Too Long a wait
Lost Potential both in sporting disciplines and revenue
An opinion by Jamal Bovell
It was the ending of April 2021 that the then minister in charge Dwight Sutherland stated that the new athletic track was already on the way and repairs to the overused stadium which he stated was already on the way. Repairs on some portions had been completed and the remainder would be done. The stands were to be done later. At that point in time most people accepted that it wasn’t ideal but it was an improvement. Much needed work since the initial laying of this track in 2012.
It was then in September 2022 we heard from the new minister of Sports Charles Griffith that they would be breaking ground on a new stadium. We heard from several areas of government including the Prime Minister Mia Mottley herself, that we would be receiving funding from China to facilitate this new stadium.
It’s been nearly two years now and still our athletes are waiting.
It was then November 2023 we heard from the Prime Minister and Dr. William Duguid that some environmental issues had to be addressed but government was not twiddling their thumbs and we were assured work would commence in March or April this year.
We are almost 2 months gone and still our athletes are waiting.
Some may say this isn’t a loss because there is The Usain Bolt Complex but as we saw this year having one facility is and always was a recipe for speeding up the deterioration of that complex. To their credit the management of the facility have shown a propensity for maintenance and proper care of the stadium. Thus this year in keeping with that the stadium became off-limits and our athletes were forced to compete on less than ideal grass tracks, our athletics association had to ship our athletes out to overseas meets to try qualify for regional and international meets.
Perhaps I’m just hanging on nostalgia and reminiscing about watching future global stars like Usain Bolt, Kerron Stewart, Veronica Cam[bell-Browne and Trinidadian Darrel Brown compete at Carifta 2001. Maybe I’m stuck in 2002 where these same stars returned with others such as Kelly-Ann Baptiste for that years edition of CAC juniors. The following year we saw the Panam Juniors took to these shores and even more future global giants, such as Jeremy Wariner, Natasha Hastings made their appearance with Usain Bolt setting a new Junior World record.
For me these brought moments of pride being able to watch our local giants of that era, the likes of Damon Thompson, Wilan Louis, Shernelle Nicholls, Jade Bailey amongst others compete and hold their own against these future global giants. A pride that I wonder if/when will those younger than me get to experience. I am sure these helped drive interest into the sport for my generation as the stadium was packed to capacity with fans screaming our lungs out.
It was September 2022 the Prime Minister said that the promise that a new stadium was not just lip service. It was 2020 we were told that the stadium would be used for national teams and be better policed.
Some folks think the track and field fraternity shouldn’t take it personal that sports itself on a whole is treated on the same level across the island but with the rapid investment of funds into the already internationally ratred Kensington Oval for the upcoming T20 World Cup one can wonder. In the recent past we have seen a new facility for football has been opened. The road tennis fraternity has seen a number of courts created and a large investment to grow it globally. The greatest slap to the face may come with the improvement of the netball facilities a mere stone’s throw away from the now ghost town of a stadium.
It’s 2024 and we the fans of athletics are still waiting. Our athletes are still waiting. The country’s potential for growth and the further development of the likes of Sada Williams, Mario Burke and Jonathan Jones on home soil are still waiting.
