Sports Hall upgrades underway ahead of CBC U-16 Championships

May 12, 2016 Sports

The much needed upgrade to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) is moving apace as Guyana prepares to host the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Under-16 Championship early in July with the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall being the central venue.

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF)

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones (right) makes a point during yesterday’s inspection of works at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with GABF President, Nigel Hinds (centre) and manager of the facility, Bashur Khan.

President, Nigel Hinds, among other Commissioners of the National Sports Commission (NSC), visited the facility yesterday to inspect the works being done.
Jones expressed his satisfaction that those necessary upgrades to host an international tournament will be completed in time. Currently, works on the players’ locker rooms, which includes setting up working showers and washrooms, is being done.
In addition, interior repainting was also ongoing during the visit; other works that was completed include getting all the interior lights in working condition, as well as fixing the fans for sufficient ventilation. The washrooms for patrons will be redone as well as rehabilitation works to the floor and the media and VIP rooms.
The focus of this process is to bring the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in line with a facility with the capacity to host any international competition. However, according to an International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rule, the markings for other disciplines have to be removed.
Currently, the Sports Hall houses Badminton, Volleyball and even Futsal on occasion, but for the CBC U-16 Championships the only marking that must be visible on the floor is that of basketball and no other. This is part of the pre-requisite as the host country.
The entrance and exit protocol for the venue will also be changed from what currently occurs and the works to facilitate that has been completed; two new basketball goals will be imported for the venue and the old ones moved to the practice venue at the Gymnasium.
The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall is Guyana’s only indoor sports venue. It has already undergone a facelift externally. The CBC Executive Evaluation Commission, which included CBC President, Glyne Clarke and CBC VP, Patrick Haynes was in Guyana two weeks ago and also inspected the facility.
Clarke stated that he is assured that the works to be done will be completed since they are mostly “cosmetic”. The male competition of the Caribbean U-16 Championships begins on July 3 while the female contest starts on July 12 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.