Sports boost for Region Three

CULTURE YOUTH AND SPORT MINISTRY WILL SOON DEPLOY a coach to develop
the sector in the heavily-agricultural Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) region
according to subject minister Charles Ramson (Jr).
Ramson explained the move is to held nurture top local and internationally-ranked sporting
personalities while simultaneously fulfilling the Government’s manifesto promises in the run-up
to the March 2020 polls.
Since accepting the portfolio for culture, youth and sport, Ramson has deliberately been
redirecting the trajectory of the country’s sport policy and infrastructure to help Guyana position
itself to once again host top local, regional and international events and at the same time promote
its world-class tourism products.

“We’re doing a consultation with all of the sports associations that will be sometime around
October…so, we’ve divided sports into core and non-core sports. All of the core sports will be
part of that consultation so it’ll be like an actual conference,” Minister Ramson said.
“So, it’s not a talk shop, but they actually come there and they participate in finalising the details
of the events of October. We’re ready to launch our academy,” of sports Minister Ramson
announced.
“We want to build an elite cricket academy there along with turning it into a multipurpose sports
facility, an exercise facility that’s already happening. We are putting in a basketball court there, a
football field, tennis, and a volleyball court,” Ramson said revealing details of the vision.
Some $370M were budget for the Culture, Youth and Sports ministry in the 2021 estimates to
provide professional training for both athletes and coaches.

Further, $1.5B ($US8M approx.) will be used for sport development. From this sum, $915.5M
was budgeted for improving community centre grounds countrywide. This includes establishing
top multi-purpose sporting facilities of international standard in regions Two
(Pomeroon/Supenaam); Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), and Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice).
A further $618M will be used this year to help sponsor tournaments, maintain sport
facilities and support selected sports associations, minister Ramson disclosed.