Exceptional performances by Saint Lucia’s young sportsmen and women at recent regional international competitions, was cause for a huge celebration. That’s exactly what happened on Tuesday at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence at Vigie.
At the celebration, organised by the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and hosted by Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, congratulations were the order of the day for the Under-15 boys who emerged Division Two winners of the 2019 CONCACAF Championships; our girls who finished a close second in the 2019 Caribbean Football Union Under-14 Challenge Series; the women’s team who recently qualified for the 2019 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship; and last but certainly not least, the contingent that recently returned from the 2019 Pan American Games at Lima, Peru, where high jumper Levern Spencer defended her title with another gold medal and Albert Reynolds captured a bronze medal in javelin.
Prime Minister Allen Chastanet was accompanied by his wife Raquel. Also in attendance were Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Edmund Estephane; Senator Fortuna Belrose who is also President of the St Lucia Olympic Committee Inc; Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Liota Charlemagne Mason; staff of the office of the prime minister and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports; Presidents and representatives of national sporting organisations; and, of course, athletes on the various teams earlier mentioned.
After welcoming everyone, Charlemagne Mason thanked the prime minister for hosting the event and said: “To our honoured sportsmen and women, you have made us so proud over the last week. I want to extend a special welcome to you, our football boys and girls. To our Pan American team, especially Mr Albert Reynolds who seems to be maturing like fine wine, a special welcome.” She thanked coaches, managers, parents and team officials and said: “They work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the success of our athletes. We are indeed happy to share this occasion with you.”
Following with brief remarks was Coach of the Under-20 women’s’ football team, Emmanuel Bellas. He was full of praise for the young ladies and said, “They played with passion that I have never seen before.” Assistant Coach with the girls’ Under-14 side, Lance Vitalis, also complimented the team. He thanked the St Lucia Football Association (SLFA) Inc for giving them the opportunity to show the talent they have.
He went on to praise the young ladies for their heart and spirit, despite in the past not having played any international games.Coach of the Under-15 national team, Albert Vasso St Croix, spoke proudly of the team’s accomplishment and said: “This was not just a national team. No matter where the skill is, what school they went to, what district they came from, their aim was to have fun, make friends and enjoy playing football.”
He went on to say: “This team is special and our objective is to qualify for the Under-17 World Cup. The sky is the limit and we can do it if we get the support from the public, sponsors and government.” Vice President of the St Lucia Football Association Inc, Charde Desir congratulated the players, managers and coaches for the success of the various national teams and for supporting what the SLFA Inc is doing.
“The vision that we have is bigger than us,” said Desir. “The vision is to qualify for the World Cup. It does not matter what level. It could be Under-17, Under-20, or senior female or male, but the intention is to qualify for the World Cup before any of us pass away.”
Senator Belrose spoke with passion in describing the successful teams, their accomplishments and the importance of sports in one’s life. She said, “The beautiful thing about sports is that it prepares you for life. Once you have mastered the art of playing sports, there is nothing in the world that you cannot conquer. In sports you learn to strategize, plan, practice, work towards achieving the goals that you want.”
Belrose referred to Spencer as a perfect example and someone to emulate, having just defended her title in grand fashion at the Pan American Games. She further mentioned that Reynolds, who came through with a bronze medal at the Pan American Games, was also someone to look up to.
“Albert had many, many challenges before he went to Pan Am,” said the SLOC President. “From injury to joint pains you name it he had it. But we sat him down and he told us his plan and what we did was to support that plan. You need that supportive environment to be able to achieve what you want.”
During his very brief remarks, Minister Estephane clarified government’s position on Desir’s earlier comments about Saint Lucia qualifying in one sport during his executive’s lifetime. “That is not what we are aiming for,” remarked Estephane. “As a government we want to work with the associations . . . We want to qualify in every event at the highest level in this world. This is what this government is setting its foot forward to achieve.”
He admitted it will not be easy, and advised that for it to happen, collaboration between all the associations has to be strong, and managers and executive members of those particular associations need to work with government.
Prime Minister Chastanet put the celebration into perspective: “I think somebody said earlier, that we want to be able to bottle July and August of 2019. I want to put it differently. I want us to put an asterisk next to July and August of 2019 and forever that your names be established in the history of Saint Lucia, particularly the Under-15 boys’ football team who accomplished something we never did before and has now started to set a new standard for us to be able to go by. For Saint Lucians out there who have doubted that a little island could produce champions, events over the last years continue to remind us how incredible Saint Lucians are.”
With the success that Spencer and Reynolds have achieved (incidentally, they are Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively, and both from Babonneau), the prime minister halfheartedly suggested naming one of the roads there Medals Drive.
Chastanet spoke of government embarking on a programme to rebuild clubs in this country and asked to what extent we are going to keep sports in schools, or whether we will develop after-school sports. He answered his own question: “I think the decision was we are going to focus our attention on clubs and after school, and while there will still be sporting programmes in the schools, the emphasis on what we are going to do will be with clubs.”
The Prime Minister announced what could be a windfall for sports: “With the legal changes we are making, we are converting and putting the lottery from a regulatory authority into the gaming, but establishing now a new Youth and Sports Authority; so, an entity from which all the lottery money will be going into, and that we are now going to seek the support of the private sector.”
In closing, Chastanet had a parting gift for two teams. The Under-14 girls’ side will receive a day-pass to Coconut Bay and the Under-15 boys’ team will enjoy a day-trip on a catamaran.
