The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) has joined the group of people urging the government to scale back on opening ceremony costs for the national stadium in light of the current socioeconomic plight of many Bahamians.
DNA Leader Branville McCartney yesterday added that the stadium seemed to be less of a gift and more of a financial albatross, considering the growing amount of money the government had to dish out to cover infrastructure for the facility.
The new $30 million stadium was a gift from the People's Republic of China.  However, the Ingraham administration had to borrow $50 million to put in place the infrastructure needed for the facility.
"I've read where they're spending a tremendous amount of money on the opening," McCartney said.  "If that is indeed the case, that is very sad.  The gift of the stadium itself has cost the Bahamian people more than what the gift is worth.
"We are not sure how much it is going to cost to maintain the stadium in the future and there is nothing that we (the DNA) have heard in terms of what promotions are there going to be in terms of sporting events to help maintain that stadium."
His comments came after The Nassau Guardian revealed the government planned to spend $600,000 to officially open the Thomas A. Robinson stadium later this month.
Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Charles Maynard has said this amount was scaled down from a previous budget of $1 million.
"My God," McCartney said yesterday.  "That is too much.  We've got people hungry.  I would encourage the government to look at putting that money elsewhere to help those persons who are suffering.
"We have persons without food on their table, persons who are losing their homes, we have persons with no electricity, we have persons who can't put gas in their car.  I think we need to be a bit more sensitive to those persons in light of these concerns."
The Bamboo Town MP said if the DNA were in office when the initial offer of a stadium gift was made, the party would have agitated for a new hospital instead of a sports facility.
Last week, the Progressive Liberal Party also called on the government to cut down its budget for the grand opening.
The PLP said the government should spend the majority of the $600,000 on social programs that would "heal, assist and empower the needy".
"We all like a good party but it ought not to come at the expense of our struggling Bahamian brothers and sisters," said the PLP.
Yesterday, Maynard said the criticism is unfounded.  He said the $600,000 - the maximum amount government plans to spend - is modest for an opening ceremony of a national sports stadium.
He added that most of this amount will go to local companies which have been engaged to sell food and goods at the event.  He stressed that the budget was not for a free party.
Instead, he said, the opening ceremony will help attract international sporting events to The Bahamas.
"They should get the facts before they make silly statements," Maynard said.  "The $600,000 maximum, the majority of that is being spent in the local economy.  It's going to inject stimulus in the economy."
Maynard added that the Sports Authority, the agency created to oversee the upkeep of the stadium, is reviewing several proposals for events to be held at the facility once it is open.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for February 25.

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