Smith wants facility to be a learning centre

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Darryl Smith made the announcement yesterday during a tour at the facility together with officials from the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UdeCOTT ).

At a date yet to be determined in May, Smith said that the whole world will be stopping to watch this country at the fantastic launch.

“Next two to three years, I want us to see records being broken, memories being made. I want the facility to be utilised to the maximum.

We welcome the world to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy,” Smith told media personnel.

The initial cost of the facility given in 2006 was $500 million but it was left incomplete and idle for several years. As such it cost taxpayers over $1billion.

Yesterday the Minister charged that within nine months of restarting construction works under the ruling PNM administration, they pulled off the task with a $90 million budget.

Smith said he intends to go to Cabinet for second phase with regards with the academy to work with athletes at the primary school level.

Smith explained: “We want to capture young people in the development stage. We will be working with the Minister of Education to go to Cabinet to finalise that plan where it will be a learning centre where young people can stay and live here starting off with cricket and then we will evolve to other sports - football track and field- as time goes by.” Such “talks” have already started and so Government hopes to start school by next year. He is hoping that the athletes will make the WI youth teams and play at the professional level.

“The schooling aspect will be done here. Cricket is first and foremost to start off. Lara will be a major part of the academy. He is the best and his knowledge over the years will serve the young people of T&T and the region excellent,” Smith added. He referred to Lara as “a treasure we have here in TT ” and a world icon.

He noted that although the physical building is beautiful, it is about the human resource.

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy boasts a security system with 150 cameras and left Smith in awe as he toured the facility alongside the media yesterday.