The question at hand has little to do with whether we like sports and more to do with how well we support athletes and how well we respect local sportsmen and sportswomen.
From the outset, it may be safe to suggest that the various local sporting disciplines in St. Lucia are in a remarkably better position than in previous years particularly as it relates to the exposure and opportunities available to local athletes. Because of that visibility St. Lucian sporting hopefuls are able to access doors that were previously shut solid to individuals from our environment except for the rare occasions when those opportunities were forcibly breached. These days local athletes appear to be travelling to compete more than ever before and the results speak volumes both about the positive trajectory and the capability of our home-grown talent. So why then the age-old concern about whether we are serious about sports?
This overarching topic has been argued and debated for as long as St. Lucians alive can remember but always seem to be centered around reported disrespect towards our potential stars and an echoing cry of lack of appreciation by the authorities. The louder cry seems much heavier in so far as facilities are concerned.
Whether these concerns have always been the case, legitimate or not, the focus has to be on the now. What is the present situation? Do we have better, more equipped facilities. Absolutely. The issue of the upkeep of facilities and the manner in which they are abused is one of the topics we have addressed previously, recently and a long time ago, but we will get back to that.
Only this week a VLOG entitled “Sacked In The Morning” hosted by local sports enthusiast and former national footballer Marlon Desir, sought to shed light on an issue at Marchand Grounds. The Sacked In The Morning host was incensed by what he suggested was grave negligence on the part of the people responsible for overdue rehabilitation work expected at the grounds following the hosting of a jazz festival event. The playing surface was reported used as a parking lot. According to the Marchand official, the inconvenience now hampers the use of the facility for an upcoming youth tournament. By the way, a similar situation exist at the SAB Playing Facility, which may still be officially out of commission, after its was utilized for carnival events.
Again, this is not new.
Some 33 years ago, Thursday February 4, 1993 to be exact, a Voice Newspaper editorial headline read “Sports vs Carnival” and the very first lines spoke volumes. “Its carnival time again and the record is still ‘stuck in the groove. The bad line remains: a proper venue for carnival. It was the same last year, and the year before, and the year before that.”
It went on, “And every year there seems to be nothing new, not even compromise, on how best the Park should be utilized. What usually happens is that the interest group with the best influence peddler – which is another way of saying the person or group who can best sway the government – wins the play. In these nine years under review it seems that carnival has scored the most. Last year was indeed dramatic. For a moment it seemed that the sporting interests were about to score, until someone remembered that general elections were around the corner. So, sports was overruled and carnival had the last laugh. This time around sports is holding what appears to be the upper hand – at least from afar. But don’t count carnival out; it’s early days yet. And so, dear reader, the game continues. It looks like it might continue for a long time.”
And so it has.
While some may argue that this is not evidence against how serious we are about sport, we believe that after 40 plus years, the case is made.