Government has reaffirmed that sports development is high on the agenda and steps are being taken to ensure its progress.
This was confirmed by Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, yesterday at the National Primary Schools Athletic Championship (NAPSAC) Chefette Frosteez Distant Relay Awards at the Wildey Gymnasium, Wildey St. Michael.
Minister Griffith acknowledged the lack of resources for sports, stating: “We know that there are resources that are not readily available, but we … believe that those resources will come at some point in time where our athletes have everything that is seen in North America [and] … other countries to help them to develop and move to the next level.
“We have recently started to redevelop the gym here to ensure that our athletes do not have to pay money at private gyms for training. It is not something that will touch these young ones as yet, but we are doing everything that is necessary at the Ministry.”
He also said that Government was not there “to make sport at sports”, but was there to see the youngsters develop to the point where they hear the Barbados National Anthem being played at international sporting events.
Mr. Griffith reiterated Government’s commitment to the cause of sport on the island, and reassured that it would be dealt with by himself on a macro level and by others “on every single level to ensure that these youngsters who I saw at Usain Bolt Complex have a bright future and make all of us proud”.