21 community grounds outfitted with lights since 2020

– hinterland communities to benefit soon– Min Ramson

Youths across twenty-one (21) communities are now benefitting from improvement to their community grounds as the Culture, Youth and Sports ministry has outfitted their grounds with lighting.

Minister Charles Ramson Jr made the disclosure while speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI) recently.

“By the end of this year, we would have completed the lighting of 21 community grounds since we came into office. Twenty-one (21) community grounds and that leaves aside the stadium work that we’ve already finished our procurement work and it’s already starting right now,” he said.

Minister Ramson explained that although it is costly to outfit these grounds with lights, it is making a huge difference and impact in these communities.

He expressed, “In a village, in a rural area, their only entertainment beyond what they do in their home is their community centre. Now, being able to rehab that and provide the light facilities has really started to make a difference in those communities and we’re really looking forward to see what it translates to and also expanding the programme across the country.”

Over the two years, the focus was put on Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Seven. However, this programme will now expand to Regions One, Eight and Nine.

“My cabinet colleagues who had regional responsibilities, they would make the request to me and we would advance the money to the region. But we’re also going to be doing aggressive works with them now,” the minister noted.

The investmentaims to improve and develop the sports sector in an effort to meet the international standard.

The government earmarked monies in its yearly budget to offset the rehabilitation of community grounds. In its 2022 budget,$3.2 billion was allocated for the continued development of sports; $250 million was earmarked for the improvement of community grounds.