Tobago Secondary Schools track postponed

[Socapro]

Tobago Secondary Schools track postponed
By KINNESHA GEORGE Thursday, February 26 2015 (T&T Newsday)

Shaw Park Recreational Grounds Tobago deemed unfit for use by athletes

TOBAGO’S HOPES of becoming the 24th successive National Secondary Schools’ Track and Field Champions are on the verge of being crushed as the Tobago leg of the competition has been postponed indefinitely, since the Shaw Park grounds have been deemed unfit for use by athletes.

A close source said the decision was made following a tour and inspection of the grounds by the Tobago Zone Secondary Schools Track and Field Committee on Monday.

The Shaw Park Ground is being used as an alternative training facility, after the Dwight Yorke Stadium which falls under the Ministry of Sports and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago was shut down and deemed unsafe in 2014, when the Occupational Safety and Health Authority OSHA found numerous safety violations.

The Dwight Yorke Stadium has not been in use since October 24 2014. The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) spent $14 million to replace the Mondo track last year.

It is reported that a team of 10 committee members and stakeholders inspected the grounds and found issues such as holes in the track, an uneven running surface, no high jump facility and a poor long jump pit.

Officials believe that Shaw Park is a hazard to athletes since they are at risk of injury especially those who are scheduled to participate in the forthcoming CARIFTA Games on the Easter weekend. Athletes are being urged not to use Shaw Park and to use alternative training facilities for their safety.

Up to yesterday, arrangements were being made to inform the Secretary for Education, Youth Affairs and Sport Huey Cadette and Assistant Secretary responsible for Youth Affairs and Sports Jomo Pitt, as well as Secondary School Principals about the situation.

Meanwhile, the National Track and Field Zonal Championships was scheduled for February 25 and 26 but was moved to April 15 and 16 due to the unavailability of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

In an interview with Secretary Huey Cadette on Tuesday, he said the work at the Shaw Park grounds can be remedied and all efforts are being made to ensure that the games are held this year.

“We are doing all we can to remedy the issues on the Shaw Park grounds to that end the Tobago Zonal Committee is scheduled to meet and advise the division of a new date so that there is a good showing of Tobago’s talent at the National meet and be successful for the 24th consecutive time. This division is committed at ensuring there is speedy resolution to the issues raised,” he said.

[Deeks]

Absolutely "marvelous". Not believable!

[Socapro]

Dwight Yorke Stadium remains closed
By KINNESHA GEORGE Friday, March 13 2015 (T&T Newsday)

Dwight Yorke Stadium remains closed

The Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago remains closed, four months after the sporting facility was shut down because of health and safety violations. This closure comes after a multi-million dollar refurbishment programme for the stadium, which included a new Mondo athletics track.

Responding to the situation, THA Chief Secretary Orville London said that he along with Secretary and Assistant Secretary with responsibility for Sports Huey Cadette and Jomo Pitt are expected to meet with newly instated Minister of Sport, Brent Sancho on Friday.

“The stadium will be up for discussion. Among the issues would be the repairs to the stadium; as you’re aware we’re still in limbo with regards to that.

The THA have invested close to $12M to repair the mondo track; to date we have no final word from the Sport Company or even the Ministry of Sport with respect to the repairs. We also expect that in the discussions there would be more certainty to that particular process and while we’re on that, we would also be discussing the future management of the stadium,” he explained.

London noted that there are numerous frustrations as it relates to the facility and hence the THA now feels helpless. “We have no control over the stadium, the owners of the stadium is the government of Trinidad and Tobago and they are in fact in control of the stadium. They are the ones who make all the decision; we cannot go in unless we negotiate with them in order to get things done,” the Chief Secretary said.

He maintained that the major challenge is that to date, the Sport Company has not been able to give any definite word as to the status of the facility.

“Is it aesthetic or structural? If it is aesthetic, it would cost less and would be able to be completed in a shorter time; if it is in fact structural, then we have a serious problem,” he outlined.

The closure of the Dwight Yorke Stadium comes in the midst as Tobago tries to market itself as a sports tourism destination and would affect both the Tobago Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships as well as the British Airways Tobago Football Legends Challenge.

Hosting of the Tobago Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships is currently in limbo as Secretary of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport Huey Cadette has revealed that all efforts are being made to ensure that the games are held this year. Meanwhile, mention is yet to be made as to the status of the British Airways Tobago Football Legends Challenge.

The stadium is expected to be the venue of the June challenge, which is likely to see some of the world’s former football stars from Premiership clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United play against a team of Caribbean players. It is being heavily marketed by the THA’s Division of Tourism and Transportation as “one of the major sporting events” that will take place on the island in 2015.

[doc]

The Stadium was closed November or sometime late in 2012 for work on the track, and was only made available for a couple events since inclusive of the funeral of the late ANR Robinson. OSHA finally shut it down fully a few months ago.

[Deeks]

Doc, this is unacceptable.

[Socapro]

Sancho: Dwight Yorke Stadium re-opening in May
Sunday, March 15 2015 (T&T Newsday)

Dwight Yorke Stadium now due to re-open in May

The Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago remains closed, four months after the sporting facility was shut down because of health and safety violations. This closure comes after a multi-million dollar refurbishment programme for the stadium, which included a new Mondo athletics track.

MID-MAY has been set as the timeline for completion of remedial work on the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Sport Minister Brent Sancho said yesterday during a meeting he had yesterday with officials from the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

The meeting took place at the Calder Hall Administrative Complex, Scarborough and was held to discuss the current status of the multi-million dollar stadium in Bacolet, which has been shut down since last October.

Following the hour long meeting, Sancho told reporters that discussions were cordial. “The process has started. We at the Ministry and by extension SPORTT (Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago) see this as a matter we will work assiduously to rectify,” Sancho said.

“There are some OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) issues. We’ve already started work on some of these issues and will continue to work on the deadline which was prescribed in this meeting,” Sancho assured.

THA Secretary of Sport, Huey Cadette noted that he was indeed satisfied with the discussions and comfortable with the timeline set.

“We are comforted at this point in time. The steps along the line, what they have indicated is that discussions would take place with OSH officials to ensure all necessary work will be carried out. We recognise that some works would not be able to be done prior to the May deadline and the legends tournament in June. “So that in the discussions with the Sport Company, the Ministry and the THA, we have identified those works that are critical and would reduce the risk to acceptable levels that can be completed,” Cadette explained. The question was additionally posed as to if there is any ‘Plan B’ for the hosting of the British Airways Tobago Football Legends Challenge, should this timeline not be met. THA Chief Secretary Orville London intervened.

“The tournament would not go on,” he said.

London thanked Minister Sancho and his team for coming to Tobago and helping to resolve some of the issues affiliated to sports on the island.

The Dwight Yorke Stadium remains closed, four months after the sporting facility was shut down by the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) for repairs to the playing field and structural damage to the main stand.

This closure comes after a multimillion dollar refurbishment programme for the stadium, which included a new mondo track.

Hosting of the Tobago Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships is currently in limbo as Cadette has revealed that all efforts are being made to ensure the games are held this year.

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Minister of Sport Brent Sancho was in Tobago on Friday to meet with the Tobago House of Assembly representatives to determine what can be done to alleviate occupational health and safety concerns which have led to the Dwight Yorke Stadium being unfit for use in the last year or so.

SPORT: SANCHO MEETS THA ON OSH ISSUES:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/V-gCaqZd8ME" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/V-gCaqZd8ME</a>

[Socapro]

Work starts on Yorke stadium
Story Created: Mar 19, 2015 at 8:38 PM ECT (T&T Express)

Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago, could be ready in June

The Dwight Yorke Stadium could be ready to host the British Airways Legends Football Tournament in June.

Chief Secretary Orville London, Secretary of the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport (DEYAS), Huey Cadette and Assistant Secretary in that Division Jomo Pitt all met with Minister of Sport Brent Sancho last  Friday at the Administrative Complex in Calder Hall to discuss the status of the stadium which has been closed since November 2012, as the  Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago has not conducted  critical repairs necessary for  Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) approval.

According to Cadette, DEYAS will continue to discuss the issue with OSHA to determine which works can be completed in time for the tournament.

Cadette said during the meeting, it was agreed that an overall refurbishment of the stadium is necessary but that it cannot be completed in time for the Legends tournament. He is, however, comfortable with the decisions taken at the one-hour meeting.

These include facilitating the immediate use of the warm-up track and practise field outside the stadium.

Sancho said work has already started to rectify the problems identified by OSHA.

The Minister has also promised to have most of the problems with the track and main stand at the Dwight Yorke Stadium rectified by May.