March 28, 2024

INFO 10

THE TRUTH IN BLACK AND WHITE

Region 10 RDC calls for appointment of sports officer, completion of sports facility projects

Image of incomplete synthetic track at Bayroc

The Regional Democratic Council of Region 10, in the most recent statutory, expressed concern that there has not been appointed to the region a youth & sports officer and that projects relative to the completion of the synthetic track, the proposed construction of a mini-stadium in Linden and any improvement work slated for the Mackenzie Sport Club Ground, have been stalled.

These issues were brought to the attention of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, but according to the council, all have fallen on deaf ears. “Sports representatives from various disciplines continue to approach the RDC for facilitation of their efforts, but with no budgetary allocation being made available at the level of the RDC, the employment of a youth and sports officer who could make this representation to their subject ministry becomes important,” a press release noted from the office of the Regional Chairman.

The completion of the synthetic track also remains of grave concern, given half of the year has been been completed and no work has commenced.  “The completion of the synthetic track represents a continued strident call from athletes all across Region 10, with the council expressing consternation that a project of this nature is receiving such poor attention while athletes continue to suffer for the lack of the availability of this venue.”

The council believes that with Linden being a community that produced top national athletes, more effort should be placed in ensuring aspiring athletes be given a decent facility to train. “As a region that has produced Olympic athletes the like of Mark Mason, Desmond Hector, Marian Burnette and so many others, as well as with District 10 being the District that has claimed the National Schools’ Athletics Championships more times than any other District, the athletes would seem to definitely have a claim to the provision of the synthetic track to create the enabling environment for similar successes.  However, athletes continue to face disappointment at the seeming abandonment of the project to complete this facility,” the statement further alluded.

The commencement of the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground (MSC) transformation project and public engagements on the status of the project as well as consultations were also highlighted by the council. At present the MSC ground is not in any condition to host any sporting activity. The recently relaunched Upper Demerara Football Club Senior Mens’ League, had to be cancelled until another suitable facility is identified.  “The council will continue to pursue explanations for these issues up to and including their remedy by the ministry and/or other responsible agencies,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, while through intervention from the office of the regional chairman, the Retrieve Play Field was rehabilitated, more still needs to be done to transform the facility into a conducive space for students to utilize.  

The Mackenzie High School had written to the council urging that attention be paid to addressing this situation so that students could have access to play facilities, at the same time referring to the mosquito nuisance also occasioned by the overgrown area there. Regional Chairman Deron Adams, related that he looks forward to the completion of work on this area so that the students of the Mackenzie High School, Retrieve Nursery School and the Mackenzie Primary School, as well as the community of Retrieve, could have access to well-equipped and safe play spaces.