The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE dawning of a new day is here. The 2012 General Elections are over. Thank God.

Now it's time to put things into perspective as we move forward to building our beloved country.

Lift up your head to the rising sun, Bahamaland.

Prime Minister Perry Christie could have selected anyone from his Progressive Liberal Party members who have a sporting background but he chose Dr Danny Johnson as the new minister of youth, sports and culture.

Not taking anything away from Johnson, who serves as the MP for Carmichael, but many were looking at a number of other candidates for the position. But I'm sure in his wisdom, Christie has made the decision for a particular reason.

Former prime minister Hubert Ingraham selected Charles Maynard as the previous minister and he didn't have any sporting background but he was well advised in culture.

So while we ponder and wonder why certain decisions are made, we just have to accept it and move on.

Let's welcome the doctor in the sporting arena.

There are some prescriptions that we need to fill as we get set for this new era.

Completion of the new

Thomas A Robinson

Track & Field Stadium

It's great to see that the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) can finally see the certification for the track surface so that the events can be held in the 15,000 seat arena. It would be nice to have the BAAA Scotiabank National Open Track and Field Championships to christen the red chevron track next month.

It may take a little longer to have the landscape around the perimeter of the facility completed but there's no reason why we can't use the parking lot just as it was done for the official opening ceremonies that were held back in April.

With the performances already turned in by our athletes so far on the international scene going into the various meets this summer like the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain, in July and the London Olympics in July and August, it would be good for the athletes to compete in the standard that they are accustomed to.

Construction of the

new baseball facility

I know that it's a little early but let's hope that immediate consideration is given to the construction of the new Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.

Just recently, the members of the Bahamas Baseball Federation unveiled a proposed drawing of an ambitious plan for the facility, including a main 5,000 seat stadium, a pair of 13-and-over, 9-10 and 11-12 fields which will accommodate 1,500 seats each.

Also to be constructed in the deal is a baseball academy and five dormitories.

Accepting the plan in January, Maynard had promised that the first phrase would begin construction sometime this year.

I'm sure that once Dr Johnson settles in office, he will have a visit from the federation with the view of getting the project off the ground.

The sport has been stagnant at the senior level since the PLP dismantled the original stadium in 2006 when they were back in office with Neville Wisdom as the then minister. Thank God for the efforts of the federation to promote the sport through the country with the vibrant junior programmes that is based on the various islands.

But with the rising success of so many young players, including Antoan Richardson and Albert Cartwright who are knocking on the door of the Major League Baseball (albeit Richardson had a short sting with the Atlanta Braves last year) - a major facility is needed to further promote the game.

Sports Tourism

In an interview following his appointment, Johnson talked about the revitalization of sports tourism, which in turn can generate hundreds of jobs for Bahamians.

Maybe this is one of the reasons why Christie selected him because it's something that many have been alluding to for years. But there isn't anything substantial in place to carry it out.

The construction of the new stadium and even the pending replacement of the baseball stadium are steps in the right direction. Both venues have the potential to bring thousands of visitors to our shores, especially athletes and teams who are always looking for a change in venue to not only train but also compete.

Hopefully, when the Queen Elizabeth Sports Center has its complete transformation, we will see an open opportunity for various business ventures for locals, including the domestic, culinary and maintenance just like how it's done at the arenas for baseball and basketball in the United States.

There's no reason why the Bahamas can't be the envy and the jewel for the Caribbean just as we've been for years as a vacation Mecca and top tourist destination.

Bahamas Games

For years, we have been yearning for the return of the Bahamas Games, the mini Olympic-style sports spectacular that has brought athletes from throughout the archipelago to compete in a series of disciplines.

Although there were some flaws in the first six competitions, the Bahamas Games has been vital to the growth and development of sports in the country because the various federations and associations involved had the opportunity to scrutinize athletes that they would not have normally gotten a chance to see in action.

The games also gave the local communities, especially on the Family Islands, a chance to bond a lot more because of the process that they went through to select their teams for competition. They were also provided with funding from the government to help make sure that the athletes were properly prepared to make the trip here.

From my vantage point, I would say that the good doctor has his hands full. These are just some of the immediate concerns but we welcome Johnson and look forward to his administration. March on Bahamaland.