Recent Articles
Complaints boss resigns
(CNS): Nicola Williams, the complaints commissioner, has handed in her resignation and will be taking up a new post next year in the UK. In a statement released from her office on Thursday, Williams said she had accepted the appointment as the UK Service Complaints Commissioner (the Ombudsman for the UK Armed Forces), based domestically and worldwide. She will leave her job in Cayman in early January 2015. Williams had recently had her contracted renewed but only for twelve months and not for the full five year tenure normally offered and not until the eleventh hour before her first contract had expired.
Speaking to CNS in the wake of the announcement, Williams said, “Everyone knows I was reappointed for only one year instead of what would be the usual five years and as a consequence I thought it best to start to looking. I had previously been approached about jobs in the UK on visits in my capacity as a judge and given the situation here I thought I would pursue those other opportunities. On any view this position is a big step up.”
The role of the SCC was established by the Armed Forces Act 2006, as part of a service complaints system which came into effect from 1 January 2008. Williams was selected following open competition and a rigorous five stage selection process, which was chaired by an independent assessor from the Commissioner for Public Appointments in the UK.
In order to secure the powerful post, Williams also had to appear before the House of Commons Defence Committee for a pre-appointment hearing.
Pre-appointment hearings enable select committees to take evidence from preferred candidates for major public appointments before they are appointed. The Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, Anna Soubry described Williams is an excellent candidate.
Williams confirmed that she will speak more before departing about the circumstances in Cayman at present regarding the office she held and how complaints are being treated in the civil service, as well as how government has addressed some of the issues she has brought to their attention via her reports.
Failing Hannah
Local media covered, to some extent, the premiere and success of “Hannah’s Confession”, the play by local award-winning playwright Patricia Marie Bent which debuted at the Harquail Theatre in September and was brought back by popular demand in November. Nearly every news outlet spoke of the excellence of the cast, the well-constructed dialogue and plot, and the realistic portrayal of what goes on in the not so visible corners of “Product Cayman”.
The few outlets that covered the work more extensively touched on the darker themes of the play — domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, bullying — but did so from a safer distance, favoring to highlight what was described as the “positive message” within it all.
“Hannah’s Confession” was brilliant, not only due to its ability to spotlight these “darker themes” — the willfully ignored or outright downplayed reality of Beloved Isle Cayman — but also by being able to highlight how we, as a society, have failed our children at every turn. From the family members/“nosy next door neighbours”, to the church, schools, police service, and social services “Hannah’s Confession” lays out in simple ways all the missed opportunities for protection and intervention, distributes the responsibility equally among the different sectors of our community and turns the mirror on its audience for, at the very least, introspection.
What the news outlets failed to cover was that the most jarring, disturbing and outright infuriating aspects of the experience for some audience members were not those that took place on stage and not for lack of content. During a particularly difficult scene, where Hannah’s mother and father (portrayed by the incredible Rita Estevanovich and Michael McLaughlin) end up in a confrontation that quickly turns violent and highlights both actors’ commitment to the role as they realistically portray a no-holds-barred physical fight, the overwhelming audience response was not outrage or shock; it was laughter.
Comedy club laughter.
To clarify: there were numerous parts of the play’s dialogue that were intentionally funny, and the delivery by the actors made them outright hilarious. Yet there was no discernment among a good number of audience members between the comedy and the drama. This was not the only scene that evoked this inappropriate response, among them was also the scene where the mother’s new boyfriend is making overtly sexual passes at the young Hannah, who is clearly uncomfortable.
The inappropriate reaction to seeing sexually abusive behavior towards a child as well as acts of physical violence being perpetrated were not expressed solely by the young people who were watching the play. Adults too, both Caymanians and expats, in various capacities, including educators and other professionals, were among those finding humor in the situation.
Those who left the theatre feeling disconcerted and disgusted have been pondering how to make sense of this experience and more broadly what it means as it pertains to the state of our community.
To attribute this reaction, which members of the cast confirmed were the norm and not the exception, to our immature theatre culture and inability to process anything other than comedies is a far too kind and rose-coloured explanation of what appears to be a much more troubling reality.
On the one hand, perhaps the reality portrayed on stage is in fact so commonplace for those who experience it daily that, in their struggle to keep their head above water, they have lost their ability to empathize with another with similar struggles. It is an utterly indifferent response expressed through statements like: “I get my licks, so why I must feel sorry for you?”, “Das how it go”, “That’s life”, or the myriad of other ways which reaffirm that this type of violence is normal.
On the other hand, perhaps as a community we have become so accustomed to consuming violence in its various forms — in our communities, on TV, at the movies, in our news, via our radio, online and in our games — that we have become truly desensitized to it.
In a world where the brutal beating of a toddler by her Ugandan nanny is captured on film and disseminated so as to attain “viral” status, a man pushing a woman with such force so as to make her lose her footing and fall hard is a meaningless act by comparison. In our mass consumption we have grown increasingly tolerant as violence is now measured comparatively against the great archive of violent acts stored in our psyche.
There may be those who think this is a gross overreaction, but consider this: what message was sent to the young members of the cast, whose ages ranged from 8-16, when emotionally charged, threatening, violent and serious situations were met with such response?
Worse yet, who can guarantee that this cavalier reaction is confined to the theatre? What of the child who presents with signs of abuse to one of these adults? A mandate to report is not a mandate to empathise, so with what reaction will s/he be greeted?
Those among us who work on trying to raise awareness of issues such as child sexual abuse and domestic violence have long held to the hope that making our population aware is half the battle won. Our belief has been that in helping to publicly assert that these things are happening and helping our people correctly name our problems we will take the most necessary step towards collectively finding a solution for it.
Yet, the cast of “Hannah’s Confession” laid out our problems on a silver platter, with all the trimmings, and provided us with a service next to none. Their last two performances, in fact, took place within the context of a Cayman Islands where six year old Bethany Butler was brutally stabbed multiple times by her mother just weeks prior. If ever there was a time for the messages to resonate, this should have been it.
And still there was laughter.
Police charge suspect bag snatcher
(CNS): A 48 year old Bodden Town resident has been charged with theft following his arrested in George Town yesterday after he was caught by a police constable. The man is alleged to have stolen a waist bag containing cash and personal effects from a stall at the Craft Market, adjacent to the junction of Boilers Road and South Church Street at around 11am, Wednesday. An RCIPS spokesperson said the suspect had then made his escape on foot but was pursued by the stall operator who gave immediate chase. The man was then apprehended not far from the Hard Rock Café restaurant by a uniform constable.
Police on arrival at the scene said the accused man was firmly held in what was described as a bear hug before he was arrested in relation to the theft. He was later charged with theft and was scheduled to appear in summary court Thursday.
Haines needs $100k ahead of final run
(CNS): Derek Haines' epic challenge to complete six marathons in a year has captured the attention and respect of many in Cayman not just for the distance ran, but for the cause it's being run for. Through fund raising and increasing awareness of his personal challenge Haines aims to raise one million dollars for the building of a new Cayman Hospice Center. The final marathon of the million dollar fundraiser will take place on Sunday from 7 December starting at 6am from Breezes by the Bay in George Town. However, the marathon man is still short of almost $100,000 and is sincerely hoping that there will be a final surge before he puts on his trainers for the last 26.2 miles this weekend.
Haines continues his prolific journey with the support of the community, local businesses, his friends and family. Contributions have varied greatly from donation to donation – with the dollar a race donation from a local Rastafarian to the hundreds of thousands from local business people and companies.
“It has been a community wide contribution,” Haines said.
In an interview with CNS, Wednesday, he said his family is behind him and are “very supportive”, with his daughter having taken part in one of his marathons, in Pampalona, (pictured above) as well as planning to join him for this one on Sunday.
Cayman Hospice Care provides end-of-life care to Caymanians, who are dying, for free. They are paying $6,000 a month to rent out properties currently. The aim is to get them their own property “To help them stand on their own two feet,” as Haines said.
It is hoped that with sufficient donations for the purchase of their own property that money can then be funnelled back into their own operations and maintenance costs. The new building will enable HospiceCare to provide “in-patient care” to its clients, and will also save the charity some $72,000 in annual rent
“I'm not an architect, I'm not a builder… I'm just the runner, and I try to get the money,” Haines said before going on to explain that the building is hoped to be a four bedroom building with en suite facilities, a nurse's administrative area and a family room for visits. He has funded his own travel expenses and training costs himself.
Haines is nearing his financial target as well as the finish line after a globe-trotting campaign spanning six different countries, having overcome injury and doubt – and having worn out several pairs of shoes. “If you say you're going to do something, you do it.” he said. A lofty idea that “started off over a few beers” early in the year with some friends is turning into a reality.
The funds raised currently stand at $905,000 and the Cayman community can get behind him and donate at the fund-raising website http://six4hospice.com/. This last marathon doesn’t necessarily mean that the run for donations will be over though, with the website and fund remaining open to any late contributions to the Hospice fund.
Contributors so far include Dart (and subsidiaries), the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, Massive Group, Massive Media, Chris Johnson Associates Ltd., John Doak Architecture, Digicel, LIME, KMedia Graphx, ICOA, Precision Solar, Sol Distributors and the Jacques Scott Group. Businesses like Home Gas and Andro Group also will be contributing to the construction of the new Hospice facility.
Calls come for CoPs head
(CNS): Revelations that the police commissioner had recruited a man facing a murder charge in Jamaica to the RCIPS, who has now been convicted, has raisedserious public concerns and calls for the top cop’s resignation. Government has remained silent, however, and the governor’s office told CNS that Helen Kilpatrick was in London for the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) and “will consider whether to comment on this issue when she returns to office". Meanwhile, the public outcry on the CNS comments, social media, the radio waves and the street is unlikely to be something the governor and the rest of government can ignore. MLAs Ezzard Miller and Bernie Bush have called for David Baines’ resignation and Al Suckoo, the only member of the PPM government to comment, described the situation as an outrage.
Miller said that as well as Baines’ departure he wanted to see a review of all recruits to the RCIPS over the last four years.
“I can state categorically that I do not have confidence in the chief of police, given the most recent revelation about the now convicted murderer having been recruited into the police force, and I am equally concerned that he may not be the only one. As a matter of urgency I call on the governor to establish a committee to review all successful applicants over the last four years who remain in the RCIPS,” he told CNS.
Meanwhile, Bernie Bush, a West Bay member on the opposition benches, said that from the very beginning he had concernsabout Baines, which were reinforced when he chose to buy the former governor a 'cow cod' as his parting gift a symbol, Bush reminded people, of the master’s power over the slaves. Describing Baines as arrogant, Bush also called for him to go.
“Enough is enough,” he said. “The people do not have faith in him and for him to say he did nothing wrong regarding the recruitment of a now convicted murderer to our police force demonstrates the height of blindness over what the people think. When criminals complain about police management I am happy but when law abiding citizens are demanding that the commissioner leave then we all need to be concerned. It almost seems as though he wants the country to be in chaos,” the MLA stated, adding that he would be signing a People’s Referendum calling for the commissioner’s departure.
Bush said he had also heard that one of the MLAs had mooted the idea of a no confidence vote in the Legislative Assembly, which he said would have his full support.
The commissioner is employed by the governor and the Cayman government still has no control over staff or operational matters and can do little more than call for the commissioner’s removal if they have lost faith in him. Although CNS asked all of the members of the Legislative Assembly if they still had faith in the police boss, including government, opposition and independent members, the C4C members and the speaker, as representatives of their constituents, none of the Cabinet members have responded.
The only government member to voice concerns was back-bencher Al Suckoo. He said that he has raised the issue about policing and the police leadership with the government and although he has no personal gripe with the commissioner, he has concerns about the crime strategy.
“This latest incident involving an officer employed by the RCIPS being convicted of murder in Jamaica is an outrage and it appears as if the police leadership was aware of the investigation and chose to keep him employed,” Suckoo said, shocked by the revelation but worried it is not the first time it has happened. “I have to question how thorough and comprehensive our vetting process really is.”
He pointed out that instead of concentrating on retaining and recruiting local officers, well trained and experienced Caymanian officers are leaving the service “frustrated and fed up”. Suckoo said he would continue to raise concerns in caucus.
“I do hope that others will agree that it’s time to demand better. There really is too much at stake here. We have many excellent officers serving in the RCIPS and poor leadership will quickly demoralise them. If there ever was a time that we needed to be impressed with our police leadership, I would say the time is now,” the Bodden Town PPM member stated.
Health Minister Osbourne Bodden did not respond to CNS, but speaking generally about the police recently on Orrett Connor’s radio show, "For the Record", he implied that if the people do npt have faith in him, the commissioner should go.
Baines has still not answered enquiries from CNS directly since the revelations were made public earlier this week about the recruitment of Tyrone Findlay but he confirmed that he stood by comments he made in the Caymanian Compass.
A spokesperson for the RCIPS also denied suggestions that when Findlay was brought back to Cayman ahead of his trial, he had been working as an assistant to the commissioner.
The police said that Findlay had work most recently behind a desk in the Marine Unit.
The RCIPS has not still not revealed the full details of the conditions of employment and why it was that he could not be dismissed but Baines told the local paper that Findlay was hired for the RCIPS Armed Support Unit in May 2011, after he applied for a transfer, apparently believing he had been cleared of any wrongdoing in the line-of-duty shooting.
The RCIPS was aware that there were question marks over the killing but employed him anyway, two months before he was charged, in the local Uniform Support Group, the armed branch of the RCIPS, despite knowing that his use of firearms had given serious cause for concern, even in Jamaica, where police discharging their weapons and killing individuals allegedly in the line of duty is far from uncommon.
Findlay was sentenced to 25 years in prison last week for shooting and killing a man when he was a detective in the Manchester district of the Jamaica law enforcement agency.
In March this year, as the case dragged on without going to trial, RCIPS Commissioner David Baines applied for him to return to work in Cayman, having assisted in varying his bail conditions. Baines said this was to get some value from his salary, which the police were legally obliged to continue paying.
Baines said that Findlay came with exemplary references from three senior officers with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and one from a sitting judge. He also had a “clean bill of health” from Jamaica’s anti-corruption unit.
“We were looking for experienced officers that had been firearms trained and could do that duty. That’s why he was brought over,” Baines said.
Applicants to the RCIPS are required to inform the police if they are the subject of any active investigations involving inappropriate or excessive use of force. But Baines said that Findlay and his referees references were unaware that the inquiry into the shooting was continuing when he applied to work in Cayman.
Baines said the first that the RCIPS hierarchy knew of the incident was in July 2011, when the Jamaican Director of Public Prosecutions Office announced it was proceeding with criminal charges.
This was only two months after he was recruited and during what must have been a probationary period. But given that Findlay had not disclosed the investigation, it is not clear why he could not have been terminated immediately. Baines said he was, however, suspended on full pay.
“From his version of events, he believed the matter had been investigated and he had been cleared. That was his understanding until 19 months afterwards, when the DPP announced they were bringing these charges,” Baines claimed. “I can’t make any comment about what happened at Alligator Pond; I can say from an RCIPS perspective, in view of his colleagues and his supervisors, he was an exemplary professional – motivated and committed. There were no concerns about his professionalism or his judgment.”
He said the law in Cayman mandates that any officer under investigation has the right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty and cannot be summarily fired, but must be suspended with pay. Baines even suggested that if the expected appeal against the conviction is successful, Findlay could return to work in Cayman.
“If the shooting takes place in January 2010 and it is July 2011 before the DPP makes a decision to charge, that is a significant length of time for what should have been a straight forward investigation. The officers didn’t dispute the shooting; it was not a cold case. Had it been dealt with in a 12-month period, we wouldn’t be where we are,” the commissioner said by way of justification.
Pawn shops face new rules
(CNS): Considered an easy place for burglars, robbers and thieves to cash in their stolen loot, the government is clamping down on pawn shops, metal recyclers and secondhand dealers. From now on, stores will be required to keep full records of how they acquired pawned or traded goods, the identity of the sellers and inform the police when they suspect goods brought to them are stolen. The businesses will also be subject to inspection. Presenting the new Second Hand Dealers bill in the Legislative Assembly last week, Commerce Minister Wayne Panton explained that the law would regulate the industry, deter unlawful property transactions and facilitate the recovery of stolen property.
Panton said that, given the changes to the local business environment in recent years, there needed to be a wider framework of standards and a law to protect the interests of consumers and help police track and recover loot cashed.
The minister welcomed metal recycling and said it was to be encouraged but the government also recognized that the creation of these types of business brought some risks. The minister of commerce said criminals could take advantage of the opportunity to convert pilfered property into quick cash.
With the LA involved in many debates about addressing crime and while stiffer penalties is part of the fight, another part is mitigating and regulating the ability of criminals to convert stolen goods into money. Panton said that, recognizing the risks, government had worked with stakeholders to determine the best practice for second hand dealers.
Panton said the police have had some cooperation from existing dealers but there was a clear need for minimum standards and a regulatory framework. The law, he explained, would establish certain operations and implementing procedures and the obligation to keep photos, inventories, IDS and records on who, what, where, when and how dealers obtained pawned items, especially for jewellery, precious stones and metals, as well as electronics items.
“We recognized the bill isn’t going to eradicate problem of burglaries but will provide a much needed obligatory regime and regulation that will fight that activity and provide an investigative tool to make it more difficult for criminals to use legitimate business establishments to convert stolen property into cash,” Panton told his colleagues.
He said it was hoped that the new regime would lead to better enforcement and a deterrent. Linked to the Trade and Business Licensing bill, which was debated later on the same day, the minister said the law would provide for specific licensing for the second hand industry and to require owners to have a police clearance certificate and to be defined as fit and proper person before they got a license. This, he said, was an attempt to ensure only “people of good reputation” are running these businesses.
“Hopefully, it will curb the problem of burglars and thieves converting stolen goods to cash and give police the tools to deal with it,” the minister added.
Panton noted that the law clearly stated that it does not apply to garage sales and the like.
Although no one commented on the bill and it passed with the support of the government benches, the opposition CDP voted against it. During the debate on the Trade and Business Licensing bill which followed, Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush said there was already too much bureaucracy, which is why he had not supported it.
Piped water project resumes on Cayman Brac
(CNS): Over thenext eight months the Water Authority will install approximately three miles of pipes on Cayman Brac. The authority resumed its work there Monday and engineers have started work at the intersection of West End Road and Cross Road, the WA said. Workers will lay pipes from there to West End Primary school and all developed side roads in between. “The new pipeline will ensure that theWater Authority can deliver piped water efficiently and reliably to more customers,” said Water Authority Deputy Director Tom van Zanten. The project is part of the Water Authority’s 10 year plan to expand water infrastructure and services in the Sister Islands.
Since November last year, approximately two miles of new water main has been installed and one mile of existing water main has been upgraded.
“We are confident that these infrastructure development works will offer employment opportunities while expanding the services to residents and businesses in Cayman Brac and ultimately to Little Cayman," said Water Authority Board Chairman Lemuel Hurlston.
Although the authority said it does not anticipate any road closures during the pipelaying work, motorists traveling in the area are urged to proceed with caution and obey all road signs.Where required, flag men will facilitate traffic flow.
For more information visit www.waterauthority.ky.
International Day: Persons with disabilities
With recent history being made by the passing of the first ever Cayman Islands Disability Policy 2014-2033 we have much to celebrate on this year’s International Day for Persons with Disabilities in the Cayman Islands.This Policy is a huge step in the right direction to “ensuring persons with disabilities live with dignity, are respected, and have the opportunity to participate fully in society”.
This is the vision of the Policy which encapsulates all that we as a country should aim to achieve as we develop a more accepting and inclusive community for all.
The annual observance of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992. This year’s theme is “Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology” which focuses on the role of technology in disaster risk reduction and emergency responses, creating enabling working environments and disability-inclusive sustainable development goals (www.un.org/disabilities).
The Cayman Islands Disability Policy goals include the need to make technology accessible for persons with disabilities to function in their everyday lives. Goal 2 in particular, addresses employment and aims at ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal access to employment opportunities. It also addresses the need for some persons with disabilities to access assistive devices in order to perform their duties. Both the Public and Private sectors are encouraged to support putting in place such accommodations, so that persons with disabilities can have access to the necessary tools required to carry out their work.
Disaster risk reduction is always a top priority in the Cayman Islands, as is seen in our annual preparations for Hurricane Season. Being safe during natural disasters is taken seriously by our residents, who remember the devastation we experienced during Hurricane Ivan and Hurricane Paloma. Goal 4 Strategy A in the Cayman Islands Disability Policy includes the provision for persons with disabilities in the National Hazard Management Plan, particularly in regard to transportation and shelter accommodations. We must ensure the safety of all citizens of the country, which of course includes persons with disabilities, who may require more support and assistance.
The entire policy document supports disability-inclusive sustainable development goals. Persons with disabilities are not separate to our society; they make up a significant number, should have equal rights as everyone else, and should be included in all development goals of the Cayman Islands. According to the World Health Organisation, over a billion people in the world have some form of disability (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs352/en/). That is approximately 15% of the World’s population. In the Cayman Islands, our 2010 Census Report showed that approximately 3,000 people identified themselves as having some form of disability which ranged from physical, mental and intellectual disabilities; however, we know that these numbers are underestimated as the statistical collection framework used for the collection of such data does not sufficiently capture all persons with disabilities within the Cayman Islands currently.
The work of improving the rights of persons with disabilities in the Cayman Islands has taken a significant amount of time and meaningful effort is still needed to create and develop a fully inclusive society for all. But we are charging forth in the right direction and this work has my support, as well as that of the Cabinet and the Government as a whole. I would like to thank the Policy Steering Committee and all persons who have contributed in some way to protecting and improving the rights of persons with disabilities in the Cayman Islands.
In honour of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I encourage everyone to wear yellow, the recognised colour for celebrating and supporting the day, and get involved in the process. As we continue to change attitudes towards Persons with Disabilities, to those of respect, appreciation and inclusion in our society, we do well to remember one of the key messages of a Special Olympics International campaign: “It is not a person’s disabilities, but rather their abilities that are important.”
Local HIV figures low but public urged to get tested
(CNS): As the global community marked another World Aids Day at the start of this month the Cayman Islands is still retaining a low prevalence rate of the disease. However, officials are still urging people to take advantage of free testing this week to ensure that people know their status and can continue to prevent the spread of the virus and avoid developing AIDS. Since the first documented diagnosis in Cayman 1985 to date, just 123 people have tested positive for HIV. With 43 of those people dying from AIDS and 18 patients having left Cayman 62 people are living with HIV locally.
Sexual transmission still accounts for 90 of cases here more than half of which are via heterosexual intercourse. There have been just four recorded cases of mother to child transmissions and the last case was in 2004.
The Public Health Department, the Cayman AIDS Foundation and the Cayman Islands Red Cross have partnered to organize free HIV/AIDS testing this week. Officials promised the testing will “be speedy and confidential.”
No appointment is necessary and the waiting time should be no more than ten minutes. People who wish to be tested and/or receive counselling need only indicate to the registration clerks that they would like to register for free HIV screening. The results will be available in three working days. These will be given only to the patient, who mustreturn to the clinic where the test was taken to receive the results. Those who have taken the test outside of clinics will be advised on how to get the results at the time of testing.
In future from Tuesday 6 January next year free HIV testing will be available year-round at the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Thomas Russell Way, every Tuesday between 9 and 10am.
Osbourne Bodden, the health minister said that the Caribbean region which has the highest transmission rate outside sub-Saharan Africa said local initiatives will help to reduce new HIV infections, late diagnosis and AIDS-related deaths. As he pointed to the UN’s goa for the region to be clear of the disease in the not too distance future and for everyone to know their status.
Each year World AIDS Day draws together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. It also seeks to encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries around the world.
Globally 35 million people live with HIV and more than 39 million have died of AIDS since 1981.
The theme of World AIDS Days between 2011 and 2015 is: "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths". This year marks a push towards greater access to treatment for all and action by governments.
For more information on HIV testing and other activities please contact HIV/AIDS Coordinator Laura Whitfield at 244-2631 or Health Promotion Officer Therese Prehay at 244-2632.
See break down of Cayman statistics on HIV and AIDS below
Football boss says discrimination still shocking
(CNS): Cayman’s international football boss, Jeffrey Webb said this week that it was still “shocking to see” the discrimination in the game. Chair of the Anti-Racism and Discrimination Task Force, the FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President said it needed the support of clubs, member associations, NGOs and campaign groups to help the task force tackle the issue. Meeting in Switzerland this week the task force discussed strategies for strengthening education and sanction measures in football. The task force also revealed plans not only to reinforce monitoring and mechanisms to tackle discrimination but the appointment of anti-discrimination officers for tournaments.
“It is shocking to see how we still face cases of discrimination in football on a regular basis," said Webb. "The appointment and training of anti-discrimination officers as well as the publication of a handbook of good practices will be two important steps in the fight against racism and all forms of discrimination. Both measures send out a concrete message. Now we need the full support from clubs, member associations, NGOs and campaign groups.
Further measures in the fight against discrimination include the publication of a handbook of good practices that will be distributed to FIFA member associations in 2015, guiding them to fosterdiversity and anti-discrimination in football in their respective countries. The handbook will include information and best practices on policy, education, sanctions and cooperation with civil society partners.
“The Anti-Racism and Discrimination Task Force and Jeffrey Webb, as its Chairman, have the full support of FIFA and its administration,” said FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, emphasizing the need for strong measures in order to achieve concrete results, as discrimination impacts heavily on the image and enjoyment of the game.
The Task Force which includes representatives from the United Nations, NGOs, players, coaches, referees, media, legal and member associations, among others, agreed on the importance to use the 2018 FIFA World Cup asa platform to raise awareness on the issue and showcase FIFA’s zero tolerance policy against any form of discrimination.
“It was an interesting discussion about concrete measures to combat racism and discrimination. Together with FIFA and the other stakeholders, we are developing a plan that will encompass all areas concerning the fight against discrimination,” said Alexander Djordjadze, Deputy CEO of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Local Organizing Committee.
Piara Powar, CEO of Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) added that there was a very mature and intense debate at the meeting. “Which is a good sign: it means that the Task Force is getting beneath the skin of the issues that face us. This bodes well in terms of getting a clear direction to football around the globe, which in the end is what FIFA is about,” he said.
The Task Force was also handed for their review and feedback the first edition of CONCACAF Diversity Handbook, which gathers educational information and practical resources from leading international organizations to promote inclusiveness within the football family.
The FIFA Task Force Against Racism and Discrimination was announced by FIFA President Joseph Blatter in March of 2013, following a meeting of the FIFA Strategic Committee, as part of a series of measures to tackle the pressing issue of racism and discrimination in football.