No Financial Request from Olympic Team - Williams

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Tuesday, 24 July 2012 02:30

By press release

Antigua St. John's - Senator Winston Williams has responded to the Everton Barnes article which was posted today on the online news service, CARIBARENA under the caption, ' Athletes Leave for London Empty-Handed' by questioning its legitimacy in light of existing operational procedures within the Ministry of Sports.

The Minister also stated emphatically that neither he nor the office of the Permanent Secretary, Sports, has received any letter requesting financial assistance to the tune of $22,000.00 for the 2012 National Olympic Team. The only pieces of correspondence, received by the Ministry of Sports, were requests for assistance in the form of waiver of travel taxes on the tickets purchased to attend the Games and the departure taxes for the official delegation (find attached).

In keeping with the public call for transparency and accountability in the operations of its business, the Ministry of Sports received approval from the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda to establish a special committee, independent of the Minister's Office, referred to as the Athletes Development Assistance Review Panel (ADARP), to consider requests for assistance from bona fide sports and recreational entities.

In the three years of ADARP's existence, stakeholders have been advised in writing as to the procedure for requesting financial assistance in areas other than waiver of travel and departure taxes. The latter requests are to be sent directly to the Permanent Secretary for processing. 
Sen. Williams stated, that in this case up to the close of business, today July 23, 2012,  there is NO evidence that the National Olympic Association has followed through on any of the procedures, if indeed; there was a need for assistance.

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In response to other sections of the article, Senator Williams responded as follows: ‘My Government, through the Ministry of Finance, has established the Athletes Development Fund, since it places a high premium on the welfare of our national athletes, even within the context of limited financial resources.

I note that reference is made in the article to the Chef de Mission feeling a sense of obligation to present a shirt and commemorative pin to the Head of Government. Although I do not wish to speak for and on behalf of the Honourable Prime Minister, if this report is an accurate representation of Mr. Fenton's views, it is regrettable that the relationship between the Government and National Olympic Association is defined by the level of financial assistance received from Government. 

As Minister of State with responsibility for Sports, I wish to state categorically that my preferred approach to working with my colleagues within the sporting fraternity, is one which is open and transparent. I am therefore appealing to all sports and recreational entities to follow the prescribed procedures laid down by the Department and which are sanctioned by the Ministry of Finance.

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