The English Football Association is bent on ensuring that country wins the bid to host the 2018 World Cup. This was evident as the FA partnered with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) to kick off its 33rd Congress with a dinner in the Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Friday night. It is the first time that a foreign association has partnered with CFU for such an occasion. Recently appointed International Chairman of England's 2018 bidding committee, David Dein said in no uncertain terms that his role was to ensure that his country wins the bid. The former vice-chairman of premier league club Arsenal gave a presentation which included comments from former English national players in Alan Shearer and Hope Powell, who is now manager of the women's team, on why England should be given the 2018 bid.
The English national players, who are also involved, have pledged their appearance fees for their friendly international match against Egypt on March 3 to Haiti. There will also be a number of other programmes facilitated by England to help the earthquake devastated country. "Where there is football there is hope," was the message sent by England's defender Rio Ferdinand to CFU president Jack Warner indicating that all is not lost for Haiti especially where England is concerned. Warner, who is also Fifa vice-president, was presented with two gifts from Manchester United and Arsenal in the form of two jerseys bearing his name and No 7 and No 9 respectively. Former Premiership football star David Ginola was also apart of the English FA delegation present.
Warner in his welcome address thanked the delegates for attending, while singling out the presence of Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haiti Football Association (FHF). "He along with 32 of the federation officials were holding a meeting when the quake struck on January 12. He was the only one to escape after the FHF headquarters came crumbling down. His presence here alone speaks volumes," said Warner. Jean-Bart, in a short comment, thanked God for sparing his life. "God saved our lives and on behalf of the people of Haiti, I would like to thank you for all the support given to help us," the FHF president. Newly appointed, Opposition Leader and UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in delivering the feature address on the changing role of women, said it is good to hear Fifa president Joseph Sepp Blatter declare that the future of football is feminine.
"In sport women have demonstrated their immense ability and talent often with and against their male counterparts. But this is not a battle for superiority, one over the other. It is a struggle for equality and justice," said the Opposition leader. She said women's football must play a vital role in building the self esteem of girls and women and breaking down the barriers of gender discrimination. "So if today women's football helps to alter perceptions and adjust attitudes towards women, I will take the field, well, perhaps not as a player but maybe an official of some kind," Persad-Bissessar. CFU represents 25 Fifa member nations, as well as five territories that are not affiliated to Fifa. The sport's Caribbean governing body's congress got under way yesterday.