Who's looking after youths?

THE EDITOR: I recently watched footballers salvaging discarded paint tins to collect water to wash the mud off their bodies after a football game in Santa Cruz. I asked myself where are the washrooms and multiple showers for players in that newly constructed facility?

It reminded me of an experience a few years ago where the netballers of a major competition were complaining that they could not access balls and rings with a net for netball.

In almost every community across the islands of Trinidad and to a lesser degree Tobago, the young people are asking for simple things like upgraded cricket facilities. I recently looked at the disaster that is the Daren Ganga ground in Barrackpore and wondered what his fellow commentators would say if they visited the playground that bears his name.

Sport is not only a very viable alternative to criminal activity, but its economic benefits are also tremendous. A few days ago I heard a TV commentator say that Usain Bolt made Jamaica more known internationally than the government’s entire marketing plan for the island.

Why is sport not treated as a national priority? Why are businesses not sponsoring sport clubs? I recall the good old days when San Juan Jabloteh was sponsored by CL Financial. The coaches, the ball boys, the players and the community of San Juan all benefited from a well-supported club.

There are no records to show the impact of sport on youth and the reduction of criminal activity, but there was certainly less crime when the football Pro League (now the TT Premier League) was attractive to many clubs, communities and sponsors.

Fixing TT must be much more than the responsibility of the Government. The business community must get involved in sponsoring community steelpan groups, cricket, football netball, basketball and other sport teams. They must sponsor competitions that are attractive and act as incentives and alternatives to criminal activities.

If one continues to ignore the need to provide our young people with alternatives to criminal activity, like small agricultural projects with technical and financial support from the Government, sponsoring tourism projects like tour guides and, more importantly, park rangers, then we will continue to see our youths end up on the streets in pools of blood.

We must take time and pause and have a new approach to sport, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure development with a focus on providing long-term benefits for our young population. CEPEP and URP short-term employment projects are not only an embarrassment, but dehumanising and the exploitation of our poor.

STEVE ALVAREZ

via e-mail