New website aims to highlight sporting talent in OECS

A well-known sports journalist has launched a website purely dedicated to sports news, with the expectation that it will serve as a platform to highlight existing and upcoming talent within the OECS member countries.

Robertson Henry, who is a St Lucian, currently residing in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), recently began promoting his website ‘Sport Caraibe’ (www.sportcaraibe.com),{{more}} which he describes as being geared towards “providing a radical improvement in the marketing, promotion and coverage of all sporting events and sports-related events in the eight-island OECS sub-region.”

Explaining that his non-profit website is not intended to compete with other media establishments, Henry said that this venture is part of a greater plan that he is spearheading – which he believes can utilize sports to reduce unemployment.

Noting that thousands of young people leave school annually within the OECS, he said: “Such huge school-leaving numbers make employment in the traditional areas one of luck and chance… Other areas of employment are extremely limited for many reasons, and unless there is a concerted effort by both the public and private sectors, then there will be much unease in the islands.”

Henry said that through his own research, he has identified several ways in which his aim can be executed, such as using sport to create employment opportunities (eg team managers, sports dieticians, physiotherapists, agents, sports journalists/photographers etc), and promoting the use of local foods and environment to provide off-season training for non-Caribbean teams, among others.

“There need for such a programme is of immense importance to the region, and in spite of the limited successes of Eastern Caribbean sportsmen and women, there is yet to be that media awakening which would galvanize the rest of the sub-region.”

Henry explained that he is hoping to collaborate with other media entities, as well as the public and private sectors, on furthering this initiative.

He pointed out: “This would result in increased public interest and participation, and greater value for the investment by sponsors, while contributing significantly to the sub-region’s socio-economic development.”

Henry has worked as a sports journalist with the Crusader Newspaper (St Lucia), and the Voice Newspaper (St Lucia), among other regional publications.

Additionally, he has been heavily involved in cricket and boxing, and has been recognized and awarded by several regional organizations for his contributions to both sports and sports journalism. (JSV)