Twenty-Six community grounds in Region Six will be upgraded under the Sport Ministry’s initiative to further the development of sport from the grassroots. The region will be receiving a large chunk of the Gy$ 300 million allocation for the development of sport from this year’s budget, according the Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony last Friday when he visited that Region.
He revealed that 160 project proposals have reached his ministry and 155 were approved. “Region Six will be given a larger chunk of the money. This is because of the direct involvement of the Regional Chairman who went around meeting with some of the committees to provide advice on whom they should apply to and what were the best projects to seek assistance for,” Anthony noted.
Twenty-three of the projects will be funded by the ministry. According to Anthony, Gy$ 300 million was budgeted for the project and Gy$ 1 million yearly for each of the two previous years.
Permanent Secretary within the ministry Alfred King noted that there was need for an estimate and a design, along with the signature of members of a management committee and the approval of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) or in some cases, the municipality, before a project was approved by the ministry.
Meanwhile, the Number 79 village ground is on the list, along with the Siporuta Community Centre on the Corentyne River.
The minister said the Number 71 play ground and Courtland village ground will be benefiting from the project. Adelphi, Orealla, Hampshire, Chesney, Port Mourant, Number 69, Number 73, Number 60, Albion Front, Cumberland, Fyrish, Tain and Whim are all villages where projects will be undertaken.
“Whim has been one of those grounds that had a lot of attention because monies were spent there but it is big and it will take a lot of money to fix everything. So we will be spending three million dollars there to fix that ground,” the minister noted.
Contractors are expected to start working before the end of the month. Three additional projects are being undertaken at the Bermine ground at Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Burnham Park and the Skeldon Community Centre.
