Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon Desmond Bannister is pictured with the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association’s executive team on Thursday. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon Desmond Bannister challenged the new executive team of The Bahamas Amateur Athletics Association (BAAA) “to embrace the side that lost the elections.”

“You had a democratically run election, you had a campaign leading up to the election, and that is good for sporting organizations if people can see that this type of process was followed,” he said during a press conference at his office on Thursday.

“Now the real test of the democracy in your organization is how well you embrace the side that lost and how well you pull them into the fold of the organization because they all mean well for sports in the country.”

The Minister noted that the BAAA has “an amazing tradition” in the country, essentially acting as the leading sporting agency.

“So it is important for you to show the country you are capable of galvanizing the athletes of this country,” he said.

If The Bahamas is to regain its supremacy in track and field, there are a number of things that need to be done at the junior level, Mr Bannister told the executive team.

The Minister challenged the new BAAA president, Mike Sands, to keep his team together and focused on their goals.

He said they had the support of the Ministry which is ensuring work is being done to the infrastructure of the country’s tracks and stadiums.

The new stadium in New Providence will be completed by mid-2011, and laying of the new surface of the track in Grand Bahama is set to begin. The operation has met international certification.

“It is going to be a wonderful track for Grand Bahama, a real fast track,” he said.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon Desmond Bannister (left) met with the new executive team of the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association at his office on Thursday. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

New BAAA president Mike Sands presented the Minister with a copy of the executive team’s strategic plan.

“This team developed a vision that we feel satisfied will take track and field to the next level,” said Mr Sands. 

The members of the executive team include Shervin Stuart, first vice president; Felix Seymour, second vice president; Timothy Munnings, secretary general; Laura Pratt-Charlton, treasurer; Debbie Smith, assistant treasurer; Linda Thompson and Foster Dorsett, special projects; Bernard Newbold, statistician; Alpheus Finlayson, public relations.

Heads of the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials, Ralph McKinney, the Parents Association of Track and Field Athletes, Harrison Petty, and the Grand Bahama Amateur Athletic Association, Kem Stuart, will also serve on the executive team.