𝐌𝐒𝐘𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐀 𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐆𝐎
The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs (MSYA), in collaboration with the Division of Youth Empowerment and Sport of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), today launched the Principles of Groundsmanship Training Programme, advancing a shared commitment to developing skilled young people and improving the quality of Tobago’s sporting facilities.
The launch took place at the Division’s head office, Glen Road, Scarborough, with the Honourable Phillip Watts, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, and Secretary of Youth Empowerment and Sport, Keigon Denoon.
Scheduled to run from November 10 to 20, 2026, at the Shaw Park Recreation Facility, the programme will provide participants with practical training in the preparation, care and maintenance of sporting grounds. Participants who successfully complete the required assessment will receive a Certificate of Competency at Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level 1 through the National Training Agency (NTA).
Delivering the feature address, Minister Watts underscored the essential contribution of groundskeepers to athlete development, safe playing conditions and the overall quality of sport.
“Every great cover drive and every perfectly weighted pass depends on the surface underneath it,” Minister Watts stated. “We celebrate the athletes, and we should. But today, I want us to celebrate the people who prepare the stage.”
The Minister explained that the programme would combine technical knowledge with hands-on instruction, covering turfgrass management, mowing, irrigation, soil and nutrition, aeration, pest management, cricket pitch preparation, safe equipment operation and maintenance reporting.
He also highlighted the programme’s potential to create pathways into employment and entrepreneurship, including opportunities in the maintenance of school fields, community recreation grounds, major sporting venues, hotels, golf courses and resorts.
“This is not just a course. It could be the start of a career,” Minister Watts told participants, encouraging them to take ownership of their training and recognise the value of their contribution to sport and community development.
Secretary Denoon described the initiative as an example of the power of collaboration between the MSYA and the THA. He emphasised that developing the skills needed to maintain quality sporting facilities would help create an environment in which Tobago’s sportsmen and sportswomen could thrive.
Minister Watts reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Division and expanding access to sport and youth development opportunities in Tobago.
“When we talk about national development, Tobago is not an afterthought. Tobago is part of the plan!” he stated.
Also attending the launch were Chairman of the NTA, Chandar Gupta Supersad; Senator Ashworth Jack; Permanent Secretary of the MSYA, Penelope Bradshaw-Niles; Lead Facilitator, Ramnath Persad, Head Curator, Sport and Physical Education, The University of the West Indies; and Specialist Facilitator, Dr. Gaius Eudoxie, Agronomist, The University of the West Indies.
