Opposition MP criticizes Gov’t’s youth sports approach after strong Carifta Games performance

Member of Parliament for St. Mary’s South Kelvin ‘Shugy’ Simon has once again laid a charge at the feet of the current administration regarding its support of youth sports.

Appearing on Observer Radio’s Knight@Nights, the UPP MP – calling in from Trinidad where he attended the 2025 Carifta Games in person – vented his frustration with what he perceived to be a failure in providing the nation’s youth athletes with proper training facilities.

Regarding the nation’s young swimmers, MP Simon said, “The facilities they practice in is no way compared to what they are swimming in, in these kinds of competitions”.

Adding, “It in no way equates to the level of training they should have gotten, and to see that they come here, especially in swimming, and do so well – because we bagged the most medals in swimming…many golds, silvers, bronze – can you imagine what it would be like if these youngsters had world class facilities to train in?”

Antigua and Barbuda performed impressively in the 2025 CARIFTA Games, bringing in 2 gold medals, 4 silver medals, and a bronze medal, along with many personal bests, national record, and top 10 finishes. It would appear that MP Simon views this as a minimal fruit yield, where more could potentially be borne if the field was properly cultivated.

“They would be producing a lot more”, the MP said, “but not only that, it would be an inspiration to other swimmers and other athletes to go out and participate.”

Meanwhile, Sports Minister Daryll Matthew and Minister of State Shenella Govia, congratulated Team Antigua and Barbuda on their performance at the games. They said the showing was a moment of national pride, praising the commitment and resilience of the athletes as a shining example to the nation.

But Simon appears to be unmoved by such glowing congratulations, citing what has historically been a lack of resolve on the part of the government.

“I heard the Minister of Sport mention about building an aquatic center just a couple years ago, all because this same swimming team went away and did well at the OECS level…I think won the competition. It was just a knee jerk promise and emotional response to what the swimming team would have accomplished. But there was just no follow through”, he said.

As the smaller Caribbean countries continue to step out on the world stage, showcasing their athletic potential with excellent showings on a regional and global scale, it remains to be seen if Antigua and Barbuda will continue to make strides towards being a strong contributor in this endeavor.