ANNOTTO BAY, St Mary — This seacoast town was a beehive of activity last Sunday evening as the historic Westmoreland Oval was renamed the Annotto Bay Multi-Purpose Complex.

The renaming, spearheaded by Member of Parliament for St Mary South Eastern, Dr Norman Dunn, and announced by Minister of Gender, Culture, Sports and Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange, came at the end of the Norman Dunn night football competition for teams in the constituency, won in a penalty shoot-out by Railway of Annotto Bay, who defeated Cross Roads of the same community in the final.

Grange told hundreds in her address that funding for the redevelopment of the sports facility was spearheaded by the Sports Development Foundation, and involved other agencies.

“Where you are standing tonight was a facility that sat in ruin for many, many years. Ruin and degradation and used as a cow pasture for many years. Today, because of the persistence and determination of your Member of Parliament Norman Dunn we can boast one of the best facilities in St Mary and Jamaica and the envy of many communities.

“This facility is a collaborative product — the CHASE Fund, TEF (Tourism Enhancement Fund), TPDCo (Tourism Product Development Company) contributed and at the centre of it the Sports Development Foundation which falls under my jurisdiction. We started the ball rolling and that is why tonight I am proud,” she said.

“Tonight a commitment has manifested itself in the Westmoreland Oval being renamed to be the Annotto Bay Multi-Purpose Complex and I’m happy to be a part of it,” Grange declared.

She told those present to care the facility and suggested to Dr Dunn that the facility should be used for entertainment and dances, as she will be taking entertainment programmes there on February 15, 2020 during Reggae Month, featuring “Children of the Icons, and emerging artistes”, while promising drumming equipment and encouraged drumming at the facility. She also challenged all to care the facility as it is theirs and it must be used responsibly.

Dr Dunn said the facility has helped to “bring back peace in Annotto Bay”, adding that “one of my greatest joys each night when I leave here is to see the crowd of people walking down the town and the night football is one of the things that everybody has said has brought back peace and love in this town.”

Two individuals from the Annotto Bay area were honoured on the Wall of Fame. They were Konya Plummer (Reggae Girlz football captain) and Raymond Anderson (JFF Vice-President and director of the Jamaica Olympic Association). Other persons from the area who have excelled in sport will be recognised, among them Javaughn McKenzie (who was a student at St Jago High school and died in Trinidad, while representing Jamaica at a cross country event, and late national U17 football player Rushaun Duncan.

“We have two persons here who we will recognise, one is Raymond Anderson who has risen to almost the pinnacle of football in Jamaica, who is one of the vice-presidents of the Jamaica Football Federation and also was a commissioner for Fifa and a director for the Jamaica Olympic Association. We recognise him for all the work he has done not only for St Mary but for Jamaica. We also recognise a queen among ourselves in Konya Plummer from a sleeping little district called Epsom, who has graced the shores of Jamaica and now the world, now been drafted in the United States soccer,” Dr Dunn stated.

Plummer was represented by her father Conrad. Their images were painted on the wall of a refurbished pavilion.

“I am very, very pleased about it,” Conrad Plummer stated. “When she started playing football I supported her. I remember when she was at Annotto Bay High I wrote a letter giving her permission to play football with the boys. She was involved with Rangers Club and I used to take her to training and she has done well.

Anderson was elated. “They always say ‘King don’t have any honour in their country’ but for me I say otherwise. I’m from Annotto Bay and for the Annotto Bay community, including the Member of Parliament, to recognise what I have done in sports, means a lot to me. Annotto Bay is where I born and bred and I’m getting some recognition from here and I’m really elated for this,” he said.

The evening’s activity also saw a netball rally won by Hot Chilli who defeated Enfield 17-9.

Railway triumphed 4-3 in the shoot-out over Cross Roads, following a 1-1 score at the end of full time.

The winning team got the $100,000 first prize.