During the 1950s when Stafford Sands recognized the value of Bahamian entertainers, led at the time by the crooner/calypso specialist and ultra musician George Symonette, The Bahamas' tourism brand began to take shape.
Sands, the "father of tourism", maintained his close connection to the Bahamian entertainment industry during the early and mid 1960s and showcased them to the world to attract visitors to this country. He understood that the entertainers were largely responsible for repeat visitors. In subsequent years, through different central administrations, tourism ministers followed Sir Stafford's lead to an appreciable degree and The Bahamas' tourism brand became cemented. Now, we have in place The Bahamas' sports brand, which is poised to propel this nation as tourism has for many years.
While our organized sports program has, since the 1930s, figured prominently in the growth of this nation, the true potential of the commodity was never fully realized. There was always some deterrent or another.
A case in point is the large body of work done by Neville Wisdom when he was Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. He got near to consummating an arrangement with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for The Bahamas to be the base country for that organization's Hall of Fame. Wisdom got the planning to the point whereby a prospective location for the IAAF Hall of Fame was selected in Sandyport, New Providence, and toured by then IAAF President Lamine Diack. The IAAF chief also visited first-time Prime Minister Perry Christie and got his blessing.
Lo and behold, general elections came, the Christie government lost power and Wisdom's plan, a magnificent one, was aborted, cancelled I believe, without even the slightest review.
Much has happened otherwise though in sports, from that time. Subsequent governments have paid significant attention to the furtherance of the national sports profile. The present government however, with Dr. Daniel Johnson at the helm for its sports focus, made large strides. The Bahamas became a sports host nation of note. One of the prize events (Commonwealth Youth Games) endorsed by this government, is scheduled for after the general elections of 2017. The view here is that no matter what happens at elections time, continuing The Bahamas' sports brand should be a national focus.
If the second Perry Christie governance gets extended into a third term, Dr. Johnson who is taking a sabbatical from frontline politics, will not be there, but hopefully whoever becomes the sports minister recognizes the importance to this country of its sports brand.
The same goes for whoever gets appointed sports minister, if there is a government other than the present one when May of this year closes out. Though far from perfect and guilty of oversights, tardiness and some unreasonable actions, regarding sports, this government has fostered the brand like no other.
The Bahamas' sports brand is entrenched as a marketing item for the country. Therefore, the challenge going forward, after Dr. Johnson leaves the sports scene, will be continuity of the sports brand push.

(To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at sturrup1504@gmail.com)

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