Close protection for FIFA delegates
ROBERT FINZI-SMITH, head of security for the FIFA Executive Summit, which gets started today in Montego Bay, St James, said he is confident that the security protocol being implemented will be adequate to ensure the safety of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and more than 100 member association delegates who will be attending the one-day conference.
According to Finzi-Smith, the members had requested very lowkey security, and they have taken steps to ensure procedures are in place and that all the bases are adequately covered.
“They want it low-key, and we have taken steps to ensure it's low-key, and normal close-protection details procedures are in place,” he said.
More than 300 persons were murdered in St James last year, with the parish already registering quite a few murders since the start of 2018, and although there have been concerns with the crime rate in the Second City, Finzi-Smith says he is confident in the system they have in place.
AVOIDING EXCITEMENT
“Everywhere in the world, you have a spot that they tell you is not a good place to go. And Montego Bay – like any other place – has places where it would not be wise to go walking up and down,” said Finzi-Smith.
“We have ensured that we are briefing the persons and we are indicating that their movement, more or less in terms of transportation, will be controlled by us. So we will keep them away from the excitement, and I am as confident as I can be without having godlike capabilities that security measures will be successful,” Finzi-Smith said.
He added: “We have ensured that accommodation and movement are First World so we have no problems. Even though it is a short one-day visit, we want to make it as pleasant as possible so they will all become returning guests.”
The executive summit will be chaired by the FIFA president and will bring all member associations together. The project is aimed at enhancing the relationship between FIFA and member associations at a top executive level and to provide a democratic platform for information exchange.