Five years ago, in the heat of a general election campaign, the Vincent Beach Stadium was thrust into the spotlight with bold promises and a hastily laid synthetic track. It was sold as a game changer for local athletics, a long-overdue investment that would finally place Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on the regional sporting map. The imagery was powerful, a new dawn for sports, youth empowerment, and national pride.
But five years on, and another election looming, the reality is a sobering reminder of politics outpacing practicality.
The track may have been rushed in before the last vote, but little else has followed. Today, the stadium still lacks basic infrastructure. There are no permanent changing rooms, no floodlights, and no proper spectator amenities. Athletes change in cars or on the open field. Evening training sessions are often cut short because the facility sinks into darkness. And for international competition standards, we are nowhere near.
What was promised as a national stadium remains a glorified training ground.
It is not that the country lacks talent. Vincentian athletes continue to shine, from school meets to regional events, often excelling against the odds. What we lack is political will beyond the photo ops and ribbon cuttings. Development must go deeper than a track rolled out for show.
This is not just about sports. It is about the credibility of government promises, the value placed on youth opportunity, and the respect for public investment. For a project of national importance to stall for five years without accountability is an indictment of misplaced priorities.
Now, as we head into yet another election cycle, we can expect the stadium to re-enter political talking points. Perhaps even a solar light installation or a new blueprint for facilities will be floated. But words are cheap, and voters are wiser now.
The Vincent Beach Stadium should have been a beacon of national pride. Instead, it stands half finished, underused, and unlit as a symbol of promises made in haste and forgotten in comfort.
This time, the people should demand more than a track. They should demand completion.
True Patriot
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