SKNFA HOSTS FIRST EVER FOOTBALL SECURITY TRAINING

Published 16 May 2022

Basseterre

Buckie Got It St. Kitts and Nevis News Source

SKNFA HOSTS FIRST EVER FOOTBALL SECURITY TRAINING

The first ever St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) Football Security Training was held recently over a four-day period. This training is designed prepare enlisted persons to provide security services at football venues in accordance with international standards. Carlton Pinney, an Executive Member of the SKNFA in charge of security, explained the concept and purpose of the training exercise. “Today we made history. The first ever workshop for (football) security. Raising the standard of football was why this training was created,” Pinney said.

General Secretary of the SKNFA Techell Mclean, stressed that this training exercise is historic and is part of raising the standard of football security in St. Kitts and Nevis. “We are trying to set the standard when it comes to safety because safety is very important,” she said at the workshop’s opening ceremony held at the Police Training Complex in Basseterre. “You hold the lives of persons in your hands. You basically are the mediators when it comes to incidents or issues (between persons). You keep order,” Mclean told the workshop participants. Participants gave their feedback on what they learnt including how to conduct searches, crowd control, customer service among other topics. They rated the workshop a success.

Speaking at the closing ceremony on behalf of the SKNFA, second vice president Cuthbert Caines noted the training highlights the thrust of the SKNFA Executive to raise the standard of football in St. Kitts and Nevis and the high value placed on security. “Raising the standard, our country, our football, our people. And I think this is very critical at this point in time as we are still, slightly moving out of a pandemic and you as security personnel are faced with working with the general public to ensure the best security for our Federation,” Caines said.

The training was held at the Police Training Complex in Basseterre. The first test for the participants was being deployed at the first international match in St. Kitts and Nevis since the 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns—St. Kitts and Nevis Women’s Team versus the USVI which was played in April at the Warner Park.

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