NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (March 18, 2022) – The Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Public Works in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) are collaborating on a major upgrade of the Cicely Grell-Hull Dora Stevens Netball Complex in Charlestown.

The facility will receive extensive renovation over the next few weeks, which includes the resurfacing of both netball courts and the basketball court.

Hon. Eric Evelyn, Sports Minister in the NIA, said the refurbishment of the facility was a commitment made by the government, a commitment that is being kept despite the challenges of the global pandemic.

“This is a coordinated approach between two ministries, the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Public Works and Communications. We have been working overtime to ensure that we have an almost brand new facility at the end of this project. Ever since I became the Minister of Sports in 2017 I gave the commitment that all sporting facilities on the island of Nevis under my watch would undergo improvements and enhancements, because I believe that our sportsmen and women when they come to these sporting facilities whether to practice or compete, they should do so in some level of comfort.

“This is an Administration that keeps its word and its promise and we deliver in a very big way. I can tell you a lot of money is being expended here at this complex. Now that netball is back and it’s back to stay, it’s back in more pleasant surroundings at the home of netball,” he said.

Mr. Evelyn said all new lighting is being installed, in keeping with the commitment made in the NIA Budget 2022 of having all sporting facilities around the island properly lit.

Hon. Spencer Brand, Minister of Public Works and parliamentary representative for St. Paul’s, said he is satisfied with the progress made thus far.

“It is in fact an extensive renovation project here at the complex and we hope that when it is all completed we will in fact have a brand new complex here in the heart of Charlestown.”

Mr. Allison Thompson, Supervisor at the Public Works Department, spoke to the scope of the renovations, and as a member of the Netball Association’s Executive thanked the government for supporting the netball fraternity.

“There is an extensive upgrade taking place here. Every facet of this complex would be upgraded at the end of it. We are doing work to the secretariat, the announcer’s booth, the bars, the ticket booths, the stands, the bathrooms, the courts, the electrical. So we’d like to thank both ministries and as the First Vice President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Netball Association I would like on behalf of the Association to say thank you to the government here in Nevis for always coming forward for the Netball Association. The completion of the upgrade to this facility will come just in time because in April we are having the local tournament here in Nevis,” he said.

Mr. Jamir Claxton, Director of Sports, said the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and after reassessing the extent of upgrade, a holistic approach was adopted with respect to the improvements to be undertaken.

“While initially the focus was just on resurfacing the courts we recognized that we needed to upgrade the electrical infrastructure, address some plumbing issues among other things, and give it a bit of a facelift. We wanted to take a strategic and systematic approach so that when we do this work it is done properly and we don’t have to come back.”

Joining the Ministers and other officials on a recent tour of the work at the Netball Complex were Mr. Jevon Williams, Director of Public Works, and Mr. Keith Glasgow, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports.