Book Launch: Keeping Jamaica's Sport on Track

By Lesley-Ann Thompson

Journalist, lecturer, devoted mother and ardent sport activist, Carole Beckford, added the title “author” to her growing list of accomplishments on Monday, June 25, when she launched her first book - Keeping Jamaica’s Sport on Track. This timely publication is a strong call to action for Jamaica to create a national sport strategy that will help maximize the performance of our athletes and craft a blueprint for future generations.

Attended by an enthusiastic and supportive audience, the launch was an intimate wine and cheese affair, which included the author’s family, friends and colleagues, members of the media, key principals in national sporting organizations and Olympians.

In her overview, Miss Beckford first paid homage to key individuals who helped influence her initial love for sport and named others that impacted on her subsequent activism. She then shared her reasons for deciding to write this book, stating that she felt investing in sport as a business was crucial to the country’s long-term development. In her view, sport can be used as a multi-faceted approach to solve complex social issues, encourage active citizenship and improve the general quality of life.