Left: JFF general secretary Burchell Gibson. Right: Former Prime Minister Edward Seaga. - file photos

TODAY'S scheduled Cash Plus Premier League games will not be played.

The League descended into turmoil and uncertainty yesterday after the Jamaica Football Fed-eration (JFF) suspended today's round of games.

General secretary of the JFF, Burchell Gibson, yesterday laid the blame squarely at the feet of the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), a body chaired by former Prime Minister and president of the Tivoli Gardens Football Club, Edward Seaga.

Gibson said the PLCA, whose board comprises an executive from each of the 12 Premier League clubs, was authorised to act on behalf of the JFF to negotiate sponsorship of the league, culminating in new sponsors Cash Plus Limited assuming title sponsorship from Wray and Nephew Limited.

However, Gibson said there has since been a "breakdown" in agreement between the federation and the PLCA as it relates to communication and financial arrangements of the league to which Cash Plus Limited has committed $150 million over three years.

The JFF general secretary said these issues will have to be addressed by the incoming Horace Burrell administration, which is set to take office at this Sunday's voting congress.

"I wish to state, to date, we have not received any monies for the operation of the 2007-2008 Cash Plus Premier League and the PLCA, which the JFF had directed to negotiate sponsorship on its behalf, we have not been getting any commitments from them," he said.

Gibson pointed out no financial commitment has been forthcoming from the PLCA and the current JFF administration is uncertain as to what is happening.

"Prior to the start of each season, administration costs would have been paid over to the JFF as was done with previous sponsor Wray and Nephew," he said.

However, Seaga painted an entirely different picture, saying the issue between the PLCA and the JFF did not warrant suspension of the league.

"The facts are that the JFF gave us an outlandish bill for $14 million as what they would expect us to pay them for work in administering the league," he explained.

Spectators watching a recent National Premier League match between Harbour View and August Town at the UWI Bowl. Today's round of Premier League matches will not be played as the Jamaica Football Federation has suspended play in the league. - Peta-Gaye Clachar

"We said this was totally beyond anything we expected, let us sit and deal with it. The biggest chunk was for referees, which we took out and settled with the referees for half the amount of the bill the JFF gave us.

"The referees have been paid and know how they will be paid in the future. The rest was for administration costs of one sort or another, which, when we calculated, would be reduced by $2 million.

"We said to them, 'Send us a thorough breakdown of the costs', so we could both be satisfied. We got the breakdown but we have not met and it will require more than one meeting," he said.

Seaga said the real issue was that the outgoing JFF administration owed money and wanted to settle its debts before demitting office and the PLCA was willing to assist by offering $1 million against a lease agreement for the ground floor of the federation's New Kingston office.

"We decided we would pay them a million dollars to discharge their obligations," he said.

"We said we can't do that against the budget presented. We had decided to rent the ground floor of the JFF office and whenever the rate, per square foot, was decided, we would draw the cheque for a million dollars.

"However, that wasn't satis-factory to him and he was still harping that we owe them. The JFF owe clubs almost $5 million," Seaga pointed out.

"We asked them to put a time schedule to pay it out and it was obvious it would stretch into the new administration. It's not the PLCA that owes the JFF money. If you net off the amount, they owe us much more than we owe them," said the former Finance Minister.

Seaga said Gibson got an alternative.

"We said we will give you the $1 million and will work out the lease over a period," he pointed out.

"I didn't expect the JFF to take a step like that as they are supposed to be blind supporters of football. There has been no breakdown. Our position was very clear and his has no basis at all."

Shelly-Ann Weeks, marketing manager, Cash Plus Limited, said she was awaiting the outcome of a meeting called by the PLCA to be further updated on the impasse.

Meanwhile, incoming JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, stuck to his guns, refusing to elaborate on the affairs of the current administration.

"I will not comment until Sunday. After congress on Sunday, I will have a lot to say," he said.