Fetes will no longer be permitted at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, following mounting concerns about damage to the facility and growing complaints from nearby residents. The Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) has moved to halt such events immediately.
UDeCOTT chairman Shankar Bidaisee confirmed the decision, saying the board has approved a policy barring fetes at the Academy, its surrounding areas, and all other properties under the corporation’s control. “The board has approved a policy that there are to be no fetes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and surrounding areas under the purview of UDeCOTT—or at any UDeCOTT premises,” Bidaisee said.
He emphasized that the facility was designed strictly for cricket and has suffered significant wear and tear from non-sporting events. “The Brian Lara Cricket Academy is for cricket. That is the purpose of it. It was not built for fetes,” he said. “And furthermore, this facility costs a lot of money to maintain and, of course, when we have these activities and so on it causes damage to the premises and that is not in keeping with good practice. It’s for cricket and we will use it for cricket only.”
According to Bidaisee, the stadium costs between $10 million and $15 million annually to maintain, while the fees collected from fetes fall far short of that amount.
“We have costs associated with clean-up, there is significant wear and tear, and damage. There are also security concerns and high maintenance expenses. And of course, it’s not good for the stadium’s reputation to host fetes,” he said. “The sum that they (promoters) pay is quite low… and the revenue generated is nowhere close to that.”
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar later weighed in on X, saying the government’s stance was driven partly by an upsurge in noise complaints.
“Noise pollution is a nuisance,” she wrote. “I instructed that all fetes at the Brian Lara Stadium be stopped as the noise has become unbearable for residents.” She added that noise pollution has been “ignored for far too long” and vowed to address the issue more broadly.
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles, however, argued that the decision raises broader questions and may signal the start of more restrictions across UDeCOTT-managed properties. At the Opposition’s weekly news briefing, she challenged why the Academy was singled out if noise was the primary concern.
“If I recall specifically the document from Udecott, it is now not only going to be Brian Lara, but it is also going to be other facilities for which Udecott has responsibilities,” Beckles said. “So we have to assume that the Hyatt, Invaders Bay, and any other facility that is managed by Udecott will no longer have any fetes.”
She also criticized what she described as a lack of respect for event promoters and the public. “Why no consultation? Because these are facilities that are owned by the State, basically owned by the public,” she said. “And why would the Honourable Prime Minister say that she will not have a meeting with the promoters when the question was asked?”
Beckles further questioned whether the government has undisclosed intentions for the venue. “This is not the personal property of the Prime Minister. Brian Lara is not the personal property of the Prime Minister,” she said. “But it may very well be that there may be plans for the Brian Lara Stadium… we will wait very much in short order to see whether that is in fact the case.”
She added that the Opposition will also monitor how the recent extension of the State of Emergency may affect Carnival Monday and Tuesday in 2026.
