The Tribune

YOUTH, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said yesterday that renovation works at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium should be completed next month before the upcoming 50th CARIFTA games.

The project has a price tag of $2.8m, he added.

“What we have done is obtain a contractor for the cost of some $2.8m to do the cosmetic works as it relates to the structure of the stadium and that is expected to be finished by mid-March at the latest, the end of March which will have us prepared and ready to go for CARIFTA which will be in the second week of April during the Easter celebration,” Mr Bowleg told reporters before going to a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.

In the meantime, he said, repairs to the track remain underway and added that plans to install a new track are expected to take place before 2024.

“The old track surface should be completed by the end of this month and we expect the new track which is getting some minor repairs which we intend to replace for the World Relays in 2024 so with that being said the old track will be completed first so that we can have some events on the old track while the new track with the physical structure being repaired at the same time.”

He said repairs to old and new tracks will cost the government somewhere around $800,000.

In terms of ticket sales for CARIFTA, Mr Bowleg noted that they are selling out fast and advised Bahamians to purchase them as soon as possible.

“We want the Bahamian people to come out and support the Bahamian athletes,” he added, while describing the ticket costs as being very cheap.

“Ten dollars for the ticket in the general area and I think you know that’s a little we can spend to show the support to our athletes and give them that support they need to have that extra boost to cross that finish line.”

The CARIFTA Games will be held in The Bahamas from April 7-10.