Sports Policy near completion

Resource Centre part of the set-upSports Minister Dr. Frank Anthony in a recent review of the Ministry’s performance in 2008 said that the eagerly awaited Policy on Sports is nearer to completion and should be ready sometime this year.

Dr. Anthony in reflecting on the document that was first initiated in the early 90s’ under then Chairman of the National Sports Commission Ken DeAbreu, but was never laid in Parliament, explained that even though he was part of the team at that time, he never envisaged the paper would have been so exhaustive in preparing.

“We need to do a strategic plan for sports, but it has not been as easy as I thought and that is because you have so many stakeholders who all would like their views to be included,” the Minister outlined.

Quizzed on some of the areas that the document will cover, Dr. Anthony said that strong focus will be on school and community sports, universal system for producing coaches, accreditation for coaches and officials, sports medicine, doping in sports, developing sports tourism with the assistance of associations with the emphasis on hosting regional and international competitions.

The Minister added that some of the broader aspects of the policy will cater for the setting up of a Sports Institute where courses will be available for coaches and administrators of sports.

Dr. Anthony disclosed that there are about 25-26 focus areas contained in the policy which when completed will be very comprehensive and accommodating for the development of sports.

Another initiative will be the setting up of a Resource Centre that will allow coaches, administrators and athletes the opportunity to benefit from various materials such as books, videos and other related equipment.

Sports Minister Dr. Frank Anthony