ELLA HOLOWESKO and Keatings Lord, owned by Veronica Mullin, can be seen after winning the Sore No-More Children’s Medal Final – Horses. Photo by ESI Photography

Friday, September 23, 2016

#YOUNG Bahamian riders Ella Holowesko, Siena Holowesko, and Tamsin Nottage travelled to Saugerties, New York, with their trainer Mrs Erika Adderley-Coello of Mariposa Stables, to compete at the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League 2016 National Finals this past weekend.

#All three athletes rode very well, but undoubtedly the highlight of the weekend was Ella Holowesko’s victory over a field of 60 riders in the 3’0” Sore No-More Children’s Medal Final.

#The Marshall & Sterling Insurance League is a grassroots organisation dedicated to providing competition for up-and-coming Children and Adult Hunter, Jumper and Equitation riders.

#It has grown, since its inception in 1991, from 10 member shows with 100 riders to over 1,300 horse shows with more than 2,500 competitors today.

#The league offers members the opportunity to compete throughout the year for points that will earn them a place at the prestigious National Finals competition, held each September at the world-class HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds in Saugerties, New York.

#By virtue of their qualifying points accumulated in local competitions throughout the year, the three riders were invited by the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League to compete as finalists in their respective events.

#Siena Holowesko qualified as a finalist in the 2’6” Children’s Medal, while Tamsin Nottage and Ella Holowesko qualified as finalists in the 3’0” Sore No-More Children’s Medal.

#The competition began on September 16 as all three rode in preparatory classes.

#Siena Holowesko was the first to compete, riding Veronica Mullin’s talented horse Keating’s Lord, and placing 5th in the Hudson 2’6” Children’s Equitation Classic.

#On Saturday, her sister Ella followed suit by placing second in the Hudson Children’s Equitation Classic 3’ (Section B). It was in the Medal Finals, however, that the riders would truly be tested as they faced a challenging course designed by Rian Beals.

#Once again Siena was the first to compete, riding against 54 other young competitors, all hoping to take home the Marshall & Sterling Children’s Medal Final title. She placed 34th out of the group of 54 with a very respectable score of 61.5 (out of 100).

#In the 3’0” Sore No-More Children’s Medal Final, Tamsin Nottage and Ella Holowesko faced an even tougher challenge against a talented and competitive field of 60 riders. Riding the chestnut gelding Iko Iko, Nottage had a stylish round, but due to a few unfortunate mistakes ended up with a score of 51. It was Holowesko, however, who stole the show. Riding Keating’s Lord, she rode with elegance and flair, earning a first round score of 86. This excellent score qualified her to move forward into the final round, where she stood in second place just one point behind the leader, Annie Walsh, riding Erosmith. After a reset of the course the top 12 finishers rode another round, and in the end consistency was the key to victory: Holowesko scored 85 in her final round, which combined with her first round score gave her the winning total of 171.00. Walsh’s second round score was 80, enough to secure second place.

#The top five finishers all scored in the mid to high eighties, highlighting Holowesko’s tremendous accomplishment in scoring the winning round. Equestrian Bahamas’ President, Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre, noted the importance of all three riders’ achievements. “The Marshall and Sterling League is an example of one of the international organizations with which EB currently partners to provide competitive opportunities for our riders,” said Ramsingh-Pierre. “The success of our riders in qualifying for those Finals – and in particular Ella Holowesko’s victory- is a phenomenal testament to their abilities, and to the competency of our training programs here at home in the Bahamas.” Indeed, trainer Erika Adderley-Coello was ecstatic about the performance all three young riders. “Happy, happy, happy,” she said, “I’m so proud of all my girls.”

By Brent Stubbs

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

#SINCE the formation of the Equestrian Bahamas after the defunct of the BANEF, president Catherine Ramsingh-Pierre and her executive team have been working arduously to make the sport one of the more vibrant ones in the country.

#After the defunct of the BANEF in the late 1980s as the national equestrian federation, which included former members like Janet Brown, Sarah Lobosky and Ginny Oakey-McKinney, Equestrian Bahamas, formed by a dedicated and diverse group of Bahamians committed to advancing equestrian in the Bahamas, was launched in September 2013.

#It was recognised by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Bahamas Olympic Committee as the National Equestrian of the Bahamas. EB went on to become a ratified member of the Federation Equetre International (FEI) in November, 2019.

#Ramsingh-Pierre, who got involved as a rider and as a parent of an aspiring rider, serves on the current board that includes Elizabeth Williams, Erika Adderley-Coello, Peter Vlasov and Rebecca Cafferata. While she serves as president, Williams is the vice president. Bonnie Davis is the secretary general and Sarina Sands-Wong is the treasurer.

#“It became clear to me when I travelled abroad taking my son to competitions that our local riders and trainers needed broader exposure,” said Ramsignh-Pierre, on her reason for getting involved. “Our riders needed more competitive opportunities and to accomplish all this, the sport needed to be affiliated with our international body.

#“There were others who felt the same way. When initial attempts to revive the previous federation were unsuccessful, I proposed that we start from scratch. As a group, we articulated our mission, reached out to important stakeholders and supporters, drafted the necessary documents, including a formalised rule book, recruited membership and placed an emphasis on building the sport from the grassroot up and we were off and running.”

#At present, EB does not have a place of operation, but Ramsignh-Pierre said they take advantage of the 21st century organisation where they collaborate through social media where officers and committee members share information in real time, conducting their business and remain accessible through a combination of online platforms, video and telecommunications. However, whenever necessary, they host in-person meetings.

#With an average age of 14 years of the estimated 60 competitors, which represents about 75 per cent of their membership, Ramsingh-Pierre said they are always looking at expanding from persons who are committed and dedicated to learning how to ride.

#“Riding is a very equipment-specific sport, but our lesson programmes do a great job of providing the necessary equipment for beginner riders,” said Ramsingh-Pierre of their beginners programme that range in ages from 7-10, but they also have adults and children as young as four expressing an interest to learn to compete in the sport.

#“The most important things are certified protective headgear and of course a suitable horse.

#“Once riders begin to enter competitions, more formal competitive attire will be needed.”

#So far, the sport has made tremendous strides, both locally and internationally, but Ramsingh-Pierre said they are just scratching the surface with the performances of their competitors, including the latest accomplishments by Millie Vlasov in her clean sweep of the three events she competed in last week in France.

#“Our team of five riders travelled to Georgia this past February, winning four first, one second and two thirds out of eight classes was a huge accomplishment, especially given that for all but one of the riders, it was their first time competing out of the country,” Ramsingh-Pierre stated.

#“Hearing the Bahamian national anthem played after Millie Vlasov’s win in France last week was incredibly moving.

#“All of these accomplishments embody the realisation of our goals as a federation. However, in fairness, I would have to say that the biggest accomplishment by any single competitor thus far has been our endurance rider Reine Pagiliaro, who won the 2019 North American Young Rider Endurance Championships, and will represent the Bahamas at the Junior World Championships in the Netherlands in 2021.”

#Those achievements have left Ramsingh-Pierre bubbling over with excitement as they continue to raise the awareness of their athletes and to establish equestrian as a meaningful sport choice for Bahamian youth.

#“Our goals continue to be what they have always been – to facilitate a technically solid foundation for the sport locally; to provide fun, meaningful and affordable aces to competitive and educational opportunities for our junior athletes, and to support Bahamian equestrian athletes abroad who are competing at higher levels of international competition,” Ramsingh-Pierre said of EB’s goals and projections for the future.

#“I am inspired by the achievements of our coaches and riders at all levels of the sport. My projection is that we will continue to enjoy success in every one of these areas.”

#As Equestrian Bahamas strides forward, Ramsingh-Pierre said their main goal is to be able to qualify for one or all three disciplines at the Olympic Games, taking into consideration that their riders will have to go through their qualifying process just like the other sports, in the case of equestrian, the Pan American Games as well as special FEI qualifier events, which may be held at different times.

#“In jumping, for example, qualifier courses must be of a certain technical level with fences at certain minimum heights and widths, and riders must finish within certain times and fault parameters,” Ramsingh-Pierre said.

#“Individual world rankings can also play a part when qualifying for individual spots in the Olympics. Remember also that this is a two-athlete sport, horses and riders must qualify as a combination, so it goes without saying that just being a good rider is not enough. You also need a talented horse.”

#Although sports is currently in a dilemma due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ramsingh-Pierre said their riders overseas have already resumed competition.

#But she noted that their parent body has been very helpful in providing guidance as to how to safely conduct their sport as they move forward in the ‘new normal.’

#“Here at home, we expect things to look different, not so much in the substantive elements of the sport, but in the way that we hold competitions, clinics and other community initiatives,” Ramsingh-Pierre stated.

#“Our sport is naturally performed at a ‘social distance’ – it is just the horse and the rider.

#“Our challenge will be in finding ways to keep our support community of parents and sponsors engaged while adhering to the safety protocols of social distancing,” Ramsingh-Pierre explained.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Brent Stubbs

#By BRENT STUBBS

#IT IS not how you start, nor how you get there. Most importantly, it’s how you finish.

#• The Finish Line, a weekly column, seeks to comment on the state of affairs in local sports, highlighting the highs and the lows, the thrills and the spills and the successes and failures.

#THE WEEK THAT WAS

#IT was an early Christmas present for Tahnaj Thomas as he inked his name on a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians baseball organisation on Tuesday.

#The Grand Bahamian native signed the deal presented by Koby Perez, the director of Latin American Scouting for the Indians, with his sobbing father Sidney Thomas on his side and his deceased mother, Michelle Thomas, looking down from above.

#Thomas, 17, was also surrounded by his adopted parents Kristy and Castino Sands. Also present were executives, coaches and teammates from the Max Development Programme.

#For Thomas, it was a great transformation for a player who came to New Providence at the age of 13 to further enhance his skills with Max D, an organisation that has paved the way for at least six local players to make the step to the minor leagues in the past few years.

#Thomas’ story was clearly articulated by his father, who could hardly hold back the tears as he related how he and his wife made the decision to send their teenage son from Grand Bahama to New Providence.

#Considering that Thomas has been an accomplished softball coach in the women’s programme in Grand Bahama, he admitted that he trusted the operators of Max D to take care of his son.

#Thomas gave a lot of high praise to coaches Geron Sands and Greg Burrows Jr, as well as professional baseball players Antoan Richardson and Albert Cartwright Jr for the role they all played in his son’s success.

#But Thomas said so much credit must also be given to Kristy and Castino Sands, who opened their home to accommodate his son. They acted as if he was their own son and the elder Thomas said he will be earthly grateful for the role they played in his son’s development.

#Perez, overseeing the signing of the contract which would allow Thomas to get a free education at a college of his choice when he chooses to enrol, joined in the chorus in expressing his appreciation to Max D for the development of players like Thomas.

#Max D, which was founded under the premise of trying to get as many of the local players as possible in the pipeline of major league baseball, has lived up to its obligation, despite the fact that there is no active senior baseball league for the players to hone their skills after they are finished with Freedom Farm or the Junior Baseball League of Nassau.

#To have scouts coming here from time to time to monitor the progress of the youngsters is a feat within itself for Max D. But they continue to provide the opportunities for as many of the players as possible.

#And to have the assistance of both Richardson and Cartwright, who started a resurgence of Bahamian players in the pro ranks in the past decade or so, is a feather in the cap for the Max D programme.

#Richardson and Cartwright were the first two players to participate on Great Britain’s team at the World Baseball Classic the past two years. This year, they were able to get a total of seven local players in the line-up.

#Hopefully, in a year or two, with the continued improvement of the players out of the Max D programme, the Bahamas could very well field a team to carry the 242 into the classic.

#Let’s give Max D a lot of credit for the role they are playing in pushing the baseball movement forward here in the Bahamas.

#While there’s still a debate going on about who has and should hold the sanctioning rights for baseball in the country, Max D is quietly making its contribution to get as many players off to the next level.

#Tahnaj Thomas is the latest in the growing list of players and, if Max D has its way, they could end up producing even more players in the pipeline in the future.

#THE WEEK AHEAD

#Christmas is fast approaching and there are some rumours that a number of athletes will have their subventions slashed when the presents are presented.

#Between now and January, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture has indicated that they intend to either reduce or remove some of the Bahamian Olympians on the list because of their performances in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August.

#It’s obvious that the team performance was not up to par while the Bahamas collected a pair of medals from Shaunae Miller and the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay team.

#But does that mean that athletes on the team should have their subventions slashed or removed from the list all together? How can an athlete go from making the Olympics to being listed as a developmental athlete?

#Speaking to a number of athletes, there is a lot of concern about the subvention programme because they are not being properly informed about their status.

#This was certainly not a good showing for the Bahamas at the Olympics, but it wasn’t for the entire Caribbean. So there’s no reason why athletes should be penalised by having their subventions slashed or removed from the list because of their performances.

#I think we need to show a little more appreciation for our athletes when they get to the Olympics. Not everybody gets to compete on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

#So when they do, we should cherish them and look at rewarding them rather than chastising them because there are a lot of things that must be in place for athletes to succeed when they get to that level.

#Christmas is coming. Let’s make this a joyous occasion for our athletes on subventions and those who are expected to join the list for the first time in some of the other sports.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Brent Stubbs

#By BRENT STUBBS

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#LET’s welcome the first female Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Lanisha Rolle.

#Rolle stepped into office on Wednesday, replacing Michael Pintard, who has been moved to the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources where he will have responsibilities for regattas.

#As she takes office, Rolle faces a number of issues that are now added with the cancellation of the International Amateur Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Relays, which was scheduled for May 10-11, 2019 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

#Additionally, there are some other pressing matters like the completion of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium and the restructuring of the subvention programme for our athletes.

#There were those who were of the opinion that the World Relays exemplified the Bahamas as a premier destination for sports and in particular track and field as there were other countries like China and Jamaica who were in consideration for hosting the event.

#Then there are those who felt that it just wasn’t feasible for the government to be spending $5 million on the event, despite the fact that it attracted some of the top athletes from around the world in two days of relay excitement.

#The question is where is the feasible study or comprehensive report on the expenses and whether or not there could have been some other alternative measures taken, like including more private sponsorship, to come on board and assist the government with the expenses.

#Obviously, there will be some ramifications coming out of the Bahamas’ decision to cancel the event with just 10 months away from hosting it again after doing it in 2014, 2015 and 2017.

#But there are also some concerns as to why there is no support for the IAAF World Relays, but they are pushing another version of the Bahamas Bowl collegiate football game that is set for December 21 at the stadium.

#The teams participating will not be known until November when the champions of Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference are decided.

#The difference is that more spectators show up to watch the IAAF World Relays than they do for the Bahamas Bowl.

#However, the Bahamas gets some free publicity from the live coverage provided by ESPN for the bowl game, so that might be a major factor.

#Talking about the figures, we hope that some definitive decision is made on either the completion of the new baseball stadium or to have it demolished and replaced with a smaller facility where senior baseball can be played again in the country.

#The sport has been deprived of a major facility for the senior players to play, particularly with the fact that we have more and more players earning professional baseball contracts, either playing at the junior level or through their performances in high schools and colleges in the United States.

#At some point, a lot of these players will be returning home and will join the host of local players as they make the transition from the junior ranks and so they will need a viable facility to play in.

#And as we continue to lament on the figures, what’s the status on those athletes that are under subvention by the government? Who is on and what are they going to receive and who has been removed?

#We wait for a response in those matters.

Wellington Miller, Carlton Bowleg and Evon Wisdom hold a sample of the new track surface while Timothy Munnings, Michael Tovcan and Carl Oliver look on. Photo – Aletha Cooper

Friday, October 6, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#The Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO) has agreed to provide the Bahamas Olympic Committee with a grant for $200,000 for the reconstruction of a track and field facility at the Carl Oliver Stadium on the ground of the Huntley Christie High School in Nicholl’s Town, North Andros.

#Michael Tovan, a representative of Mondo Surfaces, attended a press conference yesterday at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology where he outlined plans for the construction that will commence once he visits the facility today.

#Evon Wisdom, the sports director in the Ministry of Education, said they are delighted to be able to partner once again with the BOC on the reconstruction of the stadium.

#It was opened in April, 1982 by the late Prime Minister Lynden Pindling and Member of Parliament for North Andros and the Berry Islands Loftus Roker, who was also the Minister of Labour at the time.

#In 2000, the facility was renamed the Carl Oliver Jr Stadium as a result of his role as a member of the third leg of the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay team that clinched the bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

#Wellington Miller, president of the BOC, a native of Andros, said it’s a proud day for all Androsians as they will benefit from a facility that will not only focus on track and field, but also soccer.

#“This will be the third track in the Bahamas that Mondo would have constructed,” Miller said. “I’m told that the event will take about six months to be completed. I’m told that it will be track, but there will be more activities that will be able to be played there.”

#Through their connection with PASO, Miller said they would seek to provide more funding to have other facilities constructed throughout the Bahamas.

#Carlton Bowleg, the newly elected MP for North Andros and the Berry Islands, said they welcome the project with open arms.

#“This is something that is going to go very far in the community of North Andros,” he said. “Right now, it is a struggle in North Andros with employment and this will provide jobs for the people.”

#Bowleg said Oliver has done a lot in terms of recognition for North Andros and so they are delighted that the facility that bears his name will be remodeled and reinvigorate the interest of some of the top athletes returning there to compete.

#“I look forward to the completion of this event so that we can get more people to come to North Andros and the Berry Islands,” he said. “We look forward to the next six months and more things coming out of the island.”

#Tovan said the Bahamas has become a top-notch location for track and field, judging from the staging of the past three IAAF World Relays and the Carifta Games and other sporting events that have been hosted at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

#“The Bahamas is now becoming an important player in sporting events in track and field,” he said. “So congratulations to all involved in getting this stadium constructed.”

#He noted that he would have visited the facility today, he will return to their head office where they will produce a surface that will be a combination of training and competing to put down in the facility over an estimated six month period.

#While it will take about two weeks for their staff to produce the surface, Tovan said it would then be sent to the Bahamas for its final approval.

#Having come certified from their company, Tovan said there wouldn’t be any issue with meeting all of the international requirements as their company will ensure that it meets all of the requirements before they turn the facility over to the Bahamas.

#“It won’t be the same track that we have in Rio (Brazil where the 2016 Olympic Games was held). It will be similar,” Tovan said. “You will be able to hold a national championship there.”

#Once the facility is completed, Tovan said it would provide an opportunity for the residents of Andros to erect concession stands where they can earn an income.

#He said when they get ready for the construction, they will also employ a number of residents to assist in making it one of the best facilities to train in the region because it’s a known fact that everybody want to come to the Bahamas.

#Oliver, who remember when he attended the Mastic Point Primary School and was not one of the top athletes, but was allowed to compete on the relay team by his physical education teacher. Their team went on to win the title and as they say, the rest was history for Oliver.

#In thanking all of the stakeholders for their support in making the upgrade a reality, Oliver said with more events expected to be staged in the facility, they will have to provide more housing to accommodate the people when they show up.

#“Currently we have on board in February, the North Andros High Track Invitational,” he said. “I could see that event being ballooned much higher than it is right now. One of the reasons we don’t have all of the top athletes going there is the condition of the surface.

#“Compared to the time that I ran on it, it’s not in the best condition. I wouldn’t recommend athletes training on, especially in spikes. It’s too hard to penetrate. But I do believe this is a step in the right direction, not just for North Andros, but the whole of Andros.”

#With a much better facility to train on when completed, Oliver put the rest of the Bahamas on notice, indicating that they can expect to see a lot more outstanding athletes coming from North Andros.

#Timothy Munnings, the Director of Sports at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said as a former teammate of Oliver, he too is looking forward to the reconstruction of the facility.

#“I was there when the stone was laid at the naming of the track, we ran on the track when we started our tour for the Olympic and so it’s not an easy track to run on, so we welcome the wonderful change,” he said.

#With so many people who attended the North Andros Track Invitational in the past, Munnings said he expect that the numbers will increase when the reconstruction is done.

#Her also commended Oliver, who seemed to be the Major whenever he goes home, having served as an excellent ambassador for the country.

#“This is the first synthetic facility that will be done in the Bahamas outside of New Providence and Grand Bahama,” he said. “We are very excited about this opportunity that will be coming to North Andros.”

#When the facility is completed, Oliver said he’s looking forward to his Olympic teammates. Including Munnings, Avard Moncur, Troy McIntosh and Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown join him in a meet that they hope to put on to christen the new facility.

#He said the spectators might just get a treat when they suit up to run a relay, but he’s not certain how well they will do.

Friday, September 7, 2018

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER not receiving their subvention cheques for almost two months, Tim Munnings, the director of sports, confirmed that the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture is in the process of meeting its obligations to the athletes, not just in track and field, but the eight other disciplines.

#Some athletes, especially in track and field, have complained that the delay in payment has caused them some anxiety as they have not been able to meet their monthly obligations as it pertains to their training conditions in the United States of America.

#Munnings, in an interview with The Tribune, was also responding to the claims of the National Sports Authority being in disarray and the inflated cost that they will incur to have the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium completed.

#Athletes’ Subvention

#The joint programme introduced by the Ministry of Sports in conjunction with the Bahamas Olympic Committee to assist elite athletes with their training, based on certain criteria, came under heavy criticism by athletes, who say they are still waiting to find out when they will be paid.

#“There was a delay in the subvention payments this year. All of the federations were informed of the delay and that would have really related to the fact that for the first time at the end of the fiscal year, we got a new minister and a PS (permanent secretary) at the same time, both of whom needed to be educated about the programme,” said Munnings.

#“That was explained to the federations. They were understanding and most of them indicated that they would have informed their athletes, some did not, which caused for their athletes to be confused as to what was happening. That process is now complete. Both Minister and PS, who had taken leave, are back and they have signed off on it and everything has been processed, so the athletes should be compensated.”

#Although track and field has the lion’s share of the pie, Munnings said athletes from eight other sports are being subvented.

#“We’re trying assist as many athletes as we can.” said Munnings, a former track and field athlete who competed in the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay team that represented the country at both the IAAF World Championships and the Olympic Games. “We have to look at all sports.”

#At the end of last year, Munnings said the ministry convened a committee to review the subvention process. “We went on pause because of the transition in government, but that will pick up again because a lot of work has been done and we know that there is still a lot of fine tuning to be done. Once we would have done that, we would introduce it again to the federations for discussion and to the athletes before it is agreed upon in the next fiscal period.”

#Track and field, swimming, soccer, judo, boxing, basketball, bodybuilding, tennis and cycling currently have athletes on subvention from $12,000 to $34,000 a year. Once the committee makes its recommendations, Munnings said some of the athletes may not be reconsidered and others added and some figures could increase or be reduced based on the performances by the athletes.

#Exorbitant Cost for Stadium

#While it was reported in The Tribune on Thursday that the cost of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium had ballooned from the initial price tag of $16.5m in 2014-15 to almost triple to about $43m, the Ministry of Sports is now committed to seeing it come through to completion.

#“That increase maybe related to just the incurring cost to the stadium’s inactivity,” he said. “I have not gotten a report as yet from the Ministry of Works as to what these new numbers relate to, but I expect to get an update from them very shortly.”

#And with the work in progress, Munnings said they have not yet had an indication of whether there will be modification to the plans that were laid out for the construction of the stadium before work ceased last year when there was a change in the government.

#“Unless otherwise informed, the stadium is a go,” Munnings stated. “Right now, a lot of work has gone into the ground and a lot of payments have been made, so the government is moving forward with the project.”

#Munnings admitted that the delay in commencing the work was due in part to a number of factors.

#“A part of the structure is being imported from abroad, so they are designed to specifications, which really had to be spot on,” he said. “The structure that is being imported here to be placed on the structure here is being built to specification, so any deviation from the design here will impact the overall building. So a lot of care has taken place to make sure it’s a proper fitting.”

#As for the huge budget now targeted for completion, Munnings said they had to make sure of the timely payments of bills and that was prevented because of the change in government, who wanted to review the expenditure of the stadium before continuing with its completion.

#The stadium is not projected to be completed within 12-14 months, barring any further delays, according to Munnings. He said the Ministry of Works will have the final say on any further modification or alterations to the stadium that is being done by Woslee Construction, who had fallen into a contractual dispute with the former Progressive Liberal Party government and they ceased work prior to the general election.

#New NSA Chairman

#With the former general manager of the National Sports Authority position completed at the first quarter this year, Munnings said they issued a public advertisement for his replacement. “A number of applications have been received and are being reviewed by members of the National Sports Authority Board,” he said. “That list was short-listed and candidates have been interviewed for the position.”

#In the interim stage, Munnings noted that board member Lester Cox has been bridging the gap for this time and overseeing the day-to-day operation of the stadium. “In short order, it will be announced who the new candidate is whom we have selected for the position,” he said.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AS proclaimed last week by Tim Munnings, the director of sports in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, athletes on subventions have received their payments over the weekend.

#After complaints by some of the athletes that they had not received their payments for at least two months and it was causing some anxiety, Munnings said the funding was on its way to the athletes.

#He said the delay was due to the fact that both the new Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture and Permanent Secretary had taken leave and only signed the requisite on their return to office.

#A number of athletes have confirmed that they have received the funding and are now able to take care of their obligations, especially those who reside in the United States of America.

#Athletes in track and field, swimming, soccer, judo, boxing, basketball, bodybuilding, tennis and cycling are being paid from $12,000 to $34,000 a year to assist in their training development.

#Munnings, a former track athlete who represented the country at both the IAAF World Championships and the Olympic Games, declined to reveal the names of those athletes on subvention and exactly how much they are receiving.

#He did indicate that a committee was convened last year to review the subvention process. Once the committee makes its recommendations, Munnings said some athletes may not be reconsidered and others will be added, as well as the figures could increase and decrease for those on the programme.

riday, September 7, 2018

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER not receiving their subvention cheques for almost two months, Tim Munnings, the director of sports, confirmed that the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture is in the process of meeting its obligations to the athletes, not just in track and field, but the eight other disciplines.

#Some athletes, especially in track and field, have complained that the delay in payment has caused them some anxiety as they have not been able to meet their monthly obligations as it pertains to their training conditions in the United States of America.

#Munnings, in an interview with The Tribune, was also responding to the claims of the National Sports Authority being in disarray and the inflated cost that they will incur to have the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium completed.

#Athletes’ Subvention

#The joint programme introduced by the Ministry of Sports in conjunction with the Bahamas Olympic Committee to assist elite athletes with their training, based on certain criteria, came under heavy criticism by athletes, who say they are still waiting to find out when they will be paid.

#“There was a delay in the subvention payments this year. All of the federations were informed of the delay and that would have really related to the fact that for the first time at the end of the fiscal year, we got a new minister and a PS (permanent secretary) at the same time, both of whom needed to be educated about the programme,” said Munnings.

#“That was explained to the federations. They were understanding and most of them indicated that they would have informed their athletes, some did not, which caused for their athletes to be confused as to what was happening. That process is now complete. Both Minister and PS, who had taken leave, are back and they have signed off on it and everything has been processed, so the athletes should be compensated.”

#Although track and field has the lion’s share of the pie, Munnings said athletes from eight other sports are being subvented.

#“We’re trying assist as many athletes as we can.” said Munnings, a former track and field athlete who competed in the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay team that represented the country at both the IAAF World Championships and the Olympic Games. “We have to look at all sports.”

#At the end of last year, Munnings said the ministry convened a committee to review the subvention process. “We went on pause because of the transition in government, but that will pick up again because a lot of work has been done and we know that there is still a lot of fine tuning to be done. Once we would have done that, we would introduce it again to the federations for discussion and to the athletes before it is agreed upon in the next fiscal period.”

#Track and field, swimming, soccer, judo, boxing, basketball, bodybuilding, tennis and cycling currently have athletes on subvention from $12,000 to $34,000 a year. Once the committee makes its recommendations, Munnings said some of the athletes may not be reconsidered and others added and some figures could increase or be reduced based on the performances by the athletes.

#Exorbitant Cost for Stadium

#While it was reported in The Tribune on Thursday that the cost of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium had ballooned from the initial price tag of $16.5m in 2014-15 to almost triple to about $43m, the Ministry of Sports is now committed to seeing it come through to completion.

#“That increase maybe related to just the incurring cost to the stadium’s inactivity,” he said. “I have not gotten a report as yet from the Ministry of Works as to what these new numbers relate to, but I expect to get an update from them very shortly.”

#And with the work in progress, Munnings said they have not yet had an indication of whether there will be modification to the plans that were laid out for the construction of the stadium before work ceased last year when there was a change in the government.

#“Unless otherwise informed, the stadium is a go,” Munnings stated. “Right now, a lot of work has gone into the ground and a lot of payments have been made, so the government is moving forward with the project.”

#Munnings admitted that the delay in commencing the work was due in part to a number of factors.

#“A part of the structure is being imported from abroad, so they are designed to specifications, which really had to be spot on,” he said. “The structure that is being imported here to be placed on the structure here is being built to specification, so any deviation from the design here will impact the overall building. So a lot of care has taken place to make sure it’s a proper fitting.”

#As for the huge budget now targeted for completion, Munnings said they had to make sure of the timely payments of bills and that was prevented because of the change in government, who wanted to review the expenditure of the stadium before continuing with its completion.

#The stadium is not projected to be completed within 12-14 months, barring any further delays, according to Munnings. He said the Ministry of Works will have the final say on any further modification or alterations to the stadium that is being done by Woslee Construction, who had fallen into a contractual dispute with the former Progressive Liberal Party government and they ceased work prior to the general election.

#New NSA Chairman

#With the former general manager of the National Sports Authority position completed at the first quarter this year, Munnings said they issued a public advertisement for his replacement. “A number of applications have been received and are being reviewed by members of the National Sports Authority Board,” he said. “That list was short-listed and candidates have been interviewed for the position.”

#In the interim stage, Munnings noted that board member Lester Cox has been bridging the gap for this time and overseeing the day-to-day operation of the stadium. “In short order, it will be announced who the new candidate is whom we have selected for the position,” he said.

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Michael Pintard

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Several initiatives that have been discussed ad nauseam took centre stage for Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard yesterday as he noted the impact his ministry will have on this administration’s budget.

#In his contribution to the 2018/19 Budget Debate, Pintard addressed several issues in the local sporting community which will be affected by the budget, most notably the stagnant construction of the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium, a restructuring of the national subvention programme and the establishment of national sports academies. Listing the “six pillars” set to reorganise the way the administration and the country at large approaches sports, Minister Pintard said his administration plans to complete the construction of the new Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium.

#“We believe that in order to help cultivate additional elite athletes, it is important we have facilities throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas where it is financially feasible. Some work has already begun in this regard by previous administrations – Free National Movement and Progressive Liberal Party. Some of those initiatives have stalled because of financial reasons, because of inappropriate planning. We intend to clearly outline which facilities we believe we have the capacity to build over the course of the next four years. One is the baseball stadium.

#“The Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture is the client, the executing agent is the Ministry of Works, and Minister of Works is in process of ensuring that the funding is available for us to continue the work on the baseball stadium and to include additional fields surrounding the stadium and to install the ‘IT’ infrastructure,” he said.

#“As the public would be aware, we have more than 25 professional baseball players. We believe that through attracting amateur, high school as well as collegiate athletes, we have a capacity to on a regular basis, stage a wide range of athletic competitions in the stadium to gradually grow the revenue associated with it, but more importantly to inspire the next generation of Bahamian professionals who we believe will make a mark on the international scene. We also believe we can become the hub in the region for players who are interested in joining MLB teams or competing in other jurisdictions.”

#The groundbreaking for the stadium’s construction took place on November 7, 2014. Construction has been on hold for over a year with no definitive timeline set to resume or an estimated completion of the project.

#By establishing proper facilities, the ministry seeks to bring the much talked about National Sports Academies to fruition.

#“We believe that the ministry has the capacity to help federations, associations and clubs produce and cultivate elite athletes.

#“If you look at our budget many of our programmes are organised in a way to accomplish this. Toward this end we believe one key component of our strategy is the establishment of sports academies. Toward this end, we have already appointed a working group that is diligently reviewing all work done previously in the ministry toward this end.

#“Included in this group, is really in our mind, the architect of the Centres of Excellence, Mr Martin Lundy. We are already making progress in terms of having discussions with existing sports academies to write a memorandum of understanding so that we might support the work they are already engaged in. In addition, we have begun discussions with federations, who through their parent organisations are prepared to invest heavily in creating Centres of Excellence, High-Performance facilities in this region,” Pintard said.

#“In the cultivation of elite athletes, we believe that all facilities ought to be accessible, and we are in discussions with the NSA. I’ve had the opportunity to sit in meetings with them and the federations to discuss the fee structure to make sure elite athletes and their friends who are interested in coming home have access to those facilities and other facilities that are on the drawing board in a variety of places, including Moore’s Island, Abaco and Grand Bahama so that we do not discourage those athletes through the price structure.”

#The new budget will also include a revision of the elite athlete subvention programme, currently with an endowment of $1.4 million. The new programme looks to include coaches in the programme as well.

#“We have completed a revised draft of our subvention programme. This document will now be delivered to Cabinet and then published pending Cabinet approval. To date, we have a little over $1.4 million dedicated to athletes that are on subvention. We do intend to ask Cabinet to transition this committee outside of the ministry so that it is quasi-government, enabling it to raise capital to increase the amount of fund needed to subvent Bahamian athletes since we are exploding on the international scene in multiple sports,” Pintard said.

#“Our assistance to various organisations in this country goes beyond the subvention that we give them on a regular basis, which exceeds $420,000 per annum. We are also engaged in funding multiple trips for the majority of the federations that are presently travelling internationally. This is unsustainable the rate that it is going and that is why we have asked federations to provide a calendar at the beginning of the year so we can plan with them to approach corporate citizens locally and internationally. We are working in tandem to make sure that we work out a consistent formula on how to fund these national championships and how to engage these federations so they take greater responsibility for the events we host annually.”

#The Government spent approximately $8 million to host the Commonwealth Youth Games, more than $1 million on the CARIFTA Track and Field Championships with another $350,000 still outstanding.

#“While the approach of this administration is different because we have expended a tremendous amount of money in the past five years on various sporting events. We understand in these austere times, there is a demand for us to fully explain the return on investments. That, however, does not mean we ought not to recognise what contributions have been made previously. It is important for us in our view to build on all success in the past that improves on brand and reputation in this country as a sports destination,” Pintard said.

#“The major international events, that some have scoffed at, including policymakers, have the potential to put millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions of eyeballs on the Bahamas, in other words, to grow the brand and reputation of this country and through targeted marketing, increase the number of heads in beds.”

#Some of the other pillars in the programme include utilising sports in a variety of ways – as a vehicle to fight obesity and non-communicable disease; as a means to generate employment and income; as a vehicle to develop character and well-rounded citizens; as a means of healthy recreation and to achieve higher education.

#“Millions of dollars that have been allocated to education have come about as the result of the sporting prowess of a number of Bahamians in a wide variety of disciplines. We are presently cataloging coaches, individuals and agencies who have historically facilitated Bahamians obtaining scholarships overseas. We are helping to coordinate scouts who can come in and see the talent we have on display,” Pintard said.

#“We believe that sports is a powerful vehicle to ensure higher education. One of the programmes we have presently is to provide a substantial subvention to the University of the Bahamas so that Family Island athletes and other student-athletes can benefit financially and obtain a first-class education. We are also collaborating with the Ministry of Education in this regard as the ministry plays a pivotal role in financing a number of our athletes who are presently overseas. We are also active in discussions encouraging corporations and companies that do business in the Bahamas to include scholarship funding for Bahamians in general but for athletes in particular.”

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

#DURING the time that he served as the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Neville Wisdom implemented a subvention programme by the government to assist our elite athletes with their training expenses.

#Since it was introduced following the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, the programme has been extended and Timothy Munnings, the director of sports in the ministry, has confirmed that there are over 100 athletes currently benefitting from a budget of about $1.4 million in the subvention programme.

#Some of those who are receiving subventions are also enrolled in colleges in the United States of America. But Munnings said the programme needs to re-evaluated before they can continue to proceed in the manner that it is currently being operated.

#“Athletics has the bulk of it,” Munnings said. “But the government assists athletes in basketball, golf, judo, bodybuilding, boxing, volleyball, cycling, tennis, swimming and track and field.

#“All of those sports have athletes who are receiving funding from the government through the athletes’ subvention programme.”

#The payment for the athletes range from $12,000 per year to $34,000 per year, but Munnings said his ministry is in the process of reviewing the whole process.

#“There are many athletes who are past eligible to be getting the subvention,” Munnings said. “Until some athletes are removed or reduced, it kind of interferes with new persons coming on or those who are on getting an increase.

#“We are relying on the various federations to give us some assistance in making their recommendations of who should be coming on and who should be reduced. To bring persons on, in some cases, some persons have to come off.”

#Munnings said they are working to bring some clarity to the existing programme or come up with a new programme, which he said is fully subscribed.

#“My aim is to have some conclusion by the end of September,” said Munnings, who declined to indicate who will make up the committee to oversee the new programme that the ministry intends to implement.

#“There will probably still be a very broad consultative approach to it because we want to get some feedback from the federations and there will be some dialogue or open discussion on it before it is implemented or launched.”