NASSAU, Bahamas, June 13, 2021 – Claiming that Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Iram Lewis Is “seeking to adopt the PLP’s SPORTS IN PARADISE policy,” Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said Mr. Lewis was “in South Florida last weekend making promises beyond his reach and outside the policy interests of the FNM government.”
“It is interesting that after all of the cancellations of a number of sporting events by this government, and in particular the stalled construction of the baseball stadium, the Sports Minister, Iram Lewis, was in talks with Major League Baseball representatives promoting The Bahamas as a location for spring training,” Mr. Mitchell said in a sharply-worded press statement released on Sunday, June 13, 2021.
“Seeking to adopt the PLP’s SPORTS IN PARADISE policy as its own after cancelling practically all of the program’s sporting events is both shameless and disingenuous,” Mr. Mitchell declared. “Further, during his recent contribution to the 2021/2022 Budget Debate in Parliament, the Sports Minister attempted to find favour with the sporting community by promising that the government will reprise and host the Bahamas Games in 2023.”
Mr. Mitchell added: “With general elections set for 2022 and with the Minister and the FNM’s poor treatment of the sporting community and Bahamians in general over these past four years being weighed in the balance, it’s not likely that the FNM will have the opportunity to make a mess of the Bahamas Games created by the PLP.
“We recognise on a personal level that the Minister has a hard hand to play after the disastrous performance of his predecessor Lanisha Rolle, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles. He unfortunately suffers for the bad choices of the Prime Minister.
“Sporting organizations throughout this country were neglected by this government pre-Hurricane Dorian and during the present pandemic. This uncaring and incompetent FNM government provided no resources for our athletes to remain active and qualify for university scholarships. Our high school athletes, in particular, missed an entire year of competition in part because of this neglect.
“For nothing more than votes, the FNM are now promising all manner of things. Former Youth, Sports, and Culture Minister, Lanisha Rolle, reportedly constantly disrespected sports leaders and the present FNM Sports Minister just talks a good game.
“Prime Minister Hubert Minnis and the FNM have failed our young people, sporting organizations, and the wider cultural and sports communities.
