Parliament’s unanimous adoption of a motion to partially reverse the cut in spending for scholastic sports appears justified. While one understands the need to have a balanced 2023 budget, going from 290,471 Netherlands Antillean guilders to just NAf. 100,000 seems like an awful lot.
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel stated that it would affect some 2,000 students and mean not being able to include various sports like soccer in the programme. The legislators asked for a redirection of available funds to restore at least half or NAf. 92,735 this year and the full amount in 2024.
Samuel said bringing more money to his ministry for such makes him “happy” but requires the cooperation of Finance Minister Ardwell Irion, who added that a solution will be sought, as sports is important. It can also be considered essential to a sound personal growth process among youngsters.
Especially with limited possibilities of local associations and clubs, the role schools play in promoting healthy physical activity is indispensable. A two-thirds reduction of related resources would significantly undermine their ability to do so.
About the last thing government wants to do is discourage those involved by, for example, coaches no longer earning a stipend to guide the community’s children in practising sports, where they also learn other useful traits including respect, discipline and teamwork.
Saturday’s 6-1 win of St. Maarten’s national football team against Bonaire in the Concacaf Nations League illustrates that the talent is there. Efforts to develop it even more should be allowed to continue unabated.
