In his latest message, Joseph mentioned Ytannia Wiggins representing CANOC at the SIDS high-level technical meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health in Barbados.

"Our leaders seem incapable of moving beyond numeracy and literacy as the fundamental pillars of education," said Joseph. 

"The truth is that without physical literacy we are incapable of developing into whole persons."

In his letter he added that they must be "promoters of meaningful lifestyle changes in the Caribbean", saying CANOC was one of the "critical agents of physical literacy as a third pillar in the foundational education ethos of producing whole persons".

Later in his letter, he gave updates on the CANOC bodies, including the Finance Commission, having its first meeting of the year.

The CANOC Coordination Commission also met last week to agree its terms of reference for submission to the CANOC Executive, as well as approving the revision of the bid document for the Caribbean Games.

The CANOC Academy Commission has met three times to discuss co-holding a workshop called "training the next generation of women sport for all leaders in the Caribbean" with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and The Association For International Sport for All.

It is to be held in St Vincent and the Grenadines and is to involve young women leaders from across the CANOC countries - an event that lasts three years.

Joseph reminded the membership of the 20th anniversary celebrations of CANOC this year, with the organisation being created at the first General Assembly at the Jaragua Hotel in Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic on July 23 2003.