Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis says the Prime Minister's announcement of a cricket academy in Trincity in partnership with Mumbai Indians owners Reliance Industries Limited will not affect the government's plans for the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba.
Cudjoe-Lewis added that progress is already being made at the BLCA.
"This in no way takes away from the established Brian Lara Cricket Academy," Cudjoe-Lewis responded to queries about both facilities via WhatsApp on Friday. "Significant works are being undertaken at (the BLCA) to achieve the objectives of simultaneous theoretical classes, physical training and competitive games played at any one given time."
The sport minister added that the government was also in the process of making the BLCA a self-contained facility saying: "Arrangements are advancing with the private sector for a Public-Private Partnership for the development of a hostel and international-grade hotel at the BLCA."
Cudjoe-Lewis revealed that in addition to infrastructural upgrades the BLCA's intellectual capacity is also being developed.
"The Government entered into discussions with the University of T&T (UTT), prior to the onset of the pandemic, to establish a curriculum and other tenets for teaching and training at the BLCA, those arrangements will be finalised shortly."
At the September 14, 2023 Post-Cabinet Briefing Prime Minster Dr Keith Rowley announced his intention to fully operationalise the BLCA which was commissioned in 2004 and completed in 2017.
The sport minister noted that the recently announced academy, which is in the design stage following site visits by international architects, is a 'private sector driven initiative'.
The government has negotiated with Pan Trinbago to utilise the Trincity site for the Ambani Family-funded academy and find a replacement in Port-of-Spain.
The 11.5-acre parcel of land was gifted to pan's governing body in 2001 by then Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and was originally intended to house its headquarters, a performance centre, and offices for the body's eastern region.
T&T will host the CARICOM Regional Cricket Conference at the Hyatt Regency on Thursday and Friday. Dr Rowley, who is Chair of the CARICOM Prime-Ministerial Sub-committee on Cricket, expressed hope on Thursday that the conference can provide solutions to solving the issues that plague West Indies cricket.