At the Island Games in Bermuda Saint Helena had its most successful competition winning a Gold and two Silver medals in the shooting.
As the Council we were invited to join the welcome home celebration at the sea front when the team returned on Tuesday 30 July.
Now I may not play or follow sport but I understand the significance of the acheivement of our team. At least I thought I did until Mr Eric Benjamin who is chairman of the sports association spoke as part of the welcoming party. Mr Benjamin, who we have just elected as Speaker of the House, had himself returned on the same voyage as the team. He started to speak and then had to take a moment to compose himself as he was quite emotional. That is when I truly appreciated just how important it was to our community that we had competed on the international stage and won. Mr Benjamin said that he was in hospital when he heard the news of the medal wins and I bet that this was the best medicine he could have had. Mr Benjamin has devoted so much of his life to promoting sport on the island and it was such a poignant moment when he started to speak.
It is not important whether it is sport or academia or any other endeavour, what is important is that it is these achievements by Saints that bind our community together and raise our collective self-esteem. Perhaps in the past I have been a bit cynical but I am begining to see how celebrating achievements is vital to the health of our small community. For that I am grateful that I was invited to join the celebration and I am especially grateful to Mr Benjmain for teaching me such an important lesson
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