The Way Forward For The National Sports Council

An umbrella organisation of all sporting bodies nationwide has an arduous task of a unifying force and projecting excellence in performance of national sports' personnel and participants.

In view of the above, it is incumbent on it to strategise and prioritise its modus operandi viz a viz the operational framework of all sporting bodies thus.

1. IMMEDIATE TERM: Re-organise the structures of existing sporting bodies by opening registration of all such bodies in line with their international affiliates for scrutiny to ease the operation of the secretariat.

2. SHORT-TERM: Organise a one-day RETREAT to be dubbed "the NATIONAL SPORTS CONFERENCE" preferably within three months for all the immediate term tasks to be reviewed in concert with all the sporting bodies to put all in one basket so as to map out a way forward for the effective and efficient co-ordination of the said bodies to acquaint all.

3. MEDIUM-TERM: Reach out to all the international affiliated through registration of the National Sports Council to such bodies as the SUPREME COUNCIL OF SPORTS, amongst many others with similar status

4. LONG-TERM: Establish a routine tour on a month-to-month basis of all the zonal committees, whilst maintaining a quarterly dialogue on yearly basis with all sporting bodies so as to periodically review progress, retrogress or constraints to make all bodies viable entities. Plunge headlong on infrastructural development.

Delving in depth into the projected outline above, the following can be resorted to in order to enhance the operational prowess of the National Sports Council in the implementation of each form of reference.

1 To ensure registration properly, the long overdue Annual General Meeting of the Gambia Football Association could be used, hence that as an organised body could be used as an eye-opener to divulge the structures, finances and related issues for others to see how they operate. The less organised bodies could then take cue from that forum to project theirs.

2. In the organisation of the RETREAT, each sporting body's prominent office bearers, namely the president, secretary and treasurer must converge at the forum and discuss their modus operandi, structures and other salient issues.

3. Having accomplished the two, the third term of medium range could be enhanced by the outcome-of the two to reach out to the international affiliates with the information gathered at the said forum.

The long-term effect can be harnessed by the institutionalisation of the contacts and dialogue on the stipulated periods to enhance the operation of the council to ensure its viability.