Funding let-down

Organisers of this week’s international surfing tournament at the Soup Bowl in Bathsheba, St Joseph, are “disheartened” by the limited funding given to it by the private sector and Government.

Luiz Venezia, the chief spokesman and joint co-oordinator of the annual Live Like Zander Junior Pro and the Thomo QS 1000, acknowledged that both Government and the business sector fell down in terms of financial assistance for the four-day event, which started yesterday on the East Coast.

“There has been very little private sector support. We were hoping to get more money from the Ministry of Sports. I do understand the economic times that we are in, but at the end of the day, we are bringing 600 people here and exposing millions of people to Barbados throughour webcast.

“Today [yesterday] was the first day of our event and up till Wednesday on social media platforms we had already reached the halfway point we reached for the entire thing last year. Because Barbados is known for such good waves, bells go off and everyone wants to be part of it.

“Tourism is our business, and we have probably the best tourism promoting tool known to this island and it is tough when we call and ask for sponsorship and can’t get it. We have gotten very little and it is disheartening. I can’t even get $1 000 from some sponsors, who claim they don’t see the value in it.

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