Sports anti-crime campaign takes guard

A Sports Anti-Crime Campaign, being carried out by the Ministry of National Mobilisation, is said to be gaining momentum and acceptance.{{more}}

Through the medium of Street20 Cricket, organized by the Ministry, with expertise from the Department of Physical Education and Sports in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture, several communities across St Vincent and the Grenadines have lapped up the initiative.

Aimed at strengthening the linkages with communities, the family-oriented activities culminate this weekend with the semi-finals and finals slated for the Arnos Vale Netball Complex.

And, reports are that several estranged relationships have been mended through the interaction of persons who have actively participated in the Street20 Cricket.

Explaining to SEARCHLIGHT the idea behind the initiative was La Fleur Quammie-Harry of the Ministry of National Mobilisation last Sunday at the Sion Hill village hard court, as the programme reached that community.

“The Street20 Cricket competition is part of the Juvenile Justice Reform Project initiative and part of the component, or one of the objectives of the project, is to strengthen the linkages between societies, so that juveniles who come into conflict with the law can be reintegrated back into society quite easily,” Quammie-Harry said.

The cricket competition encourages the participation of teams of families, which must contain a juvenile and at least one female.

“This competition is to foster bondage between parents, so that is why we were encouraging the mother, father and children to come and be part… It is a family game,” the Ministry official confirmed.

Quammie-Harrry noted that the programme has been well received throughout the communities they have visited, among them Spring Village, Sandy Bay, Vermont and Union Island, Sion Hill, Mesopotamia, Greiggs, Barrouallie and Layou.

She revealed that winners from each community would represent that community at the second round play-offs this Saturday and Sunday at the Arnos Vale venue.

Quammie-Harry said that at this weekend’s final round, there will be prizes for the top three teams, as well as awards for the player of the finals, the most disciplined team, the best all-round juvenile male and female.

Saturday’s event begins at 5:30 p.m., with a march past of teams from the AVESCO Club House to the venue, where preceding the matches, an opening ceremony is planned. (RT)