National Stadium demolition delayed despite minister’s pledge

Onlookers expecting to see the National Stadium crumble into the dust of demolition on Tuesday nearly 55 years after the current British monarch opened it, went away without the spectacle, as fresh doubts were cast on government assurances that the long-awaited redevelopment would finally get underway.

When Barbados TODAY visited the Waterford derelict on Tuesday afternoon, there was no sign of activity at the site.

During a tour on April 1, Minister of Youth and Sports Charles Griffith confidently declared to reporters that April 15 would mark the start of the long-overdue teardown of the facility, which has been closed to the public since 2015 due to safety concerns.

He said the government had secured the necessary funding to begin the first phase of redevelopment. The government secured an $80 million grant from China, and the project promises to deliver modern facilities and employment opportunities for Barbadians. The project is to be carried out by the Beijing Construction Engineering Group, with support from Barbadian contractors.

“We took a while getting here, but today is the start of the process,” Griffith said. “On the 15th of this month, demolition will start in earnest, and I want people to know that while this has been long in coming, we are now at the point where the Chinese are here on the island, and the work is about to begin.”

Multiple calls to Griffith for comment on the delay were not returned.

Barbados TODAY understands that demolition is still planned. Heavy-duty machinery is expected to be tested on Thursday, with actual demolition work now anticipated to begin sometime next week. (SZB)