No fees must be paid to club for use of Cumberland ground - Region 6 Chairman

No fees must be paid to club for use of Cumberland ground – Region 6 Chairman

Jun 12, 2011 Sports

“Persons wishing the use the Cumberland Cricket Ground in East Canje or any other ground owned by the government of Guyana should not pay a cent to any private person for the use of these venues.” Those were the strong words of Region 6 Regional Chairman Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha, when told that the Young Warriors Cricket Club is demanding a fee of $25, 000 for the use of the Cumberland Ball field.
Persons seeking the use of the facility were very upset that they were told that they have to pay fees of up to $25,000 to use the state facility. Recently a number of persons contacted Kaieteur News and related that they were told that they have to pay $25,000 if thy want to use the ground and this money must be paid to the Young Warriors Cricket Club. Even after applying to the Ordnance Fort Lands Neighbourhood Democratic Council and getting the necessary permission.
Some residents stated that they applied to the (NDC) a few weeks ago to hold a fish- fry and fun day at the ground and after some running around by the overseer, eventually got the necessary permission. However they were told by the Overseer that they have to contact the Young Warriors Cricket Club for final permission and to uplift the keys for the ground from one Mr. Anil Beharry, Executive Member of the Young Warriors Cricket Club in Berbice.
They said that they were told that they have to pay $25,000 to use the ground for the event and a further $5,000 cautionary deposit had to be made and which would be refunded after the event, providing that the ground was in a clean state.
The residents stated that Beharry said he was charging a fee for the ground because Young Warriors has been taking care of the venue. He said that the NDC has nothing to do with the ground and can’t tell them what to do.
One resident said, “They don’t mind paying a small fee. The money is too high. Yes, you have to maintain the ground, but $25,000, you not even getting back that profit.”
Anil Beharry, when contacted said that a fee is only charged when the ground is to be used for private events. However, no fee is charged for the hosting of events by churches or social organizations.
“If it’s private, they have to pay. They are damaging the ground, sometime the ground is wet so we can’t allow any activity on the ground. We don’t own it; the NDC owns it, but we’ve been taking care of it.” He said that, “…persons coming and said that they have charitable events for church and all of that, but, most times they have private events.”
Overseer of the Ordnance Fort Lands NDC when contacted stated that, “If persons wish to use the ground, they have to seek permission from the club and they have to pay. The club is running the ground. They built the ground from scratch,” he stated.
The Cumberland Primary School, which is next door, has also been locked out of the venue and a teacher when contacted stated that they also have to seek permission for the use of the ball field.
However, an upset Regional Chairman Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha told Kaieteur News that no fee is to be paid to anybody for the use of the ground, or any government ground. “I spoke to those persons already, the facilities are free.”
“I told the Overseer (NDC) and Anil Beharry that they can’t charge nobody”, Mustapha said.
He added that the NDC can collect a security fee and return same if the ground is left in a clean state after events.The Chairman stated that anybody who wants to use and ground should apply to the NDC for permission and that should be granted, free of cost providing that the ground is available and the event would not damage the venue. Responding to claims by Beharry that Young Warriors developed and maintained the Cumberland ball field, Mustapha said that the Government of Guyana (President Jagdeo) donated funds to develop the ground and the pavilion. “Not because somebody does a little work at a venue, it gives them prescriptive rights to the venue, the facilities remains the property of the Government and people of Guyana. It is the NDC’s responsibility to maintain the venues,” the chairman said.
He plans to hold a meeting with the persons responsible shortly. (Leon Suseran)

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