There is a mad rush to get the five stadia ready in time for the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup which will kick off on September 5.
According to Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Anil Roberts, work is continuing 24 hours a day to ensure the venues are as fit as possible for the start. The Minister said, however, all will not be perfect.
Roberts was speaking at the Police Barracks, St James, where the U-17 women’s team joined a Ministry vacation camp. “We cannot reach perfection,” he said.
“We cannot in a short space of time do everything that is necessary, but we will do as much as we can, within the limited time period.”
Roberts said companies were given the job of preparing the facilities, through selective tender.
“The approval of funds came quite late, so we cannot just rush into things, because while we want the stadia to be immaculate, we have to understand we are spending tax payers money and we must do everything in accordance with the principles of good governance.”
Roberts said the main focus will be on having the pitches, changing rooms and media booths ready, and whatever is not finished in time, will be completed after the World Cup.
“The situation is what it is and we must show the world that even under trying circumstances, we will perform. The key to this is to get the job done with value for money,” he said.
He explained that while the playing surfaces at the Larry Gomes, Ato Boldon and Dwight Yorke Stadiums are in good shape, work still needs to be done on the Hasely Crawford Stadium, which will host the opening match between T&T and Chile.
Roberts said however, that while the situation is not the best, everyone should remain positive. “Fifa is not happy and I am not happy, we are not happy, but we have a show to put on, we can’t focus on the negative, we have to focus on the positive.”
Roberts said the most important thing is that T&T has a fit team, which is ready to take on the world.
“This is one of the best teams that T&T has ever prepared, these girls have been preparing for over two and a half years. You can see by their physical shape that we have never had a girls team that looked so athletic, so fit and so put together.”
Before leaving he had some encouraging words for members of the team: “No matter what the situation in the game, you carry yourself with class, you stick together as a team. You’ve got to put it together and have faith in yourselves, your ability, your coaching and get out there and play every second, one second at a time,” he said.
Roberts also encouraged the country to support the team.
“Every time they play, make noise and let’s understand that male or female, it’s all T&T. They are the teenaged warriors and we support them 100 per cent.”
The team will leave for Ft Lauderdale tomorrow for a five-day training camp where they are expected to play two warm-up matches against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday and one against either South Korea or Germany.
This will be the last overseas training camp the team will benefit from before the World Cup.