Minister releases last minute sports policy

(CNS): With just one week to go before the general election and after four years in office, Mark Scotland, the minister responsible for sports, has launched a national strategic policy. The eleventh hour release comes hot on the heels of various other strategic policies and long term plans for various government departments, including the same minister’s health plan. The policy document sets out plans for the next five years, which Scotland will be hoping, no doubt, will not be rejected by his successor should the poll not go in his favour. According to the document, the purpose of the plan is “to define the vision, values, strategic directions and objectives for the development of sport in Cayman Islands” and to develop local sports talent.

“A national policy and strategic framework is vital to sport development," the document states in the executive summary. Its development requires the building of partnerships among legally established independent entities and agencies and the National Strategic Sports Policy (NSSP) is cited as the instrument that will provide direction and coherence for the many stakeholders involved in improving the delivery of sport throughout the Cayman Islands.

The document states that Cayman has developed a track record of producing world class athletes, particularly in swimming and track and field, and there was strong motivation and enthusiasm among a small core of sporting individuals. Several National Sports Associations (NSAs) have clear development plans and achievement targets and there is a well-established, WADA compliant anti-doping commission.

There is, however, a lack of coaching expertise for some sports and the limited amount of highlevel competition locally is a challenge. While schools have  a Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD) compliant PE curriculum there is a shortage of infrastructure and resources to deliver it and there is no guiding vision for sport at the national level.
The sports minister said that he believed that sport presents a tremendous opportunity to advance a number of health, community and business related goals.

“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that sport helps to foster positive youth development, it helps to improve academic achievements and assists in the transfer of positive values and life skills that aid in employability. Young children develop their physical and cognitive capacities through play and as they move through from early to mid-childhood sport helps them to enhance their motor ability which can ultimately lead to more active lifestyles and mitigate against problems associated with sedentary behaviour and obesity,” Scotland, who is also the health minister, added.

He pointed to the reduction of gang involvement among young people who are involved in structured sporting groups

“The tried and tested method of achieving the benefits of any programme is to have a plan,” he said, adding that the policy was developed in collaboration with public and private sector leaders to outline the vision, goals and objectives for sport in Cayman.

See the full policy posted below.