The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MARIO Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, is convinced that public-private partnerships through his ministry to attract major sporting and cultural events can make Grand Bahama’s “sleeping” economy vibrant again.

The minister flew to Grand Bahama on Monday with a delegation. He visited a proposed office space for staff at the ministry and then toured the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on Coral Road.

He was accompanied by Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey.

“I wanted to meet with the Minister for Grand Bahama Moxey to ensure we partnership together and get some PPPs going and make Grand Bahama vibrant again and its economy through sports, youth, and culture.

“So that’s the reason I am here in Grand Bahama. It is a sleeping giant, and we need to wake Grand Bahama’s economy back up and I believe my ministry along with tourism can do that, and the Ministry of Grand Bahama.”

Mr Bowleg is confident that his ministry can make a significant impact on the development of the country.

“I come to meet with the staff at MYSC as it relates to how we can make this ministry the number one ministry in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” he told reporters following his official tour in Grand Bahama.

“When we say the youths are our future, we talk about the impact that sports brings to a country. I believe more focus needs to be on this ministry as it relates to the impact we got on this country.”

Mr Bowleg was disappointed with the conditions that staff are working under in Grand Bahama.

“Looking at staff and them not even having a place to be since Hurricane Dorian is ridiculous. And so, the first thing I want to do is to see how best we can put them in some housing. I think the MYSC in Grand Bahama should have their own building.”

The minister has indicated that he has viewed some potential facilities to rent for the relocation of his ministry. “We are going to look at three spots we are going to rent and to try to renovate so they can feel better. You don’t want to spend nine hours of the day in a facility that you are uncomfortable with. And I think that it is one of the first things I will make sure happens in order for them to be productive. We will find a facility they can be placed in and feel comfortable and do the work for the ministry,” he explained.

At the Grand Bahama Sports Complex, Mr Bowleg said the sporting facility is in good standing, but some improvements are needed to attract major sporting events.

“When I look presently at these facilities here, I would not say they have been neglected, (it is) in really good standard, but we want to try to improve standards of these facilities because Grand Bahama should be a hub where we want to have major high-class facilities to bring tourist attractions for the sporting world here in Grand Bahama.

“There are lots of persons out there talking about what should be done in sport and culture and as the new minister, I do believe that none of us know it all. And so you should bring the bright minds and innovative minds…together and bring ideas so we can move sports forward.”

Mr Bowleg says he believes an advisory council in sports and culture would allow the ministry “to bring the right people around the table to make decisions that can benefit all, and not just a privileged few.”

He stressed that it is vital that the council comprises business-minded individuals. “That’s why when we talk about the orange economy and the creatives, what we want to do under this ministry is to...have persons with the know-how in sports, but also business-minded people. I assure you the next four years you will see a great change and impact that sports will bring to this country,” Mr Bowleg said.