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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
NATIONAL SPORTS AUTHORITY VISITS GB -- Members of the National Sports Authority paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville on Wednesday morning, when timing equipment for the Grand Bahama Sports Complex was presented. Shown from left seated are: Melvin Seymour, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Grand Bahama; Minister Darville; Lynden Maycock, chairman of NSA; Jeffrey Beckles, general manager, NSA; and Harcourt Brown, Senior Undersecretary at the Ministry for Grand Bahama. Standing are: Gladstone "Moon" McPhee, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture; and Norris Bain, who thanked the members of NSA on behalf of the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association and the Grand Bahama Amateur Athletic Association for the timing equipment, which he said will now level the playing field. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)
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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- Executives of the National Sports Authority, NSA, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 and, while there, presented timing equipment as a part of the upgrades for the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.
During the visit with Minister Darville along with Permanent Secretary Melvin Seymour and Senior Undersecretary Harcourt Brown, the group outlined their plans as mandated by the government. Heading the delegation was Lynden Maycock, chairman, NSA; Jeffrey Beckles, general manager, NSA; Carlton Smith, consultant in the marketing department; and from Grand Bahama, Gladstone "Moon" McPhee, of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
Minister Darville was pleased to welcome the group, and added that there is a great thrust to get all of the physical plans and sporting complexes all over The Bahamas so that the athletes can perform adequately and when meets are held in The Bahamas, it is at an international standard.
The Grand Bahama Sports Complex is about to be transformed, said the Minister, and this is important to the people of Grand Bahama because "we want to be a part of the national platform for international meets.”
Minister Darville addressed the development of sporting grass tracks throughout the country. This, he said, can be used not only by athletes, but individuals to have mechanisms in place to be able to exercise which is so important to National Health Insurance.
According to Mr. Maycock, the group was happy to be in Grand Bahama to evaluate and assess the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.
He said that on a previous trip at the High School Championships, he noted that the seating area needed bleachers; it is hoped that seating facilities will be put in within the next two months. They will utilise the seats removed from the new stadium, which will be brought to Grand Bahama to "enhance the seating area."
Having received his appointment in April 2016 he continued, "There are some other things we are going to do with respect to the infrastructure in terms of the enhancement of the Sporting Complex. In addition to the Sporting Complex, there is some athletic equipment that we will be bringing to Grand Bahama."
Another improvement will be the construction of a prefabricated canopy which will be able to withstand hurricane-force winds.
Green fields and grass tracks will be developed for training, and NSA will ensure that they are maintained property so that Bahamian athletes can train properly and be prepared to compete on an international level, as mandated by Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie.
"We are on a path, vision 2020, to be ready for the highest international meet in the world, the Olympics.
"We are identifying key persons in terms of athletes, coaches, developing our sporting facilities to ensure that we can compete amongst the best in the world."
With these upgrades, there will be facility charges, he said, as is the case in Nassau. The fees will be determined by where they are, namely which island. The upgrades and maintenance cost money, and the fees will assist in maintaining the facilities.
General manager, Jeffrey Beckles, added that there are several projects that will be undertaken throughout The Bahamas. "Part of the vision of the National Sports Authority is to support the government's quest to ensure that talented and gifted athletes throughout the country have every opportunity to prepare themselves for international and global competition."
They have studied countries like Jamaica and Grenada, which have grass training fields.
In doing their part, he said, NSA will try to attract qualified coaches, trainers, nutritionists, weight trainers, and all those who can work with them. "This is a collective approach. We are responsible for the facilities and we are definitely committed to ensuring that these facilities are prepared and maintained so that our athletes have the best opportunity not just to compete, … to win."
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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