Private sector slams $850M sports complex

THE private sector is shocked that $850 million is to be spent on a sports complex at Tarouba, as announced by Minister of Sports Roger Boynes Wednesday at a post- Cabinet media conference. Some 17 top business associations calling themselves, “Organisations representative of the private sector of Trinidad and Tobago,” expressed their “shock and concern,” in a statement yesterday. They said the proposed expenditure would be made at a time when kidnappings and homicides are out of control and innocent children are being sprayed with bullets in their own homes.

While the group is sensitive to the need for social programmes, long-term planning, and the potential of sport to transform young lives, it said the country had other priorities. “In our view there is an immediate and urgent need for adequate resources to be allocated to the Police Service, Anti Kidnapping Squad, Judiciary, witness protection plan, and the nation’s jails, to deal with the clear and present danger that confronts us now,” the statement said. Moreso, they pointed out, the country already has four new stadia built in the past four years plus the National Stadium, all of which remain under-utilised. 

“The population is living in fear and the country is beginning to experience a brain drain, and capital flight. “The time for appropriately prioritising the allocation of resources by the Government must be made now.” Previously, the group called on Members of Parliament to support laws to tackle the country’s rising crime rate.

The group consists of the American Chamber of Com-merce, Arima Business Associa-tion, Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies, Bankers Association, Couva/ Point Lisas Chamber of Com-merce, Downtown Owners and Merchants Association, Em-ployers Consultative Associa-tion, Greater Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Greater Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Penal/Debe Cham-ber of Commerce, Point Fortin Chamber of Commerce, San Juan Business Association, Sangre Grande Chamber of Commerce, South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Com-merce, Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Com-merce, Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association, and Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association.