Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde said that the National Training Centre at Providence will undergo a transformation to be converted into a dormitory which will aid in preparation of the respective national programmes.
This was disclosed at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston following the official signing of the developmental MoU with the Denmark Football Association.
Speaking to media operatives Forde said, “The next phase of work at Providence will be the conversion of the building into dorms, we submitted the applications already to the FIFA Development Department, we are awaiting the approval and once that is done we are optimistic that we will have the approval before 2019 and you will see an aggressive construction programme take place which will see that building converted into a dorm.”
He added, “The priority now is to convert the building into a functioning dorm with a kitchen, washroom and shower and all of that. We are putting in seating capacity, temporary portable seating capacity of 1000 which will subsequently move when we finalize the design for other MA grounds.
“I would say by the end of the first quarter of 2020 we should have the venue to the state which we would like to describe as functional to host competitions there.”
The facility, which was official commissioned May 13th 2019, is being constructed in two phases. The first phase of the project was the installation of the artificial turf. The second phase will witness infrastructure such as stands, lights, beach, Futsal training pitches, mini pitches and an administrative centre for the headquarters of the GFF being erected.
Former head of the GFF Normalization Committee, Clinton Urling, had brokered an agreement between the GFF and the Eccles/Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) for the location and was granted a 30-year lease for the land.
Meanwhile Howard McIntosh, CONCACAF Senior Project Manager, disclosed that the confederation is in the process of initiating several projects that will be beneficial to the region, especially the emerging nations within the Caribbean.
He revealed, “The work has already started in terms of putting in place the way that many of the countries like Guyana will benefit. FIFA has already put an expensive programme in place through the FIFA Forward Programme and CONCACAF has put a programme in place through the One CONCACAF programme.
“What is going to happen over the next couple of months will see strategic planning there for 2030 which will be taking you past the World Cup”, adding, “It clearly sets out all the plans CONCACAF has in relation to the World Cup and beyond. It’s not about going up to the World Cup it’s what takes place beyond and I cans say with confidence everyone will be happy in terms of many of the things that will be implemented for countries like Guyana and the rest of the region.”
