Jamaica elected to executive of hemispheric sports council

The election took place during the historic two-day Sports Summit of the Americas that concluded Thursday in Montego Bay.  It was the first time that Jamaica was hosting the Summit.

Jamaica will represent Caribbean countries on the executive of CADE, which was established in 2003 and functions as a multilateral platform that helps to shape sports policies in all sovereign nations across North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, said Jamaica’s elevation to the CADE executive was testament to the country’s growing influence in global and regional sports governance in recent years.

“The fact that we have been elected one of four vice presidents for CADE… the fact that we are hosting the Sports Summit of the Americas here in Jamaica for the first time speaks volumes to the respect that they have for us,” said Minister Grange.

During the last four years, Jamaica was elected to, and now sits on the World Anti-Doping Agency Foundation Board, the organisation’s highest decision-making body.  At the same time, Jamaica was elected a vice president of CONCECADE, the subregional sport council for Central American and Caribbean countries.    

Minister Grange said: “We have shown great leadership in sports across the world to the extent that UNESCO is encouraging Jamaica to take on an even stronger leadership role in the intergovernmental committee on sports and physical education.”

Jamaica joins Mexico, Panama and Chile as vice presidents of CADE which is led by the United States. 

Minister Grange said Jamaica will use its position to advocate for athlete rights and health, increased support for women's sports, clean sports, as well as greater inclusion of people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

“I think we have made a tremendous impact over the last eight years, and I’m proud and happy to be the Minister of Sports at this time.”