Govt seeks to evict softball association from GTI ground

Aug 02, 2009 News

The days of the Guyana Softball Cricket Association may be numbered if the government has its way. The Education Ministry is seeking to evict the body from the place it called home since 1984.
News of the eviction first broke last year January when the Deputy Chief Education Officer, Shurlish Baijnauth, wrote to the association seeking a copy of the agreement it had signed with Government in 1984. That agreement was a tripartite arrangement between the government, the Government Technical Institute and the Guyana Softball Cricket Association.
Signing on behalf of the Education Ministry then was Permanent Secretary Alan Munroe. Principal of the Government Technical Institute, P.E. Inniss, signed on behalf of the technical institute and Manniram Prashad signed on behalf of the softball association.
The ground was owned by the Government Technical Institute and the agreement permitted the association “the use of the sports ground provided that such use does not prejudice the rights of the government and the institute to its ownership and general usage.”
By way of the agreement the government would have been responsible for five-eights of the operational cost and the association, the remainder. Current Chairman of the association, Cammie Ramsaroop, said that the government never spent any money.
He said that the association developed the ground and overall spent some $15 million to develop the stands and other facilities there.
Last year, Mr. Ramsaroop said that his association complied with the request for the agreement and all was silent until Education Minister, Shaik Baksh, caused his Permanent Secretary, Pulander Kandhi, to send what the association considered a rude notice last February.
“You are therefore required to give up vacant possession and occupation of the said ground to the Education Ministry/Government of Guyana on or before April 30, 2009. Kindly note that your failure to comply with this notice will leave us with no alternative but to take such steps as we may consider necessary to forcefully dispossess your association from the said ground.”
The ensuing confrontation led to the intervention of Attorney General, Charles Ramson, who wrote to the association that it could remain at the venue until August 31, 2009.
However, the Education Ministry moved to occupy the premises on Friday by sending security guards and by informing the caretaker that he should report to the Ministry for further instructions.
The members of the association challenged the presence of the security guard and yesterday, the head of the guard service decided to withdraw the guard.
The Education Ministry has signaled that it will seek to enforce the eviction next week, despite the intervention of the Attorney General.
Mr. Ramsaroop said that his association has never failed to make the ground available to any organisation requesting its use. Each year the GTI has been using the ground for its fun day.
The softball association says that it will seek answers to the reason for the sought eviction.

Latest News

Govt seeks to evict softball association from GTI ground

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Futebol Real Brazil executive Naranda Wislon visits Guyana

Windies captain Matthews cites lessons from T20I...

Powell calls for Reflection after West Indies...

Herstelling A are EBDCA/SPL T10 champs

Opinion Piece: Condemning the Nonsensical Guyana...

India produce dominant 60-run win over West...

Features/Columnists

The GRA is batting out of its crease

Let the asylum seekers go: a first step for Venezuela to rebuild relations in the Americas

Driving in Guyana, driving over Guyanese

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Govt seeks to evict softball association from GTI ground

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]