Friday, October 31, 2008

Hunt criticises UNC-built stadia

Government plans to spend some $102 million to refurbish the four stadia which were built under the UNC government for the 2001 Youth World Cup, Sport Minister Gary Hunt stated yesterday.

The stadia were built through the instrumentality of FIFA vice president and Concacaf boss Jack Warner and there was a controversy over the tendering procedures.

"It speaks to the quality of construction," Hunt said, as he noted that the 30-year-old Hasely Crawford Stadium, which was close to the sea, never had a need for that kind of upgrade.

Giving details of the breakdown in cost, Hunt said Government would spend $23.5 million on the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago, $27.5 million on the Larry Gomes in Arima, $22 million on the Ato Boldon in Couva and $29 million on the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella. He said the Government proposed to put down two artificial fields on the two stadia - Manny Ramjohn and Larry Gomes- which were in high use.

"We would be using the highest specs in the refurbishment and upgrade of the stadia," he said.
Hunt said Government was doing a general refurbishment on the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Shaw Park in Tobago, Woodford Lodge and Saith Park, all in preparation of the Trinidad and Tobago Games next year.

Stating that international athletes such as Usain Bolt would be competing here, Hunt said the Games would be "as close to Grand Prix status as possible". -RT

Gary "Isaac" Hunt must fockin criticise the stadia the UNC built.

How fockin long now this nigga run regime trying to build one stadium (the Brian Lara Stadium) in Tarouba.

Cost overuns galore. It suppose to finish for the cricket world cup. Maybe for the fockin one in 2011.

This is only about givin contracts to dey fockin conts to milk the fockin country some more.

Due to lack of funds, baby Marissa dies

The Ministry of Health could not help nine-month-old Marissa Ramlal—who died on Tuesday— with funding for a liver transplant because of “budgetary circumstances,” Health Minister Jerry Narace said yesterday.

Narace was speaking at yesterday’s post-cabinet media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.

Baby Marissa, who was unable to suckle milk and had been vomiting blood, required $1.8 million to undergo a liver transplant.

Marissa’s belly was also swollen to the size of a football.

But Narace maintained that his Ministry could only operate within budgetary and policy circumstances.

He noted, however, that the ministry gave the maximum possible amount—$60,000—which was “the policy by which we are guided.”

Narace said, “The media will be the first to tell us we must always review our budgets and look at the way we are spending.

“My instructions to the ministry was for us to do the maximum possible to assist the young lady,” Narace added, while offering condolences to baby Marissa’s family.

He said unless the Health Ministry found some financing mechanism it was going to be difficult—but traditionally, people had engaged in different fundraising ventures and that the ministry was more than willing to give the maximum possible amount.

Asked whether the country was equipped to deal with liver transplants and other procedures, Narace said: “These are objectives that we are working towards and there are certain speciality measures/procedures that we are unable to do at this time.

“However, the Government, in trying to create a first world health care system—and we have plans currently to develop two new institutions, one in Port-of-Spain and one in Central Trinidad—we are hoping to acquire that kind of capability as we proceed.”

On the issue of a special fund that would assist families to get specialised care for their children, Narace said an appropriate solution was being sought through the introduction of the National Health System (NHS).

“That NHS is going to be a new system that would allow us to treat with all of these circumstances in the future,” Narace added.

He said the Cabinet had recently approved a health economics unit for the Health Ministry to make appropriate arrangements so that unit would be able to provide the ministry with the cost of a number of services which would commence the NHS system.

The interim measure, however, was the ceiling figure of $60,000, Narace said.

If this was ah fockin nigga baby, you woulda see how fast these fockin Hutu power hungry animals woulda geh da money to save the the niglet life eh.

It real fockin easy to take ah million dollars and give niggas for running ah 100meters under 10 secs, which is what they normally do after robbing some Indian home.

It real fockin easy to take up $50.000.00 and give that lil niglet "Chocolate" for starving she mudder cont self, which she was doin in any case.

But to save the life of ah lil Coolie baby.

Fock dat, leh she dead.

THat summarises how things are in Trinidad.

Thank you PNM, thank you COP.