Jack on Gary Hunt
Naz Yacoob
Incumbent UNC MP for Chaguanas West, Jack Warner, says the Sport Ministry under the leadership of Gary Hunt has done nothing to improve the lives of sportsmen and sportswomen in this country. Warner, a high-ranking member of Fifa and who is strongly favoured to retain his seat in the upcoming May 24 general election, told the T&T Guardian the most they could remember regarding Government’s contribution to sport “was the disgraceful expenditure of $2 million to purchase a national flag.” “During a six-year period, some $143.6 million has been spent on sport, less than the sum used to build the Prime Minister’s palace, and still to date we have no facility of which we as a nation can be proud. “Since 2003, we have been promised five regional recreational grounds in Pleasantville, Diego Martin, Arima, Santa Cruz and Toco, and in spite of spending some $30.2 million, none of these facilities are even half completed or close to finish.”
He said since 2003, they had been promised three indoor youth sport facilities in Diego Martin, Sangre Grande and Arima, and in spite of spending some $6.1 million the only evidence of expenditure was erected fences in Arima and Sangre Grande and a guard booth overrun with garbage in Sangre Grande.
Warner identified the facilities the government said were completed but which were a poor reflection of a vision 20/20 for sport: Grande Riviere—$3.4 million—ladder to climb up the pavilion; steelrods exposed which is a threat to the sports persons; no toilet and bathroom fixtures at the facility; electrical cables exposed at ground level. Cocorite—$2.8 million incomplete facilities; steelrods exposed all over the ground; incomplete pavilion; no toilets, bathrooms.
Very few sporting organisations have improved their global rankings; poor international visibility. Decrease in grass roots sports—major decline in funding, major decline in sports in communities; community facilities overrun with grass. However, Hunt defended his tenure in office, and said the fruits had been nurtured in the tenets of sound policy prescriptions namely, a national sport policy, which articulates total participation in sport and high performance in sport and a national youth policy which seeks to develop well-rounded, empowered young people to take their place in the governance of this nation. “In 2009, our athletes’ successes were from the community level to international, worldwide arena."
We saw our flag raised high at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Berlin, Germany, as we celebrated the success of our 100m relay team: Richard Thompson, Emmanuel Callender, Mark Burns and Darryl Brown, who captured silver in the 4 x 100 relay at the World Track and Field Championships. Two of our athletes from our sister isle were especially successful at these world games. Josanne Lucas set a personal best and a new national record of 53.20 seconds in the women’s 400 metres hurdles where she earned a bronze medal and Rennie Quow, a young man of humble beginnings, has risen out of adversity to capture bronze in the 400m hurdles. Young Jehue Gordon, at the age of 17, is this country’s youngest athlete to qualify for the IAAF’s World Championships. He was also the youngest finalist from any country to compete at the World Championships,” Hunt said.
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