Barbados has the potential to produce more world-class athletes and the government is committed to investing as much as it can in the area of sports, despite its limited resources. That is the word from Minister of Youth, Family and Sports, Esther Byer Suckoo, who said her Ministry had made a serious commitment to place sports as one of its priorities.

"We have started work on a National Policy and Strategic Plan for Sports, since we recognise that a sound policy framework must be in place if we are to chart a successful path for our sports programme," Byer Suckoo stated.

She expressed the view yesterday, while delivering an address at the launch of Sport Cave Hill and the Cave Hill Sport Academy at the University of the West Indies.

She noted that her Ministry was cognisant of the fact that it must continually invest and re-invest in its infrastructure and human resource.

"Currently, we are focusing on upgrading the National Stadium. At the community level, we also seek to encourage persons to become involved in sports competitively and training is done in a wide variety of disciplines by the Youth Department's annual sports community programme," Byer Suckoo told the audience.

Barbados is preparing to host the 2010 World Women's Boxing Championship and the Jean Pierre International Netball Tournament and the Minister expressed the view that these world-class events would help to position sports as a viable economic sector.

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