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President Ali hails Bayroc Stadium as symbol of Guyana’s sporting future
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – President Irfaan Ali took centre stage on Saturday evening as Linden celebrated the long-awaited opening of the Bayroc National Stadium, the town’s first-ever track and field facility and a major step forward for sports development in Guyana.
Before an overflowing crowd of enthusiastic residents from the mining community, the Head of State delivered a passionate keynote address that framed the new stadium as part of a broader national vision to transform sport from a pastime into a structured pathway for opportunity and national pride.
The modern facility came alive with a competitive night of track and field events and an entertaining football clash between Linden and Georgetown, but it was President Ali’s remarks that provided the defining narrative of the occasion.
An aerial view of the Bayroc National Stadium on Saturday evening, after being officially declared by President Irfaan Ali.
His speech, punctuated by loud cheers, underscored his Government’s commitment to investing in communities like Linden, long known for their sporting excellence.
“I am happy, that we’re able to deliver once again, and once more for the people of Linden and the people of Region 10,” President Ali said.
The President reminded the gathering that sport has received unprecedented financial backing under his administration.
He noted that during his first term, the sector benefited from its largest budgetary allocation in history, totalling more than $20 billion over the past five years, with a proposed $6 billion allocation set for 2026.
For President Ali, the Bayroc National Stadium represents a symbol of a nationwide movement to modernise sports infrastructure and create real opportunities for young people.
“The caravan has left the station, and will soon be making stops across our country,” President Ali said, highlighting plans to commission similar facilities in Berbice and Essequibo as the Government expands its sports development agenda.
President Irfaan Ali during his address at the opening of the Bayroc National Stadium in Linden.
According to President Ali, “It is a journey driven by planning…and investments, improvisations. Each stop represents more than a structure. It represents opportunities for athletes, pride for communities, and a clear signal, that sport in Guyana is moving forward.”
The Bayroc National Stadium, President Ali said, “…is one of those stops. It is a landmark along a route on how we develop talent host competition, and invest in our people. We have set out on this journey, with a clear understanding, that sport cannot grow on wishful thinking. It must be built, planned and supported. The commission of the Bayroc National Stadium, represents that commitment in a tangible form.”
While the project was first initiated in 2017 under former President David Granger, construction had stalled for several years.
When the former President’s party was replaced by President Ali’s Government, there were no stands, no lights, no ground, and no track, with the facility practically being an idea.
Its completion under the current administration was presented as evidence of renewed momentum in national development and a deliberate push to ensure that sport plays a central role in community upliftment.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. and Minister within the Ministry Steven Jacobs also addressed the gathering, echoing the President’s sentiments.
Both highlighted Linden’s rich legacy of producing top-tier athletes and expressed confidence that the new stadium will help the community further extend its dominance, particularly in track and field.
Saturday’s opening was therefore not only a celebration of a new facility, President Ali stressed, but a clear declaration of intent.
President Ali anchored on his message, that the Bayroc National Stadium was positioned as a cornerstone in a wider strategy to build talent, host major competition, and invest meaningfully in the people of Guyana.
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