Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 27, 2016 (SKNIS): Employees at the Department of Sports are carrying out their various responsibilities with new energy following a Staff Development Day held on Wednesday (October 26) at the OOJJ’s Conference Room under the theme “Promoting Excellence through Human Development.”
Director in the Department of Sports, Anthony Wiltshire, said management was committed to get the best out of staff members and will continue to provide a positive environment where they can be nurtured, empowered, develop self confidence, in order to achieve self actualization.
“We must organize appropriate workshops; we must find courses for you to attend; we must have regular assessment or evaluation,” Mr. Wiltshire told the staff at the opening ceremony. “Each individual must be hungry for his/her personal development. It must be propelled intrinsically rather than extrinsically. … Whether you are the cleaner, the grounds man, the supervisor or the director, excellence must be the motto.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Stanley Knight, reminded the employees of the critical role they play in organizing and promoting the development of sports on the island. He challenged the individuals to think creatively about how they can contribute to advancing the growth of the sector.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Sports, Honourable Shawn Richards, said that a number of major projects will be undertaken by the ministry in the short and medium term. Included in this, is the resurfacing of the tennis court at Warner Park which has already begun, the construction of a storage shed also at Warner Park, the resurfacing of the football field at Conaree, and the laying of a new netball court in Mansions. Improvement work is also slated to continue at the New and Old Recreation Grounds in Sandy Point as well as the playfield in Boyds.
Minister Richards said that when completed more demands will be placed on the staff to meet the requirements of the respective communities who may wish to organize sporting activities or training classes.
“Those [projects] of course is going to require even more work, even more details to attention coming out of the Sports Department,” he stated, noting that the staff needs to be more efficient to fulfill their responsibilities to the public. However, the deputy prime minister said the professional development being crafted at the staff retreat can be used to enhance the staff’s
personal development.
“Whatever you learn here, you must be able to apply it within your own personal lives,” he stated. “Use it to develop yourselves.”
That message seemingly resonated with the staff and Director Wiltshire said he looks forward to a renewed sense of commitment from his team.