THE Port-of-Spain City Corporation celebrated its 102nd Anniversary at the Lord Harris Square on Abercromby Street on Thursday. The event which also marked the 70th Anniversary of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC), hosted approximately 500 Primary School students, as part of ongoing efforts by the TTOC and the Port-of-Spain City Corporation to obtain 10 Olympic Medals for Trinidad and Tobago by the year 2024.
TTOC chairman Brian Lewis expressed optimism that local athletes have what it takes to succeed at the upcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but stressed that producing World class athletes must begin with the engaging the youth.
“Our focus is with the Primary School students, because you’ve got to plant that seed in them when they’re very young and the overall theme of today’s Olympic Day celebrations is Learn, Move and Discover, the joys of sport.
We specifically targeted the youth because we believe that this is the age when we have to try and interest them.
To create an Olympic champion isn’t done overnight, its a process, that’s why we need to start engaging students as young as Primary School age.” Lewis went on to explain that besides improving health and fitness, sport can be used as a means of diversifying the economy and urged Sport stakeholders to make the case for promoting Sport as a means of generating revenue. “The Committee has recently put together a think tank, where I myself have spoken to several key players in terms of policy.
In terms of foreign exchange in the non-energy sector, I think that sport has a critical and vital role to play as a creator of employment and a generator for foreign exchange.
Port-of-Spain Mayor Keron Valentine expressed satisfaction with the response received from Primary Schools towards the event and the City Corporation’s commitment to the well-being of the City’s youth. Mayor Valentine added that he is confident in local athletes abilities to help achieve the goal of 10 Olympic medals by the year 2024, and remains optimistic that local athletes are capable of securing top spots in this year’s Olympic Games.