B.A.A. President Says “No Money Nuh Deh”

An unendorsed letter purportedly written on behalf of a group of concerned athletes, takes up issue with the Belize Athletics Association. The letter criticizes the President of the association, Cojac Smith for not providing the necessary funds for the national track and field team representing Belize at this weekend’s CADICA Senior Championship. The author of the letter states that this has led to a situation where U.S.-based athletes who have never competed in Belize’s national championships but have the financial means are now the primary representatives for Belize at these competitions. It goes on to point out that local athletes who have met the qualifying standards during the 2024 Belize Athletic Association National Championships are left on the wayside because of their inability to pay their own way. The author also asks that the National Olympic Committee take immediate action to address the issue. But today Smith told News Five that this was simply out of his control, and he says the letter is misleading and unfair.

 

Cojac Smith, President, Belize Athletics Association

“We at the Athletic Association want to encourage athletes and have them participate in these events. However, truth be told, we just don’t have the funding, Marion. We sent the CADICA Junior teams earlier this year, just based on the ministry being able to provide us the entirety of the budget to go to Kadika. However, we’ve been trying from since then to get the funding to send these athletes. We even went through a rigorous selection process where the athletes did compete at the national. And we selected them based on the qualifying standards they met and everything. And we went through the entire process and by the books. However, the truth be told is that we were expecting some funds earmarked that the association normally gets. However, due to some technical difficulties outside of our own hands, we were unable to get the funds and the funds are still delayed. So that’s the reason why we weren’t able to finance the trip for the athletes to go. Now, in terms of the athletes that are local, and the thing is that we look at Belize, regardless of where you’re living, you’re a Belizean regardless. Looking at it from the athletes that we’re not giving the local athletes a chance to represent the country is really not true and unfair. If you look at our Kadika team, Junior that win, majority of them were living in Belize. And we were open and honest with the entire selected athletes that if it is that you can provide the funding with the association, whenever we do get these funds that are pending, we will reimburse you the funding. I don’t think that part of it was on the press release as well, and while it was a short timeline we gave them, we asked the Kadika officials because we were trying to get the funding to send everyone that was selected at the A standard. We literally just came in about two months. So we’re, hitting the ground running and we’re doing our best. several other initiatives as well as trying to gain funding. One of the steps and the directions we’ve been taking is to try and build corporate relationships with different entities and businesses in Belize. However, it’s a new association based on the executive and we’re trying to gain some kind of accountability. So with that being said, we have to get our house in order, for these businesses to feel as though they can put funding in the association.”