With more of the nation’s athletes leaving St. Vincent and the Grenadines for regional and international competition as well as academic opportunities, this country’s Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves thinks there might be a need for a fund to ensure that the nutrition of these athletes and other needs are met.
This was discussed by the Prime Minister during his recent appearance on the Issues at Hand program.
“What I try to talk to them about always, is to keep the ministry in the loop, to give us good notice as to—I would wish if we could get it on an annual basis, so that we could set aside a particular fund, segregate a particular quantum on money through the lotto. Whether it’s half a million dollars, three quarters of a million dollars to go to coaches and the athletes and the household too, to make sure they are fed properly” Gonsalves said.
Prime Minister Gonsalves however noted that for such a fund to be made possible, varying levels of cooperation will be needed from schools, coaches and the relevant ministry.
At the same time he highlighted some possible barriers to cooperation in this endeavor.
“Team athletics also could be cooperating very well with the government but as you know some people in the leadership of team athletics are more interested in playing politics and want to pull down the Government at every turn. Even though we are doing a fantastic amount of work in sports” he said.
Prime Minister Gonsalves expressed during this discussion that he would like to see more cooperation in country, considering that everyone had enduring not just one, but two trying events, in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and explosive eruptions of the La Soufriere Volcano.
“Would be a wonderful thing if people work better, at this time particularly when we have come out of the valley of challenge—and extreme challenge with covid and the volcanic eruption and hurricane Elsa; and we are climbing the mountain top, and we need to respair, we need to embrace fresh hope after this period of extreme challenge.’ Prime Minister Gonsalves said.
The good performances of this country’s athletes in the recently held CARIFTA games in Jamaica were recognized at a cocktail held at the Prime Minister’s Residence, which saw athletes that brought home silver and bronze medals presented with a cash prize of 1000 dollars while the rest of the team members who participated received 500 dollars.
