CARIBE LUMBER BALLPARK—St. Maarten’s sports commissioner, Frans Richardson, announced on Sunday that his government will be building a cricket stadium on St. Maarten.
He was speaking at the closing of the Nagico Cricket Tournament at the Caribe Lumber Ballpark in St. Maarten. While commending the St. Maarten team for reaching the finals of the tournament for the first time, Richardson reiterated that his government believes the island needs a cricket stadium and in the coming months, the plan will be unveiled to St. Maarten. "A cricket stadium must be built…it was a plan we had when myself and Imran McSood came together and with a preliminary drawing. We will fulfill that promise that we made as a political party," Richardson said. But I want to say to the people that came out, you have shown here that we deserve a cricket stadium on St. Maarten…it shows that the people of St. Maarten loves and supports cricket," he added.
Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, who was present at the function also endorsed Richardson’s announcement noting that for the development of the sport, the players need the tools to prepare themselves. "I stand behind the commissioner as well when he mentioned that we have to make sure that we give them (the cricketers) all the tools to play cricket on St. Maarten," Richards said. Of course, Chairman of the St. Maarten Cricket Association (SMCA), Imran McSood took note of the dignitaries’ comments on the cricket stadium and also endorsed those views. "I believe the commissioner when he says he is going to build a stadium. And I also believe our Lt. Governor when he says that we must equip our players and youth with the right facilities, endorsing the commissioner’s statements," McSood said.
The Nagico Cricket One Day Tournament ended on Sunday with Antigua defeating St. Maarten by six wickets to win its sixth title in the tournament. St. Maarten made it to the finals of the seven year history of the tournament.