Last year, Saint Lucia’s Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Kenson Casimir, reiterated his call to end entertainment activities at sporting facilities across the island. He also announced plans to present a proposal to Cabinet for a National Entertainment Centre, aiming to reduce reliance on sports venues for such events.
In recent years, sporting facilities such as the Soufriere Mini Stadium, Phillip Marcelin Grounds in Vieux Fort, Sab Playing Field, Mindoo Phillip Park in Castries, and the Daren Sammy Cricket Grounds in Gros Islet have frequently doubled as entertainment venues for both national and private events.
During Monday’s pre-Cabinet briefing, the minister was asked whether he had reached a compromise on the coexistence of sports and entertainment at these locations.
For Casimir, sporting facilities hold deep personal significance. “I became a national athlete at the age of seven…when you get to being a minister, you jealously guard your sanctuary,” he said.
“So when you become a minister, and then you see a violation of that private space in terms of the way it’s used to have entertainment, you stop and ask yourself, why is it that we cannot identify a separate space?” he continued. “So you ask me if I’m satisfied? As a minister, I ventured to do something about what I know those people that are passionate about sport want to see. They want their sacred space to remain sacred.”
He expressed frustration over the damage left behind after entertainment events, including debris and tyre marks from vehicular traffic. “You then have to wait an inordinate amount of time before you can use the facility. It really hurts you as a sports minister and as an athlete, a footballer, when people turn their back and they just leave, and then you have to fend and find a way to deal with the issue.”
Casimir emphasised that his push to restrict entertainment use stemmed from his passion for sports. “But since then, we have endeavoured to develop as many sports facilities as possible to deal with that issue.”
He highlighted upgrades to alternative venues, including Gros Islet Playing Field, Mindoo Phillip Park, and others, providing options for event organisers. “We know that Darren Sammy is an international ground, so we have developed Gros Islet (playing field) to a standard that very soon anybody who wants to have an entertainment activity can use the Gros Islet playing field as an option… If we do have entertainment at any one of these grounds, we have options.”
However, he urged users to respect the facilities. “I have to appeal to those who come to use what we can describe as our facilities… don’t misuse it, and if you use it, put it back to where you found it. That’s all sportsmen and women in Saint Lucia have been begging for over all those years; they matter.”
Casimir also provided an update on the proposed national entertainment facility in his Gros Islet constituency. “We identified a spot in Beausejour [though] we’ve not officially earmarked that area,” he said. “But we do have a very nice design and I do plan to meet with the Beausejour residents’ association to get feedback on the repercussions of having those facilities built there. We do need a lot of discussion on the ground before we finally decide that this is what we’re going to do.”
And where is the national theater sir Derek walcott was asking for before he transitioned to the ancestors? Yes, Building your national bacchanal venue but give the people a national arts theatre where they can come and uplift their intellect.
I’m sorry, Mr. Minister but these sporting stadiums need to serve a multiplicity of needs. Saint Lucia has limited resources, facilities and space. The event organizers should be held accountable so that they ensure non destructive use of the facilities. Concerts in sports stadiums is not only in St Lucia.
I’m in total agreement with the minister! For the lack of venues, we must use the sporting facilities however, I believe that if they use it, they must ensure proper care is taken that the venues are not damaged or littered. If they are, then they must pay to clean or restore. That clause should be stipulated in the contract.
Minister, I could have played your speech from a recording last year. You opened your mouth and said nothing. You refer to upgrades that have been made to Sporting facilities. Could you by any chance be referring to the Vigie Sab Playing field as one of those? You upgrading a field and instead of tackling the turf/field is a big wall you all built. This wall facing the airport I understand is to save the Carnival organisers the trouble of erecting barriers and having to take them down afterwards.
Somebody claims it is to give work (jobs for the boys in this campaign season). Whatever the reason, this is a waste of money in the grand scheme of things. Too many parents have to juggle between which child they sending to school, or on which day they sending them for us to be mismanaging money like that. Added to that, the representatives and Ministers do not engage people from the community in their projects. Maybe if you had a discussion with the residents especially those in the Sporting fraternity who use the field daily, then you would get a balanced and well-informed perspective.
With this wall, persons who used to park their cars on the side of the road to view matches during competitions, can no longer do that. Parents waiting to pick up their kids after practice cannot watch what is going on with the bigger boys who are known to bully the younger ones.
But most importantly when it comes to dismounting the stands and other obstructions on the field it takes a long time. Ministry of Sports saying is Carnival Development Committee responsible and vice versa. In the end, during the long summer vacation, young people cannot get access to the field to recreate. And we wonder why the youth have to engage in crime when they have endless time on their hands.
I am not being political but I can only speak to what is happening now. When the party did nonsense I called them up and condemned it in the same manner. St Lucians have too much selective objectivity. You all must call a spade a spade no matter who in power. Choops