Latest word is that the Sports Council will delay “renovations” at the MCC so the scheduled high school football competition can proceed.

Belize has yet to enjoy the pleasure of a Premier or Prime Minister who is a bona fide football fanatic, and can thus properly appreciate and acknowledge the full depth and impact of football, and sports in general, on the life of our people and nation.

We have indulged in these sports pages on a number of occasions to focus on the personality and contributions to our sporting life by some of the giants of our times.

On the home scene, we not too long ago marked the passing of Belizean football legend Louis “Bembe” “The Mugger” Garbutt.

We have also noted the great love of sports, and appreciation of its tremendous value for peace and harmony among peoples, by no less than the late, great Madiba, Nelson Mandela of South Africa; may he rest in peace. Football was very dear to his noble heart.

Even as our government leaders continue to underestimate the potential economic impact and intrinsic value of football and sports as a whole to the health and happiness of our people, we pause once more to highlight the global impact of the passing of another giant of our times, football legend Eusebio of Portugal (and Mozambique).

Maybe, our indulgence will help in some small way to enlighten those with the power and authority so they can discover within themselves a healthy respect for, and begin to do right by, football and footballers, and our basketballers, and our sportsmen and women in general. There are suffering, uncut diamonds hidden in the mud and debris of collapsed, neglected and absent sports infrastructure in Belize.

“When will they ever learn?”