30 Mar 2014

The Botswana African Youth Games Organising Committee (BAYGOC) has outsourced some of its functions to the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) in order to fast track preparations of the Africa Youth Games billed for May 22 to 31.

BAYGOC chairperson, Regina Sikalesele-Vaka told the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) ordinary meeting on March 27 that because the committee was inundated with a lot of activities to undertake at this critical time, the decision was taken to ensure that the games become a success.

She said the organising committee had not achieved the level of cohesion which it had expected and that BNSC, chaired by Solly Reikeletseng, was better placed as the committee that had been mandated with the functions to execute the games and make them an impressive showpiece.

Sikalesele-Vaka said games of this magnitude required three to four years of preparation but her committee, which had been mandated with the successful hosting and delivery of the games dubbed Gaborone 2014, was given less than that period.

Meanwhile, Reikeletseng told the delegates that Debswana Diamond Company had extended the sponsorship for the Re Ba Bona Ha programme to the tune of P3 million effective 2014. He said the RE Ba Bona Ha programme has since been renamed Debswana Re Ba Bona Ha Sport Development Programme .

Reikeletseng further stated that Judo and Tennis would be added this year to the existing nine codes in the programme. The BNSC is working on the modalities to hand over the running of the programme to the Botswana Primary School Sports Association (BOPSSA).

He also told delegates that preparations for this year’s awards to be held on April 26 at the GICC were going on smoothly adding that this year ‘awards had been adjudicated using a new system that was approved by the codes themselves.

The Chairperson also informed the delegates that they have since concluded the renovation of the softball diamond stadium for Senior Secondary Schools. He said the volleyball courts in Junior Secondary School in Okavango were due for completion in April this year.

“We have since facilitated the transfer of students to all the centres, while we are still engaging with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to facilitate transfers of teachers to the centres,” he added. BNSC is working on the modalities to hand over the running of the project to BISA.

He also applauded sports codes that continued to produce athletes into the professional ranks citing volleyball, netball, football, boxing, squash, athletics, tennis, golf, motor sport, cycling and rugby.

Reikeletseng also informed the delegates on progress of the Sports Commission Bill which was not presented in Parliament pending further consultation.

He also stated that BNSC would not be able to fund the teams in their international assignments because it would cost a total of P7.2 million.

He said this was projected using Basketball participation at regional level which would cost P637 000 and football at CAF which would cost P6.2 million.

However, he said they have since engaged government with the view to assisting with the funding of the teams.

Reikeletseng also told the delegates that Botswana has been awarded the right to host the international Working Group (IWG) on women and sport conference in 2018 with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and

Culture Ruth Maphorisa for having being appointed Co-Chair of the OWG for the next four years. Ends