Dear Editor,

Two students died recently after goal posts planted in the earth toppled over, causing the children to sustain head injuries which led to their death.

The Ministry of Sport, Youth and Culture and the Ministry of Education need to conduct an investigation to (1) determine if these goal posts were properly planted with the use of cement, (2) if the goal posts had four legs. What is happening is that most goal posts on school playing fields have only two legs as no provision is made for a net to be attached.

Goal posts that are used by football clubs locally and internationally have legs that plant them firmly in the ground so they do not topple over.

The heavy rains the island experienced in the latter part of last year and which continued into 2011 have undermined the support of the goal posts which have two legs.

The boys will climb atop the goal posts to do push-ups and to swing and this causes them to topple over, if the legs are not properly grounded/anchored, or if they have rotted.

We do not need to lose another life before something is done to secure the existing goal posts firmly in the ground. Students, especially the boys, should be warned not to climb atop the goal posts as this is a dangerous practice and could endanger move lives.

I would like to express sincere condolence to the parents who lost their sons because of falling goal posts. It seems periodic checks were not done to ensure that they were firmly planted in the ground. The PTA, the schools and their physical education department should lead the charge to have the situation satisfactorily remedied so that another precious life will not be lost via this route.

Joseph M Cornwall Snr

tranquillityfh@yahoo.com