New Government wants to invest more in sports, National Sports Institute

PORT-OF- SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC- Trinidad and Tobago’s new finance minister Colm Imbert has announced plans to establish a National Sports Institute as part of a renewed commitment to sport development across the twin-island republic.

Imbert also revealed his administration’s plans to boost early age inter-school competitions, improve community sporting programmes and sports venues across the country.

“We will do so by establishing an all-encompassing policy to increase the pool of talent from which more world champions will emerge and gain international recognition. We will foster and develop involvement in sports,” Imbert announced.

“We will establish a sports institute of Trinidad and Tobago, mandated to modernise the sports industry”.

Imbert, whose People’s National Movement (PNM) swept to victory in General Elections last month, made his revelations while presenting the 2015-2016 estimates of revenues and expenditure in Parliament on Monday.

The finance minister promised to promote Trinidad and Tobago as a sports tourism destination as well as make full use of three major sporting facilities nearing completion – the National Tennis Centre in Tacarigua, the National Aquatic Centre in Couva and National Cycling Velodrome also in Couva.

The National Tennis Centre is estimated to be 95 per cent completed, the Velodrome, 90 per cent and the Aquatic Centre- 80 per cent finished.

“We will upgrade our existing facilities and make full use of new infrastructure in cycling, tennis and swimming,” Imbert disclosed.

“In all schools, at an early age, inter-school competitions across Trinidad and Tobago will be an important event in our calender. We will improve the quality of community sporting programmes and sporting infrastructure across the country and facilities across the country utilising the international best standards and practices .”