Hasely Crawford Stadium is to be repaired for the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games ©Getty Images

The Organising Committee of the Trinidad and Tobago 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games is to start work on repairing the Hasely Crawford Stadium, following the nation's carnival celebrations at the venue on February 21.

It is expected to be completed in time for the Games, which is scheduled to take place from August 4 to 11.

The Ministry of Sport and Community Development said the refurbishment in Mucurapo is expected to start in March.

"The Ministry of Sport and Community Development, the Sport Company of T&T, and the Urban Development Company of T&T met once again to further develop plans for hosting both sports activities and cultural events at the sporting facilities under the Ministry's remit as athletes, national governing bodies, and members of the cultural fraternity continue to be accommodated at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and Jean Pierre Complex until the end of Carnival 2023," said the Ministry in a statement.

"Construction works are carded to take place at many sporting facilities across the nation."

The renovation of Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet is underway too, according to the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian.

The Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva is at the procurement process, while Mannie Ramjohn and Larry Gomes Stadiums are being confirmed.

Skinner Park is scheduled to be completed by the end of January.

With athletics to be held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, this venue will be prioritised. 

Trinidad and Tobago's Hasely Crawford Stadium has been used for the national football team's biggest matches ©Getty Images
Trinidad and Tobago's Hasely Crawford Stadium has been used for the national football team's biggest matches ©Getty Images

A meeting is to be held on January 17 to finalise the plans and discuss health and safety and security protocols for the facilities in future so they can be used for sport and cultural events.

Eight sports are set to take place at the Games: athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, netball, rugby sevens, swimming, tennis and triathlon.

The Games were initially scheduled to take place in Belfast, but the Northern Irish capital was stripped of the event due to funding concerns related to the Northern Ireland Executive crisis.

Following the 2017 snap election triggered by the Democratic Unionist Party's mishandling of the renewable heating incentive scheme, opposition party Sinn Féin refused to return to a power-sharing agreement which is required to give voice to unionist and republican parties in Northern Ireland.

As a result, there was no First Minister in the country for three years, until 2020 when the New Decade, New Approach agreement was made

Trinidad and Tobago defeated Gibraltar to win the second bid, which was then moved back to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.