Is it window dressing or formality?
BY THE TIME this piece is published, the results of the 2025 General Elections would have been known.
Of course, one the parties would be over the moon celebrating a victory at the polls, whilst the other will be licking its wounds and finding fault with the process.
That is the nature of competitive politics in this part of the world.
But this column would like to look at what the two main parties, the Unity Labour Party (ULP), and the New Democratic Party (NDP), as well as the minor unit, the National Liberation Movement presented to the electorate regarding their intentions for sports and the young people here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The entities offered in their manifestos their intent for sports, with only the ULP and the NDP realistically having a chance to implement what were advanced.
Gleaning the ULP’s National Manifesto, much was said towards sports. Among the promises is an investment of $5 million annually towards the upkeep of sporting facilities; light 25 playing fields and hard courts; construct an artificial athletics track at Buccament; provide primary schools with cricket gear.
Also, training for coaches; the completion of the Sir Vincent Beache Stadium, with lighting, warm-up tracks, additional seating, and athlete amenities; compounded with the erection of an indoor sports facility at Arnos Vale; as well expand the semi-professional league framework to cricket and establish a CPL cricket franchise in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The award of at least five full scholarships annually to SVG’s most promising male and female universityqualified athletes; provide, through the National Lotteries Authority, additional support for village and inter- village Football, Netball, and Cricket tournaments, along with the construction of an Olympic- length 50 metre swimming pool and facilities; build gymnasium facilities on the Leeward and Windward coasts, and at the Sir Vincent Beache Stadium.
Additionally, enacting a National Sports Policy; and pass a National Sports Development Act in Parliament to facilitate the expansion of opportunities for youth in sports, whilst reforming and expanding the National Sports Council to improve its capacity to drive youth participation in sports.
Increase efforts to incentivise private sponsorship of athletes and sporting events, through tax breaks or public-private partnerships; and increase the use of sports as a tool to reach at-risk-youth, are also listed in the party’s National Manifesto.
Other plans, as seen in that party’sYouth Manifesto incorporate the establishment of stronger integration of sport into schools and education, whilst providing more support for national sporting organisations.
The ULP also embraces the proposal to have a clear talent development pathway for young athletes, coupled with a modern, forward-looking national sports policy, and buttressed by linking sport with tourism, culture, health, and youth empowerment.
The NDP’s plans for sports seem terse and generalized. They plan to initiate a National Athlete Programme to support emerging athletes’ development and upgrade sports facilities across the country and ensure every community has access to lighted playing fields.
Having its say, the NLM proposes to revive the National Sports Council and upgrade community sports facilities across all islands. Likewise, implementing scholarship and talent development programmes in athletics.
The NLM wrote about establishing a National Sports Institute to train athletes, coaches, and sports administrators; the creation of a Sports Infrastructure Fund for modernizing stadiums, community fields, and gyms; encourage sports tourism through regional tournaments and partnerships; and the provision of annual grants to community sports clubs and youth leagues, as part of its national framework that can give sports in St Vincent and the Grenadines an up-tick.
When one dissects the above mentioned plans as listed in the contracts with the populace, because of what has transpired in the past, there is always that reservation of these plans being farcical and being cosmetic publications.
For most of the electorate, they pay little attention to what is placed in the manifestos.
More so, in the case of what occurred in this cycle of electioneering, the manifestos both were late in coming, almost near to the end of the campaigning, thus, confirming that these are merely rhetoric, window dressing and mere formalities.
But for those who think otherwise, the manifestos are in the public domain and, compliments technology, are accessible.
Therefore, whichever party is successful at the polls, they should be held accountable for the promises made to sports for Vincentians.
But again, one party said very little, that itself does not augur well for the outlook of sports here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, should that party get the majority of seats.
Hence, it begs the question, are manifestos mere window dressing, or formality?
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