On Sunday, our cricket team left Munroe Road to go down to Exchange cricket ground (immediately north of Rienzi Complex) to play a cricket match. There was no parking at the ground so we entered Rienzi Complex, a building that also houses the UNC headquarters, which has a huge empty car park, only to be told by the security that “no cricketers allowed here.”
When I asked why this was so, I was told it stemmed from an incident where the wet cricket ground was allegedly damaged by patrons of Rienzi Complex. The Exchange ground has a turf wicket and many first division matches, where the ground must be of a certain standard, are played there.
Whatever the issue, I found it extremely unpatriotic that cricketers from home or away are made to park on an extremely busy road while this building remains unoccupied. The players from Exchange cricket ground had their wives scoring and watching the match while their kids were playing cricket.
This type of community development and family life should be encouraged. It must be noted, that many of the cricketers’ parents would have contributed part of their monthly salaries to the development of Rienzi Complex. It is even sad to know that previous union leaders Mr Basdeo Panday and Mr Rudy Indarsingh had no objections to the cricketers using the car park.
I refuse to believe that the present leader of the union is aware of this issue, because no leader worth an ounce of salt could be so small-minded. After all, it’s a sporting event not some big fete with tons of rum and loud music.
Imagine a big sign on Rienzi Complex saying “National Solidarity Assembly.” Adrian Cola Rienzi must be rolling in his grave because the building that was established from donations of the poor sugar workers is now being used to discourage sports in the Couva area.
I hope good sense will prevail and those who made the decision to ban cricketers from parking at the Complex would reverse their decision in the interest of community development.
Iqbal Mohammed
Warrenville, CunupiaOn Sunday, our cricket team left Munroe Road to go down to Exchange cricket ground (immediately north of Rienzi Complex) to play a cricket match. There was no parking at the ground so we entered Rienzi Complex, a building that also houses the UNC headquarters, which has a huge empty car park, only to be told by the security that “no cricketers allowed here.”
When I asked why this was so, I was told it stemmed from an incident where the wet cricket ground was allegedly damaged by patrons of Rienzi Complex. The Exchange ground has a turf wicket and many first division matches, where the ground must be of a certain standard, are played there.
Whatever the issue, I found it extremely unpatriotic that cricketers from home or away are made to park on an extremely busy road while this building remains unoccupied. The players from Exchange cricket ground had their wives scoring and watching the match while their kids were playing cricket.
This type of community development and family life should be encouraged. It must be noted, that many of the cricketers’ parents would have contributed part of their monthly salaries to the development of Rienzi Complex. It is even sad to know that previous union leaders Mr Basdeo Panday and Mr Rudy Indarsingh had no objections to the cricketers using the car park.
I refuse to believe that the present leader of the union is aware of this issue, because no leader worth an ounce of salt could be so small-minded. After all, it’s a sporting event not some big fete with tons of rum and loud music.
Imagine a big sign on Rienzi Complex saying “National Solidarity Assembly.” Adrian Cola Rienzi must be rolling in his grave because the building that was established from donations of the poor sugar workers is now being used to discourage sports in the Couva area.
I hope good sense will prevail and those who made the decision to ban cricketers from parking at the Complex would reverse their decision in the interest of community development.
Iqbal Mohammed
Warrenville, Cunupia