The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) has revealed its Good Sport Governance Code is edging closer to being launched in a bid to help the nation's sports organisations further improve standards.
The National Olympic Committee is in discussions with international and local experts as part of its commitment to introduce the code and guidelines, the plans for which were first unveiled last year.
TTOC President Brian Lewis highlighted the importance of "efficient, accountable, transparent and democratic" governance within national sporting bodies.
"Good governance of national sports organisations and national governing bodies is essential to ensuring the development of sport is in accordance with the ethics and values of sport," he said.
"Given the role of sport within society to inspire and influence, the transparency, democracy and integrity of national sport organisations and governing bodies, clubs and sport based organisations needs to be assured."
Lewis, who has been involved in sport administration for three decades, insisted that further improvements are vital in order to eliminate corruption and protect athletes' best interests.
"Be it by choice, inability or inadvertence poor governance leads to corruption and the misuse of resources with the consequent negative impact on the athletes in particular," he added.
Lewis stressed that the approach needs to be tailored for each organisation, as there is no "one size fits all panacea", but said his organisation is working hard to address this matter.
It also requires cooperation across the Trinidad and Tobago sport sector to ensure it is successfully implemented.
"It's a complex situation that requires consideration of the specificity of sport," Lewis said.
"Hence the intention of the TTOC/TTCGA (Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association) to work with a cross section of experts to ensure that the TTOC proposed Good Sport Governance code is credible and realistic."