North-American based Vincentian Diplomats donate Football and other supplies

Two of this country’s diplomats based in North America, returned to their postings quite satisfied that they were able to place several sporting academies and organizations at home in a better position with gears and equipment.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’s (SVG) Consul General to Canada, Fitz Huggins, and SVG’s Consul General to the United States Rondy ‘Luta’ McIntosh donated 600 soccer balls, over 500 kits (shirts, pants, socks and shoes), and 600 trophies to football entities while here as part of an annual meeting of Vincentian diplomats.

The items were sourced in Canada and came from The West Rouge Soccer Club. This Club is a non-profit organization in Scarborough, Ontario.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony which was held at the Guides Hut in Level Garden last month Consul General Huggins said the donation was made possible by The West Rouge Soccer Club through the Consulates and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He is hoping the donation benefits the youths of SVG during the Summer vacation and beyond as the gear is of a high quality.

“I am sure the kids will enjoy them…and I am sure the kids will benefit and I want to thank The West Rouge Soccer Club,” Huggins commented.

Consul General McIntosh, noted that the donation is testimony of what they are doing overseas.

“Our work is not just an office function … we go out and we seek assistance for people here in developing and building the economy and also in contributing to sports and culture.

“So while we are here on vacation we are still working…”. He said the police were also in line to receive fire equipment and a donation was also to be made to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association.

“… We got a donation through the consulate of New York City and we work closely with the Consulate in Toronto,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh urged the recipients to ensure the donations are taken care of.

“… I will like to commend Consul General Huggins for the great work he is doing and the mentorship as well, and I will also like to commend people like Ian Sardine and Roger Gurley and the other academies.

“There are a lot of unsung heroes within our communities that go far and beyond the call of duty just to help build our nation through sports and through culture and through whatsoever means,” McIntosh said.

Some of the organizations and academies that received supplies are System Three Sports Academy, Camdonia Chelsea Soccer Club, Owia United, The Valley Summer School and Hotspurs Academy.

Ian Sardine of System Three expressed gratitude for the supplies on behalf of System Three and the youths of the nation.

“I will like to thank the ambassadors for their assistance in continuing to provide the needed equipment for the kids to continue participating in sports.

“It is not easy for them. Very often they are short of all the required equipment that is needed so these will go a long way in ensuring that they would be able to enjoy the sport of their choice,” Sardine said.

He noted that football is a popular sport here and for the Ministry and the Diplomats to acquire items that are going to be spread across the island is of tremendous assistance.

Kenson Wilson of Camdonia Chelsea described the gesture as “very good” and stressed that equipment is both “scarce and expensive.”

Dwight Baptiste of Owia United said every bit of help counts as they have seven different teams, including females “…and uniforms are one of the hardest things to get”.

Also commenting was Alika Jones, senior foreign service officer who said the donation recognizes the importance of continued investment in sports, while permanent secretary in the Ministry of the Public Service, Sports and Consumer Affairs Raymond Ryan, thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the donation.

“It is indeed a great pleasure to receive so many trophies and football equipment … uniforms, balls and I think that with the hard work with Fitz and Luta we will be receiving a lot more and these will go a very long way in helping our young people in SVG in the field on football.

“We have recently been assigned the responsibility for school sports and this contribution is timely…”Ryan commented.

Also present at the donation ceremony were Sia Creese and Amanda Beache-Johnson of The Valley Summer School, Clare Valley; and Richard Cato representing Roger Gurley of Hotspurs Academy, Calliaqua.