A permanent village will be set-up alleviating the housing issue that many federations have when international and regional athletes come to New Providence to compete in various sporting events.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson said he has already identified a spot, and now it is up to his ministry and the Government of The Bahamas to see it to fruition.
“The housing scenario will become an opportunity,” said Johnson, after learning that two separate venues were used as the athletes’ village for persons competing in the 42nd CARIFTA Games, held over the Easter weekend. “I am looking at doing a small sports hotel behind [The College of The Bahamas Culinary and Hospitality Management Institute], they have a huge lot right there. I want the kids who come from that school to run that hotel so it will be a really innovative place. That will solve our problem of accommodation.
“We are looking at doing a separate media house in this facility.
When we receive the media, everyone goes to the place [designated as the] media house. Some 151 countries are coming to town next year. All these things that were problems, I like that it happened because we have an opportunity to jump on that and become world class [once the problems are fixed].”
While calling many of the hiccups seen at the CARIFTA Games a misunderstanding that was the first real test for the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, Johnson said more would be done to improve how sports in the country is presented to the world as a whole.
He said he doesn’t want to reflect on the negative, noting that there were so many other positive areas that needs to be highlighted.
“We are showcasing young talented people and they came out there and did their very best,” said Johnson. “I don’t mind what they place [as] they gave everything they had. That is the purpose of sports. The purpose of sports is to push yourself to your limit where you just do everything you can to succeed. And in pushing yourself, you succeed. It was an overall success, the best CARIFTA ever, no comparison. The logistics we can improve on. We are having some meetings next week. No time for rest; everyone will look at what they did. We did well and there were some things that we didn’t do so well, but all of the problems will now become opportunities.”
By Kelsie Johnson
Guardian Sports Reporter
