Providence Stadium field in near perfect condition – Minister Ramson
“Let’s be clear, the Guyana National Stadium is not owned by anyone, it is owned by the people of the country.”
By Franklin Wilson
Honorary Minister of CY&S Charles Ramson Jnr. explore the Providence field area at 13 56hrs on Tuesday January.12, 2021. (photo Franklin Wilson)
Guyana National Stadium Area, Providence Pitch; photo taken by Franklin Wilson on Tuesday January 12 at 13 55hrs.
Kaieteur News – Noting that it is a coordinated attempt to curse the Ministry of Youth Culture and Sport (MCY&S) and to prevent the use of the Guyana, Providence National Stadium for football, subject Minister Charles Ramson Jnr. visited and inspected the facility yesterday afternoon following negative articles carried in various sections of the print media, claiming that ‘football’ had damaged the pitch and field.
Being the practical person he is, Minister Ramson took the tour to the facility to find out the allegations of damage made since he was part of the contested BounceBack Football Fiesta at the Stadium on December 29th, 2020 and January 1st, 2021 in association with the Guyana Football Federation and the Kashif and Shanghai Foundation.
With the presence of print and electronic media, Minister Ramson stated in uncertain terms that the Stadium was owned by the different sports as it was there to be used to promote the development of the different sports at national and global levels.
He noted that the GFF, one of the national associations, would be required to prepare its Senior Men’s National Team (SMNT) for the World Cup Qualification matches starting in March this year.
This image of Providence Cricket Pitch has been published in other parts of the media in contrast to reality.
“It was brought to my attention that a body calling themselves GCB wrote to the National Stadium Manager on the 6th of January to request the use of the Guyana National Stadium to prepare for them in preparation for the Super50. In any event, I am advised that landowners need three weeks notice so that they can get the pitch square in a ready state for use; the outfield is always usable. ”
“There is no damage to this pitch that would stop using normal preparatory timings, so the question is, why would there be a disingenuous attempt to cache the stadium and ministry solely for the use of cricket and for people who are favored? ”
Minister Ramson asked that this may have happened in the past noting that 15 to 20 pre-2015 events would have taken place at the facility annually compared to the last two years, which is three a year.
Maximum use of the facility is needed, Ramson said, pointing to the fact that people are required to access, without obstruction.
MCY & S does not recognize a body calling itself, GCB
Minister Charles Ramson announced that his Ministry does not recognize the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) since the restoration of the Cricket Administration Act which took place last September which paved the way for elections at the Demerara Cricket Board and subsequently, the Guyana Cricket Board.
“Until an election the youth culture and sport ministry is not engaging with a body that does not comply with Guyana laws. That is why since the restoration of the law we have not engaged with the body that calls itself GCB. Although we have not done anything that would preclude them from carrying out activities as a particular body because we are now in the transitional phase of having an elected body in accordance with the law, we are not engaging with them formally because we are acknowledgment. them as the legitimate body representing cricket in Guyana nationally until they comply with the act. ”
Minister Ramson informed that there would be a court decision in a few days which would direct when the above mentioned elections would be held.
“So it’s only a matter of time before that happens; but until that happens we are not engaging in an illegal body. ”
Ramson informed the media that he had been written to and invited to bowl a tournament late last year but responded by informing the GCB that they should not do so as it was not engaging with a non-compliant body.
He said that given his Ministry’s interest in sport and women developing and developing their respective careers within a structure, taking into account contact with regional and international bodies who also assist in their career development, the letter was not made with the Public GCB.
“But at the same time, we cannot allow a situation where there is an attempt to defraud the ministry in an incorrect public. I invited all of the media houses here today (yesterday) so they can get a first-hand look at themselves, what is the state and condition of Guyana’s national stadium. And it’s an almost perfect situation, a condition such that the incident that happened here, which was not the first time, had events of a similar nature that have happened many times before; but there are some people who think that Guyana’s national stadium is just a reserve or reserve of the few and not the many and that is not the way it will be done in the future, it is not the way it is are going to do that now. ”