Are we advocates of lawlessness?

IT IS RATHER incongruous to say the least that organised sporting events here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, are still getting the run around by those who hold the decision -making authority.

One may not venture to think it is spite or some power wielding machinery in operation, the ironies are glaring.

This, as last weekend the country went into fete mode, and there were well publicised and even so, well patronised parties. Reports and photos showed hundreds of persons in attendance at these fetes.

Such events are allowed to take place untethered, but on the contrary, national sporting competitions, namely Football, Cricket and Netball have had the big stick policy of 100% vaccination thrown at them.

As it stands, the hard liners are insisting for ALL players and officials to be vaccinated.

Therefore, were all these persons who attended these large parties and outdoor gatherings on the weekend vaccinated? Were there systems in place to ensure that the proper health protocols were adhered to?

The actions of those in authority begs the pertinent question, are sports personnel being used as the guinea pigs in the entire process?

More so, are we sending the message to our young sportsmen and women to party their lives away and forget about sports?

Are we saying to our young people and national sporting authorities who are taking the responsible and moral route, that they should become lawless and “ do wey yo like?

This is indeed the resounding message that is being conveyed as unstructured events are given free rein, whilst the organised ones are either stymied, ignored or denied.

The best bet, no matter how irresponsible it may appear, is for national associations to go ahead and have their respective events, championships and tournaments, without going through the bureaucratic channels.

Vincentian sports continue to take a beating, left, right and centre as our policy makers seem hell bent on dragging out the process, whilst our young men and women become more frustrated.

We are all aware of the many travails that are unfolding before our eyes and the socio- psycho issues faced by our young people. Therefore, sports serves as that perfect release valve for the pent-up energies and emotions.

So we agree and rightly so, that enough is enough, hence, the party goers need their time to unwind, the same plausible reason must be put forward for the return of competition sports at the national level.

This is against the backdrop that this column is aware of positive moves to have some international football held here soon. Welcoming that may be, charity begins at home, hence there must be some concerted efforts to have team sports return on the calendar in the shortest possible time.

The wait is too long as the populace generally has to rely on viewing sporting events on television or on other devices. They too want to go to the courts and the playing fields to see live sporting action.

Whilst this column may point the condemnation on the authorities, there is that sense of relaxation on the part of some associations, whose personnel are not forceful enough and get the ball rolling again.

We are seeing all around, especially in our neighbouring territories, competitive sports is making its gradual return uninhibited by sanctions and stipulations.

Time is running out on St Vincent and the Grenadines as we are lagging behind, while the world too is leaving us at the start line.

On your mark, set and go, should be the next set of commands sooner rather than later, as we get the national sporting programmes up and running once more.