Saint Lucia’s Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Kenson Casimir, has renewed calls to end entertainment activities at sporting facilities.
In 2022, Casimir declared that by 2023, the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground and other national sports facilities would no longer be available for mass crowd events other than sports.
However, last year and into 2024, these facilities have continued to host large—and small-scale entertainment events.
Some of the major events for Saint Lucia Carnival were staged at the Soufriere mini stadium, the Sab playing field in Castries and the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet.
The Sab was used as the venue for all of the national carnival events including Soca Monarch, King and Queen of the Bands, Panorama and the Calypso finals.
The last event, the Calypso finals was held on Saturday July 13.
However, one week later, organizers were still clearing out the area, and parts of the grounds’ surface area were visibly damaged.
During this week’s pre-cabinet press briefing, the Sports minister was questioned about this and the continued use of the venues for entertainment.
“We must identify an area for an entertainment center for our creatives in this country,” Casimir stated.
“I do have a proposal in terms of where, in terms of the structure and how it is going to work…in terms of having a place to host these carnival events, those entertainment events, that does not allow our young sportsmen and women this inordinate amount of time for the use of the field,” he told reporters.
According to the Sports Minister, the use of the field is primarily for the development of the community, for sports and physical fitness.
He went on to say that crown lands were identified at Beausejour Gros Islet, which he deemed suitable for an entertainment venue.
The Minister said he already had a plan for the entertainment centre, which he would put forward.
“I have said and will continue to say that I would prefer that we do not have these activities at these ground,” Casimir said.
“It hurts my heart as a sports minister and I have said this and will continue to say this, there is no sports minister that I have met who is happy that entertainment and that sort of stuff is going on in the Caribbean simply because we don’t have a history of discipline, we do not and we have not shown the discipline, in terms of the entertainers, in terms of the events persons to get out of our facilities in a timely manner,” he added.
The sports minister said he would continue to lobby to prevent this from continuing, adding that he was confident that he would soon be vindicated.
Woy woy woy, sa say politician. Speaking from both sides of his mouth. And all the sheeple say hooray.
…. take that matter up with your colleagues in cabinet and leave us in our struggle to find a solution to the high prices at the supermarket, and the bullets flying all around us. We have more than enough on our plate ….
Ernest coming for you lol. Which grounds did you identify? Bet you have a stake in it? Lol
Pure BS, St Lucia cannot even maintain aa stadium in VF, yet we want to be picky with entertainment locations. Countries way bigger than ours with more yard space and acreage use national parks and stadiums to host parties, yet we the tiny ants in a nest want to cut style on our own people. Let Cardi B decide to stop here on a tour, and I am sure you will say yes.
I used to really like Kenson, however, his posturing of late has been worrisome
He believe he can continue to fool ppl
Never mind the mess left after the carnival, wherever you go on this island there is mess and filth left behind, public areas are littered with discarded plastic bottles, take away food containers, anything no longer required gets dropped on the floor, there may be bins around, but there are no instructions on how to use them. There’s barely a stretch of road that doesn’t have at least one dumped and rusting vehicle on view. ‘I don’t want it, I’ll dump it here’ seems to be the Lucian attitude on a daily basis. Not just following a twerking event.
Outsider looking in; you are a hypocrite. You sound American. Three words for you, “Burning Man concert”…rubbish rubbish rubbish and the list goes on. After every show in St. Lucia a team must be contracted to clear garbage. This is mandatory. Persons do utilize bins at events and others don’t. You can’t teach etiquette yo adults, especially to Americans visiting.
Also the derelict vehicle issue you speak of is false. Most have since been learned off the streets during the past 2 years.
You want to tell Hilaire n Thaddeus not to have their fetes on d cricket grounds ? Who is you. Good luck though .
Why not focus on the high prices of good/food items on our supermarket shelves.
Lack of medication at our health centers okeu. Isn’t that more important to the nation?