Prime Minister rescues Ste Madeleine ground

After learning of the plight of Ste Madeleine cricketers, Prime Minister Patrick Manning has decided to step in and save their cricket season.

PM Manning read in yesterday’s Newsday that the once prominent cricket ground at Usine was unplayable due to lack of care, and as the Member of Parliament for the area he decided to get involved to help. This was revealed to Newsday by Dylis McDonald, Project Officer Community Relations of SWMCOL/CEPEP..  After the Prime Minister realised what was the situation concerning the facility, he got on the phone and immediately called us to send a CEPEP crew to clean out the facility. “The ground is now in condition to play cricket and we are very happy that the players can now go out there and play the game,” McDonald said. The facility popularly called the “Grandstand” is still without a functional turf wicket although  three are installed on the ground.

It will just take some effort from the Usine Ste Madeleine cricket team now to get it prepared properly. One member of the team was the groundsman at the facility who looked after the pitch. McDonald added. “There is a female caretaker who has been put in charge of the ground now and she will be there until further developments. What she has informed us however is that the ground will be taken over but she did not say if it was by the Sugar Manufacturing Company of Trinidad and Tobago or a private firm. “Nevertheless the Prime Minister has made a timely intervention and once again cricket fans can return to the ground to watch the game.” The ground has produced several top cricketers in the past but has been an eyesore for many months and this prompted a lot of Usine cricketers to leave the club and head for Diamond United.