![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/maynard-new-stadium.jpg\" "\\"maynard-new-stadium\\"")
NASSAU, The Bahamas \u2013 Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Charles Maynard said, on February 25, 2012, that for a nation of about 350,000 people, The Bahamas has more athletes per capita in more disciplines excelling on the world stage than any other country in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis creates real opportunities for The Bahamas to extend an invitation to the world to practice, compete and enjoy the best of the Islands of the Bahamas,\u201d Minister Maynard said at the Opening Ceremony of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.\u00a0 \u201cOur sports name recognition coupled with our geographical location, climate and amenities such as the redeveloped LPIA (Lynden Pindling International Airport), Atlantis and Baha Mar Properties sets the foundation; but we realised that other components were equally important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minister Maynard added that The Bahamas has \u201creal sports credibility and a reputation for playing fair.\u00a0 Bahamian athletes have soared to the highest heights and have done so without the use of performance enhancing drugs, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo ensure that we maintain this impeccable record the Government of the Bahamas in 2009 brought legislation and established the Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission, led by Dr. Jerome Lightbourne, to put in place the necessary regime to ensure that we operate in accordance with the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency,\u201d Minister Maynard said.<\/p>\n
In less than two years, he pointed out, the Commission has established the structure to; provide educational programmes for athletes, coaches and parents, and conduct regular testing of local and visiting athletes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am please to report that through the efforts of the Commission, The Bahamas is officially in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code,\u201d Minister Maynard said.<\/p>\n
The Bahamas also needed a competitive marketing edge, he continued; so the Government established a Special Unit with in the Ministry of Tourism, headed by Mr. Tyrone Sawyer, that has an annual budget of two million dollars to promote and facilitate the visits of groups, teams and leagues for training and competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the last three years this Unit has executed a variety of events \u2013 ranging from Sunfish Sailing in Grand Bahama, Junior Tennis in San Salvador, Little League Baseball in Abaco to gymnastics at Atlantis,\u201d Minister Maynard said.\u00a0 \u201cWe are now officially seen as one of the best Sports Tourism destinations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Key to the sustained growth of this sector is state-of-the-art facilities, Minister Maynard said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Government is spending over 50 million dollars in and around this site, starting with the commissioning of a comprehensive master plan of the 400-plus acres around this stadium,\u201d Minister Maynard said. \u201cThe IBS group \u2013 a Bahamian Civil Engineering group, whose principals Nick Dean and Kevin Sweeting \u2013 completed the design of a multi-use sports and recreation compound in record time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are now well into the execution of phase one of this master plan, which has created a lot of what you would have seen on your way here and a lot of what you cannot see that makes this stadium functional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minister Maynard added that by the end of next month, work will begin on the new state-of-the-art Internationally Certified Hot Rod complex.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am also proud to report that final drawings are being completed for the new multi-field Andre Rodgers baseball complex and in the not so distant future we expect to see that facility, as well as a new multi-field Churchill Tener Knowles Softball complex rebuilt better than before,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The final \u201cpiece of the puzzle\u201d lies in the management of the facilities, Minister Maynard said.\u00a0 The Government passed the Sports Authority Act and New Sports Act to ensure that a dedicated agency was established to manage and maintain the facilities as well as properly market all events in the future, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs of February 1, 2012, the National Sports Authority began their work, led by Mr. Leroy Archer,\u201d Minister Maynard said.\u00a0 \u201cThey are mandated to oversee the final outfitting of the stadium, the completion of phase one of the sports centre re-development, the scheduling of future phases, the upgrades of the existing facilities and the eventual oversight of facilities in Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera and other Family Islands.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minister Maynard said that the \u201cguiding light\u201d for all of the initiatives is Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham.\u00a0 The Prime Minister has given the project his focused attention from 2007 to present day, Minister Maynard added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn advancing his vision for a modern Bahamas, he has made sports tourism and sports development a significant part of this revolution\u201d Minister Maynard said.\u00a0 \u201cDespite tough economic times our athletes, our facilities nationwide and our sporting programmes have remained a major priority, and for this, Sir, we thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
By ERIC ROSE
\nBahamas Information Services<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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