As the CBN/WINLOTT Windward Islands Schools Games (WISG) gets underway in Dominica, Sports Minister Justina Charles has sent a strong warning to young athletes to abstain from the use of alcohol and illegal drugs.
Mrs. Charles made the remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of the WISG held at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Athletes from Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Grenada will, over the next week, participate in five sporting disciplines, namely football, basketball, track and field, netball and volleyball.
“Important for us in this era is abstinence from use and abuse of any form of illegal substance and also alcohol, it is not illegal but also we are very cognizance that we need to abstain from the use and abuse of alcohol,” Charles stated.
She continued, “You who are gathered there to represent your countries, therefore have a responsibility to carry this message and to ensure all are convinced of the notion that a strong brain exists in a healthy body, all of which can be achieved through your participation in sports.”
She said Dominica continues to invest in the physical development of the youth through the implementation of sports program at schools across the island and the development and improvement of sporting facilities.
“These will provide our students the added motivation and impetus to partake in the various programs which are geared at their physical development which will ultimately result in a healthier society.”
Charles urged youth of the Windward Islands to continue participating in physical activities and expressed the hope that the high level of discipline and respect displayed on the field will lead to the molding of character, the development of team spirit, discipline and life-long friendship.
“Let me urge all who are part of these games to do all in your power to ensure that the games are conducted in the spirit in which it was meant to be held by the founders…let us not allow rivalry to get to a point of deteriorating into any form of undesirable conduct; let us ensure that our utterances are controlled and that our students are not encouraged to a point in engaging in deviant behavior.”
She added, “The games promotes the firm belief that sports and academics can coexist. Your presence and participation is testimony to that, but more importantly its impact on enhancing your academic performance and your holistic development.”
The week-long activity is organized by the Sports Division, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Constituency Empowerment in collaboration with CBN and WINLOTT.
That’s a very good message sent to the youths.
the word youth is both plural and singular. thats like saying sheeps or deers or equipments. i dont know when you people will get it right.
How inconsistent is our society, how can you advise people to stay away from alcohol and drugs yet alcohol is sold in every corner of the country?
Perfect message not only for sports, but in life as well.
That is the best advise to stay away from drugs and alcohol. Because if you want your futrue to be bright take this words seriously. No where on the international scene you will go and not get tested for drug use. Good luck to you all.
Thanks to the minister for saying it loud and clear! Becuae many officials in the past were not saying this in such simple words.
Start by cleaning grandbay from drugs ,every where i pass now at grandbay marijuana smell is in the air,cocaine traffic during the night,almost every very poor man owns a big houses,cars ,alot of jewells and moto bikes..they have never worked honestly for one day,when young people that are growing up see that honest people cannot make ends meet ,well they must turn to drugs and alcohol..increase people’s salaries to encourage the younger ones growing up in life that they can have a decent future in hard work..while you have a salary for just sitting down plus a widows pension ,some people don’t have any income,,for example the parents of these young athletes that are struggling every day to make end meet..
Keep your mind set in a cesspool of negativity and that’s where you will remain. Get up from your lazy butt and go do something for yourself and stop blaming others. The Haitians, chinese and others are coming here and prosper, so can you!
I have to agree with Justina about the use of drugs and alcohol ,this is good advice to the young people of Dominica , the region ,and the world but there is no effort in Dominica to curtal the importation of drugs into the country . let us take a look at the the sentence given to a young man caught in a pickup with his wife carrying drugs a few weeks ago .He was given what amounts to a slap on the risk then allowed to make increment payments over a period of time .In other words go sell your stuff and make your payments hoping you do not get caught again. Then there is the budget statement ,the country is doing very well but we need to raise taxes to fix the roads ,people use too much sugar , too much boose ,too much soda . We need these taxes to to provide heath services . look all over the island there are too many young people walking around like zumbies .They are burdens on society the same people on whom the tax is imposed not to mention the crimes this leads to like buglaries
try fixing and creating proper safe facilities for them to go to and spend their time first, then talk about staying away from the vices. When there was the windsor park multi sports facility before this stadium the youth and young athletes in the area were not into drugs and alcohol like today. youth had more vision and balance. now, most are lost.