Some Kwakwani sports facilities slated for sprucing

A TEAM LED BY DIRECTOR OF SPORT, STEVE NINVALLE toured several facilities in
Kwakwani, Upper Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten) to assess their needs with a view for
inclusion in the country’s Recreational and Ground Enhancement Programme.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport (ag) Mr. Kwame McCoy said grafting the facilities into the
enhancement initiative would help them bring (their) best potential to the fore and be able to
produce the best athletes and sports personalities.”

“We want to do this in every other community across this country and you have seen us
investing already in many communities across Guyana,” minister Mc Koy said.
National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Kashif Mohamed, joined by others visited the
football field, a basketball court, the Kwakwani Recreational Centre, the State House, the club
house and the swimming pools in the communities during their tour.

Mc Koy stressed that the 2021 budget caters for initiatives such as synthetic tracts, mini stadiums
and other initiatives to help the country’s sportsmen and women develop their talents to compete
globally.

Kwakwani resident, Ann Gordon, said many community youths would benefit from the
facilities’ upgrade.

“It would be very beneficial to the young people, especially through sports in the area because
Kwakwani has been producing top quality level of sportsmen and sportswomen for a number of
years now, and one of the things that we definitely need is infrastructure, things improved,
because we can’t be going back or stagnated, we need to go forward,” Gordon said.
Mohamed echoed Gordon’s sentiments.

“Kwakwani is one of the places that we really wanted to visit because they have produced real
top-class athletes throughout the years. They are the champions at basketball at the school level
and they continue to produce really, really outstanding players,” Mohammed recalled.
The NSC Chairman said some of the facilities are “in excellent condition. The football field like
most other fields in the country, after the rains and everything needs some work and we are
getting an opportunity to see and assess everything that has to be done: with the football field,
with the swimming pools and with the basketball court. We will get to the drawing boards and do
stuff.”
Since the youth and sport ministry was given responsibility for the Club and State Houses,
the assessments will determine which facilities need to be part of the 2022 fiscal estimates,
Ninvalle said.