Bequia hard courts’ woes highlighted

Having been the venue for the hosting of the annual Bequia Basketball Association’s tournament, since 1999, and although there have been several improvements, the Clive Tannis hard court, is still in need of some improvements.

Some of the deficiencies of the facility were highlighted at the 2018 opening, last Saturday night.

President of the Bequia Basketball Association Sabrina Mitchell, who catalogued the improvements to the facility, however thumbed the dilapidated state of the gate and the perimeter fencing as the areas which are in dire need.

Dr Godwin Friday- parliamentary representative for the Northern Grenadines

“We however have a serious challenge in that the gate and the entire court facility is in great need of repairs,” Mitchell emphasised.

Mitchell noted that the poor state of the gate, is preventing her organization from collecting an entrance fee, during the hosting of matches there.

“We try to collect monies at the gate, but the gate is falling apart and so people tend to just climb over to the court, therefore we can’t collect gate money …So we are appealing to all for help and support in any way possible to see basketball better,” the Bequia Basketball Association president lamented.

Chiming in with Mitchell was parliamentary representative for the Northern Grenadines and Leader of the Opposition Dr Godwin Friday, who spoke

President of the Bequia Basketball Association- Sabrina Mitchell

on the uncovered pavilion which exists.

Friday in alluding to the uncovered pavilion, stated, “If there is a shower here tonight, there is no place to shelter.”

Advancing the cause, Friday recounted, “It was 15 years ago, when I first appeared on this court to make a similar speech, I remember, there was someone from the National Lottery, who had said that this court, at least the seating area needs to be covered.”

Friday also pointed out a matter pertaining to the surface of the court, “We need to do something better for the safety of the players.”

Shifting his concern to another hard court on the island, located at Paget Farm, Friday deemed it as one of “dereliction.”

In making out his case, Friday added, “It really needs to be improved that the people in that community can also have the same kind of access that the people here in this community (Port Elizabeth) can have.”

In response to the pleas of Mitchell and Friday, Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture- Hon Cecil ‘Ces’ Mc Kie, who also addressed the opening ceremony, promised to look into the request for help.