Most of the sporting activities scheduled for the school year 2017/2018 are expected to be cancelled

​Sports Coordinator Trevor Shillingford revealed during yesterday’s press briefing, that most of the sporting activities that were scheduled for the school year 2017/2018 are expected to be cancelled.
 
Shillingford said the Sports Division met with principals and teachers of both primary and secondary schools on September 14 and 15, to discuss the planned programs for the school year. The Physical Education (PE) and Afterschool Sports Programs at the primary schools were set for commencement on September 18.
 
The Secondary Schools Football Championship and the Primary Schools Independence Athletics Meet were also set for early October during that meeting. However, hurricane Maria, a category 5 storm devastated the island on the same day the activities were set to begin, halting plans.
 
Shillingford said “With the passage of hurricane Maria a decision had to be taken to forgo a number of the set programs. The decision made was mainly a cost cutting measure in order to divert funds to the rebuilding effort”. He highlighted that all the planned youth programs catered for in the recurrent expenditure.
 
Due to this decision he continued, close to sixty percent of the programs are set for cancellation.
 
There is still hope; Shillingford said as the programs are set for cancellation due to financial reasons, the Sports Division has embarked on a drive to seek funding for the programs from non-governmental entities.
 
“So there is still a possibility that some of the programs will be held,” he said.