Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
Minister Ramson announces rehabilitation work to start at Mackenzie Sports Club Ground within the next month, following meeting with msc executive
Last Tuesday Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson MP was in Linden to update the Mackenzie Sports Club’s Executive about the work which will start within one month’s time, towards a makeover of the lone main sports facility in the mining town.
Picture of ground with MSC 1st Vice President during a recent cleanup exercise.
Armed with Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, Minister Ramson, after an opening brief, fielded questions from members of the MSC Executive which included its President Avery Trim and General Secretary Joseph Chapman among others.
The government’s chief sports points-man opened his talk where members of the public also converged at the MSC Lounge, saying he was in Linden to update them with regards advancing the upgrade of the MSC ground, which will be followed with the building which should be financed by a grant from China later in the year to do the structural repairs work, which will make the MSC one of three modern sports facilities in Guyana as promised by President Dr. Irfaan Ali.
Ramson reported, “All of the requirements have been satisfied, now I also want you to know you are also charged with a responsibility, and that responsibility is to provide the best possible facility for the people of Linden too.”
The MSC ground will be upgraded to that of the National Stadium with all the underground pipes and flood drainage, all catchment basins, herringbone and perforated pipes etc. All of that will amount to approximately $200M.
The flood lights, the current estimates are about $360M to $370M for the ICC standard lights.
Being specific, Ramson said concerning the ground preparation which will be the first set of work at the MSC “…that would cost, just the equipment alone about US$50,000. The project in relation to the work is about US$1M, we are just concluding the procurement of the lights, international ICC and FIFA capability lights, which will be in excess of another US$1M, probably more along the line of US1.5M. These are not small sums of money that we are going to be spending, but they are in the highest standards that you would get.”
He admitted that he thought based on information received, the primary sport that was played in Linden was football, but on reconsideration of that view, the design for the new facility was for all sports, and with this happening, the concern about cricket being removed from the MSC was no longer there.
Minister Ramson also highlighted that, “You would be happy to know that cricket would be played here as well and the standard that we put the lights at is the ICC standard. That is why it is so expensive. So that is going to be a big benefit for the area.”
“Now one of the things that gives you, this facility, the opportunity to do, is to host all kinds of regional matches and stuff like that. So you can now put that firmly as part of our bidding process when we are going to bid to host games in the region,” said the Minister.
“I may be off about a week or two but I expect the development of the ground, to start within about four weeks. So by the early part of February, late part in January you guys should be able to have a supreme ground here,” Ramson assured those gathered.
And Minister Ramson furthered: “All of the requirements have been satisfied now I also want you to know you are also charged with a responsibility and that responsibility is to provide the best possible facility for the people of Linden too.”
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