Dr. Michael Fennell. Photo by George Alleyne
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Caribbean Life, JANUARY 10-16, 2020 43
By George Alleyne
Caribbean heads of governments
have been accused of
not keeping pace with their
sportsmen and women because
the politicians are failing to
provide facilities to support
athletes consistent with their
worldwide successes.
So said Jamaican sports
administrator, D.r Michael Fennell,
as he addressed the recent
Barbados Olympic Association
2019 awards cereemony.
Fennell, a water polo player
in the 1959 joint West Indies
Pan Am Games team, and
former president of the Jamaica
Olympic Association wants
to see discussions on sports
given priority during CARICOM
Heads of Governments
meetings.
“When you look at the status
of sports in the Caribbean
and what we are doing about
the development of sports, I
am very concerned. I am concerned
because although we
have done well and continue
to do well, it is almost by accident
because we have not truly
invested in sports in the Caribbean,”
he said while asserting
that the Caribbean has become
a brand name through sports
achievement of its athletes.
“I invite our governments to
rethink their position on what
they are doing for sports. The
other day I asked the question,
‘what is the status of sports
on the agenda of CARICOM’?
There is a sports desk at the
CARICOM headquarters in
Guyana and I don’t even know
if anybody exists by that desk.
We have not heard anything,
and the Heads of Government
need to be encouraged when
they have their meetings that
sports be on the agenda,” Dr
Fennell said.
“In order for us to improve,
sports tourism is a must and
investment is required,” said
Fennell, a former chairman
of the Commonwealth Games
Federation for almost 10 years.
He contended that sports
has been accepted as one of the
most powerful tools in social
development worldwide, and
argued that for this reason, “it
cannot be ignored for what it
has to offer to national development”.
“Sports and its potential for
contributing to national development
have been acknowledged
at the highest levels
throughout the world, especially
at the United Nations
where they have adopted resolutions
in conjunction with
the international committee
towards this end.
“This contribution embraces
the role of sporting education
and health, and with
health wellness, socialisation
and the economy especially in
sports tourism. And when you
think of our Caribbean islands
and our Caribbean territories,
sports tourism is a must.”
He pointed out that development
through sports does not
happen without investment in
infrastructure for sports tourism
and physical education
activities, among other areas.
“In terms of these investment,
programmes and the
development of the skills that
are necessary, the human factor,
the high level of obesity
around the world and training
of young and old to move away
from physical activities, especially
the pursuant of their digital
activities and their digital
experiences all presents major
challenges for the development
of sports.”
CARICOM heads chided for
lack of sports investment
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