RHTY&SC appeals to President Jagdeo for assistance to save the Area ‘H’ Ground

Jul 10, 2010 Sports

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The Management and Membership of Guyana’s leading youth and sports club, the Rose Hall Town Youth and sports Club are appealing to President Bharat Jagdeo for urgent assistance to stop the Area ‘H’ Ground in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, from falling apart.
The club which has a membership of over 300 youths and adults has been using the Area ‘H’ Ground since its formation in 1990.
The ground which is the property of the Rose Hall Town Council is in a state of disrepair with all the fences falling down and the old pavilion unsafe for use by spectators.
Secretary of the club and National Male Sports Personality for 2009 Hilbert Foster stated that the club since 1991 has worked beyond the call of duty to transform the venue from an open waste land into a proper sports facility.
The first project was the construction of a pavilion which was a donation from the then Patron, President Desmond Hoyte. In 1995, the club reached an oral agreement with then Mayor, John Merai, that the club would raise funds on its own to transform the ground and in return would be allowed to use the venue.
Funding was obtained and the club was able to fence the entire ground, internal boundary boards, internal fence, outdoor canteen, scoreboard, outdoor sanitary facilities, water tank, flagpoles, enclosed the bottom flat of the pavilion among others.
The Club in early 1998, also successfully sought the assistance of President Janet Jagan and was able to have a $1.5M all weather court built while the Office of the Prime Minister donated funds to construct two sight screens for the cricket ground in the same year.
Under the President Youth Choice Initiative Project, the Club also successfully negotiated for a new pavilion and office which were constructed. President Jagdeo opened the pavilion in 2002 while the club also constructed a charity kitchen at the back of the old pavilion.
The Rose Hall Town Council as part of the 1995 agreement was supposed to be responsible for the upkeep of the ground and security but sadly have failed to do so.
Foster disclosed that the facilities have been allowed to fall apart despite the best efforts of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club.
With the club hosting over 150 major projects and programmes per year, it is virtually impossible to undertake any major work on the ground.
The Club at the moment is standing the cost of providing electricity for the ground in the evening at great cost while last year they paid over $100,000 to ensure water supply at the ground.
The Club with the support of TCL (Guy) late last year also constructed two concrete sight screens at the cost of $300,000 to replace the wooden ones which were destroyed during a mini storm last year.
Organising Secretary of the Club, Ravindranauth Kissoonlall disclosed that the entire fence was on the verge of falling down, the boundary boards completely destroyed, the old pavilion unsafe for the use by general public while over 60 zinc sheets at the eastern section were removed by drug addicts.
Numerous requests were made to the Council for security over the last 2 years but no positive response has been obtained.
Foster noted that the Club understood the financial situation under which the Council was operating but is of the view that valiant efforts should be made to upkeep the Area ‘H’ Ground.
The long serving Administrator who in 2008 was honored by the Rose Hall Town Council for his outstanding contribution to youth and sports development to the township, praised the Council for its recent cooperation with the Club but stated that much more has to be done if the township has to protect most of its precious assets from Satan and his evil world of drugs, crime and teenage sex.
The Area ‘H’ Ground over the years has been home for several national and West Indies cricketers including Assad Fudadin, Delbert Hicks, Esuan Crandon, Andre Percival, Royston Crandon, Shemaine Campbell and Erva Giddings.
The ground over the last 15 years has produced five Guyana Senior Cricketers, nineteen national junior cricketers, several for the West Indies and a total of 59 for Berbice at all levels.
Foster stated that the ground has been the pride of the township over the years and its products have made the town the envy of every community in Guyana and it would be a total disaster if it was allowed to fall to pieces.
He disclosed that the Town Council has budgeted for some funds to do some work on parts of fence later this year but that was just a drop in a huge bucket.
President Jagdeo, he stated has records of serving youths of Guyana, the club membership of over 300 would be very grateful if the President can intervene to save the Area ‘H’ Ground by making a contribution to the Region 6 RDC or the Rose Hall Town Council to undertake the urgent repairs.
Foster expressed confidence that the President would assist the township and would take into consideration the remarkable successes of Guyana’s most dynamic Youth & Sports Organisation and its unmatched list of achievements which has touched all and sundry in the Ancient County.

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