Those Mounds

For more than a year now, this column has been making a call for the removal of the “Mound” placed at the Sion Hill Playing Field.

This clarion and persistent hallowing has aroused much curiosity among weekly readers, prompting this week’s edition to focus on that obstruction.{{more}}

A Mound is a general term for an artificial heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. The most common use is in reference to natural earthen formation such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. The term may also be applied to any rounded area of topographically higher elevation any surface.

The one placed at the eastern side of the Sion Hill Playing Field has become more of an obstruction than any other purpose.

Erected as part of that facility upgrade in preparation for the 2007 hosting of warm up matches ahead of Cricket World Cup, that, despite being the most lush of the grassing, has taken away part of the usefulness of the facility.

That area was once served as a training ground for youngsters, with many honing their skills just away from the touchline of the then Football field.

As it stands, that Mound is not an improvement, as it does not add to the spectatorship viewing of matches.

Few people look at local Cricket in the urban parts of mainland St. Vincent, so it is useless.

For Football, the way the field is intended to be aligned, again, purposeless, so one sees the insistence of this column.

But whilst that Mound at the Sion Hill Playing Field has been the focus of attention for some time, there have been other Mounds that have been erected in sports here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

A recent one has been erected among those who are claiming ownership of the rights to be called the Executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Amateur Body Building Power Lifting and Fitness Federation (SVGABBFF).

Like heavyweights, it is nothing short of muscling for positions, as they go pound for pound at each other, simply knee-jerking the sport.

The legality of who constitutionally is in charge of the SVGBBFF should be set aside, and all who love bodybuilding need to put aside their differences and get on with the business of the sport.

As it is, we seem to get joy out of mingling in dirt and its associated linen.

The human Mounds, whoever are the obstructive forces, too, must also be removed.

Likewise, Team Athletics SVG has sunk to an abyss of despair, as that organization, which once glistened with administrative sheen, has been muddied with lethargy.

No longer can that national association thump its chest as being one worthy of emulation.

That body has become an emerging Mound of obstruction, as many lack the commitment they once had, and sadly that has infected the few young athletes who possess the passion and interest in Track and Field Athletics.

They have also joined the bunch of associations that seem to be Missing In Action and may soon require a face lift.

Another is the SVG Swimming Association, which seems to drown the sport so much so that neither floaters nor life craft are able to offer a rescue.

In fact they have taken the sport on a voyage to the bottom of the sea. Except for Vincy Sharks and Ricky’s Swimming School, the two private entities, which hold Swimming above the water, the sport is otherwise submerged in inactivity.

This rudderless organization, oops, an undeserved title, is in need of CPR administered to those last elected to the Executive.

May Day! May Day! is the obvious distress call as help is needed all round.

The Mound at the Sion Hill Playing Field will continue to be a humbug until it is removed.