Region Four Regional Executive Officer (REO) Pauline Lucas wants the other regions to follow suit and use sports as a means of eradicating the social ills among young people.
Lucas made the comment while expressing thanks and appreciation to the 16 schools that participated in the inaugural RDC/DEVCON/Lloyd Britton REO Inter Secondary School Cricket Competition which has set the stage for a similar tournament in the other regions.
The REO said that while she only focused on cricket this time, it is not an indication that no other sport would be feature in what she dubbed as her continuous efforts to bring about a healthy lifestyle in youths.
“I would like to see us to return to the days when our students participated in several sporting activities and events thus producing a number of healthy and active students who were able to better contribute to national development,” she said.
She expressed appreciation to the private sector whom she said is genuinely interested in sports and youth development, without whose support, the idea of the tournament would not have become a reality.
REO Lucas said that she will continue, through the Department of Education, to encourage them to forge holistic relationships with organizations institutions and companies to create sporting opportunities and events to engage the youths more as she is confident that with students having this avenue in consuming their energies it would greatly reduce the many challenges and difficulties that schools today are faced with.
The REO stated with the help of the National Sports Commission she plans to include females in the next tournament.
The third place play off is set for tomorrow between Hope and Friendship Secondary Schools with the final being played the following day between East Coast Annandale and East Bank’s Diamond Secondary Schools for the REO Trophy.
