Still suffering from hangover

There were many issues that confronted sports here in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for a protracted period.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no respite in correcting these debilitating factors that perennially allowed success to go south, rather than in the opposite direction.

So, as we begin 2023, the hangovers are multiplying such that sports is not getting out of its administrative stupor.

Responsible for imbibing most of the head shots are the policy makers, who are persistently tardy, as they have failed miserably in placing sports at the centrality of national development.
Instead, it is all about mouthing, blarney and empty pronouncements, though, fully loaded with rhetoric and grandiose promises.

They pass off the provision of infrastructure and a few other inputs as the be it and end it all for sports development.

Their style of political administration has seeped downwards, germinating only hopelessness among the youths.

This is against the realities of St Vincent and Grenadines compiling an asset base of trained, young, energetic, precocious personnel, who are qualified and certified in the proper establishment of an effective national sports programme.

However, the tenacity of those young professionals is waning, as they too become redundant, as the lax nature of those who carry the influence of making the necessary positive changes go on with extended play of negative contributions.

Hence, sports is generally seen merely as recreational activities.

Also, remaining in state lacking sobriety are the various political arms and entities that are mandated to carry out the many national sporting functions .

Needed among these who hold the positions of clout, is a human resource capabilities’ audit. This column is suggesting such an undertaking, because those appointed and selected officials have turned out to be liabilities, rather than assets.

It is no gainsaying that some of these employees are less than concerned with the upward mobility of our young, budding sportsmen and sportswomen.

As it stands now, it is all about having competitions, when there is no clear pathway and objective towards development of the players, coaches, managers and the sport as a whole.

Yet, these perpetual failures are allowed to remain with their portfolios intact with no evaluation of their tenure, output nor astuteness.

Similarly, there are persons elected to positions on national associations, federations, or unions, who only exist by name as they are waste men and women, with little or no input offered in bettering the discipline they represent.

They too, are holding sports at ransom, as they prefer to keep their names attached to an executive, but do not add value to its upliftment.

Critically, sports is an active recycle bin for such persons, who revel in having their statuses and profiles enhanced, simply by being part of a sporting organisation.

That category of sports administrators continues to increase in number and popularity, as given the general operational culture, they have fitted nicely into the scheme of things.

When all is accumulated and calibrated, sports is the loser, as the most valuable assets, the sportsmen and sportswomen, are called upon to pay the price for those who are called to lead and make the pertinent decisions.

It is sad and pathetic to say the least, that with all that is advancing in the world of sports, this column has no other choice but present an exposition of lamentations.

Unnerving and heart wrenching it may appear, but the facts have to be reeled off, told and documented, but devoid of any sugar coating and embellishments of niceties.

Without being harsh, sports in St Vincent and the Grenadines is not in the best of condition.

The over indulging of accepting mediocrity and half measures, especially from those high ups, is the end product of lethargy and scant respect for sports, and the prowess lies within the disciplines in train here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

But as time wanes on, things remain untouched and the hangovers go from day to day, to year to year, with no real effort to be clear headed and face the deficiencies head on.

Until such time, we will forever lament, whine and worry.