The sleepy village of Longdenville, central Trinidad, the boyhood home of United National Congress (UNC) Chairman and CONCACAF and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Jack Warner will be the beneficiary of a spanking new, state-of-the art sports facility.
And it came as no surprise that Warner, who is also the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West, is the force who is making it possible.
The revelation was made on Saturday at a simple ceremony to welcome Warner and members of the England 2018 World Cup Bidding Committee at the Longdenville Government Primary School which Warner attended many years ago.
The residents were given a commitment by David Dein, president of the English Bidding Committee for the 2018 World Cup that he will do everything in his power to ensure that the village gets what it wants for their sportsmen and women.
Dein and former French International David Ginola each received a copy of the proposal for the type of facility that the Longdenville community has been lobbying for.
Siew Rambarran, a member of the Longdenville Recreational Committee revealed that the facility they need includes two grounds— one for cricket and another for football, toilets and bath facilities, a swimming pool and a tennis court.
He explained that the facility is similar to one in England, preferable where a former Trinidad and Tobago Governor JR Longden lived.
Warner, who took a bold stroll down memory lane about his activities in the past at the Longdenville Primary School, said he will ensure that the people of his native community get what they rightfully deserve.
He called on the English Bidding Committee to only get the project started. “They do not have to complete the facility but only to get it started,” Warner said.
The residents have been clamouring for a facility of their own to deal with the rapidly emerging talents in the area. They have been made to tussle for the use of recreational facilities with members of other communities and villages.
But Saturday they promised the FIFA vice-president and local political heavyweight that once they receive their dream facility, he will receive updates on the progress of every star athlete and also ensure that it is properly maintained.
After welcoming Warner and the English delegation with the sounds of tassa, the villagers received a cricket bat signed by members of the English cricket team, while young budding footballers got the opportunity to play with Ginola, a former Tottenham Hotspur standout.
Warner told the gathering that the idea became a reality after he was approached by People’s National Movement (PNM) Councillor Ronald Heera to have the facility constructed.
He (Warner) explained also that he grasped at the opportunity because he saw his people in need of help.
“Although Heera was a PNM Councillor I accepted the call because nothing should prevent us from serving the people. So we can cuss each other like hell on the platform tomorrow, but we must not allow our differences to prevent us from serving the people,” Warner said.
The meeting was attended by Chaguanas Mayor Natasha Navas and several UNC and PNM councillors of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation.