PICTURED ABOVE: Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith (centre), and China’s Ambassador to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng, exchanging the signed documents with Letters of Intent while Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, looks on. (GP)
BY FABIAN BELGRAVE | OCT 12, 2022
A new stadium at Waterford, St. Michael has been assured with the recent signing of Letters of Intent between Barbados and China.
On Friday, October 8, Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, and China’s Ambassador to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng, signalled their commitment to the redevelopment of the stadium while in the presence of Prime Mia Amor Mottley, at Ilaro Court.
Minister Griffith, signing on behalf of Barbados, said: “We know that it [the National Stadium] is something that not only sportsmen but the country has been asking for, for an extended period of time, and we are very pleased that we are about to take that first major step in terms of having our stadium.”
Ambassador Yan stated, “The People’s Republic of China was indeed pleased to assist in the redevelopment of the National Stadium, on this occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China”, which fell on October 1.
Prime Minister Mottley also weighed in on the evening’s proceedings, noting that her plans for the National Stadium extended beyond its physical site.
“I’ve had a vision of being able to create a sporting, heritage and recreational district that stretches from Tyrol Cot…. the National Botanical Gardens and what was the Lumber Company playing field,” revealed Ms. Mottley.
The Barbados National Stadium, which is considered one of the iconic structures on the island’s landscape has been in need of repairs for quite some time, and the signing of Letters of Intent with the People’s Republic of China is a commitment by Government to bring it back to prominence.
