Ministry of Sports, Jese Saukuru

The Ministry of Youth and Sports aims to refurbish some facilities around the country to international standards.

Minister Jese Saukuru says there are plans to develop some facilities to install artificial turf on certain facilities to avoid some common scenarios, whereby games are postponed or cancelled due to unfavourable weather.

“Because over here, it is dependent on the weather, and natural grounds like these have grass, sometimes during bad weather, it’s very bad so we have to close the ground. But with artificial turfs, we can still continue to have games.”

Saukuru says the Ministry is in talks with the Fiji Sports Council on which facilities can be developed to have artificial turfs.

He adds the recent $2 million refurbishment of the HFC Bank Stadium tracks is an example of government’s commitment to advancing the country’s sporting infrastructure.