05.FEB.10

Editor: We are now in 2010, and I hope that the majority of Vincentians are feeling optimistic about the future. Of course, we all know the importance of maintaining a positive outlook. I also hope that we all would strive to attain international standards in whatever we do.{{more}} I must commend the Searchlight newspaper for carrying the recent disaster in Haiti as a full front page story. What can be more important than something of that nature?

On the weekend, Serena Williams and Roger Federer won the Women’s and Men’s singles title, respectively, in the Australian Open Tennis Championship. I once again have to ask the same question. What are we really doing about sports in this country? Do we have a national plan for sports? We fail to appreciate the importance of sports. It is important to the physical and mental well being of our society. In other parts of the world, sports is big business, but in this country, it seems that politics is big business. Politicians are our biggest source of distraction.

I was happy to hear that Brazil is setting up an embassy here. It is an indication of the strengthening of relations between both countries. I hope that we are going to seek assistance from Brazil in the area of football.

One of the problems that ought to be addressed is the percentage of female teachers in the classroom. It is simply too high. We are in a vicious cycle because a higher percentage of persons graduating from tertiary institutions are females. Therefore, the workplaces would reflect this. In light of this, it very important that specialized sports teachers be placed in all schools and students should be involved in physical education and other sporting activities two or three times a week. Coaching children on weekends alone would not allow for sufficient development that would allow for the attainment of levels where they can be placed in the hands of international coaches.

Let us take a closer look at where we are with regards to sports. It is time we lift our game.

Mystic