PM Roosevelt Skerrit shares update on EC$14 Million Synthetic Athletics Track Project

Dominica: The Commonwealth of Dominica is set to construct a synthetic Athletics track worth EC$14 million. The meeting was held between the project committee and stakeholders on Monday, June 22, 2026 to advance the planning for the track.

Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit shared the update and said that the athletics track will enhance the sporting sector of Dominica.

This project is aimed at delivering a state-of-the-art, World Athletics Class 1–certified synthetic track and field facility in Pointe Ronde, Portsmouth. It is being funded in partnership by World Athletics and Qatar Development Fund and was announced in 2025.

As shared, the aim of the meeting was “to review the design proposed under the master plan and discuss the next steps toward implementation.” A team from World Athletics is scheduled to visit Dominica in July to conduct final site assessments and close out the implementation package.

The new synthetic track is expected to significantly impact the development of a track and field in Dominica upon its completion. The primary goal is to develop homegrown facilities for the elite local athletes of Dominica who are competing at world-scale such as Thea LaFond and Addison James. Until now, the athletes are compelled to travel abroad in order to prepare for tournaments including World Championships, Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.

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This will also boost the confidence of young athletes in Dominica to take up more sports. President of the Dominica Amateur Athletics Association, Mr. Brendan Williams, says the new facility will encourage more young athletes to take their craft seriously. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Representative for the Portsmouth constituency, Fenella Wenham-Sheppard, encouraged the citizens to prepare themselves for the opportunities that the track will provide.

The other aim is to present Dominica as a year-round world-class sports training facility for international athletes well. The authorities are especially targeting Icelandic countries like parts of Europe, Estonia etc. where winter overpowers the existing training grounds for all or most of the year. The tropical climate of Dominica can serve as the perfect refuge in such cases.

Simultaneously, this project will enable Dominica to host international events which will prove beneficial for the island’s economy and stimulate its reputation at world forums.

Though the major emphasis is currently on the synthetic track itself, there will also be other necessary facilities which will feature under the plan like changing rooms and bleachers, with the athlete housing facilities planned for future stages. This is because the track is actually the centerpiece of a larger, highly anticipated national sports complex, a blueprint being pushed forward by the government, which will eventually feature an Olympic-sized swimming pool alongside the athletics stadium.