By Adrian Frater, Staff Reporter
Workmen lifting the grass at the new Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Montego Bay yesterday to prepare it for transportation. The Stadium is being prepared for a February 12 friendly against the United States. - Paul Campbell
WESTERN BUREAU:
A DECISION by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to strip the new Catherine Hall Sports Complex, in Montego Bay, of its lush layer of grass to use in upgrading the National Stadium, is being viewed with contempt in the western city.
Angered by the decision, which will see the grass being transported to Kingston to be used in preparing the Stadium surface for the upcoming international friendly between Jamaica and the United States, the Montego Bay fans have been quite vocal in describing the action as a retrograde step.
"This is absolute foolishness, we have not even started using the facility yet and they are dismantling it," said former national striker Paul 'Tegat' Davis. "This is not what I expected to see, I was expecting to see the UDC putting in stands and the other facilities put in place."
However, Winston Ritchie, the area manager for the UDC, said there is no reason to be alarmed as plans are already in place to re-plant the grass at Catherine Hall. In explaining the rationale behind removing the grass, he said it was being done in the national interest.
"We need to get the National Stadium ready in time for the February 12 game against the United States and if we should plant new grass there at this late stage, it would not be ready in time," said Ritchie. "This is just a one-off situation in the national interest."
Workers removing the grass had a scare on Wednesday night when over 100 football fans reportedly invaded the venue and demanded that they should stop removing the grass. The situation was defused when the workers stopped working temporarily.
In regards to the overall plans to complete work on the 12 acres complex, which is a joint venture between the governments of Jamaica and Venezuela, through the San Jose accord, Mr. Ritchie said there is some of uncertainty with regards to future funding on account of the current political upheaval in Venezuela.
"The current problems in Venezuela could affect our original time table but we are still optimistic that the project will be completed as planned," Ritchie said. "The public should not lose sight of the fact that we are just one phase away from completion."
On completion, the new facility will feature a running track alongside facilities for football, basketball and netball. It will have spectator stands to seat 15,000 fans.
