Appreciating appreciation

The gesture of Coreas Hazells Inc last Saturday to recognize three of this country’s sports personalities: Stanley Hinds, Guy Lowe and Genita Lewis must be lauded.

Hinds has been a national cricketer and footballer, with the former being his field of greater achievement, while Lowe was a national footballer. Lewis, better known for her exploits as a field athlete, still represents St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) at the World Senior Games. Otherwise, all three have served in various capacities in national administration, management and coaching.{{more}}

Whilst all appreciation of our national treasures who have blazed the trail in sports is welcomed, the nobility of this undertaking by that company should receive further highlight.

Their recognition goes beyond the plaque, the wine and dine, the media publicity for historical note, which with time, all become mere formalities.

Coreas Hazell Inc went beyond that and touched the trio’s lives in a tangible way and most of all added a needed ingredient to their twilight years.

The three awardees have been afforded $2,500 in supplies at all Coreas Hazells Inc divisions, and better still, $1,000 annually in health supplements and prescription drugs for the rest of their lives.

In the Vincentian context, and given the scarcity of resources and the nature of sports, it cannot get much better than that.

Surely, the gesture would be appreciated by the current crop of players, who on learning of such a proposition, should feel some measure of ease that there could be some reward for them, even if it is in the distant future. In short, hope has been inspired.

Equally, Coreas Hazells Inc’s choices are immaterial; as the decision makers of the undertaking, they would have had their criteria for bestowing such acknowledgement on the three.

So, in the absence of a Sports Hall of Fame, at least someone (in this case Coreas Hazells Inc) has seen the value of caring for those who have served well in their respective sporting disciplines for SVG.

This type of compensation has long been called for, for our sports men and women who, after their active playing days and years, drift off into a life of loneliness.

Instances of national players who are left to fend for themselves in their dire hours of need, especially in cases of ailment, have been well documented, as no state mechanisms are in place for such occurrences.

The reality is that most persons who have represented SVG are primarily low income earners, hence they would not have that financial cushion to suffice the inevitable medical supplies when old age steps in.

Neither are many of them covered by medical insurance and the like. Cruel and ironic it may seem, but their predicaments are sometimes as a result of injuries sustained while representing their country.

Therefore, what Coreas Hazells Inc has done is to have set the tone for other corporate entities to follow, not necessarily carbon copy. They can start with simple forms of honour in the form of tokens and other handouts.

Those national associations with databases of players who have represented SVG at the respective disciplines should issue a quota of complimentary passes to these ex-players whenever regional and international matches come to our shores.

In addition, it will be good if, at opening and closing ceremonies, selected past national players can be asked to play a role, such as handing over trophies. Also, the naming of trophies in their honour is another way of keeping the recognition focus and their contributions held in posterity.

Starting with small acts can elevate into more conspicuous ways of paying homage to those who have contributed in the past and have cleared the path for those who are today’s beneficiaries.

As was expounded in a previous exposition on a topic of a similar nature, there ought to be a systematic way of rewarding our national sportsmen and women before they pass from this earthly life.

It means then that all stakeholders of sports, be it the national associations, National Sports Council, Government and its agencies, along with the National Olympic Committee, should devise a foundation or a trust fund to attend to the medical needs of the trailblazers in sports, here in SVG.

Coreas Hazells Inc has shown the possibility and the creative ways of what can be instituted, once some thought is employed. Many have stalled in trying to get something sustained going, obscured by the fear of failure of their efforts.

But a long journey up a mountainous and treacherous terrain can begin with one baby footstep.