LOCAL objections have been raised against the $222 million multi-purpose sports complex to be constructed in Sligoville, St Catherine, by Spanish Town mayor Raymoth Notice and a civic group.

Notice who remains the Jamaica Labour Party caretaker for the East Central St Catherine constituency, says the sport facility is waste of cash, channeled in the wrong direction.

The complex is a gift from the Chinese government which is also expected to build it.

But, pointing to the existence of two mini-stadiums in Spanish Town located at the GC Foster College and Spanish Town Prison Oval, the mayor said it would be unwise to develop a similar facility just six miles away.

The funds would be better spent, he suggested, on developing Sligoville – the first free village in Jamaica – as a site for heritage tourism, putting it in a position to earn foreign exchange.

Sligoville is largely a farming community, with few job prospects.

Ena Knibbs, 37, a resident, says a training facility would be of greater value to the community of 500 inhabitants, especially the youngsters who need jobs.

“I would have preferred a trade training centre, because we do not see a sports complex in this small farming community as a priority,” she said.

Rosemarie Green, convener of the Spanish Town Citizens against Gun Violence, also believes the funds would be better spent on job creation, including among her suggestions a factory to process the tomato grown locally.

“Sligoville is a farming community which grows a tremendous amount of tomatoes, and government has never recognised them,” said Green.

“The funds would be better utilised if he (Knight) should build a tomato factory to make tomato ketchup or tomato juice, or build a trade training centre for the unemployed, or upgrade the poor water system up here.”

Foreign affairs minister KD Knight is the sitting Member of Parliament.

Knight has said the project will generate income, and will provide short and long term employment.

But Green describes the sports complex plan as “nonsense.”

To be developed on lands housing the police station and post office, construction of the 4,000-seat sports complex is scheduled to start in May 2006, and completed 10 months later.

The designs include a dedicated cricket oval to accommodate 1,200; a 110 x 70 metre football field; and a 400m running track with six lanes.