The traditional home of motorsports in Saint Lucia may soon be unavailable to enthusiasts on the island. The Vieux Fort Base, more commonly known as the “Caca bef,” has been earmarked for fencing by the fuel company Rubis, with an additional fuel depot planned to service the nearby Hewanorra International Airport (HIA).
Historically, the location was used by the United States military during the second world war as part of its strategic presence in the Caribbean. More recently, the Vieux Fort Base has been repurposed for motorsports activities, particularly as a venue for racing events and other public gatherings. However, with the base set to be utilised for alternative purposes, its use as a motorsports hub is in jeopardy.
In late 2020, a proposal was tabled to develop a new home for local drag racing. The proposed location in Dennery South was intended to be developed into an official facility. In May 2022, under the leadership of Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Kenson Casimir, a tour was facilitated to continue the search for a new site.
Terroll Compton, Chairman of the Saint Lucia Motorsports Association, has indicated that while he has not received any official documents, the rumors surrounding changes at the Beanfield base are unsettling. “It has set the country back as a motorsports destination — no longer viable until something can be done to develop a new track. This means drag racing in Saint Lucia is at a standstill,” Compton said.
“We’ve been recognised as one of the best destinations for motorsports, and Saint Lucia is strategically placed. We were poised to host the biggest and most outstanding international drag race in the Caribbean, and now that opportunity is lost. The powers that be are prioritising their interests and the broader picture of international development.
“But we also bring in sports tourism. We provide an avenue for young people passionate about engineering and mechanical engineering. We see the potential of having such a facility here,” he added.
St. Lucia Times also spoke with Craig Gustave, Alternative Sports Officer in the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, who admitted that the shift “will dramatically hinder the development of two key sporting disciplines in the alternative sports programme: drag racing and horse racing.” He added that the Ministry is “looking at other options to continue developing the sports that have been displaced.”
Motorsports enthusiasts, local residents, and stakeholders remain hopeful of protecting the base from privatisation and ensuring it remains accessible for public use, particularly for motorsport activities.
A general meeting scheduled for December 1st is expected to facilitate discussions on strategies for preserving the base for public and motorsports use while balancing the need for development and economic growth in the area.
Rubis was contacted by our news team but indicated that they are unable to comment at this time. St. Lucia Times will continue to keep you updated as the situation develops.
(Story updated)
Woiii Woi Woi…..s**** Woi
Wait! Why is there horse racing on the cacabeth? Isn’t this hard surface damaging to the horse limbs?
Unfortunate. Spaces the taxpayers enjoy for free continually being cordoned off. Wonder why they fenced off Meadow Battery?
The horses race on the turf next to the concrete strip @Hmmm
Correction here, this area was used by the US as a military site during the Second World War, 1939-1945, not during the Cold War. And the pattern continues, any area of recreation for the people of Saint Lucia keeps getting condoned off, the numbers are too numerous to mention, think of restricted, hidden access to our beaches, the site at Choiseul, Sabwicha, Maria Island which is now being preserved entirely for the snakes and migratory birds! We are a small island, and we keep getting locked in more and more, no matter which government is in office, nothing changes. So what’s next!
Mwen meme … look it 😫
This place is a public park. It is secluded from the mainstream. Apart from car and horse racing it is widely used for daily recreation, student driving, minor mechanics, as a foot and car connection between airport and Latoony, walking and jogging, dining and a whole heap of other recreational activities. Locals are getting cornered by the minute. Chas had it almost condoned for the Pearl of the Caribbean. He disrupted farmers and motorists, shut down an abattoir, reroute traffic, interrupted the construction of ST Judes.
This should not be allowed to happen. Rubis is looking at the fact that a concrete foundation is already there so as not to spend more to construct one and then they will marginalize the youth. I say the enthusiasts should protest this let damn rubis find another site. I’m sure the politicians have already collected their share of the pie so they will never stop this project.
They are also planning to take the lot of land at the end of vigie beach near the airport for something because they have surveyed it, place pegs, doing soil tests so that they can stop people from recreating there. Enjoy is enough this government is doing nothing to help the people.
So the question is, where next? Sell the Square too, get rid of Constitution Park, put a hotel in the Gardens and a golf course at Vigie beach, take the rest of the Ramp, turn it in to a zip line, and when that is done, the little area after Sandals pillars by Pigeon Island, put another hotel there. And how about Maria Island, put a causeway, put a hotel on each of the peaks! Build more ‘plantations by the sea’ on every beach, in every hole, cay, and river mouth! Don’t leave any place for residents to recreate, it’s what we so richly deserve!
Why are you’ll stripping the south of everything. NO PORT development, no modern hospital, no by pass in vf town, no football. Why you’ll want keep us back . It seems like you’ll have shares in the gangs in vf. This is a shame! Shame ! SHAME!. SICK OF THE people running this place!!!
No no no
@Alias Reddit “a bypass VF Town” we already have that for years. A modern port cost money, but God forbid anything should happen to cause the closure of Port Castries and you will quickly find how important Port VF is……the same can be said for the airport. VF in its current status St Lucia could not survive without it.
Until Lucians stand up and stand strong for their freedom, the so called powers that be will always take us for pappyshow. I’m not just talking about the drag strip but everything else. Politics is just bacchanal misentertaiment that keeping us in the dark. They taking our land and doing as they please. They are yet to provide us with proper health care facilities ( cutting wrong limbs) taking a thousand years to build one hospital! Then slapping people in the face with a $6.50 minimum wage. Motorsports is a highly profitable venture! Seems like all they seeing that’s worthy of us is rum sports. Do I blame them for thinking so? No because that’s where we make the most noise, in the bars. Complaining about everything under the sun in St Lucia that bothers us and nothing happens beyond that noise. Massy raping y’all dry…… Wah! Y’all back broad and strong to carry all that nonsense piling up.