Lyn to focus on building MoBay pool next term

Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) president, Martin Lyn, says his administration’s main focus for his next two-year term will be on establishing another pool in Montego Bay.

Lyn, who will return unopposed as president of the association at its annual general meeting (AGM) on December 4, said they have already secured land for the project and discussions are currently underway to forge ahead with plans to build the facility in the second.

“The biggest thrust I will have for the next term is to get a pool in Montego Bay. I have talked about it and have been working towards it. We’ve had meetings with the (Montego Bay) Parish Council and we finally got the land allocated for a swimming pool in Montego Bay. So that is definitely going to be the thrust for the next two years,” Lyn revealed recently.

Lyn, who reclaimed the presidency in 2017, came under heavy criticism earlier in the year for comments about junior swimmers, but the ASAJ boss believes that despite the criticism he is still the best man for the job.

“You can’t please all the people all the time, you just need to please some of the people some of the time. I will always have critics, that is the nature of the game. It is a democracy, you are entitled to vote and put up somebody else for president and I am all for that. It keeps me on my toes, so the critics are good.

“I don’t have a problem with them. Sometimes they get unruly but that’s politics and sports is politics but it doesn’t stop me from working. I don’t get derailed. I have a vision and everybody (in administration) buy into the vision. But if you don’t like my vision, then give me a different vision. But until you give me a different vision buy into my vision,” Lyn stated.

Accomplishments

Lyn points to the accomplishments of his administration over the last term, such as the securing of a new administrative building and the sending of national teams to international meets including the World Championship, Pan Am Games, Central American and Caribbean Games as well as regional championships.

“For the first time we sent a full team to the junior World Championship and we place 46th and we are not an aquatic nation. We competed against countries that pump money into their programmes, yet we did very well against over 200-odd countries in the world,” Lyn noted.

Although he thinks returning unopposed is a sign of confidence in his stewardship among the association’s membership, Lyn agrees that he still has a lot to accomplish.

“Moving forward there are a few new things that our thrust will be on. We will look at more infrastructure work to our current office and look for more sponsorship because the objective is to become self-sufficient,” Lyn said.

“Being returned unopposed is always a good thing. It means that everybody involved with aquatics recognises the energy, effort and work that I put in. But being unopposed does not mean it is time for complacency, it means it is time for more work. I am glad that my participants from the executive all the way down to the club level and delegates recognise that I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk and put in the energy. So I won’t stop pushing,” he added.