As Barbados focuses its sights, energies and efforts on hosting ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches next month, the report of progress in the effort to get a new National Stadium at Waterford is welcomed news.
Cricket will take the spotlight here from June 1 to June 29, and reports that the final match at Kensington Oval is already sold out augur well for the country as thousands of eyes will be on Barbados.
It certainly is an occasion for us to display national pride. We have already been told that on June 28, the eve of the deciding World Cup match, Barbados will have its first ever National Flag Day.
Coordinator of the National Organising Committee for the World Cup, Ambassador Noel Lynch encouraged everyone to “come out on this day and celebrate Barbadian pride, celebrate Barbadian greatness”.
“We want every Barbadian from every walk of life to come with your flag, fly your flag on your house, your car; wear it on your chest during this period as a show of pride and patriotism on this day,” he said.
But even as the country counts the anticipated gains from staging the international cricket tournament, Bajans remain concerned about the fate of the historic National Stadium which is home to three sports.
On Wednesday, an Implementation Agreement between the Government of Barbados and the People’s Republic of China was signed, essentially paving the way for the start of Phase 1 of the eagerly-anticipated project which is anticipated to cost $76.7 million.
Phase 1 of the project, which is being fully funded by China, is expected to be completed in 29 months. Phase 2 will be undertaken by the Government of Barbados.
Minister of Sports Charles Griffith said while there had been much debate over the length of time it was taking to start the multi-million-dollar project, there were several obligations that had to be met by both parties.
“It has been a while since negotiations were taking place for this facility. The Implementation Agreement is a document that will guide the process in terms of the responsibility of the Chinese side and the Barbadian side in relation to what will happen during the construction phase,” he explained.
The minister said the facility will seat 10 000 persons in the initial phase.
Ambassador of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng gave the assurance that everything would be done to ensure an early start to the project: “China will maintain close collaboration with Barbados and make every effort to promote the early commencement of the project, so as to make the National Stadium a new landmark for Barbados and a new benchmark of China-Barbados friendship.”
Despite this good news for athletes, cyclists and footballers, no timeline has yet been given for the start date of the first phase of the project.
What was reported is that it will take 29 months from groundbreaking to complete renovations. Sources close to the project told Barbados TODAY that demolition of the existing stadium has been provisionally earmarked for the end of July.
Now that the documents have been signed and the minister has signalled a level of readiness, Bajans will be waiting with bated breath to see when action of any kind starts at the National Stadium.
On social media and call-in programmes, many are sceptical, saying they will believe the project is underway only when something happens at Waterford.
We understand their cynicism since it has been a long road to this point.
The National Stadium was closed to the public in 2015. It was in September 2022 that Griffith had promised groundbreaking for the new stadium would be in 2023. Prime Minister Mia Mottley also joined the chorus in 2023. In a BGIS-issued statement, she said the government would soon break ground for the construction of a new stadium.
We therefore hope that no lengthy amount of time elapses between this week’s signing and the actual works. Bajans have been more than tolerant, given that next year will make a decade that the National Stadium has been out of commission.
