Sports Minister, Stephen Lashley, has pledged that upgrades will soon be on the horizon for several National Sports Council (NSC) facilities across the island.

Following an impromptu tour on Wednesday, the Minister gave the assurance that ???remedial maintenance??? would be carried out by the end of the week to address these issues.

Mr. Lashley was accompanied on the tour, which began at Lowthers playing field, St. Patrick???s, Christ Church, by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ruth Blackman; Chairman of the NSC, Michael Power; Interim Chief Executive Office at the NSC, Jerry Blenman; Deputy Director of Sports, Neil Murrell; Senior Technical Officer at the NSC, Ronald Thompson; President of the Barbados Cricket Association, Joel Garner; and Sports Development Officer in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Rowe.

Speaking to media at the end of the tour at the Desmond Haynes Sports Complex, Holders Hill, St. James, Mr. Lashley stressed that he toured the facilities with the intention of immediate action taking place.

Noting that a new plan would be implemented by the NSC to separate the island into five zones to assist with the initiative, the Minister stated: ???It is a mammoth task, with 106 playing fields and over 70 hard courts to maintain. However, we are in difficult economic times but based on what I have seen the work that is required is really a question of basic maintenance??????

He continued that it was also a case of ensuring that the persons who were assigned at the NSC to do the work paid attention to certain details. The Sports Minister stressed that those persons responsible for maintaining and supervising would therefore be held accountable.

While also appealing to the various communities to work closely with the NSC, the Minister chided those responsible for illegally dumping and vandalism. He therefore stressed that he would everything in his power to ensure that persons who engaged in these acts were prosecuted.

Other areas toured included Wotton, Cane Vale and Friendship playing fields in Christ Church; the Victor Clarke playing field and Aubrey Grant pavilion in Carrington Village; the Fernihurst playing field in Black Rock, and the Grazettes playing field, all in St. Michael.

theresa.blackman@barbados.gov.bb

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