Shamfa blasts no-show, unresponsive THA officials

HOURS before the start of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, Minister of Sport Shamfa Cudjoe blasted Tobago House of Assembly (THA) officials for poor communication, a no-show to a meeting, among other things, during preparations for the games.

The opening ceremony will be held today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and the games will end on August 11.

The sporting disciplines include athletics/para-athletics, cycling, swimming, triathlon, rugby sevens, beach volleyball and fast five netball.

Venues are spread across both islands – the Hasely Crawford Stadium, the National Aquatic Centre, the National Cycling Velodrome, the Shaw Park Cultural Complex, Courland Beach Sport Arena and the Buccoo Beach Facility.

There has been some controversy over the Courland facility as the venue for beach volleyball. The sport was initially going to be held at Pigeon Point Beach but in April, the THA decided to create a legacy project in Courland.

Owing to the late arrival of the special grade of sand required, among other things, the facility was only officially ready one day before the games.

Cudjoe had said that the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) complained about this and expressed disappointed in the delays.

On Facebook on Thursday night, Cudjoe posted screenshots of WhatsApp conversations she had with THA assistant secretary for community development, youth development and sport Wane Clarke.

She posted, "As you grapple with shaping and reshaping your narrative, please don’t forget to share with the public how I had to to hunt you down for weeks even months trying to get you to submit the relevant documents and information so that we can get approval from the CGF for the change and confirmation of venue. Tell them how you didn’t answer my calls, and how you agreed to meet and then never showed up. Tell them how Mr (George) Leacock (chairman of the THA-appointed task force for the games) bent over backwards and worked overtime trying to help me to secure a meeting to no avail."

Cudjoe posted screenshots of WhstsApp messages to Clarke, many times receiving no response.

One of the responses on April 13 said: "Good night, Minister. I am not in the country. I will be back on Saturday. I will call you as soon as i get back. The service is not good here."

On April 19 – the date allegedly set for a meeting with Clarke and THA Secretary of Community Development and Sport Terrance Baynes for 8.30am – Cudjoe messaged saying she was at the meeting room and no one else was there. She added that she tried to call as well.

Clarke replied at 8.39am saying he was dealing with an emergency so neither him nor Baynes could attend.

An agitated Cudjoe responded that she wished he would have said that earlier as she had cancelled her Tobago West constituency business to make the meeting a priority.

Speaking to Newsday on Friday, Baynes said he was never invited to any such meeting and suggested that Newsday contact Clarke.

Calls and a WhatsApp message to Clarke's cellphone went unanswered.