Sports minister calls for support for SVGTA

Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture Cecil McKie is calling on those who can to lend their support to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tennis Association.{{more}}

McKie made the call as he addressed the closing and presentation ceremony of the Grassroot Tennis Club’s Easter Junior Tennis tournament last Saturday afternoon at the club’s base at Murray Road.

Making his first official visit to the GTC, McKie called on all who have a vested interest in tennis to ensure the administration of the sport is enhanced and that the facilities at the National Tennis Centre at Villa are carefully managed.

“ … Everyone here should commit that we have a management team in place out there that will work even better than it is now, and you have a tennis association that can propel tennis even to a higher level, with all of these similar organisations and competitions acting as a feed into the national programme”, McKie said.

McKie said it is imperative that the necessary administrative structures be put in place, to ensure that St Vincent and the Grenadines positions itself to continue to host the annual International Tennis Federation Under-14 and Under-18 tournaments.

“… If we don’t have the necessary things in place, we would not be able to invite the 20 or 30 international players who come from abroad for this tournament”, the sports minister added.

McKie’s plea came in light of the dormancy which has existed in the executive of the SVGTA, over the past three years.

The Association, in 2011, attempted to hold several general meetings, but was unable to do so, because of the lack of quorums.

However, there seems light at the end of the tunnel, as head of the GTC Grant Connell indicated to the audience at last Saturday’s closing ceremony that a meeting of the Association should be called within the next two weeks to put things back on an even keel.

Connell, a former president of the national association, intimated that he is willing to get back on board and put his administrative skills to the test, once more.

He also called on parents, as well as another former president of the SVGTA Michael Nanton, who was present at last Saturday’s ceremony, to lend their expertise in aiding the Association’s cause.

Anthony Mc Kenzie is the current president of the SVGTA.(RT)