President of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB), Azim Bassarath has praised minister of Sport, Darryl Smith for showing what he terms 'total respect' to the cricket board by including them in taking the sport forward.
Bassarath was invited by Smith to tour the ill-fated Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, South Trinidad, yesterday. The stadium, which was started under the last PNM administration in 2006 for the 2007 ICC World Cup, was neglected by the PP administration but the minister is keen to get the project completed and is looking to get cricket there next year.
Bassarath said the minister has shown that he wants development.
"We had our problems in the past with certain people in government but Mr Smith has embraced us and is making us a part of the movement forward. We at the TTCB are very impressed with this young man and we will give him all the support we can from our end, as he looks to get this stadium completed, so international cricket can be played in the south where it is well supported.
"He has shown us total respect and this is the way to move, if you want stakeholder buy in and support in moving sports forward in this country. He has not only embraced the TTCB but other sporting associations and for this we all must be thankful. He does not think he has all the answers, he wants to hear from the stakeholders and this is the hallmark of a good leader."
During the tour, Smith was concerned at the state of disrepair and pledged to work alongside project managers UDeCOTT to bring the sprawling facility to a functional state.
The tour was led by project architects and officials of UDeCOTT, including chairman Noel Garcia. According to the architects, extensive work is required but the facility is far from unsalvageable. Minister Smith insisted that the requisite assessments be carried out to ensure structural and other foundation work was sound before proceeding. Minister Smith is also keen to move forward with a consultative approach, including the voices of cricket and other stakeholders, such as disabled sport and media.
On the invitation of Smith, the tour group was joined by Brian Lara–after whom the facility was named. The cricketer expressed his disappointment that the stadium and plans for its training and performance usage had been shelved. He praised Smith for his open-door approach and indicated his willingness to advise the Ministry and UDeCOTT on the technical areas of the facility. Lara hinted at his concern about lending his name to an incomplete project but said he had faith that the current Minister and government would make every effort to turn the derelict space into a vibrant hub for cricket, which he asserted was strongly supported by fans in south and central Trinidad.