media_centre :: 2011

"You should promote inclusion in the constitution..."

Creed: Sporting bodies need to address sexual harassment

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Ashwin Creed is calling on national sporting organisations to address the issues of child protection and sexual harassment. Creed said his Ministry has been receiving complaints and wants the NSO to implement policies to deal with the concerns. “You should promote inclusion in the constitution, not only for the NAAA but all local federations, on a policy of child protection and sexual harassment particularly of our young females. “I am making this recommendation at this point because we have received myriad of complaints and as a Ministry we have to do more to protect our young women form this type of abuse.”

Creed was delivering opening remarks at the symposium hosted by the women’s committee of the National Association of Athletic Adminstration (NAAA) at the Crown Plaza Hotel on Saturday. The Theme of the symposium was ‘Believe in Yourself.’ Creed added that young men are also affected. He advised coaches and officials to provide encouragement to women and girls in sports. He added that skills and competency must be taught in order to achieve excellence. “Teach the skill necessary for success also the competency to execute the skill. We keep putting the skill before the competency it is supposed to be the other way around.” Creed also said the World Championships women’s 100m bronze medallist Kelly Ann Baptiste will be honoured by the Ministry of Sports at the Ministry’s inaugural Sports Awards on December 28.

Former Olympic medallist Grace Jackson of Jamaica was the symposium’s main speaker. The 1988 Seoul women’s 200m silver medallist shared on her rise from poverty to become an elite athlete and identified confidence and determination as ingredients in her success as an athlete. Belmont Boys Secondary School principal Lucia Reyes encouraged parents to take time to attend their children’s activities and recommended that children should have an input in the setting rules at home bcause if they are involved they will be more likely to obey. Over 140 participants including athletes, parents and officials attend the symposium and NAAA Women’s Committee chairperson Lucretia Burns said she was happy with the turn out.

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