Chaos unfolds and conflicting comments fly between what is really happening with the Sports and Culture Budget! Between Lanisha Rolle and Peter Turnquest – WHO IS REALLY IN CHARGE?!
NASSAU| You must wonder if the Minnis Government knows what it is doing to young people when turmoil appears to be erupting inside the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
Firstly, the Director of Youth and his Assistant Director both resigned from their posts, citing serious concerns with the direction of the department.
Then the bombshell came this week that the Minister of Finance cut the Ministry’s Budget by $5.3million, claiming that the cuts were due to the cancellation of the IAAF World Relays and Carnival. That could only be a lie! Both Carnival and IAAF World Relays have been stripped from the Government’s Budget since the passage of the 2017/18 and again 2018/19 Budgets.
To make matters worse, just a few weeks ago the present Minister, Lanisha Rolle, travelled to Japan with a 10 member delegation to meet with the head of the IAAF with a directive from Cabinet to negotiate the return of the World Relays to the Bahamas! So you must wonder whether it is Peter Turnquest or Lanisha Rolle in charge and whose story in this case is correct?
To make matters worse, the Olympic Games are slated for Japan in 2020. It is a time where the Bahamas must put its best team together and ready them for competition on the world stage.
But guess what? While every other Caribbean government and athlete are preparing for the games and adjusting their national budgets to empower their sporting communities, the Minnis Government is not just cutting funding in Sports, but turmoil and chaos has erupted between Sporting Associations and the sitting Minister who is now prepared to withhold support and grants to athletes and sporting organizations. What a conundrum!
Bahamas Press is calling on Prime Minister Hubert Minnis to quickly deal with this dilemma and rectify the confusion now exploding inside the Youth, Sports and Culture Ministry. We will not be ready for the Olympics if this continues. WHAT!
We report yinner decide!
