CDA shuts down Mackenzie archery range

THE CHAGUARAMAS Development Association (CDA) has shut down the Michael P Mackenzie Archery Range. It has not given its reason for doing so.

The range, located at Tucker Valley, Chaguaramas, is used by several clubs in the TT Target Archery Federation (TTTFA).

But on Wednesday, police visited the range while some athletes were training and said they had been ordered to shut it down.

Speaking with Newsday, on Sunday, TTTFA president Gregory Quesnel said he hopes the move is temporary, but is unsure, as the association has not been told anything about it.

“There was no communication, written or otherwise, that I’ve received from the CDA. They sent the CDA police, who told us their instructions were to tell us we have to leave the ground.

“Under those conditions, there’s no point in contesting that, as they have their jobs to do, so we just obliged.”

He said around five athletes were present at the time.

“We were all in shock. This has never happened before in all our 17 or 18 years of being there.

“Over the years, we haven’t had a great deal of interaction. because our coming into existence on that land was through the purview of the TT Defence Force. So we have had interactions with them over the years but never the CDA, until recently.”

The range is usually used for national archery competitions.

Newsday contacted assistant to the general manager Karen Clark-Rowley, who said she was not in a position to comment.