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Officials (from left) Permanent Secretary, Irvine Best; Minister of Sports, Stephen Lashley; MP for St. James, George Hutson; Sports Officer, Stephen Rowe; Director of the National Sports Council, Erskine King; and Senior Technical Officer, Ronni Thompson,??reviewing the??plan for??the Bagatelle Pavilion.
An upgrade of the Bagatelle Pavilion may be in the works, says Minister of Sports, Stephen Lashley.
??While touring the St. Thomas-based sporting facility last Friday, Mr. Lashley intimated that an improvement to the pavilion would come "providing that my Ministry could successfully lobby" for it in the Estimates, which are currently being prepared.
"… Cost is always a constraint, and to the extent that we can make proper provision for it, then we will try to schedule it as one of the facilities for improvement," he stated.
The Minister disclosed that the upgrade would cost about $120,000 and include sinking a well to improve drainage, increasing storage facilities, and ensuring the bathrooms were disabled friendly.
He pointed out that a ramp would be constructed to allow access to physically challenged persons. "It is something I would obviously like to see spread to all pavilions across Barbados, so that all Barbadians, whether able-bodied or otherwise, can have access to the facilities," he declared.
Mr. Lashley also reminded sporting groups using the pavilions across the island that they must first secure permission for use from the National Sports Council (NSC), since this would, among other things, regulate its use to avoid unnecessary conflict.??
The Minister promised to tour other pavilions across the island in an attempt to plan for further improvements.
The touring party included Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Irvine Best; Director of the NSC, Erskine King; Senior Technical Officer at the Council, Ronnie Thompson; Sports Officer in the Ministry, Stephen Rowe and Member of Parliament for St. James Central, George Hutson. saustin@barbados.gov.bb