By Lincoln DePradine

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell says he remains committed to a promise of paying national sportsmen and women, including pro athletes, who represent the country in competition.

“We’re still very much committed,’’ the prime minister said, responding to a question while appearing on “TalkSports’’, the Saturday afternoon live-streamed sports program, hosted by Grenadian journalist Michael Bascombe. 

Most Grenadian athletes play amateur sports except for a few, including Olympic 400-meter gold medalist Kirani James and men’s Javelin World Champion Anderson Peters.

The payment promise was made by Mitchell, who also is leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), during this year’s general election campaign. The NDC won the June 23 polls, defeating the New National Party 9-6.

Prime Minister Mitchell said government compensation to athletes will form part of the ongoing discussions, with Grenadians at home and abroad, on the proposed National Policy on Sports and Physical Activity.

The policy was first unveiled in 2010 but its implementation was never followed through.

Among other things, the policy emphasizes sports development at a grassroot level within communities, and it’s also said to be aimed at putting Grenada “on par with other nations in respect to the development of sports and physical activity’’.

A program of payment to national sportsmen and women must be “sustainable’’ and “properly’’ budgeted by having a “source of finance’’, the prime minister said.

“We certainly intend to use the funds from the National Lotteries Authority as one of the potential pools to do so,’’ he said. “You don’t start such a policy and then not be able to continue with it.’’

According to Mitchell, “the commitment to assist, and to pay financially, goes all the way up to the top. So, I don’t see us automatically limiting it or excluding our international stars, unless they tell us otherwise’’.

He explained that, “if an athlete becomes a complete professional and doesn’t need financial assistance, then certainly one may say it’s not necessary and you want to spend the funds on those who are not in a position where they actually have it. But, I am aware that many of our athletes, even when competing on the national stage, still need significant support’’.