There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out

When Roosevelt Skerrit proclaimed, “There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out politicians in cricket or any sport for that matter. There are ways and means in which government can assist in the management and development of players,” he was speaking not as a mere administrator, but as one who understood the deep bond between leadership, culture, and the spirit of a people. His words remind us that sport is not an island apart from society — it is the heartbeat of a nation, a mirror of its unity, its discipline, and its dreams. Skerrit, the Prime Minister of Dominica, saw that the field of play and the halls of government are not enemies, but partners in building the human soul.

The origin of this quote lies in the Caribbean, a region where cricket is not merely a game, but a shared language of identity and pride. In the West Indies, cricket has carried the hopes of small nations against empires, transforming bat and ball into symbols of freedom and dignity. Skerrit’s words arose from that legacy — a recognition that government bears a sacred duty to nurture the institutions that shape character. He understood that politicians, when guided by integrity, can play a noble role in providing resources, structure, and vision for sports — not to control them, but to empower them. His statement was not a plea for interference, but for stewardship.

To leave out politicians, he argued, would be to deny the potential of leadership to elevate a nation’s youth. For in every game, whether cricket or football, lie the same virtues that build civilization — teamwork, sacrifice, courage, and perseverance. When a government helps cultivate these values through support and funding, it invests not only in athletes but in citizens. Skerrit’s insight echoes an ancient truth: that a nation’s strength is not measured in its armies alone, but in the spirit of its people. And sport, in its purest form, refines that spirit into unity.

History offers vivid proof of his wisdom. When Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa, he recognized the power of sport to heal a divided nation. The 1995 Rugby World Cup, hosted in a land still trembling from apartheid, became a symbol of reconciliation. Mandela, donning the jersey of the white-dominated Springboks, showed his people that sport could be a bridge of hearts. Through his leadership, rugby ceased to be a reminder of division and became an emblem of renewal. Like Skerrit, Mandela knew that politics and sport, when guided by virtue, can work together to uplift humanity.

Yet Skerrit’s statement also carries a warning, veiled in wisdom. For just as righteous governance can nurture sport, corruption and ambition can poison it. When politicians seek personal gain from the games of the people, they defile what was sacred. Thus, his call is not for intrusion but for collaboration — for leaders to act as guardians, not masters. To “assist in the management and development of players” is to provide opportunity without vanity, structure without oppression. It is to recognize that the athlete’s triumph is the nation’s triumph — and the leader’s role is to create the soil where greatness can grow.

The emotional depth of Skerrit’s thought lies in its recognition of interconnectedness — that no field, whether of politics or sport, exists in isolation. A wise society sees its athletes not as entertainers, but as torchbearers of collective aspiration. To abandon them to chance, or to distance them from public support, is to weaken the moral fabric of the nation itself. Governments must not suffocate sport with bureaucracy, but breathe into it the lifeblood of opportunity, education, and access.

The lesson of Roosevelt Skerrit’s words is one of balance and vision. He teaches that the partnership between leadership and sport must be founded on humility, service, and the pursuit of excellence. Every citizen — whether ruler, coach, or player — shares the duty of building institutions that uplift human potential. Leaders must not exploit sport for power, but protect it as a sacred trust. Citizens must hold their governments accountable to this noble role, ensuring that support never becomes control.

Therefore, let this wisdom echo across generations: when government serves sport, it serves the soul of the nation. Let politicians lend their strength, not their vanity; their resources, not their corruption; their leadership, not their dominance. For the field, like the forum, is a temple of the human spirit — and when both work together, guided by virtue and vision, a people rises as one: strong, honorable, and free.