The Media, Youth, Sports, and Culture Committee (MYSCC) of the National Assembly, formed part of a high level delegation visiting the sports facilities at the Roche Caiman Sports complex and the ‘Stad Popiler’ in Victoria, on Thursday 9th of June 2022. This visit was led by the Minister for Finance, National Planning and Trade, Mr. Naadir Hassan in collaboration with the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family, Mrs. Marie-Celine Zialor.
The aim of the visit was to better understand the state of the sports infrastructure and their maintenance and remodeling demands amid plans for renovations. The delegation was guided through the various sports facilities by the Chief Executive Officer of the National Sports Council (NSC), Mr. Jean Larue. The facilities visited included the ‘Stad Linite’, the dojo, tennis courts, swimming pool, the ‘Palais des Sports’, and the ‘Stad Popiler’.
Beginning with the ‘Stad Linite’, the delegation was given the opportunity to assess the state of the stadium and gain more information on the updates and re-modeling planned. The planned updates to the stadium include the addition of a media box with a sound system and the installation of energy saving lights and CCTV cameras around the stadium.
The delegation was then guided through to the NSC hall, where it was noted that re-modeling would be essential to convert the hall into a more appropriate sports facility. The delegation then made their way through the dojo, tennis courts, swimming pool, and the palais des sports facilities where various maintenance issues were pointed by the CEO of NSC. The deterioration of the various structures was clearly visible, justifying the necessity for renovations.
The visit was concluded at the ‘Stad Popiler’ where both Ministers Hassan and Zialor stated that renovations would be a mass undertaking. Minister Hassan expressed that those renovations, once started, would be better executed in phases.
The chair of the MYSCC, Hon. Wavel Woodcock, stated the lack of a comprehensive plan for renovations as the cause for the deteriorating sports structures. The chair of the committee also spoke of the role of the MYSCC in providing oversight of the renovations planned and ensuring that the funding for renovating sports facilities is taken into consideration in budgetary discussions.
Other Members of the MYSCC present were, the Vice-Chairperson, Hon. Phillip Arissol and Hon. Flory Larue.
