SVG may soon hold sports awards for athletes in diaspora

Documenting the achievements of Vincentian athletes in the diaspora and making them a part of national awareness, is one of the recommendations made recently, during round-table discussions in New York.{{more}}

Minister of Tourism and Sports Cecil McKie disclosed this during a press conference at his office on Monday.

Mckie informed the media that he met with persons from sports organizations in the diaspora, in New York, on June 15, following Caribbean Tourism Week.

During that meeting, areas were identified that can be developed to forge closer ties between athletes and organizations here at home and abroad, he said.

“Therefore, we need to make efforts to organize a sports awards event for those in the diaspora, and the result should be integrated in the national sports awards for St Vincent and the Grenadines,” Mckie said.

“So, the idea is that national sports awards be held in the diaspora, and we use those results to feed into the national sports awards here.”

The minister said that another recommendation is that a database be created, which will contain all information on sports organizations, athletes and other resource persons in the diaspora and in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

He said that the establishment of a Vincentian diaspora sports umbrella organization, made up of all sports disciplines, will, among other things, represent the diaspora sports sector in relations with St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“We will also identify and develop funding initiatives, and funding sources for sports. Efforts would be made to organize the diaspora sports missions to St Vincent and the Grenadines as soon as possible, after the opening of the Argyle international airport, and we basically identified October, around independence, as a possible date where such a mission can take place,” Mckie added.

Mckie also indicated that plans to include the diaspora in the promotion and participation of young Vincentians in the Penn Relays, and the creation of a mentoring programme for young athletes were suggestions that were also discussed.

He said that the diaspora committee, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Consulate, his Ministry and other organizations will be collaborating over the next months to move these recommendations forward.(JJ)