Princes Town begs for playfield

Residents of Princes Town and environs are calling on the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs to complete the Yolande Pompey Recreational Facility. They claim that the project which was started in 2000 by the previous United National Congress (UNC) administration has since been neglected. Princes Town sports enthusiast, Balraj Harry said scores of youngsters from the Princes Town area witnessed the turning of the sod by the then Minister of Sports Manohar Ramsaran. This started the renovations and upgrading of the main sporting facility in the deep south.

Today the ground remains in a terrible condition forcing footballers to play on the Princes Town Senior Comprehensive School ground instead. Cricketer Wayne Ali is calling on the ministry, headed by Roger Boynes, to shed some light on the project, since there are hundreds of sportsmen and women in the area who are waiting for the ground to be upgraded. He also said that Princes Town residents are being victimised by the present administration. “We don’t know what is going on at the project. It starts, it stops, it starts again and then it stops. We don’t know what is going on and it is because Princes Town is a known UNC stronghold,” charged Ali. According to another villager, Naresh Singh, the project has been filled with irregularities. Singh told Newsday that building materials for the upgrading project were dropped off by trucks of Princes Town Regional Corporation. “Materials coming and going and no work is being shown. There are many who would pass by during the course of the night helping themselves to the gravel and boulders destined for the completion of the ground,” he noted.

Former chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation Winston Chindra said that the project was not finished because of the changing of contractors. Chindra noted that contractors of NIPDEC are controlling the project, which falls under the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. “When the project was started in 2000 the PTRC was invited to many meetings on the site. But this is not the case during the course of this year. “The government of the day has shown absolutely no interest in the further development of this sporting facility. There is nothing the PTRC can do but wait on a directive from the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs,” Chindra said. He pointed out that the first phase of the programme would have been completed by now if the work had continued. The UNC  administration had plans for a public swimming pool and basketball court on this facility. “Therefore,” Chindra said, “the youths are the ones who will suffer. They are being deprived of facilities that would encourage sports activities in the area.” He joined the residents in their call for the sports facilities to be completed. “Princes Town is being deprived of the making the next Daren Gangas and Dave Mohammeds and I am appealing to the Ministry of Sports on behalf of Princes Town residents, to look into this matter urgently so the facilities can be completed as soon as possible,” said Chindra.