“A national flag should never become the source of conflict and controversy, and I wish to assure the national community that it will never happen again,” Hunt said. *Photo credit: pellau.ning.com

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Embattled Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Gary Hunt has acknowledged that the erection of a two million dollar (US$333, 000) flag last year at the Hasley Crawford Stadium had been a misconceived idea.

In a radio and television broadcast on Sunday night, Hunt, said while the idea of the flag was a noble one, “there were errors in its implementation”.

There had been a public outcry against the cost associated with the project and Hunt told the nation that “although the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs continues to make great strides and have enjoyed considerable success, we have not always got it right,” he said.

“There have been a few missteps along the way and one of these has been the construction of a national flag at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. The proposal to erect a national symbol at a facility that bears the name of our only Olympic gold medalist was a noble one, but there were errors in its implementation.”

Five months ago, Hunt stoutly defended the decision to spend millions of dollars on putting up the flag at the stadium saying it was intended to encourage national pride.

The controversy has provided much material for calypsonians participating in the annual Carnival activities that ends on February 16 with the annual street jump-up and parade of the bands.

In his address, Hunt said that his ministry “heard the public’s concerns and have acted appropriately” and that he has since directed the Sports Company “to adjust its systems and policies to ensure that nothing like this occurs in the future.

“A national flag should never become the source of conflict and controversy, and I wish to assure the national community that it will never happen again,” he said.