CHRIS “Fireman” Brown making a sales pitch to the Bahamas Games as Harrison Thompson and Keith ‘Belzee’ Smith look on.
As of Friday, February 17, 2023
#By BRENT STUBBS
#Senior Sports Reporter
#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
#WITH just about five months left before the return of the Bahamas Games, the Games Secretariat is putting the finishing touches on the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the games.
#Over the weekend, the Games Secretariat, commissioned by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, hosted another conclave for its 10 Island Council representatives and 14 sporting disciplines during the sixth edition of the games, scheduled for July 7-15.
#The games, which was first staged in 1989, are making a return after a 21-year hiatus with the fifth edition taking place in 2001 with a projected budget of $1.3 million under the theme: “Challenges are chances for the Courageous.”
#During the conclave at SuperClubs Breezes, which was chaired by Games Secretariat chairman Martin Lundy, one of the biggest issues that provided some healthy discussion was the drafting of athletes for the various teams.
#Additionally, there were some discussions on whether or not New Providence athletes will be allowed to stay in the designated Games Village with their Family Island counterparts, a change in name for the Abaco and Long Island Sports Councils and uniforms being provided for sale by Golden Boy Chris “the Fireman” Brown.
#Keith ‘Belzee’ Smith, who serves as the secretary/treasurer for the Games Secretariat, noted that after meeting with the finance committee of the Bahamas Government, he was in a better position to answer some of the queries that came up during the conclave.
#“We anticipated this before the conclave and so we tried to present a clear picture of what the draft entitled,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go over that well because some of them came with their own interpretation of what they expected.
#“At the end of the day, we decided to revisit the draft so that we can include some of the requests of the council because several different scenarios were brought up, one of which is that if an athlete is selected by New Providence and he is offered something better playing for his home team or the birthplace of his parents, he or she will play for that island.”
#Smith said the Games Secretariat will not condone such actions and they will have made the necessary amendments to the draft before it goes into effect on April 15.
#By then, New Providence would have already selected its team and those athletes who are not on the team will be eligible for the draft, but will only be selected if they are from the respective island that drafted them.
#“We will have our final conclave on April 14-15, which will allow us to complete all of the things that we needed to gather from the sports councils and the federations. So, I believe that the conclave over the weekend was successful, and we have agreed to continue to dialogue with them to deal with any matters that may arise before they come back for the final conclave.”
#Living accommodations
#While the final decision has not been made as yet, Smith said he still has further discussions with the Bahamas Government’s financial committee to iron out their budget so that they can determine the accommodations and travel arrangements for the games.
#“So, the jury is still out on whether or not we would allow New Providence Sports Council teams to live in the Games Village,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, we haven’t designed a Games Village as yet because we are still trying to gather data for accommodations.
#“When that is determined and after my negotiations with the finance committee is completed, we will be in a better decision to make a determination on what we will do for New Providence teams. Hopefully by the next conclave, we will have a definite decision on that.”
#One suggestion that was put forth was that the athletes stay in the Games Village on a rotational basis, which would allow them to remain there while their discipline is taking place. Smith said they have put forth that suggestion as well to the finance committee and is waiting on their final decision.
#Name changes
#While a petition was made by the Abaco Sports Council to change their names from the Loyalists to Survivors and Long Island, who have asked to use Sheep Runners as their names, Smith said they have agreed to go along with the name changes.
#“With the outcome of what they went through with Hurricane Dorian, we have agreed to go along with Abaco and grant them their name change,” Smith said. “This is their strongpoint and their rally time, so we have decided to accommodate them and Long Island.
#“We have already changed their logos and they will be displayed at the next conclave. So, everything is a go for them.”
#Finances for Councils
#Although he can say that the finance committee has given verbal approval to the Games Secretariat, they are still working out the minor details before they provide the seed fundings to the island sports councils and federations, who will be responsible for staging the various disciplines for the games.
#“I’m in constant negotiations with members from the finance committee and a lot of it is centred around finances,” Smith revealed. “We have allocated a proposal for both island councils and federations to be increased by more than 50 percent for each entity from 2001-2023.
#“The total payout would come to about $600,000, but I’m not going to say who will get what. We have 10 island councils and 14 federations and so we are still looking at that. The way the decision is going, I believe we will get the funding because the games have to go on.”
#Smith, however, said they are still waiting on the projected budgets from both the island councils and federations, and they are slowly trickling in. He said as soon as they have all of them in, they will be in a better position to get the finances that they need from the finance committee.
#“We have incorporated a zone connection with the Family Islands so that we can better communicate with them and to deal with any matters that might arise,” he said. “We will be having weekly meetings with the sports councils and the federations so that we won’t have any further hiccups when we meet for the final time in April.”
#But Smith warned the island councils not to rely solely on the seed money that will be provided by the government, but to do their part as well in securing their own funding to help with their team’s participation in the games.
#Uniforms for competition
#Smith also noted that the Games Secretariat invited Chris Brown to the conclave over the weekend so that he could present uniform products for the games.
#“I’ve seen his presentation and I believe it will go well because he’s a Bahamian and as a Family Islander, we believe that he will get some support,” Smith said. “He’s made contacts with the various island councils and so they are in the process of doing their own negotiations.”
#Torch Run
#During the conclave, Lundy and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg talked about the importance of the Torch Run that will travel throughout the length and breadth of the archipelago in time for the start of the games.
#The torch will leave New Providence and travel all the way to Inagua in May and will move up to Grand Bahama and Bimini in the north before it returns to New Providence just in time for the opening ceremonies for the games.
#Valley Boy Doyle Burrows, a former long-time employee of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, has been commissioned to construct the torch along with Stephen Bain.
#“Each island and their councils will have a direct part to play in hosting the torch as it makes its way through the Bahamas,” Smith said. “What we suggested to them is to have a mini-fair or fundraiser while the torch is on their island to benefit the funding they need for their team.”
#Competitions for Bahamas Games
#The island councils from New Providence, Andros, Grand Bahama, Long Island/Rum Cay, Abaco, Bimini & The Berries, Exuma/Ragged Island, Eleuthera/Harbour Island/ Spanish Wells, Columbus Isles (Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador) and MICA (Mayaguana, Inagua/Crooked Island/ Acklins/Long Cay) will be competing in the following sporting disciplines during the games:
#Softball, basketball, track and field, lawn tennis, swimming, soccer, beach soccer, volleyball, beach volleyball, bodybuilding and powerlifting, boxing, cycling, baseball, youth Olympic sailing, regatta sailing, golf.
#There will also be exhibitions in rowing and Edu Karting moto sports.
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