by Michael Bascombe
ST
GEORGE’S, Grenada, January 18, 2011 - The Government of Prime Minister Tillman
Thomas has completed a four-decade old project aimed at institutional
strengthening of sports in Grenada.
“For the first time in the history of
Grenada and completing a forty-one year-old project, never achieved by any
other administration, never completed by any other minister for sports, there
is now a National Policy on Sports and Physical Activity in our country,” said Youth
Empowerment and Sports Minister Patrick Simmons.
Addressing the Budget Debate in the House
of Representatives on Tuesday, Mr Simmons said the policy is also expected to
create a framework for incentive reward and the guaranteed development of
professional sporting personalities.
“Under this New National Policy and also
completing a 38 year-old venture there is a National Sports Council with Parish
Sports Councils in every parish to implement the major aspects of the National
Sports Policy,” he said.
The Minister said that there will be a new
approach to national administration and coordination of sports with the
restructuring of the Ministry of Sports and the operation of the National
Sports Council.
He said that under the new policy federation
and sporting organisations will have to be better structured and managed, with
proper accountability and transparency to relate to Government or in order to
access government assistance.
It also means that new and modern sporting
infrastructure, facilities and equipment will be procured and better managed and
some of the playing fields and courts will be seeded to the National Sports
Council.
He said that one of the hallmarks of the
sports policy will be the collaboration with federations and organisations for
the formulation of a comprehensive development programme for athletes from
talent identification at an early age to professional development of world
class competitors.
Mr Simmons said that in 2011 the priority
areas under the new policy on sports and physical activity will include a
national sporting calendar by the National Sports Council; organisation of a
Grenada National Championships every two year and support to national
federations for hosting year-round competitive events.
He said that there will be the development
and implementation of performance incentive framework for athletes; provision
of economic support to members of national teams and assistance to national
athletes to secure jobs; development of the human resource capacity across a
wide range of sport-related disciplines and a national policy on the use of
prohibited substances as well as dealing with conflict resolution for sporting
organisations and personalities.
“Mr Speaker, the final aspect of a legal
framework for sports management will be completed when the National Policy on
sports and physical activities is implemented and the Sports Development Act is
passed by this Honourable House,” he said.
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