Dear Editor,
The LBI ground is now an eyesore and has virtually been abandoned by the Government and Guysuco. We all know when Bookers was in charge of all the Estates those grounds in Demerara and Berbice were regularly taken care of by their personnel. Cricket and other community activities boomed in all those areas during that halcyon era.
The decline of sugar, its management and Guysuco over the past decade or so has coincided with the fall of cricket and its continued development in the areas that surrounded these estate cricket grounds and community centres. These centres/grounds formed the epicentre for recreational activity in those areas and Guysuco has made drastic decisions to keep itself afloat, eliminating responsibilities at the expense of the social well-being of the community.
It was refreshing to see our great hero, Alvin Kallicharran, now back in Guyana working with our youths and I hope the Cricket Board or the Government can do their utmost to ensure Kalli can remain here at home to help in the development process with our youths. I am sure that Kalli nurtured his skills at one such ground in Port Mourant where he hails from and must be disgusted to see the wanton abandonment of a once premier cricket ground and facility.
If the Cricket Board is willing to develop the ground and make use of same with its own resources, why does Guysuco not want this or has not allowed it as yet? It was stated that the Minister instructed Guysuco to hand it over to the Cricket Board. Was that done in writing and communicated to Guysuco? Can Guysuco refuse an instruction from its subject Minister or does Guysuco not have any more corporate social responsibility? Is there no return to sanity and accountability ever? Why can’t LBI be allowed to flourish for the benefit of our youths and the East Coast community? Come on Guysuco, do the right thing and improve the lives of people!
Yours faithfully,
Anand Dyal
