By Neto Baptiste
Parliamentary Representative for the St Mary’s North Constituency and a former cricketer, Molwyn Joseph, has responded to accusations by President of the Jennings Cricket Club, Glen Miller, who had blamed him for the derelict condition of sporting facilities within the community.
Joseph, who is also the country’s health minister, accused Miller of not telling the full story, adding that some members within the community are the ones responsible for the current state of the facilities there.
“Young people must understand that they have a responsibility as well and that is the big problem in the community. They don’t turn [off] the lights, they don’t keep the field clean, they tear down the fences — these are just some of the things I can tell you because there is a history to it. The same basketball court had a complete fence around it and it was torn down, and not by me but by people in the community and then they tied their animals on it, but he didn’t mention that. If you go to Jennings now, even the cricket field, there are persons who tie their cows on it,” he said.
The minister, who had earlier called for sporting clubs and organisations to play a bigger role in the development of young people in the community, said he has always played his part in ensuring those within his constituency are supported in their various endeavours.
“One of the first villages throughout Antigua and Barbuda to get lights on the field was in Bendals … Cashew Hill, and Tryum, because it’s been decades that I have been supporting Tryum so there are about four teams and sports organisations that I have been representing and helping to build,” he said.
Joseph said he has assisted and will continue to assist the Jennings community, and accused Miller of having a personal gripe.
“First of all, you can’t play sports without a proper field and I went through pains to get a proper field for Jennings, and I feel like that is the foundation of inspiring sports in the community, but unfortunately, Mr Miller is known to have that opinion. He has an attitude towards me and I do not know what’s motivating that, but that’s not here or there,” the minister said. According to Miller, however, he has personally made several presentations to Joseph as to what is required to bring sports back to where it once was in the Jennings community, with the last being some three years ago.