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[GOA]
National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year
National Awards Ceremony:
Dr. Patrick Antoine
Patrick Antoine, obtained his B.Sc in Economics
degree from the University of the West Indies and MSc and PhD degrees from the
University of Florida, Gainesville.
Upon graduation in 1992, Dr. Antoine
joined the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the
premiere institution for agricultural development in the Inter-American System.
Dr. Antoine has held positions as the Head of Trade and Integration, and Head
Trade and Economic Policies with responsibility for the Caribbean Area.
He has participated in the supervision of
graduate students at the University of the West Indies
and has provided technical advice to several Caribbean Governments. Dr. Antoine
was the Lead Technical Advisor and Lead Negotiator, Agriculture with the
Regional Negotiating machinery of CARl COM between 2001 and 2002.
He currently consults with the ANSA McAL
Group of Companies, the largest conglomerate in the Caribbean.
Dr. Antoine is also the Strategic Trade
Policy Advisor to the Government of Grenada and chairs that country's National
Trade Policy Committee.
Dr. Antoine was appointed Grenada's
Ambassador with responsibilities for External Trade Negotiations in 2001 and in
2002, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO),
in Geneva Switzerland.
Dr. Antoine has authored several technical
papers and studies on agricultural diversification and competitiveness,
agricultural development, trade policy and policy briefs on the multilateral and
hemispheric negotiations.
Patrick Antoine, or "lagan", as he is
called by friends is well known throughout the region and Grenada for his
contributions on national and regional economic development.
He is on record as having made several
public statements on economic development, including the country and regions
direction on services, entertainment, culture, carnival, environmental issues
and concerns, youth and sports development.
During his scholastic years Dr. Antoine
was as active in sports as he was in academia, and represented the University of
the West Indies in both football and
athletics. Dr. Antoine was also quite active in sports during his graduate years
at the University of
Florida, where he anchored the men's 100
relay team at the Inter-varsity and Club levels.
Speech given by Dr
Antoine at the National Sports Award Ceremony held at the Rex Grenadian Hotel on
Saturday January 24, 2004.
It is an honor and a privilege to have been
invited to address you, at this year's National Sports Award Ceremony. For
indeed, no other medium of social interaction, has the capacity to touch the
lives of all people, regardless of gender, age, language, economic and social
strata, geographic location, or cultural differences, like sports.
Indeed, few other forms of national
service can match the pride generated by participation in sports. At the
personal level, the challenge of exceeding the limits of human endurance,
individually or at team level -whether for recreation, health, or competition.
No other social force so holds this potential.
I'm particularly pleased to be here with
you tonight, for I truly believe that through various means, but in particular
through the medium of sports, we can blaze a trail for this entire nation, that
places principles above profit, work before reward, discipline above truancy,
caring where otherwise there would be callousness, country before
constituencies, nation before self.
The crafters of our great motto may have
had these principles in mind when they penned the words:
"Ever Conscious Of God, We Aspire Build
And Advance As One People". (Repeat).
Ladies and gentlemen, the economic
development to which we shall refer tonight is one that builds on the motto of
this great nation. This concept of development speaks to the creation of
opportunities for people, all our people, to lead long and healthy lives and to
have access to the resources needed for a descent standard of living. This
concept of economic development places both economic growth and the "human
element" at center stage.
It involves solidarity and participation
from all levels of Government, organizations and individuals that share a common
interest in social change, emphasizing the need for equality, access to basic
education and health, democratic development, governance, and human rights.
We must recognize that Governments by
themselves cannot resolve all development challenges. Indeed, among countries
that have developed successful sports programmes, there is an evolving role for
the voluntary sector, grassroots community groups and organizations, sporting
clubs and for private corporations. Increasingly, individuals, partners and
institutions are joining forces with traditional development organizations to
energise sports as an agent for economic development.
Ladies and gentlemen, notwithstanding the
progress of development and the international awareness of, and participation
in, sporting activities, the impact of sports on economic development has
largely gone unrecognized. This is because the two concepts were viewed as
separate entities, and because sport is generally associated with high-level
performance or professional athletes.
The definition of sports to which we shall
refer here tonight, is clearly defined in that notion of "One People"
articulated in our motto. Sports, as a vehicle of economic development for "one
people" or "all people" recognizes that everyone, from the child to adult can be
part of such activities.
So if economic development is about
people, and sports is a primary medium for enhancing the well-being and welfare
of these people, then it must mean that we are talking about sports as a basic
human right for all people, including those groups that are typically
under-served, such as women, children and youth, the elderly, people with a
disability, and the economically disadvantaged.
By ignoring these broad social groups,
many countries sacrifice a major opportunity to stimulate their economic growth
and development. For us sports is about more than catering to the elite or
professional athlete.
Sports are about the holistic development
of the individual, the community and the nation.
This is consistent with our motto and with
the aspirations of the Grenadian people.
In this context it should be recognized
that there is no greater contribution that sports can make to economic
development than through the maintenance of a healthy and productive population.
Health magazines and journals are now
replete with contributions chronicling the virtues of sports as a major form of
preventative medicine, reducing a person’s risk of threatening diseases, such as
cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity and mental
disorders.
Sports have also been shown to be
effective in attitudes and social behaviour through promoting changing HIV/AIDS
prevention and awareness. Figures reveal that approximately 60% of the Caribbean’s
population is under 30 years of age. In
Grenada alone, over 1/3 of our own population are still in school (under 18).
When these numbers are combined with increasing numbers of our own people
afflicted with the several lifestyle diseases to which I have made reference,
then the importance of sports to the economic and social development of our
country is underscored.
A healthy population is a productive
population.
In this regard, we should on record our
appreciation for the sterling efforts of our Drug Avoidance Unit, of the
Ministry of Education and for the efforts of the Ministry of Sports for the
community based strategy to sports development that they are pursuing. This is
clearly a step in the right direction.
Ladies and gentlemen, sports are also
among the fastest means for improving the living conditions of women. The
numerous case studies now show that when women are healthier and contribute to
family income, raise stronger and healthier children, and make responsible
family decisions, they contribute significantly to economic development. We
should again applaud the work of the Ministry of Sports and the various sporting
associations for the expansion of sporting opportunities for young women
throughout this country, a sure step towards bridging the gender divide.
Sports are increasingly being used as a
vehicle for eliminating stereotypes and social stigmas related to individuals
with disabilities.
Having had a mother who dedicated a large
part of her career to the education of the hearing impaired and those with
special needs, I'm especially sensitive to this fact.
Our sports policy must do more for such
persons, by providing them with the means to develop improved self-esteem,
self-confidence and experience greater community involvement.
We cannot truly pledge allegiance to this
great nation of "One People" under God, if we do less for those among us with
disabilities, than we do for those who are able bodied.
Tonight we challenge you, the elite
athletes, to make your contribution to improving the well being of those who are
physically challenged, those who suffer hearing and impairments.
We challenge you to rekindle that great
flame of voluntarism that has long served us so well.
There is no doubt that there is still a
lot of work to be done if we are to truly achieve the possibilities that sport
offers us as the handmaiden of economic development. We have achieved much, but
there is still far more to be done. However, we must do this as "One people",
indivisible under God.
But if, as we have argued tonight, sport
is a major catalyst/force in change behavior, we must also examine our own
behavior, as a people, to seize the advantages that economic development through
sports can offer.
We must rid ourselves of those attitudes
that still prevail in some quarters: that things Grenadian, are not as good as
things foreign, that our products, facilities, and at times our people are "not
as good as'' or even, "are not good enough". We must rise above this, if for no
other reason than the simple fact that it is not so. It cannot be so. We must at
once rekindle that spirit of
"One People" enshrined in the motto, and
finally secure our place in the global sports arena. We must be as committed to
the Special Olympics as we to are the games of the Olympiad. We must heed the
call of "Grenada First", without division.
We must recognize that a new era has
dawned: the era of "Grenada First". Let us challenge ourselves here tonight and
particularly you, our elite athletes to make this your rallying cry, "Grenada
First".
To unleash that spirit, we must live and
create a culture in which we examine our own attitudes to see the extent to
which our actions and preferences may be reinforcing the negativity. We must
ensure that our sport policy is used as a lever for development because,
advancement as "One People", which constitutes our call to collective action,
demands that we realize this pledge.
1. But we must also deal with the resource
constraints that beleaguer sports development in the country. I wish to
highlight the particular constraints of coaches, trainers and officials. The
ratio of such trained personnel to athletes is inadequate for the broad-based,
life-long sports participation that this country will need to pursue. We need to
deal with issues of training, certification and remuneration at all levels. But
it should be clear on the basis of that which we have said that this strategy
cannot be solely dependant on Government. Still, there are certain clearly
defined roles for intervention by the State and for the Grenada Olympic
Committee.
We need to create more opportunities for
professional coaches and trainers, physiotherapists, massage therapists, among
others. We must create viable job opportunities for such persons in sports, by
eroding the intellectual bias of elite academicians and other professionals who
regard employment in sports as "less than serious business," and the effort of
these sports professionals as "play", and not worthy of serious monetary reward.
Within sport services today, personal
trainers for instance earn up to US $100, for a 1 hour session in the United
States, US $20 in Barbados, US $10, an hour in Trinidad and Tobago and up to 30
pounds sterling in the United Kingdom. What is more, is that the people engaged
in these areas are often less academically prepared than our own youth leaving
school at secondary level in this country. Consider now, the amount of dead
capital in the form of unemployed school leavers we have laying idle on the
blocks in every Parish, St. Gorge's, St. Marks, St. Andrews among other. By my
count, one bloc @ US 10/hr 20 hours per week, totals US $800.00 in dead capital
per youth every month, and we have not even begun to talk about the higher
paying jobs in sports as yet.
2. This is partly why many of us are so
interested in developing this country as a vacation, yachting, marina, and
retirement centre. For the reason that such a development will provide
employment opportunities in several areas, including those linked to sports,
such as personal trainers, sports therapist, aerobic instructors, among others.
Attracting private investment and creating the environment for people from other
parts of the world who want to visit, live and retire in Grenada, must therefore
be seen as an integral part of our strategy of sports development. Cuba and
Costa Rica provide examples of what is possible.
3. Ladies and gentlemen, we must unleash the
potential of our youth through providing them with these opportunities. But we
must also recognize that anything that threatens the ability of this country to
attract and retain private investment, threatens this construct of sports as
economic development.
4. Advancing as "One people" under God also
means that we must continuously seek means to properly compensate our elite and
professional athletes, to properly equip them to compete, to rehabilitate them
when they are injured, and to provide for their needs at better than subsistence
levels when they can no longer compete. This point is clearly related to those
made earlier on the role of Government and the limitations of the public purse.
What we require is to get individuals and the private sector more involved in
the financing of our sports strategy. We need to encourage individuals to rally
behind the call of "Grenada First" and match the levels of contributions
provided by the Alma Mater at Jamaican secondary schools, where the budgets for
secondary school athletics, swimming, track and field, table tennis, basketball,
netball, hockey among other sports are nearly totally financed from the
contributions of past students and well wishers.
5. Mr. Francique, Ms. Regis and others need us
to show our commitment now, not after they have won medals at Athens later this
year.
6. But we must also heed the call of "Grenada
First" and make our contributions to financing sports so that many more Alleyene
Franciques will emerge from our community based and national sports programmes.
7. Controversial perhaps, but sports as economic
development will require more, not less investment in sporting centers and
other recreational facilities. We are still below desirable levels in hard
courts, community facilities, Olympic sized swimming pools, gyms, physical
therapy centers etc. We are not yet where we need to be in terms of the number
of meters of track per 1000 athletes and sport practitioners.
8. Clearly, we will need to devise new forms of
partnerships in which the private sector will have to playa greater role,
particularly given the cautious manner in which we must now manage our national
debt. But it must be clear that, simply deciding not to borrow is not in the
nature of prudent national development.
9. We caution, that should we opt to conduct our
future macro-economic affairs in this manner, we do so at the peril of seriously
disrupting our sport development strategies.
10. Ladies and gentlemen, while we must be
prudent in the management of our affairs, we must be cautious that we do not
give rise to "self-fulfilling" prophecies where economic development is stymied
not by the size of our international commitments, but instead by our failure to
undertake prudent, priority, public sector investments in crucial areas,
including sports.
11. The media also has a critical role to play
in the promotion of sports as a means of economic development. In particular,
the media can play its part by contributing to the changing of attitudes and
development of a positive sports culture. The media also contribute by reporting
on sporting events at community level and on the progress of Grenada’s elite
athletes abroad.
12. However, we should place on record our
appreciation for the progress that have emerged among some of the media houses,
we now get more news on local and community-based sports. It is also amazing
what some in the media have achieved given the constraints of small budgets,
limited staff and other severe constraints in terms of technical capacity.
We applaud your efforts.
13. However, I must admit that I still get far
more on the performance of our elite athletes, via foreign media than I do
through the local media.
14. We need to change this. But let me say it
again, your role in supporting and disseminating information that advances our
“Grenada First” strategy to every parish, town, and village in this country is
indispensable.
15. You will find that there is an abundance of
good sound, materials that can redound positively on our people and playa
contributory role to the call for "Grenada First".
16. How many of our people are aware that before
there were the “Reggae Boyz” there was a marvelous goalkeeper from Grenada, Mr.
Vester Constantine, who was, and still is a legend in Jamaican football and
athletic circles?
17. Well Mr. Constantine who sometimes captained
Jamaica's national football team was an inspiration to generations of football
aficionados in Jamaica.
18. The media has a role to play in chronicling
these stories as a means of inspiring generations of Grenadian sportsmen and
women.
19. Tonight we implore you, the Media, to set
about that task of recording and reporting our relentless march as "One
People" towards sporting excellence and to do so by beginning with the
triumphs of those who have blazed that trail before us.
20. Those such as William Gittens, Victor
Ludurum 1951 and 1952, whom I hope will soon be inducted into this country's
sporting Hall of fame when it is established. Sir, we salute you. All of Grenada
Salutes you. Mr. Walter St. John, we salute. You have been a labour of love. We
will talk about it.
21. As we conclude, I would like to offer my own
personal congratulations to all the athletes and sports men and women present
here tonight. Trust me when I say to you that you are all winners. Whether or
not you prevail here tonight, your engagement in the physical and mental
development that you have undergone has, and will prepare you well for life's
many challenges.
In the words of that great Pan- Africanist,
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, "Up, up you mighty race, you can achieve what you will".
So young Ambassadors, sportsmen and women, you
are called to duty,
1. This is the last event of the meet,
2. You are under starter's orders,
3. The stands are packed to capacity,
4. Front row dignitaries,
5. A nation waits with bated breath,
6. We demand only one thing of you.
7. Grenada First!
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you/bid you
goodnight.
We Shall Aspire, We Shall Build, We Shall
Advance, We Shall... We Shall, One Resilient People Under God.
Thank You...
Grenada First,
Put Grenada First,
Grenada First.
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