CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb says the healing of the confederation in the wake of the ugly cash-for-vote scandal back in 2011 is progressing apace.

“I think we are well on our way, I think definitely the worst is behind us and I believe that we have created a transparency and a clarity that our region and the membership needed so badly. I believe that we are poised for greatness in the future,” said the Caymanian in an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday.

Back in 2011 following a visit of then FIFA presidential candidate Qatari Mohammed Bin Hammam to Trinidad and Tobago where he sought to win Caribbean support for his bid to unseat the incumbent Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter, a scandal broke out of alleged voting buying that crippled regional football, and cast a dark shadow also over CONCACAF and the global body.

So damaging were the claims that had high-profiled casualties, including the resignation of then CONCACAF and CFU president Austin ‘Jack’ Warner and varying sanctions against other Caribbean football officials.

Bin Hammam was later banned for life from football.

The inferno that swept through the football firmament consequent to the scandal was so devastating that FIFA has spent the past two years repairing the image of the game, while CONCACAF and by extension the CFU, have implemented sweeping safeguards and oversight mechanisms to prevent a future repeat.

“We have recognised that with what we have been through we have to rebuild our image and credibility, also our branding of Caribbean football as every members association has been affected by what transpired over the past two years, so we have launched a marketing and rebranding (campaign) so that national associations can reposition and re-invent themselves back into the fold of Caribbean football,” said Webb, who was elevated unopposed to lead CONCACAF in the wake of the scandal and the departure of the long-serving Warner.

Both CONCACAF and the CFU in their efforts to achieving new levels of transparency and good governance have set numerous committees for better management of the orgsnisation and to put them on a path that will allow them to stand up to the most intense scrutiny.

In another instance of image cleansing , Webb received resounding applause from the CONCACAF membership and was hailed by Blatter himself for his bravery in ordering an investigation into the operations of the Warner-led CONCACAF, which resulted in a damning Sir David Simmonds Integrity Committee report.

Warner and his general secretary Chuck Blazer are accused of acting improperly in executing their offices, according to the report presented by Simmonds at a CONCACAF Congress in Panama in April. In the case of Warner, he had publicly denied the allegations against him.

CONCACAF, as part of its rebuilding process, has instituted more than 20 committees and other working groups as it looks to sustained transparent leadership.

Jamaica’s Captain Horace Burrell chairs three of those committees, including the Finance Committee. Another Jamaican, accountant Leighton McKinight, is in charge of the Audit and Compliance Committee.

Webb said the appointment of the Jamaicans was influenced by the high level of experience and qualification they bring to the table.

“Obviously Jamaica is a member of the confederation and has great depth and great knowledge. Also, I believe that we have some excellently qualified individuals in the region, who want to serve the game and who are passionate about the game and who want to ensure that football is headed in the right direction,” said Webb, who recently added to his football portfolio the chairmanship of the crucial FIFA Anti-Racism and Discrimination Task Force.

Another Jamaican holding a key job at CONCACAF is former JFF general secretary Horace Reid who is the Director of Competitions.

South Africa’s Minister of Human Settlements and representative of the Mandela Foundation, Tokyo Sexwale (left), presents a book signed by Nelson Mandela to FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president, Jeffrey Webb, at the 63rd FIFA Congress in Mauritius on May 31. Webb also chairs FIFA’s Anti-Racism and Discrimination Task Force.