But for now, the Civic Center remains closed as sporting activities are illegal under the quarantine laws. But a group of footballers didn't let that stop them. While they were playing in the Banana Bank area over the weekend, police officers broke them up. But one player identified as Dale Pelayo told the officers the match was sanctioned by the Ministry of Sports since the players were part of a national selection.
The Ministry clarified in the strongest terms that they would never sanction an illegal sporting match.
But he did allude to the possibility of restrictions against sporting events - and gyms - becoming a little lax with new regulations that will be announced soon.
Hon. Kevin Bernard, Minister of Sports
"The Ministry of Sports has never sanctioned any such event and I had made a statement clearly making that clear in the sense that we had no indication that this was happening. When I was approach through text by certain individuals and both by the police department I had to make it clear that the ministry never did sanctioned anything and I would never do that and I know that people want to get back to some form of normalcy, but they must respect the regulations and I will stick by that and I said it yesterday in cabinet, I made certain for certain sporting programs and I know that we have to respect the conditions that is facing us from a health perspective and I respect my colleagues and I know that from the ministry of health perspective. We cannot at this point open up sports the way we really want and so as the minister responsible for sports I want to caution those persons that are involved in these things that they have to stop."
"I have said to the minister that I have my certain recommendations, I know that some of our people in the stakeholders in the sports industry are saying to us we need to do certain things. So we are reaching out to them, giving us some proposals and we are going to reach out to see how we can get these things. The people in the gym for example they are reached out to us, because it's a fitness - a type of sport too, so they have reached out to us and their consideration have been looked at and I know the minister will reach out and say yes by today or tomorrow what are going to be the conditions that will take place in terms of the gyms."
"There are certain people in the cricket industry that have approached us that they have a tournament coming up in July. They want to start to practice. We have to look at certain conditions that has to be set out. The FIFA, FFB and PLB - we have to look at all of those issues that are facing them before we make a decision in terms of how we go about deciding what we are going to do about football and then you have volleyball discipline, the basketball discipline - all of these things we have to look at, but from a health perspective."
Reporter
"You alluded to the discussion with the gyms. Does this mean they are looking at a safe and reasonable way to reopen them in the near future?"
Hon. Kevin Bernard, Minister of Sports
"Yes. I can tell you that the minister of health will make some announcements for the gyms and I know that the people in the gyms will be very much pleased with some of the conditions that will be set out for those persons. I believe that we have listen to them, they have some very good ideas, they made some very good points and from their presentations we were able to come up with some good proposals."
Gyms have been closed since August.
