SDF to aid ‘down on luck’ athletes

Sports Minister Olivia Grange says that she is imploring the new board of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) to grant financial assistance to former athletes who have fallen on hard times as a priority for this year.

Grange said yesterday that the Ministry of Sport is in the process of establishing a programme that would provide monetary aid to those former athletes and she has tasked the SDF with providing the necessary resources while the team to implement and manage the fund is finalised.

SDF General Manager Denzil Wilks, one of the new members of the board, said that a specific number for the fund cannot be determined until the budget is approved next month.

“We won’t know for sure until the full approval of the budget which comes in March,” Wilks told The Gleaner. “Even though we operate a calendar year, we still have to operate within the fiscal year of the Government.

“[But] the mandate is basically saying that the SDF has to lead the way and then from there we are seeking to get partnership with other entities that would be interested in contributing to this most worthy cause.”

DISCUSSING DIRECTIVE

Grange said that she met with the new board last week, laying out the directive for the initiative, as well as her plans for streamlining the national sports entities for 2021.

Wilks said that while the financial impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt, he is optimistic that the SDF will still be able to offer assistance to those athletes who are in need, and that outside assistance can be received to contribute to the cause.

“One would hope that in spite of the impact of the pandemic, given the nature of this need that we will find ourselves in a position to start which is sometimes called seed money (money to start a project) in a way that gives it the kind of foundation that can move it forward,” Wilks said. “But it is equally important that we bring on board from the private sector and even international sources because we do have quite a constituency of persons who have represented Jamaica in a most known way.”

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com

SDF’s new board

George Soutar, chairman (attorney-at-law)

Denzil Wilks, general manager (ex officio)

Mike Fennell (international sports administrator)

Lloyd Pommells (former banker)

Molly Rhone (international sports administrator)

Compton Rodney (financial consultant)

Annmarie Heron (national sports coordinator)

Newton Amos (businessman)

Lillian Reid (chartered accountant)

Alexander Shaw (attorney-at-law)