29 Mar 2024

Kingston 24 April 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced a “new approach to how the Ministry makes decisions” and how it will "direct investments in sport.”

Minister Grange outlined the new approach in a meeting with national sports federations and associations on Wednesday (today).

In explaining the reason for the changes, Minister Grange said:

"Public funding of sports is an investment for which good returns are expected. Therefore, we must review and update our processes to ensure that public money that is invested with sport governing bodies is well managed. At the end of the day, we must all be able to say we received value for money from our expenditure on sport.”

Under the new arrangements, the Sports Development Foundation will no longer consider requests for funding from sports federations/associations without a full accounting for monies being requested. Federations/associations are also now required to submit outstanding financial reports to be eligible for further financial support.

Minister Grange made clear that the new requirement will also apply in the case of requests to use national sports facilities. The new approach also has implications not only for sports governing bodies but for other entities that organise and promote competitions and which seek sponsorship from the SDF and from the Ministry.

“I believe this new requirement will help us to bring about greater accountability — which is something that we all desire,” said Minister Grange. She continued: “Greater accountability will also make local federations more attractive to private sector sponsors. There is no downside to having greater accountability.”

The Minister pointed out that some national federations/associations do not routinely submit financial reports, and urged them to move swiftly to become compliant with the reporting requirements.

Minister Grange said:

“If you receive over five million dollars from the Sports Development Foundation as subvention, you must provide audited financial statements annually. If you receive below five million dollars, you need to submit a financial statement.

“The organisations that receive monthly subventions must submit quarterly reports.

“And so I’m putting everybody on notice. If [your quarterly reports are] not submitted, your monthly subvention will be held. In other words, I’m saying to you, we have to get our house in order, we have to respond to you when you call on us, so you need to get your house in order so that we, as a team, can proudly say to the people of Jamaica ‘your money is being wisely spent’”.

END

29 Mar 2024

Kingston, January 7 - The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, has said that she was pleased that the work to install a new track at Stadium East in the Independence Park complex started today (January 7) as previously announced.

The Sport Minister spoke from Stadium East where grading work started to remove the old track which will be replaced by a new Regupol running track.

“Today as we start the process to replace this track we must remember that Stadium East has provided the training ground for some of Jamaica’s top class athletes including the legendary Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell Brown and Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce among others. Indeed, it may have nurtured and produced the best athletes in the world.

“I must express gratitude to the Ministry of Finance and Planning for their level of cooperation with my Ministry to make this project a reality.”

Minister Grange added that the Ministry hopes to put in new running tracks in central and eastern Jamaica in the next fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the contractor on the project, Peter Breuer, Director Export, BSW of Germany, said that the company was creating history in Jamaica by using newly developed durable material at the request of the Minister. The material will also be used for other locations in Jamaica.

Regupol running tracks which are manufactured in accordance with the IAAF quality standards are suitable for both international professional sports as well as for school and popular sports.

29 Mar 2024

Kingston, 8 November 2018 -

“He was undoubtedly among the best football coaches to have emerged from Jamaica but he was more than that to football in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Florida in the United States.” 

The words of the Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport upon her learning today of the death of Winston Chung Fah, who was lovingly referred to in football circles and beyond as “Chungie”. 

“Chungie leaves behind a glittering list of accomplishments in the sport of football. So much so that football’s world governing body, FIFA honoured him with its award of Order of Merit. 

“Chungie was one of the founders of the early football clubs in Jamaica, the famous Santos, FC but he was also one of the major contributors to the development of schoolboy football in Jamaica. Who can forget the all-conquering DaCosta Cup team of Clarendon College of 1977, coached by Winston Chung Fah? There is no doubt the Clarendon team, which included players such as present-day top coach Lenworth Hyde, numbers among the best ever schoolboy teams in Jamaica. 

The Sport Minister said that Chungie paid his dues to the National Team with his stint as Technical Director and then went to assist football in the Cayman Islands and in the state of Florida in the United States. 

“For me, he was an affable man who seemingly loved laughter as much as he did football. He will be sorely missed and as I express my sympathy on behalf of the nation to his wife Barbara and children, Sharon, Michelle and Tisha; I pray that his soul will find eternal peace. 

“Your contributions, Chungie, made you a giant in the sport of football inside and outside of Jamaica.”

END

29 Mar 2024

The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport says the Ministry’s two-day workshop on Textile Conservation and Preservation which opened today at the Knutsford Court Hotel is part of the preparations for the establishment of the National Sport Museum.

29 Mar 2024

Kingston, January 15 - The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport today (Monday) announced former National Football player Ian ‘Pepe’ Goodison and former National Netball player and current coach, Oberon “OB” Pitterson-Nattie as Ambassadors for the INSPORTS National Primary Football and Netball Programmes.

Minister's charge

Let’s go re-ignited towards a great future for Jamaica with renewed faith, courage and dedication.

Olivia Grange

Contacts

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  +876.978.7654
  4-6 Trafalgar Road

Kingston 5

Jamaica, W.I.

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