Minister of Sport, Youth, and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, has staunchly defended the Mia Mottley administration’s dedication to fostering sports development in the country, countering criticisms from the sporting community and the general public.
In a wide-ranging address delivered at the Barbados Olympic Association’s 2023 Annual Awards Ceremony at Sandals Royal Barbados on Saturday night, Griffith outlined the government’s measures aimed at advancing various sporting disciplines, emphasizing a significant focus on training initiatives and infrastructure enhancement.
Addressing concerns about the strain on national sporting venues, Griffith unveiled plans to alleviate pressure on the National Stadium at Waterford and the Usain Bolt Track at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.
“We are in the process of constructing an additional 400-meter track in Wildey,” he announced.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to decentralizing sports facilities, Griffith underscored plans for mini-stadiums in multiple communities across the island.
He referenced ongoing projects such as the Hothersal Turning in St Michael and Briar Hall, Christ Church, as aggressive steps toward this initiative.
Moreover, Griffith revealed plans for a multidiscipline facility that will accommodate basketball, netball, and volleyball, at the site of the Netball Stadium in Waterford adding, “plans are also in train for squash and badminton facilities at the Wildey site.”
The minister also spoke about the planned transformations for the old home of the National Sports Council (NSC) at Blenheim.
“At Blenheim, our old home, we are starting the process of developing practice nets for our junior cricket programme…One of the things that we are looking to do is monetise cricket. At Blenheim, we are looking to do exactly that by having an academy at Blenheim for our young cricketers.
Ashlyn Simmons (left) took home the People’s Choice Award. Here she accepts her prize from Shelly Ann Hee Chung, Country Manager at IGT.
Teon Haynes (left) accepts his award for Junior Male Athlete of the Year from Shawn Simpson, Athletes Commission Chair at the BOA.
Meagan Best (left) receives one of her Senior Female Athlete Recognition awards from general secretary of the BOA, Erskine Simmons. (Photos courtesy BOA)
“We are repositioning the old NSC into a national sports secretariat that will allow us to help federations as they develop,” he stated before an audience that included President the Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, Honorary Dean of the International Olympic Academy, Konstantinos Georgiadis and President of the Barbados Olympic Association, Sandra Osbourne.
Griffith emphasized funding as a key priority, highlighting that nearly $20 000 in development funds have been disbursed to 26 out of the 50 agencies that approached the NSC for assistance.
Underlining the significance of training programs, Griffith praised the NSC’s Nation Community Coaches Programme, which aims to identify and nurture talent across various sports, including athletics and road tennis.
“We have embarked on a programme to provide community coaches for those sports that are broad-based; that are mass-based on the island. [For example], we are looking to make road tennis fly; hence, we are trying to coach up those who we believe can take road tennis to the next level because it is an opportunity to export our coaches.
“[It] is our indigenous sport and to date, we have completed over 270 courts across the island because the sport is growing. You would have seen the finals this year at the Garfield Sobers Complex, [and] would understand where I am going with that,” he noted.
During the ceremony honouring the nation’s top sports achievers, triathlete Matthew Wright was named Senior Male Athlete of the Year, Sade Williams received the Senior Female Athlete of the Year award, and hurdler Shane Brathwaite was honoured with the prestigious President’s Award.
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