Jamaica: Sport ministry negotiating another agreement with Chinese counterpart

The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is negotiating with its Chinese counterpart to finalise another agreement, which will complement the current three-year technical agreement on sport between Jamaica and the People’s Republic of China.

This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Olivia Grange, during a news conference regarding the sports cooperation programme with China, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on January 2.

“Negotiations are ongoing, and these include training of other teams in China, possibly to include winter sports teams; field events athletes, particularly in the throws; triathletes and water polo,” Grange said.

The negotiations will also include training of Chinese sprint athletes in Jamaica; redevelopment of national infrastructure/sport facilities; training for a longer period in China (three months); dispatch of Chinese coaches to Jamaica for two- or three-month rotation periods; and making provisions for local medical personnel, massage therapist/physiotherapist and chefs to accompany the delegation to China for training.

Under the current technical agreement, more than 400 Jamaican athletes will travel to China for training over the next three years.

The first batch, representing seven disciplines – Synchronised Swimming, Gymnastics, Swimming, Badminton, Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Football and Women’s Basketball – completed 60 days of intense training at specialised facilities across China in the summer of 2018.

Also, in January 2018, a contingent of Chinese coaches and administrators came to Jamaica to assess certain national teams and collaborate with local coaches and administrators.

In addition, the Chinese government will donate equipment to the seven sporting disciplines.

Meanwhile, Grange welcomed the second batch of Chinese coaches to the country, who will undertake some 34 days of training.

“For five of them it is ‘welcome back home’. We hope your visit this time around will be even more fulfilling than the last time. For others, we trust that you will accomplish your objectives and fall in love with our country and our people,” Grange said.

She also expressed appreciation to the People’s Republic of China for the donation of equipment that landed at the port in Kingston early last month.

The Minister also charged the associations participating in this next round of training to “make the very best use of this opportunity”.

“Ensure, as much as possible, that training starts on time, that athletes embrace the values of hard work and discipline, and that your coaches learn as much as they can from this visit. The success of this programme is important to us,” Grange said.

For his part, Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Fan Jianghong, said he is confident that when the programme is finished, “we will have more friendship ambassadors for both countries”.