Minister of the Public Service, Consumer Affairs and Sports Frederick Stephenson is excited about the prospects that the Diamond Track Facility offers for the sport of Track and Field here.
Appointed to oversee sports for the second time in a Cabinet of the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Stephenson, in a recent interview, described the synthetic track “as an important added facility to the development of Athletics here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”
He revealed that additional work will be done on the EC$ 4 million facility, which was opened on 4th November last year.
“Work should continue shortly on the athletics track at Diamond,” the Minister disclosed.
Stephenson, who is the Parliamentary Representative of the South Windward Constituency, said that the remaining work on the facility would be to complete some of the unfinished areas, e.g. washroom and toilet facilities.
Once completed, Stephenson’s big wish is that the next Inter- Primary and Inter- Secondary Schools Athletics Championships would be staged at the Diamond Facility.
Stating that one of his main order of business of the Ministry of Sport is continuing to improve playing facilities, Stephenson declared, “My first interest is to see the many playing fields and sporting facilities that we have are fully upgraded and to be put into use,” and he added, “We are in the process of finalising some work with the National Lotteries Authority in upgrading quite a number of facilities.
Stephenson reasoned that with the playing facilities ‘up to scratch’, this would be an enticement for sportsmen and women to perform and keep their interest and passion in their respective disciplines.
He noted, though, fulfilling his desires and the programme of the Ministry of Sport hinged on a reduction in the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
“I am very hopeful that we will see light at the end of the tunnel and COVID-19 would be reduced and outdoor activities resumed,” Stephenson projected.