THE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in its pursuit of ensuring a more organized record keeping of information of athletes will be establishing a comprehensive database to aid in the effective management of data.

Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony during his year-end press conference Friday at his Main Street office disclosed that before the first quarter of 2010, the Ministry will meet with every national sports association to discuss its plan with them.

“I have already had discussion with the Amateur Athletics Association and I think we have identified a number of areas where we can collaborate. We will be doing the same with other associations,” he said.

The Minister noted, however, that information on persons within specific disciplines will have to be supplied by the associations which will be done via questionnaires that will be distributed and submitted to the Ministry.

“That questionnaire has been designed and we would be passing that on to associations so that the Ministry can have a very comprehensive database of sports men and women of our country,” Dr. Anthony stated.

The database, Dr. Anthony said will be extended to coaches and officials which would also assist the media to be familiar with all the qualified persons that exist within the system.

Minister Anthony added that his Ministry is also working to create a similar database to document sports ground and facilities which are under the Ministry’s purview.

“Sometimes we hear the lament that we do not have enough grounds with equipment but when you go around this country you can find literally hundreds of grounds all over the place. Sometimes we do not know who is in charge of them…as a way of bringing better leadership to the sector… we can work along with them (persons in charge of facilities) to make sure that the facilities are being put to better use,” he said. (GINA)