Jouvaughnie Byfield, councillor candidate for the Gayle division in Western St Mary, is calling on the councillor for the Gayle division, Jason James, to give some attention to the Eden Park Sports Complex.

Eden Park Sports Complex is one of the few multipurpose areas in St Mary where constituents can go to enjoy sporting and recreational activities.

It boasts a netball and basketball court, football field and cycling track.

Robert Montague, the member of parliament, and Jason James, councillor for the Gayle division, have allowed the complex to become derelict through their failure to ensure routine maintenance of the facility.

The complex provides a safe space for children to participate in sporting activities and it was the home field to Jacks River Primary School.

“Today, the students have to travel all the way to Oracabessa to play their home matches,” said Byfield.

He also noted that there is an active HEART Training Centre on the complex which provides opportunities for residents of Jacks River and neighbouring communities to get skills training and certification.

“When we allow these facilities to degrade to such state, what message of development are we sending to our communities? It is unacceptable that the only space of its kind in the community has been neglected and left to deteriorate. It has moved from a football field to a cow and goat pasture,” said Byfield.

Multiple organisations have come on board and donated fencing and other important material to the complex. We should not let these donations go to waste.

“The MP for the constituency, Robert Montaque, broadcasts from this location on the local radio station WavesFM every Wednesday and to know that he turns a blind eye to the state of the complex is unbelievable,” said Byfield.