GOVERNMENT has announced plans to upgrade and expand the Olympic Village at Wildey while replacing the athletic track at the National Stadium in time for the 2010 athletic season in December.
News of this came from Minister of Sports Stephen Lashley, at the ceremony of the Presentation of Colours to the standard-bearers of the teams to represent Barbados at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico next month, the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August, and the XIX Commonthwealth Games in New Delhi in October.
Lashley – speakingto an audience which included Governor General Sir Clifford Husbands, British High Commissioner Paul Brummel, United States Consul General Nicole Theriot, Dr Mohini Harris, India’s Honorary Counsel, Jim Groggin of USAID, Steve Stoute, president of the Barbados Olympic Association, as well as a who’s who of Barbados’ sports at the Hilton Barbados on Friday night – praised the BOA for its continuous good work.
“On behalf of the Government of Barbados, I would like to use this occasion to express our sincere thanks to the Barbados Olympic Association for their sterling efforts in exposing our athletes on the international stage and to reaffirm the commitment of the Government of Barbados to the development of our athletes and sports in Barbados,” Lashley said.“ . . . We will continue to partner with the Barbados Olympic Association toward the upgrading and expansion of the facilities at our Olympic Village in Wildey.
“The ministry . . . is also pressing ahead with plans to ensure that the National Stadium athletic track is replaced to satisfy international standards and to provide our athletes with fitting conditions to assist with their preparations. It is quite an extensive project but we are focused on its completion in time for the 2010 athletic season in December.
“Also on [the] schedule, the ministry will be working closely with the (BOA) and the organising committees for the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championsip 2010 to deliver an event of an unprecedented and certainly Olympic standard right here in Barbados in September this year.”
Earlier, Sir Clifford passed the Barbados colours to judoka Kadijah Maxwell who will bear the standard at the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, August 14 to 26, and netball captain Laurel Brown who will bear the standard at the XIX Commonwealth Games, New Delhi, India,October 3 to 14.
Bradley Alley, who will bear the standard at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico July 17 to August 1, was unavailable and his flag was received by chef de mission Craig Archer.
