Do you really believe administrators, officials and competitors in Barbados are really focused on the task at hand and have their priorities right across the sports landscape in this 21 by 14 country?
And do they work in unison to achieve a common goal of developing their respective sporting disciplines and improving sports in Barbados?
Is the greater good of the country paramount for these stakeholders or do they just continue to talk back and forth regurgitating ideas but fail to implement sustainable and successful policies and programmes?
There are a myriad of questions which can be asked of those responsible for charting the way forward for our sportsmen and women but we continue to take one step forward and back-pedal when making the next move.
Last weekend was another case in point where it was crystal clear that we continue to have our priorities wrong in relation to the role of sport.
How on earth can you explain the staging of Barbados Olympic Day to clash with the National Athletic Championships?
The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA), as the umbrella body for Olympic sports in the country, owes the athletics fraternity an apology.
President Steve Stoute, and the BOA hierarchy, rather than be at the National Stadium occupying the empty VIP box of the Louis Lynch Stand as a show of support, were overseeing their own day of activities.
Maybe, they were unaware that the championships were being staged because there was hardly any public promotion of the event in the newspapers or on the radio stations.
Conversely, the advertisements are being constantly repeated on at least one radio station about Saturday’s Senior Games, which appear to get more Governmental support than the National Championships, which featured the 2009 World 110-metre hurdles gold medallist Ryan Brathwaite.
In anticipation of the capacity crowd for Saturday’s Senior Games after the National Championships failed to attract enough spectators to adequately fill two of the five stands, I’m expecting an avalanche of feedback from some myopic people, who don’t look at the bigger picture that any investment of scarce resources must be made in the youth who have a future in the sport.
Wary of being accused of being insensitive to our senior athletes, who have maintained a pleasing level of fitness, I must ask whether it is more appealing to watch pensioners amble to the finish line than see our young CARIFTA Games medallists like Akela Jones, Mario Burke, Rivaldo Leacock, Levi Cadagon, Tia-Adana Belle, Jalisa Burrowes and Tristan Evelyn, among others, in action as they thrive to become future Olympians?
But what do we expect when the state-owned radio station leads its morning sports news the next day after the Nationals with the result of a local women’s basketball match.
Certainly, the media have a major role to play in sports coverage but should recognize major from minor news. However, it seems that fun walks, runs, rides and other leisure activities take precedence over important sporting events and achievements.
The Athletics Association of Barbados (AAB) must also rethink their promotion of meets and determine whether the social media, through the increasing popular tweets and messages, is the best method of disseminating information.
It was also noticeable that the National Championships suffered from the lack of major sponsorship. If we are to produce more Obadele Thompsons, Brathwaites and Andrea Blacketts, athletics needs significant support from corporate Barbados.
Why is the bar in the Louis Lynch Stand not functional at such major meets, causing patrons in need of a snack or refreshments to journey down to one under the Jim Wedderburn Stand?
On track, there were some exciting races and encouraging times but it was also noticeable many athletes didn’t compete even though they weren’t injured.
As a result some races attracted few entrants. Leacock and Belle, both of whom have met World Youth qualifying standards, had to run their 400-metre hurdles event against each other.
So far, we have had the Barbados Olympians Classic and last weekend’s National Championships on the new Mondo track but sadly there aren’t any more ABB meets this season.
What has become of the Jim Wedderburn and Rueben Bayley meets? After not having the Stadium available earlier this year, leading to the cancellation of the National Primary Schools Athletic Championship (NAPSAC) and the Barbados Secondary Schools Athletic Championships (BSSAC), one would’ve thought that those in authority would’ve seen the need to stage a meet exclusively for primary and secondary students sometime this month or next month.
Instead, the second edition of the Inter-Alumini Championships will be held at the Stadium on July 13 for athletes over 20 years old.
Finally, there is still plenty of work to be done at the National Stadium especially the football field, which needs to have a similar type of grass as Kensington Oval.
The floodlights are not as bright as they should be with a number of missing bulbs.
There must be a problem in obtaining the relevant replacement bulbs as these lights were missing for a few years ago.
The long and triple jump area also needs to be sorted out as one of the sandpits cannot be used because of the risk involved as it is now too near to the tunnel.
Overall, we still have to look at our facilities and general infrastructure for sports.
We can boast of a refurbished, yet ancient National Stadium where revellers will get a chance to wine on the expensive new track rather than cultural officials utilizing the Garrison Savannah and having a new route travelling through areas like Dalkeith, Culloden Road, Belleville, Belmont Road, Halls Road, Hindsbury, Bank Hall, Bush Hall and Eagle Hall to the finish on the Spring Garden Highway for Grand Kadooment and a shorter route through Bay Street for Kiddies Kadooment.
