Doldron says Trinidad can’t stage ‘05 Carifta Games

Trinidad and Tobago’s National Amateur Athletics Association (NAAA) President Ken Doldron says that the hosting of the 2005 CARIFTA Games in Trinidad is not an option. The slated venue, the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago, is behind schedule in preparation and Doldron announced this week that there is a danger his NAAA could be forced to forfeit the staging of the games next April. He told CMC Sport Wednesday that if the championship cannot —  because of infrastructure delay —  be held in neighbouring Tobago as planned, Trinidad was not an option, because of the lack of accommodation.

“The Trinidad situation is the hotels are totally booked for Easter weekend, there is going to be a major meeting here of all the members of the Central Banks of the Caribbean and persons of the National Insurance.”   “They have taken full control of the Crown Plaza Hotel, in addition to that when the planning stage took place, the Hasely Crawford management offered the services of the stadium and we told them no because we were confident the games would come off and to go ahead and book the facility to somebody else.” Doldron, who defeated Carl Alphonso to regain the presidency of the NAAA last month, also said “that the North America, Central America, and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) would have to use Jamaica as the other alternative if they could not fulfill the commitment of hosting, which would put the NAAA in a very embarrassing situation.”

The NAAA head also added that all the technical plans have been laid down so it is up to the relevant contractors to begin developing the facility. “We have already received cabinet approval and the assurances that the money is there, so we don’t know what the delay is about. I wasn’t worried before but now the panic button has been pressed because time is running out.” He also said that Mondo, the company that has been contracted to lay the running track is still awaiting confirmation from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs assuring them payment, to get things on the way. “What the Ministry has to understand is that getting the materials to Tobago and installing it is a lengthy process it can take about four weeks,” Doldron stated. (CMC)