Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports (MICYS), Olivia Grange, believes that Jamaica can recreate the magic of the 1988 appearance of a local bobsled team at the Calgary Winter Olympics, if she can drum up similar enthusiasm for skier Errol Kerr.

"I am making a special appeal to corporate Jamaica to support this youngster who passionately wants to do well for Jamaica," Grange told the Observer yesterday.

Twenty-year-old US-born Kerr, rated 24th in the world and a former member of the United States ski cross team, has been yearning to represent Jamaica, the land of his late father, until recently when he finally acquired his Jamaican passport.

He has now been released by the US, and the International Ski Federation has issued him a licence to represent Jamaica in both Alpine and Freestyle ski competitions at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

He also has the support of ski equipment firm, Atomic, which will provide his skis, binding, poles and boots, as well as uniforms producer Spyder, which will attire the Jamaican team.

However, the obstacle which remains is the approximately US$200,000 Kerr needs to sponsor his training programme.
Grange, through her ministry, the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) and the Jamaican Ski Federation, through its president, Richard P Salm, have been supporting Kerr's training programme so far. However, the minister says that additional funding is needed urgently.

"To me this is another opportunity for the kind of global exposure we got from the bobsled team in 1988. We need to rekindle that interest and I can just see our flag flying in the snow in Vancouver in 2010 if we can get the support for him," Grange said.

She added that she is making a special appeal to the local business to support Kerr, who has given up his space on the US team to represent Jamaica.

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