Public urged to stop acts of vandalism on sports facilities |19 April 2022

Hon. William and NSC chief executive Jean Larue inspecting the refurbished court

People who use the sporting facilities at Grand Anse Mahé have been asked to use them properly and to refrain from acts of vandalism.

The appeal came from the elected member of the National Assembly for the district, Hon. Waven William and chief executive of the National Sports Council (NSC), Jean Larue, following a visit last Thursday to witness repair work done to the multi-purpose court following acts of vandalism.

The NSC along with the district administration office have marked the multi-purpose court, and put up new boards and hoop rims.

In fact, NSC is involved in repair work of such facilities in all districts across the country.

Mr Larue stated that the repair work on the multi-purpose court as well as repair works being carried out on other sporting facilities in other districts, bears testimony of the sporting body’s programme to maintain sporting facilities in the district in good condition.

“Although it is not possible for us to respond to the needs of the districts all at one go, we have a programme in place that allows us to attend to them one by one. I would also like make an appeal that we use the facilities well and we stop all acts of vandalism,” said Mr Larue who noted that in the end it is taxpayer’s money that could have been used for other purpose that is used to repair the damages done to the sporting facilities.

Mr Larue added that NSC will be conducting other repair works to upgrade the entire sport complex in the district and urged the population to take ownership of the sporting facilities and help prevent acts of vandalism.  

Hon. William stated that the sport facilities in the district were all in a good state until some irresponsible youths from the district and some irresponsible people from outside the district decided to perform acts of vandalism. And this is regrettable. The acts of vandalism include breaking or removal of the boards and hoop rims and removal of the fences or damaging them.

“Such acts of vandalism affect the youths in the district. So we are asking our youths and other people who come to use these facilities, to be more responsible and to use them well. We have to bear in mind that tomorrow, if they do get damaged through these kinds of actions as it has been said, it will be the taxpayers’ money that will be used to put the facilities back in place and that cost a lot of money,” said Hon. William.    

He thanked NSC through Mr Larue for the repair work on the multi-purpose course which will benefit the youth and further improve the level of sports in the community and in the country as a whole.

Patrick Joubert