Venues to receive facelift says officials

DESPITE having less than ideal time to prepare, the TT Commonwealth Games Association (TTCGA) will not have to worry about having its venues prepared for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games, as the Sport Company of TT (SporTT) and the Ministry of Sport have committed their resources to ensure all maintenance and repairs are completed.

The TTCGA was yesterday awarded hosting rights to the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games, winning over the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) executive board on its promise to host the event with an “youth-oriented digital strategy.”

With the TTCGA president Brian Lewis present in Birmingham, England, TT won the vote ahead of British territory Gibraltar. The Games were stripped from Northern Ireland’s capital Belfast by the CGF last June because of the political deadlock in Northern Ireland.

Both bids were described as excellent by the officials following site visits earlier this year. The Games will feature approximately 1,000 athletes and up to 3,000 officials and other visitors from across the Commonwealth.

One of the main criteria used to award TT the event was the number and quality of sporting venues.

SporTT, which is responsible for the the maintenance of most sporting venues across TT, is prepared to facilitate all the necessary work ahead of the Games.

SporTT chairman Douglas Camacho yesterday said given there are a limited number of sports which will feature at the Games, not all of the sporting arenas in TT will be utilised.

“It is not a very complex games in the sense that it’s not a senior games, it’s a junior games, and it’s only a handful of events.

“...If I could guarantee that in 2021 (the economic situation) will be fine? The answer is no, I can’t guarantee. I mean, we’ll do what we have to do,” Camacho said.

He added, “I have no doubt at all, we will be able to ensure all venues, both in Trinidad and Tobago will be in good condition for the Games, top condition, in fact.”

Several sports venues across the country, like the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima, are in dire need for maintenance and repairs.

The Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, will be among the primary venues and maintenance work will be done on it, said Camacho.

If cycling, aquatics, boxing and racquet sports are among the events at the Games, there are ideal venues for them such as the National Cycling Centre and National Aquatic Centre, both in Couva; the National Racquet Centre, Tacarigua, and a number of indoor facilities appropriate for boxing, which may require minimal work, if any at all.

Yesterday, speaking at the annual Olympic Day celebrations, Cudjoe said the local venues will be ready.

“We as Government (will) get ready to do our work as it relates to refurbishing the different facilities. Hasely Crawford Stadium needs work, Jean Pierre Complex needs work, Larry Gomes Stadium and all the different facilities that we would have pointed out to utilise in this (Games), the Government is on board.”

The air-conditioning system at the National Cycling Centre is currently broken – an issue affecting the athletes’ training and performance, as well as the condition of venue itself – but is expected to be repaired by the end of August.

Cudjoe said the ministry will be supporting financially. “We are committed to providing the neccesary funding and over the next couple days we will meet with TTOC and interact with TTOC on treating with these matters.”