Table-tennis continues to wait for Ministry clearance

THE LOCAL table-tennis fraternity will continue to wait for clearance from the Ministry of Health and, by extension, the Government, in order to resume action.

According to the public health regulations to combat the community spread of the coronavirus, the Health Ministry announced that contact sports will not be allowed. However, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh indicated that a few non-contact sports may be permitted, including golf and lawn tennis.

David Joseph, president of the TT Table Tennis Association, said on Tuesday, “We have (a few) clubs who own their own venue – Queen’s Park (and) Warrenville United. They have control over their own venue.

“There are still people who will go by (someone) who has a table-tennis board and ‘take a knock’. If you have a private tennis court, which happens to be few in this country, you can play tennis still.”

On Saturday, Deyalsingh said that the Tennis Association of TT (TATT) will be granted use of the Eddie Taylor Public Courts, at the Nelson Mandela Park, St Clair.

The major venue for local table-tennis is the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua, which is being used as a step-down facility for covid19 patients.

“We can’t do anything about that,” said Joseph. “All sporting facilities in TT, which are owned by the Government, are shut down.

“They’re not even entertaining a meeting of three people. For me, to go and ask the Minister, I still wouldn’t be able to use the facilities.”

Concerning the use of private venues, Joseph said, “WASA Table Tennis Club is under the WASA Sports Club, and the Sports Club is locked down. It’s up to them if they want to have their own arrangements, with (covid19) protocols.

“(During the first ‘lockdown’) a lot of clubs weren’t privy to use their own venues, because they had to put certain things in place, to follow the recommendations of the Ministry of Health,” Joseph added.

“If the Racquet Centre wasn’t being used by the Ministry of Health, then I would have gone and approached the Minister.

“For me to go and approach the Minister (now), what would I be approaching him for? To use the people’s clubs that are owned by them?”