Senator amazed Grenada football team not able to use stadium

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada - National Democratic Congress Senator, Arley Gill, says it's incomprehensible that with an important World Cup Qualifier scheduled for Grenada this month, the national football team is not able to prepare on the grounds of the National Stadium at Queen's Park, according to the party’s web site.

In a Group 3 First Round Qualifying Game, Grenada will play the U.S. Virgin Islands at the Stadium on March 26. But, as part of its warm up for the U.S. V.I. encounter, the Grenada football team will not be able to use the Stadium to play Barbados in a friendly this Saturday, March 15.

The web site quoted Senator Gill as saying that one reason the footballers are unable to play Barbados at the Stadium is due to the "alarming costs for the football association and other sporting organizations to use the Grenada National Stadium.''

He added: "We now need to ask ourselves whether the National Stadium stands as an ornament and awaits international cricket games once or twice a year, rather than being used by our sportsmen and sportswomen.''

Gill, a lawyer, also wonders at the silence and lack of effort on the part of the Sports Minister in assisting the Grenada Football Association in getting to utilize the Stadium.

"We are amazed that the Minister of Sports has not step in as yet to ensure that the National Stadium is accessible to the Grenada Football Association as it prepares for the World Cup Qualifiers,'' said Gill.

"We believe that if we are to get good home advantage, then it is only fair and proper for the players of the football team to play on the National Stadium surface before they meet the Virgin Islands.'

Grenada will be playing its warm up game against Barbados at the Tanteen Recreation Ground.

The Opposition Senator says Tanteen has its own problems.

"The Tanteen Recreation Ground, since the passage of Hurricane Ivan, has been woefully inadequate to host proper sporting events due to the lack of facilities, such as toilet facilities and other facilities for patrons,'' Gill said. "For years we have campaigned with regards to the improvement of the facilities at Tanteen Ground.''