Above: St Lucia (Photo: SLTB)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

St Lucia’s government says it is “committed” to raising the country’s standard of sport in the country, particularly in football.

Accordingly, the St Lucia’s Ministry of Youth Development and Sport and the St Lucia Football Association have signed a memorandum of understanding to provide training in the first phase to thirty coaches over a one-year period.

The programme will be implemented through St Lucia’s National Initiative to Create Employment.

Under the one-year plan, football coaches will also receive training in child care and conflict resolution.

“At present, we are languishing at the ranking of 188th of FIFA’s world ranking, and at number 31 in the CONCACAF region,” he said. “I must highlight that we are ranked higher only to the BVI, Anguilla, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

St Lucia’s football profile got a major lift, however, with the recent signing of St Lucian-born Zaine Pierre to Italian Football Club Genoa earlier this year.

But the island’s football production needs to improve, according to Sports Minister Sean Edwards.

“Now, more than ever, the St Lucia Football Association needs the support of all concerned to commence the monumental task of reversing the football fortunes of our country,” Edwards said.