Sport Ministry pledges ‘teamwork’ with focus on continued ground development and programmes

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, under the renewed leadership of Minister Charles Ramson Jr. and the newly appointed Minister within the Ministry, Steven Jacobs, is reaffirming its commitment to a nationwide sports infrastructure overhaul.

With Jacobs’s appointment seen as a nod to youth empowerment, the duo focuses on a collaborative “team-first” approach to tackle ambitious stadium and facility projects.

Minister Ramson Jr. lauded Jacobs, a former national cricketer, as a “team player” and emphasised the importance of collective effort to unlock the country’s “unprecedented levels of opportunities.”

Acknowledging the challenges of ongoing nationwide construction, including supply and labour constraints, the Minister said the pace of development results from a booming economy rather than a lack of effort.

The Minister detailed that “it is not the Ministry that does the building; it is contractors that do the building, and we have to manage that. But at the same time, every single Ministry and every single person in the country is building, so because of that, there are supply constraints and workman constraints.”

Despite the setbacks, Ramson Jr. remains optimistic, hoping to open at least four major facilities in 2025. The projects in focus include the MacKenzie Stadium, Bayroc Track and Field Facility, New Amsterdam Track and Field Facility, and the new Anna Regina Stadium.

The highly anticipated Palmyra Stadium is also set to open in 2026.

Some of these facilities are already partially operational, with athletes utilising completed outfields or synthetic tracks while work continues on stands and other amenities.

While some projects may be terminated in a smaller capacity, the Minister assured that the overall goals remain on track.

Ramson Jr. highlighted the success of the community grounds initiative, which has developed 550 grounds and equipped over 150 with lights.

He admitted that executing such a massive undertaking is “extremely tough,” but the impact of the lights has been “extremely fulfilling,” as they provide a haven for children to play in the evenings.