T&T’s sports administrators will get the opportunity to go to Jamaica toÊlearn from the organisers of Jamaica’s World Famous Champs Programme, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley disclosed on Saturday.

Speaking at the opening of the spanking new Mahaica Sports Complex in Point Fortin, Dr Rowley called on corporate T&T to sponsor youths and sporting clubs in communities across T&T.

Saying he had already spoken to the Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, Dr Rowley revealed thatÊJamaican athletes will also have the opportunity of competing locally and utilising T&T’s world-class sporting facilities.

“We have huge pools of talent in our schools. Because of that and acknowledging that the Jamaican powerhouse comes from its school system, the Prime Minister of Jamaica and I have discussed and he agreed to receive in Jamaica, firstly some administrators from T&T, persons who are engaged in the administration of athletics to learn from the Jamaican organisers who organise the world-famous Champs programme,” Dr Rowley told the gathering.

He added: “I promised him that T&T will take up the offer. He also agreed that the children who are scheduled to take part in the Champs programme will be invited here. We can learn from a Caricom neighbour. Jamaican youngsters will come here and compete and out of that arrangement talent will flow from here to the international stadium and we can create more opportunities.

Saying T&T has been through a horrendous pandemic, Dr Rowley called on corporate sponsors to assist youths in sports.

He said Point Fortin has produced the greatest number of outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen.

“I don’t know what you eat or what you drink here but I know that if we generate those talents together we will be world leaders in football,” he said.

ÊHe also had a message for officials of Atlantic and Heritage Petroleum.

“I want to call out to Corporate T&T in the Southwestern peninsular, Atlantic and Heritage Petroleum to ensure their involvement in facilities like these. I know that Heritage is a young company and in its early days, we had certain priorities and contractual obligations that didn’t allow Heritage to do much. We have engaged in negotiations to have more resources available so that Heritage plays a bigger role in developing and sharing its good fortune with fenceline communities,” he said.

He added: ” Don’t wait until Jareem wins gold to become interested. Support the young ones who are dreaming the dream so when the dream is realised you can say I played a part in that.”

He noted that several sporting facilities have been opened in the recent past.

” Diego Martin sporting complex, the people of Laventille can point to something they never thought they would have, a top-class swimming pool. Maloney has a swimming pool. We have the Moruga sporting facility and Gasparillo can point to the Brian Lara stadium, one of the premier cricket facilities in the world,” Dr Rowley pointed out.

He revealed that the people of San Fernando will have the completely refurbished modernised Skinner Park sporting facility.

Dr Rowley also said the government has been cooperating with the T&T Defence Force and the T&T Coast Guard to provide management and coaching to ensure discipline and production in these areas. He also called on the communities to ensure proper maintenance of the sporting facilities.

Meanwhile, Point Fortin resident Eugene Morrison, who attended the opening ceremony chastised the Point Fortin Borough Corporation and the government, saying many young people from the borough felt hopeless.

He said many of the playing fields were overgrown and fit for animals. Morrison said he wanted to speak to Dr Rowley about the problems in the Corporation.Ê

“The youths have nothing to gain. If you watch all of the playing fields, you will see it suit for animals. But who cares,” Morrison said.

However, in response to Morrison’s concerns Dr Rowley said, “One thing I want to say is, you cannot do everything at the same time but if you look outside you will see a programme of work which is geared at meeting those needs, that is underway. The one thing is I cannot commit to doing all at the same time.”