The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
THE chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Temba Mliswa, has expressed concern over the slow pace at which Treasury was availing funds meant for infrastructure to be used during the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games set for Bulawayo in December.
In an interview on Friday following a tour of the facilities to be used for the Games by the 25-member committee, Mliswa said they would soon be inviting the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Patrick Chinamasa to explain why it has taken long to make available funds required for smooth work on the renovations of various sporting facilities.
According to Mliswa, from the $22 million budgeted by the Government, $12 million has been set aside for renovations of which only $3.5 million has been availed.
“We are not happy with the pace at which the money meant for infrastructure development so we are going to invite the Minister of Finance to come to parliament and explain why money allocated has not been released,’’ said Mliswa.
On the visit to Bulawayo, Mliswa said as legislators they were in the city to check on the state of preparedness so as to have an oversight on what is happening and were happy with what they saw on the ground. Mliswa pointed out that they have the powers to recommend if the country should hand over the facilities to be used for the Games by the deadline set by the Regional Organising Committee, which is 30 September.
“We are pleased with the progress made so far, there is a concerted effort, there is lots of positive things I have seen,’’ Mliswa said.
The ROC chaired by South African Mvuzo Mbebe gave Zimbabwe until the end of this month to hand over most of the facilities to be used for the Games for test runs. With that in mind, Mliswa said there was a need to quicken the pace by the construction firms tasked with carrying out renovations so as to meet the deadline.
Mliswa and his team visited White City Stadium, Luveve Stadium, Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo Swimming Pool, Bulawayo Athletic Club, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, Large City Hall and Hillside Teachers College.
During the tour, it was disclosed that White City, which is the venue for athletics and netball is not part of the facilities which have to be handed over to ROC by end of this month.
The entourage was taken on the tour by an engineer from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Herbert Karuma, director of sports in the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture, Tendai Tagara.
Zimbabwe will host the 11 nation biannual Youth Games from 5 to 14 December. The Games are going to be officially opened by President Mugabe at Barbourfields Stadium.
The participating countries will compete in athletics, boxing, netball, swimming, tennis, basketball, judo and football.
The Games torch was lit by President Mugabe at State House in Harare on Thursday.
