National Sports Policy being redrafted

Monique Grange, Assistant News Editor
The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre

Minister with responsibility for Sports, Natalie Neita-Headley, says the Green Paper for the National Sports Policy is now being redrafted.

The document was tabled in Parliament by the Former Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy’ Grange in November last year.

But Neita-Headley says consultations were necessary to further develop the document.

She says those consultations have been completed with all stakeholders, including athletes and the document is being revised to ensure that all the concerns are addressed.

Neita-Headley says the paper will be sent to the Human Resources Committee of parliament and the final document submitted to the Cabinet for approval.

However, the minister was unable to give a time-line as to when the long-awaited document is likely to be completed.

Calls were made for a National Sports Policy following Jamaica’s success in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and repeated after the country’s record win of 12 medals at the London Games.

In the meantime, Neita-Headley was unable to provide an update on the Sports Tourism Policy, which is a joint initiative with the Tourism ministry.

She referred our News Centre to the Tourism Ministry.

However calls to the Tourism Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill have not been answered.

McNeill has called a press conference for Monday to outline how the promotional activities during the Olympics in London will benefit Jamaica.

monique.grange@gleanerjm.com