MINISTER CUDJOE PRESENTS $450 000 TO ELITE ATHLETES

As athletes all across the world get ready to participate in the 2021 Summer Olympics, three national athletes received financial support to aid in their preparation for the Tokyo Games.

The Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Sport and Community Development, presented cheques to three of this country’s Elite Athletes, totalling four hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($450,000.00) at the Ministry’s head office at Nicholas Tower, on Wednesday 5th April 2021.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Cudjoe encouraged all athletes to avail themselves of the various assistance mechanisms offered by the Ministry and its implementation agency, SporTT. The Sport and Community Development Minister advised that the Ministry has reviewed and improved the grants application process to enhance the service and support offered to our athletes and the sporting fraternity.  Minister Cudjoe also stated that “despite difficult economic times due to the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago continues to invest in sport and support our athletes.” Minister went on to remind those present that the Reward and Incentive Programme is still in place to provide even further financial support when athletes win at the Tokyo games. Minister Cudjoe also announced that the Ministry would provide over $2 million dollars in funding to the TTOC during upcoming weeks to support its work in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.

Cheques were presented to First Citizens’ Sportsman of the Year, Dylan Carter for Swimming; Jereem Richards for Track and Field and Nigel Paul for boxing.  All three applied and received the grants under the Elite Athlete Programme, which provides financial support to eligible high performing and World ranked athletes to support their development, training and participation in high performance sport.

This is the second such distribution for 2021, with just under $800 000, presented to thirteen athletes and sporting organizations in February.

 

Caption- Minister Cudjoe (front 2nd left) with Pat Maurice-Thompson, representative for Jereem Richards ‘(front left), Tracy Carter  representative for Dylan Carter (front right), Director of Physical Education and Sport Division, Gabre McTair (left back), Ephraim Serrette Sport Advisor to the Minister (centre back), and Nigel Paul Athlete (2nd right back).