Errol Morrison, president of the University of Technology (UTech), has vowed to continue the institution's quest to obtain the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium despite a denied proposal.

"We have not given up on the stadium, we are gunning for it," declared Morrison, who was speaking at the CAST/UTech Alumni Association Power Breakfast on the UTech campus yesterday.

UTech had made a proposal to utilise the multi-purpose stadium as a western campus, while facilitating its use by other groups.

However, the Government's failure to approve the plan before the start of the current academic year has resulted in some 2,300 students in western Jamaica refused a place at the university, Morrison claims.

No official word

Yesterday, he told The Gleaner that he is yet to receive official word to say the university has been denied, as no further correspondence has been received.

Thus far, there has only been a letter, which was received from the prime minister, dated July 15.

He says he garnered additional information from the interview that was published in The Gleaner, where Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, spoke on the matter.

He explained that UTech had seen the opportunity to offer the project to the Government where it would use the facility to the benefit of the country, the region, sports and education, and he was still waiting hopefully.

"I see a way of hope because they keep saying at this time, so I trust that it is only at rest but not dead, so we're going to continue to work and have dialogue and I'm hoping that they will call us to the table to show us where we could improve the project proposal," said an optimistic Morrison.

Other facilities

Meanwhile, he says UTech has several other facilities in Montego Bay, Muschett Comprehensive High in Trelawny, Rusea's High School and are now looking at St Elizabeth where other facilities could be developed.

Morrison says there are still drawbacks, especially for the cohort that was waiting to enter the university; however, remedial bridging work is now taking place.

The university president said the areas they wanted to take to the stadium with immediate effect include business, nursing, hospitality and tourism and sports.

He says, however, that UTech would not give up on these areas, even with the lack of the new facilities.

"We are working on it at Papine here and we will be offering it in areas of the programme, but until we really have a proper university setting in the west, we will have to restrict it to the east."

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com