WALTER ALIBEY
“Millions of dollars are being lost and opportunities for sport tourism have gone abegging in T&T.” These were the words of Robert Farrier, president of the T&T Cycling Federation who now adds to the calls for the cycledrome to be opened as soon as possible.
The local cycling boss also wants to see a more collaborative approach to sport tourism by all the various stakeholders, such as the contractor, government, the National Sport Organisations (NSO) and the Tourism Development Company (TDC) among many others, so that opportunities for sport tourism will be capitalised on. Farrier said at the first Cycling World Cup in Cali Colombia in October which saw participation from approximately 41 countries, there were many questions being asked about the state-of-the-art cycledrome in Balmain, Couva.
“Questions were being asked by interested cyclists and their managers at the world cup about the cycledrome and the sad thing was that we did not even have a brochure or an answer for them. All this translates into millions of dollars being lost by this country and a great opportunity for sport tourism to be jump-started,” Farrier said.
Farrier, who himself participated for T&T in the past, described the facility as one of the best in the Western Hemisphere and maybe in the world, outlined a number of areas that he wants this country to capitalise on and this includes using the cycledrome as an ideal destination for a pre-Olympic cycling camp.
This became even more posible after a recent report emanating out of Brazil stated that the cycledrome which is also being built, will not be completed in time to have cyclists use it for preparation. Farrier further added that the cycledrome can be rented out to other cyclists and major meets can be held on it in the future. “We are losing lots of money and our athletes are also suffering,” Farrier explained.
Contacted, Adrian Raymond, communications manager at the Sports Company said he was aware of interest by international cyclists and officials to use the facility but made it clear the final stage of work was being done. “The facility is 95 per cent completed and normally that last five per cent takes a while,” Raymond said.
He said that contractors were still being sought to carry out maintenance work at the facility as well as ensuring that minor work such as paving around the facility was done. “The facility has its own lighting and sound systems and therefore we must ensure that proper care is taken before we can hand over the facility.”
The hardworking Raymond did not give a date for the opening of the facility but said it was critical to have everything in place otherwise the lifespan of the facility will be affected.
According to Raymond: “I understand what the athletes are going through and I know that there are opportunities for a pre-Olympic camp but once everything is taken care of, the facility will be utilised.”