Mc Kie disappointed with associations’ absence from tripartite meeting

Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture Cecil Mc Kie has expressed his disappointment with the turnout at a tripartite meeting held last Saturday to discuss the development of sports in St Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

Several sporting associations, including the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association, Team Athletics SVG and the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union, were absent from the meeting, held at the conference room of the National Sports Council at Arnos Vale.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT at the end of the meeting, Mc Kie said: “It was good meeting… I was pretty satisfied with the quality of the discussion. …. I was a bit disappointed first of all that we didn’t have all of the associations, because they were all invited by hard copy, electronically and also with follow-up calls.”

Mc Kie, however, said that those which did not have representation at the meeting will be updated with a report.

Despite their no show, Mc Kie noted “Out of the discussion, we have concrete suggestions, concrete ideas on what the Sport Council, Ministry of Sports can do more efficiently to assist with the enhancement and the development of sports here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“ …In terms of the way forward, what we will do now is to capture all of the suggestions made in a report and use that to strategise on a short term way forward for sports development here in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Coming out of that we have a follow-up meeting on Saturday, 21st September, where again we bring all of the associations together… this time we hope to have all those who did not attend today”, Mc Kie disclosed.

Among the discussions and decisions taken at last Saturday’s meeting, was that efforts were needed to make the annual National Sports Awards more meaningful and high profile.

National associations present gave an overview of their activities and programmes for the year thus far, and projections for the remainder of the calendar year.

Making presentations at the tripartite meeting were Mc Kie, the director of Physical Education and Sports – Nelson Hillocks; the manager of the National Sports Council – Cecil Charles, the chairman of the National Lotteries Authority – Murray Bullock and the chair of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Alliance for Sports and Physical Education (SVGASPE) – Ian Hypolite.(RT)