Sports Minister Herman Longsworth Comments on Progress of Much-delayed Marion Jones Sporting Complex

Herman Longsworth

Tonight, there is some news coming from Minister of Sports Herman Longsworth on the much anticipated Marion Jones Sporting Complex. We say some news, instead of good news, because the project has been underway for years now, and it seems that every few months we get promises that it is nearing completion. We got that promise again today, but with a bonus – an additional promise that when it is done…finally done…it will be much bigger and much better than we expected.

Herman Longsworth, Minister of Sports

“The Marion Jones is proceeding as planned. We are working on the grand stand facilities now trying to complete them. There is going to be a new presentation made because I have come up with a new master plan for the facility which includes more activities, more discipline. I want to introduce swimming to the facility; I also want to introduce cricket to the facility. So I will be sometime over the September celebrations I will be more detailed in unveiling what it is I we want to do. We are hoping to find the money; I am going vigorously after going after the money to be able to make this facility into a real national facility for the country.  But it is progressing as planned. The people who have the schedule don’t feel that way. I have always invited the media out there to see what is happening. You don’t come but you talk. Come to Marion Jones and see what is going on; come and see the progress that is happening in there, I have kept inviting you guys and you don’t come; now when I said that I want to make it into a real national facility. I want to add in as many disciplines as I possibly can initially it was only planned for track and field, cycling, football, we have now introduced beach volleyball,  rocket ball, we are introducing a whole lot of other  things that I want to see go on there because we have the space. We don’t have the money for it, I am going to find the open internationally, I have already gotten some commitments and I am going to find the money internationally to make this facility into one that all Belizeans can be proud of.”