GRENADIAN Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has suggested that Jamaica should spread its coaching methods to the rest of the Caribbean. "As you are doing now with your culture and your music, I believe Jamaica must export its coaching methods, techniques and regimes to the rest of the region," Mitchell said during Thursday night's 46th staging of the National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. "Jamaica has always carried the torch for the region in sports, especially in track and field and soccer. it is by no means surprising that the world (100 metres) record holder is from this beautiful country (Jamaica)," Mitchell said to resounding applause from the audience, which included Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall and Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller. Commonwealth champion Powell, who ran a record 12 sub-10 seconds clocking in the 100 metres last season, copped his second consecutive Sportsman of the Year award. His MVP teammate, Sherone Simpson, secured her first lien on the Sportswoman of the Year award, after winning gold in the 200 metres at the Commonwealth Games, in addition to running 10 sub-11 second clockings in the 100 metres. "This achievement stems from a history of nurturing, harnessing, encouraging and developing the talent you have in your country," said the Grenadian PM. Mitchell, who was the guest speaker at the ceremony attended by scores of national sporting personalities, recommended that the rest of the region take a page from Jamaica's book. "The success of your track and field programme can be used to boost many of the regional governing bodies in sports. I've long advocated, for example, that West Indies cricket needs to use elements of the great Jamaican track model to develop regional cricket talent. This can only be of benefit to the region, especially at a time when our cricket needs all the help it can get," noted Mitchell, who is the chairman of Caricom's Sub-Committee on cricket. He also urged all Caribbean states to launch a regional sporting skills bank. "We need to identify our best aspects of administration/coaching and apply them where we can improve all our sports across the entire region," said the PM, who is also the Minister of Sports in Grenada. He made a case for sportsmen and women across region who are unable to gain employment after years of competing for their respective countries. "In Grenada, we are about to establish a sporting company. It's already been incorporated (and) headed by some of our top sportsmen and women. That company will employ many of our talented sportsmen and women, who will then work within communities and the schools with youngsters to develop their talent," Mitchell said. Reprinted from jamaicaobserver.com