Sports Minister urges fathers to get more involved

Smith said yesterday’s donation of boxing equipment is part of the Government’s grassroots initiative and their goal to help young people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Smith said, “It is part of my DNA, it is part of this new Government’s DNA, to work with the grassroots, work with the young people. “I have said from day one and this (boxing) board has bought into the idea of ensuring that our greatest resource are the young people of this country and the young people in this room.” Smith told the young boxers to listen to their elders and encouraged the fathers to play an instrumental part of their children’s lives. “Young people, listen to your coaches, listen to your parents, all the fathers that are involved with the kids, continue doing that. We need more fathers involved in their lives.” Chairman of the Trinidad Boxing Board of Control, Dr Barry Ishmael, said the board is following the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs advice to spend wisely. Dr Ishmael said, “Even in these difficult times we have to be able to do more with less, that is the example that our Minister has set for us, that is the example that the Ministry has set for us.” Dr Ishmael explained that the idea of donating boxing equipment to boxing gyms throughout the country was developed last year.

“This present initiative that the board is running came out of a strategic vision developed after our stakeholder meeting last year, and also came out of the Minister’s guidance on April 18 2016, when the board was appointed.

The Minister said to the board he wants us to get into the communities, he wants us to make a difference in the communities.”