Above: Haiti President Michel Martelly and Olden Polynice

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti has named former NBA player Olden Polynice, who was born in Port-au-Prince, a goodwill ambassador for the country.

The news was revealed at a ceremony at the National Palace on Thursday.

His best seasons came while playing for the Sacramento Kings in the late 1990s.

“The appointment of our friend and compatriot, Olden Polynice, as goodwill ambassador of Haiti, is a way to thank him and give him the opportunity to contribute to the struggle of our government to provide a better life to the [Haitian] people by inviting investors to come and invest in Haiti,” Haiti President Michel Martelly said Thursday.

Polynice, a center, played for five teams during 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association.

Polynice said he was interested in implementing several projects in the country, among them the construction of a gym and sports centre for young people to “develop healthily and learn,” he said.

Polynice is the latest in a line of celebrities to be named goodwill ambassadors for Haiti, the most recent being actress Maria Bello.