Interim SDF boss takes aim at community facilities
INTERIM GENERAL manager of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) Leslie Harrow said the organisation’s main focus in 2024 is to continue its community facilities’ development project.
Harrow, who has been in the post for nearly six months now, believes providing an area for recreational activities and friendly competition in communities is key to unearthing new talent.
As a result, he said this year, the foundation is fixated on ensuring that communities, especially in rural Jamaica, have access to sporting facilities where they can engage in various activities.
“Sport is dynamic. It brings together a high level of collegiality and synergy. So we want to see how we can improve the sporting facilities and assist those in need because we know a lot of people out there need help,” he said.
“There is a lot of talent out here and we have to find ways of getting to them. The Sports Development Foundation has been doing great work in that regard, and the main focus now is to look at the facilities we now have.
“We have some areas that have not been touched and we need to go to these areas to establish facilities.”
He revealed that a number of projects are currently in the pipeline, and that they are in the process of prioritising those projects for execution.
“There is a list of projects. I don’t really want to mention any at this time but we have a list from last year and we are going to pursue that list and see how best we would be able to assist.
“We are particularly interested in the grassroots and community development because people are coming together for sports and friendly competition.
“It is the way of keeping youths out of problems and keeping the community engaged. So our focus is building more facilities to engage communities.”
He added that funding this elaborate project is no easy challenge, but that the SDF is determined to establish more facilities so that more youngsters get the opportunity to be involved in sports.
“We know resources are limited but we just want to see how we can extend the limited resources that we have into rural communities. We have to find a way of unearthing talent.
“The demand for assistance (from SDF) has grown and our budget is really limited. We need more support and we are trying to do with whatever we have. But what is significant is that we impacted a number of sports last year.
“Yes, there is not even enough money to deal with everything but culture and sports are parts of our heritage and we want to engage Jamaica more and the sporting arena a lot more in a positive way.”
Harrow, who has filled the SDF general manager role since Denzil Wilks stepped down after nine years last August, also revealed that he does not intend a long-term stay.
“It’s interim. I am currently at the Institute of Jamaica (executive director) as well. So I am just standing in. But I love the SDF and I love sports and will be engaging sports continually,” he told The Gleaner.