Government facilities would be managed for maximum use by people of Guyana – Minister Ramson

Jan 15, 2021 Sports

By Franklin Wilson

His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

Kaieteur News – All government facilities would be managed in a way that would see its uses be maximised by the citizens of this land were the words of Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Charles Ramson Jnr. who was responding to questions posed by the media on Tuesday last at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Minister Ramson was visiting the facility following claims by one sports entity which alleged that another was responsible for damaging the ground and pitch at the National Stadium.Commenting on the uses of government owned facilities, Ramson said that its no sense in having same when it uses is restricted to the people. He noted that a few months ago, he made a decision which was endorsed and championed by His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali that the Providence Stadium Tarmac area must be accessible to members of the East Bank and surrounding areas for purposes of exercising.“Prior to that it was closed, all day long it was closed. You had tarmac areas; you had areas that people could come and ride or exercise for whatever reason, play cricket, play football, all kinds of things; it was closed.

Honourable Minister of CY&S Charles Ramson Jnr. inspecting the Providence pitch area at 13 56hrs on Tuesday Jan.12, 2021. Franklin Wilson photo

Is that giving us the best usage for the people of the country? And the President himself was the one who made the decision that it should open.”
Himself and avid sportsman, Minister Ramson posited that the balancing the interest of all of the people of the nation to derive maximum benefits from its facilities is of serious importance.
“And you have people of East Bank who did not have access to an exercise facility and south and western Georgetown who didn’t have access unless they go all the way to the National Park, so that’s what you have to do in terms of balancing the interest.”
Noting as malicious the claims of certain persons that the Stadium was damaged following the Bounce Back Football Fiesta which was a collaborative effort between the Guyana Football Federation, Kashif and Shanghai Organisation and the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, Ramson noted that he would allow such spurious claims to be foisted upon the people.

Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

He stated that Government facilities would be reachable by all in a structured manner and no one would be denied.
“Football has been denied usage of even the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in the last five years even though there were multiple attempts being made and requests, applications, lobbying being done so that they could use the sports hall and it was never done. So the question is, how are those facilities being used in the best way where you can optimise the benefit for the Guyanese people? We’re going to be doing that.”
Whilst accepting the fact that there is need for more facilities, Minister Ramson said that this area is one of priority for President Ali and his government.
“Right now we are in budget planning type of situation at the moment; there are plans being made so that we could cater for multiple facilities. In addition to that, the President would have announced that we would have three multi-purpose facilities on the cards. The three locations, Anna Regina, Mackenzie Sports Club and Albion in Region six, those are going to be very big facilities and multi-purpose.”