Bequia baskeball group wants help from gov’t

The Bequia Basketball Association (BBA) is soliciting the help from government agencies to carry out its programmes.{{more}}

Making a mild plea for such assistance was President of the BBA Sabrina Mitchell, as she addressed the Opening Ceremony of the 14th Annual Bequia Basketball Tournament, Saturday night at the Clive Tannis hard court in Bequia.

Directing her comments to Director of Sports and Physical Education Nelson Hillocks, Mitchell said: “We try very hard with very limited resources, but I would like to make an appeal to Mr Hillocks, if you can appeal to your superiors; we need help; we do everything, we even remove our own garbage, we clean the toilets, we fix every single thing that goes wrong on the court.”

Mitchell said that as a public facility, her organization sees it fit to take care of it; however, help is still needed.

But Parliamentary Representative of the Northern Grenadines Dr Godwin Friday was more forceful in his request.

Friday, at his turn at the podium, said: “Sabrina was very polite in her asking for assistance in maintaining the facility here, but it is an ongoing concern, one which affects all sports in Bequia, cricket, football, basketball, and when we look at the facility that we use for cricket and football and it has reached the point which something has to be done”.

Friday recalled that some years ago a promise was made by an official from the National Lotteries Authority to cover the Basketball court; however, that has not come to fruition.

“Something desperately needs to be done, because whenever there is a drizzle, half the fans run out and they never come back,” the Parliamentary Representative claimed.

“This is something that will improve the competition and will also improve the level of enjoyment for the fans who come out and show a level of appreciation for the efforts that are being made by the volunteers in the community,” Friday commented.

Immediate response

Both Mitchell and Friday’s request earned immediate response from Hillocks, when it was his turn to speak.

“When I go back to work on Monday (yesterday), I am going to my Permanent Secretary to discuss with the Minister and the Parliamentary Scretary in Sports, to meet with the three major sporting associations on Bequia at least: the Bequia Basketball Association, the Bequia Cricket Association, and the Bequia Football Association, so that we can hear your needs and plan together … as we are going into the advanced proposals; the budget call is out and we must do something at this time to assist you,” Hillocks said.

“We cannot come and promise anymore. We need to do something to assist you with the development of these facilities. So I am looking for an urgent meeting with you as soon as possible,” Hillocks said.

Also addressing the Opening Ceremony were Alexis John, Marketing Executive of Courts St Vincent Limited; Herman Belmar, Deputy Director of Grenadines Affairs; Venold Coombs, President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation; Clephas Glynn, President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation and Sir James Mitchell, former Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. (RT)