SDF 25th Anniversary Supplement

Push on
towards greater
achievements for
the next 25 years
I
JOIN wholeheartedly with the
Sports Development Foundation
(SDF) in celebrating 25 years,
during which the SDF has served
unswervingly the development
of sport in Jamaica in a variety of
tangible ways.
We just have to look at the building
and upgrading of sporting infrastructure
done by the SDF and the volume
of financial assistance that it has provided
to the national sporting bodies.
The SDF has developed a reputation
for making assistance available without
fail, when called upon to do so.
From the relatively small number of
11 sporting bodies at the start of the
foundation’s life in 1995, the number
has grown to over 60 at the end of
2020. And, as expected, the building
of infrastructure while funding so
many organisations would not have
been without challenges, but with
commitment and determination, the
SDF has got the job done over these
past 25 years.
This commitment remains even
as we explore ways of increasing
resources, fully recognising that
sports make a major contribution to
the Jamaican economy.
I feel proud, pleased and privileged
to have the SDF as one of the agencies
under my ministry.
I wish to congratulate the directors
and staff of the Foundation, as well as
the sporting bodies that have worked
closely with the SDF to achieve the
outstanding results that we have
witnessed.
Let us, as we celebrate this 25th
anniversary of the Sports Development
Foundation, push on towards the
greater achievements for the next 25
years, inspired by even greater determination
and commitment to the development
of sport in Jamaica.
I wish you all God’s continued
blessings.
HON OLIVIA GRANGE, CD, MP
Minister of Culture, Gender
Entertainment and Sport
SDF’s contribution
to sports continues
to be outstanding
MY DIRECT association with
the Sports Development
Foundation began in 2016.
I accepted the privilege to serve
for a two-year period at the time.
It is now 2021 and I am still here.
I have become completely enamoured
with the role and potential
of the institution.
It is my distinct pleasure to be part
of this 25-years-plus historic achievement.
I have come to really appreciate
the role of sport in the development
of a society like our Jamaica. There
can be no second-guessing the role
that sport plays in our daily lives.
Equally, the contribution of the SDF
continues to be outstanding.
To be able to watch a small group of
workers, from one office in Kingston,
build out sporting infrastructure of
quality across the length and breadth
of our island has become, for me, an
absolute fascination. We all continue
to dream of what may be possible if we
were able to harness greater resources.
As we congratulate all who have contributed
to the successes of the SDF
through the years, it may be worthwhile
to turn our minds to accessing
funding outside of the Government’s
resources. This may be what it will take
to make the success of the institution
move to that other level.
GEORGE SOUTAR, CD, QC
SDF Chairman
6
SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021