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It is another step towards reform - but the Ministry of Sports isn't letting up. The Minister today told us he will wait and see what they come up with before signing off on the new code:

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Sports
"I believe that there should be a special congress of the FFB tomorrow from what I have been told and at that meeting the new statutes that have been arrived at in conjunction with FIFA and the new electoral code that have also been arrived at with conjunction with FIFA should be approved and that will paved the way then for elections in the branches and in the various districts and in the BBFL and then for the executive elections to be held before the 10 of December."

"Well I think we are certainly waiting for the FFB to submit to us there new statutes and the electoral codes and it will be interested to see what is in those codes and the statues, after that we can speak more clearly on if it has been properly defined and if there is any opportunity for hanky panky, but until we see the electoral code which will basically set out the procedures and process for conducting these elections - we have to hold our comment."

Jules Vasquez
"But sir if it's not satisfactory in terms of ensuring fair play in the election, you all are prepared to oppose it again?"

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Sports
"Well as the memorandum of understanding with the National Sports Council states; the FFB has to submit these to the Sports Council and they will be reviewed by the Sports Council and obviously if you are going to review it, if we see things in there that we are not happy with we will have to let the FFB know. But I don't suspect that will be the case this time."

After that interview Saldivar went to meet with the FFB and found that a senior official, Primo Corvaro, the manager of member associations is in Belize from FIFA headquarters in Switzerland to witness tomorrow's meeting.

That's a meeting where the news elite league will be decided upon - and this afternoon Sports Coordinator Miley Garcia urged all BPFL clubs to attend for consideration:

Miley Garcia, Coordinator, Min. of Sports
"what will happen tomorrow and the main reason for wanting to speak to you so that all football family could understand, is that we want all the top clubs in Belize to now come to Belmopan tomorrow because at a meeting that will be held at 2 o'clock at the FFB headquarters, this is where at definitive top league will be agreed upon that will have the support of both the Ministry and Football Federation of Belize and FIFA by extension. So we are inviting of course the 4 clubs that were still with the BBFL and also the 8 clubs that participated in the super league and any other top team that feels that they should be participation in that top league. Tomorrow that meeting will be to agree on having one top league that would then be affiliated to the FFB. The modalities as to how it will work or the other mechanisms those will be discuss later on, but for tomorrow a decision will be taken, it was agreed this morning that a decision will be taken as to a definitive top league for Belizean football."

"We are very pleased with the attitude that has been displayed by Mr. Corvaro at this morning's meeting it is for us of great significance that they sent a representative all the way from FIFA headquarters. In fact he is the manager of member associations and for him to have come here for this event seems to us that FIFA is attaching great importance."

The meeting is at 6:00 tomorrow evening at FFB headquarters in Belmopan..