The creation, staffing and financing of a fully-developed Department of Sports in the Anguilla Public Service can only produce some very positive results for the island and its people. These include youth development, the harnessing of their energies into productive areas, educational and other opportunities, the improvement of the social wellbeing of the island in general, as well as the promotion of good health stemming from involvement in various sporting activities.

The improvement of sports and recreational facilities is an important step up the ladder of social development and it is an effort that must be applauded and attract wide public support and involvement. This is an area where there is much need and over the years there have been many calls for more attention to be paid to sports and youth development activities to help to keep our young people more focussed and disciplined.

Much commendation must be paid to Alkins Rogers who for many years had been a lone ranger in the Sports Office, working in cooperation with successive Governments to look at the varied sporting interests of young people and organisations. Given the difficult circumstances and some of the achievements made despite the odds, Mr. Rogers has done a very fine job over the years. Now that a Sports Department has been created, staffed and allocated a reasonably good amount of operational money, a great deal more can be accomplished in sports and youth development. The Minister must also be complimented for taking the lead in the forward movement of the Sports Department.

All the new staff members are known to have a passion for sports and enjoy working with students and other young people whom they have coached and continue to prepare for competitive games outside Anguilla. Wilma’s own daughter, Shara, a CARIFTA gold medallist, is the kind of young person who has been moulded as the sports personality she is today and is a shining example of what can be achieved in sports and youth development. She is studying at the University of Florida for a degree in Sports Administration.
It is the type of passion to work towards these and other results that augurs well for the success of the Sports Department. Now that there is this high level of human resource personnel on the job, the Government and Ministry of Sports must be careful not to frustrate them in carrying out their responsibilities. They must be given all the support, finance and equipment required to do their work and to take sports and our young people to great heights in the Caribbean region and beyond.

In commending Minister Evans Rogers for his achievements in relation to the development of sports so far, he must now go on to address other social issues and concerns crying out for attention. Certainly, “where there’s a will, there’s a way” as he has seen with the creation of the Sports Department and its new thrust for youth development.

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