Jamaica sports leaders push for lasting funding models and private-sector support

Jamaica’s reputation as a sporting nation sits at odds with a sector that has endured years of financial strain, with many associations still operated largely by unpaid volunteers. Leaders gathered at a summit held this week argued that workable, long-term fixes exist if government and the sporting community rethink how the industry is funded and managed.

A wide cross-section of influential figures in local sport took part in panel discussions. Most national bodies rely on state-linked agencies to help cover running costs, yet officials acknowledge the government lacks the resources to fully underwrite every association.

Epstein, chairman of Montego Bay United, said more must be done to help organisations become self-sufficient. He called for a united front before the Minister of Sport, telling her where support is needed and asking her to champion the sector. "We need to build this as a business in our country," he said, noting that sports facilities can qualify for special economic zone status, which carries financial support and business incentives many people may not realise are available.

Former Jamaica Olympic Association vice-president Don Anderson said chronic money problems have left many bodies led by part-time volunteers juggling other careers. "Every one of them that I know is run by a group of amateur people like myself who are doing it in my spare time," he said. He pointed to his own involvement in ice hockey as an example of how stretched leadership has become. Anderson added that a sudden shift to a fully professional model is unrealistic without first building institutional capacity.

David Mullings, founder of Blue Mahoe Capital, an impact investment firm that links United States and Caribbean capital markets, said he is prepared to connect his network with the Ministry of Sport. He argued the Constitution does not bar diaspora members from serving on public boards, only from sitting in Parliament or the Senate. "We need to turn the brain drain into a brain gain," Mullings said, urging Jamaica to draw on overseas expertise and relationships so the country does not miss economic opportunities sport can generate.

Panelists said a clear, structured plan could lift the domestic sporting landscape significantly. Without a change in approach from both government and sporting bodies, however, they warned the sector risks repeating past cycles of underinvestment and stagnation.