The signing of repair agreements for sports facilities (see last Thursday’s newspaper) between Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs and the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) is most welcome. It regards no less than 13 such facilities plus 12 school gyms.
Lack of adequate recreational options is often mentioned as a contributing factor to teenage dropouts and delinquency. Healthy physical activity is beneficial for the development of not only body, but also mind.
What’s more, sports can help instil key values like discipline and teamwork. Learning to play by and respect the rules is important in every aspect of life itself.
Experience shows that St. Maarten has plenty of talent and providing the right conditions allowing athletes to flourish optimally should get priority. The national youth football team being unable to host official international matches at home because Raoul Illidge Sports Complex (RISC) did not meet the necessary requirements was an undesirable example.
Hopefully, such regrettable and discouraging situations will soon belong to the past. This is one of many cases where monies from the Dutch-sponsored post-Hurricane Irma Trust Fund administered by the World Bank are put to good use.
However, it concerns a one-time fix made possible by temporarily-available means. Just as crucial is ensuring timely upkeep and maintenance moving forward to ensure the restored facilities don’t deteriorate again in the near future.
As well known in the world of competitive spots, getting to the top is one thing, staying there quite another.
