Latest update April 4th, 2025 6:13 AM
Lack of suitable facilities affecting the development of Sports on EBD
Suitable facilities are definitely required for the development of sports. It is evident that Guyana lacks such necessities in most sports disciplines and little is being done to address this issue; however Guyanese athletes still excel on the regional and international stage in various events.
Providence Community Centre ground
A recent visit by Kaieteur Sport on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) proved shocking, most of the sporting facilities in the area cannot host an event.
The Providence community centre ground which once hosted cricket, football and volleyball has turned into swamp. Residents stated that the last activity played on the venue was the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company nationwide Ten\10 softball in 2010. They stated that little is being done by the relevant authorities to upgrade the ground which falls under the Eccles\ Ramsburg NDC. No senior official from the NDC was available to comment on the issue.
The Farm ground has been taken over with bushes, while drainage remains a major problem at the Diamond Community Centre ground, which is one of the few venues that hosted a sporting event on the East Bank so far in 2013. A senior official (who wished to remain anonymous) of the Herstelling\ Little Diamond NDC, which is responsible for the Farm ground, said that there are plans to improve the playfield
The Diamond Community Centre ground
but they are waiting on the access road to be completed before they commence work which includes raising of the level of the land, renovating the pavilion and building of the fence. Kaieteur Sport was made to understand that the access road should be completed before September 21.
Overseer of the Diamond\Grove NDC, Parmanand Babulall, informed that due to the fact that the Diamond ground is low it is very hard to drain. He stated that the Regional Democratic Council did some work on the drainage system recently, but it still remains an issue and the only solution to the problem is to raise the height of the land. He indicated that the NDC is not in a position to handle it at this moment due to the lack of finances but they will apply to the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports for assistance. Babulall informed that they will prepare the venue next week and the NDC is in the process of acquiring a backhoe loader which will help with its maintenance.
He pointed out that the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) indicated that they are
The present state of the Farm ground.
willing to assist in upgrading the facility and a meeting of this nature will be held shortly.
Vice presidents of the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association (EBDCA) Deonarine Debidial and Johnny Azeez said that they are hoping the grounds can be upgraded so the EBDCA can organize more tournaments at all levels during the coming season.
Debidial stated that there are fourteen clubs in the area, but only the Diamond community centre ground was available to them during the last season and it was difficult for them to complete several competitions.
“The lack of grounds is a major factor that affects the growth of cricket on the East Bank. This has been an issue for a number of years and we are calling on the authorities to improve these facilities which will be of tremendous benefit the community,” added Debidial.
He feels that since the NDCs are claiming that they do not have enough resources to upgrade the grounds they should be adopted by private entities.
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