Embrace sports instead of crime

PRESIDENT George Maxwell Richards yesterday advised the nation’s youth to move away from negative distractions, images and criticism and embrace sports as a means of improving the national quality of life. Addressing the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) National Hindu Youth Organisation sports, games and fun day at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva  President Richards observed that healthy competition was an effective aid to improving both mental and physical fitness.

“There is an aspect of competition which has always fascinated me and that is the effect that competition has had on improving the human body and consequently the quality of life,” President Richards said. The President added, “We are now running and swimming faster, jumping higher, throwing further, lifting heavier and of course living longer.” The President, who also became the first sitting Head of State to officially launch an event by playing the tassa, much to the delight of the appreciative audience, commended the event’s organisers, saying, “competition produces not only excellence but empathy and tolerance.”

“Our nation’s young people are being subjected to many negative distractions, images and criticisms at this time and events such as this convey the clear message that not every young person is an addict or a bandit,” he said. “It also conveys the fact that there is hope for our great country as manifested by the preparation and I am sure, the high performance that we will witness today,” he added. In full agreement was prominent San Fernando attorney Anand Ramlogan, who called for similar “La Joya” type sporting facilities to be established in Central and South Trinidad. And with acting Prime Minister Joan Yuille-Williams also on the podium, Ramlogan called on the State to address the “growing imbalance in national sporting facilities” to foster the development of the Hindu youth.

“We want La Joya type complexes in Penal, Debe and Barrackpore to develop the potential of our youth,” he said. SDMS general-secretary Satnarayn Maharaj observed the “changing face of mandirs” from being solely “a house of prayer to a house of learning of both the secular and the religious.” He said a person’s activities must be governed by their religious beliefs saying there was “no difference between the secular and the sacred.” Also addressing the ceremony were acting Prime Minister joan Yuille-Williams and Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Christine Sahadeo.