OCS Principal Foster Roberts backs uniform initiative as schools get sporting boost

By Neto Baptiste Principal of the Ottos Comprehensive School (OCS), Foster Roberts, has welcomed the introduction of the School Sports Uniform Programme, spearheaded by Cool & Smooth/Joma Caribbean, which he said will remove the heavy financial burden placed on principals, teachers and parents each year. “I’m sure I can safely speak for the principals and say this initiative will certainly assist us in many ways. When we seriously examine schools’ expenses just in uniforms alone on an annual or biannual basis, for schools like mine that have six teams in football, that is in excess of $24,000 just for the one sporting discipline. I still have basketball, netball, volleyball, track,” he said.

Roberts spoke during a recent launch held by the Ministry of Sports to mark the official signing of the agreement with the managing director of Cool & Smooth/Joma Caribbean, Amer Hourani. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Dr Clarence Pilgrim, signed on the government’s behalf. The principal noted that the new arrangement goes a long way towards ensuring that schools can participate in all competitions organised by the Ministry of Sports, while suggesting that his OCS track team will be dominant when the Schools Track and Field Championships take place in March next year. “Our schools will be in a better place to participate willingly in these competitions as a result of these gifts, these wonderful-looking uniforms. I believe with the assistance of the coaches assigned to us for the…