Holness hails 'Franno' as a game-changer

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness says one of the most important contributions late world-renowned coach Stephen Francis made to Jamaica was his confidence in his country.

Francis, one of the founders of Maximising Velocity & Power (MVP) Track and Field Club in 1999, passed away in July, one day after his 64th birthday.

In a tribute delivered by Finance Minister Fayval Williams at the thanksgiving service for Francis on Saturday, Holness noted that the formation of MVP came at a time when leaving Jamaica was often regarded as the pathway to the highest levels of athletics.

However, he said Francis opted, instead, to help build something different.

“Through the establishment of the MVP Track Club, he helped create an environment in which Jamaican athletes could remain at home and still prepare to compete against and defeat the very best in the world,” he said.

“That was more than a coaching achievement; it was an affirmation of Jamaican capacity,” he added.

The prime minister described Francis’ contribution to athletics as a game-changer.

“There are some Jamaicans whose contributions change the course of an entire field. Stephen Franno Francis, OJ, was one of them. His passing closes an extraordinary chapter in Jamaican athletics.”

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