Schools’ Games cancellation unfortunate, but…

IT IS QUITE UNFORTUNATE that the Canadian Bank Note/ Winlott Inc. Windward Islands Schools Games(WISG), that were set to be hosted here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, July 27 to August 3,2024 have had to be cancelled.

The multi-sport event would have featured national school teams from Dominica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, along with host St Vincent and the Grenadines, battling for honours in Track and Field events; Male and Female Basketball; Netball; Football; as well as Male and Female Volleyball.

Regrettably, it was an act of nature, namely the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 1, that caused the eventual cancellation of the event.

It has been well documented; the ravages caused by the hurricane, has left St Vincent and the Grenadines endeavouring to put the pieces back together, both physically and mentally.

This, as there were losses to infrastructure, livestock, crops; and six lives were snatched away on Union Island. It was mainly from the aforementioned conditions, and the attendant diversion of funds to the recovery and rebuilding cause, that the Cabinet of St Vincent and the Grenadines took the decision to cancel the 2024 edition of the Games.

The decision was formally communicated via an email from the Department of Sport last Monday,July 15, 2024.

The email thus read: “Due to the current conditions and resources being used in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, Cabinet has taken the decision to cancel the hosting of the 2024 CBN/WINLOTT Windward Island School Games”.

Given the circumstances, one would concur with the decision. Of course, all considerations would have been thought through before the finality was arrived at. Whilst St Vincent and the Grenadines was required to make the cancellation call, it could have been the undertaking of others, as they too were exposed to the possibilities of being severely affected by the Category Four hurricane.

Many may argue that Vincy Mas 2024 went ahead, albeit in an abridged format, following the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 1.With Vincy Mas, the country would have stood to benefit more, as millions of dollars were already invested.

However, the WISG is a different proposition. As a host country, the central government’s financial input would have been also significant.

Granted the current state of affairs where there is still relief needed for the most affected, and the rebuilding process is also in effect, it is no gainsaying that hard as one may have wanted to stretch and accommodate the WISG, our country at this juncture is not blessed with the financial resources to expend on both ventures, hence prioritizing took precedence.

One must also remember that members of the visiting contingents, mainly from Grenada, may have been directly affected as a result of Hurricane Beryl, whether being displaced, or otherwise.

Without a doubt, the cancellation of the WISG, means a loss of revenue for some sectors of the Vincentian economy which would have gained some economic spin off from the over 200 young sportsmen and sportswomen , plus officials, who were expected in for the eight days.

Inclusive of the fall-out because of the cancellation were the places of accommodation, as reports are that four teams would have been housed at hotels for the duration of the Games. But as we count the loss of opportunity for the Under-21s from the four Windward Islands, it gives the respective countries the opportunity to regroup and set their sights fully on the next edition in 2025.

For the St Vincent and the Grenadines policy makers in sports, they have just under a year to conjure up the right mix of specialists and those who can double up and, in some cases, triple up, when the next WISG is convened.

This is necessary, as St Vincent and the Grenadines has not been doing well, placing in the cellar position at the last two editions-2019 and 2023.

There was no WISG in 2020, 2021 and 2022, because of the coronavirus and its aftermath.

With the 2024 hosting dashed, let us look forward to 2025 with brighter expectations.