Skipper Speaks: No Sports in Ministry Name
Well known karate expert Skipper Ingham has spoken out about the Cabinet reshuffle, expressing concern that “sport is no longer even part of the name of any ministry.”
Under former Premier Dr Ewart Brown, the Ministry was called ‘Sports & Environment’ and was held by Minister Glenn Blakeney. With Premier Cox’s new Cabinet, environment has been split into its own Ministry and is held by Minister Walter Roban, and Minister Blakeney now holds the portfolio of ‘Youth & Families’ – which technically speaking sports will fall under.
Mr. Ingham said that “The two sports which are important to me personally, karate and boxing, have been neglected by government even when “sport” was officially in the name of a ministry.”
One of Bermuda’s most enduring athletes, Mr Ingham – who is 80-years-old – won a silver medal at the World Karate Championships in Canada last month. He opened up the island’s first martial arts school on Khyber Pass in the 70s, and is widely credited for being an instrumental force in the growth of martial arts through Bermuda’s history.
Mr Ingham`s full statement follows below:
I would like to congratulate our new Premier and her cabinet and wish them the best of luck in their work, because they will certainly need it, but I am concerned that sport is no longer even part of the name of any ministry.
The two sports which are important to me personally, karate and boxing, have been neglected by government even when “sport” was officially in the name of a ministry. For simplicity, I use the word “karate” to refer to the martial arts in general.
Earlier this year government, in a misguided effort to ensure that sport is drug free, forced all schools and clubs to pay affiliation dues to the government recognized martial arts association. Six months later no receipts have been issued and no AGM has been held to obtain a truly representative executive committee. Requests for redress to the department formerly responsible for sport have been completely ignored. That is taxation without representation or perhaps highway robbery would be a better description.
Years ago a boxing gym was promised by government, but it never materialized. There was a great opportunity lost when Clarence Hill won his Olympic medal in the ’70’s, probably due racism and the obstructionism of the then permanent secretary. Troy Darrell, who fought top amateurs and professionals in New York, could also have contributed to a program, with coach Alan “Forty” Rego.
That may be ancient history, but it has set the stage for now. There is an amateur boxing association in Bermuda, but no amateur boxing and government leadership has been notably absent.
When we had the first instances of gun violence in Bermuda, each one produced some kind of march or protest. Now that these are weekly occurrences, no one bothers to march any more – in any case the protests produced no result. I would like to see some real leadership from our newly formed government, even combining the efforts of all the ministries involved, to help our youth in the area of martial arts and boxing.
Well he has a point there. Will sport lose the attention that it needs in government? Under Ewart a lot of attention was given to sport. I know “a lot” is subjective.
Just about every cricket, football, or track event we sent a national team to compete in was at tax payers expense. Millions upon millions, down the drain, no gold, silver, bronze, or even a piece of lead came back to the island with these athletes…..the response is always ” it was a good experience”……now it seems government has given up on financial sponsorship for these loosers!
Your thinking is seriously flawed if you believe that football must win internationally to be considered proper custodians of tax payers dollars.
Have a glance at the work done over the past 2 years that has seen young football players exposed to all number of opportunities via BFA monies..Read the strategic plan and see if any other sport or govt agency was better managed..
Shut down sports and you will see a country go from tinkering on the edge to full blown anarchy…Govt gives up at your peril..
It was you and you must be mad to believe that this country will function without well funded sports programs..
Sports is not what is wrong with Bda, you might want to stop electing the elitist graduates from the green and gold. They have never built a thing in their special lives and the past 12 years is proof positive that they are all talk, albeit, in an articulate manner…
Maybe we should kick the dolphins out of their 3 million dollar wet tub or maybe the former finance minister should have sharpened her pencil and maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation..
We have been far to quick to forgive our new Premier for her significant contribution to the financial debacle that we are currently experiencing. Maybe she should work without compensation as punishment for spending my money so frivously ….Maybe she needs to accept that prisoners are not the only drain on our economy..Her govt has been far, far worse…
co-signed!
“Taxation without representation or perhaps highway robbery would be a better description”
Another example government extorting money from us. Reminds me of when I was forced to pay duty on an old pair of boots at the airport because they looked ‘too new’