OFFICIALS FROM the National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAA) and the Secondary Schools' Track and Field (SSTF), say they have no knowledge of arrangements to have local athletics administrators sent to Jamaica or have young Jamaica student-athletes travel to TT.
Newsday spoke with NAAA general secretary Dexter Voisin and SSTF president Joseph Brewster about the potential arrangement suggested by the Prime Minister at the opening of the Mahaica Sports Complex in Point Fortin on Saturday.
"We, the NAAA, heard that comment for the first time and we don't have any idea what that is about," Voisin told Newsday.
PM Rowley, speaking at a function to unveil the 1,795-seater complex, said he and Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness discussed and agreed that TT would send administrators to Jamaica "to learn from the Jamaican organisers who organise the world-famous Champs (Jamaica)."
Champs Jamaica is the largest and most popular athletics competition in the country, challenged by high school teams, with the athletes' ages ranging from ten to 19.
[caption id="attachment_979837" align="alignnone" width="506"] Dexter Voisin[/caption]
"I promised him (Holness) that TT will take up the offer," Rowley said, adding that Jamaican children, who are scheduled to participate in the Champs programme will also be invited to TT.
"We have huge pools of talent in our schools.
"We can learn from a Caricom neighbour. Jamaican youngsters will come here and compete and out of that arrangement talent will flow from here to the international stadium and we can create more opportunities."
Newsday called and e-mailed the Ministry of Communications at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday and received a reply shortly after saying the request for clarity and more information will be forwarded to communications director George Elias.
Voisin said as he was unaware of any such programmes in the works, and because of the ambiguity of Rowley's use of the word "administrator", was unable to give an informed comment.
"To be honest, I don't know what they are speaking about.
"Transferring of knowledge, if I am to understand what the statement is about, (covers) a wide range (administratively)," he said.
Voisin noted that programmes in which student-athletes visit TT is not new. He said perhaps if this arrangement was geared to student-athletes, it would involve the SSTF, not the NAAA.
"I would imagine, if schools are mentioned, I'd want to think he's referring to that group. At the NAAA, although we work closely with everyone for the benefit of track and field, that committee is separate."
He noted existing exchange programmes, including the one which saw Cuban coaches training athletes in TT, like Ismael Lopez Mastrapa, who has worked with Olympian Keshorn Walcott for at least a decade.
"What I can tell you, I am very close to with the Jamaica track and field administration (Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association).
"The president is my personal friend and I can tell you t
