Houses with no sporting facilities

THE EDITOR: I read with interest a tribute paid to George Bovell III by Bally Maharaj of Arima Discount Mart in the Sport Express of August 28, 2003 under the caption “The making of a champion.” Maharaj lauded the sporting accomplishments of the family from George Bovell I to the present champion, as well as their business acumen in successfully running their enterprise, Malabar Farms.

As fellow Arimians, we wholeheartedly join with the entire nation in extending congratulations on this noteworthy achievement. It is like a breath of fresh air in a country that is besieged by myriad of problems especially the criminal elements. Maharaj’s encouragement to citizens of this country to use this family as a role model to teach our children moral and spiritual values and to support them in whatever desires, hobbies, sports, or culture they wish to pursue are highly commendable. He ends his tribute with the exhortation “Let’s make champions and not criminals”. What he neglected to say was that Malabar Farms has been building houses on every square foot of land which is leased from the Arima Borough Council, without any consideration for the sporting and recreational needs of the home owners and their children. These youths are restless without any outlets for their pent up energies and there are the ever present lurking opportunities for them to engage in nefarious activities. All these youths need is a space to organise their games of small goal “sweat” and windball instead of having to play on the road. These games do not need any big capital outlay as leather ball cricket, swimming or other expensive sporting disciplines which their parents can ill afford.

Levi browne
Chairman, Arima West Community Action Group