Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis held a very positive meeting with newly appointed Minister of Sports Brent Sancho and his permanent secretary Richard Oliver this morning (Friday 6th February, 2015) at the Ministry of Sports' headquarters on Abercromby Street. Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) acting CEO Adrian Raymond was also in attendance. At the meeting, Lewis and Sancho discussed the Pan Am Games, Rio 2016, and the Elite Athlete Assistance Programme. "The discussions were candid and solution-oriented and the importance of the Ministry of Sport (MOS) , Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) and the TTOC working together to improve good goverance in national sporting organisations (NSOs) was also emphasised, "said the TTOC boss. Lewis also shared his view with the Minister and PS that no NGB, NSO or club should be able to obtain MOS funding without satisfying proper governance guidelines including audited accounts and properly accounting for previous funding received.
Lewis said the meeting was constructive and positive . " The TTOC gave the Minister and PS the assurance that the TTOC will share information and knowledge with the MOS , Minister and PS in respect of global issues and solutions. Both the Minister and PS are very clear about what are the issues and challenges, " Lewis said. He said transparency and accountability-good governance and putting the athletes best interests first figured prominently in the hour-long meeting.