Parliamentary Representative for Roseau, Norris Prevost, has called for the teaching of the history of cricket in Dominica’s schools.
Addressing the opening of the 2013 Secondary School Crickets League, he said it is important for students to learn about the lives of great Caribbean cricketers so that the sport can be seen as a representation of the historical struggles of the Caribbean and its quest for nationhood, freedom and economic development.
“Let’s make cricket education a must,” he stated. “In order to build a clear sense of your Caribbean identity and as a first class cricketer, understand your mission in rebuilding Caribbean cricket on the Cricket field and in the Caribbean Community, it is important that you the players and our youth, commit time and effort to studying the history of Caribbean Cricket; to learning about the lives of the great Caribbean cricketers: Frank Worrel, Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Brian Lara. Irving Shillingford.”
He called on educators to make cricket history a must for all Caribbean students “from kindergarten to university.”
He also urged the young cricketers to see the sport as more than bat and ball. “The responsibility lies with you, to get West Indies Cricket back to the top, and to keep it at the top. The responsibility lies with you to again swell the hearts of our Caribbean people with that great pride in our West Indies Cricket,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prevost challenged the policy makers in cabinet to declare sports a national priority for the island’s human, social and economic development.
“Develop the policy, make the declaration, and facilitate its implementation with the allocation of the necessary human, physical and financial resources,” he stressed.
Prevost reminded the young sports personalities, education curriculum developers and Parliament that Caribbean cricket is the very heart of the Caribbean Community.
“The state of our sports, especially our Cricket reflects the state of our Dominican communities,” he said.
The league is being sponsored by United Insurance.
The idea of making WI cricket history compulsory in might just prove what is needed to highlight some of the attributes missing from most West Indians. Namely an inability to plan for the future and manage effectively. We are a nation of ‘good time people’ when things are going well we have no care about tomorrow and take no steps to prepare a plan ‘B’. When things are not so good; then we quickly divorce of ourselves from any association and start finger pointing. Would this history care to explain to this generation how when the WI was a force no effort was made to ensure that they brought the US and other African nations into the game and increased their effective contribution? Will it explain why grass-root cricket was/has been neglected for so long? Will it call to account the likes of Hiliare and others who presided over a protracted period of decline, arranged tests, tours which mainly profited them and getting into deals with criminals? Will it explain how those who gave so much ended up being neglected at the end of their career? How many past or present WI cricketers are lucky enough to benefit from a roadmap which allow them to combine academia with a vocation and look forward to the day when they can retire worry-free? If history of cricket and the legacy is so important to the education then the future involvement of strong, competitive international WI teams (Men and Women) of all three main formats is crucial. It might make more sense then if this is included at college level in economics and students are taught about trading of players as commodities and how they could profit from the activity in a cricketers futures and options market.
“How do we ever achieve that “first class identify” in the Caribbean as cricketers–what nonsnse”
” How do we ever achieve that “first class identify” in the Caribbean as cricketers–what nonsnse”
Very disappointing Elizabeth, you of all persons should not have made such an statement considering the agony you suffered from that ball:
What is history?
I can be short; and simply say ” history is simply a tale, or story.” However for the more intellectuals, like you who like to read more, I would like to define history as: a chronological record of significant events as affecting a nation, or institution often including an explanation of their causes. And for someone who will call me dumb, I would also like to add; it is also a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena.
With that said I would like to remind you that you too are a part of Dominica’s cricket history, and your story, and what you suffered while you were standing, or sitting in front of your class teaching the children, what followed affected you all of your life.
So, you are part of the history, your story must only be told by you because there is something to be learnt from your experience.
” How do we achieve the first class identity?”
That is based on talent, and performance of the best of the players, and unless one is endowed with the talent at birth, the other way to achieve it is by practicing; practice makes perfect. In England, from Kindergarten, the British government and private citizens provide cricketing materials (Bat, Ball Gloves, Stumps Net, and more so that young kids can participate in the game from the time the enter kindergarten. That is why the British, though not masters of the game anymore, are so good at cricket.
Do not condemned it because cricket is indeed a paying profession!
I know people such Andy Roberts of Antigua, came from rags to riches: multi millionaire all due to his cricketing talent as a fast blower, and believe you me I know him as a school boy, I used to visit his mother’s house, his sister was married to a Dominican.
I also knows Vivian Richards, although the connection was not as that of Roberts and I; but he also went from rags to riches all due to cricket; and by the way he also have biological connection to Dominica right there in Portsmouth okay.
Rather than giving it a chance we are prepared to kick it down and insult Norris in the process, the manas’ jester is appropriate.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Francisco, since you also wrote this here, I will simply tell DNO audience that you have flawed–one more time, as far as my story, which you are foolishly claiming to be something of history is concerned.
That idea of your is no different from your idea that repentance is as simple as changing your mind from writing a note–which you had decided to do
But what makes the whole writing above, more foolish, is that nobody could have told you that I was hit in my eyes by a “cricket” ball–your certainly did not get that from me.
At least the 4 commentators who read my post about Ray Charlse and his son–wiil see that I said I waa hit in the left eye with a “football” that was kicked straight to my face.
Your have earned another “F”- because of your self conceited mentality–which makes you think thst you know it all; but in reality you know nothing, nothing at all.
And so, thumbs number 2 is from me. I rest my case her!
Thumbs “down” numer 2
“In England, from Kindergarten, the British government and private citizens provide cricketing materials (Bat, Ball Gloves, Stumps Net, and more so that young kids can participate in the game from the time the enter kindergarten. That is why the British, though not masters of the game anymore, are so good at cricket”. Francisco
Governments do the same thing with all sports–such as Hockey, Baseball, Basketball, and whatever major league sports is plays in those countries.
But do they force those subjects in schools, as a study for all students from kindergarten to University–as Mr. Prevost said it in the news article?
Here it is for you: “He called on educators to make cricket history a must for all Caribbean students “from kindergarten to university.” Not at all, the subject is for those who are interested in those particular sports.
You will even find that those students do not do well in any other subjects, but that sports of their interest–I have read about this time and again. That is the reason some of the great players of sport end doing all sorts of foolish things with their lives in the first place.
I am not contending against adding “Cricket” to the school curriculum–but it should go under physical education, which should already be there. In Canada or North America on the whole, when students enter High School, they are guided to choose the subjects which will build them in the career or job skills they are heading for, that building takes them into University or College, for the degree they are aiming at.
For example I wanted to be a writer, and so I was guided in High School to take the subjects which would prepare me to go after my degree in College. What would the subject of cricket have to do with my studies to become a writer?
Whatever electronic profession, you claim to be; you said that it demanded a lot of study. How would like be forced to take on “Cricket” along with you hard study about the functions of electronics?
teach creole in school….and lets remain Dominican, otherwise in the next 50 years creole will become extinct to the Dominican people, then will you or those after u say, “hey lets teach creole history in school”. tsk tsk tsk….include a comprehensive course of creole into the school curriculm. besides we already have a creole dictionary. the history of cricket is not on the brink of total annihalationt here, its our creole that is.
Young people are not interested in cricket. how many of our parents have reached far in cricket. They doh even want to pick people from Dominica to make the winward island team much less for west indies. This is an oppressive sport. Very boring. After high school thats it. All my bothers and so many of my classmates played cricket and after high school that was it. Let our children play sports that create opportunities for them.
why should they teach about cricket? People should encourage their children to play basketball and other sports like volleyball where they can get scholorships to colleges in the U.S and maybe can have the opportunity to get to the Olympics. Cricket cannot bring too much of our children too far. Why not introduce sports like tennis?
As a cricket lover, I think its a great speech because our young people do not know anything about the history of cricket in the caribbean, let alone Dominica. Example, most of them do not that West indies dominated world cricket for almost 20 years. Furthermore, they don’t know that Dominica domininated Windward island cricket for many years and at one time we were strong enough to play test cricket as a single nation, and yet we were not lucky enough to get a Dominican on the West Indies team on a permanent basis.
I don’t believe the history of cricket needs to be taught in school but I do believe our local schools should place more emphasis on cricket especially now that our young boys are able to watch live test cricket in Dominica which my generation was not able to see. In fact we were not even able to watch it on TV because there was no cable in the 70’s.
With the amount of money cricket has today, our sports minister and education minister should make it the duty of the government to ensure that our young boys take back the cricket field by organizing zonal cricket league where every elementary school participates in. having said this, every elementary school should be equipped with one male teacher who has a good knowledge of sports in general but especially cricket. So yes, I support your call Mr. prevost.
I think we can include some chapters of cricket historical development and achievements in the westindies to our current history as an example when educating our students about our transformation in leadership from colonialism to current times. However; I think educating our students on the constitution of Dominica should be a must!!!!!
The need to implement cricket history into the school curriculum is a move in the right direction I would argue. As stated by the Hon. Minister Mr. Norris Prevost“ Let’s make cricket education a must,” although he did articulated clearly why and how… Since cricket is one of the few games that you cannot play without a pen and paper or some form of mathematical or linguistic apparatus to record and organize the game; thus the outcome of game is decided by the score – thus the person with the apparatus states the outcome, I say let the game begin to take it historical significance and prominence within our societies.
Some of the reasons for my agreement are
1-For some reason the more ‘advance islands’ in the Caribbean are the ones with more developed
cricket structure/ infrastructure.- Thus, knowing the history of the game can tell as what role it played towards there development. Example when India cricket was down the Government used Bollywood to stir interest in the game by the production of the film lagaan.
2-Games are not only about fun, play, health, etc they are also about ideology, discipline, strategies for liberation, emancipation, and conquest, spatial boundaries, inclusion and exclusion,etc –Thus knowledge of the history of the game will tell us who gets to play and why, power dynamic, etc
3-Games are embedded within our socio-economical, political, religion, cultural, etc thus our participation in them reflect our identity, spirituality, aspiration, vision, mythologies, etc Who we are, where we are and where we are going. The pass, present and future…
According to James Carse, there are basically two types of games infinite and finite. Moreover, “it is an invariable principle of all play, finite and infinite, that whoever plays, plays freely. Whoever must play, cannot play.” (James Carse,Finite and Infinite Games, 2011)
This should have been although he did NOT articulated clearly why and how…
I agree with Mr. Prevost! And not just to teach the history but to teach the game as well as it kills 2 birds with one stone. 1. building our identity and pride as Mr. Prevost suggests and 2. mandatory physical activity. Our young people are so fat now with all the fast food and poor eating habits.
Will the state college now be offering a degree in the history of cricket.?
prevost just want to be in the spotlight..coming up with anything…..awa wii?
Cricket? Seriously? Why not teach them easier ways to learn basic mathematics so the rate at which students fail CXC for maths can drop..
Was he addressing the opening of a secondary maths league or cricket? If cricket, then why you want him to address maths? That is the job of the education minister to address.
Yes cricket seriously. Sports are very important to the overall development of a human being just as is music and the arts. Real pride in our region’s accomplishments is also important in building character. Not State Palaces.
Academics do not teach our children about team spirit and working with ones peers. Further, academics certainly do not help our children maintain a healthy lifestyle to help prevent heart disease, and the host of other ailments that come with obesity!
So yes sports overall and why not cricket!
An interest in cricket is a choice. “He called on educators to make cricket history a must for all Caribbean students “from kindergarten to university.”” … I hate cricket, when i was younger I would get physically and emotionally sick when cricket was televised and I was forced to watch it.
I’m older and it still annoys me, but I’m not ignorant – I’ve read about cricket and watched documentaries…but I still am not a fan of cricket. Don’t force your preferences on innocent persons, if they really want to learn about it they will find a way.
A more logical approach would be a general sports based Dominican/Caribbean history?
@Really January 22, 2013
I agree with you. Cricket is a sports, just like any other sports–why should our children be forced to take a sports in study, if it does not interest them.
What is historical about cricket? When I was in Dominica, CLem John and Irving Shillingford we the popular players–whether they are alive today or not, what the significance of having to write an exam about their Life in Cricket.
If Cricket why not football, rounders, domino, and the others?
“Let’s make cricket education a must,” he stated. “In order to build a clear sense of your Caribbean identity and as a first class cricketer
Cricket is played in other parts of the world, the sports will always be for those who interested in it–just like every other sports.
There will always be first class players wherever the game is played. How do we ever achieve that “first class identify” in the Caribbean as cricketers–what nonsnse!
” it is important for students to learn about the lives of great Caribbean cricketers so that the sport can be seen as a representation of the historical struggles of the Caribbean and its quest for nationhood, freedom and economic development.” (Norris Prevost).
I for certain cannot disagree with the jester, it would be indeed wise to include that part of our history into our nation school curriculum.
When we were a colony of Britain, all of the Caribbean islands from Jamaica, in the North to British Guiana he South; now Guyana, inherited the same curriculum from the British; therefore even Belize formally British Honduras In South America used the same curriculum.
In the days of you Norris, and I and the older generation, when we went to school, at elementary level somewhere along they way we saw Sir Laray Constantine, and others picture, in I believe ” Caribbean Readers Book Four” or beyond, I am not too sure, since that part of my memory has evaded me at this point.
We read about cricket, and saw Constantine in his cricket attire; you will remember he was a Lawyer by profession.
Nonetheless, cricket was indeed part of the curriculum, introduced at elementary level.
Now I do have to disagree with you that Cricket had anything to do with any form of historical struggle within the Caribbean, it had nothing to do with our freedom, our economic development.
My point here is not to contradict your opinion, however, where history is concerned we have to be very careful how we relay it verbally, and how we record it in writing you see.
Be reminded that Cricket was introduced to us in the Caribbean by the British!
We cannot forget the discrimination many of the smaller islands suffered, at the hands of the larger islands of the cricketing world of the Caribbean:
. Jamaica
. Barbados
. Trinidad & Tobago
. Guyana
Let our history teach that the four above dominated the game, and looked down on all of the other islands as small islands which could never produce a player to make the West Indies team, not because the players were not capable, but what we experienced, was black on black discrimination.
The only time we faced any form of discrimination by both Australia, and England in the game of cricket, was when they came to play in the Caribbean for the first time, they lived on the Ship which brought them, and at lunch time and tea time they went and eat on their ship, not wanting to eat the food that Black people cooked.
I am contained here, however I will conclude cricket was never part of any struggle in the Caribbean!
” The British taught us how to play cricket; now we are teaching the British how to win” ( Wesley Hall).
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Mr T,thank you today you posted something which is interesting as well as informative.
uh huh ok, who gonna teach it. and are you going to raise the number of teachers allowed to teach per school?
I love cricket but I dont see the need it should
be study as history in schools.
HAHAHAHA Boy i would just play young bull song for mister,Talk nor; Talk nor.mister full of Bull,
You are just stupid. Simple!
Cricket? hmm how about we start with dominica’s history so we can get a sense of patriotism!
Garçon you have Bush man,,,
What for you to call for dem to teach in Schools is how to Grow food to eat and how to make tools for survival when the Grid collapses, you talking about teaching Cricket history???
If DNO would allow me to Curse you on here Marn would give you what coming to you yeh,,,
So when dem children waste all dat time on dat how can dey used dat to full their hungry belly when dey loose dier jobs or cannot find enough to eat,,,
Marn remember dem days when marn used to go by d bay and watch does men mending deir nets in amazement, trying to figure out where dey learned how to knit that single twine into this massive piece, and remember d days when dem marn dem used to come from Garden with baskets upon baskets of Yams and when Christmas time come Marn used to have fresh sorrel to make juice,,,
I bet if you aks dis generation if dey can state witness to the same ting dey gonna look at you funny and blow you off to go play dier Video game,,,
Garçon allyou Man is more d problem dan dem Albinos allyou have whispering evil thoughts in allyou ears yeh,,,
Garçon is one ting to have them children physically fit but to waste time on some Crap dat not gonna give them an opportunity to better their lifestyle is another thing yeh,,,
It is an idea which can be developed. Don’t criticise. We must know our history. I like the idea of sports history, and possibly an internet game or learning tool devised to bring more attention to the sport. It is an idea …
Right now in the BVI they are learning Financial Services as a subject. Think of that.
is this man serious? he has nothing to do or say? instead he sit down and put together concrete ideas on how to move the country forward, that’s what he coming up with?
This man is always campaigning about frivolous concepts!. Why force the sport of cricket down our young people’s throats?. Why dont you, Mr. Prevost donate some books on the history of cricket and place them in the school libraries?.
You should campaign more on effective teaching of Maths and Science in schools.
Crazy!
Mr. Prevost how can you talk about teaching cricket history in Dominica without mentioning Grayson Shillingford? Your proposition is already skewed…Besides there are more important things we need to teach our kids about.
Just Saying
Prevost you never cease to amaze me……..
Lets teach the children the ‘Role of Government” so they will not fall in the trap our grown ups are falling into… They will be able to differentiate between political parties and Government, the Executive arm of the Government and its athourities, they will learn all about the role of Parliament and Parliamentarians…
This education is so necessary for our development going forward… no more will Parl Reps like you criticise one thing and do the exact samething… am referring to your feeding program to young eleigible persons every sundays… yet you preach “teach a person to fish” rather than giving them a fish!!!!!!
UM, its funny how I know these so called leaders have ideas, but make your ideas more sensible!! Cricket History? why not say incorporate it into the history curriculum and/or sports curriculum. Or provide the necessity and materials to all schools to ensure that students participate in such sporting activities as a matter of improving self-confidence, self esteem and knowledge in sporting activities. But saying cricket history and kindergarten to university. what you expect a child at such an early level to remember about history. these are not geniuses you dealing with. smh!!! Good point but bad representation of your idea
Good Point, but mainly to those who love sports and want to go further in the field.Some of you all bloggers are so da- blinded by politics that you all comment on things you all know nothing about.
Part of that history is already being taught at schools to students who want to write PE at the CSEC LEVEL….
No Wonder Honourable Prevost is always showing you all that he is Dominicas brightest politician.
@ ?????????? Who are you?…… Very Good Point. Many of the bloggers do not know that.
Well many of the bloggers like yourself that intrude into cyber space to leave abnormal ridiculous comment would think twice before making a foul statement without no basis fact. IT IS NOT BEING TAUGHT IN ALL SCHOOLS!!! NOTE THAT THE COMMENTATOR to this article said HE/SHE WOULD LIKE IT IN ALL SCHOOLS ..NOT SOME SCHOOLS! SMH! … so back to your statement whoever you are ” Some of you all bloggers are so da- blinded by politics that you all comment on things you all know nothing about.” .. that refers TO YOU! SMH
could not hve said it much better
Mr u crazy can u think about something a bit
More positive kids these days don’t even
Study cricket they don’t even want to play
For fun the way it used to be it is a new era
Go with the flow pardner
And the purpose being?
you need to think ahead in education. Why not have information on cricket readily accessible? WHt hte need to teach it in school? What are the advantages of having learnt about cricket history in school?
I say focus more on getting the kids to learn more general histroy that might come in hand.
Cricket history dosen’t necessarily have to be taught in school – the information should just be made accessible to persons of the public. Leaflets – information on west indies cricket team website…etc.
Who votes for these people.
@ Anonymous The honest people of Dominica who hate those who lie,cheat and steal voted for people like Prevost, and NOT for those people whose names are involved in bobol, commess,scandal, corruption. Those who voted for him should be proud of themselves.Had you not been an accomplice of evil, you would have seen some sense in what was said, or at least you would have altered it a little to make sense to you.
GO TO THE RED CLINIC AND BEG!
I seem to have upset you by my posting, I am being honest -sorry if honesty offends you.He appears to be out of touch with the needs of the Dominican youth.
It seems that these aristocrats just want to shove cricket down our throats. You all took away our windsor park where i grew up knowing football and turned it into a cricket stadium. Now Roseau footballers don’t have a field. Now you want to teach only cricket in schools. What about all the other sports, aren’t they just as important.
Believe or not, there are a lot of us who just don’t like cricket
Cricket reminds me of colonial times and our white masters.
How about making sure primary school kids know how to read, write and learn basic math?
Who tell you the youths of today don’t ‘study’ cricket? In your dream? If you know the number of young boys and girls who want to play cricket your stupidity will end in a flash,or one blink of the eye.
Part of Honourable Prevost is putting forward is already being done in the subject P.E at the high school level.
Giving them easy literature on cricket is a very good way of teaching them how to read…
Easy literature on cricket + pictures.
can’t we do both?
why stop at cricket! just make it sports history
It’a part of the CXC sports syllabus already.