Sion Hill’s Historic Golden Jubilee: An Inspiration!

My heartiest congratulations go out to the Sion Hill Sports and Cultural Organisation on the achievement of its Golden Jubilee on Monday April 7. It is a most historic landmark not just for the Sion Hill community but for all community organizations locally. It is not easy to keep a

community organisation alive and kicking for an entire half a century as many others have found out. As the saying goes, “Many are called, but few are chosen”.

Over the last half of the 20th century and right up to the present, many attempts at building community and youth organisations were made. It led to the formation of the umbrella body the National Youth Council (NYC) in the mid- sixties, incorporating what were then community organisations mainly involving youths but also encompassing broader community activities.

There were all sorts of obstacles to be overcome, among them a lack of resources, scepticism on the part of many elders and a not very encouraging and facilitating environment at the state and political level.

The Sion Hill community, long associated politically with support for the then political party, the PPP, led by the late E.T. Joshua, at a time of general political dominance of its fierce rival, the SVG Labour Party, had to overcome such obstacles.

Fortunately, the pioneers of community organisation in Sion Hill hit on a winning formula, that of using the abundant sporting talent in the community as a mobilising tool. This led to the formation of the Sion Hill Sports and Cultural Organisation which soon became almost a household name in sports and community organisation. Adding to its mobilisation success was the fact that based right in the Sion Hill Community was another pioneering organisation, this time in the cultural field, the New Artists Movement (NAM) led by Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams. It was no mere coincidence that the first President of the Sion Hill organisation, cultural icon and President of the Garifuna Heritage Foundation David ‘Darkie’ Williams, was also a leading member of NAM. The founding of the community organisation in Sion Hill had fertile ground on which to build. There was the political base of the PPP and the strong spiritual base of the Spiritual Baptists organisation in Sion Hill, traditionally one of the strongest locally. Mutual interests coincided and helped to fertilise the ground on which the organisation was founded. Interestingly as well, the Sion Hill Community was also a strong cultural reservoir, producing the Ralph family in mas, with the late Roy Ralph, one of our country’s greatest bandleaders, being the most outstanding example. There was also, right up to the present, a pervasive steel band presence as well as leading calypsonians from the community.

A more fertile base could not be found anywhere, and the community organisation soon made its mark nationally. Sion Hill became a powerful force in the sporting field- in football, cricket, netball and athletics too, principally distance running and road racing. Huge crowds would flock on the Hill to cheer on their athletes when they participated and dominated road racing.

In football Sion Hill was not only a national powerhouse, but it was also arguably the best supported team. From that community came the famous Millington brothers with the late ‘Mori’ Millington leading a very successful national team to the extent that fans, nationally, fondly referred to him as “Skip”. A trio of Millington brothers represented SVG nationally.

The family presence in sport was also replicated in athletics with the James and Llewellyn brothers blazing the way in distance and road racing, surpassed only by the indefatigable Donald Peters. The duels between

Peters and another outstanding distance runner, Tyrone Creese of Prospect, are still fondly remembered by athletics fans.

The women too made their mark producing outstanding netballers at the national level. In addition, Bigna Samuel stamped the female presence in national and regional distance running before migrating. Culturally too, the Ralph sisters took up the Carnival baton after the passing of bandleader and artist, Owen Ralph, keeping the Sion Hill flag flying.

At an even higher level was the achievements in cricket.

Pride of place must go to Winston Davis, who overcame the then bias against “small island” representation to force his way into the top-ranked West Indies team. His finest feat came in the 1983 World Cup when he achieved the world record figures of 7 wickets for 51 against Australia. That record stood for 20 years before being equalled.

Over the years the organisation has had its ups and downs, like many others, but it has persevered. Its herculean efforts to pioneer the establishment of the Sion Hill Playing field takes pride of place in its accomplishments. Above all it was an inspiration to many other communities to build their own community organisations. Thus, we witnessed a flourishing of community organisations – in Diamonds, Arnos Vale, Belair/Dauphine, Lowmans Leeward, and in North Leeward among many others. As I salute Sion Hill’s half century of achievement, I urge them to draw on the rich history, achievements and experience gained to assist in the revitalisation of community organisations in St Vincent and the Grenadines. HATS OFF to you, Sion Hill!

• Renwick Rose is a Social and Political commentator.