Jamaica's annual Invitational Track and Field Meet could be upgraded to a full IAAF Grand Prix by next year.

Sports Minister Olivia Grange told journalists and track and field enthusiasts gathered at the Puma/Jamaica Lounge in Beijing on Saturday, that high-level discussions were taking place to have Jamaica host the region's first premier athletics event.

Grange was guest speaker at the launch of the new edition of Judge Patrick Robinson's informational publication, 'Jamaican Athletics, a Model for the World'.

The minister said she believed Jamaica had done well enough in the sport and had accumulated sufficient administrative experience over decades to be able to host such an event.

"Our performances in track and field have spoken for themselves over the years," Grange said. "Now we must take things one step further and become a regular fixture on the annual athletics calendar. We have secured buy-in from the senior stakeholders in Jamaican track and field and we are working hard to make this happen."

She said a working committee to move the project forward would be established on her return to Jamaica.

Minister Grange said the Grand Prix would form part of a package of sports tourism initiatives which would seek to bring the world's best athletes to Jamaica regularly.