The state of the art National Track and Field Centre and Football Facility at Leonora was unveiled during a grand ceremony yesterday.
The commissioning of the US$5M project which sits on 50.4 acres of land, saw President Donald Ramotar joining the president of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson, representative of the GFF-IMC, Stuart May, Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, athletes and other dignitaries at the edifice, the first of its kind in Guyana.
Following performances by the National School of Dance and the National Steel Orchestra, Ramotar trumpeted the importance of the facility.
“This facility gives us the possibility of holding mega events in Guyana where we could not have done so in the past. We will now be exposing our sportsmen and women to more regional and international competitions and many of them, we hope. will take place right here.”
During the feature address, Ramotar stated that “it is indeed a good time to be young because of all the facilities that we are putting down to help with the welfare of our country.”
He also emphasized that sport contributes to health and “will also help you in your academic work.”
To loud applause, Ramotar stated that he will be looking at other fiscal measures like using tax concessions to help sport organizations to purchase buses to transport athletes to the facility and other venues.
Ramotar closed by stating… “Let the progress continue.”
In Hutson’s opening remarks he stated that:“The government, in its usual supportive role, has granted us with a facility that we are proud of.
“This is coming from as far as the president of the IAAF, the president of the South American Athletic Federation, council members of the AAG, clubs and the athletes.”
Hutson also stated that the facility….“will be used primarily for competitions and finishing training prior to international competitions.
“We are going to treat this facility with great respect and I assure you that it will be cared for and treated the way that we all can be proud of as Guyanese.”
In closing, the AAG head said:“We want to thank you for a very great facility that we all can be proud of as Guyanese.”
In his address, Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony noted that “today is a great day for sports in Guyana.”
Dr. Anthony pointed out that facility has been designed to host many track and field events which could not been staged here in decades past. He listed the steeple chase, the hammer throw and the pole vault as some of them.
He also boasted that the track has..“met the highest international standards and is regarded by the IAAF as the gold standard.”
He said that the track is designed to absorb 40% of the shock that the athletes endure. He also boasted about the drainage system and the lighting.
“If this field is flooded with six inches of water, within less than an hour it would be drained off, it has a very efficient drainage system.
“In many of our facilities we could not have competed in the night because we did not have proper night lighting, we have changed that by putting in night lighting which meets international standards.”
Dr. Anthony also revealed that the facility will be employing 24 full time workers for the ground, administrative purposes and a coaching staff.
“While we have a local coaching staff, we will also be employing two Cuban coaches, one who specializes in track events and one in field events.”
The minister in closing said that with the new facility local records “will be up for grabs.”
Brief remarks were also made by Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, Tirana Mitchell (national athlete), Vurlon Mills (national footballer) and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sport, Alfred King who gave a review of the project which commenced on December 16, 2011.
There were also inter-faith prayers, exhibition races and an exhibition match involving Slingerz FC and the West Demerara U-23 team. (Emmerson Campbell)
