This was reported by Education Minister, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, who vehemently deplored the action by the GTU to withdraw from the administration of the competition.

It was indeed a sad development, particularly for the hundreds of young athletes who obviously would have spent long, tiring periods preparing for the events and hoping to win glory.

Athletics, swimming and cycling are no longer `fun' games for schoolchildren.

It has become serious business for some, especially the gifted, who could pursue tremendously rewarding professions if they do well early in their careers.

The annual National Athletics, Swimming and Cycling Championship for schools has become one of the springboards for the young ones and to deprive them of an opportunity of proving themselves can cause untold harm.

We believe more thought should have been given to the consequences of the withdrawal by the GTU from such an important national event.

It is a great pity that such a course of action was pursued and we hope that the Ministry of Sport and sport groups can help to arrange some alternative event so that budding athletes and other competitors could get a chance to show their mettle and keep in shape.

According to Dr. Jeffrey, a letter from the union was received late last week Friday informing him of the decision to withdraw from the annual national event. As such it was not possible to make alternative arrangements for the event to proceed, he added.

"I think this has been disgusting, because they can do this to children who have been practising all year and who have already started to travel," he declared, adding that some of the participants who came to Georgetown did not know anything about the withdrawal by the union.

He explained that traditionally, the championship has been managed jointly by the ministry and the GTU, and more recently with sponsorship from Nestle/Milo as a joint venture/partnership arrangement.

Under the circumstances, the Education Minister explained that the ministry's relationship with the GTU as regards hosting of the championship would have to be reviewed to determine who is clearly responsible for the administration of the event, and perhaps tender out for private management of the championship.

Every possible avenue would have to be pursued to ensure that young people, through no fault of their own, are not deprived of important chances of realising their dreams and careers.

It is while they are young that athletes have to prove themselves and depriving schoolchildren of the opportunity of doing so in the national arena certainly is not a morale booster.