As a former Miss Guyana Universe delegate, Michelle was maybe hoping that Alpha, whose President is the Miss Guyana Universe Franchise holder, Odinga Lumumba, would beat ‘my team’. The overcrowded mound smelled of ‘ganja’ smoke and glass bottles of beer were being sold when it was stated that no bottles were to be used by patrons, did not dampen her mood.

I got a call from my brother and another ‘old friend’ from West Ruimveldt who was in the country for the Christmas Season saying they were locked out of the ground even though my friend had a VIP pass for the Ansa McAl booth.

“Boy is total confusion out here….the Police say the ground got too much people and they lock the gates and not allowing anymore people inside,” my brother screamed on his phone above the pulsating music being played during half-time.

I was heading to see if I could help but the crowd was making it hard to get outside. My friend and his wife were soon in the ground. They and many others (most without tickets) got in when the gate was opened to allow a Police car to enter.

All tickets cost the same (except if you bought them from the ‘hustlers’ outside the ground at a much higher price) and while there are 3 different stands and a mound area in the venue, there was no indication of which stand to go with which ticket.

For Michelle, who attended World Cup Cricket matches with different tickets for different stands, this was confusing. But she could not help telling me that the Cricket Board’s marketing of their matches was nothing compared to the hype (especially on HJTV) for the Final.

That’s why she was amazed when she heard one of the officials tell me that they spent millions on security but did not expect such a massive crowd.

We spent the 2nd half of the game as guests in a few hospitality booths and when the Tigers scored twice in the closing stages I was among the thousands celebrating, even as Lumumba, himself looking like a model with his white suite, seemed shattered. ‘More millions for the Tigers and not from gambling, plus bragging rights that they beat Alpha’ he must have been thinking.

After some fun watching a lad who stole a phone ‘shake beat’ some unfit looking police officers on the actual playing area before he was eventually caught and beaten during the presentation ceremony, we headed for the concert.

A few fights broke-out, a youth blew ‘ganja’ smoke into a Policeman’s face and ran away and a fire officer was heard lamenting that if a fire had broken out in the Stadium those who ordered the gates closed would have been in serious trouble.

Despite the Police officers presence the ‘ganja’ fumes was not surprising. “This was something you associate with football in Guyana” I told an elderly lady and her daughter who wondered why nobody stopped people from smoking.

Michelle wondered what the ‘old lady’ was doing there in the first place, especially since her daughter looked no more than 13 and seemed to be suffering from a shortage of clothes.

It was now after mid-night and the party was in full swing with the female MC informing the ‘Stadium Massive’ that it was ladies night on the stage.

Vanilla stepped up first and then Big Red and Shelly G. Although Alison Hinds did not arrive until close to 02:00hrs, nobody was complaining as Fusion’s DJ Ceon did an excellent job keeping the crowd involved as the band was being set up.

The Bajan artist looked stunning in black and soon had the large crowd dancing and waving before a few again managed to disgrace Guyana and make it more difficult for promoters to convince International entertainers to come here.

Hinds asked for some males to show her how GT guys could ‘wine’ and when a ‘not so male looking male’ ventured onto the stage Beer bottles greeted him, some of them whizzing past the singer’s head.

Hinds showed her experience and professionalism and even though more fights broke out and more bottles flew with little intervention from the Police, she sang her ‘Peace and Unity’ song and pleaded with the delinquent ones to show love.

A media worker was hit on the stage forcing Hinds to say “Wuna stop this nonsense….I can’t tek this no mo…I am sorry but I can’t continue”. She and her band left the stage as sections of the crowd ran for cover as more fights broke out.

Even when the singer was in the makeshift dressing room behind the stage the lights were turned off and on with fans inside getting autographs. The poor security was glaring.

The Kashif and Shanghai Organization has come a long way from their inaugural tournament in Linden 20 years ago and is now the leading sports promotion group in Guyana raking in millions through their well promoted football competition each year.

Bringing King Pele for the opening game and Alison Hinds for the closing took plenty of finance and the support of the business community and access to the Stadium shows that the K&S Organization is now fully established as a reputable and successful promotion group.

The final was staged at the Stadium for the second time this year and one hopes that next year security is not compromised since thousands of lives are involved at such events. The safety and comfort of the paying fans should never be taken for granted by promoters who make huge profits because of the fan’s support.

Hundreds, many with valid tickets, were denied entry because the venue was overcrowded while potential weapons like glass bottles should never be permitted in a packed crowd when alcohol is being consumed.

The security was just not enough for the crowd and a careful review of what went wrong should be done to ensure there is no repeat next year.

As someone who has represented Guyana in Sports, I also look forward to the K&S Organization giving back to the development of sports, especially at the grass-root level since they earn millions due to their hard work and excellent marketing, but also because of those who support their tournament and want to see Guyana’s football rise.

Congratulations to Western Tigers and a good job by K&S for keeping football alive.

However, what transpired at the final suggested that the fans were taken for granted.