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National Sports Council proposed and expected for 2020

Dr Natalio Wheatley

Talks are being had to establish a National Sports Council in the British Virgin Islands by 2020.

This was revealed by Sports Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley during the Sports Beat Magazine radio show with host, Dean ‘The Sportsman’ Greenaway recently.

Minister Wheatley said he believes such an organisation is necessary for the territory to improve the level of sports and to provide greater accountability.

“The sports council that has been proposed; I’m looking at that for 2020 and we can mandate those things. We can say ‘well, what’s your programme?’. Every [local] sporting organisation and federation should have some kind of developmental process, especially if you’re getting funds from government,” Dr Wheatley stated.

He further said: “We want to see your budget for your year and your plan for the year and this should speak to the development of the younger ones and all the way up to the elderly. If you put in that youth programme, it is almost guaranteed that you will be able to compete at a high level internationally.”

Provides better structure

Meanwhile, First Vice President of the BVI Olympic Committee Neville ‘Sheep’ Smith also believes such an organisation is needed.

He said once it is established, government will be better positioned to fund structured programmes that will have a lasting impact on the development of sports in the BVI.

“You have to make a mandate that it must happen because these are the things that make you better, that when you start organising a four-year plan that you have five tournaments after you get six qualifiers to go to these five tournaments. Things like that need to be put in place and then when the budget comes in, you tell them if you’re not putting these things in place, you cannot be getting money from government,” Smith explained while giving a brief example.

“If you’re missing tournaments, why fund it? Why should government give you money to just play a regular league? It has to be more than a regular league. It has to be qualifiers then you get into different tournaments and training. Budgets have to be put in place for those things, through organisations,” Smith added.

He further said he believes that the Olympic Committee should be the entity to have oversight over the National Sports Council.

“We need to plan it in a way that when we doing sports; have somebody to keep that other organisation to par. I think the Olympic Committee should be part of that, keeping that organisation to par like paying the dues attaining to proper tournaments, qualifiers and stuff like that.”

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5 Comments

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  1. 5 cents says:

    Good Idea Minister but please please don’t put this in the hands of the Olympic Committee. Big mistake. Let that body deal with olympics.

  2. Accountability. says:

    SHEEP I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY, when these organizations go away to compete in meets and tournaments no reports on monies spent, and they are getting sponsors as well as government money.

  3. Sports for girls says:

    Minister I totally agree with this plan plus please look at developing more sports for girls, like field hockey, netball, cricket, swimming, water polo. Not everyone good at track and field and basketball. Plus those sports I mentioned are competing at high levels. Netball is growing at the moment. Jamaica is a top team in the world. Google/YouTube netball worldcup. The girls need attention in sports, plus a boost to their self-esteem . 100% back the Minister with his idea.

  4. Sports for girls says:

    100% agree with the Minister. While at it Minister, please consider developing sports for girls, which would help boost their self-esteem as well. Most girls aren’t going to be interested in track and field or basketball, which currently are 2 of the main sports in BVI. Get our young women involved in sports like field hockey, swimming, golf,cricket and netball and have the local schools compete. Or form teams from East, Town, West, VG, Jost or mixed… Google/YouTube netball, countries like Jamaica is on top in the world is netball. Why aren’t we competing in these sports? Looking forward to seeing big things with the Minister’s plan.

  5. Good point, but.... says:

    The Sports Council should report to the government only, and not the Olympic Committee, which is neither a government nor a statutory body.

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