Omari Eastmond is gearing up for an energetic campaign to unseat Randy Harris in the Barbados Football Association (BFA) presidential race and reshape the sport’s leadership on the island.

Eastmond, a former goalkeeper for the Bajan Tridents, is the lone contender against Harris, who has been at the helm since 2012, and he has been actively seeking support from affiliated clubs and prominent figures in the sport, since declaring his candidacy for the April 7 election.

Eastmond plans to launch a series of events using various communication platforms to connect with the football community and key stakeholders.

“I’ve received tremendous backing, although not all of it is public. Many people have reached out to me,” Eastmond told Barbados Today.

“It’s crucial to convey my message because we’re in dire need of change. I can’t identify with any plans for the development of football in Barbados. We’re not in a good place at the moment. There was a time when Barbados’ rivals were Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba; now even Montserrat beating us. This can’t be the direction anyone would want to see football in Barbados,” he added, as the Tridents were recently relegated to League C of the Concacaf Nations League.

Eastmond believes that his candidacy represents a call for transformative leadership within the BFA, centred on strategic planning, financial accountability, and grassroots development, with the ultimate aim of revitalizing Barbadian football on both national and international stages.

As such, he intends to share his vision with football stakeholders leading up to the election, as he reaffirmed his commitment to fostering improved communication between clubs and ensuring transparency in the allocation of FIFA funds.

Drawing comparisons with successful football programmes in neighbouring Caribbean nations, Eastmond stressed the importance of prudent financial management and strategic planning.

“We just need to manage our money properly, and we’re not seeking advice from persons who are smart enough to tell the BFA how the money is best spent,” Eastmond noted.