The MCC Grounds - it's the premier football pitch in Belize - but as we told you a few weeks ago, it's been going through a rough stretch.
Premier League games at the MCC grounds had to be temporarily postponed pending on going works on the field which have been held up since November of last year. The original plan was to replace the pipes and wires running along the field in time for the construction of better, more up to standard stadium lights. So what happened? The pipes were dug up but the works did not follow. Meanwhile the BDF football team was left without a home pitch for the PLB tournament and high school games continued, running the risk of injury. Now with a new National Sports Director, the National Sports Council hopes to make a temporary quick fix; at least until they can get the proper finances to work on the original plan. Emanuel Pech dropped by for day one of the MCC quick fix project.
Today workers of the National Sports council along with members of the Belize Defense Force worked in unison to lay the foundation for the new wiring for the lights of the MCC stadium. They also filled in the trench around the field that had caused an injury during a high school match.
Ritchel Dominguez - Director of the National Sports Council
"These pipes were designed to hold the electrical that is going up for the new set of lights that is going on the poles. So what we are doing, we are partnering with the BDF to basically get the pipes laid and then from there we try to see where we go with the wires and then we are going to the post and we will do it step by step, but we will complete it. We are not certain about the time, but we know we will get it completed as early as we can."
Sargent J Pop led the team of 8 from the Light Engineer Company of the BDF who assisted in the works today.
Sargent J. Pop - BDF
"This is not the first time we are doing project for the community. We are always there about in the villages assisting people who need assistance in doing any kind of project. Because that is what we are here for."
Emanuel Pech
"Do you think you can get it done in these two days?"
Sargent J. Pop - BDF
"It depends. It depends what is the project. It is like as I told you, it's part of our tasking. So I believe that the guys enjoy working along with the community. I believe they are more motivated."
Emanuel Pech
"Especially since it's something like sports - football."
Sargent J. Pop - BDF
"Especially yes. Because we have our BDF team that are part of the football. So I see it okay assisting the people especially working in the fields."
Ritchel Dominguez - Director of the National Sports Council
"We are going to put up some temporarily lights for now because what happen is that the lights were taken down before these ones were basically installed. What we are trying to do like I said getting up to a standard where it's acceptable, where we put in back the lights and the getting the wires so that people can use it even at night. Because even if we get the pipes down now and we don't have lighting, then they can't use it at night. So we are trying to get up as much lights as we can in the place so that we can get it at least acceptable for playing standards."
Reporting for 7 news Emanuel Pech.
Dominguez says they hope to have the works at the MCC grounds completed before Sunday in time for the game between BDF FC and the Belmopan Bandits for the Premier League tournament. As a long term goal the sports council hopes to install bigger lights, an improvement geared towards bringing the stadium closer to FIFA standards.
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