Months after the pool in the community fell into disrepair for a third time despite taxpayers spending over $1.1 million on repairs, residents are again calling on the Ministry of Sport and Community Development to refurbish and reopen the Cocoyea Community Pool urgently.
The facility, located in the San Fernando East constituency, was first opened in 2007 as a flagship community project of former prime minister Patrick Manning, now deceased. Over the years, however, the pool deteriorated and was eventually closed.
In 2023, the then government spent $1.137 million to rehabilitate the facility, carrying out repairs to the roof, bleachers, plumbing, electrical systems and pumps before reopening it to the public.
However, Member of Parliament for San Fernando East Brian Manning says the pool was only accessible to residents for a few months before it once again became non-functional. He said it was again fixed and reopened in April 2025 but months after that, he said it again became dysfunctional due to a lack of maintenance.
Speaking to Guardian Media during a community clean-up exercise at the site on Friday, Manning said the pumps failed in 2024. He blamed a lack of maintenance for the problem.
“The last repair that was done here was conducted by UDeCOTT, not by the Ministry of Sport, and they replaced the pumps and did all of the other work that had to be done so that the pool would be up to standard,” Manning said.
He explained that the repairs were carried out to ensure the facility was ready for public use, but maintenance after the reopening did not continue as required.
“There has been security on the inside—they’re here right now—but there has been nothing else. No chemicals, no maintenance. Nothing has been happening with the pool at all,” Manning said.
According to him, despite the presence of security officers at the facility, the pool remains unusable.
“The only thing breaking into the pool right now are frogs and snakes,” he said, adding that the facility is not safe for public use in its current state.
Manning said responsibility for maintaining the pool falls under the Ministry of Sport, while the surrounding recreational areas are managed by the San Fernando City Corporation.
He accused the Government of neglecting the constituency and said volunteers have had to step in to maintain nearby recreational spaces.
“We have gotten volunteers from various party groups and the community to clean the surrounding playgrounds and parks so that our young people can at least have somewhere to go,” he said.
Manning added that attempts to raise the issue formally have been unsuccessful.
“We’ve asked questions in Parliament, we’ve sent letters and done everything possible to reach out to the Ministry of Sport, but we have gotten no real response,” he said.
For Manning, the condition of the facility is particularly painful given its connection to his father’s legacy.
“It’s very disheartening. He wanted this pool to be available for the people of Cocoyea and the surrounding communities—whether for competitive swimming or just for families to enjoy,” he said.
Residents say they simply want the pool restored so their children can use it again.
Community member Michelle Baptiste said the pool has been deteriorating for nearly two years.
“It’s deteriorated. It’s about two years it is like this and we want it fixed,” she said.
“We want to bring our children to play. My children used to play in the pool before.”
She also said the condition of the nearby playground was horrendous.
Guardian Media reached out to the communications manager at the Ministry of Sport and was told that data is being compiled to issue a statement. Efforts to contact Minister Phillip Watts repeatedly on his cellphone on Friday and up to yesterday were unsuccessful.
