Kingstown St. Vincent, April 10, 04 ,2026-Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Godwin Friday has announced plans for a National Athlete Support Program designed to provide structured assistance to athletes across St. Vincent and the Grenadines. the announcement was made during a courtesy call at the Cabinet Room with Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is currently visiting the country.
Dr. Friday explained that the program will function much like an academic scholarship, offering automatic state support to athletes who meet established standards of performance. “If you meet a certain standard, automatically you qualify for assistance from the state,” he said, stressing that the initiative is intended to help both emerging and accomplished athletes who require support.
He highlighted the need for early intervention, noting that while the country has “tremendous talent,” many athletes fail to reach their full potential due to limited resources. “We don’t really always get the best out of it because we don’t get the support early enough,” Dr. Friday said.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in youth and sports development, calling the program a meaningful use of public funds. “I can’t think of a better way to spend our money,” he said.
In the 2026 national budget, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture, and Creative Industries has allocated approximately EC$7 million to youth development, with sports forming a significant part of this investment. More than 55% of the ministry’s budget is dedicated to youth-focused initiatives, reflecting the government’s stated priority of empowering young people through athletics, culture, and creative industries.