Cricketers raise funds for Windsor Park Stadium

Garford Joseph, the manager of the Hurricane Maria damaged Windsor Park Sports Stadium (WPSS) is hopeful that the WPSS will be ready for hosting matches in 2019 as well as the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) in October 2018 as the world of cricket begin raising crucial funds this week at Lords in England.

Joseph said 70 percent of the Stadium's roof was destroyed and 100 percent of the roof of the player's pavilion.

"Fifteen gates have all been destroyed along with our stairwells. We have had lots of damage and our playing surface was also compromised," he said.

Joseph said that a Public Works Department assessment estimated that the damage caused to the WPSS was valued at six million dollars.

"Government is now in the process at getting the repairs done, we are waiting for one contractor to make a submission to the Minister so we expect the work to commence within the next month at the stadium," he said

He continued: "All things equal our target is to ensure that the stadium will be up and ready for the 2018 World Creole Festival once we are not affected by any hurricane or other natural disasters in 2018.

"Estimates have also been submitted for the grounds to have it in a proper shape and complete rehabilitation. At the moment it's playable but not to international standard," he said.

"The WCMF will be held at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium and when you come to the World Creole Festival you won't even know it was affected and our aim is to have the facility ready for the hosting of an international match in 2019 and with the help and assistance from the government I think we are all set to have the repair works all going," Joseph noted.

Officially opened on October 24, 2007 and built at a cost of $33million, the WPSS is a gift from China. Meantime, the WPSS will benefit from a charity cricket match between the West Indies and Rest of the World XI at Lord's on 31st May 2018.

The match was granted international status by International Cricket Council and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).