Revamped Development and Welfare Fund for Athletes

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says the athletes’ development and welfare fund for those in need is to be re-introduced in the upcoming fiscal year.

“A fully developed, structured programme will be put in place during the next financial year,” the Minister said, noting that a sum of $27 million has been set aside in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure for this purpose.

Ms. Grange was speaking during a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House on March 1.

She pointed out that the programme is currently being revamped by a Committee, chaired by former President of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Michael ‘Mike’ Fennell, which is now finalising the details of how it will now be structured.

“We have to put structures in place. We can’t just make money available and people (make a) request and you just give money. There has to be criteria, there has be a structure, and that is what we intend to do with the welfare fund,” the Sport Minister said.

She noted that the programme will now be expanded to cover all sporting entities, as originally, funds were made available only to one sporting discipline.

Ms. Grange said the funds have been earmarked in the Sports Development Foundation’s (SDF) budget for welfare, and is available upon request, with conditions.