MEMBERS of the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee have told the Sport Company of TT (SporTT) that it must do a better job at publicising information on the accessibility of its facilities.
The committee met on Wednesday morning in Parliament.
Committee chairman, senator Wade Mark, asked SporTT chairman Douglas Camacho how the company’s “various facilities” are being used to reach “our tens and thousands of young people” at the primary and secondary school levels.
He used the National Aquatic Centre, National Cycling Centre, National Racquet Centre and swimming pools as examples.
Camacho said there are increased safety risks for untrained people when it comes to using the more “elite” facilities.
“High-performance facilities are not necessarily the ones we encourage (to be used for) that type of thing.”
He said there’s also a higher chance the State’s “billion-dollar expenditure will be damaged.”
Mark said while he understands that, not many know the actual process behind getting to use SporTT’s facilities.
The company has x facilities across the country.
Acting CEO and head of partnership and alliances at SporTT Kairon Serette said it involves visiting the facility, getting an invoice to apply for a waiver of fees, which will then be sent to the ministry, recommendations will be made and evaluations done, then it moves to the line minister.
Mark asked, “How much people know this? I don’t think that many groupings within communities are fully conscious (of this.)
Widely advertising this waiver process, Serette said, can affect the generation of revenue income.
Camacho said the company does not have the ability to retain revenue because of legislation, which it is advocating for.
If a show is held at a SporTT facility, Camacho said the profits do not go to the company, but to the consolidated fund. The company then has to apply to access this.
Committee member and Port of Spain south MP Keith Scotland said a community coming together is “priceless.”
He asked SporTT to provide a list of all its facilities, an outline of the process to access them, as well as contact numbers for relevant staff, in a week.
“When you drive past them (elite facilities), they look like ghost towns.
“These are some of the facilities we need people to use...Don’t let cobweb (take it).”
This topic, he said, requires a “more in-depth conversation” which he is willing to have.
He said this will lift the self-esteem of the public.
Mark said it seems SporTT needs greater autonomy.
The post Public Accounts Committee calls on SporTT: Make facilities more accessible to youth, communities appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
