspect of the tournament is the fact that all players will be expected to take part in self-confidence and self-esteem building, conflict resolution, and entrepreneurship workshops.

“The fundamental difference with this tournament must be a clear understanding of the profiles and the opportunities for every player, so that we work collectively between the public and the private sector to ensure that we put these persons on a sustainable path for a livelihood,” Mottley declared.

Meanwhile, Omari Eastmond, chairman of the organising committee echoed the prime minister’s sentiments.

“It is a way to tap into our talent on the island and give them purpose, allowing them to strive in structured settings giving them a chance to have a financial reward,” Eastmond said.

Omari Eastmond is gearing up for an energetic campaign to unseat Randy Harris in the Barbados Football Association (BFA) presidential race and reshape the sport’s leadership on the island.

Eastmond, a former goalkeeper for the Bajan Tridents, is the lone contender against Harris, who has been at the helm since 2012, and he has been actively seeking support from affiliated clubs and prominent figures in the sport, since declaring his candidacy for the April 7 election.

Eastmond plans to launch a series of events using various communication platforms to connect with the football community and key stakeholders.

“I’ve received tremendous backing, although not all of it is public. Many people have reached out to me,” Eastmond told Barbados Today.

“It’s crucial to convey my message because we’re in dire need of change. I can’t identify with any plans for the development of football in Barbados. We’re not in a good place at the moment. There was a time when Barbados’ rivals were Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba; now even Montserrat beating us. This can’t be the direction anyone would want to see football in Barbados,” he added, as the Tridents were recently relegated to League C of the Concacaf Nations League.

Eastmond believes that his candidacy represents a call for transformative leadership within the BFA, centred on strategic planning, financial accountability, and grassroots development, with the ultimate aim of revitalizing Barbadian football on both national and international stages.

As such, he intends to share his vision with football stakeholders leading up to the election, as he reaffirmed his commitment to fostering improved communication between clubs and ensuring transparency in the allocation of FIFA funds.

Drawing comparisons with successful football programmes in neighbouring Caribbean nations, Eastmond stressed the importance of prudent financial management and strategic planning.

“We just need to manage our money properly, and we’re not seeking advice from persons who are smart enough to tell the BFA how the money is best spent,” Eastmond noted.