Who is popular today?

THE EDITOR: While attending the South-Central Panorama finals at Skinner Park, I noticed there was a gravel circle around the field. I asked veteran San Fernandians if it was there before. Being one myself I was surprised.
Not having been there for a while I thought I should ask others whose memory would be better than mine. Nope. This came with the upgrade which rendered the field not suited for top-level football games. Yes, they built the new structure in such a way it diminished the field.
Skinner Park and Guaracara Park for southerners were what the QP Savannah and the QP Oval are for northerners. But the PNM is great so that heritage and history are swept away in one fell swoop of upgrade.
In the case of Guaracara Park, it is simple neglect. I told a top regional sporting official with deep, deep family roots in the South of this and he could barely contain his laughter. Maybe someone could tell if there are any such major football venues in the region. Or the world.
The Jean Pierre Complex is slated for upgrade. It is left to be seen what kind of mess will be made of that project. I suggested to officials in netball that the venue should have been built along the lines of the satellite centre for cycling. As a regional hub for the islands south of Jamaica, TT is easier to reach.
These islands cannot afford the facilities we can. Jamaica already sees itself as a developed netball nation anyway, being consistently in the top three. Its perspective may not be inclusive of the needs of smaller islands at the moment.
Let us please remember that netball is poised for international take-off as it is included in the 2028 Olympic Games. TT is the only country in the region to win a world title in netball. Netball is our only sport to win a world team title. Not football, hockey, basketball. Even the mighty Jamaicans are yet to achieve that.
We must note that we lose our momentum that propels our sportspeople to the highest levels, not on the field but off it. We make breakthroughs in the most unlikely spaces. Hasely Crawford ending the domination of Europe and US in Olympics 100m men. Keshorn Walcott doing the same in the javelin barely out of his teens.
I think we are the first if not the only Caribbean country to win Olympic medals in weightlifting. Yet our sporting officials and governing bodies are forever running abroad to find ways to develop local sports. Look out for the ritual opening of more spanking new facilities in 2024. Followed by the routine gibberish about sport to fight crime. While the Ato Boldon Stadium remains closed almost six years to track and field. Is the Couva swimming pool operative? I think not.
Hey, maybe we could get the Prime Minister to publicly boof his Sports Minister to spook some meaningful change?

RAE SAMUEL

Balmain
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