Government’s Annual Sports Awards Ceremony has survived the dreaded axe.There had been fears that this year’s event would be scrapped due to budget cutbacks brought on by the credit crunch.But those fears were allayed after Ministry of Youth, Family and Sports officials decided best to stage a watered-down version of the awards ceremony rather than doing away with it completely.“There was some talk about not having it, but we felt in the department that it was more important to host the event,” said Ministry of Youth, Family and Sports senior sports development officer Cal Simons. “We wanted to acknowledge the accomplishments of those athletes that participated during the year 2011.“It is going to be scaled down to some degree because we are only doing the senior and junior athletes of the year and seven achievement (for senior athletes) awards.”This year’s awards ceremony will be held March 17 at Camden House and will not include citations, special achievement and appreciation awards as has previously been the case.In spite of the new changes Simons reckons this year’s awards ceremony, to be held again under the patronage of Premier Paula Cox, will be just as prestigious as it has been in the past.“We are still planning to host a very prestigious event because we think it’s a prestigious award,” he said. “It’s going to be an acknowledgment of the male and female athletes of the year and we are also going to identify seven senior athletes for achievement awards this year.“The only thing we are omitting this year are the citation awards. So there will be no citation, special achievement or appreciation awards. We are also not going to have a big banquet and all that stuff.”The deadline for nominations for the various awards categories expired last Friday.“The NSGB (National Sports Governing Bodies) and the general public were challenged to submit nominations as usual,” Simons said. “The nominations did come in and we probably have between 25-30 nominations from NSGBs and also from the general public.”Last year saw long jumper Tyrone Smith and basketballer Jenaya Wade-Fray walk away with the coveted Male and Female Athlete of the Year Awards.Junior Male and Female Athlete of the Year honours went to sprinter Jeneko Place and swimmer Emma Franklin.