KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange says the special audit of the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) tabled in Parliament last week by the Auditor General, presents the true state of affairs of the entity that her Administration inherited in 2016. 

“The findings show an organisation that was continually breaking the law, badly managed and in need of urgent transformation,” she said in a statement today.

Grange outlined that she received a draft of the Auditor General’s Special Audit upon her return to government and immediately gave instructions for a Corrective Action Plan to be developed to deal with the breaches.  

“I made it clear to the Board of Management which we appointed in July 2016 that the first priority was the transformation of INSPORTS into a well-run, accountable organisation that gives value to the people of Jamaica,” she added.

The minister further stated that in the few months since its appointment, the Board has moved to address several of the breaches: 

• INSPORTS now has approved Corporate and Operational Plans with specific, measurable and achievable targets; 

• the entity is now producing monthly and quarterly reports; 

• the Board meets regularly — it has had nine meetings since July;

• the Board has a charter and requisite terms of reference for its various sub-committees.

As it moves to deal with weaknesses in its internal control, Grange said the Board has given instructions for the development of manuals, standard operating procedures and systems to govern the management of resources.

The minister noted that although more work needs to be done, the transformation of INSPORTS has begun. 

She commended members of the relatively new Board for achievements to date and said she is looking forward to them intensifying the implementation of the Corrective Action Plan for the entity.

“I have instructed the Board to scale-down all programmes until the corrective measures are fully implemented,” she ended.