Schools’ netball sub-committee chair apologises for lockout

Chair of the Netball sub-committee Natasha Stapleton has accepted responsibility, to some extent, for the late start of the final of the primary schools’ netball festival between the Buccament Government and Fancy Government schools at the Kingstown Netball Centre last Friday.{{more}}

The two factors which accounted for the late start were a venue that was locked when the players arrived and the absence of poles adjusted to the shorter stature of the budding netball players in the festival.

Stapleton accepted the former as falling into her lap.

“It was unfortunate because the key was left at the usual place, but the person wasn’t there at the time…. As chair, I have to take responsibility,” Stapleton, who is also the first vice-president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association, admitted.

The venue was not opened until 11:40, forty minutes after the scheduled start of the match, which actually got going sometime after 1 p.m.

Stapleton, who was not on hand as the melee unfolded, told SEARCHLIGHT that her work commitments prevented her from being there.

But Stapleton, however, did not accept responsibility for the mix-up with the poles; instead, she laid blame on the Division of Physical Education and Sports.

Stapleton said that it was the division’s responsibility to have the poles transported from the Arnos Vale Netball Complex to the Kingstown Netball Centre.

However, director of physical education and sports Nelson Hillocks informed SEARCHLIGHT that it was the Ministry of Education’s task to do so.

Hillocks said that his department accommodates such undertakings when the Ministry of Education cannot fulfil its mandate.

He further explained that on the day in question, the vehicle assigned to the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture was at the disposal of the National Sports Council.

The poles, however, made it to the venue via one of a local tour company’s buses.(RT)