$60,000 was today shared among 5 youth and sporting organizations. The money came from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the checks were handed out at a short ceremony this morning at the City Center Conference Room. It's not a king's ransom but in the years of living lean, it is something. 7NEWS was there.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The biggest check went to Youth for the Future which received $20,000. Executive director Linsford Castillo says the money will be used for their annual young leaders camp scheduled for next month.
Linsford Castillo, Youth for the Future - Executive Director
"Youth for the Future is once again conducting its national young leaders camp which will for the second time in a row be held in the Toledo District at the Machaca Outreach Center. The camp, as the name says, is really focused strictly on young leaders or the future leaders of Belize for tomorrow and what we are doing as we speak is conducting a very very strict recruitment. The camp is going to be commencing from August 1st to the 11th and so over the ten or eleven days, that is the intention, that we continue to empower young people which is the mandate of Youth for the Future."
The National Secondary School Sporting Association received $10,000. Dale Sutherland is the vice president.
Dale Sutherland, Vice-President - NSSSA
"This $10,000 will be used solely for our participation in the CODICADER Games next month. It is formed out of SICA, the Central American Integration System and the countries of SICA host scholar games for high school students at that level, at the national level and we were invited to participate this year. Being member of SICA and seeing that we held the presidency of SICA for six months, we were invited to participate this year."
Keith Swift,
This is the first year that Belize is participating?
Dale Sutherland,
"This is the first year that Belize has participated. When we went to a meeting in Honduras couple months ago, we were asked how come we were a member of SICA but not participating in the games and therefore we were invited."
Keith Swift,
How many Belizeans are going?
Dale Sutherland,
"We have a total of 182, including athletes and delegates."
National softball champs -Unitedville's Hot Mama softball team received $10,000 which they'll use to attend the 16th Central American Games next month in Nicaragua. The checks were presented by Minister of Youth and Sports Rodwell Ferguson.
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports & Youth
"We received requests from all these organizations, requesting an exorbitant amount of money and I looked at the request and said I wonder if the government of Belize can contribute. They all say they will try and raise funds from the private sector and so I said alright we will make a contribution towards the cause because it is basically for the youths of this country."
The other recipient organizations are the Belize Premier Football League which received $10,000. The BPFL will use the money to help its champs and sub-champs participate in the 2007 CONCACAF Championships. The Softball Federation received $15,000.
