KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) — Jamaica is pressing ahead with plans to establish a national sports museum before the end of next year.

A 12-month deadline has been given for the project to be completed, the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) has said in a statement.

Several possible sites have been identified to house the museum, including space in the New Kingston Shopping Centre, a facility in downtown Kingston, and a vacant lot adjacent to the National Stadium.

Don Anderson, chairman of the Infrastructure Committee of the National Sports Council, the body responsible for ensuring the deadline is met, says he is aware that a number of small countries already have a sports museum and laments that “Jamaica, which has a rich history of achievements, does not have one”.

Already, the committee has begun selecting artifacts for the museum, some of which were showcased at an exhibition held at the National Arena during the London Olympics last year.

“That was pulled down,” he said.

“It was a temporary structure, but we hope shortly to be able to identify a suitable location and then to move into the next phase of aggressively collecting artifacts from wherever we can.”