Grange calls for grass-roots support
Published:Friday | May 24, 2024 | 12:13 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
FOLLOWING THE recent staging of the 2024 INSPORTS Primary School Championships at the National Stadium, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, was in awe of the performances that unfolded over the two days of action.
The performances prompted Grange, who was speaking with RJRSPORTS, to make an earnest cry to the top sporting commercial entities to support Jamaica’s grass-roots athletics.
“I want to use the opportunity to make a special appeal to the Adidases and Pumas of this world. They’re all over the athletes when they compete at the Boys and Girl’s Athletics Championships and when they become elite athletes, but I want them to recognise that this is the cradle,” said Grange.
The minister explained that while the championship has grown leaps and bounds over the years, there is still additional work to be done.
She further shared that having stakeholders such as Adidas and Puma supporting the championships would augur well for the future of the country’s track and field programme.
“This is where it all begins, and I want them to come on board as well. For years now, the Government has been doing this competition. We’re growing, but we aren’t growing as fast as we would like. We have limited funds, and it’s not just about getting our elite athletes to endorse your company and the sportswear. It’s also about a country wanting to further enhance their prowess,” she added.
While Jamaica’s athletes continue to shine on the global stage, Minister Grange said the partnership between athletes and those organisations whose life blood is mired in sport should be mutually beneficial.
“Our athletes are good at what they do, and we don’t want to feel as if we’re just being exploited. We want to feel that those who benefit from our success should also feel obliged to give support,” she stated.
Grange also gave some insights into the progress being made to develop the infrastructure of the National Stadium, saying that Dr Nigel Clarke, minister of finance, would be putting pen to paper for a United Kingdom-based company to start work on the project in short order.
“Framework agreement was signed with the UK to fund several major projects. One of those projects includes the National Stadium, and just recently, the minister of finance advised me that he is about to sign an agreement with a UK-based company to do the architectural design and to complete the technical aspect.”