The interim committee of the National Sports Council (NSC), in consultation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports has organised a one-day pre-conference involving all national sporting associations as part of their efforts to host the second National Sports Conference, slated from 8-9 July, 2009, at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.
The ultimate aim of this pre-conference, according to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Sheriff Gomez is to involve all stakeholders in their drive to put in place a new sports policy and action plan for 2009 -18, since the national sports policy and action plan union being formulated by the Gambian leader, President Jammeh is now expired, thus requiring the need for a new sports policy and action plan to be implemented in order to tackle the problem faced by the ministry and "move on to the right directions in our quest to attain excellence in sports, through mass participation in the Gambia".
'I am expecting each and every sporting disciplines or associations, including the stakeholders and the media to sit back and discuss what infrastructure we should put in place so that we can plan a way forward," he stated.
Minister Gomez made these remarks during a one-day pre-conference at the Friendship Hotel and Independence Stadium in Bakau yesterday.
Minister Gomez added that, it is a stepping-block for all the sporting associations, including the regions so that each and every one of these associations can come up with their own programmes to ensure excellence in sports in the country.
He went on to highlight that sports is not a part-time endeavour, but a full- time endeavour. In this light, he advised all those involved in sports development to dedicate their time in the development of sports, hence they are given the responsibility to serve the Gambian people.
The Youth and Sports Minister further spoke on the need to decentralise sports, adding that "we cannot only concentrate on the Greater Banjul area and leave half of our Gambian population out of our sports."
He used the platform to congratulate all those involved in sports development, urging them to continue taking up the responsibility in order to achieve excellence in sports through mass participation.
Other speakers at the pre-conference included the Chairman of the Interim Committee of the National Sports Council, Mustapha Alex Dacosta, the Manager of the Independence Stadium, Musa Njie, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mambanyik Njie, amongst others, all of whom, expressed similar sentiments and called for excellence in sports