‘Sports Company will bring change’

And Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Roger Boynes has given the assurance that it will deliver.

The minister also told the gathering that Government is willing to give football more money if the need arises.

His promise comes on the heels of TT’s World Cup qualifying encounter with Mexico at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo tomorrow night.

The Warriors need a victory to qualify for a play-off spot with either Bahrain or Uzbekistan.

The Sports Company has been set up to act as the implementation mechanism from decisions made by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the organisation responsible for the development of sports in Trinidad and Tobago.

Boynes said the introduction of the Sports Company is certain to bring about change in the lives of many in Trinidad and Tobago as it will not only provide employment through the distribution of small contracts for the purpose of maintenance, but also provide athletes with resources to do what they do best.

According to Boynes, the Sports Company will look after the upgrade of hundreds of community facilities as well as implement programmes at the venues.

He said the company is responsible for eight objectives, among which include ensuring total participation, the development of national pride among individuals and to promote TT as the sporting destination in the region.

In addition the Sports Company will oversea the construction of an aquatic centre for Olympic bronze medallist George Bovell III as well as the upgrade of many other recreational grounds, such as covering the fields at the various stadia.

He noted also that government will also cover the Jean Pierre Complex at Mucurapo and provide upgrade work and new facilities for athletes.

Minister Boynes said the country’s sportsmen and women have done well with the limited resources they had been exposed to in the past and pointed out the time had come to take sports in Trinidad and Tobago to another level.

He said Trinidad and Tobago had become the sporting hub of the Caribbean pointing out that the proposed Brian Lara Stadium which will be built at a cost of $850 million will also be used for international matches involving the West Indies.

Boynes said sportsmen and women doing as well as they have in recent times are expected to improve even more with the introduction of the Sports Company.

The company’s focus will be on low and high-performance sports he said.

Sports, Minister Boynes said was about taking the individuals off the streets and making a well rounded human being. He said the Sports Company had a responsibility for the implementation of new programmes within the communities and the upgrade of facilities.

Boynes said Government has already approved $120 million towards with an additional $85 million for the implementation of programmes and policies.

Gerard Ferreira, Chairman of the Sports Company said they were responsible for breathing life into the concept of sport for all, regardless of race, colour, class, gender, age, creed and physical or mental condition.

The former mayor of San Fernando said he will ensure that world class sportsmen and women can receive world class training assistance and training facilities right here.

The present president of the Arima Race Club said his association will provide athletes with the guidance, strategies, funding, the game plan and the gears necessary to allow stakeholders in the communities to execute winning ways.