By Morissa Lindsay
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith has plans to make the Wildey Gymnasium a hub for sports in Barbados as he assured that plans to lay a new 400m track at that location is still on stream.
Griffith who spoke with local media this morning at the Barbados Football Association headquarters in Wildey during a wide ranging [hyphenate wide ranging] interview said that he is pushing for the track to be completed in quick order for when the 2023 track and field season commences.
“We are in the process of developing a 400m track here at the Wildey complex, I am pushing for this track to be finished in quick time. I know that there are a number of events that would depend on us having that track ready and fit for use. So, I am trying to expedite the process in terms of having the 400m track here completed,” Griffith explained.
As it relates to the current status of the track, Griffith shared, “We would have cleared the land mass for the track, I believe town planning drawings should be logged, so we are just waiting for that and then we should be able to lay the track in short time. Now, there is some additional preparation that would have to go in on the ground in terms of the base for the track and that is also being put in place.”
Minister Griffith attended the opening of the D License coaching course this morning at the BFA where he reiterated during a one on one interview with journalists, that he hopes the track will finish in time for the track season pending Mother Nature saying, “It is absolutely critical to have the track in place.”
There were previous plans to have the 400m track placed at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex, but while Griffith said he cannot speak to what is happening at University of the West Indies Cave Hill-owned sporting facility, he noted that government has to have its own 400m track and hence they have made provisions to start the process.
It is not only the sport of track and field that is on the Minister’s radar but other disciplines including archery which is all part of his vision of making Wildey a sporting hub.
“I have also asked the sports council, at the same time we are clearing, to ensure that archery – because a place was identified for archery as well and we are hoping to have site visits to look at that particular location. We are trying to ensure that this particular area at Wildey is a sporting hub, so hence we are doing the necessary things to make sure that those other disciplines have a home.
Griffith also touched on plans for the redevelopment of the National Stadium which he revealed has not yet commenced because bidding is still ongoing in China.
“Only recently I was in contact with the Chinese ambassador in relation to start dates for the National Stadium and he indicated to me that the bidding process in Beijing is being carried out, so as soon as that bidding process is completed we should see some movements in terms of the National Stadium. I hope that is sooner rather than later.” Griffith explained.
While the Ministry of Sports sees the National Stadium as utmost priority, Griffith also touched on the need for the commensurate improvement of salary for national coaches especially those who constantly seek to develop their knowledge base, whether through obtaining a degree or otherwise.
“This government is a proactive government and this government would have corrected a lot of wrongs that were in place for several years, so if there is a need for that we would go back to the drawing board, we would see what is happening, how we can improve the pay of persons who would have used their initiatives to enhance their skill sets. We are not adverse to that but resources must be in place as well, in order to ensure that takes place,” he said.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
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