Minister of Sport Olivia Grange says her government is seriously considering building a new facility that would eventually replace the ageing National Stadium in Kingston.

"We are looking at a new stadium; we are looking at a new facility in the Caymanas area," she said.

Grange said that the government had been in discussions with the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), University of Technology (UTech) and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and that a new development plan would be" rolled out very soon".

The project, if it becomes a reality, would cost some US$300 million, but Grange said she is optimistic that a partner could be found.

"It is a lot of money, but we are optimistic, confident that we will find new investors," she said.

Grange said in the meantime that the Jamaica International Invitational Meeting set for May 1 would be going ahead inside the National Stadium and that she would be soon getting the cost of "required repairs" of the facility..

In the meantime, Independence Park Limted (IPL), that manages the National Staium, said safety is its priority and that the "cosmetic repairs" to the 44-year-old facility would begin next week.

The National Stadium has been the subject of debate over its safety for over a week following Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie's branding the facility a "death trap" after his inspection team found "evidence of cracks in the slabs and beams".

City Engineer Norman Shand had said he was concerned about the cantilever which hangs over the grandstand section.

"There was also patchwork of cement work in certain areas, rusting and other signs where there seem to be leaks and water marks which suggest the cracks may be from the outside," Shand said last.

However, following an assessment by engineering consultancy firm Hue Lyew Chin, the 'Stadium' was deemed to be safe.

"What we have seen on our very short visit has not given us any cause for alarm... we do not see any sign of structural distress in the important elements of cantilever beams and tripod columns; all are intact and the building is as safe as it was built. It does require some cosmetic repairs, but it is in good shape," the report added.

Major McKenzie had suggested that no event of the magnitude of the recently-concluded ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships would be allowed to be held at the multi-purpose venue until the IPL carried out repairs to correct the identified flaws.

But following Hue Lyew Chin report that the facility is safe, the stadium is expected to remain open for business.