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Basseterre, St. Kitts — In what is being slammed as yet another show of incompetence, the Ministry of Sports under Hon. Samal Duggins has officially notified the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) that the Warner Park Football Stadium will be unavailable until August 28th, 2025 — effectively sidelining national football for two entire months in the heart of the season.

The notification, sent via a letter signed by Director of Sports Jeffrey Hazel, cites the St. Kitts Music Festival and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Cricket Tournament as reasons for the lengthy shutdown. The SKNFA and the wider football community are not having it.

“This is a slap in the face!”

Outraged fans, players, and officials are asking one burning question:
How can a national stadium — especially the football pitch — be out of commission for over two months, when most activities are concentrated on the cricket field?

“This is sabotage disguised as scheduling,” one coach said. “It’s either gross mismanagement or a deliberate attempt to destroy football in this country.”

Insiders in the football fraternity are now accusing the Ministry of Sports — and by extension, Minister Duggins — of being on a revenge mission to cripple football and dampen national enthusiasm for the game. Several senior SKNFA officials have expressed frustration over the lack of consultation and the continued disregard for the sport’s growth.

Tourism First, Sports Forgotten?

This latest football fiasco comes just weeks after Minister of Tourism Hon. Marsha Henderson announced that Warner Park would host the St. Kitts Music Festival, despite the predictable impact on the field and the collision with national sports scheduling.

Critics are now asking: Why wasn’t the festival moved to more suitable locations like the bypass road, Cayon field, Frigate Bay lawn, or any other viable venue?
Instead, a decision that could have been avoided has now crippled the football calendar — and sparked nationwide backlash.

“Where’s the Minister?”

As public pressure mounts, Minister Samal Duggins has gone silent, leaving his Director of Sports to absorb the heat. But the public isn’t fooled. This is being seen as yet another entry in a growing list of Duggins’ failures and blunders — from international travel controversies to now mismanaging the nation’s premier sporting facility.

Football Left on the Bench

Observers and fans are demanding that Minister Duggins rectify the situation immediately. They are calling for a reversal of the decision or the creation of an urgent contingency plan to accommodate football activities — with real consultation and transparency this time.

“This is more than just scheduling — it’s about respect,” one senior SKNFA official said.
“Respect for the sport, for the players, and for the fans.”

As frustration boils over in the football community, one thing is certain — this Warner Park fiasco has scored an own goal for the Ministry of Sports.

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Stay tuned to St. Kitts-Nevis Times for continuing coverage on this developing story and reactions from across the football fraternity.