The long-awaited redevelopment of the National Stadium is set to begin with its demolition in two weeks, Minister of Sports Charles Griffith said on Tuesday.
Backed by an $80 million grant from China, the project promises to deliver modern facilities and employment opportunities for Barbadians. The project is to be carried out by the Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG), with support from Barbadian contractors.
Speaking during a site visit to the Waterford, St Michael stadium on Tuesday, Griffith expressed his satisfaction that the project is finally moving forward.
“We took a while getting here, but today is the start of the process,” Griffith said. “On the 15th of this month, demolition will start in earnest, and I want people to know that while this has been long in coming, we are now at the point where the Chinese are here on the island, and the work is about to begin.”
The first phase of the stadium redevelopment will include 10 000 seats, with plans for an additional 10 000 seats in a future expansion. Griffith confirmed that the demolition would be handled by a domestic company, creating employment opportunities for Barbadians.
“We expect locals to gain employment as part of the stadium’s construction. This is a partnership between the people of China and Barbados, and we are grateful for their support in making this project a reality,” the minister said.
A total of 40 Chinese workers will be involved in the project, with 25 work permits already approved and an additional 15 applications submitted, he added.
The demolition phase is expected to take three months, after which construction will begin immediately following the arrival of building materials from China. The entire stadium redevelopment is scheduled to be completed within 26 to 29 months.
“We were promised Chinese speed on this,” Griffith noted. “So if we finish ahead of schedule, that would be even better.”
While construction progresses, the government is investing in alternative training facilities for Barbadian athletes. Griffith announced that Parliament has approved $150 million to develop two additional 400-metre tracks—one in the east and one in the north of the island—ensuring athletes continue to have access to world-class training facilities.
“The National Stadium is not just about track events; all field events will also be catered for,” Griffith said. “We are putting infrastructure in place to ensure our young athletes are well prepared for future competitions.”
Despite Barbadian athletes not having access to a national stadium for training at present, Griffith remains optimistic about their performance heading into the upcoming Carifta Games.
“I was at Usain Bolt Sports Complex recently, and our athletes were still achieving personal bests,” he said. “We would love gold, but if they go out there and perform at their highest level, we will be grateful.”
Griffith also called on national sporting federations to take a more proactive role in developing young talent.
“Government will do what is necessary, but we also need national federations to step up and invest in their athletes,” he stressed.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
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