Construction Phase of National Stadium is in the Hands of Chinese

Contact: Dana Augustin

Friday, September 08, 2000 – Work on the actual construction of a national stadium for Saint Lucia is to commence next week. On Thursday September 8, 2000 the designated site for the stadium in Aupicon, Vieux - Fort, was handed over to a Chinese construction company, the China National Overseas Engineering Corporation (COVEC), which is contracted to undertake the multi million-dollar project.

The site preparatory work was undertaken by the Government of Saint Lucia at a cost of three million dollars in handing the site over to the Chinese government and the contractors Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education Human Resource Development, Youth and Sports Honourable Mario Michel, presented the certificate of completion of that part of the project to the Chinese Ambassador His Excellency Liang Jianming. Mr. Michel told the small gathering of officials that this small formality held tremendous significance as it signalled another major step in the realization of the dream of Saint Lucia’s national stadium.

The Chinese Ambassador, for his part, assured the minister that the contractors would hand over the completed project in quick time and excellent quality.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Honourable George Odlum reiterated the tremendous impact that this kind of project could have on its stakeholders. He appealed to the Saint Lucian workers on the project to seize the opportunity to acquire technological skills from their Chinese colleagues. "When two countries meet and they agree on a project like this, it is anticipated that there will be a transfer of technology from those who know, to those who don’t know so much," he said.

The minister also underscored the need for Saint Lucians to be appreciative of this kind of opportunity. "A stadium of this kind can virtually help to reshape the next generation. Now we’ve put the ball in your court, the court of the young people to take this stadium, when it is completed, to appreciate it," said Odlum.

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