Kingston, November 21, 2018 -  The Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport has said that it is not true that she had acted improperly in her appointment of the new board of directors of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), as alleged by the Opposition Spokesperson on Sport. 

“Nothing of the sort,” Miss Grange said. 

She said: “I acted within the dictates of the Articles of Incorporation of the SDF.

“It is obvious that it escaped the Opposition Spokesperson that on June 11, 2018, the ownership of the SDF was transferred to the Accountant General in the culmination of a process initiated by the Cabinet of which she was a member in July 2015. The intention was to identify all public companies that had registered shareholders/owners other than the Accountant General with a view to transferring those shares to the Government of Jamaica. 

“On May 17, 2018, the SDF registered its Articles of Incorporation with the Registrar of Companies and the Companies Office of Jamaica. These new Articles of Incorporation reflect the Government’s ownership of SDF. 

“My appointment of the Board of Directors is in keeping with the authority accorded as per the Articles of Incorporation. 

“Anyone looking on can see that I have indulged in no acts of politicisation as there has been little change of personnel in my re-appointment of the members of the SDF Board. 

“It is unfortunate that the Opposition should issue a statement that has absolutely no basis in facts,” Minister Grange concluded. 

END