Minister of Sports Hon. Cecil Mckie has commenced a series of visits to sporting facilities in his new Ministry.

Newly appointed Minister of Sports Hon. Cecil Mckie has commenced a series of visits to sporting facilities in his new Ministry.

Minister Mckie officially took up the post on Tuesday November 21st and spent his first day by visiting the Arnos Vale playing field which is in the final stages of upgrading to international standards to accommodate the first three cricket matches of Australia tour of West Indies 2012.

Three One Day Internationals Cricket Matches between the West Indies and Australia is slated to be held here in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on March 16th, 18th and 20th March 2012.

Chief Agricultural Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture Reuben Robertson said that his Ministry was asked by the National Sports Council on January 5th to provide technical assistance to aid in getting the field ready for the upcoming One Day Matches.

Robertson said a Management Recovery Program was put in place to aid in the rehabilitation of the ground as a result of a number of issues which contributed to the degradation of the field such as overuse and infestation by mole crickets. He said as a result the field is now greener and much closer to International Standards and would not have been possible without the hard work of Bill Edwards who is the supervisor for the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Director of the National Sports Council Oswald Browne said that the field is indeed a success story because of the complete turnaround, noting the condition it was in before and what it is in now.

Browne said the field is scheduled to be inspected tomorrow Thursday February 23rd by the Chief of Cricket Operations of the West Indies Cricket Board Roland Holder and he has no doubts that Holder will be very surprised at the turnaround made.