AFTER complaints made by all heads of schools following last year's annual athletics for schools, the people responsible had stated that this year, school children and teachers will not be sitting for 4-5 hours in the scorching sun. It was said that measures will be taken to cover at least the areas facing the grand stand where school children with accompanying school officials were seated.
It is March now, not more than three months remaining before this competition and so far nobody has come forward to say whether this is going to take place or not. Last year, when heads of schools raised their concerns for putting school children in the uncovered areas in the blazing heat, the organizers had promised to put up some sort of temporary covers. But this never materialized and being good sports all schools turned up and actually sat in the sun from 08.30 am until 5 pm. Many of us suffered from heatstroke and sunburn but we did it for love of the sport. It was even more frustrating when we were facing government leaders and high officials comfortably seated in the grand stand having their drinks and snacks readily available while we tried as much as we could to shelter from the hot sun.
For this year, schools have already started preparing for this event by organizing their own athletics competition out of which the best are chosen to represent their schools in the heats which have been scheduled for May. What we have started to worry about is whether we are going to be faced with the same problem as last year. Sitting for long hours in the sun is no picnic and it is definitely not good for one's health especially for the younger school children who had to suffer along. Now if this year is going to be the same, then schools will have good reasons not to turn up as spectators and the Ministry should not expect them to be as understanding. Whoever is responsible for ensuring that there is no repeat of last year should come forward and say what is being done or will be done.
Last year the dates for the competition kept changing because the tracks were not ready as work started too late and nobody considered the changeable Seychelles weather. It seems that some people never learn from their mistakes so they keep repeating them. For the sake of this annual event which marks our Independence Day, let's hope that this year will be different.