Aquatics Center gets $3.7 Million allocation announces Sport Minister Rachel Taylor 

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, May 30, 2023 – After years of excellent performance in international competition from the Turks and Caicos’ young swimmers, despite having no official practice facilities the government says it is finally fulfilling its promise to build them an Olympic size pool.  Rachael Taylor, Minister of Education with responsibility for youth and sport made the announcement during the national budget debate on May 18th.

“The development of the Aquatics Centre under the Sports Commission remit n the amount of $3.7 million  will be a green initiative with solar panels and green spaces,” she said.

The TCI has brought home multiple medals from international events, including the CARIFTA Games and had its swimmers qualify for the Commonwealth Games as well.

All this has been done without proper practice facilities. The youngsters practice in whatever pool they can manage, some of them with sharp edges made for recreation rather than competitive swimming and others, which are too small.

The frustrating process has resulted in some talented youngsters simply giving up or reluctantly moving on to countries with better resources.

Taylor promised the pool to the athletes in a one on one meeting held with junior swimmers; last year the space had been announced as secured for construction to begin.

She did not give a timeline for the project.