By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg welcomed the idea of having the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) establish their head office in The Bahamas, as long as resources are available.

NACAC president Mike Sands and secretary general Keith Joseph pushed their case forth as they paid a courtesy call on Mr Bowleg at his office on Monday. Also in attendance were the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Eugene Poitier and Director of Sports Timothy Munnings.

In thanking Mr Sands for providing the opportunity to meet Mr Joseph, Mr Bowleg said he is looking forward to a cordial working relationship with NACAC, as he will with other local and international bodies, during his tenure in office.

“We do understand the importance of the relationship between the government, its local federation and its international federation,” he said. “That is uttermost important and with that without the local and national federation, there is nothing much a government can do.

“But your support is here from The Bahamas and again we look forward to the ideas and programmes that we could put in place that could help the development of athletics in The Bahamas and the improvement of athletics in The Bahamas and our international competition level.”

Mr Sands, in welcoming Mr Bowleg on board as the new minister, said he just returned from Jamaica with Mr Joseph where they engaged in a series of meetings with the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association and will be meeting with the Bahamas Associations of Athletic Association today.

Having the opportunity to make the courtesy call during what he called Mr Bowleg’s “honeymoon” as the new minister, Mr Joseph said it’s a pleasure to be in The Bahamas because NACAC is responsible for the development of track and field in the region.

“The Bahamas has a very unique place within NACAC, in as far as the history and legacy of your participation in our sports,” he said. “It’s one that our entire area is proud of. We consider The Bahamas as equally important as the United States or Canada or Jamaica in the development of sports and in your achievements.

“When we compare the achievements of Bahamian athletes relative to population size, then you recognise that the achievement of your athletes is monumental and critical for the people of The Bahamas and, certainly, we would like to see that continue.”

And with Mr Sands as the president of NACAC, Mr Joseph said this is the opportunity for more collaboration, to enhance the relationship, broaden horizons and collectively bolster the sport for the Americas.

“Your proximity to the USA as a gateway to The Bahamas and your proximity and strategic location, relative to the members of NACAC, allows us in practical terms, the possibility of establishing a home for NACAC, a headquarters for NACAC,” Joseph said.

“We’ve never had a home. The principle has always been that we move wherever the president is located. That has its own limitations. And we believe that with the strong athletic culture that this country has and the fact that you do have the president of the organisation here, it might be an important opportunity for us to consider in real terms, the establishment finally of a home for NACAC, regardless of who presides over it in the future, but certainly now seems the most opportune time.”

Mr Bowleg said the Progressive Liberal Party, under Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, is preparing to relaunch the phrase they coined in their last administration under Perry Christie, “Sports in Paradise”.

“Athletics has been one of those sporting disciplines that has really placed this country on a level above all, as it relates to being represented at the Olympic level,” he stated. “Once NACAC is able to come and provide us with the information or a blueprint, similar to what is used by Canada. In order for us to succeed in the Caribbean, we must use blueprints by those who have gone before us in order for us to make a positive impact on the various disciplines in sports inside the Caribbean.”

Mr Bowleg said any information that NACAC can provide the government and his ministry to help put plans in place that can have a positive impact would be welcomed. He added that they would also welcome ideas to rise to the next level and host major international events.

With The Bahamas coming off the gold medal performances from Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner in the women and men’s 400 metres at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Mr Joseph said it bodes well for the future of athletics in the country and the level of sports tourism around the world.

“We’ve seen other countries do it. We’ve had Canada do it, for example, having been the first country in the world to host all of the World Championships, offered by our international federation (World Athletics),” Mr Joseph pointed out.

“I think the time has come for us in the Caribbean to take seriously the possibilities that sports tourism holds. Most of us are in tourism anyway, but we don’t necessarily see the focus of sports as a major income earner in tourism. I think the time has come for that.”