BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - MINISTER OF SPORTS the Hon. Shawn Richards has slammed the former Administration for not providing budgetary support for two major sporting events scheduled to be hosted in St. Kitts and Nevis this year, leaving the present Government in a conundrum as to how to proceed.
At the Prime Minister’s press conference held earlier today (Apr. 2), Richards revealed that on January 26 this year the former Minister with responsibly for Sports signed a contract on behalf of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis which committed the Administration to some US$7.25 million to CPL up until 2019.
He further indicated that US$2.5 million is scheduled to be paid this year, with the first installment being made in February which was not paid.
“In regard to this year, the Government has been committed to $2.5 million USD, approximately seven million EC. Of that amount, $1.5 million should have been paid by February 14, before this Administration took office, and they never paid it. The second installment on $500 000 should have been paid by March 16 and the third installment, also of $500 000, should be paid by the 16th of this month.
“Of that amount, absolutely zero...no cent was budgeted by the former Administration in respect of CPL.”
He further described as an “anomaly” that a Minister of Government had signed a contract on behalf of the Government.
“That contract ideally should have been signed by the Financial Secretary! I asked the Financial Secretary if she has any knowledge of the contract, and she replied that she has not seen the contract and it is only upon us taking office she has seen that contract for the first time.
“The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Christopher Herbert, likewise has never seen a copy of the contract, but the contract was signed.”
Richards indicated that the CPL was listed as a major capital project but no mention of it was however made in the section in the financing of capital projects.
“So no one knows how it is the Government intended the CPL games to be hosted here in St. Kitts. As a matter of fact, I went as so far to ask the Financial Secretary to enquire with SIDF whether or not they had been approached and whether or not they had given any commitment towards CPL. No approach was made to SIDF!”
He however indicated that they are currently perusing that contract to determine what the benefits are to St. Kitts and Nevis of having the CPL games hosted here.
“We are looking at our contractual agreement in regards to CPL. Apart from the $2.5 million for this year, what else from a financial standpoint and otherwise the Government would be liable for? That is where we stand in regard to the CPL!”
Richards also disclosed that a similar situation occurred with the CARIFTA Games, which also caused embarrassment to the Federation.
“CARIFTA is being held in St. Kitts this weekend, starting tomorrow. We met a situation where not one cent was budgeted in respect to the CARIFTA Games. As a matter of fact, CARIFTA almost became an embarrassment...not only for this Government but for all the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“I say that because up to this week, up to yesterday, we were still trying to get hotel rooms to host the athletes. It is because the Government gave a commitment an arrangement was made with the Marriott for them to provide rooms to host the athletes, but the financial guarantee to the Marriott was never forthcoming and so Marriott sold the rooms.”
The Sports Minister also stated that at the “last minute” they had to be speaking with Marriott and other hotels to get rooms to accommodate the athletes.
“Two weeks ago the Government spent over 100 000 USD to Marriott for rooms. Yesterday we paid Marriott 50 000 USD for rooms, which could have been avoided had the previous Administration done the right thing.
“Marriott has had to make residences available to us. Those residences come at an increase cost. But we took a decision that we already committed to it and we will not embarrass the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. And your Government has come forward and assured that come CARIFTA will be a success.”
He further explained that additional seating should have been acquired from overseas, but by the time “we got into Government there was not enough time to have them shipped to St. Kitts”.
“We took a decision to bring seating from Newton Ground and St. Paul’s to accommodate persons attending the CARIFTA Games,” he added
Minister Richards thanked the Ministry of Tourism, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Department of Sports, SKNAAA and the Local Organising Committee for their input in making that possible.
