THE EDITOR: Tobago has long been described as the sister isle of Trinidad, but that has not always been a description associated with affectionate feelings.
Over the years it probably has been more of a sibling rivalry, with Tobago receiving the shorter end of the stick, making us feel more like a step-sister forced upon our Trinidad "big brother."
But the I Choose Sport programme has righted a wrong. Maybe it's because the Minister of Sport is a daughter of the soil. I'm not sure, all I know is I love what I see her ministry is doing for our young people on the island.
Permit me to give three reasons why I consider this to be a fantastic initiative.
First, sometimes people think that Tobagonians are merely built for relaxation and hospitality services. I appreciate that this programme does not make that assumption. Instead, it provides activities for a generation of youth who have the energy, intelligence and passion to do great things but are often never given opportunities with more scope.
This programme offers a wider perspective, diverse sporting disciplines and a variety of activities to engage young people from all walks of life. Which makes me say the I Choose Sport programme is indeed full of choices.
Secondly, Tobago has enjoyed a level of safety and crime-free life for a long time, but now we seem to be experiencing a surge of criminal activity that we here are not familiar with. Unlike some of my friends, I don't blame Trinidad, as it is my firm belief that young people, regardless of where they are from, lean towards waywardness when they are idle.
The sport programme has the potential, therefore, to capture these young people before they become career criminals as it uses sports to teach life lessons like teamwork, communication, dealing with disappointment, discipline and hard work. This is exactly what we need our young people to learn before our crime "problem" gets out of hand.
Finally (and yes I did save the best for last), the ministry has outdone itself by putting forward ambassadors who are actually Tobagonians. This says that I Choose Sport is authentic and truly celebratory of our achievements and contributions as a whole nation.
Please note, as it pertains to our TT athletes, I stand on the side of the country first, not the island. But I feel an extra sense of pride when I see Tobagonian athletes having their time in the spotlight. I saw the billboards the other day and just smiled because I know that it's high time Tobago youth see other successful Tobago youth.
My advice to the ministry and all the individuals in charge of I Choose Sport is simple: Keep doing what you're doing. Get more Tobagonians involved and please establish some long-term activities that will give our Tobagonian youth as many opportunities as our fellow Trinidadian brothers and sisters.
A CHAPMAN
Tobago
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