Dalton Myers | Sports boards and their role in development

Earlier this week, the minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, Olivia Grange, announced new appointments to three sport-related government boards - the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), Independence Park Limited (IPL), and the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS).

As with any public board appointments, there are controversies and comments from many in the Jamaican sporting sector. Of course, the impending merger of the three said entities is also causing some ripples as there's uncertainty as to what this restructuring will look like.

I want to move the conversation a bit further, though, and focus less on the reasons for the appointments or the persons who have been selected. For me, board appointments are serious enough to warrant serious discussion on the role and function of members and the power they hold in developing sports.

There are important questions that must be answered in selecting members for any sports board: What is the overall goal of the board? How can each person contribute to that goal and to the overall objective of developing sports in Jamaica? How do you ensure that there's the right mix as it relates to age, gender parity, and skill set to move sports forward?

Main tenet

Once those answers are had, there is then a focus on the main tenets of good governance. If we are to follow the Australian Sports Commission's Sports Governance Principles model, we could adopt some key focus points. Firstly, there should always be an understanding of what the board composition should be, as well as roles and responsibilities. You get the impression that historically, some board members, whether of government or sports organisations, are not fully aware of their roles and powers, which creates governance issues. Secondly, the governance systems, board-reporting mecha-nisms, and performance measures should always be clear to board members and the general body. I look forward to the day when sports boards' members are reappointed based on performance and achieved outcomes, aligned with objectives set out for the board. It would also help if we, the public, got a sense of the selection process and overall achievements of boards in advancing policies.

There needs to be stakeholder engagement and reporting. I think that this is crucial as it will inspire confidence and allow us to understand the direction of the board, as well as what role each of us can play in sport development. Additionally, there needs to be responsible decision making. INSPORTS, SDF, and Independence Park Limited are extremely important to sport in Jamaica. Their role is sometimes underestimated and undervalued. So, whatever decisions are made at the board level of these institutions are crucial to every one of us.

Interesting appointments

I find the new appointments interesting, and since I am not familiar with all the persons, my general hope is that the minister of sports would have taken into consideration her wish to build "sports from grass roots to high performance" in making these appointments. I would hope that there are persons on the boards with the skill sets to meet that goal. This would include, but isn't limited to, persons from tertiary institutions who can make significant contributions in research and development. Since these are the educators teaching the next generation, I am sure such persons would have been considered. Since marketing and communications are so crucial in the sport industry in general, I also hope that the boards include such expertise. Individuals like Tanya Lee, Sophia Harris-Lau, and Carole Beckford, though not named, are among those who could provide such skills. I would like to see our boards include a mix of persons such as young graduates who have completed sports studies in disciplines like management, administration, psychology, and athlete management, and athletes and coaches. They would add value.

Obviously, we cannot have everyone on these boards, but my hope is that in selecting board members, these are some of the areas that are always considered and, if not included now, will certainly be incorporated in the sub-committees or the robust discussions that will be had at these board meetings.

All the best to all appointees, and I look forward to reports on discussions that will lead to policy changes and long-term legislative improvements aimed at building our sporting industry.

- Dalton Myers is a sports consultant and administrator. Email feedback to daltonsmyers@gmail.com or tweet @daltonsmyers