Essequibo cricket Hostel and Indoor ‘nets’ should be ready by next month

Sep 03, 2008 Sports

But absence of legal documentation threatens to stall process By Sean Devers
Construction of the Essequibo Cricket Hostel and indoor ‘nets’ facility in the Essequibo Coast town of Anna Regina is moving apace and according to the contractor, should be ready for use by next month end.

However, the lack of a title ownership document threatens to stall the construction process since it is understood that Anna Regina Town Clerk Ganga Persaud on Tuesday informed the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) that the Central Housing and Planning Authority has ordered that all construction work be put on hold until the project has been officially approved by Lands and Surveys.

When Kaieteur News visited the construction site just next to the Anna Regina Community Centre ground in Essequibo on Sunday, the project, which is being funded to the tune of just over $27 million from Guyana’s prize when they won the inaugural Stanford 20/20 competition in 2006, was already taking shape.

Work on the second story of the two-story nine-room Hostel has commenced while the area to the North of the building has already been prepared to accommodate two concrete and two turf pitches. This area will have a 15 feet roof with electrical lighting to facilitate indoor ‘nets’ during rain, even in the evenings.

Contractor Dharam Rajah told this newspaper that once he is again given the ‘all clear’ to continue with the work and be informed of what slight changes are to be made by this week, the facility should be ready by next month end.

Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) President Alvin Johnson, who along with the Board’s Vice-President Fazal Bacchus and its Public Relations Officer Carl Brandon visited the work site on Sunday, informed that he was satisfied with the work done so far and was optimistic that the legal hiccup will soon be ironed out and the Hostel will be completed on schedule.

“The Ministry of Housing and Planning Authority has stopped the construction due to some paperwork problems but all of the submissions have been sent in by the ECB and I am sure that everything will be sorted out quickly since this (Hostel and indoor nets) is a very important aspect of our cricket development in Essequibo,” Johnson, also a Vice-President on the Guyana Cricket Board, opined.

When completed, the Hostel which will be able to house two teams, will facilitate more practice matches and allow more players to be encamped on the Essequibo Coast at one time during preparation for inter-county competitions while the practice facility will be of great benefit to teams staying there since the players can ‘take a knock’ in the indoor ‘nets’ after dinner or when it rains.

“Something like this will be of tremendous value to our players and will allow players from the Coast to stay with their teammates during games for Essequibo. Having the entire team together will strengthen team spirit and allow the coaches to do blackboard work in the evenings with the team. In the past, due to lack of funds, we were forced to have the players from the Coast remain at home,” Johnson added.

Johnson explained that the ECB has been given the land by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and Rajah won the bid as the contractor, with Rajah and the ECB signing the contract in June.

When contacted yesterday the Mayor of Anna Regina Sammy Rampersaud confirmed that the Town Council had been asked by the Central Housing and Planning Authority to stop the work on the ECB Hostel because the title of ownership for the ECB is in the process of been completed.

“I love cricket and I am a part of the Essequibo (Cricket) Board but we must remember that Guyana has laws and they must be respected. Unless Lands and Surveys officially approves plans to build and issues to the owners a Title, Lease or Transport, no construction can take place on the land,” Rampersaud pointed out.
While the Mayor feels the halting of work should not be a major issue especially since the building will benefit the community and cricket in Essequibo, he reminded that due process has to be followed.

“While the Regional Chairman has no problem with the ECB having the land to build the Cricket Hostel, he can only recommend that land be given to any person or organization through its Land Committee. But we must remember that Lands and Surveys have the authority approve or deny the ecommendation. The RDC has recommended that the land be given to the ECB but for the title of ownership to be issued Lands and Surveys has to approve it,” Rampersaud informed.

The Mayor also said that before a building can be constructed ownership of land must take place and be submitted to the Central Housing and Planning Authority through the relevant body.

He disclosed that the Central Housing and Planning Authority will then write to the Town Council or NDC giving permission to build.

“This has not been done because no title of ownership has been granted as yet resulting in us being asked to stop the construction,” Rampersaud added.

The Mayor says that if a building has been illegally constructed it can be dismantled but is confident that this will not happen to the ECB Hostel.

“I met with the ECB Vice-President today in my office and explained the legalities of the situation to him. I also advised him to make urgent contact with the Lands and Surveys or Dr Motilall who is the Chairman of the Central Housing and Planning Authority to see if they can speed up the documentation process so that work can re-commence as soon as possible,” the Mayor said.

It is understood that the title of ownership will have to be re-submitted to the Central Housing and Planning Authority so that records can be made and the granting of permission for the building to be completed.
Johnson said the ECB were to make contact with the Housing Ministry in Georgetown yesterday while many cricket fans in Essequibo feel that the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dr Frank Anthony should be contacted to use his good office to expedite the documentation process.