The Jamaica Premier League (JPL) executive insists their hands remain tied as it relates to being able to provide players with comprehensive insurance as it has not been granted approval to resume by the government.

At current, players from various teams have resumed training on a verbal go-ahead from the government but there is yet to be any official approval granted for the league to resume.  As of now, the players are as a result the majority of players are training without coverage. The competition has been on pause since last March when the season was canceled as part of the effort to combat the spread of deadly Covid-19 coronavirus.

According to Acting General Manager of Professional Football Jamaica Ltd Arlene Martin, the company has already made plans to enact a comprehensive insurance policy for all players and those associated with the team. 

Without the official go-ahead from the government, she claims, the company had been unable to put it into effect.

“We are in negotiations with two insurance companies, looking at providing coverage, once the league season begins, comprehensive insurance for all players and others who may benefit as well,” Martin said in a recent interview.

The GM went on to reveal that the JPL also had plans to work closely with the Heart Institution of the Caribbean as it relates to comprehensive assessments of the players.

“They will be providing services that include screening.  What we will have is an annual screening of the players as well as members of the technical team and that will cover not only the relevant tests but consultations in order to identify and reduce the risk of any sudden cardiac death.”

The issue has come to the fore following the sudden death of former national player Tremaine Stewart, who signed up with Dunbeholden FC last season.