Help our athletes - Warmington

An opposition lawmaker used the floor of Parliament yesterday to charge that the State has not been doing enough for sports persons.

Everald Warmington claimed that young athletes are only recognised by the Government at the time of their performance or when they return to Jamaica, and are then forgotten.

He said that in recognition of the performance of our young athletes, the Government is to establish a special programme geared at providing for the further education and welfare of young athletes.

He said in Parliament yesterday that very often, the State only concerns itself with having motorcades and having special holidays for athletes after they have performed well.

"Very little is done for them by the Government to help their welfare and education," he said.

The South West St Catherine MP said that if the Government stepped up to the plate, "they would no longer have to be on the streetside selling bananas after they performed exceptionally well for this country".

Cabinet in December approved the establishment of the Jamaican Athletes Insurance Plan to provide group health and life and personal accident insurance for 1,323 athletes.

Guardian Life Insurance and Allied Insurance Brokers have been selected to provide coverage for the athletes. The Jamaica Athletes Insurance Plan has received funding from the Sports Development Foundation, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the National Health Fund, and the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund.

Natalie Neita Headley, minister with responsibility for sports, said at a Jamaica House press briefing last November that the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association and the Sports Development Foundation had been supportive of the athletes' welfare, and since 2001, the amount spent for the development and welfare of the athletes increased from $670,000 to $9 million in 2013.