Sports Minister Alden McLaughlin stepped into the political ring to defend himself over what some see as sponsorship sparring with Cayman’s boxing champion Charles Whittaker.
Mr. McLaughlin told Finance Committee on Wednesday that at present athletes Kareem Streete-Thomson and Cydonie Mothersil each received $40,000 per year from the government and boxer Mr. Whittaker received $20,000.
He said that, as far as he was concerned, there was no basis for a distinction and that all three should receive the same sort of support.
He said he would look at the payments to see if they were adequate and see to it that there was parity.
Mr. McLaughlin said he was aware of criticism that had been levelled against him over Mr. Whittaker’s last boxing event here, with it being claimed that the Ministry would not support the boxer.
Mr. McLaughlin said there had been government concern about insurance, finance and other arrangements involved with the event.
The fight had gone on last week, arranged by Mr. Whittaker himself, without government assistance.
Mr. McLaughlin said he thought it was unfair that Mr. Whittaker had taken the view that, because he insisted that things were done properly, that he did not support what Mr. Whittaker was doing.
That was not true at all, said Mr. McLaughlin, but, he added, he needed to be fully satisfied with the organisation of events.
Mr. McLaughlin told Finance Committee that although there was no sum in the present budget for a boxing event, if a proposal was made he would do everything he could.
He was optimistic some funding could be found for such an event but Mr. Whittaker could not be assisted if he was not prepared to cooperate, and he could not dictate what the arrangements were going to be, said Mr. McLaughlin.
Tourism Minister Charles Clifford told the committee that there was potential for promotion of Cayman through sports tourism.
From an advertising and exposure point of view through such things as television, there was potential and they would always be available to entertain those kinds of proposals, he said.
He would liaise with Mr. McLaughlin on the issue, he said.
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