UPDATE: Softball League opens today, March 29
Several areas of the recreation ground, including the dugout and announcer’s box, have benefited from renovation works and now display fresh coats of paint while other sections of the ground have been cleaned up and repairs done.
Reports indicate that the renovation work has been due to the efforts of the National Recreation Trust. However, attempts to contact Chairman of the National Recreation Trust Mr Roy Barry for comment were unsuccessful up to post time.
There will be a march past leading from the UP’s Cineplex parking lot followed by an opening ceremony as previously planned.
This year's league is powered by Digicel BVI.
See previous story posted February 25, 2014:
Softball season postponed due to deplorable grounds
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – After being unable to have a league in 2013, uncertainty now looms over the opening of the British Virgin Islands Softball Association’s (BVISA) 2014 league originally slated for Saturday, March 1, 2014.
Following a meeting held late yesterday, February 24, 2014 the executive decided to postpone the opening of the league until Saturday, March 29, 2014 due to the poor conditions of the softball field and the surroundings at the Old Recreation Grounds in Long Bush in hopes that the repairs will be completed.
Sources revealed that the league which is to be named in honour of Bert ‘Big Man’ Henley remains in jeopardy of not opening at all because of the deplorable conditions of the facilities, including the announcer’s booth.
According to sources, the body responsible for overseeing the facilities, the National Recreation Trust, has indicated that they have no funds for the major repairs that are badly needed.
However, when contacted, Chairman of the Recreation Trust Mr Roy Barry said he could not offer a comment on the issue and advised that this news site contact the Ministry of Education.
Up to post time President of the Association, Mr Neville Smith was unavailable for comment. Efforts to reach education officials were also unsuccessful up to post time.
Teams slated for the Bert ‘Big Man’ Henley League are: Pythons, Hawks, ESHS Rams, West End Warriors and Lady Crushers (Ladies); and Reds, Pirates, Blue Wings, Latinos/Spanish and Power Outage (Men).
Teams scheduled to play on opening day are the Pythons vs Hawks (Ladies) and Reds vs Blue Wings (Men).
Everyone is expected to be in full uniform for the march pass on March 29 where the group will move from the UP's Cineplex parking lot to the Old Recreation Grounds. Teams not represented with at least 9 players will be fined.
34 Responses to “UPDATE: Softball League opens today, March 29”
OMG!!! What the hell is this NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR with the Recreation Trust doing? I hate it when we hire people who don't know their a.. from their elbow.
Every time we get political appointments we get less value for money. Shocks man!
They busy trying to see how they can suck money out of the treasury instead of maintaining the damn sports facilities. Shocks man!!!
Granted the Minister of Sports is sleeping on ALL sports softball more so ...
The league always have so many players. What are they saying? What do they do? Besides come late to play and complain about what government ain't doing ...
If you for the sport be for the sport and start to help yourself a bit first before you complain ...
Issue with that everyone want to lean on one person all the time ..
What is the purpose of the Recreational Trust? Why do they continue to pay people year after year and the facilities are in deplorable conditions? Why doesn't the Trust secure their property? The softball field is like an open sepulcher. People using it to sleep, sex and everything else. Stop throwing blame at the wrong people and blame who need to get blame.
Ask the government when last they give money to the B. V. I. Softball Association?
As I was saying everyone want to lean on one person.
Recreational Trust seem to be a joke or a set up .. which one!? And these people in government seem to be slick in dem backside .. money goes where they want it to go and if it don't have a back door to their pocket it seem it won't go ...
Government has NO NATIONAL PRIDE and that is the long and short of the shame in BVI ... Poor countries got better fields that BVI!
So you tell me why pesons that volunteer their time to a sport need to spend their hard earn money. I am sure not many of you would do this....The softball field is like everything government owns, they put up but don't maintain, take a look at the sports complex, the track and the list goes on. If government would start to put priority on the country's needs instead of trying to outdo each other we will be better off.
Yes the league was off for a year but what has been done to the field since then ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Well let's be real. If people are really getting paid to upkeep the place we all know who they are, but do we say anything about it? NO! If Government take their contract it will be 'poor lil man'. We created this. Glad it's biting everyone in the a... IF I was Walwyn I won't spend a damn dime on it or I would fire every single contractor with responsibility in that area fortwith, provided that they're being paid and not working. Nonsense. IT's the same with schools that have a dedicated maintenance team but the place always look like s..t. What we paying them for?