I spoke only this week about how our government doesn’t seem to care how much money they waste on our behalf.

The shocking disclosure from North Side MLA, Ezzard Miller, how the government have allowed the Astroturf that was purchased by a donor to sit at the George Town Port since May and accumulate charges of $21,000, is another case in point.

The Astroturf was purchased to temporarily solve the problem at the North Side Edna Moyle Primary School’s appalling playing field that is not suitable for cows let alone children.

Since 2014 the School’s PTA has tried to get the field turfed. Their efforts have been unsuccessful because of the high costs from our local landscape companies. In every Government budget the children’s needs there have been not worthy of being included. A boardwalk in South Sound that goes nowhere was deemed more important!

There is not even any monies to clear and level the playing field in order to lay the purchased Astroturf.

Because of the outcry from the public after Miller’s disclosure this week on CITN/Cayman27’s 6pm newscast, finally we have a statement from the Ministry of Education. You can read it in full in today’s iNews Cayman titled “Astroturf: Cayman Islands’ Edna M. Moyle Primary School”.

The statement points out the Astroturf that was purchased is for indoor use and therefore not suitable for outside.

“In reference to the Astroturf purchased by a donor for the Edna M. Moyle Primary School,” the statement reads’ “the Ministry was advised that the company that developed the material have indicated that it is not suitable for outside use (it is an indoor Astroturf) and that it will not drain properly causing water to settle. The Ministry has also been advised that the material will become white and chalky potentially leading to health and safety concerns for our students.”

Everybody involved knew that and the Public Works came up with a design, which would enable the artificial surface to drain. Their design also incorporated an asphalt track around it.

Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who according to Miller, at first was sympathetic to the idea had her mind changed, and said there were no funds and wanted to know why government wasn’t consulted before the Astroturf was bought?

I can answer that. How long would that have taken? The Astroturf would have not been available long before the Ministry came up with an answer.

To justify their already doing absolutely nothing they add the normal gobbledegook to their statenent saying:

“Health and safety of our students is of utmost importance and we would not want to run the risk of the potential mitigation strategies failing”.

Where is the “utmost importance” being given to the recreational/sports facilities to our children?

The Novak Djokovic Foundation states:

“The enhancement of physical and mental development of children is certainly the most important contribution of sports for children.

“Due to its vast reach, unparalleled popularity and foundation of positive values, sport is definitely one of the greatest things man has ever created. It’s also a powerful tool that breaks down all the barriers and helps us feel good about ourselves, both physically and mentally. Sport is quite beneficial for children too: by playing sports children develop physical skills, exercise, make new friends, have fun, learn to be a team member, learn about play fair, improve self-esteem, etc.”

“The enhancement of physical and mental development of children is certainly the most important contribution of sports, but the list of values your child may learn and acquire through sports does not end here. Other positive aspects are numerous, which reveals the true beauty of sport.”

“No other thing in life affords children such opportunity to develop positive character traits and to soak up many quality values as sports does.”

SOURCE: https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/the-importance-of-sports-for-children/

In the meantime the Astroturf will lay in Customs until it becomes white and chalky and the storage charges will rise and rise.

What a waste of the Astroturf.

SHOCKING!!