Jamaica gets on with the Business of Sport... two-day conference in May

 Jamaica, in taking its role in sport development seriously, will lead the discussion on the Business of Sport, May 5-6 in Kingston.

The two-day regional conference is being coordinated by Carole Beckford & Associates and Strategic Corporate Interventions. The event has so far attracted international, regional and national presenters from the United Kingdom, United States of America, the Caribbean and Jamaica.

The ministers of sport of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange and Anil Roberts, respectively, have confirmed and will present on the topic - 'Sport, an Economic Driver for the Caribbean, how policy can influence economic models for Caribbean countries'.

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They will share centre stage with sport management agencies and representatives and experts from the fields of academia, management, major events, marketing, event planning, branding and media.

Professor Sherry Andre, lecturer at the Johnson & Wales University, will share her Miami Heat expe-rience while Professor Errol Morrison will outline the University of Technology model. Trinidad and Tobago's new high commis-sioner to Jamaica, Dr Iva Gloudon, will present on institutional strengthening in universities and how academia can play a critical role.

The two-day, eight sessions format conference is intent on having as an action plan a presentation to governments of the region, as to how sport can foster greater economic activity, citing champion areas, while maintaining and sustaining the cadre of talent still available in the region.

"The partnership with the overseas delegates is critical to maintaining strategic alliances to keep the sport product of Jamaica marketable," says Milton Samuda, one of the organisers of the conference. "We are keen on hosting this confe-rence as it is timely and in keeping with world-wide trends and, as the Business of Sport grows exponentially, Jamaica has to get a piece of that pie."

The conference has targeted 250 paid participants to come largely from national, regional and international sporting, marketing, legal and academic institutions and entities. The event will be held at The Jamaica Pegasus.