GOC president wants developmental approach to sports

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Jan 27 (CMC) – President of the Grenada Olympic Committee (GOC) Royston La Hee wants a more structured approach in developing sports on the island. La Hee said a developmental platform was needed in order to lift the level of awareness of the sports among young people. As a result, the long-standing sports administrator has called for compulsory physical education programmes in schools. “The government needs to understand the importance and the value of sports to the community and to ensure that things are put in place to manifest this,” La Hee said in a radio interview on Saturday. He said that a lack of interest in sports was primarily responsible for the inability to initiate proper club structures. “You need people to volunteer and they must be encouraged,” said La Hee who has been at the helm of the GOC for more than 20 years. In reviewing the activities of 2006, La Hee said sporting programmes continued to be played despite the problems of facilities and proper organisation. “We have a massive stadium and it will be a challenge to get people to fill it after the World Cup (cricket),” he argued. He also noted that swimming and tennis had improved but expressed disappointment with the development of table tennis and volleyball.